"Master? You seem tense. Is anything wrong?" He lifted his eyes for only the briefest of seconds, but his assistant understood him immediately. "I see. You sense something." She shivered for a second and scanned his emotions.
Damn. He's boiling inside, but its unfocused. I can understand the reason for this turmoil though. This slave auction always puts him in the mood to do damage, but he restrains himself each time. The slaves are broken by the time they get here, and he doesn't want to make their lives any worse. I wonder what it will take to burst that dam though? She looked around, saw the collars on the laborers, and the servants alike.
If you ask me, this place needs to be cleansed.
They took their seats in the stadium, an old stone arena that once housed the slave gladiators, with an amphitheater at the front. This allowed the auction to show off the goods smoothly and quickly, and it allowed the auctioneer's voice to carry over the crowd.
"It looks like several of their stock have already been sold, Master. Did you want me to have the girls on standby?" He turned towards her only slightly. She also understood this. If he didn't want her to, he wouldn't respond at all. She felt another shiver go down her spine. This sense of a darkness had started to grow in her Master's mood, and she wondered if he would keep it together, or let it out today.
"As you wish, Master." She raised her hand and spread out her fingers. Several cloaked figures spread out in the crowd, a single insignia on their shoulder that identified their Master, and the trouble that would come should any guard get in their way.
"Looks like they are bringing out another one." It was a young woman, chained and in blue filmy material. It showed off her body in all its glory. Her Master stood up. "Master?" He growled.
"Memory." At first, his voice was real low and dangerous. Then, it grew in power. "They dare?" His voice rumbled with power. Her eyes opened wide, then she began to smile.
Looks like they opened the dam.
Spectators started to bid upon the beautiful woman who squirmed and pleaded with her owner.
"Please, Master! I don't like this!" He gave a yank on the chain attached to her collar. She fell forward, and whined pitifully.
"What is your bid? How many gold will you spend for the pleasure of her company for the week? The month is also on the table!" She was quite lovely, had the kind of figure men enjoyed, and sounded young enough to ignite their lusts into a fever.
Her master practically drooled over the thought of the amount of gold she would bring in over the next year. As long as they paid the price, her flesh was theirs to use. Then he frowned.
Wisps of smoke rose from the center seats of the stadium. Smoke that should not be able to be seen as the benches were all made of stone.
Then he heard the voice. A voice he had never heard before, but it sent a sliver of dread down his spine.
"Master? Shall we?" He nodded.
"Cleanse this place." Blue flames started at his feet and slowly enveloped him as he walked forward. Anyone not his own and within range were immediately reduced to a pile of smoking cinders. The heat also left the stone beneath his feet blackened, and misshapen.
"As you command, Master." She smiled, and lifted her hand again. She spread out her fingers, then closed her hand into a fist.
Terror erupted everywhere.
"My sisters are among the deadliest people alive." She said softly and walked behind her master. "I believe I see Lydia over near the doors." His gaze only shifted for a second or two. It was more attention then she expected considering his actions. His actions were deliberate, and used an economy of energy for everything. If he had no purpose or goal to turn his head, he would not.
"Her twin blades shall cut down anyone who tries to flee that direction. Even those guards are no match. Their steel armor can not stop her swords, and neither can their shields." She sighed in a small voice. "She seems to be having so much fun dancing in those showers. I hope she remembers how you despise cruelty."
"She will." The words were unexpected, but they made her smile.
"Oh, there is Elena! She does so love to jump!" He glanced her way as well. A lone figure jumped from person to person, her claws cleaved through metal, fabric, flesh and bone in a bid to fulfill her Master's orders. The few hundred would be slave owners were quickly cut down as they tried to flee.
"And Mariah is having her fun too. That girl certainly chose a strange way to kill. I wonder what she finds so fascinating about the heart?" She watched as Mariah danced in among a group of men, smiled saucily to distract them, then reached up under their shirts, slid her fingers in through the skin, under the ribs, and wrapped her fingers around their hearts. She then pulled them out as though they were not attached to anything.
"And why does she have to kiss each victim after she kills them? Such a strange girl." Her master turned back to the stage.
The slave master turned to flee, and as they watched, he threw the chain on the theater floor and ran through the gate to where the rest of the slaves were kept. She looked his way.
"Master? Shall I pursue him?" He shook his head.
"Send Jill." She smiled softly.
"Of course. Her slave tattoo should calm the ones still in cages. Do you want him intact?" He shook his head. She smiled again, lifted her hand, gave a signal to Jill still in disguise. Her cloak was thrown off, and her beautiful muscular form appeared. Her immense size was a gift of their Master's kiss.
Loud footfalls, the crack of thick wood splintering, and a sudden cry of terror that was cut short. What followed were loud noises of steel doors torn from their hinges, and fearful cries as they were pulled from their cages, and moved along the corridor.
Her master's face etched with concern as he approached the stage area. When he turned off his flames, and walked up the stairs, he was not treated to the gratitude he expected.
"What have you done!" She shrieked. "Do you know how much gold they would have paid to lay with me?" She looked around. "My master is going to be furious over so much lost gold, and I won't get those luxuries I was promised!" She looked up at him, her features twisted in anger.
"Master, shall I?" The woman looked to her master politely. There was the most curious look in his eyes, and she had not seen it in many decades. Pity, followed by exhaustion.
"No, Talia. Send her to the Wall. As for the rest, see if they will integrate, or need reeducation. Cleanse the guards and slave owners. None must remain." He lifted his eyes up to her. "Send Jill home with me while you finish." His eyes pinned her to a stillness with his intensity. "No mercy." She blinked, and smiled softly.
"Who is she to you, Master?" He sighed heavily.
"A pure memory that was only a dream."
"Here's one, Talia!" Elena threw a guard at her feet, the body tossed as though he weighed nothing at all. He lifted his head, his eyes reflected his terror.
"Good girl." She said softly, and lightly petted the fur on the nape of her neck. "Now, I don't know who you are, but I know you wounded the master greatly today." The woman laughed scornfully.
"I don't know who your master is....." Talia reached out with her hand, lifted the guard like he was only a pillow filled with feathers, drove her hand through his armor, and out through his back. The harlot shut her mouth quickly.
"Good, so you do know when to shut your filthy mouth." Talia knelt down beside her and licked the blood from her fingers. "My Master instructed that you were not to be killed, but your life will be anything but easy from now on." She swallowed a lump in her throat.
"Where am I going?" She said in a small voice.
"The Wall between us and the Corruption." The harlot gasped in horror.
"No! Anywhere but there!" Talia smiled sadistically.
"You had your chance to impress the Master when you first saw his power destroy those around you. Now, the only two options you have is to go to the Wall, or die." The woman looked up at her, her lower lip trembling. That wasn't something easy to fake, so Talia knew she was indeed frightened. She had good reason to be.
"But you said he didn't want me killed!"
"I know, but the Master trusts that I will do what is best for him." She sighed happily. "We are a tight knit family that you had an opportunity to be a part of. Foolish child. You will never get a second chance." Talia stood up, wiped her hands off on the clothes of the dead guard, and moved him away from the stage.
"Elena. Make sure she gets there. If she fights you along the trip, leave an arm behind on the trail." The woman lifted her eyes fearful. "Her arm."
"I didn't think this world would be able to take that memory away from me." Jill looked on sadly as her Master reclined on a lounger. He lifted his eyes and smiled at her. "I'm sure you're starving, Jill. Come. That trip denied you a meal you're in need of." She smiled and knelt beside the lounger.
"Thank you, Master." He turned over his arm. She took it in her hands, and gently rubbed the scars on the inside of his forearm. "Am I gentle enough, Master?" He chuckled.
"Do not worry so, love. You need to eat, and I am brimming over." She nodded, lowered her lips, and after taking a short breath, sank her teeth into his flesh as quickly as she could. She heard the intake of breath as she bit into his arm, and the happy sigh as she bled off some of his energy. "Thank you, love. You've always taken good care of me."
Jill couldn't smile. She was lost within the mire of the fever that gripped all his girls when it was time to feed. She had a perfect seal of her lips onto his arm too. She didn't want one drop of that precious black liquid to drop to the floor.
That would be too dangerous for everyone.
"Can I go in and join them?" Lydia said softly, her gaze anchored to her sister, and her Master. A gentle hand on her shoulder held her in place.
"Not yet. He'll tell us when, Lydia. Its a special time, you know that." She sighed sadly.
"I know. The first one of the day." Talia chuckled softly.
"You had the first bite yesterday, and Elena the day before. Let Jill have her turn. She looks forward to this just as much as you do." Elena lowered her eyes.
"But Master pets me while I feed. He can't do that while our sisters are there." She lifted her eyes, and smiled happily. "He wants us to come in!" Talia smiled.
"Good thing too. I can hear your belly rumbling from here." Elena mock growled at her, and bounced into the room. Talia watched her take her place at his left arm, and bite her Master nice and slow. She loved to hear him sigh as she latched on.
Talia laid down on the couch, and bit into his upper thigh. She liked to bite a new area each time, and keep him guessing.
Mariah seemed to slither right into place, in behind his shoulders, bit into his neck, and murmured as the thick warm liquid splashed into her mouth.
She then watched as his eyes closed, and he fell into a deep slumber. It was the only time he could sleep. When enough power was drained away from him that he could shut down his mind, and dream.
That was the blessing of having so much power. And the curse.
He was a monster that bound himself with five chains, and each with their own names. Talia, Lydia, Mariah, Elena, and Jill.
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