If I return... She says. That means that Madison would stay away from this place as much as humanly possible. Scarlet didn't blame her. The Crimson Hand, as it was, was in a bit of a mess. Everyone was on high alert. Ulroke had left on some Contingency mission, they were under strict instruction to allow no one in, unless they were a prisoner or dead. People's alliances were shifting, they were doubting the control the silver haired assassin had, and were taking Scarlets words as rule. Scarlet expected this eventually, but no so soon, and so suddenly. It started with Advencia, and with Madison leaving - but what really drove the matter home... was her transformation. It scared people. It scared him.

The two walked side by side, silently through the dark labyrinth of halls, back up the steps and into the frigid air. Madison flinched at the cold, Scarlet did not. "He thinks I'm a monster now." Scarlet mused, but no further words were exchanged. Scarlet wasn't sure why she said such a thing, it was truth, but why say it? She wasn't sure... that was a bother. She'd rather know the reasoning behind her actions. Not wanting to end it on such a note, Scarlet continued as they entered the main hall of the inner sanctum. "He always claimed he'd take the last of my humanity, and in a way. He did. He holds it, a literal piece of my soul that this catgirl ripped from me. I gave it to him as a sort of joke. He's been very silent and pensive since then."

We passed the food hall, the smell of fresh cooking lilted from the kitchen. Scarlet wrinkled her nose. Advencia had gone and fucked up the meal. How hard was it to stuff up such a simple thing? They passed Lye's egotistical throne of human bone, and to the back door, down the stairs and into the cells. The residents were silent, and the smell of rot and decay festered.

They passed cells with dying people in them, some already dead. Two cells stood out, one just ahead seemed to emit a soft glow. Upon further inspection, it was a young girl suspended in a large glass tube. She was wearing an odd plug suit, cables trailed out of her body, the top of her suit was unzipped just enough so the curvature of her breasts could be seen, and one other thing. A birthmark that was exactly like Amari's. She passed this woman and continued to the next a few feet down.

"Here she is."

Scarlet gestured toward Eteri, who was bound and gagged lying on the floor of the cell. Blood dotted her face and her ears had been nailed into the floor. Her tail had three nails pounded down its length, if she were to move or struggle, it'd be painful for her. The girl looked to be unconscious.

"This thing. She helped an Ixian Knight into the Sanctum a while ago. I believe she got past the beasts in the forest the first time because she claimed she didn't have a soul." Amari unlocked the cage and swung the door open. "I was going to whittle her down. Someone who can rip souls from people? That may be useful. Unfortunately, she's more annoying than I'd first thought. You caught me at a good time Madison, just a few days more and she'd be pig food." Scarlet nudged the unconscious girl with her foot.

"Wake up. We have a guest."