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CHAPTER 1
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Lina slowly came awake...
Something felt strange, so very strange...
There was something about the light. And the temperature. And the round
things. And something else. She couldn't quite figure it out, but she
knew it would eventually come to her. For now, she would go back to
sleep.
Yes, glorious sleep, that was it...
...
Lina slowly came awake...
Again...
She knew this was at least the second time. She wished it wasn't,
because now she was able to realize more of what was going on. Like the
problem with the light, there wasn't any, it was very dark. The kind of
darkness she knew came of being indoors.
She knew she was cold too, that was the problem with the temperature. Of
course she was, where were her clothes?
She didn't bother to reach for a sheet, the round bars pressing
uncomfortably into her back made it plain she wasn't in a bed. After a
minute it came to her, she was lying, naked, on the floor of a cage.
Of course. And now she got the something else too. Her head hurt like
crazy. She must have been hit with a club or something. Against her will
she forced her arm to move, carefully. Yep, the sticky, drying blood
confirmed it. A few careful pats, and she was relieved to find she had
no obvious skull fractures. Her neck seemed good too, after all, there
was just nothing like a broken neck to spoil a girl's day. Ah well, as
long as she didn't have one of those slow brain bleed thingies she had
heard, um, S, S, uh, someone talk about once as part of some, uh, white
stuff, she would be alright.
Now, was that a good thing though? She was obviously captured, but her
memory was still woozy enough that she didn't recall what happened. She
had a vague feeling that something else was missing besides her
clothing. Oh well, she'd remember it when she remembered it...
Lina lay in the darkness for awhile, trying to will her pain away. It
took ever so long, but eventually she remembered that she was a
magician! Yes! And that meant that she knew magic! Yes, even better! And
of course! She knew a healing spell! Best of all!!!
She stilled her mind and focused. Hmmm, where, and when, had she learned
that? Please hurry and come back, memory...
It wasn't long before the chant came to her. She concentrated on feeling
better, and said the magic words.
Then, the command word.
"Recovery." she whispered.
And then...
Nothing happened...
Lina was startled, and still in pain. "What the hell...?" she murmured
thickly, saying her first words out loud since she woke up.
A slight noise caught her attention. Then a slight voice. A voice that
sounded like it came from an impossible distance away, and through a
bale of cotton to boot.
"You are awake. The Mistress will want to know."
Some... thing... shuffled off through the darkness. A door opened
somewhere, but there was no light even then. Something about the voice
let Lina know she didn't really want to see whatever it was anyway.
Mistress huh? Okay, well, she had already figured out she had been
captured. So, let's see, she had also already realized she wasn't being
offered a job, nor that this was some sort of Lina Inverse appreciation
society she had run across.
"Hey Gourry, what the hell happened?" she asked.
The silence gave her the answer. THAT's what she was missing.
Or rather, who...
"Gourry? Gourry! Gourry, where are you?" she cried out. Damnit, so like
a Jellyfish not to be here when you needed him. And with the Blast Blade
too, so he could free her.
So, no magic, no Gourry, not even her clothes. Captured and caged, and
with a headache to boot. This was just great. She'd find out how perfect
it was when she found out who the "Mistress" was. Some crazy broad no
doubt, one who wanted to rule the world and wanted Lina to help her do
it.
As if...
"Well, good morning Lina. You finally woke up. We were begining to
wonder if Gorgol tapped you a bit too hard. Now that would have been
such a pity." spoke a cheerful voice. Lina gave a little scream before
clamping her hand on her mouth. For one thing, it made her headache
worse by at least a factor of ten. Also, this was not the time to show
weakness, especially not in front of...
"Xellos..." she said.
Ah yes, parts of her memory were definitely coming back, in leaps and
bounds...
"Ah, truely, Lina, your powers of hearing as as sharp as ever." the
mazoku replied from somewhere in the darkness.
"Look, Xellos, if it's not a secret, are you here to help me, or my
captors?"
She could just feel the smirk in his words as the reply came back.
"Well, I can say this much, this time I'm definitely on the side of your
captors, Lina."
Lina was about to tell him what she thought of that when she realised
there were two points of violet light looking at her from the pitch
black. "I never realised your eyes glowed." she said, sounding amazed.
"They do when I wish them to, Lina..." he said.
"So, dare I ask who this "Mistress" person is that the guard mentioned?"
she said. "Or is she a secret?"
"Perhaps she's more of a mystery, Lina-dear." said a woman's voice from
right behind Lina.
Lina jumped and turned around. Not good, that hurt, so bad...
She did not like that voice, not one little bit. It was as sweet as
honey, or even sugarcane, but it held just a hint of evil. A hint that
let you know the honey was fatally poisoned, and with the worst kinds of
toxins.
However, all Lina could see was a faint red glow. Like a little coal, or
something. And a strange odour, some sort of a burning herb smell,
seemed to come from it. Actually, it wasn't a bad smell, but Lina
couldn't place it. Well, it did sort of remind her of her father, back
when he used to smoke, but, daddy's tobacco never had this smell. Or was
the woman using some sort of a magic incence?
"M-mystery, huh?" she asked. "Do you want me to solve the mystery, or
leave it alone?"
"How cute, Lina-dear. Were you cute like this before you called upon
Grandmother to help you destroy part of Daddy, or my brother?" the woman
asked, chuckling.
Lina pondered. "Okay lady, my head's still fucked up from the blow, and
despite my cheerful expression, I'm not thinking straight. Plus the
darkness is disorienting. I'd not normally say this, but with Xellos
here you'd find out quick enough, so why hide it. The thing is, I don't
recall ever asking anyone's grandma to help me do in her daddy and
brother..." she said.
"Well, you are honest, I give you that much." the woman said. "Actually,
I don't need Xellos to tell me what's as plain as the pert little nose
on your cute little face, Lina-dear." said the woman. You could just
hear the smirk.
The coal moved. There was a sudden brightness and Lina could dimly make
out a cigarette holder held in a slim hand, part of a woman's face, and
what was likely some blonde hair surrounding it. And with that she could
also judge the woman was either tall, or standing on a box or something.
At least she now knew for sure the woman was smoking.
An alarm bell went off in her head, but she was too groggy to figure it
out just yet.
"Lina-dear, huh?" said Lina to the scary woman. "Well, you do have me at
a disadvantage, may I request the honour of knowing your name?"
"You may call me "Mistress", dear." the woman replied in a gentle, but
evil voice.
"So, I'm not to know who has captured me then?" asked Lina.
"You know me Lina-dear, or to be more acurate, you know of me, you just
are too groggy yet to figure it out. We won't play any games today, I'll
just leave you with the mystery. That should be enough for now."
Lina sighed. "Okay, as you say, Mystery Lady."
"Mistress, Lina-dear." corrected the woman.
"Why?" asked Lina, attempting defiance. "I don't bow to anyone but Lina
Inverse, or hasn't Xellos filled you in?"
"Would it help if I said "Pretty Please?" the woman asked, mockingly.
"No! And you better let me go. You are in a world of hurt already, you
know." snapped Lina.
The woman sighed. "I rather had hoped you'd do it for me just because
I'd like it if you did..." she said. Then she added, in undeniably evil
triumph "That, and little things, like, oh, light, warmth, clothing,
news, oh, and even food and water come to mind. Right now you have
access to none of that, but through me. Think about it."
Lina did, and said quickly "Ah. I understand now, thank you, Mistress."
"That's better. As a reward, I will grant you some light when we leave.
Which will be now. Come Xellos." she said.
There was a sound of leaving. As they exited through the door Xellos
said "Lighting" and a harsh light flickered on upon the ceiling. Lina
blinked and cringed. "Xellos. Please, it's too bright, it hurts..."
"Well, but the better to see your new home, Lina..." smirked the
trickster priest as he left. The door shut with a solemn boom.
"And I'm too sick to even curse you." said Lina to herself. "Wait! Oh
no, I wanted to ask where my magic went. And what's been done to Gourry.
Shit."
Lina lay there for a while, craddling her too sore head, and shielding
her eyes as best she could. "Damn it Xellos, even you have said there
are somethings you don't do to an enemy. Why? What do you want? Can't
you just ask?" she half shouted, half cried at one point. "Hey, can you
even hear me?" she asked the silent room.
After a long time, things settled down some more, and Lina was able to
open her eyes and see. She took stock.
"Let's see, I'm in a suspended cage. A cube made of bars all around. It
looks to be made of Orihalcon. Wow, that's just so much better than a
mere guilded cage. No, knock off the sarcasm for now Lina. Okay, that
would restrict my magic a lot. Well, talk about a guilded cage, you
would need enough solid gold to make ten cages like this to afford the
cage I'm now if it's really made of solid Orihalcon. Either this
Mistress lady is rich beyond my wildest dreams, hell, beyond even the
wildest dreams of avarice the size that Naga used to have, or she's in a
hell of a lot of debt. I vote the former though. This room looks like a
castle dungeon, or something like that."
She looked around more. "There seems to be a magic circle on the floor.
I'll bet it's meant to seal magic. That's probably why my spells won't
work. Shit again. Naked, alone, no power, no weapons, not clear headed.
Lina, you are right properly trapped. Let's hope the Mistress wants
something besides revenge, or you are so screwed..."
She sat there for a bit longer, thinking.
A horrible thought occured to her...
"Wait. What the hell? Where's the bucket? Where's anything?" she looked
around, then wailed "Hey! What do I drinK? Where the hell do I go to the
toilet?"
This was a real problem for Lina, she finally clued in that she had two
types of bodily waste begging to be released, liquid, and solid...
She held on as long as she could, but in the end she was forced to pick
the best spot that she could find on the floor under the cage, and do
her best to aim between the bars.
Gods above and below, the relief was good, but the stench was terrible.
And there was no way to wipe. Or to wash...
In the end she did the only thing she could do and broke down and cried.
"Please, just kill me and get it over with." she sobbed at one point.
She knew she was being weak, but at this point, no power, disoriented,
and hurt, she didn't have what it took to be her usual self. However,
she didn't stay down for long, she knew that that would only make
matters worse. No, she was going to just see this through, and do her
best. So, with that, after she had her weep, she gave herself a stern
talking to and started screwing her courage back up. No mystery mistress
was going to best her, especially in front of Xellos.
But, she was tired again, exhausted, actually, she was still injured,
and eventually, for all the terrible condition she was in, she drifted
off to sleep.
CHAPTER 2
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Lina was feeling better the next time she awoke. Which meant that she
was feeling worse of course, but her head was clearer and she could
focus. Given what she had to focus on, though, a round room made of
harsh stone, a large door in one part of the wall, her cage, and the
disgusting mess under it, she really wished she could be fuzzy still. Oh
well, no way to deal with that until she could get out.
At least the stench kept her hunger and thirst at bay, for now...
After the obligatory check on her cage lock she resigned herself to the
fact that she was pretty much stuck. She made an attempt to get the
dried blood from her hair, then gave up. "What do I do now?" she asked,
trying to keep the fear at bay.
After a while she called out "H-hey. Mistress? Lady? I'm very thirsty,
can I have a drink? Please? You didn't offer me food and water just as
part of the torture, did you? You aren't leaving me to die here?"
Of course, silence, and nothing...
Lina sat there in the cage alternately wishing her headache would go
away completely, and trying to distract herself. She sang some songs,
but the room had a funny flatness to it that seemed to swallow sound,
and the tunes came out wrong.
She was begining to feel stir crazy when the door finally open. Xellos
entered, carrying a couple of buckets. One seemed to be empty, the other
had...
"Water, sweet water. Please Xellos, please let me have a drink." Lina
begged.
That's up to my superior." he smirked, setting the buckets down
tantalizingly close, but just out of reach.
Lina gave a frustrated scream.
"My, we sound so much better today, Lina-dear!" said a cheery, evil
voice, as the Mistress stepped in, letting Lina finally see her. She was
a tall, beautiful, young blonde woman, dressed in a rather minimalist
slinky gown. She wore no shoes, but the floor didn't seem to bother her
as she walked upon it. She had a long cigarette holder in one hand,
complete with lit cigarette, of course, and the most evil look of
triumph on her face that Lina had ever seen. There was now no mistaking
who she was.
Lina knew this was not the time for heroics or standing on principal.
She gulped "G-good morning, or what ever time it is, Mistress
BeastMaster..." she said, trying to sound humble. To herself she wished
fervently for her power back, the Ragna Blade, oh what she'd give to
have that now...
Beastmaster gave her a long, studied look. It almost felt as if she had
read Lina's mind and was laughing at the petite mage. Finally she spoke.
"Xellos, love, what is that horrible stench? And what is that foul mess
on my nice dungeon floor? Who put it there?"
Xellos smirked. "Well, Mistress, I do believe it was Lina's doing.
Humans have the most disgusting habits. Apparently their bodies make
wastes that are simply not to be believed for their attrociousness. And
Miss Lina went and dumped off some of hers all over your beautiful
floor."
"What? Hey! Hey now! Just a minute, come on here. What was I supposed to
do? I had to go and you didn't even give me a pot to use, or any water
to clean up with. Come on. Can we just cut to the chase here? What do
you want? Why did you take my magic away and lock me in here? Where's
Gourry? He better be safe if you expect me to do anything at all that
you might want..." said an annoyed Lina. Enough was enough, after all...
Beastmaster stared her down, which took a bit of doing, this was Lina
Inverse after all, but eventually she dropped her gaze, and fell silent.
Beastmaster gave a triumphant little smirk. "Well, I was going to have
Xellos give you some water, but now, because of your rebeliousness, you
will have to undo what you did, first, Lina-dear..." she said.
"Huh?" asked Lina, very sure she wasn't going to like the answer.
Zellas snapped her fingers, and the cage door opened.
"Huh?" repeated Lina, unsure what to do now.
"This is the part where you get out of the cage, Lina-dear." explained
Beastmaster.
"Oh, s-sorry..."said Lina as she painfully got out of her confined
quarters.
She looked at the pile of filth on the floor. "Uh, okay, s-so where's
the mop?" she asked.
"Mop?" asked Beastmaster cooly. Too cooly.
"T-to clean up the mess..." said Lina, confused.
Beastmeaster gave Lina an oily smile. "Lina-dear, that's what you have
hands for. And for the liquid waste, your hair will make a wonderful
sponge, just be sure to wring it out thoroughly."
Lina stared, open mouthed, in shock. Finally she stammered "Y-y-you want
me to... ?"
"What part didn't you understand, Lina-dear?" asked Beastmaster.
"NOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" screamed Lina, recoiling in horror and
outrage. "Never! Not on your life! Or mine! I'd rather die!" she yelled.
"She is nothing, if not dramatic, isn't she?" Zellas asked Xellos with a
smile.
"The funny thing is, she means it too." was the reply.
Beasmaster looked at Lina and asked "So, Lina-dear, do you have any
magic, or weapons, with which to back up your defiance?"
Lina frowned, then, worry crept onto her face, unbidden.
Zellas went on "You can clean the mess up with your own body, or you can
be held down by my guards as I spoon feed it to you, your choice."
Lina realised this was a very real possibility, zellas was in a
position, and of a mind set, to make her threat come true.
"G-give me a mop, please..." she pleaded.
"You are in no position to beg, Lina-dear, use your hands and get to it,
my patience wears thin." was the harsh reply.
"No, no, please, give me a mop, I beg you!" persisted Lina.
Beastmaster moved fast, and Lina suddenly found herself slamming into
the ground, her face on fire from the backhand slap she had been given.
Beastmaster eyed her, coldly this time. "Obediance has its rewards,
Lina-dear, disobediance has its punishments. I see you have to learn
this the hard way. I was going to let you use that bucket there to put
the waste in. Xellos, take it away."
The trickster priest did so, tossing the empty bucket into the hallway.
Zellas went over to the other bucket and picked it up. She gave a little
swish, enough to remind Lina of the water inside it. "Lina-dear, if you
disobey me, or backtalk again, I will toss this water out too. You have
been almost two full days without a drink, if you aren't burning with
thirst already, it will begin very soon.
At the mention of the thirst Lina's mind was forced to focus on the fact
that, yes, indeed, she was terribly thirsty. She gave a cry and rolled
over, on to her knees. She realised that Zellas had her over the
proverbial barrel with chains on. If she didn't drink today, she's be
willing to do anything, anything, tommorrow. Hell, to be honest, she was
basically there now.
"Please, tell me what you want, I'm new at this... Mistress..." she
groaned softly.
Beastmaster smiled in wicked triumph. "Humiliate yourself. Pick up your
filth with your bare hands and smear it all over your body. Smear it
everywhere, and I do mean everywhere. Roll in it and make your hair pick
up your dirty liquid mess too. Be good, and I won't make you eat it..."
Lina screamed in horror again. Then she saw Beastmaster readying to
throw the water away. There was somethng about the look in the Monster
Lord's eyes that could almost make Lina taste her force fed excrement
already. Something in her, well, it didn't break, but it cracked and
bent. With her most desperate scream yet she threw herself onto the
disgusting pile, and began to smear it all around. Beasmaster has said
everywhere, so Lina was carefull to make sure she got everywhere with
it. Even her face.
Even...
Down below.
She wanted to vomit, but held it back, having visions of that being fed
back to her too. She wanted to cry, and did so. But, tears and puke both
took water, and Beastmaster had her by the throat, so to speak. A very
parched throat.
Beastmaster smiled. "Back in the cage, Lina-dear." she commanded. Lina
obeyed, crying almost hysterically as she did so.
"Lina-dear..." said Zelas.
Lina turned, and promptly received a facefull of water from the bucket.
As she gasped and spluttered and blinked, trying to keep the sewage out
of her eyes it was all she could do not to try and drink the needed
water through her brown lips.
"There's still enough to drink in here, Lina-dear." said Zelals, putting
the bucket carefully inside, and closing the door with a harsh click. "I
recommend that you carefully use what I showered you with to clean off
your mouth, then, touching only the outside of the bucket, have your
drink. Then, you can use the empty bucket if you need to for any more
messes. Come Xellos, she's got enough to think about for one more night.
Like how to be a good and obediant girl from now on..."
The two monsters left, leaving Lina alone again. For a long time she
shook from the rage, the fear and above all else, the humiliation. If
she had her giga slave she might just be tempted to end it all, herself,
Zellas, Xellos, the whole damned world, right now. But, she had no
power, nothing. Well, maybe she could bite through her wrists...
But, ewww, they were covered with, with... brown stuff... as well...
In the end Lina calmed down, and did as Zellas recommended. The water
was so good when she finally got to it...
CHAPTER 3
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Lina didn't sleep much that night. Or day. Or whatever time it was. The
lighting spell remained on all the time, and Lina had no gague to the
passing of time. She thought and thought.
At first she had thoughts of hatred, her emotions drove her to want to
kill and destroy and torture and utterly do away with Beastmaster,
Xellos, and the whole mazoku race. After a long time her fantasies
burned some of her emotional energy down, and her logical mind was able
to assert itself. The simple truth was that Beastmaster was up to
something. Obviously she was having great fun doing it, but there was
something about her that was too deliberate for her to be just
tormenting Lina because she could. Lina gulped. That meant Beastmaster
had plans for her...
But what?
Lina tried to take an inventory of all she had that Beastmaster might
want.
In the end she got it. At least, she was reasonably sure she had it, as
far as she could tell, at any rate. Beastmaster had to be after Lina's
Chaos magic. The Ragna blade, or the Giga-slave, or both. Spells that
Zellas couldn't use herself. Lina pondered this a bit. If Zellas was
just duplicating Phibrizzo's error of thinking he could make the
Giga-slave go awry and thus destroy the world she would have had a
better chance to do this if she challenged Lina to a battle. So, she
wasn't after what Phibby wanted, or even what Copi Rezo had wanted, in
other words, for Lina to cast the Giga-slave at her. But she might want
her to use the slave or the blade on some enemy or other, to
Beastmaster's advantage.
But it couldn't be just any enemy, chances were good that Lina would do
it for her, if the enemy, and the price, were right. So, who then?
Someone Lina wouldn't normally want to attack? Most likely, that's why
the humiliation, to break her and get her to be willing to attack anyway
to put an end to the shame. So, who would it be? Luna came to mind, but
was quickly dismissed, after all, there was no way she'd ever attack her
own sister, and Beastmaster couldn't be that stupid as to think she
could change Lina's mind with a manure body rub. Of course, it likely
meant that there was worse to come, yet...
Hmmm, who else? Amelia? Phil? Anyone in the country of Seirune? Some
magical structure of that country that served to diminish the dark
magic? Again the answer was no, it made no sense. Lina decided that
Beastmaster probably wanted her to do a more focused attack. Maybe break
a magical barrier to something so that Beastmaster could get at
something that Lina woudn't normally like her to have access to.
Holy hell, the original Claire Bible? Was Zellas trying to access it? Or
even steal it? Lina shook her head in disbelief, but it was the only
thing that made sense at this time.
She pondered this for awile, and decided the only thing she could do was
pretend to agree and hope that she could do a last second rescue or
something. The magical knowlege of the Aqua Lord was too important to be
lost to the world, especially by giving it to Beastmaster
Zellas-Metalium!
How to do this though? Only one way. She would have to be the obediant
slave Zellas was looking for. Lina gulped. Zellas was sure to have
something terrible lined up as a loyalty test. Lina desperately hoped it
wouldn't be eating her own poop...
No, that would likely be the punishment for turning on Zellas at the
end. Lina sighed, then gulped. She couldn't shake it, the most likely
way out was to kill herself, and try to take Zellas down with her.
Oh, what to do?
And, where was Gourry? Probably safe somewhere, to be used as a hostage
for her good behaviour. If she turned on Beastmaster, he would almost
certainly suffer. But, what if she had no choice? She gave a little cry
of despair, then calmed herself down again. She would do what she had to
do to stay alive for now, but she would wait to see what she had to do
in the end before she made up her mind.
Finally, she drifted off to sleep, her heart and mind calmed by the
begining of understanding what she was up against.
She was rudely awakened a short time later by ice cold water being
thrown on her.
Lina was up like a shot, only to clang into the cage, and become fully
awake.
"Hey, hey, hey, hey, hey! What by the nine hells is going on? That's
bitterly cold..."
Her next words were cut off by more water, lots of it, and under
pressure too.
It seemed someone had brought in a hose...
"AAhhh! S-St-St-Stop it..." she cried.
Eventually the hose did turn off. Lina dropped to the cage floor,
shivering and having a hard time catching her breath.
"Drag her out." said the smooth, evil voice of the Beastmaster.
Lina was dragged, shivering and staggering and brought before Zellas.
The Mazoku lord gave Lina a thorough looking over and puffed on her
cigarette.
Finally she spoke. "You look cold, Lina-dear, and wet. What say we get
you warm and dry?
"P-p-p-p-p-p-p-please..." shivered Lina through her bluish lips.
Her first clue that that was the wrong answer came when Xellos snapped
his fingers and a rather tough looking Mazoku stepped forward and
snapped a set of shackles onto Lina's wrists. "What?" she asked...
Xellos smirked and pointed. Lina looked and saw a metal hook hanging on
a chain suspended from the ceiling. "Hey???" she asked, even more
worried.
The monster pulled her over and raised the chain holding the shackled
over the hook. Lina was barely able to touch the floor with her big
toes. "What's going on? Xellos? Mistress? What's going on?" she asked,
unable to keep all of the fear from her voice.
Zellas smiled unpleasantly and made her way to Lina. She studied Lina
all over, blowing some smoke, oh so accidentally, at the redhead's face.
As Lina coughed, she spoke. "Lina-dear, I had heard you were skinny, but
I never realised that you were this skinny. You are down right scrawny.
And my goodness, what passes for breasts on you..."
Lina gave a cry of rage. "You hang me up here so you can insult me?
Where do you get off, Beastmaster? How would you like me to poke fun at
your udders?"
"Wouldn't work." replied Zellas, casually. "They ARE udders, and I admit
it. But it seems to be what humanoids expect and respond to, so having
'em big has it's advantages. But you needn't be so irritable, I was
perplexed more than being insulting. How young were you when you started
learning about magic, Lina-dear?" she asked.
"S-six..." replied Lina, suspiciously.
Zellas shook her head as if sad. Perhaps she really was. "Did no one
warn you?" she asked.
"P-pardon?" replied Lina, perplexed in her turn now.
"Well, it's simple. The human stomach, even when magically enhanced, can
only process so much energy in a day, and a child's tummy would process
so much less than an adult. You are a great mage, Lina, but you started
so very young." said Zellas, still contemplating, and puffing.
"Hey?" said Lina. "B-but I wanted to be important and powerfull, and get
sis to like me." she explained. "I begged and begged mommy and daddy
until they gave in and got me lessons. I did have some natural talent
for magic."
"I know, but to start training so young. Did your parents not know that
your body could only process so much energy, and then it would have to
decide to turn it into either magic or growth? Lina-dear, I think you'd
be taller, and have udders of your very own, if you had done less magic
over the years of your youth. You look like you stunted your own
growth..." explained Beastmaster.
Lina was dumfounded. Of all the things for Beastmaster to say to her.
What was worse, it never occured to Lina before, but somehow, it sounded
like it might be true. She stammered, not knowing what to say.
"Don't take it so hard, Lina-dear." said Zellas, coming forward and
brazenly fondling Lina's breasts, which caused the girl to gasp and
instinctively pull away. This made Beastmaster smile, and she further
said "I was wrong to use the word "scrawny" a minute ago, I can now see
there is nothing scrawny about you at all. You are petite, but
wonderfully so..."
As she spoke she circled behind Lina and fondled her rear. "How... oh
my..." said Beastmaster in a sensuous way that Lina didn't like.
"Wh-what are you doing?" she asked, feeling creeped out by the touch of
her captor.
Zellas stopped, blinked, though Lina didn't see that, then circled back
around to Lina's front. "Oh, Lina-dear, I do apologise, I was going to
dry you off and warm you up. How rudely indulgent of me." she said. Then
she smiled. "Thank you for reminding me."
Lina gulped. She was known for being reckless, it looked like she had
just put her foot in it again. Rather deeply too...
Zellas smiled again. She held out her hand and Xellos put something into
it. Something long and coiled. Lina observed it appeared to be made of
leather.
She was right. Zellas unrolled...
A Bullwhip!
Lina's eyes went wide with fright. "I-I'm not so cold now..." she
quavered...
"Nonsense. Why, you're practically hypothermic, Lina-dear. We simply
MUST do something." replied her captor, stepping behind her.
Lina gulped in panic.
And the panic was justified as the first stroke fell suddenly, full
force, directly across the small of her back. There was a distinct
"CRACK!" followed immediately by a distinct high pitched scream as Lina
was subjected to more pain than she had felt in a long, long time. Alas,
poor girl, it wasn't just the one stroke either. Blow after blow fell on
her as the whip danced and snaked through the air, always ending up on
her indefensable body. Pain exploded through Lina's body, and her mind.
The world became pain. Lina could not help it, she screamed and writhed
under the blows.
To make matters worse, she couldn't help but turn from the shock, and
Beastmaster also walked around, making sure Lina's front got as much
attention as the back. Lina had thought it had hurt when her rear end
was whipped, but the time one of her breasts was treated to the full
force treatment she realised there were worse pains, and she was about
to get to know them really, really well.
But the worst ever came when she danced back away from Zelas, opening
her legs slightly, and getting the very tip of the whip full force on
her absolutely most sensitive part ever. Yep, Zellas was as slick as
could be with that whip, and a perfect aim...
Which probably explained how Lina's face was never hit, nor anything cut
off of her body, even though some of the lashes drew copious amounts of
blood.
Lina danced and screamed, and screamed and danced some more. Near the
end, there was a brief period where she seemed to become an observer
standing outside her body, watching in horror and fasination as Zellas
continued to carve her skin into a grid of ever finer bloody squares.
So much blood...
She looked up. "Oh..." she said, as a rushing black tunnel engulfed her.
...
"She's gone away from us, Mistress." observed Xellos.
"So she has." replied Zellas as she rolled the whip back up. She hadn't
even broken a sweat...
Lina was treated so that her skin would heal without more than a few
scars from the deepest cuts, and she was taken back to her cage.
"Wait." commanded Zellas. "She is weak, tired and cold, on top of the
pain she will be in when she awakens. Make sure she has lots of water to
drink, a bucket to use for her other business, even some wash water, and
get her something a bit softer to lie on, and lots of blankets. When she
becomes hungry again, feed her well. I want her in good form for the
next time we play."
Xellos bowed."It shall be done, Mistress."
CHAPTER 4
xxxxxxxxx
Lina rushed out of the other side of her tunnel and awoke screaming in
agony. It seemed that the healing magic of the mazoku hadn't taken away
her pain, just most of her scars...
After a while she realised she wasn't being whipped any more, it was the
after pain. And if anything, it hurt worse than the actual beating had.
It was agony to move, and agony not to move. She could do nothing for a
time but cry, despite herself.
Finally she slowed down to a blubber. It was then she realised she was
in a bed. Still in her cage of course, but in a bed, with a heavenly
matress, soft pillow, and warm blankets. Just when being bitterly cold
might have dulled some of the pain too...
As time went on she got less groggy, and her pain became managable. It
was then she realised how much her throat hurt from the screaming and
how thirsty she was. And, joy of joys! A bucket of water! No! Two. Only
one had a note saying she should use this one to wash in after doing her
nessessaries...
She could recognise good advice when she had to, and so she drank from
the one, being careful not to over do it and make herself sick. She
didn't think she could handle throwing up on top of the way her body
ached. And eventually, when she had to do the other thing again, she was
almost grateful to Beastmaster for the gift of cleanliness. Almost...
It did occure to her that she was being made stronger so that worse
could be done, but she had to live, her body demanded it. After the
drink and cleaning up, she crawled back under the covers and slept some
more.
When she woke again she could smell a smell that took her back to happy
mornings from her childhood...
"Porridge? With maple syrup and apples? Oh gods, has this been a
terrible dream? Am I home? Mommy?"
"No, sorry, Lina." replied Xellos.
Lina couldn't help letting a few tears fall at the dissapointment, but
she got hold of herself quickly and frowned at the smiling mazoku
priest.
"What's going on Xellos?" she asked, expecting the usual answer.
"I've got breakfast ready for you, Lina." he answered, unexpectedly,
holding up a steamy bowl of the porridge she had been smelling. "Would
you like some?"
Lina hesitated a minute, then her stomach rumbled and she sighed. "Yes,
please..." she said.
Xellos opened a small door in the cage and put the bowl inside. There
was even a wooden spoon.
Lina began to eat and eat, her hunger suddenly hit her full force and
she couldn't help it. She wolfed down the first bowl, unable to help
herself. When it was done she gave a pathetic, hopeful look to Xellos.
He smiled and held up a pot.
Lina had more control with her second bowl. "Xellos?" she asked. When he
gave her a quizzical look she asked "Where's Gourry?"
He smiled and put his finger up. Before he could answer Lina broke down
and cried. "Fine then, be a bastard. Can you at least tell me if he's
alive?"
Xellos smile softened. "That much I can tell you Lina, he is very much
alive, but where, and in what state, is a secret. But if you are a very,
very good girl Lady Beastmaster might just deign to tell you some of
what you want to know. Think about it."
Lina gulped. "What do you want from me?" she asked. "How can I be a good
girl if you won't tell me?"
Xellos gave her a gentle look, which was very creepy, considering who it
was coming from. "Beastmaster must tell you Lina, I have orders, so,
alas, it's a secret."
Lina nodded. "Okay..." she said. She spoke no more, but finished her
meal. She was tired again, tired beyond belief, and soon she was back to
sleep. Xellos looked at her as she lay there, breathing softly, and
smiled. "Sleep well, Lina, and have pleasant dreams. You're going to
wake to a nightmare, I'm afraid.
He went out.
A short time later some other creatures entered, very quietly, bearing a
heavy, rough table, which they set down gently in the middle of the
room. They set another table beside it, placed an ominous box on the
table, and a stool at the ready. Finally they brought in two largish "L"
shaped objects and placed them on the table as well. They then left.
Xellos came in after and made sure all was in order, including the heavy
leather straps on the table...
Before he left he adjusted the light on the ceiling so it was not as
harsh as it had been...
Chapter 5
xxxxxxxxx
Lina did eventualy wake up. The first thing she noted was the light was
different. This made her look around and she gasped as she saw the
table. She had never seen one before, but she had heard about them. A
torture table.
Oh gods...
She had to pee after that! She did her best to control her trembling as
she drank the last of her water, and then she crawled back under the
covers, hiding her head. She did something she had never really done
before and prayed fervently for help, that Zellas wouldn't come, that
Gourry would arrive and save her. There was nothing else to do. She was
trapped, she had no power, and the events of the last several days had
left her feeling weak. Oh, if only she had her magic back. Death in
battle she could take, but this, this was too much. She had a wild
thought. If she could rip her blanket and make some strips she could tie
around the top of the cage, and then her neck...
She gave a gasp as she realised what she was contemplating. No! She
couldn't do that. Not yet. She had to be strong, so that she could
destroy Beastmaster when the time came. She had to live for now, to do
whatever it took to stay alive...
For now...
Eventually, her nightmare became real. The door opened. She couldn't
bring herself to look, maybe they'd think she was asleep and give her
just a bit longer?
"You know, sleeping people don't shrink away like that, Lina-dear." said
Beastmaster. Lina could just hear the triumphant smile...
"Can't you at least tell me why, Mistress?" she begged.
Zellas replied "All will become clear at the right time, Lina-dear, it
really will, but for now, it must remain a secret, I'm afraid. Come, you
can't put this off, let us begin."
Lina tried and tried but could not will herself to stop trembling as she
slowly crawled out of the cage. Two guardian mazoku grabbed her and in
no time she found herself on her back, strapped onto the table. She
looked around in a bit of a panic, saw the box, the stool, and the other
things. She wasn't sure what they were for, but she felt she didn't want
to know. And that she would anyway, before the end. She gulped.
"Put the stirups in." ordered Zellas.
Lina's legs were lifted up, the "L" shaped objects were set into slots
in the table, and Lina's legs were strapped onto them.
Ah, so that's what they were for. And oh goody, she got to find out
about them first...
She was now totally naked with her legs in the air and strapped spread
eagle, leaving her totally exposed to whatever the GreaterBeast wanted.
Not good. She couldn't stop taking deep breaths, or totally control her
panic. What ever was in that box...
Zellas took her time adjusting the stool and the table to her liking.
Then she smiled at Lina and snapped her fingers. The top of the
mysterious, ominous box opened. Zellas continued to smile as she opened
the front and pulled out a series of small shelves. Lina could see what
was in the box now....
"Needles?" she gasped. Zellas smiled more, and nodded yes.
Lina instinctively gave a mighty pull, as hard as she could, but to no
avail. The straps were too strong. Tears of fear stung her eyes, and
Lina felt like she was about to shame herself by losing control over her
bladder. "I-I'll pee..." she said, not knowing what else to say.
"Perhaps you will, Lina-dear. Your bowels might let go too. Don't worry,
it's nothing that can't be cleaned up after..." replied a smiling
Zellas.
Smiling, always smiling...
She picked up a needle. A small, short one...
"Let's see, where shall we begin?" she asked. She waved it ominously
over Lina's face for a bit and Lina wondered if she was about to be
blinded. Then Beastmaster moved it away from her eyes and over her
cheeks, and Lina wondered if she was to be scared for life.
Or was Beastmaster just giving her something to think about?
The needle moved slowly down Lina's body, getting ever closer to her
flesh. Finally, Zellas gave a triumphant "Here!" and the point of the
needle stuck the skin of Lina's breast. The girl gave a jump and was
quickly held down by the crushing power of Zellas. "Don't jump,
Lina-dear, or it will be far worse, trust me..."
With that Lina fought to control herself. But it wasn't easy to do, as
the Mazoku Lord slowly, slowly advanced the thin shaft of metal into her
flesh. Lina groaned quietly. Being jabbed hurt. But being slowly
penetrated hurt worse! She shook her head and tried to block the pain
out. To little avail...
"Now, we must have symmetry, yes Lina?" asked Beastmeaster. With that
she stuck the same type of needle into the same spot, in the same slow
way, on her other breast. She then proceeded to slowly and deliberately
stick needle after needle into Lina, until the poor victim could
recognise that her torrmenter was slowly but surely making a spiral
around and up her breasts. No need to ask where the end was. The pain
became more extreme as the torture went on. For one thing, being stuck
several times hurt. And as Beastmaster went up the breasts and had more
tissue to play with, she was slowly using longer needles too. Lina began
to wimper, then to snivel, soon she was crying, and finally, as the pain
became very intense, she started to scream. She couldn't help herself
really, but she felt so ashamed that she couldn't stop it. So much for
being brave...
Oh, what she would give to have her magic back. Or even just her sword.
Or any weapon. Or her strength...
Finally, Zellas reached the top. She drew two especially long needles.
Lina's eyes opened wide, then shut tightly. No good, Beastmaster just
giggled psychopathically as she stuck a needle slowly and deeply into
each of Lina's nipples at the same time.
Lina screamed in agony and began to babble. "Please Mistress! Please! I
want to have babies one day, don't destroy my breasts I beg you!!!"
Stop, stop, it hurts, please, please, just tell me what you want, please
stop hurting me!"
Zellas said, in a far too soothing voice "Oh, my poor dear Lina-dear.
Alas, you, in pain, that's what I want. For now. I know you aren't
stupid. You must realise I am up to something, but I can't tell you
what, not yet. Babies eh? Well,don't worry, I can do a lot of damage to
your beautiful little breasts without taking your ability to make milk
away, even if I don't heal you afterwards..."
Lina began to sob. This time in sorrow as much as in pain.
Zellas smirked, then slowly removed the long needles in Lina's nipples.
They hurt just as badly coming out...
"Lina, you are so pretty, but you could be even prettier. I will help.
You'll see..."
Lina was already trembling. She didn't know what Zellas had in mind,
only that it would be nothing good.
Sure enough, the Greater Beast began rumaging around happily in her evil
box. Lina shook her head and tried to gulp back the tears. Zellas said
"Ah!" as she apparently found what she was after, and pulled something
from the box. Then, horrifyingly, she pulled out a wicked looking
needle. Well, actually it looked more like a large pin. It was sharp,
but it was fairly thick, at least by comparison, to what Lina had just
had driven into her. Lina squirmed.
"Now, don't move about so, Lina-dear, or this will hurt worse. And it
will be your wiggling that makes it so, not anything I am doing." smiled
Zellas.
"N-not to argue, Mistress, but, uh, if you didn't do it at all, it would
hurt even less..." said a terrified Lina. Hey, it was worth a shot...
Zellas nodded. "True, Lina-dear, true, but that would not fit the plan,
now would it?"
Lina gulped. "You haven't told me the plan, Mistress..." She grit her
teeth. Calling her tormenter "Mistress" was taking all she could muster,
but, she had to be strong...
For now...
She gave a sudden yell of pain as Zellas caught her by surprise and
grasped the tip of one of her sore nipples roughly, pulling it up hard.
Then Lina realised what was happening and gave a loud shout. "NO! NOT
THAT!"
But it was no good, Zellas, slowly, but surely, pierced her nipple
through, from one side to the other, laughing gleefully as Lina screamed
and yelled at her to stop.
Once the pin was through Lina's abused and damaged nipple Beastmaster
merrily did the other one, just as painfully. Lina was so blinded by
tears that she didn't realise what was coming next, until...
Lina tired to pull away as Zellas manipulated her damaged body, then
sudenly realised something metalic had been put into the holes, and...
Was fastened?
When the pain subsided she was able to look down and see what
Beastmaster had done.
Each nipple now had a small ring...
"24 Karat solid gold, Lina-dear, nothing but the best for you." said a
smiling Beastmaster as she obviously admired her handiwork. "Lina-dear,
what can I say, you are so pretty! When you have healed I may put in a
slightly bigger set that I have, one that also has a pure ruby in each
ring. Won't that look pretty? I think so. But this will do for now."
Lina was silent. How could there ever be an answer to such a mad thing
to say?
Beastmaster then got up from the stool and started to walk around the
table. She paused when she got between Lina's legs. Taking way too keen
an interest in Lina's womanhood she bent down and studied it. Then...
she touched it.
Lina gasped and tried to withdraw.
"My my!" said Beastmaster with a wicked, wicked smile."So, rumour not
withstanding, Lina Inverse really IS a virgin. How wonderful for you
dear! Now, I simply must plan your deflowering."
Lina stared in horror as Beastmaster threatened her with what was the
most horrible thing so far. "Y-you want to take my virginity too? N_no,
no, please, not that, leave me some dignity at least..." she begged
quietly.
It was the quietess that got to Beastmaster. She glanced up at Lina with
a serious thoughtful look." Tell, me, who were you saving it for?" she
asked.
"M-my husband, on my wedding night." the petite mage said, her eyes wide
with terror and pleading. Somehow being scarred for life held less
terror for Lina than being impure.
"Husband, eh?" replied Zellas with a strange unreadable look. She looked
back down at Lina's womanhood. "We shall see, Lina-dear, we shall see. I
won't take it today, if that's what you are worried about. Does this
future husband of your have a name yet?"
Lina gulped. She was about to say "No..." but she held back. No, Zellas
would know she was lying and would use that as an excuse to mollest
Lina. Better to tell the truth.
But wait, would that put him in danger? Wasn't it better if she said
nothing?
"Well?" said Zellas, a bit impatiently.
"Oh to hell with it, he's already in danger." thought Lina to herself.
To Zellas, she blushed, then said "I-it's Gourry. Gourry Gabrieve.." She
turned her head away, unable to look at Beastmaster any more. Oh gods,
what was about to happen? Well, the die was cast...
Xellos, who had been silently standing by, observing, giggled. Zellas
frowned and said "Alright, alright, you were right, I lost that bet..."
Lina gulped and looked back."M-my love life is a thing to bet on???" she
asked.
"Oh Lina-dear, yes, haven't you heard the gossip that's out there? You
and Gourry, you and that chimera, even you and Xellos, can you imagine?
Or even, you and all of them, at once. And you are a lesbian too, a big
one, with a special affinity for enormously breasted, black haired women
from Seilune. Or bisexual. Oh, and while we are at it, Gourry and some
white priestess from Sairaag had a love child. And he's gay too, or
bisexual, with Xellos and the chimera. Honestly, one would think you lot
did little else but fornicate at every opportunity. In truth, I'm rather
happy to find you are a better quality girl than that!" As she spoke the
last words she gave Lina's entrance a little tap.
"No, this is too sacred a treasure to leave alone Lina-dear, but who,
when, and how, I will think upon. Trust me." she concluded.
Lina gulped, that's what she was afraid of...
Zellas then reached over and rummaged in her box again. Lina started,
and began to sweat, she had somehow hoped she was done with the
needles...
"Well, Lina-dear, I will leave your pussy alone for now, till I can
think on it, but we still need you to have a certain level of agony if
what I'm doing is to work, so, alas, my poor pet, it's back to the
abuse..."
As she spoke she picked up a long, long needle. Lina began shaking, was
Beastmaster going to stab her heart with that thing?
Beastmaster laid the needle across Lina's chest, and Lina understood. Oh
gods! She should have hoped it WAS her heart that was about to be
stabbed...
"Ready?" smiled Zellas. Lina could only shake her head "No!" as she
tried to prepare herself. But how coud she, really? Zellas grabbed one
of her nipple rings and hauled up with a will, causing Lina to cry out
in pain. The cry turned into a prolonged scream as Zellas struck, and
began to push the needle through Lina's already abused breast. After
what seemed like forever it came out the other side. For once Lina was
actually glad her breasts were small...
But the calm was only before the storm, after all, as Beastmeaster
grabbed the other nipple ring and the performace was repeated. Lina now
had a long skewer running into one breast, through it, out the other
side, into and through the second breast and out that one too.
Then Beastmaster started playing games with the skewer. Like grabbing
both ends and jerking up, or around. Lina had not felt pain that intense
in a long, long time. Naturally she screamed her head off.
"You are getting hoarse with all that screaming, Lina-dear." said a
happy sounding Beastmaster. "I'll see that you get a throat lozenge for
it."
Lina screamed again, with rage as much as with pain. A throat lozenge.
Oh, for the power to cast the Giga Slave one last time, and to hell with
the world!
Beastmaster seemed to pick up on her rage and she began to breath deeply
as if in some sort of a transport of emotion. "Oh yes! Lina-dear! Now
you need to suffer! It is so important!"
She stood up rapidly, knocking the stool away with her speed. Somehow, a
riding crop appeared in her hand. "Sing Lina-dear! Make music a mazoku
high lord would enjoy!" With that she began to whip Lina's abused
breasts.
Terribly hard.
Lina needed no further encouragement to scream at the top of her lungs.
She could only hope she would pass out again.
Alas, it was not to be. Just as the pain peaked and she thought she
might be about to leave her body again, the beating stopped. Beastmaster
was looking at her like the mad, evil monster that she was. She was
breathing rapidly now, far too rapidly, Lina's logical mind thought. Her
emotional mind was, of course, caught up in the pain.
Beastmaster stared at Lina for several seconds, jerking wierdly,and
rhythmically, as if something was happening, then her eyes rolled up and
she gave a little scream of her own, twitching spasmodically. Lina was
at a loss as to what that meant, and in far too much pain to care.
Zellas staggered back and started breathing heavily and deeply as she
bent over. After a minute she raised her head again and said, in a
heavy, exhausted voice "Xellos, put her back. Heal her wounds but not
her pain. When she is ready, feed her again, anything and all she wants,
she's earned it..."
She then staggered from the room. At the door she turned and said "Oh,
and pull them out..." then she was gone.
Xellos smirked his way over to Lina and said "Well, well, it's been a
long time since THAT has happened."
Lina said nothing, she was in too much agony to care, and besides, it
would be a secret.
Xellos shrugged at Lina's silence, and then he grabbed the end of the
skewer still in Lina. "For my part Lina, I am sorry, but I cannot remove
this without it hurting, but the pain will become better after, and I
can apply some healing magic too." Lina simply screamed. Screamed in
anticipation, and then in agony as Xellos expertly, and to his credit,
as quickly as he dared, pulled the long metal shaft from what was left
of her breasts, followed by all the rest of the needles. He then
composed himself, and a healing energy came from him, healing up the
major parts of her wounds. He shrugged then said "I suppose I'm not
supposed to do this, but, you have to survive too." With that more
energy came from him and Lina's pain diminished. Not by much, but so
that she noticed.
Mercy from Xellos? That was scarrier than the pain would have been...
But she'd think on that later, when her mind would let her do that
again...
Soon she was back in the relative safetly of her cage. She was crying,
of course, bawling, one might say, but as the main door clanged and her
torrmentors left her alone she was able to begin to calm down again.
After a long time the tears subsided, then stopped. If only the pain
would go that easily. She gasped and blubbered for a while yet, with
fresh bouts of tears and screams as after pains shot through her
torrmented chest. Maybe that noose wasn't such a bad idea after all, but
that would mean moving.
As would getting a drink...
A long time later she did get her drink, and being exhausted, crawled
into her bed, such as it was, and slept, to await her next torment. She
knew, somehow, that if this didn't end soon, she wasn't going to
survive...
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