Their snickering, snide laughter cut deep into Raivo Ageris, as he felt something liquid, warm and foul-smelling trickle down his bowed head.

"Perhaps the next time you thirst after your betters, Plague-Touched, the memory of this will quench your thirst."

He heard the sound of metal touching metal, as the owner of the voice rebuckled his belt, punctuated by more cruel laughter.

Raivo trembled, fear and rage warring with each other at the indignity they visited upon him. Yet underlying all of it was a powerful current of shame. Shame at his cowardice, his inability to fight back.

His eyes flashed as he raised his head and reached inwards towards his Well. He threw all of the will he'd gathered in it outwards and felt a brief moment of satisfaction as fire burned, and the young man standing over him let out a curse in pain patting at his now ablaze sleeve.

Raivo's satisfaction was short-lived though as an azure light glowed in the young man's eyes as he finally snuffed the flame.

"Looks like you haven't learned your lesson."

He roared, and his roar was accompanied by another more gutteral, primal sound. An ethereal lion emerged from no where, it's roar vibrating the air even as its steps shook the ground.

Raivo scrambled back on all fours as it pounced at him, but the beast was too fast. Swiping at him, Raivo felt a tearing sensation as it laid open his chest with its ghostly claws. He let out a yelp which died to a whimper as the lion lowered its head, growling as it stared in his eyes, giant paws and weight pinning him where he lay.

"Maybe a few weeks layed up in bed will teach you." The young man mused to himself, before approaching. As he came beside Raivo, he bent down and whispered in his ear.

"Let these scars serve as a reminder. You are nothing. You don't deserve to live. You only exist because I let you, and I can choose to end you at any time. So be a good boy and remember: no matter how hard it tries, a sheep will never be a lion."

There was another roar and then pain. Darkness took him.