AN: Have to point out, there's a bit of a "scene" in this one, but not enough to be marked as "NSFW". No. That honour goes to the next chapter, which will be posted soon.
Edit: Going to mark this as NSFW, anyways, as there is another scene which denotes abuse to children.
As always, thank you for reading thus far. If you have any questions, comments, or concerns, please do not hesitate to voice them.
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A full turn of the day-star had passed since the time they had been rescued, and though most were still afraid of stepping out of place, a few had taken the steps towards being themselves. Nearly all were children, as they had been dragged away by the original group's offspring in order to play with one another. This led to many simply crying, as they had been kept as slaves during the entire recourse of their young lives.
During such times, they would normally be lifted into the air by one of the many adults running about, or by Suun. Of whom had become something of a guardian for these dragonfolk. Yes, the Suun of today is the same as that time, albeit not as strict. It is, quite entertaining watching it allow the small creatures the ability to crawl about its large body as it sunned itself atop a flat rock.
I, on the other hand, sat atop of one of the few great trees within the forest overlooking the village. This allowed my person to view the daily chores being completed, as Sia and Rojaahn sat themselves nearby whilst they spoke of what had occurred whilst I was away.
"The new Kin you sent through has been evaluated and given over to the Skeleton Crew, Master. It was not compatible with any of our tests, nor was its lower extremities useful for the Elixirs."
"I see," my voice was only a mutter, as I watched the whole of the village go about their daily routines, "Tell me, is this 'Skeleton Crew' of Brutus's design?"
"It is, Master. They are your human skeletal Undying who have been placed under the guidance of Lord Brutus, and help him conduct experiments upon the bodies of those given over."
"I see," I repeated once more, nodding softly as my gaze turned upon their now shivering bodies. No. They do not feel the elements, and shivered purely because of my star filled gaze. This was so, as my body had become my kobold self in order to placate the minds of my followers. "And what of the children pushed into the battle against beastfolk and Kin?"
This time, it was Sia who spoke up, "They are, for the most part, well and sane. They each believed it was a shared dream of some sort, and were confused by the actions of the adults. Of whom have been indoctrinated already."
"What of the conjurers and the small pack of Scarab wolves?"
"The conjurers have killed themselves," Rojaahn's voice was soft, as though expecting an outcry, but was surprised by my shrug. I did not care much for the enslaved conjurers, and would have thrown them to their deaths sooner or later. "Whereas the wolves have been seen fighting against a large bird which had been seen defending the three headed wolf many times."
"Hmm," my voice hummed softly, as I nodded at these words, "Very well." In so saying, I leapt from my position and onto the forest floor below. Whereupon a multitude of Draconian and Dragonock adolescents had gathered in order to bother my person with their questions.
"Is it true tha-?" Began one of the smaller females, only to be knocked down by a much larger Draconian male. The female had scales in the colour of vermillion, whereas the male was azure shading to a soft jade green.
The male's expression was foreboding, and had taken a deep breath to begin its long rambling speech, only to find my eyes glaring a baleful crimson into its own. Its own body slowly began to struggle, as I had gripped it by the neck, pulling it closer to my own eyes. "Apologise to the female," my voice was a soft growl, but seemed to thunder around our persons with enough force to shake the trees.
"Why should I?" It coughed out as my grip tightened around its throat, "She's nothing more than a breeding whore who would open her legs to anyone with a willing dick." If the being in my grasp could sneer, it would do so. Whereas the female, once hearing such words spoken, tried to make herself as small as possible.
"I have no need of those who will not follow orders." The entirety of my body cracked as it was slowly stretched. Within each of those cracks came a torrent of lights in the colours of crimson, emerald, and sapphire, as lightnings of the same colour arched out with rage. "This female is still very much a child," my voice was now a hollowed echo, as it reverberated throughout the forest behind my person. This summoned my closest Undying, of whom were of the human skeletons. Each holding up a torch with an emerald flame, as they surrounded the group whilst watching my person.
"Have you touched her?" I growled, lifting the male higher than my position. Even though it was being choked, there was still enough room for it to speak. Of which caused my person to continue to growl, "I will have the <
"Yes," came its gasping breath.
"Who else?" I had raised up my other clawed hand, which caused my Undying to snap to attention.
"Du'Vahn. Lo'kuu. A'na. Suus. Vistol,," its voice was a monotone, as it spoke the names of those it knew, "We've bred with many of the girls, and enjoyed each and every one of them." This time, the male sneered at my person, signifying the end of the spell. To which I howled with rage, as my body tore free of the flesh binding it.
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All around my person came the screams of children and adults, as my skeletal self grew larger in place of my kobold self. This frightened them further, as I gripped male with all four of my clawed hands, slowly tearing the body apart as it screamed for someone to save it. Whereas its blood flood and squirted across the ground, completely missing those below, as its organs fell freely upon the now stained grass and dirt. Upon making sure the body ceased to function, did I toss it to the sides in order to allow whatever scavengers desired such a feast.
"Find them," my voice boomed throughout the village, the forest, and the nearby plains, "Find the child abusers. Bring them to me!" Louder and louder, did my voice thunder throughout the world, of which caused all of my Undying to react. These words of mine; this anger; hatred; rage, found its way into the minds of each of them. It transformed their eyes from whatever colours they were, to a similar, baleful crimson, as they whooped and hollered in their searchings and captures of those who had incurred my great and terrible ire.
What is more, many of the dragonfolk were considered my servants, and had joined in on the short hunt. Of which caused those nearest and not of my servants to panic as their minds became mad with rage. Many were seen running towards the forest, only to flee back inside the homes constructed for them. For I had emerged in all my glory, and dragging behind my person were two of the main culprits, Lo'kuu and A'na. As they had accompanied the male in order to provide support for whatever its demands were.
Now? Now they were being dragged towards the centre of the village, and tied together against several logs of various sizes. Of course they struggled, but it was for naught, as I stood tall in front of their persons. "You have been accused of abuse towards children and adolescents. Know that this is a serious crime punishable by a tortuous death. The male before was lucky, as I would have had the pleasure of hearing his screams for much longer than now."
These words to those tied before my person squirmed, demanded release, and proclaimed their innocence. Whereas those around them, those who were my servants, had their minds returned to them. They were not at all amused by what they had seen and heard, as one of those tied was caught raping a Dragonock boy-child whilst keeping its mouth gagged during the proceedings. Another of their group had been dragged away, just as it was about to attack a lone, adolescent female who desired water from the nearby river.
"We, no. I do not tolerate such acts against those far too young to understand or even fight back against others during such a heinous crime. Therefore," my right, primary clawed hand stretched out towards my side, "Come to me, Brutus. Come, and show the world your craft as my Torturer."
A grand portal of darkness and violet energies erupted in front of my person, and the iron skeletal body of my Lich stepped forwards with a staff of bone he, himself had created for such an occasion. Upon his body, however, was a plain robe of alabaster silk. of which he claimed revealed how much blood he had removed from the victims as they laid screaming under his gentle touch.
"I have come as you directed, My Lord High God," his body bowed low as he gripped the staff tighter, "Shall I prepare the Feast?"
"Do so, Brutus, my Lich, and know that these five are child abusers in the strictest of senses."
"Oh?" His voice hummed jovially, as his unoccupied clawed hands tore into the air about his person to retrieve several bags full of his bloodied and caked instruments used to create the perfect sounds. "We have not had such guests since our time upon Lavara."
"Do not remind my person of such a place, Brutus. It is gone, and we do not need it brought up ever again."
"Of course, My Lord God. You have my apologies," he bowed low once more, before returning to glare down upon those tied up, "Please stay alive. My Lord God desires a grand feast, and I would hate to disappoint one such as He." The Lich then cackled madly, as five large and heavy tables appeared around his person. Whereas the skeletal human servants, each still carrying a torch with and emerald flame, slowly stalked forward to assist him in shackling each to the tables as they struggled greatly.
"Oh yes," his cackling was filled with madness at this time, "Struggle. Scream. Fight back. Oh, you're going to give such a wonderful chorus for My Lord God." Brutus's body danced gaily amongst the five, as he marked each with a number upon their foreheads. These numbers, by the by, were carved into their heads by way of a dull and rusted butter knife. "No knife is ever dull," he quipped, as four of the five screamed from the pain. The other, which had a number four upon its brow, was stared upon by him for a time. Afterwards, the knife came down and slashed through the number, of which awarded our ears with a grunt of pain.
"Oh? I'm going to enjoy breaking you," he reached down and gripped its muzzle whilst speaking these words, and was rewarded with a head shake to dislodge his grip. This was followed up by a glare which coupled as a challenge of "Do your worst". To which the Lich merely cackled greatly in response.
"Shall we begin?" He asked, cocking his head to the left, as his emerald coloured eyes flared with great anticipation.