For someone like her, Irnadel Holvensein was very keen on what was constant in her life.

When she would wake, she would be greeted with the sight of her bedroom ceiling, and her body would be covered in a blanket she had woven all by herself.

She would satisfy her hunger with a lustrous meal, and spend a good chunk of her day surrounded by athels. Occasionally she would be greeted with wayward souls who somehow got lost, and be urged by the rest to guide them out less they be killed, though she still has yet to see that one yet despite her efforts.

Trees of colossal size would always surround and bath her in everlasting light that always remained unchanged. She typically avoided any animal that may have been there, and if any met her they would die.

It was a simple thing, something she found important to keep track of. Despite what she is, it still doesn’t stop her paying attention and respect to nature, it’s not like they would let her stop anyways.

So why did she wake up here, no trees in sight, the green grass being replaced by flowers that were emitting white, it was like someone had cast a spell on the forest. Was this what it would look like in the future, or is this the past, either way it’s far too bright. Burn the flowers, shatter the sky, maybe take it out of history if it looked like this.

Seriously, this was a serious problem that needs to be looked at, maybe the athels could deal with it, or Aske. Who allowed it to get like this at all. Whoever did was probably a fool for thinking any of this was alright. Maybe she should find them and kill them, that way all would be right.

Though then again, who’s to say any of this world is natural at all. It is heavily possible this was the result of a witch or maybe some otherworldly entity, in which case they have no actual taste and should die.

Ah who was she kidding, chances of her killing something like that were in the single digits, and those required everything going perfectly right. Last she checked, the world was completely against her existence.

“Human.”

Ah, that was right, there was an otherworldly entity right in front of her, at least she assumed so. While she hasn’t seen any, small 4 armed entities might actually exist, though she wasn’t aware of any like the one in front of her. Those pitch black eyes were genuinely unsettling, maybe it should get them replaced.

“It is rude to have thoughts like that whilst you’re in someone else’s domain, especially when uninvited.”

So, a mind reader is it, very well, then she has had several vile thoughts saved up just for situations like this. It was a great test subject anyways, the reaction of an entity who did not belong to this world reaction to the image of her-

“We cannot read minds, you are simply not subtle about your thoughts.”

Preposterous, her face is always as blank as her voice. Why, this little monster wishes it could have a voice as monotone as hers, and get her face as still as she could. If need be she could even stick a knife in its throat, should help with that a lot.

“You also mutter.”

No one asked brat.

“Nevertheless you should excuse us. It has been quite sometime we have been able to witness a trial, much less be the judge of one. Now, tell us interloper, do you know why you are here?”

Us, we? What kind of hive minded monster was she being faced with. Unless there’s something else here that she hasn’t seen yet.

Tilting her head to the side, she was greeted with the sight of nothing but more of this over decorated land. Not even a change in scenery, no hills, lack of flowers, anything.

How disappointing, she’s captured and no one’s even bothered to put her in anyplace luxurious.

It was so disappointing she did nothing to stop the sigh that escaped her lips, even going as far as to let it push her head back.

Was there always a gelatinous blob behind her?

“To sigh instead of giving us any sort of answer, you truly are rude.”

Well at least she had an answer to why it spoke about there being more than one creature here.

“Do you not actually know what it is you’ve done?”

She didn't because she couldn’t remember anything that occurred today.

That wasn’t why she refused to answer.

This was a matter of pride, she knows a situation where she does no matter what she says or does, and the thought of giving them any sort of satisfaction was absolutely abhorrent.

So, when one is demanded to talk, the options are to either stay quiet or never shut up. Depending on the circumstances, it's quite easy to identify what should be done. Should the captors be silent, ramble randomly, and should the captors talk a lot, speak nothing at all.

The creature in front of her spoke periodically, so one would think that what must be done is to simply speak about random subjects. However, that would be the wrong response, for this captor of hers also speaks about random tidbits of hers and never makes any demands to focus, as such, one should simply stay quiet.

At least that’s what she assumed.

It was hard to tell, this thing's face was completely inexpressive, actually did it even have a face. The only feature she could see were its eyes, but eyes can be put anywhere.

There was also the fact that when it spoke, it was quick and to the point, and its voice was soft yet monotone, almost as monotone as hers.

Throwing a pin a spinning wheel with a blindfold on, determining the correct course of action here, where was she supposed to find the difference.

Maybe she could think of a better answer if it would move its head away from her. Having her vision covered in nothing but black and white that contrasted that greatly wasn’t good either. Either brighten the black or dim the white.

“Where did your voice go, was it even yours?”

Of course that voice was hers, who else would be speaking with it-

Oh, everything hurts.

No, to be more exact, her chest hurt.

There was something in her right lung. Maybe a sword?

No, it looks nothing like a sword. A more accurate description would be a bunch of flat crystals glued together and put on a stick.

Yes, that was a better explanation for this sickening abomination that pierced her lung.

“Ah, there it is. Please use it the next time we request it from you.”

Breathing was hard.

She would wheeze, of course she would wheeze.

If this thing knew what hitting her lungs would do, it would know that it isn’t her voice it’s hearing, but the whistling sound of air trying to get through her clogged airway.

Take the sword out, fix her up, then it can hear her silent voice.

“Now, you shall answer us.”

Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.

Either it’s a hive mind or just liked referring to itself as that, because this blob hasn’t spoken a word or moved one bit the entire time she was here. Or did it communicate telepathically?

“Do you remember the crime you committed?”

Crime? She committed a crime?

How disappointing, she committed a crime against something that would call such a horrendous place home and she couldn’t even remember it.

Taking out the insult to weaponry would probably help.

Ah, it’s staring at her blankly again. Here it is just stealing the things she prided herself on once again. 

Such a horrible way to die.

“You are in pain, why do you still not speak?”

Because basic biology prevents anything from speaking when their lungs are obstructed like this.

“Is it because of the sword?”

No, she simply has a small allergy to these painstakingly hideous mutants she dared to call flowers.

“Pity, we would have liked to see you stay with this sword in there.”

Just as suddenly as it came, it left, ripping itself, and her impaled lung, right out with it.

16 years of keeping them perfectly healthy, far more so than any human could say, gone just like that.

She would be far more angry if it weren’t for the pain and how little air she could intake now.

Pain that was replaced by a soothing liquid-like feeling growing in her chest, and the air her body had clawed for relenting and giving itself up to her.

The blob had finally begun to move, its glowing white body flowing straight into her chest seamlessly. 

Giving her a replacement lung for the one stolen, it owed her a lot more than that.

“Do not give us such a nasty look. After all, we’re the one who’s justified here, you’re the one who is to be punished.”

To boldly claim that in that same monotone voice, it was sure that what it said was a fact. While she didn’t doubt she did something bad, what exactly did she even-

Ah, she remembers now. Who would have thought, taking the sword out did help her remember.

She had first woken up by being greeted with nothing but her ceiling. She was starving, and she already knew what she was going to eat at the time.

Panatomeila, fished straight from nezemu.

She had stalked the seller relentlessly for it, and the sacrifices she had to give to avoid being seen by that brat was heartbreaking.

But it was worth it in the end.

To dine on this for breakfast, lunch and dinner, such an act would be paradise.

Yet she was denied that by the interruption of that athel.

Under the threat of being turned into a shulb, she was forced to comply with her every whim.

The whim in question was for her to tame a galrorth and get it to respond to a specific act so it could answer her all.

Turns out, they can easily get addicted to leaves when young.

Especially this one.

On the cusp of adulthood, it was supposedly guaranteed to become addicted to whatever leaves she gave it. His hormones were in a frenzy and if given anything that it liked the smell of or was used to, it would come to desire it more.

Of course this was all assuming she wanted one at all.

She had no intention of taking care of this thing, and if left in the wild it would die. It was practically useless for her to have one.

But the athel had insisted she do it, and went as far as to threaten to turn her fish into a shulb. That was another threat to her being.

So reluctantly she had followed her instructions, putting a leaf to the galrorths nose and using a special whistle made of wood she had to register a sound to it.

In the process of it, she had grabbed something she shouldn’t have, and the galrorth had run off. Whilst doing so, a vine that was tied to him to prevent him from running off had gotten snagged on the athel and she was dragged away.

She would have left her and returned home, but she was given the threat of saving her or having her house turned into a shulb. That would be the third threat she received. 

Despite everything telling her not to, she followed after them.

She genuinely did search, solely to avoid losing her house. Sleeping outside wasn’t something for her.

As expected, she could not find them.

She’s not a fast runner like that, what she expected out of her, she will never know.

Yet in the process of looking for them, she found a strange looking creature. It was canine like the galrorth, except it was an ethereal blue.

She would rather not think about what her intentions were, but she had chased after it. Doing so had led her to the land she was currently trapped in.

How none of the athels recognized something was wrong she’ll never know. It was quite easy to tell this place wasn’t natural. What kind of place has consistent lighting without any source of light?

Alright that was ironic considering where she lived but still.

It was then that she saw it, the creature that stood in front of her now.

It was majestic watching it walk where it was walking, she would admit that.

As if it was wearing a cape of royalty, a lot of its fur had dragged behind it. Further advocating for that royalty was how it walked, each step taken carefully and displaying its elegance and balance.

She had never actually seen a king or queen before, but this thing had drilled the meaning of royalty into her head.

Maybe that’s why when it turned to her, she panicked and attacked.

Let it be known that she would always carry several knives on her, and that encounter alone proved why it was always a good idea.

She couldn’t use magic, no matter how hard she tried, but her blood was hot, and the heat she could pass onto her weapons was no small deal.

It had put holes in it, its body ignited in an instant, and it was there it had died.

Or so she assumed.

She didn’t know what happened next, for something had hit her and she was down on the ground.

It was rather obvious right now that yes, the creature in front of her was justified. In no uncertain terms is it right to randomly attack someone and set them on fire, all with the intent to kill.

For all she knows, it could have merely wanted to say hi or guide her on her way. It might have even known what she was looking for.

Either way, she was at the mercy of someone who for all intents and purposes probably wanted her dead.

“We will ask again, what is the reason that you are here right now.”

A sigh escaped her lips, head drooping to the side at the repeated question.

What would this thing get out of her saying her crime? Did she hope to make her come to understand that what she did was wrong before killing her? What if she knew it was wrong in the first place but didn’t care?

“Either you do not remember it or you do not care to speak of your crime. Do you not see that what you did is wrong?”

Of course she knows it’s wrong, she simply doesn’t care. If everyone’s time is going to be wasted, lob off the head of those who stand here.

“Ah, so you do know what you did was wrong.”

Damn mind reader.

“Now, with that confession out of the way, let us get to the verdict.”

With a stretch of its arms, a chain had shot its way into her stomach, the linked metal snaking its way all throughout her body.

“You hurt us.”

As if to empathize its point, it stood up straight and stretched its arms to the side, several patches of fur dispersing elsewhere in the process.

Left waist, top right arm, bottom left arm, left leg, chest, mouth, forehead.

Those were all the spots her knives had hit the beast at.

Now, only the bottom left arm had any damage to show, and that was merely a cut with a burn on it.

Just what in the name of umaworl did she anger?

“For something so impure to wield such heat.”

Impure?

“We have not been hurt before, not like this. It stands to reason that someone like you needs to be put in check.”

A tug of the chain had sent her already sitting body down onto the ground, and her face was filled with nothing but flowers.

This better not leave her blind.

“So, from now on, you shall serve us, no questions asked.”

“And for what reason should I accept?”

“Oh, so you do have a voice.”

No, the muffled speech that was heard just now was the greatest hallucination one will ever experience. 

“Your quips are unneeded.”

What quips.

“And what do you think this chain is for, what but a mere tug, we can remove that lung we allowed you to use, and take whatever else goes with it. Remember, this is our kindness you’re living on.”

That kindness that’s being spoken of right now is also why she even needs this replacement lung right about now. 

“Do not think badly of us for what we have done. If anything, you’re the villain, anything done to you is justified here.”

Ah, being called a villain already, she hasn’t even earned the title and here she is being deemed one by someone already. How quaint.

“Do remember that death is also a fitting sentence for you.”

There was no real choice for her here. 

She was told to die or serve, anyone with any sort of will to live would accept servitude.

“Fine, I’ll serve you.”

She didn’t think it was possible, but it seemed to smile, if its eyes seemed to say anything.

“Excellent. From this day forth, you serve the queen of nelhi.”

So, this thing was a female. Good to know. Also what’s a nelhi?

“You seem confused, do not be. You should consider yourself blessed. After all,”

“You shall be spared when we purify this world.”