Zagreus got off the elevator on his level. A hand gripped his throat from nowhere. His body screamed like a million needles were stabbing it. There air around him sizzled.

“What happened? I thought you were going to strangle me to death.” Lilithana said, cold and indifferent. She had hidden just out of sight and her dead mode hid her from his other senses. Jagged black energy danced on her skin. She pulled him nose to nose with her.

He tugged at her arm while he choked at making words.

“Oh. Did you think Karimere was behind today’s little display?” She shook her head slowly. “I am Lilithana Gurista, Goddess of Death. Some call me the Black Bloom of the Oblivion. I, am dealing with this traitor. Do you know how my power works?”

Rezu’s word’s echoed in his head. ‘Immediate execution is the only way to deal with rogue Mecromancers.’ He shook his head as best he could manage.

“I used to be able to create beautiful music at will. Now, I only destroy.”

Air was getting sparse. His strength was fading. His mecromail’s systems were not helping either. Clearly disabled.

“My teleporter is defective. It killed me the first time I used it. It nearly destroyed me. I still carry the scars.”

He was seeing spots.

“If I teleport a mortal, they die horribly. If I were to teleport with you, all of your arcane would become instantly unstable and release. You, would become a resonance cascade. My black energy would combine with yours. Our arcane will tower into the sky and bloom into oblivion. That is the only beauty I can create now.”

His situation was dire. Karimere attacked emotionally, Cinder attacked physically, Lilithana did not attack. Lilithana delivered death, like a drone handing out a meal. She altered reality to erase your annoying presence from it. Appeasing her was the only way to salvation.

He stopped resisting and went limp.

“The severe pain you are feeling is the distortion from your normal arcane being in contact with my tainted arcane.” She released her energy and loosened her grip, a bit.

A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

The pain and sizzling vanished. He strained to suck in air to refill his supply.

“I died for this mission. I have nothing but this mission. I will not let you or Cinder stop that. Have no illusions Eleventh. I will kill you, harvest your mecromail and implant it in one of your offspring, or their offspring. We have options now. Do you understand?”

He nodded.

“I take threats seriously. You will get lenience, once. If you utter another such comment, I will punish you properly. Do you understand?”

He nodded.

She dropped him on the floor. “Since you took it upon yourself to interfere with Cinders punishment, you have volunteered to become part of it. I will allow her to wear the one outfit you gave her, but not in your room. In exchange for that favor, she will stay in your room when not working. You will share your bed. You will feed her. You will dress her. You will bathe her, completely, thoroughly, every morning and night. I will be watching.”

He glared up at Lilithana. “Seriously?”

“You attempted to adjust the terms of her deal and did not negotiate the price. That was your foolish mistake. Do you think you helped her now?”

Rezu had been right. This was completely different than any of their other games. Before, there was a goal and incidental suffering was ignored as an acceptable side effect. Now, suffering was the goal. Any resistance would increase the punishment.

“Remember my words five-zero-zero-three-two. This is going to get much worse for her before it is over.”

He wasn’t a name. He wasn’t even the impersonal ‘Eleventh’. He was a serial number.

“Can I ask you a question?”

“Ask whatever you like. I will answer what I can.”

“What is going on?”

“Cinder is being punished for violating the First Rule. She must suffer for her actions. She must also face her shortcomings so this will never be repeated. Your relationship is no longer a priority.”

“That’s it? You can’t tell me anything else?”

Lilithana put her finger on her chin then shook her head. “I can’t give you more details. That could taint the outcome.”

Zagreus staggered to his feet. His limbs were like jelly.

“You are free to use Cinder’s body during this process. In fact, I encourage it. Though I know you stubbornly won’t. You wear your stolen name well Mecromancer.”

He growled to himself. The last thing he needed to think about right now was Sarya.

Lilithana’s hand fell on his shoulder. He felt her guilt. Her alive voice was soft. “I wish you were not involved in this. You have only been kind to me, and this is going to get nasty.”

“It’s for the mission, for the damned Cradle.” He grumbled. There wasn’t anger about the Cradle anymore, just an annoying, ever-present fact, like dull pain from an old wound that hadn’t healed properly.

She sighed deeply. “I can tell you one thing. Cinder knows everything about your power. We told her yesterday.”

“Well she didn’t try to kill me today, so I guess that is fine.”

“Most of this will be over soon. There are deadlines. I have said too much.” Lilithana hugged him then got on the elevator. “Cinder is waiting in your room. She is hasn’t eaten since morning. And she has to tell you the last part of your joint punishment.” The elevator doors closed.

Walking talking bi-polar machine. He shook his head as he went to his room.