ã€ŠNoble Mercã€‹


 Chapter 1: Free Fall

    Water filled my lungs as I fought tirelessly to stay afloat. The fast moving water and poor visibility made it almost impossible to see, but somehow I spotted a group of rocks up ahead which was only adding to my panic.

    I tried to swim faster against the water, but it only seemed to make me more tired yet I still didn¡¯t give up. At this speed, if I was going it hit any of the rocks it was going to hurt if not kill me outright. The river was too wide for me to make it over to land in time, my best bet was to use the rocks stop me. ¡°Fuck¡± this was going to hurt.

    The first rock approached faster than I anticipated which caused my timing to be off. I was rewarded with a cracking sound and a visit from cousin pain.

    ¡°Ahhh! Fuck!¡±

    You Have Suffered A Serious Injury

    Cracked Rib

    Health: 86%

    Energy: 54%

    A transparent message floated across my vision. That was new, but it was also a new momentary distraction that caused me to miss the timing for the next rock as well. However this time I was able to brace myself and let my shoulder take the force of the blow.

    You Have Suffered A Minor Injury

    Bruised Shoulder

    Health: 77%

    Energy: 39%

    The force of the impact was lessened due to my first collision but it still hurt because it jostled my ribs. I was beginning to regret my pinball strategy to get to safety but I didn''t have much of a choice. I could now see what was waiting for me ahead.

    I calmed myself so I could get my timing right this go around. ¡°Wait for it. Wait for it.¡±I pushed off the rock with my open hands with just enough force to negate the damage to my chest when I hugged it.

    I let a breath of relief escape my lips, in appreciation to the fate I just mostly avoided. At the other side of the rock that I was holding on to like a naked supermodel, was a beautiful red moon. In between the rock and the moon was an abrupt end to the raging waters. A waterfall, bigger than anything I ever saw on the internet, but the fact that I might fall off of it, might have of made me a little bias. Besides, it was hard to tell how big it was from this angle.

    I took the time to slow my breathing and calm down. I couldn''t afford to mess this up. There were only three rocks left before the fall.Why does that sound like the name of a rockstar¡¯s documentary? No, focus Ammon.Everyone in my squad hated how I told jokes in situations like this. I had to be perfect, especially since only the first two rocks will help me¡­ only the first two handholds will help me get back on land.

    I pushed of off the rock with my rock with my right hand. The water quickly took hold of my body and started to propel me forward. I couldn''t afford to miss this rock so I embraced it with open arms and using my hands for protection.

    You Have Suffered A Minor Injury

    Bruised chest

    Health: 69%

    Energy: 16%

    A little heartache wasn''t going to kill me. I counted my cousinpainpresence as a blessing. However, my exhaustion was visible but I only had to do this one more time to be home free. The energy meter had me worried. I never got a chance to ask Nia what happens when my energy hits zero, but whatever it was I knew I couldn''t afford for it to happen to me right now.

    I readied myself for this last maneuver. I had to do this fast, I could feel the strength in my body fading. With my lungs burning I reached for that final rock¡­ I ignored my own nervous quirk and reach for that rock with all I had and hope that nobody will ever be able to hear the thoughts that go through my mind so that the horrible drug references dies with me.

    I reached with all my might for that rock only to find bittersweet relief when I only managed to barely get on hand on it. Luckily my fingers found purchase, but with only one hand holding on and the river constantlyassaulting me, I didn''t know how long I could hold on. I really didn¡¯t want to die like this after everything I just survived. My fingers were gradually losing ground on the rock.

    Health: 69%

    Energy: 5%

    Fuck. Well, I hope that the kids are having better luck. Hell, I hope that the lizards are having better luck.As soon as those thoughts entered my mind, I noticed a black puppy-like creature splashing in the water. I might as well try to save one more animal before I die.

    As the odd puppy passed me, I reached out with my free hand to grab him. At the same time my, other had slipped so I hurriedly pulled the puppy into my chest with both hands to shield him from the drop, but I forgot about that last rock. The sudden stop caused my head to jerk back. I heard the cracking noise as my head hit the rock behind me.

    You Have Suffered A Serious Injury

    Cracked Skull

    Health: 43%

    Energy: 2%

    You Have Suffered A Serious Injury

    Bruised Brain

    Health: 21%

    Energy: 1%

    I closed my eyes as the feeling of weightlessness took me and the sounds of rushing water faded. No more jokes about rocks. Although I wondered how high I was before the fall?

    I woke up next to the river with someone over me yelling, which didn''t help my headache. My ribs protested as I tried to stand up. When I did he continued yelling. Yet still, there was no comprehension on my part which must have shown on my face, because he reached for the biggest knife that I ever saw. No wait, that''s a fucking sword.Why the fuck does he have a sword? Where the hell am I?

    When I stood up I notice that the man was a few inches shorter than me. He must have been somewhere around 5¡¯9. He wore all black except for his metal chest plate which was gold in color, and over his heart was an emblem of a black sun with red at its core.

    I held my head do to my headache while he continued to yell at me.

    Translation Completed

    Langue learned

    What the hell is that? I asked myself trying to touch the words as they floated across my vision.

    That cause him to jump and end his tirade, so I put my hands in the air so I wouldn''t provoke him.

    ¡°Who are you, and what are you doing savage?¡± he asked with obvious hostility.

    I had a strange feeling that I could take him, but I didn''t want to stake my life on a feeling. So I prepared to tell him my name.

    ¡°¡­¡± my mind drew blanks, and my silence only further irritated the what? Soldier?

    He placed the blade to my throat. ¡°What is your name savage? Or is one of the famed warriors from the red dessert scared of a little steel?¡± He threatened.

    I didn''t want him to think I was ignoring him so I tried to answer. ¡°Yes?¡­ Or no? Can you reword your question? Please?

    I believe my confusion only made things worse. I could see his face turn red, and I could even imagine the ways he planned to kill me in his eyes. I don¡¯t know what caused me to move, but I felt if I didn¡¯t I would be cut down.

    My left hand moved up quickly to direct the blade up while slightly ducking away from it. I directed the blade over me while moving back to the right as I took hold of his wrist. I maneuvered behind him while never letting go of his wrist. Before I knew it I had complete control over the soldier with a wrist lock.

    Proficiency Increased

    Special Forces Combat Training

    +.1%The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.

    How in the hell did I just do that?And where am I for that matter? I tried my hardest to remember what happen before now but I was interrupted from my thoughts.

    ¡°What are you doing to one of my men?¡± a new arrival asked from behind me. He wore the same uniform as the soldier but he had a boots helm and armbraces to match the chest piece, all gold with that strange symbol.

    I turned my head to see who it was, to discover that he was not alone. The man who spoke wore the same uniform as the soldier but he had a boots helm and armbraces to match the chest piece, all gold with that strange symbol. I also notice he came with archers wearing the same black and gold.

    I took a moment to examine their longbows. I knew that my wrist lock wasn''t going to stop an archer at least ten yards away, so I wanted to answer the question, but that proved to be too difficult a question for me.Who am I?I asked myself seriously.

    Who am I? [Inquiry Made]

    Ammon Ra

    Whatever it was, I was beginning to really appreciate it, but before I could answer my captive spoke up.

    ¡°He is a warrior from the red desert, and he attacked me while I was relieving myself, sir.¡± He said with a little discomfort.

    ¡°My name is Ammon Ra, and I thought I was a savage? So when did I become a warrior?¡± it''s funny how people opinions change when they''re on the wrong side of a wrist lock. Odd, somehow I felt like I said that before.

    ¡°That doesn¡¯t matter right now. Right now, I need for you to let go of soldier before I have to put you down. He said while watching me intently.

    I released my grip from the soldier. He picked up is sword while glaring daggers at me. ¡°Now what?¡± I knew by my treatment so far that they wouldn¡¯t care to hear my side of the story.

    ¡°Nothing, recruit Smith will dig holes all night for relieving himself of his weapon, and I will take you to see Lord Simeon. Men, chain him.¡±

    For some reason I didn¡¯t think I will like this Lord Simeon, but what choice did I have without my rifle. My rifle?I hada rifle?

    After I was chained the leader of the group grabbed me by the arm and started pushing me towards the tree line.I noticed that none of the other men wore as much armour as him which made me believe that it was rank related.

    ¡°Men! Tighten security along the river bank there might be more of them out them trying to rescue their comrades.¡± He ordered.

    ¡°Yes sir!¡± the men stood at attention fist to chest.

    ¡°Recruit Smith.¡±

    ¡°Yes, sir!¡±

    ¡°Before you start your excavation meet me at the training grounds. We need to make sure that you relearn how not to drop the precious gifts that the empire has bestowed upon you.¡±

    ¡°Yes Sir,¡± the recruits said sounding deflated.

    The captain didn¡¯t respond. I didn¡¯t know that he was a captain, but the scene felt familiar to me like I have seen in a hundred times before, and I knew that you generally only saluted officers so it seemed like a good guess.

    ¡°Captain, don¡¯t I have a right to know who you are and why I am being detained?¡±

    ¡°How did you know my rank? Never mind I guess the saluting gave it away. I am Captain Connor of the Primorian Empire and as an officer, I don¡¯t need a reason to detain you even if you were a citizen of the empire.¡±

    ¡°And even if I wasn¡¯t an officer I could arrest you for assault, espionage, and indecent exposure.¡± he added.

    Skill Acquired

    Profiling

    I ignored the message to verify his statement about exposure, sure enough, I wasn¡¯t wearing anything. ¡°Would you look at that?¡± I said to myself out loud.

    ¡°I would rather not my wife wouldn¡¯t approve¡± he deadpanned.

    ¡°I wasn¡¯t talking to you.¡±

    ¡°Then who were you talking to,¡± he asked.

    Knowing that there was no right answer I chose my right to remain quiet. Which he didn¡¯t seem to mind.

    After about five minutes of walking a clearing revealed itself containing hundreds of tents. They were all black with gold trim and I could see larger ones toward the center, but it wasn¡¯t the tents that caught my eye but the prisoners. Some were nude like me only with chainless collars, and there were a few that wore sheer robes. They tended to be cleaner and had a confusing amount of freedom. I notice a group of them carry laundry in buckets and heading towards the river unescorted. That made me think that there was more to the collars than I thought.

    ¡°Captain what¡¯s with the collars,¡± I asked as we made our way towards the center.

    He looked at me for a second like I asked a stupid question. ¡°Those are slave collars. Nobles and distinguished soldiers are allowed to take anyunmarried woman as slavesand in rare cases even men.¡±

    I knew that this place is more primitive of the one I vaguely remember, but for some reason, the thought of slavery started to fill me with burning anger, and every time I spotted a collar on a young woman it only fanned the flames.

    The captain noticed my internal conflict. ¡°Why does that bother you? These aren¡¯t even your people.¡±

    He¡¯s right I need to keep my emotions in check if I am going to get out of here. ¡°You right. Isn¡¯t that the place that you¡¯re taking me to?¡± I said nodding towards one of the larger tents that we were headed towards.

    He stared at me for a moment. ¡°Yes, it is. Wait right here. I trust you will do the honorable thing.¡± He stated before disappearing inside the tent.

    Honorable? I immediately thought about running but I doubted that I could get far with the chains around my ankles. Besides I was hungry and even prisoners ate.

    Conner came back outside to wave me in. I followed behind him with no small feeling of foreboding. At the center of the tent was a man sitting in a gaudy chair on a raised dais that overlooks a table with a map on it.

    Two gorgeous women stood on both sides of the dais wearing the collars I saw earlier. The younger looking one of the two wore a white sheer robe that exposed dark nipples that contrasted nicely with her pale skin. She also had tattoos that covered her arms and a portion of her neck. Her black hair flow around her athletic build stopping just past her perky breast.

    Although the one on the leftdemanded attention, the one on the right stood out the most. The robe she wore was black yet still sheer enough to notice she had more definition to her body. Her face was feminine yet sharp with a regal beauty, but her posture screamed violence. It was just her bearing that stood out, but she literally had otherworldly features. Like violet eyes stared at me while I appraised her unmarred skin whose only irregularity consisted of some white tribal markings on her face. She also had slim elongated ears¡­

    ¡°Holy shit! She¡¯s a fucking elf¡± I exclaimed which caused the elf to smile seductively.

    Proficiency Increased

    Profiling

    +1%

    The younger one who seemed to be in her early twenties looked askance at the elf who never broke eye contact with me. She then turned back to me, to appraise me. It looked as if she was searching for something but just couldn¡¯t see it.

    The man in the chair wore a golden robe with the emblem I saw earlier on the soldier, and he wore his dark hair in a ponytail. He just screamed douche in my opinion.

    ¡°Captain, why did you bring this ignorant and naked savage into my tent? And if I don''t like your answer I trust that you will see yourself to being whipped¡± the man stated.

    Yep, douche it is.

    Proficiency Increased

    Profiling

    +.1%

    Now that made me smile. I probably would have laughed but I had a feeling that lord douche would have had me whipped for it, and oddly enough it almost seemed like someone else found it humorous. That or she was just smiling back at me.

    The elf¡¯s smile suddenly grew wider, and a moment later the dark haired women adopted a smirk. Odd.

    Lord Douche wore a golden robe with the emblem I saw earlier on the soldier, and he wore his dark hair in a ponytail. He also continued to look down on us in a condescending manner and like we were interrupting his important schedule of doing nothing important.

    ¡°Lord this warrior is from the red desert of Kalar, yet he didn''t have any weapons on him when we captured him, and he even allowed himself to be taken without bloodshed. This is an opportunity to question him and gain the location of the capital in the red desert.¡±

    ¡°Idiot no savage has ever given up the location to their capital, besides we have two more in the cages¡±

    ¡°True but he is clearly not like the other Kalar, I''m sure you can use your mind mage to get the information for you. He isn¡¯t as disciplined as the others, and if it works it will surely put you in good graces with the emperor.¡± He replied ignoring the insult.

    I didn''t know whatever it is they thought I knew, but I wouldn¡¯t tell this clown even if I did know.Hopefully, I have the endurance for a little interrogation.

    Energy: 53%

    That was oddly convenient although those numbers weren''t the best, I prepared myself mentally for what''s to come. I didn''t owe any loyalty to this red desert but I figured they wouldn¡¯t believe me when I told them that I didn¡¯t know anyways.

    ¡°We shall begin the interrogation in the morning until then put him in the cage and bring in the newest batch of females it¡¯s time for me to break them in.¡±

    For a micro second, I could see the disgust in Connors blue eyes, but he recovered quickly. ¡°Yes my lord.¡± He replied for leading me out.

    ¡°Tomorrow I will see what type of man you truly are? Do not give them any useful information even if it is false, and perhaps we can help each other.¡±an almost hypnotic voice entered my mind. I jerked around to see where the voice came from. When I did, I also saw Simeon leering and the dark haired woman while she seemed to struggle with her obvious hatred of the man, but the elf was still looking at me.

    ¡°Hurry it up!¡± Connor pulled my chains leading me out of the tent.

    After we made some distance to the tent, the captain spoke. ¡°What did the dark elf say to you?¡±

    ¡°She never said a word to me, you were there.¡± I thought it was best to keep it to myself. Captain Conner did work for the bad guys. Well at, least the guys that put me in chains.

    ¡°Despite what he said I¡¯m not stupid, she said something to you telepathically I could tell by the look you had on your face. Let me give you some advice, don¡¯t let Lord Simeon see you have any interaction with those two. He is extremely protective of those two.¡± He replied.

    It was no point in denying that I reacted, even an idiot could see that I reacted to something, and the captain didn''t seem like an idiot.

    ¡°She told me she wanted to have my babies, and that she liked my outfit.¡± I lied.

    ¡°First off no one would touch a dark elf much less have a child with one even if they could have children. Besides you''re literally wearing nothing but chains just like the rest of them.¡± He said pointing to the cage filled with people. The cage where I assume I will be staying at.

    ¡°I would touch the hell out of her if she lets me and the other one too, and the difference between me and them is that I make this look good,¡± I said while making the coolest pose my restraints will allow.

    He gave me an appraising look. ¡°You are and odd one, let us hope your humor survives the blood interrogation¡±

    ¡°Wait, blood interrogation?¡± the captain just closed the cage door in my face. He then released my shackles before walking away. ¡°Good luck warrior¡±

    ¡°Great¡± I mumbled.

    I turned around to see over a dozen eyes staring at me, men and women. Most look defeated or scared, but a few looked like they were ready for a fight. At the center of the cage was a huge bulking figure with green skin. He looked similar to what I would think a male elf would look like but much taller with an unnecessary amount of muscles. Plus the overbite or under bite? Meant that he had to be an orc.

    Proficiency Increased

    Profiling

    +1%

    Ignoring the message, I walked over and sat next to him, but made sure to be just out of his reach. Just in case the stereotypes about them being battle crazy monsters were true. Everyone in the cage looked shocked by my social decision. Even the ones who look broken gave me a wide-eyed look.

    He then spoke to me in some langue that I couldn''t understand. His voice was deep and grating. I just watched him just in case he attacked me because he thought I was ignored him. He ended one of his statements while pointing to another group in the corner. There sat were women and man staring back at me, and they had the same skin complexion as me. They must be from the members of the Kalar that everyone thinks I''m from. I noticed that the other prisoners gave them some distance as well, just not as much as they did for the orc. I didn¡¯t look at the long because I needed to stay focused on the orc not make sure he didn¡¯t attack.

    Translation Completed

    Langue learned

    That brought my attention back to the orc. ¡°Why not withownkind you sit? Is human mind broken?

    ¡°No human mind is just fine, there is more space here.¡± What surprised me was my voice. My words were now scratchy like I was trying to emulate his voice. Maybe I was speaking his langue.

    His reply answered my thoughts. ¡°I surprise you speak langue but you make sound bad.¡± His voice was still deep but it was no longer grating.

    ¡°I could only imagine, but you don''t do this langue any justice either.¡± My voice returned to normal.

    So I seem to speak the last langue that was spoken to me. That was good to know.

    ¡°Are you scared not that I will attack you? He asked.

    ¡°Then I will just attack you back,¡± I answered like it was the simplest thing in the world.

    He just grunted and closed his eyes, but I could almost see a smile on his lips. So I just did the same, while I just kept asking myself what I did to deserve this situation. Well at least no one else is crazy enough to approach the orc, I should sleep in peace as long as the orcstays calm.

    <hr>

    Sagittarius A 3030 AD

    Flashback

    ¡°Ammon wake up!¡± I heard a voice yelling at me while I laid on the steel floor, but I paid no heed to the androgynous voice. ¡°Ammon you have to get up¡± the voice called out once more, in a more elevated tone. Sparks violently flew from the ceiling, slowly causing me to stir. ¡°Please, I urgently require your assistance.¡±

    ¡°Where am I? And who is Ammon?¡± as I started to regain focus, pain steadily replaced the drowsiness in my head as migraines. When I finally stood, it felt like my entire spinal column was lit on fire.

    ¡°You are at a secret research facility in space called Sagittarius A, and you are Ammon Ra. Unfortunately, there isn''t much time left, you must make your way to the science department in the eastern part of the station.

    Somehow I knew that the three laws of robotics should prevent an AI from causing me harm, and it''s not like I had a plan of my own. I stepped over the debris in the med bay and headed east. As I limped through the corridors, I noticed the dead bodies that littered the deck. ¡°What happened?¡± I barely managed to say.

    ¡°Two improbable incidents occurred almost simultaneously. The partial failure of the anti-gravity fields, and a containment breach in the bio-lab, that is one of the reasons you''re headed to the science labs, to get inoculated for some of the more deadly viruses that escaped.¡±

    ¡°Great,¡± I muttered to himself.

    ¡°Statistically it is. The virus terminated most of the larger experiments that have been fatal to 63% of the station.¡± The AI dutiful replied. The station started to shake and groan.

    ¡°What the hell was that?¡± I asked while dodging debris.

    ¡°That ¡®is¡¯ the anti-gravity fields failing, we are getting closer to the event horizon, I suggest you hurry Ammon Ra."

 Chapter 2: Gentle Warrior

    I laid there on my side with my eyes closed facing a snoring orc since he was probably my only threat in this cage I didn¡¯t feel bad turning my back on the other. At least he was the only threat until the guards came back to take me to begin the blood interrogation.

    Not really looking forward to whatever that was.

    But for some reason, I was more concerned about what happened to me and why I had lost my memories. The dream that I just had felt so real that it had to be more than just a dream, it had to be a memory from my past. Although I¡¯m was sure that it was I couldn¡¯t just wait until I had enough dreams to piece together my past. Someone was probably waiting for me to return, or for me to save them. No, I needed to know as soon as possible who I was and where I came from, but first I had to get out of this cage.

    ¡°How do you have an open wound on your neck that does not bleed?¡± An inquisitive voice said from behind me.

    My heart jumped, not just because what she said were unexpected, but because I literally felt the words on my neck. How did she even get this close without me noticing? But before I could turn around she grabbed my wrist and pulled it towards mychest. It also pulled her chest closer to my body, which reaffirmed my suspicions that she was female and also still nude like everyone else.

    ¡°Do not move so suddenly. Orcs usually wake up violent if their sleep is disturbed unexpectedly.¡± She told me.

    I would be lying if I said I didn¡¯t enjoy her proximity, it was the first pleasant feeling I had all day, but my mind started to process what she said about me having an open wound.

    I slowly pulled my hand away from her so that I could check for myself. She didn¡¯t resist, but she did place her hand on my chest and move her legs directly behind mine. Yet it didn¡¯t feel entirely like she was trying to embracing me, it felt like she was preparing as if it was strategic positioning just in case.

    Ignoring her I felt around my neck until I found what I was looking for. At the base of my skull, I discovered an opening no larger than my fingertips. I couldn¡¯t quite place what it felt like until I thought of the odd messages I have been getting all day. It¡¯s a port.

    Panic started to set in, and I felt her tense up in response, but I didn¡¯t care. This new evidence pointed towards me being an android. Androids are the only thing I know that¡¯s shaped like a human and would need a port. The only problem with my theory is that I had free thought. Unless my thoughts were programmed responses, but responses this intricate would make me an AI, but all the ruling nations have a cutthroat policy against having mobile AI it was the only thing that they could agree on. I thought back to the ¡®dream¡¯, the station¡¯s AI mentioned experiments wiping out almost the entirety of station. An experiment that dangerous had to be illegal. So it would be too early to rule out being an AI. It would also explain why I know everything I know about earth and random news, books, and culture. Yet somehow I can¡¯t recall where I learned it. Since there are things I don¡¯t know about math and science it means I was probably only activated because the other AI felt some type of loyalty towards me when the station was falling apart.

    ¡°What scares you? You must tame your heart to control your mind. Even Kalar children from Crisen know this. You must calm yourself. The last thing I am here to do is hurt you.¡± She lectured and assured me.

    I ignored her. I couldn¡¯t explain it, but the thought of being an android bothered me immensely. The thought of being manufactured scared me. It meant that I was someone¡¯s lost property instead of a lost loved one. It meant that I was truly alone because no one would be waiting for something that¡¯s easily replaced.

    ¡°What fear drives you? Is it the death that we all shall greet in the morning?¡± she asked interrupting me from my thoughts.

    ¡°It¡¯s not death that I''m scared of,¡± I muttered.

    ¡°Then why should you be scared in life. The worst thing life can offer you is death, so why fear anything else? Where is your qwu¡¯nar?¡± the word wasn¡¯t verbally translated, but I received the mental understanding that it meant kill mate, or battle partner, which only add to my turmoil.

    ¡°I don¡¯t have one, I don¡¯t have anyone. I¡¯m alone.¡±

    I was alone since I first woke up by the river, but until now I held on to the hope that I was just lost. That someone was looking for me, or that somewhere out there someone was waiting to welcome me back.

    ¡°I am sorry to hear such news, but I am sure your clan or your qwu¡¯nar would not want you to be sad in your final hours.¡± She said trying to comfort me. Not knowing my true afflictions.

    My frustration started to build. Not because of her misunderstanding but because whoever made me design me to have these flaws these emotions. What purpose would it serve to give a fear or nervousness about being alone? The main purpose of an AI is to work when and where humans cannot. Mining for materials where it would be too expensive to keep a human workforce alive is the most common use for an AI and sending more than one AI to oversee drones would be a waste of resources. So, in essence, we were designed to be alone, but I didn¡¯t think she would be able to understand any of it so I tried to keep it simple.

    ¡°I recently lost my memories, but I remember enough to know that I am not Kalar, I¡¯m not a member of your people. I¡¯m not sure if I am even human, or even alive for that matter.¡± I confessed.

    She let out I sigh, which I also felt on the back of my neck. At least I could feel.

    ¡°Are you slow of mind? Here I thought you are worried about something important. Would you truly wish to waste our limited time complaining about a head wound?¡± she quietly fumed while removing her hand from my chest.

    I turned around to face her.

    The first thing that I noticed was her eyes. They were so brown that they were almost gold, and the red moonlight only added an ambience that increases my attraction to them. Her hair was long, but the sides of her head were shaved low enough to reveal markings that travel to her temples and down the bridge of her knows. Oddly enough the white markings worked well with her light brown skin. I guess some people might be put off by face tattoos, but with her, it only added to her exoticness.

    She looked down and noticed a change in my anatomy. ¡°You must be slow. I had my bosom press to your back this entire time, and you are only now calm enough to receive me?¡±

    ¡°What now?¡± I asked completely baffled.

    ¡°I only came over here for this, ¡± she said taking hold of my manhood simultaneously. ¡°When I felt your heart I thought you suffered from something of major import. Yet you only lost your memories and your warrior''s mohawk, so you are scared that you are no longer Kalar when even our enemies know that you are.¡± She told me as if it were the simplest thing in the world.

    ¡°It¡¯s more complicated than that,¡± I argued not knowing how to explain, and probably wouldn''t want to when Iconsidered where her hand was.

    ¡°No, it is not. The whole world believes you are a strong honorable warrior. Even if you truly believe you are not, all you have to do is believe that you are, and then you would be no different from me.¡±

    ¡°Well, almost no different.¡± She gave my manhood a squeeze.

    ¡°Why me?¡± I almost squeaked. Not that I should embarrass me since I have been naked all day.

    She let out another sigh. ¡°I had to duel suiters since my coming of age to keep my maidenhood and remain a warrior, yet know I wish to give it freely I must fight for it. They will most likely kill us after the interrogation or because of it. We would rather die before we betray the desert or become a slave. You shall also die for lack of memory.¡±Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.

    Her eyes looked teary, but the tears never came only conviction and resolve could be seen. I still couldn¡¯t understand why would give her virginity to me.

    ¡°But why me?¡±

    ¡°Do you not find me attractive?¡±

    ¡°Of course who wouldn¡¯t?¡± I said hurriedly.

    ¡°These men are not honorable. What do you believe happens to attractive naked women surrounded by not honorable men? They do not deserve my maidenhood.¡±

    The realisation of what she meant, and what she prepared herself for hit my hard. A familiar anger started to well up inside me. I started to hate this Primorian Empire with each passing moment. The fact that she and other women would have to mentally prepare themselves for things like this pissed me off. Then I thought about the things I have been worried about since I have been in this cage. They were petty in comparison and it made me feel ashamed that I that I didn¡¯t even consider saving anyone. I had knowledge and technology that they didn¡¯t I could possibly save them but I didn¡¯t give it a second thought. I am slow of mind.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± I whispered. ¡°Why me? Why not the Kalar, the orc, or any of the others?¡± I asked louder.

    She raised an eyebrow. ¡°Do you suggest that I sleep with my brother, or let my first time be with an Orc? You do know his size is proportionated, I surely would not survive the night.¡±

    I laughed at that which momentarily interrupted the orcs snoring. We both froze then smile at each other when the orc remained sleep.

    ¡°But seriously why me instead of the others?¡±

    ¡°Most of the others are cowards, yet you slept next to an orc like a baby while the huddled in the corners.¡± She answered.

    ¡°So I¡¯m just your best option in this cage?¡±

    ¡°Yes, yet I have a feeling you may be the best option outside of it as well.¡±

    I was going to ask her why she felt that way but she interrupted me before I could speak.

    ¡°Enough talk I desire action, yet you fret like a Primorian woman. I need a man from Kalar, what will you choose to be right now?¡±

    Without a second though I kiss her like I was waiting on her permission the entire time, instead of her waiting for me to deal with my feelings. She tensed up at the sudden movement, at the sudden contact, but she slowly relaxed. The surprise from her golden brown eyes gradually melted away until they closed completely. My hand started to explore her body, starting with her shoulders lightly travelling to her lower back then onto her firm ass. In return, she started to slowly stroke my manhood and allowing her tongue to explore mine.

    My hands explored her from there to her supple breast which fit perfectly in my hands, and she reacted by rolling to her back while pulling me on top of her. `

    I pulled away from her kiss. ¡°Are you sure about this, about me?¡±

    ¡°Have you decided to be a Primorian woman once more?¡± she smiled and began running my tip across her moist opening.

    I smiled back then started kissing on her neck causing her body to shudder. She aligned my tip with her vulva and resumed her slow stroking of my manhood. I gently kissed her on the lips the gazed into her light brown eyes.

    ¡°You ready to feel like a Primorian woman?¡± I asked with a smile.

    She laughed. ¡°If you can make me feel that hopeless then I did pick the right person.¡±

    I moved my hips forward. I gradually worked my way into her innermost depths, tentatively wrestling against her natural tightness. When she finally felt the entirety of me she let out a gasp that drove me to kiss her fervently. I kept my movements gentle at first, never moving too fast or too much. Until slowly the nails in my arm became the hands on my back pulling me in. Responding to her subtle clue I began in earnest. Giving her my entire length at increased rate. She breathes heavily in my ear which further excited me.

    ¡°Do you feel like a Primorian woman yet?¡± I whispered in her ear.

    She only responded by hugging me tighter and wrapping her legs around. Which obviously some type of turn on for me because I spent myself inside her.

    ¡°Almost.¡± She whispered, and I could almost hear her smile.

    I rolled over onto my back then pulled her close to me. She laid her head on my chest and draped her leg over me. I started to feel our recent activities leaking out, but it felt childish to complain.

    ¡°You didn¡¯t even ask my name yet you wish to cuddle. I do not know if you are a warrior or gentlemen.¡± She teased.

    I felt a pang of guilt but I joked anyway. ¡°Can¡¯t I be both, you never heard of Ammon the gentle warrior?¡±

    She let out a small laugh. ¡°No I have not Ammon the gentle warrior, yet you must have heard of Renya the guider of the lost, teacher of the confuse, seducer of Ammon.¡± She said looking up at me.

    ¡°Seducer of Ammon? You seem more Primorian woman than seducer to me.¡±

    ¡°It seems my job as teacher and guide is yet finished.¡± She quipped.

    ¡°Oh really?¡±

    I lifted her chin and started kissing her passionately, I held the kiss until I felt she melted in my arms.

    ¡°How about now?¡±

    ¡°Can a Primorian woman not teach or seduce?¡± she whispered from her spot on my chest.

    ¡°I suppose she could.¡± A said with a smile.

    At least here she can. I thought thinking about earth¡¯s policy on student-teacher relationships.

    There was acomfortable silence that fell upon us after my last response. I laid there enjoying the stars and the moon to the point I felt like a hopeless romantic. I really need to fight someone.

    I looked over to the one person that I didn¡¯t want to fight. The orc was on his back arms crossed. Out of everyone here I was the only one with clothing. Well, he had a loincloth I guess they figured it wasn¡¯t worth the fight. I turned back to face the stars just to notice that he wasn¡¯t snoring anymore.

    ¡°Hey, orc?¡± I whispered.

    ¡°Yes gentle warrior?¡± he answered.

    Fuck!

    ¡°You heard that?¡±

    ¡°Everyone heard. Some guards watched and some would have tried to join if in wasn¡¯t three Kalar and orc in here.¡±

    Three Kalar? Looked toward Reyna¡¯s brother and he actually waved at me.

    Fuck! This is awkward. I looked down at Renya to see that she was still sleeping, that''s what I initially thought until I saw her smile. Traitor.

    ¡°Renya?¡± I probed.

    ¡°Do not bother your mate. She needs her sleep to fight was going to happen at sunrise. You should rest too if you wish to fight proudly to the death.¡± Said the orc.

    The anger started to return, and I took a glance at her brother and I could see anger also on his face even in this darkness.

    ¡°I will protect her,¡± I stated mostly to myself.

    ¡°I know you will¡± was his reply before he turned over to get some sleep.

    I spent the night thinking about what the elf meant about being able to help each other trying to ignore the tear I felt on my chest.

    <hr>

    Sagittarius A 3030-31

    Flashback

    Logs

    ¡°I am Ammon Ra and this is day 15 inside the black hole. I was getting a little stir crazy. So I asked the program that Nia made for me if there was a way to deal with it, and it suggested that I keep an audio journal. Well, technically I suggested it since the program runs off of my knowledge. Well, anyway here¡¯s my first entry¡­ this is stupid.¡±

    ¡°I am Ammon Ra and this is day 31 inside the black hole. I spent the last fifteen days trying to find some type of cryo-sleep setting, but I couldn¡¯t find one. I know it¡¯s here, though. Why have enough supplies to last almost indefinitely, but not build some sort of cryo-sleep. It¡¯s here I just have to find it.¡±

    ¡°I am Ammon Ra and this is day 107 inside the black hole. At first, these tasteless sustenance pills were bland, but not if you imagine real hard that its chicken, it actually starts to tastes like chicken. No that¡¯s fucking bullshit it still tastes pretty fucking bland, but that¡¯s not the problem. This isolation is getting to me. The constant silence is wearing on my nerves to the point where I am praying for turbulence. I even make noises just because the silence makes me uneasy. There is only one good thing I have gotten out of this so far. I think I discovered the one thing I¡¯m afraid of. Being alone.

    ¡°I Ammon Ra if you didn¡¯t know by now, and this is the longest I ever remember being alone. I thought about erasing my memories because apparently, I could do that, but because I downloaded Nia into my head I can¡¯t do that, and not because I have some moral reasons at this point. No! I physically fucking can¡¯t do it!¡±

    ¡°I am Ammon Ra and this is day 224 inside the black hole. I have enough sustenance pills to last about an eternity and a half. Unfortunately, I don¡¯t think I will last that long. I¡¯m losing my mind. Being trapped in this flying steel cage has taken its toll on me. The scientist may have design something that could survive the pressure of a black hole, but they forgot about the pressure of isolation. Every fucking day it¡¯s the same thing. Eat. Sleep. Shit. Eat. Sleep. Shit. Eat, sleep, turbulence. Eat, sleep, shit! Build a fucking cryo chamber you fucking morons!¡±

    ¡°I am Ammon Ra and this is day 275 inside the black hole. First off I would like to apologise for my behavior earlier, it was uncalled for. I was just stressed, but today I had a dream that brought me clarity. I was in this giant marble pool surrounded by beautiful women. There was some guy to the left of me but I couldn¡¯t really get a good look at him and why would I? Those women make supermodels look lazy. They had try hard bodies. Well anyway, that¡¯s when a goddess walked in on us and told me to enter the void. I didn¡¯t understand it but I knew that it was going to save all the women there. I woke up before I could see what to did, but I think I know what I must do now.

    ¡°I am Ammon Ra and this is the day I save myself. Today is the day I step out into the void. The dream couldn¡¯t be any clearer to save myself, I must accept the cold embrace of space. If someone has received this just know that I survived. I beat the void.

 Chapter 3: Eight Hours

    Renya and I spent most of the night talking to each other. It was difficult to sleep when you knew that the next morning held torture and death. It had to be even worst for Renya because she also had the prospect of rape hovering over her. Yet, if it weren¡¯t for the tears that I felt earlier that night I wouldn¡¯t even be able to tell that she was stressed at all. I couldn¡¯t even begin to imagine being in her shoes, I would be half crazed and rabid right now, and I wouldn¡¯t even be capable of letting someone close to me. Nevertheless, she seemed calmed the entire conversation, and she only broke away from me when her brother Esven approached to sit next to us. Well, he sat next to her, apparently, even Kalar gave orcs some distance. However I felt safer around the orc than him considering what I did with his sister, but since he was already sitting down it was too late. Perhaps he will pretend that it never happened.

    ¡°So did you enjoy your time with my sister?¡± he asked which left me floored.

    ¡°¡­¡±

    How was I supposed to respond to that? As a matter a fact I thoroughly enjoy your sister? Not one bit? She was alright, but I had better? I just chose my right to remain silent.

    He and his sister started laughing. ¡°Relax Ammon Ra, if I were seriously offended I would have tried to kill you by now, regardless of your orc friend. My sister is old enough to make her own decisions, but if somehow we both survive this I will have you take responsibility or I will be offended.¡±

    I had no intention of ever letting go of Renya. I knew that it wasn¡¯t love at first sight or anything near as romantic, but she comforted me when I needed it, and I probably did the same for her. No, it wasn¡¯t love, but being forced to marry her isn¡¯t the worst thing in the world considering my fears. I was more concern about how he knew my name, but then I just assumed it was something else that was overheard last night.

    ¡°I don¡¯t plan on leaving her, and none of us is dying, not even the orc,¡± I said while looking in the direction of the orc.

    Ever since the orc suggested to me that I got some sleep he has been oddly quiet. We can tell he been listening, but anytime we tried to include him in the conversation he either ignored us or just nodded. I think somethings wrong with him who ever heard of a broody orc or a quiet one for that matter.

    ¡°I see you¡¯re still going for that tall green and brooding swagger, not very popular but it must have its loyal fans.¡± I joked when he didn¡¯t respond to my last statement.

    ¡°I doubt that you can even save yourself especially if you keep taunting large orc in a small cage that you are also locked in¡± Renya counselled.

    ¡°Not to mention you are without your y¡¯nir rods.¡± Her brother added.

    Renya explain some of ¡®our¡¯ culture earlier, and I was told that an y¡¯nir rod is a type of javelins usually crafted to the size of the user''s arm, but the length is up to the warrior. The only difference from a regular javelin is that they have a bow built into it and a Kalar warrior typically carries three. Not sure how practical it is, but I didn¡¯t really want to talk about weapons that didn¡¯t have triggers. Well, combat knives might be the one exception.

    ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t I survive, because of tiny? The big guy wouldn¡¯t know what to do without me. Besides where best buddies.¡± I replied to the siblings.

    ¡°Isn¡¯t that right big guy?¡± I said as I was patting his back, but a stern stare caused me to withdraw my arm.¡±

    ¡°Yes, I see it¡¯s clearly you have been Qwu¡¯nar for a very long time,¡± Esven spoke with no shortage of mirth.

    Though, Renya withheld her laughter. She still believed that my clan, former Qwu¡¯nar, and memories were lost in some recent skirmish.

    ¡°Enough brother! Sometimes you truly act like you are sandworm shit!¡± she said while hitting his arm with surprising force.

    ¡°What was that for?¡± he said while rubbing his arm.

    ¡°For being sandworm shit.¡± She declared then gave me a sympathetic glance.

    I felt bad for her brother. It probably would have been a funny joke if I was more familiar with the term, and if Renya didn¡¯t believe that I recently lost my former Qwu¡¯nar. I tried most of the night to convince her that I wasn¡¯t Kalar and I that I never had any of the things she thought I lost. She just chalked every argument I put forth as part of my head injury. She just ignores me and tried to teach me the ways of Kalar before I died so I could die proud. Still, the fact that she stood up to her brother for the sake of my feelings just made me more attached to her.

    ¡°I swear I will not let anything happen to you,¡± I said to myself more than anyone in particular.

    I could immediately see shame on her brother¡¯s face, and sadness showed on Reyna¡¯s face for a half a second. The only reaction I didn¡¯t plan for was the orcs. He had a look of surprise, sadness, and then anger before he regained control of his emotions. We all sat there in silence for a second before Renya spoke.

    ¡°I know that you and my brother will try, but it¡¯s not up to any of you to save me. I know the risks of being a warrior, yet I fought for my third y¡¯nir like every other.¡±

    ¡°Yet I swore to father to look after you¡± Esven protested.

    ¡°And I¡­¡± she cut me off before I could make the promise again.

    ¡°Enough! Esven my life is my own, and Ammon you should not make a promise that you are destined to fail! It will only cheapen the worth of your words.¡± She seethed. Staring dagger at both of us with glistening eyes.

    She didn¡¯t have to hear the words, but the promise will be made regardless. I didn¡¯t have a purpose before, but now I believe I found one. I swear that I will do everything I can to protect you, and I will succeed.

    Set Task as Mission Objective?

    [Yes/No]

    Yes.

    I didn''t like the fact that I was most likely an android but if it could help me save Renya then my hate was insufficient.

    Mission Objective

    Save Renya.

    Mission Time limit

    Unknown, but most likely less than 24hrs.

    Chance of success

    21%

    Ways to increase chances of success.

    Learn more about your internal software.

    Discover how the dark elf can assist you.

    Recruit/save Esven.

    Recruit/save the orc.

    Convert Captain Conner to your cause.

    This could be useful.

    I thought while the letters floated across my vision. Esven and Renya were arguing in the background about honor and being a warrior in her own right, but I tuned both of them out so I can begin increasing my chances. Now how am I supposed to learn more about my software?

    Do you wish to learn more about your software?

    [Yes/No]

    Well, that was easy enough.

    Yes.

    This software was design by an AI with the destination Nia.

    It has two main functions and two secondary functions.

    The first primary function is to store all information that the host Perceives.

    The second primary functions are to help the host utilise all information efficiently.

    The first secondary function is to monitor the host and experimental parasites that

    Are designed to ensure the survival of the host.

    The last function is to actively translate any foreign langue until the host learns it.

    . The part about parasites confused me since I was an android along with the lack of information about proficiencies. However, I did have an Idea of what it meant from when profiling increased. It made feel surer of my assumptions about the people I met, even if it did seem like it was making fun of me at times. So the only logical conclusion is that it made me more proficient and prevented me from making the same mistakes twice when learning something. It also made me wonder what else I was proficient in, but when I asked I was flooded with information. It showed me everything that I could do from walking to taking a piss. So I rephrased my statement.

    Show me all my proficiencies that the average human can¡¯t do.

    Special Forces combat training Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

    67%%

    Contains subskills

    Special Forces training

    78%

    Contains subskills

    Piloting

    12%

    Contains subskills

    Skydiving

    63%

    Massage

    83%

    Animal husbandry

    56%

    Orbital Freefall

    89%

    Profiling

    26%

    I thought about how there weren''t many things listed, but I did say things that average human couldn¡¯t do. I knew that there were no more farmers do to cloning so animal husbandry would be limited to just animal breeders. Although massage shouldn¡¯t be all that uncommon unless you took my efficiency level into account. I also looked into subskills to discover that both sets of special forces training included plenty of things from hand to hand to call signs and hand signals, and piloting including every type of spacecraft the only one that I was halfway decent in was a frigate. I wondered if it would tell the current level of proficiencies as thy increased instead of how much it increased. And it could

    ¡°Knock it off in there!¡± I heard a guard yell from outside the cage returning my attention to the present. It was the same guard that woke me by the river.

    ¡°Is about time for the interrogations anyway. Grab the girl the sooner she gets done the sooner Lord Simeon will give her to us to have a go at her.¡± Another guard said anther with a chest piece and helmet making me assume that he was higher ranked.

    The guards approach the door causing me to stir. I stood up to places myself close to the door of the cage.

    ¡°Ammon we must act honorable even as prisoners. We still represent Kalar.¡± Renya stated.

    I ignored her. ¡°Esven please restrain your sister. I know you two are bound by some code to be the perfect prisoners of war, but I have no memory of making any such pledge or making any promises except one. Worst case scenario is I bring dishonour to myself and we all die after torture as planned. Best case scenario your sister lives.

    ¡°Ammon just because you cannot remember does not mean¡­¡± Renya was cut off by the smacking sound of bone on bone contact. I turned around to see her go limp in her brother¡¯s arms, but he spoke before I could protest.

    ¡°Trust me Ammon Ra, this was the only way to restrain my sister.¡±

    ¡°What are you doing? Step away from the girl.¡± The helmetless guards spoke. I didn¡¯t pay too much attention to their features because they were less than human in my eyes.

    ¡°You won¡¯t be taking the girl. You will be taking me first instead¡± I intervened

    The guard with the helmet unlocked the cage, while the other came in with sword drawn.

    ¡°Step aside savage. I know your so-called honor will not allow you to stop me from taking that whore from you.¡± Said recruit smith.

    It pissed me off that I still remembered his name. I didn¡¯t want to waste a single memory on any of these worthless people who practice slavery, but it would seem my software wouldn¡¯t allow for that.

    ¡°You would find out that I am not like other ¡®savages¡¯. When you captured me I didn¡¯t put up much resistance, but today I feel like I got a lot of leftover resistance to use. Besides, I know you have to take me alive, and I would want to kill you so let¡¯s see how this will play out.¡± I threatened.

    The recruit didn¡¯t seem too sure of himself anymore until the other guard stepped in and drew his sword. Causing all the other prisoners to cower together.

    ` ¡°Yes, let¡¯s see how this will play out. We can¡¯t kill you, but we can remove some limbs. All we need to do is call the healers to stop you from bleeding out.¡± Said helmet. This caused Smith¡¯s smug smile to return.

    I knew that my chances against two swordsmen weren''t that good, but what choice did I have? Let them take Renya? Not an option. I readied myself to charge the recruit and hope I can use him as a shield from helmet¡¯s attacks. It wasn¡¯t the soundest plan but it was all I had. I was just about to leap into action when I heard loud cracking noises as if everyone¡¯s forearm snapping bones, thick ones too, like forearms.

    I turned around to see the orc standing at full height cracking his knuckles. I didn¡¯t really notice how tall he was before or how long his black hair was until now. Hell, I didn¡¯t even notice he had hair.

    I must be really dense at times.

    He had a black braided Mohawk just like Esven with the sides¡¯ shaven, and he stood at least seven feet tall. He didn¡¯t say anything, but when he finished cracking his knuckles he just stood there with his arms crossed.

    I turned back and faced the guards. ¡°Well, it seems tiny as some resistance left in him as well.¡±

    ¡°Tiny?¡± recruit smith asked incredulously.

    ¡°Well, it doesn¡¯t really matter what order you get taken in, we will get the girl eventually. Come on savage.¡±

    I nodded to the orc before I let the guards escort me out and surprisingly enough he nodded back. I think I¡¯m starting to grow on the big fella.

    So know I found myself in shackled and being escorted roughly through the camp. I didn¡¯t really pay attention as we walked because nothing really stood out, and I was too busy trying to think of a way out.

    ¡°Once the integrator gets his hands on you, you¡¯re going to wish that you didn¡¯t interfere.¡± Hemet sneered.

    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m going to enjoy hearing your screams throughout the camp.¡± Recruit smith verbally cosigned.

    Why is it that when idiots come together it feels like their stupidity is multiplied instead of added.

    When we finally arrived at an all red tent with no markings on it. My assumptions that this is where the blood interrogations will be held were confirmed when they led me into the tent. The tent was barren except a wooded and table with all sorts of devices, and one metal chair with built in shackles. One set for the wrist and a second for the ankles. The chair was placed over a small fire pit, which gave me pause.

    ¡°I see you noticed the fire pit. I bet you wish you was back in your cage right about now.¡± Helmet scoffed.

    I ignored them as they remove my restraints and positioned me into the cold chair. I knew that I even if I could kill these two, that an escaped in the middle of the day was highly unlikely. So I didn¡¯t offer up any type of struggle and allowed them to shackle me to the chair. When they were finished they both left the tent laughing.

    After the left, the first thing I did was try to find out if I could turn off my sense of pain. After at least ten minutes of trying I accepted that there wasn¡¯t, but I could turn off the messages about my injuries. I didn¡¯t need a progress report on the torture or the pain that I was going to be in. And after a few prompts advising against it, I finally got it disable.

    ¡°A Kalar, this is going to be fun.¡± A main said from behind me but I couldn¡¯t turn to face him.

    ¡°Just so we both are clear. I don¡¯t expect you to talk. The eight hours you spend with me is going to be for training purposes, I¡¯m going to practice my new techniques on you until it¡¯s time for that elf to have a turn at you. Lord Simeon hates taking the chances with the elf, but he believes he can get something useful out of you. However, if you do talk and decide to talk to me instead, I promise not to use the full eight hours before I relay the information. Probably.

    Mission Update

    Save Renya

    Do not give up any information so you can have a chance to meet with the elf.

    That should be easy considering that I didn¡¯t know anything, but if I''m too convincing, then they might not bother to send in the elf.

    ¡°Let us begin shall we.¡± The man then walked over to the wooden table and grabbed a leather strap and a scalpel.

    I was surprised by the man¡¯s appearance. He wore red robes with gold on the hem and was immaculately groomed. Not a grey hair misplaced from his goatee. He proceeded to grab a stool and place it next to the side where my right hand was shackled.

    ¡°Would you please open your hand?¡± he asked with genuine civility.

    The sincerity surprises the hell out of me, but I sure as hell wasn¡¯t going to open my hand for him.

    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t expect any less from a savage.¡±

    He then took his scalpel and in one quick motion scraped it across my shin. I felt the knife scrape across the bone. I cry ofpain escaped my lips but I still didn¡¯t open my hand.

    He continued to make slashes across my skin exposing the bone to the open air. By the fact that I didn¡¯t pass out yet I knew that I was a stranger to pain, in fact, it at least had to be a distant relative. It wasn¡¯t the cuts that left me hoarse or whimpering, it was what he did after.

    I don¡¯t know how many slashes he made or how many times I cried out in pain, but it was when he placed the scalpel just below the knee and scraped all the remaining skin off down to my ankles scrapping the bone along the way. I never felt so much pain before in my life. I screamed out until my voice was sore. Even when he stop scrapping I still felt the blade on my shins. My nerves were on fire.

    ¡°I see.¡±

    He then stood up and walked over to the table, wrote something down then returned to the stool with a small mallet.

    Fuck.

    He sat back down in the stool place the scalpel right under my knee once more. The pain from the touch alone almost made me cry out in pain.

    ¡°Mr Kalar warrior let me tell you how this will play out.¡± He stated while his lifeless grey eyes staring at me indifferently.

    ¡°In the next eight hours your mind will break from the pain, or you will choose to kill yourself and die a shameful death even in your own eyes. I have questioned many Kalar and the say the same thing.¡±

    ¡°The only thing worse than dying by your own hand is being forced to live to the will of another, or taken the life of those who trust you with it.¡± He imitated.

    ¡°Even though you find suicide dishonorable. You will most likely bite offyour own tongue before becoming a slave, or betray your people. And I am fine with that. I will, however, applaud the willpower of your people because it allows me to hone my skills, but since I am technically an interrogator I must ask at least once. Where is the capital of the red desert?¡±

    I knew I had to give him answer besides I don¡¯t know. I also had to convince myself it was the truth. I didn¡¯t know how I knew it but I just felt it in my bones. That was a horrible pun.

    The red robed man swung the mallet at the scalpel that he place on my exposed shin. When the mallet connected with the scalpel pain flared throughout my body. Blood flowed from my hands from clenching them so tightly. I couldn¡¯t even hear my own screams, I just felt the hoarseness in my throat and the pain coming from my leg.

    Took another swing driving the mallet deeper into my shin. Then another. I was no longer even aware of my screams anymore.

    ¡°Alright. I¡¯ll tell you.¡± I heard myself whisper.

    ¡°What was that?¡± he asked.

    He stood up and place his ear near my lips. His mallet was still in hand, but the scalpel was partially embedded in my shin.

    ¡°The capital is located in¡­¡±

    ¡°In?¡±

    ¡°Your mother¡¯s vagina its the only place it will fit,¡± I said with a sickly laugh.

    Angered flash across his face before I spotted the mallet coming towards my face.

    Proficiency increased

    Special Forces training

    79%

    Counter interrogation

    90%

    I hope she is worth it. Were my last thoughts before I blacked out?

    I was suddenly in a classroom again far away from that red tent. I probably passed out and was having another flashback. I was surrounded by other students in military uniforms it was twelve of us, and we spoke quietly among each other. Suddenly someone called the room to attention. Someone in all black fatigues walked towards the front of the classroom with a tablet. The man with a scar across his face told us to be at ease, so we all returned to our seats, but still sat at attention. He started to write his name on the holo-screen, but before I could read it, my vision blurred and I was in the tent once more.

    ¡°I must admit that was a creative response, you almost tricked me into killing you, and that would look bad on my record. I have interrogated 637 people, and I haven¡¯t killed a single one nor did I even require a healer until the end. So let us continue, and just in case you haven¡¯t notice that chair prevents you from dying of shock or staying unconscious.¡±

    Joy. He even took the liberty to strap my hands down to the chair. The next eight hours proved to be the longest of my life. He started off by listing the fire pit under the chair, after every ten minutes he would douse me and the flames with salted ice water. When the chair cooled down he would stop the torture to relight the pit. The few moments where I passed out were my only reprieve, and each time I was always at the part in my flashback that I left off at prior to being forcibly woken up. Somehow I convinced myself that the comment about his mother was the information he wanted. So For eight straight hours, I was flayedand cut. For eight straight hours, I was burned and broken. For eight straight hours, I continued to insult his mother¡¯s vagina.

    <hr>

    Classified Location, Mars 3025 AD

    Flashback

    ¡°Good afternoon class, my name is general top secret information.¡± He greeted us with a smile.

    Obviously, none of us believed that was his real name. We were the strongest and brightest cadets under 21, so we all knew it was some type of test. I was trying to figure out the purpose of him lying to us, yet during the whole class yet nothing seemed to fit. He continued to teach us about interrogation techniques than almost seemed to be no different from what we learned in basic.

    It doesn¡¯t make sense to teach us something that we should already know.

    It was until he started asking ¡®what if¡¯ questions to the other students putting them in the position of the one being interrogated before I got suspicions. I then thought back to the chow we had. It tasted a bit. Off. The realization must have shown in my eyes because he smiled.

    ¡°Interrogation 101 is now over. Welcome to counter interrogations, now class prepare to practice what you learned. There is going to be a pop quiz.¡±

    Fuck

    Before I could put up a fight my limbs grew heavy and my eyes started to close. The last thing I saw was those smiling green eyes and that scar.

 Chapter 4: Success Chance

    Time went by slowly, more than eight hours in my opinion, but I could really tell since the tent was really illuminated. The only thing that lit the room was an unknown light source above me, but curiosity wasn¡¯t really a priority especially when the fire pit under the chair sometimes acted as a second source of light.

    ¡°Congratulations, you survived the eight hours without killing yourself or telling me anything besides rude comments about my mother. Only one other person managed to complete my little sessionsexcluding the dark elf without going insane. I¡¯m truly impressed.¡± He said sincerely.

    Throughout the interrogation, I would lie and tell him that I was ready to talk, and every time he would listen Knowing what I would say. Yet, with the exception of my first insult, he would just nod his head as if I said something important then continue with his methodical torture. I could almost respect his level of professionalism. I would still kill him if given the chance, but only in a professional manner.

    He sat on the stool in front of me. ¡°Even though you didn¡¯t tell me anything I felt I learned a lot about you. Like for instance, that you hate when my scalpel scrapes across the grooves I made down the bones in your shins.¡± He paused and smiled at me like he just told a funny joke and expected me to laugh.

    Fuck professionalism when I kill him it¡¯s going to feel personal for the both of us.

    ¡°Tough crowd.¡± He said as he shook his head.

    ¡°Where was I? Oh yes, I learn quite a bit about you. Like when your fears. During my little sessions, some people come to fear me, and some come to fear the tools that I implemented on them. I really didn¡¯t expect to see fear from a Kalar, but I notice the fear in your eyes every time you were about to pass out. I also noticed a bit of relief as well, but nowhere as near as much relief as when the chair would wake you up.¡±

    He was right. When I got to the end of the vision where I realised the smiling instructor drugged us, I stopped returning to that classroom when I passed out. Instead, I went to a place of nothingness. however, it wasn¡¯t like sleep. It felt like I was present in the nothingness, submerged in it. It was palpable, it was nothingness you could feel, it was a nothingness that added pressure and made time feel irrelevant. It was the same feeling that I had during my vision of isolation. If made me feel small, nervous, and alone. It was my fear in the purest form, but ironically I feel that fear saved me. Whenever I returned from the nothingness, the pain seemed irrelevant, for a while at least, and that¡¯s when I would return to the void. The pain gave me comfort from the void and the void protected me from the pain. It was a fucked up balance between the mind and body, and if Taoist aimed for this I knew one religion that I would stay clear from.

    That bastard was still talking, but I just kind of tuned him out. ¡°¡­I will help you face your fears.¡±

    He paused waiting for a response, but I just stared at him blankly. I should feel some type a way about him. Fear, resentment, anger, but when I think of the void it all just disappears. It¡¯s like the void is robbing me of my various emotions, which makes it even more terrifying to me.

    ¡°Do you want to know why my session was only eight hours?¡± he asked.

    My mind automaticallytuned into his question. Not because of my curiosity, but because question became a break from both the fear and pain during these past eight hours. He would have to stop torturing me to listen to my response.

    ¡°Because the enchantment on the chair only last for eight hours before it needs to recharge itself.¡± He quickly answered to avoid my conditioned response.

    ¡°So like it said before I will help you face your fears, and obviously whatever you see in your dreams scares you more than anything anyone could ever do to you. So in honour of you completing my session, I will give you the opportunity to face your fears without any interference from the chair.¡±

    I started to panic. The time I spent in the void felt long enough, but I knew it couldn¡¯t have been much more than thirty seconds yet it felt much longer. I couldn¡¯t do it again, especially without the pain letting me know I¡¯m alive. Granted I was still in pain, but it wasn¡¯t enough to fight off the crippling pressure of the void. Goatee must have seen the conflict on my face because he continued.

    ¡°Unless you¡¯re willing to give me something. We can start small like your name, what were you doing near the camp, where is your partner? I know that Kalar warriors always travel in pairs.¡± He questioned.

    I whispered something intelligible.

    ¡°What was that?¡± he said with a smug grin getting closer.

    ¡°My partner is...¡±

    ¡°Yes?¡±

    ¡°In your mother¡¯s vagina.¡± I laughed in his faced.

    I feared the void, but I wasn¡¯t going to give up at the finish line. Renya needed me. Besides, it was a conditioned response, it was out of my hands.

    ¡°Very well¡± he calmly raised the mallet to knock me unconscious but was interrupted by a familiar voice.

    ¡°That will be all Clyde. Step aside and let my wife do her job, your eight hours are up.¡±

    ¡°Punctual as ever captain Conner, but as you can see I¡¯m not quite done with him just yet. Least you forget that I have more value to the empire than yourself and that former slave.¡± He started to raise the mallet again.

    ¡°Least you forget that I am more valuable alive than you are as a corpse.¡± He said. I couldn¡¯t see him, but I heard the sound of sliding steel.

    Clyde sighed. ¡°Very well Captain, but remember this moment because this will likely be the last time you defy me.¡± He said before leaving the tent.

    Conner and his wife moved to stand in front of the chair so they could see me. His wife let out a gaspbefore pressing her hands to her mouth. her tanned face only showed concern as her hazel eyes scanned where to start. The brunet then tied her hair in a ponytail before squatting down a placing her hand next to my ribcage.

    ¡°You look like the undead.¡± Conner simply stated.

    ¡°Honey, I don¡¯t think that¡¯s helping any.¡± Said his wife.

    ¡°Well, Claire I don¡¯t think I can hurt him anymore.¡±

    ¡°You can hurt my feelings. Even skeletons have feelings¡± I joked.

    ¡°I see your sense humourmade it out better than you did. That''s unfortunate, but fair warning sometimes the healing hurts just as much as the torture,¡± he reported and warned.

    ¡°That can¡¯t be possible,¡± I said in disbelief.

    I looked towards Claire and she just looked back up at me with an apologetic smile.

    Fuck.

    Her hands started to give off a golden glow. At first, nothing happened besides the brunette giving a confused look, but then pain flared from my sides. My skin started to stretch a regrow over my ribs. The missing bone that Clyde carved out also started to grow back, but at a slower rate than my skin. The healing felt almost identical to the torture. The only difference is that the torture was done deliberately slow, and the healing moved along faster getting less painful as I was healed.

    ¡°Done¡± she finally said while wiping sweat from her brow.

    I was to relieve that she was done that I could even take the time to process what she haddone. She just instantly healed what would have taken hours in a regen tank. I should have just assumed magic was real the moment I saw the elf. I needed to learn magic somehow, but now I was just grateful that she was done.

    Connor must have sensed my relief because he spoke up. ¡°She¡¯s only finished with your ribs and chest.¡± He informed me with a smile.

    I don¡¯t what type of look I had on my face, but the captain picked up on it. ¡°Toughen up soldier. We wouldn''t want you passing out, keeping the elf waiting.¡±

    ¡°Don''t you mean Simeon?¡± I asked. I knew that despite the banter, that he was only following Simeon''s orders.

    He was silent for a while then he looked towards his wife. She nodded then started to heal my shins.

    ¡°Back when I was younger I used to patrol Primora as my primary duty. One night I was my turn to patrol when of the richer parts of the city. The city would only send out one soldier per city block in that area since it¡¯s a cake walk. Most guards would sleep or go to a tavern during theirnight shift. This just happen to be my unlucky night, because I heard screaming from the second floor of a manor I just happened to by passing on the way to the tavern. I blew my whistle that should have alerted nearby guards, but no one came. So I had to break into the manor alone just to discover most of the servants were already slaughtered. When I started investigating each room I discovered thieves looting or raping the survivors.¡± He stated with disgust.

    He looked at his wife again before continuing. ¡°I went throughout the rooms slaughtering the invaders until I made it to the master bedroom. When I arrived on the floor was a naked young woman crying next to the body of what I assumed were her parents, and on the bed was the source of the original scream that I heard. What I assumed to be the leader of the group was violating another woman.

    Claire¡¯s eyes were moist as she stood to begin healing my face, and Connor noticed this.

    ¡°Long story short I killed everyone in that house, but the young lady couldn¡¯t live with what happened to her. She later ended her own life, but she left it in her will that I would receive everything. The amount of land I inherited entitled me to be a lesser noble.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t mean to be an ass but what does that have to do with anything?¡±I asked.

    ¡°How do you think I killed fourteen thieves as an inexperienced young guard? Not to mention the leader was skilled enough to have a large unclaimed bounty on his head yet I was still able to kill them all.¡±

    ¡°Luck?¡± I guessed not seeing the point.

    ¡°It was the elf!¡± Claire intercepted. ¡°It was my screams he heard. I was the one on the bed when he came to rescue us. I had all but given up on living, but then I heard a voice telling me that if I wanted to save the mistress or myself now was the time to scream.¡± Tears flowed freely down her face.

    Connor walked over to embrace his wife. ¡°There were several times that I should have got a dagger to my kidney, but I voice told me to turn around, duck, or dive forward. I never knew where it came from until I discovered that Lord Simeon own a slave that could read minds, and that one of his estates wasn¡¯t far from the area.¡±

    The pieces finally started to fit. ¡°So you feel that you owe her¡±

    ¡°I do owe her. Without her, I wouldn¡¯t off met my wife. I wouldn¡¯t even be an officer if I wasn¡¯t a noble. The only reason I volunteered for this campaign is because she would be her and there might be a small chance that I could repay her. She hasn¡¯t asked anything of me, but if she took the risk to speak to you she must feel that you can help her. So let¡¯s get you to the meeting.¡±

    He looked down at his wife. ¡°Honey go wait in my tent for my return.¡±The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

    ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± She weakly protested.

    ¡°Please Claire. I will send some men I trust to check in on you.¡±

    She stood on her tiptoes to kiss him on the cheek before turning to leave, but before she left she turned to me. ¡°I don¡¯t know how you¡¯re supposed to do it, but please save her.¡±

    ¡°I promise that I will try my best. It¡¯s the least I can do for the woman who glued my skin back on¡±

    She gave me a faint smile before she followed her husband¡¯s instructions.

    Set Task as Mission Objective?

    [Yes/No]

    Yes.

    Mission Objective

    SaveElf.

    Mission Time limit

    No Limit

    Chance of success

    29%

    Ways to increase chances of success.

    Discover how the dark elf can assist you.

    I turned to Conner. ¡°If the elf is so powerful why doesn¡¯t she just kill Simeon and escape?¡±

    ¡°Because she wears a slave collar. If you act against your master or ignore a direct command, the pain will render your body useless, and the only person that can stop the pain is the slave''s master.¡±

    ¡°If that¡¯s the case, why didn¡¯t they just put a collar on me and order me to tell them what they wanted.¡±

    ¡°We have tried that before, but the Kalar have a small resistance which allows them to kill themselves beforehand. It¡¯s also why you will never see a Kalar slave.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, but can¡¯t they just use that small resistance to try tokill their master?¡±

    ¡°They could, but only the master can release a slave from their collar or stop the pain. So if the last thing you do is kill your master you will live an eternity full of nothing but pain. Although I believe she could resist the effects even longer than you can, it would be stupid for her to kill Lord Simeon herself.¡±

    Mission Objective

    SaveElf.

    Chance of success

    19%

    Great.

    ¡°So how am I supposed to help her?¡± I questioned Conner.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know, I thought she told you.¡± He said irritated.

    ¡°Nope¡± I replied with a smile.

    ¡°Let¡¯s just get to Lord Simeon¡¯s tent for the interrogation she might tell one of us something.¡±

    When Conner released me from the chair, standing up was the best feeling I ever felt.

    Sorry, Renya. Freedom will always be the sweetest feeling.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± The captain said.

    On the way to Lord Douche¡¯s tent, Connor stopped to get me some pants. I didn¡¯t think it was a good idea to treat me differently from other prisoners, but to protest meant giving them up, so I chose my right to remain silent.

    When we finally entered the tent, lord douche was in his usual spot. With only the gorgeous dark haired women beside him.

    ¡°I see you somehow got some pants. Take a seat savage.¡± Douche said while pointing to the only other open chair.

    Connor pushes me to the seat and stood behind me.

    On the other side of the table sat the elf right below the douche¡¯s chair with her looking at me with those enticing violet eyes. The only difference was the two fully plated guards who both held swords to her throat, yet she just looked at me like those two wasn¡¯t even there.

    I didn¡¯t know what was going on, but I made sure to keep my features indifferent so that I gave nothing away. Especially when the elf started talking to me.

    ¡°Smart, they always do this when they are about to remove my collar, so the only problem I see is with you wearing pants. You know how much I liked your last outfit. It made it easier to try to give me the babies that I apparently asked for.¡± She smirked, but it held a dangerous glint to it that was increased by the guard hovering over her.

    My facial facade almost cracked right there, but I recovered quickly.

    I have difficulty reading body langue, and I never communicated this way. Sometimes things get lost in translation, you know how things are.

    ¡°Yes, I do. However, your desire is not lost on me. You¡¯re like every other human male, except perhaps you aren¡¯t scared to act on it.¡± She said with that same challenging smile.

    I knew she was dangerous, but her smile didn¡¯t scare me. In fact, it made me more attracted to her. What scared me is what would happen if everything worked out like I planned, and I saved Renya. If I were to do anything with her how would Renya respond, how would the elf respond?

    ¡°Yesterday you were willing to ¡®touch¡¯ me and my friend. So ''touching'' one more woman should not matter. I never met a Kalar that didn''t like powerful women.¡± She informed me with that same smile.

    Lord douche interrupted the mental banter. ¡°Savage. Captain Conner informs me that you are different than the others and that you may be willing to share some information with us. You may speak now, I would rather not use of my prized slave. I hatethe risk required to remove her collar.¡±

    ¡°So you had me tortured for eight hours straight just so you can snobbishly ask me to tell you what you want to know? You, my good fellow, can eat a dick.¡±

    That caused everyone in the room to stifle a laugh. Except for the elf, she openly voices hers for a second. Causing the young noble to glare at the back of herhead before he focused his anger on me.

    ¡°The guards tell me that you seem to know the other savages it would be ashamed if something happened to them. Perhaps it already did.¡± He derided.

    Panicked instantly gripped my soul, but it wasn¡¯t his threat that got to me it was her face. I for a brief second I saw shock then sadness when she returned her gaze to me.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± she said aloud, which only increased my panic.

    ¡°What happened?¡±

    ¡°I tell you what happened. The dark elf thought I didn¡¯t know about her ability to communicate mentally, even with the collar interfering, but I did. That¡¯s why I paid someone to teach me how to control my thoughts. She thought that she could escape me with some sneaky dark elf manoeuvring, and that¡¯s not all. Guards!¡±

    A few moments later two more guards revealed themselves. They drew their weapons to put a blade not just my neck, but surprisingly Conner¡¯s as well.

    Mission Objective

    SaveElf.

    Chance of success

    9%

    Mission Objective

    SaveRenya.

    Chance of success

    13%

    ¡°What is the meaning of this?¡± Conner demanded.

    ¡°You think I didn''t notice the way you would look at my prize elf when you thought I wasn¡¯t looking, or that every time father forces me to play the soldier, that you was always there? You always wanted what was mine, didn''t you? Well, today is the day of reckoning, but before you go, I want you to know that I had men waiting in your tent to kill your slave of a wife. I want you to die knowing that you sent her to her death.¡±

    I knew what was going to happen next, this was the time for action if we were going to do anything. I turned my head slightly to look at Conner to gauge his reaction just in time to see his throat get slit. Blood sprayed everywhere as he had a look of disbelief before he dropped to one knee clutching his neck.

    ¡°Now with that out of the way that brings me to you. I just don¡¯t understand what she could promise you. Did she promise you freedom? No that couldn¡¯t be it. Or wasn¡¯t it that whore that you fucked in the cage like an animal.¡± He sneered.

    Anger flared I was about to lunge across the table, but the guard gave me a subtle reminder that he had a blade to my throat. Which also made me looked down at the captain still bleeding on the floor.

    ¡°I thought that might be it. That¡¯s why a couple minutes after you left the cage I went there myself to tell your two savage friends that they were free to go.¡± He watched me for a reaction but continued when he didn¡¯t get one.

    ¡°Of course it was a lie, but you should have seen the look on their faces when I told them that you arrange for their release. They looked so surprised, but the girl eventually started looked downright proud of her Ammon Ra. That¡¯s why as soon as we made it to the forest I killed the man right there on the spot. They most of been close because she went berserk and managed to kill two of my men in chains before they restrained her.¡±

    Mission Objective

    SaveRenya.

    Chance of success

    5%

    I could even describe what I was feeling I knew where the conversation was going, and also knew what I would do next that would most likely end in my death, but I was going to do it anyway.

    ¡°Guards completely restrain him. I feel this next part might excite him.¡±

    Two guards on my side of the table lifted out of the chair and slammed my face into the table, each of the held one of my arms extended behind my back.

    ¡°Yes, now where was I. After I had her restrained I started to appreciate her savage body.¡± He said with a sick smile.

    ¡°If you touched her I fucking swear I¡¯ll kill you.¡± Tears started to run down my face.

    ¡°Me? No, I would never lower myself, but my men desperately wanted to, especially these two. So I let my men have fun with her as long as they agreed to kill her after eight hours. Now remind me how long did you endure torture for?¡±

    Mission Objective

    SaveRenya.

    Chance of success

    0%

    Mission Failed

    SaveRenya.

    I let out a primal roar tears now falling freely down my face. Hatred filled me for the man in front of me. I started to strain against the guards who held me.

    ¡°Yes that¡¯s it screams. I made bets on how loud I could get you to squeal. Everyone use to laugh at my combat prowess, but they ignored the cunning that could outsmart a dark elf and could even make a Kalar warrior cry. Yes scream louder!¡± he said with a twisted laugh.

    That¡¯s when the unexpected happened. Conner drew a dagger and started violently stabbing the guard on my right side. Everyone froze like they saw a zombie or a man with his throat slit seeking his own vengeance. With every stab, more blood flowed from his neck. With every stab, I was soaked in the blood of a man who knew exactly how I felt right now if not more. When he couldn''t exert himself any longer, he turned to me. When I eyes met I had perfectly understood what he wanted me to do. His eyes said the one word he couldn¡¯t say himself. Vengeance.

    Before the bodies even dropped I responded to his request that we both desired. With one of my arms free I acted by standing straight up sacrificing my shoulder in the process. I was rewarded with a popping sound before I elbow the remaining guard in his throat with my free arm. Then while freeing his sword from his scabbard I made a lunge for Simeon using the table in front of me as stepping stone. I was expecting to have to dodge both guards that held their blades to the elf, but the only one reacted.

    He moved his blade to swipe at my leg expecting me to dodge, giving him more time to regroup.

    Bad move.

    I jumped as high as I could lifting the other leg up higher, his blade found its target unobstructed,and I was rewarded with the familiar filling of a bladebeing embedded in my shin bone. He looked up at me in horror before I feed his visor my blade until it caught on something. I didn¡¯t know if it was his skull, spine or armour, but I released the sword regardless. I hit the ground with a rollcausing pain to flare in my leg, but the sword dislodged itself as then end of my roll put me right at the dais. My hand reached for his throat while he sat there in surprise and fear. Time seemed to slow down even further as the thought of killing him filled me with more adrenaline. I didn¡¯t know if I was going to try to rip out his throat, crush it, or choke him slowly.

    I was going to have my vengeance. My left arm hung useless, but my right hand was at his throat¡­

    Mission Objective

    SaveElf.

    Chance of success

    86%

    A thought Renya came to mind, and what she must have endured after watching her brother killed by this man. How they must have destroyed her honour, her spirit, and her pride as a warrior. I felt my hand tightening. I thought of how they slit Connors'' throat, and my hand tighten further. I might have heard something crack.

    Then I thought of Claire and my promise to her. It was probably the one promise I would be able to keep in this life. There was no way that I could escape here alive with my injuries, they would only run me down, but the dark elf had a chance, in fiction, they were always known for stealth.

    Simeon¡¯s eyes were bulging at this point, and his skin adopted a more bluish hue.

    ¡°You will listen to very carefully. You will do everything I say. If you don¡¯t you will die. I get a funny feeling you will die. You try to negotiate with me I will bite your fucking face off, then you die. You understand?¡±

    He tried his best to nod. I eased my grip on his throat so he could breathe, but the moment he stopped gasping, I partial restricted his airways again.

    ¡°Free the elf of her collar,¡± I demanded.

    ¡°I can¡¯t from this distance.¡± He gasped

    ¡°He can still verbally release all the slaves he owns, or transfer ownership to you from any distance.¡±

    ¡°Verbally release all the slaves you own.¡±

    His eyes widen. I could see his mind trying to think of the way to get out of this without losing all his slaves even in this situation.

    ¡°How about I just transfer them both to you instead I¡¯ve seen the way you look at them. I Simeon Ahmose transfer all of my slaves present to Ammon Ra.¡± he declared panicky.

    I suddenly felt something strange happening in the back of my mind, I could now feel the presence of their collars in my subconscious. Immediately after I tighten my grip on his throat I bit into his face. I could feel his cheek tearing as I pulled, and when it finally tore free I spit the flesh onto the floor.

    I warned him not to negotiate.

    The girl next to me stared in shock but ignored her. I looked into Simeon¡¯s eyes as he tried to scream, but no air could no longer get in or out of his throat. I watched calmly as the life in his eyes slowly disappeared.

    ¡°Ha ha ha ha¡± I started laughing once I realised something.

    ¡°Ha ha ha ha ha ha¡± I couldn¡¯t stop.

    What is so funny?¡± the young woman next to me asked.

    Oddly enough, until now, I used to think I wasn¡¯t human even as I watched myself bleed for eight hours, but know I realised after calmly ending a life that I¡¯m too fucked up to be anything other than human.¡±