A solitary hole, one hundred meters deep, was filled to the brim of a shadowy suffuse of liquid. A black miasma evaporated over the surface, while an occasional bubble found its way to the top.

At the very bottom of the well, a sharp claw pressed onto a piece of bone. Pressure was applied, and the claw pierced through the bone with a subtle snap.

I’m hungry.

The creature’s four limbs were like the unholy union of wolf and snake, hunched and elongated yet shimmering with scales. Rows of small spikes lined its body, tracing from the creature’s head and all the way to its jagged tail that rested behind. Attached to one of its hind legs was a mysterious shackle that constricted and loosened like a heartbeat.

A tongue snaked out of its mouth, flickering briefly before returning. Its eyes were closed, just as they’ve always been in all its conscious years. However, it did not need eyes to see. As if its soul were an omniscient scrying orb, the creature was able to perceive everything beyond the well that it called home.

Above the miasma, a vast and open cavern stretched in every direction. Streams of crimson liquid flowed in a river before traversing upward along the walls, while a dark red mist billowed across the floor like a grounded cloud. Stalactites reached down from the ceiling, dripping with a substance that evaporated midair, adding to the mist.

The creature’s mouth creased into a haunting smile as it sensed a withered man slash at another man, who was chained to an iron slab. An arm flew into the air before disappearing into a nearby river of red.

An arm is gone… that one’s time is up.

At any given moment, victims of all types were spread all throughout the cavern. Screams of terror filled the creatures thoughts, while rancorous laughter followed shortly after. All of this was normal, and if anything, it meant food was soon to come.

Their plaything died…

It cast its senses toward a group of men that kicked and jeered toward a broken body.

“Damnit Tonka! Now none of us get a turn!”

A burly man with a mustache crossed his arms over his chest with a pout. He gave the big man beside him a weak punch, who merely shrugged it off with a dark laugh.

“Ahh, my bad guys. My bad.”

Tonka stood up to his full height, towering over the dozen or so men around him. Each one of them swallowed their grievances and could only stamp their feet in frustration. Another man came forward and inspected the body.

“You snapped her neck clean backwards! You said you would be gentle!”

He wasn’t the only one to enter the dispute. Soon enough, a handful of the others joined in.

“Yea, this isn’t the first time-“

“If you weren’t connected with Lord Orbos-“

“I can’t believe this. She was so pretty too!”

Tonka glanced around at the men before bellowing out in fury.

“Now you all listen to me! I’m in charge here, and what happened has happened. So let’s move on!”

His growl seemed to silence the growing dissent among his subordinates, at least temporarily. Tonka revealed a sheepish smile seeing as they had given up in their protest.

“Look, it won’t happen again. Promises, promises. Now let’s dispose of this one before she stinks up the room.”

The men around Tonka each shook their head with a sigh.

“You said that last time…”

A small voice commented, but it was unclear to the group who said it. With a thick-skinned face, Tonka picked up the woman’s broken corpse. The moment his subordinates led the way out, he revealed a narcissistic smirk that betrayed his thoughts. Naturally, no one was around to see it, or at least no human.

It’s that look. A comfortably twisted mind that gives me food. Hurry human, I’m starving.

The creature’s tongue once more flickered in and out of its mouth. It patiently waited as the men roamed away from the other groups of people, making their way toward the creature’s desolate hole.

The humans above had unknowingly taught it everything it knew. Their speech and mannerisms were instilled into the creature’s mind from a very young age. Torture was a natural occurrence within the vast cavern, and the creature was rewarded for every death in the form of a tormented soul ripe for consumption.

But wait, what is this?

There were only two entrances into the cavern, one of which followed the crimson river outward. The other entrance was high up the cavern wall, a tunnel that was beyond the natural ledge. A slope ran down the side of the ledge, leading all the way to the main floor.

It was from the ledge entrance that the creature sensed a new presence, but it couldn’t form a clear picture due to the energy that polluted the red mist. Before it could focus too much, the group of men drew nearer.

“There it is, the Corpse Well. Why do we throw the dead in here and not in the river?”

One of the men remarked as he kicked a loose rock out of his path.

“You’re newer around here so you might not know, but anything that goes inside the Corpse Well is gone forever. It’s the perfect way to dispose of these bodies. Whereas the river leads to the outskirts. Can’t be having bodies shore up randomly.”

“Yea little man, what he said. Also, don’t stare into the black waters too much. Rumor is that if you do, you might accidentally lose your soul and fall inside. If you fall inside…”

The man who initially spawned the conversation gulped nervously.

“W-What’s in the well?”

His voice was shaky, which only spawned a wave of laughter.

“Nothing could possibly survive inside that well. Even just touching the water is enough to kill someone. Our theory is that these bodies dissolve and add to the well’s potent energies, making it even more toxic. Otherwise it would be overflowing with how many bodies we’ve thrown in there.”

Some of the more braver men gathered around the well’s edge, while the others stood a fair distance back. Tonka held the dead woman in his hands, giving her one last look of regret.

“Our fun ended too soon lass.”

Her clothes were torn to shreds while her skin was a tapestry of bloody gashes. Broken arms, dislocated shoulders, and missing fingers; all these things culminated into her final moment of eternal rest. Her ragged and blond hair was in disarray across her face, hiding eyes still full of watery tears that had yet to dry.

Give it to me! Food! Toss it in… hmm?

The creature, focused on its next meal, had forgotten about the presence high up on the ledge. It’s small heart pounded as it sensed the new entity focus an uncanny gaze upon it.

It sees me?

Distracted and confused, the creature paused in place, concentrating on the entity’s movement.

It… it fell!

The entity dropped from the ledge with serene tranquility. The moment it passed into the misty cloud, the creature was finally able to sense the new presence in its entirety.

Like a specter of death, dark energies roiled and swirled around the figure as it plummeted to the ground floor. The creature hardened its thoughts and tried to push away the encroaching fear as it sensed the figure’s unrelenting gaze, which refused to go away even as it fell.

S-Stop watching me…!

The creature recoiled reflexively as it watched the figure crash to the floor. However, instead of an explosive landing, the being landed like a loose feather touching the surface of a lake. It was as if the figure had taken a graceful step off the ledge, only to magically appear on the ground.

With its mind racing a million miles a second, the creature had long forgotten about its soon to be meal up above.

“Well, this is goodbye. As much as it breaks my heart, you will be forgotten by us, who are the last to remember your pretty face. I’m sure your family, whoever they are, have already moved on. Such is life. And now we move forward with-“

“Tonka! Just throw the damn body in already!”

A series of grumbles rang out as the men became fed up with Tonka’s fake sincerity.

“Alright, alright! Stand back people. You wouldn’t want this unholy water to touch ya’.”

Tonka placed the corpse on the ground before delivering a forceful kick, sending it rolling into the well.

You guys! Run! It’s coming!

The creature cried out in its mind as it detected the unfathomable presence dart toward their position. It’s speed was impossibly quick, almost as if it were disappearing in and out of existence. Before the dead woman’s body even rolled off the edge, the newcomer had already arrived, standing on the opposite side of the well from Tonka.

They’re doomed. They’re going to die. If they die, how will I get my food?

Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

Despite the creature’s roaming thoughts and worries, the woman’s corpse fell into the well without suspense. A roar of laughter rang out as Tonka walked away with a triumphant expression, rejoining his group of subservient men.

“Alright lads let’s get out of here. Not even the ‘ole Olgren gives me as much shivers as the Corpse Well.”

The group all nodded in agreement and began the return journey to their outpost. Meanwhile, the woman’s twisted body slowly floated down, disappearing into the murky depths. However, the creature wasn’t the slightest bit happy for the approaching meal.

Both blinding and black was the being’s aura, like a tempest of wind at midnight that seemed to have captured the silvery moonlight. Armageddon, in the form of a celestial seraph born of heaven and hell, had come for the small creature in its desolate hole. In the face of such a foe, its only wish was for a swift and clean death.

----

Elsie crouched onto her tiptoes and wrapped her arms around her knees. Before her, was an inky vat of liquid that no normal person would be able to see through.

What have we here?

Her eyes sparkled mysteriously as she cast her gaze to the very bottom of the well. Beyond the sinking body, and through the floating collection of bones and debris, Elsie remained transfixed on the still creature that rested on the floor.

An adolescent dreadkin? These things can eat literally anything.

Elsie procured a stick out of nowhere and aimlessly prodded the surface of the liquid. The wooden tip disintegrated the moment it contacted the curling wisps of miasma.

Dreadkin, a complicated species to say the least. Their traits lend themselves to be the perfect assassins, but their personalities stray away from that, preferring to be nomadic scavengers. Depending on the dreadkin’s diet, they can either become a terrifying demon, or a peace-loving hermit.

She frowned upon seeing the shackle bound to the beast’s hindleg.

Additionally, one should never take a baby dreadkin away from its family, unless they want to be marked for death by the child. Using a unique soul signature, a dreadkin will never forget its kidnapper.

Typically, a newborn dreadkin would be taken care of by its parents until adulthood due to their propensity to eat anything in sight. The creature’s core values and understanding of world around it would be shaped during that time. Only once the dreadkin reached proper adulthood would it venture off alone.

This one seems to be only a few decades old. Considering that adulthood begins at 100 years for these creatures, this dreadkin is still quite young and yet is already corrupted to such an extent. Hmm… should I kill it?

Elsie dropped whatever remained of the decaying stick and stood up. At the same time, she flicked her finger downward, causing a ray of violet lightning to pierce through the black liquid. The raw energy crackled and zig-zagged its way downward faster than one could blink an eye.

The dreadkin, frozen in fear, could only watch as the ferocious lightning splintered down from above, colliding against one of the two horns that protruded from its head. Like shattering glass, the creature’s horn was blown apart without question. However, the bolt of energy wasn’t done yet as it coiled around the dreadkin’s body before fracturing the shackle that bound it.

If I remember correctly, dreadkin children that act out are punished by their parents with a broken horn. Or was it a broken claw? I guess it doesn’t matter.

Elsie cast the creature one last gaze of pity before leaving its humble abode.

Eventually he will figure out that his shackle is broken. Once that happens, he’ll follow his instincts and hunt his kidnapper until either one of them dies. If he manages to consume his kidnapper, then he’ll experience a second awakening and look for a new family. Regardless, it’s no longer my problem.

She eyed a certain outpost in the distance, one full of guardsmen.

More importantly, this Tonka fellow…

A cool stream of air escaped Elsie’s lips as she quelled her brewing fury. She recalled the woman’s corpse as it floated down the well, along with its unnaturally twisted head that faced backward with wide and terrified eyes.

What horrors had she not seen? Her memories were full of unspeakable atrocities, some of them even committed by her. She wasn’t a beacon of purity, but neither was she a puddle of evil.

“Man, Tonka. You should be more considerate of your friends.”

“I said I was sorry, besides, there’s fresh women in the new batch of prisoners.”

“Ugh. We can’t just steal prisoners whenever we want. Advisor Karbone has already reprimanded us…”

A distant conversation escaped through the outpost’s open door. Elsie hummed lightly to herself and carelessly walked forward.

The fox girl could detect me because she is strong. The dreadkin could sense me because it is a species that naturally specializes in soul arts. However, normal people… impossible.

She tilted her head as if to listen more intently.

“Who cares about that fossil? He’s already got a foot in the grave, and when he finally dies Lord Orbos will probably take his place.”

“Shut up you fool!”

“Don’t you dare tell me what to do!”

A smack echoed out, followed by the thud of a body crumpling to the floor. At the same time, Elsie stood at the doorway and watched as a dozen guards collected around their fallen comrade. She folded her arms across her chest with a frosty expression.

Sans still needs time to concoct a cure, so I can’t draw too much attention by killing everyone. But…

She subtlety waved her hand, causing a handful of ethereal butterflies to shimmer into the air. Her lips curled into a sardonic smile as she walked away, quietly closing the door behind her.

“Hey, who closed the door?”

Tonka called out with a haughty tone.

“Huh? Whoa… hey there.”

One of the guards responded, but not in the way that one would have expected.

“I said, who closed-“

“Shh, are you lost pretty girl?”

“Wow, she’s a fine one.”

Tonka stared at his subordinates with venom in his eyes.

“What are you guys doing? Back the fuck up. What is wrong with you people?”

“Hey, no need to speak so loudly. You’ve got us to keep you safe.”

“-And company, we’ll keep you company all day and night.”

A chorus of laughter rang out amongst the guards.

“Wake the fuck up you idiots. It’s me, Tonka!”

Another punch rang out and a second body hit the floor. However, the guards showed no fear as they circled Tonka with wild grins.

“Easy, easy! How could you be Tonka?”

“Yea, if that brute was here then you’d really be done for. You should be thankful, really.”

“Shh, don’t worry. We’ll be gentle.”

“Don’t you dare grab me-!“

A Tonka styled yelp rang out followed by more demented laughter. Meanwhile, the cause of the commotion steadily distanced herself away from the outpost.

Elsie gave a condescending snort of disgust.

Do unto others… or something like that. Those guards have all experienced a bout of short-term memory loss, and now they see that Tonka fellow as some young beautiful woman. The illusion will wear off after a couple days. Until then, the big man can live out all the fantasies he wants.

Elsie passed by many other buildings, but it seemed like the majority of them were lodging for the guards. Before long, she came upon a series of metal pathways that passed over a crimson river. These pathways all led to a massive circular platform in the center. Tiny holes perforated the platform, allowing one to see the river below in all its glory.

This is a mess…

Scattered everywhere across the platform, men and women of all ages were bound to metal slabs, struggling and writhing agony. Blackened rods skewered their bodies, causing an unending stream of blood to spill out and conjoin with the crimson river that rushed below the platform. Those that had energy tried to scream through the cloth that failed to muffle their voice. Others were maskless and limp, apparently numb to the pain.

Hints of red in their lower eyes. Green stains their lips. Protruding and discolored veins.

Elsie emotionlessly walked along the pathway to the center circle.

Every prisoner here is severely addicted to Twilight Fel. Well, all of them except that guy.

She glanced over at a struggling man securely bound to one of the iron slabs by the edge of the platform.

“Release me right this instant! Don’t you know who I am?!”

The man shouted at the guard before him, who was busy double checking the prisoner’s bindings.

“No, no. It don’t matter anymore. Here, wear this and shut up.”

The guard procured a dirty rag and approached the man’s head.

“Get that filth away from me! I am Jensen, son of Count Altores! Release me and tell me where… where is my brother?!”

The guard paused upon hearing the Jensen’s background. Scratching his head, he looked over his shoulder to a different slab and prisoner combo. A deformed looking man plunged a blackened skewer into the prisoner’s shoulder, causing a revolting crunch and a fresh stream of blood to cascade into the river below. An ugly laugh followed immediately after.

“Um… Master Olgren?”

The guard shouted out to the peculiar man above the prisoner’s tormented cries.

“H-Hey! That’s my brother! Stop hurting him you dimwitted oaf!”

Jensen struggled more furiously before against his bindings as he watched another skewer enter his brother’s body. His eyes flared with intense hatred.

“The king will hear about this! Once I am free of this place this entire operation will be torn down! That, I can promise! You ugly rat! Face me if you have the guts!”

He continued to shout at the top of his lungs when Olgren suddenly craned his head toward the man.

“Should have just worn the mask and kept quiet…”

The guard remarked as he took a step away from Jensen. In the distance, Olgren began making his way toward the captured noble.

On his back, Olgren carried a wooden basket stained with blood. Metal skewers haphazardly jostled about within the basket. Dark blotches and rust decorated the thin spears, making it obvious that they were often reused. Strapped around the man’s waist was a belt full of serrated hooks, and dangling from each hook was a disfigured and bloodied hand—almost as if they were trophies of sorts.

The hideous man’s heavy limp caused half of his body to be dragged forward with every step. His back was obtusely hunched, giving him the appearance of being constantly off balance, yet somehow managing to always keep himself upright. In addition to his hunch, one of his arms was more massive and longer than the other, causing his meaty knuckles to drag on the floor.

Elsie grimaced upon seeing the abomination’s chaotic looking eyes. One eye seemed more dominant as if it were a glaring orb of truth and skepticism, while the other eye aimlessly stared in any other random direction as a result of a severe case of strabismus. Arriving before the young man that called out to him, the taskmaster curved a wicked smile.

Olgren’s massive hand easily wrapped around Jensen’s arm.

“Unhand me you beast! I said let-… No wait! Gahhh!! “

Jensen watched in horror as his arm was slowly ripped away from his body. Muted in shock, he couldn’t take his eyes away from the tangled array of loose ligaments and tendons that trailed outward.

“An arm from you… an arm for mee!”

Blood gushed from the wound, yet Olgren only laughed chaotically as he waved the loose arm around through the air.

“G-Gaahhh!!! M-My arm!”

Jensen finally came to reality and released a series of terrifying screams. Just then, Olgren fixated his gaze on Jensen’s other arm.

“Wait, Master Olgren!”

The guard stepped forward in a hurry, already predicting the bizarre man’s intent.

“Advisor Karbone has instructed that each prisoner must last the month! The next boat won’t come for at least some weeks!”

With a snarl, Olgren stepped back and eyed the guard viciously with his massive orb. Fresh blood from Jensen’s wound had painted Olgren’s face red, and combined with his bent brows and savage teeth, it would have taken anyone great willpower to stand up to him.

While they are busy with that, I’ll just…

Elsie swaggered over to the iron slab that held Jensen, and with a precise swipe she snapped each of the bindings away.

This idiot is so shocked about his missing arm that he doesn’t realize he’s free. Well, I hope he can swim.

With a powerful tug, Elsie flung the bewildered man off the edge of the platform.

“Each prisoner is vital. We need much more blood essence for the ritual! Keep it together, Master Olgren!”

While the guard and Olgren were focused on each other, a distant splash entered their ears.

“Wait, where’s the prisoner?”

The pair of men rushed to the ledge and looked below, finding a one-armed man struggling against the current.

“Capture! My prize gets away!”

Olgren frothed and foamed at the mouth as he stamped his feet and pointed at Jensen.

“Master Olgren… I can’t swim.”

“Nooo-rraglbargah!!”

“Calm down Master Olgren! This wouldn’t have happened if you didn’t rip his arm off. His bindings must have come loose from the force…”

Elsie watched the nonsensical antics of the odd man, but instead of bemusement, she wore a pensive expression.

Deformed in body, mind, and soul; this Olgren person is clearly a victim of blood magic. I imagine he was once a normal person. Sad, really, but there’s a reason why blood magic has been banned by Millennium Dragon. It’s not that blood magic itself is malicious, but it often gets used in ways such as this…

At this point, she decided she had seen enough to make a sound judgement.

Victims are taken in from the outskirts through the river entrance by boat. Once here, they are harvested for their blood essence. After the body is too weak, they are discarded and consumed by the dreadkin—hence avoiding detection from the public. A crafty way to avoid retribution from Millenium Dragon.

Her eyes followed the flow of the river, which at some point diverged into two streams. One was crystal clear and free of all impurities. This calm stream of water continued outside the cavern. The other stream was blood red, and it surged against the walls with a vengeance, turning into an erratic flow of energy that traveled upward in an odd pattern.

I best get back to Sans before he blows himself up with some weird concoction. It wouldn’t be the first time something has exploded in his face.

With none the wiser, Elsie took a step forward and disappeared like a ghost in the wind.