Maurice woke Cass up at dawn the next day, bringing with her breakfast. However, she would not let Cass eat at first, much to Cass’s despair. Before she could, Maurice took her to a washroom and helped Cass bathe and get dressed.

While Cass knew that wealthier folk would take baths, she herself had never had one. Clean water was too precious to waste in summer, and getting wet in the winter was a death sentence often enough. Cass thought that being stuck in the rain without shelter was enough, but Maurice disagreed. The filth that came off of Cass darkened the water, but by the time Cass came out, she had been scrubbed clean for the first time in her life.

After that, Cass put on the clothes she was given. Maurice had taken them from old, unused servant uniforms, but to Cass they were an unbelievable luxury. A simple linen dress, thin socks, and a pair of old, worn shoes would seem worthless except to make rags out of. But for someone who had lived their life in scraps of rags, it was a treasure.

After that, Maurice, and the guards that had followed them to the washroom, took Cass back to her room and she was able to eat. Maurice chatted away during this whole time, and although Cass did not understand the who’s and the what’s that Maurice was talking about, she felt oddly warm inside just from the company.

Clean, fed, clothed, and in good company… She had never thought she would experience these things, Cass felt like she was dreaming.

This feeling didn’t last too long, as the mage, Saurice Hall, came to the door not long after.

“Hmph,” Hall’s eyes radiated his contempt. “Well at least you are nearly presentable, it will have to do.”

With that he dismissed Maurice and bade Cass to follow him, and of course, the guards came as well. The older mage, Evans, was in the room Cass was brought to, busying himself with a series of crystals on the other side of the room. The other mage that had been present during her tattoo was not there however.

“Master,” Hall’s voice was respectful when talking to the older mage. “I have brought the subject.”

“Good, good.” Evans was somewhat absent minded, and Cass watched in silent fascination as he held his hand above a crystal and green light flowed back and forth between them. “I have finished the adjustments to the Measuring Crystal.”

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“With all do respect Teacher,” Hall was almost timid, Cass noted this and decided to be doubly careful around the old mage. Even in noble society and magic, it seemed there was always a Boss to be wary of.

“Is it really necessary to modify the crystal so much? The Measuring Crystal you had the steward purchase could even record the power of the Archmage…”

“We are in unknown territory Hall.” Evans held the crystal up to inspect it. “The effort may be costly, and likely unnecessary, but it is far preferable to be more prepared than less.”

Apparently satisfied, he told Cass to come towards him. Again, Cass felt his words almost as much as heard them, and where she might have normally been nervous to approach and hesitate, Cass immediately went to him. It was a command she would have followed regardless, but even with that it felt like her body was only partially her own. If she resisted, it might not even be her’s anymore… The collar was a terrifying thing it seemed.

“Now raise your arm and keep it at chest level until I say otherwise.” Again, Cass did as commanded, but flinched as she saw the old mage proffer a silver knife. He brought it towards her arm and Cass realized she could not move her arm or flinch away. No matter how hard she tried she could not make it move, and a new sensation began to arise, like small knives were being pushed into her body all over, but the mage hadn’t touched her yet!

Evan’s paused, noting her grimace. The emptiness in his eyes flickered with humor for a moment.

“I would advise you not to resist, though it is understandable why you would.” His tone had gone back to the emptiness of before. “The more and longer you resist, the worse the pain will get. Incidentally, no matter how hard you try you will not be able to break that. Most slave collars are just hunks of crude metal, but the one on your neck is meant to hold mages captured in battle. It will feed on the power inside of you, so the more you struggle, the stronger it is.”

“F-forgive me, My Lord.” Cass tried to relax, letting her own emptiness surface to suck away her desire to resist and care for what happened next.

The old mage didn’t seem to care, or even notice her response. Instead, he made two small cuts on her arm, not bother waiting for her to calm herself down and then placed the crystal between the cuts.

Still unable to move, Cass watched as her blood flowed towards the crystal from one cut, seemingly passing through it, than in to the other cut. As the blood flowed, the crystal began to shine.

It was… Beautiful… Colors danced along the walls as it continued to brighten and it sparkled radiantly.

The crystal started to grow hot on her arm, and the light continued to brighten until Cass could not look at it. It was so hot and bright that it hurt, and Cass bit her lip to stop herself from crying out.

But she was unable to stop herself from yelling out when the crystal exploded.