"What peculiar specimens you are, mutts."

The masked mage paced in front of us, his expression hidden.

He reminded me of an adventurer popular among children, I believe Dream was his name. That made me hate him even more.

My sister chuckled, her forehead in the dirt we were sitting on.

Our hands and feet were tied, and our cores restrained, but that didn't stop her from cackling like the crazy bitch she was.

"What's so funny?" The masked mage asked.

"You look so stupid!" Her announcement was followed by a loud bout of laughter from her.

"Shut up, Khione!" I shouted jokingly, using her alias.

She sat up as the mage put his foot on her head, causing the mage to trip.

"He looks like a fucking Dream Stan!"

"Shut up!" The mage was fuming. "You will not insult the great mage Draneeve!"

I rolled my eyes. "Okay, your name's stupid."

"Shut up! I am on the lineup to become a Retainer, you foul mouthed Dicathian mutt!"

Khione let in a fake gasp. "Foul mouthed Dicathian mutt? How insulting, you slut faced milksop. How about you take off that fucking mask and show us your ugly mug, you ass kissing cockalorum!"

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The horned individual in the background, Retainer Uto as Dream Stan called him, let out a single laugh.

"They truly have a bark to them," he said. "I wonder how sharp their tongues will be when we break them?"

"Sharper than your dull ass horns, bitch," I quipped. "Your face looks worse than chewed toffee. When I'm done with it, it might actually look better!"

His grin grew larger. "That sort of talk just makes this more fun, healer. What can you do to someone of my caliber?"

A knife was lodged into my shoulder by one of their lackeys. I just smiled.

"So much," I said, letting out an intentional feminine moan at the next stab.

A slab of rock hit my face and broke my nose. I just continued to smile and moan.

Another lackey stabbed Khione. She just moaned out, "Harder, daddy," and gave the biggest shit eating grin possible.

A war hammer smashed on her head. My eyes widened ever so slightly as her eyes rolled up into her head and she fell down.

"Ugh, too hard, daddy," she moaned. I smiled.

Retainer Uto waved his hand. "Ching."

A short, thin man approached my sister and I.

"I hope you like pain," he said.

"It's my favorite kink," I shot back, giving him a wink.

I almost felt bad for him as he turned red and grimaced in disgust.

He placed his hand on my shoulder, and every pain receptor in my body, even the ones that should have been dead, fired.

I didn't have the energy to scream as he moved on to my sister, my vision turning dark.

"White cores. How weak," A deep voice said, coming from the man that had captured us.

"Shut the fuck up, Cadell," I said, blacking out.

I took a sip of the fine wine, my wife asleep in bed next to me. Today would be a rough day, I could feel it.

A servant came through the door, almost ripping it off the hinges with his speed.

"I apologize for the intrusion," he said meekly.

"What is it?" I growled out, my anger only increasing due to the buzz of the alcohol.

"My king, the slave boy has resurfaced."

"Which one?" I belched out, waking my dear Priscilla.

The servant cleared their throat. "The youngest HPA, Onyx."

My eyes widened. Onyx was the most potent HPA in history, from the records. I needed him back.

"Go, I will deal with it," I told the servant.

He bowed and left, closing the door behind himself.

"Dear, is it wise to pursue him?" My beloved stroked my arm as she voiced her concern.

I nodded proudly. "With him under our control, all of Dicathen is ours!"

I grabbed one of the Lance artifacts and imbued it with mana.

"Lance Thunderlord, I have a task for you."

"I am listening."

"Onyx Embers has resurfaced. Find him and capture him."

"Yes, my king."

I grinned. Embers was such a bitch, I was glad to put him back in his place.

Stupid slave, with his stupid dual affinities and built in mana core. He didn't deserve such power.

I immediately went to his last known location, the Helstea Auction House, and began to snoop around.

After a good hour of searching, I found a clue. It was blink and miss. There was a group of faint mana signatures that I first assumed were guards, but then realized something was similar about them.

"The disgraced Flamesworth? In Xyrus? And… the Krensch family weakling? With the slave? This is too good," I said, memorizing the mana signatures.

I began to fly back to Etisten, mentally preparing my report.