- Three Days Ago -
When the world grows dark, only the lights of the largest human cities are enough to repel the oncoming black. Despite their almighty power, even the strongest of lights are unable to banish the shadows that crawl between the alleyways. The shadows that hide in the corners of rooms. The shadows that walk among us.
Redpool. It stands as one of the beacons of human civilization. One of the largest mining cities in the world. Built by a river that has turned red from the iron runoff, the town has become prosperous and mighty, embracing the worldwide need for iron. It attracted many people, and during the day, it is lively, lovely and happy. However, at night, the city shows its true colour. Black. Those shadows creep out of the depths and manifest themselves on the streets. They stalk the city, looking, watching, waiting…
for prey.
She was sitting in a chair, alone. The table held both her sleeping form and many empty cups, a red blush streaked across her face. Her clothes were simple, clearly from commoner origin, and not one person had come to talk to her for over an hour. Young. Her features were remarkable, her face beautiful, sure to bring envy to any other woman, her body arousing, sure to beguile any man. She was perfect…
The perfect target for kidnapping.
The greed of man was only superseded by the lust of man, and here was a woman who would give them both in one night. How could they turn up this opportunity? Any sane person working in the slave trade could instantly tell, this was perfect.
How lucky! That’s what they thought. The group of three had been down on their luck recently, they had lost their last capture and their boss wasn’t too happy about that. Unless they brought in something good by the end of the month, their boss would have ended their career… and their lives. That month now had only one day remaining, and the three walked into the bar, determined to drink themselves to death before their boss could kill them.
They would never expect the chance of a life time in front of them. They couldn’t stop staring. She was everything they could ever want in a woman. A good face, great breasts and a big butt. Simple men, simple needs. How unfortunate it was that she had to be sold off. If it were up to them, they would keep her far away from the horrible place the slave trade was. Alas, they valued their lives over hers, but it didn’t mean they couldn’t have a little fun before they had to hand her in.
They left their table, the bar was at its busiest, and she looked fast asleep. The time was now. They approached hers, using their bodies to obstruct the other patrons’ view. They looked at each other, all of them with distinct features. The first was thick and strong, the second was lanky and short and the third was in the middle, but he had a soft face. He gently shook her shoulder.
Her previously unconscious body stirred and she lifted up her face from the table, her half-opened eyes and mouth giving her far too of an erotic face that should be possible. He was barely able to hold back reacting to her, the tip of his mouth twitching, the other two had already covered their mouths. They had done this a lot, and he had a lot of practice tricking women, but this one was going to be dangerous. Not because she was smart, she was far too drunk for that, no. But because she was so open, especially with how she looked. It’s impossible that she wasn’t kidnapped before. How lucky!
Gentle Face: “Hey, are you okay?”
It took her a second before her eyes fully opened and she looked around her table. A small puddle of drool and the empty cups gave a very bad impression. The blush extended around her face.
Girl: “Uh-I-I’m fine…”
She got up and almost immediately fell. Luckily, the big man was there to catch her.
Gentle Face: “You don’t look too good, how about we escort you home? You’re in no condition to be walking alone in the streets at night, especially in Redpool.”
She stood herself up and she smiled. For the first time in their five-year-long career of selling women and children to slavery, this was the first time they felt actual guilt. “Really? That would be wonderful! I was worried how I was going to get back, how lucky was I that you two had found me!”
Skinny: “Don’t forget me miss. I can assure you, I’m much more reliable than these two!”
She giggled and the other two men felt an unusual jealousy. Their mouths did not move however.
They left the bar and entered the open streets. Large metal poles with intricate designs held light crystals which brightened the darkened paths. The cobblestone road glittered with the humidity from the nearby river, the roaring of which was enough to frighten both man and beast. Falling in there would mean death.
Gentle Face: “Where do you live?” He went straight to the point. Depending on her answer, they would take a route that kept them far away from any drop off locations.
She giggled again. “Oh, I don’t live here, I live in Rockholm, I’m here because my dad had some business.” She responded quickly and clearly, her words were obvious but the three still couldn’t believe it. Their luck that is.
She didn’t live here, no one knew her here. She didn’t know anyone here and her dad was stupid enough to let her go to a bar by herself. Rockholm was at the other side of the country, the chances of…
They stopped themselves there. There was no need to think anymore. The large man propped her up on her shoulder and started bounding towards the nearest alley. It doesn’t matter anymore. They had no doubts in their mind. They strip her, fuck her, and take her to the drop in, get paid handsomely for their find and finally escape the underworld for good. A smile stretched on all of their faces.
Girl: “Woah! I love the view from here, but it’s a little rough, could you put me down…”
She showed obvious discomfort and her legs were crossed, every time he took a step she would tighten her legs closer together.
Bigman: “Don’t worry girly. I know where we’re going…” His voice deep and gruff only made her face pale. Sweat started to run down her skin, which glistened in the light.
They ran through the empty streets, not a single pair of eyes to follow them. The beauty of the scenery started to blend together to create a horrible mosaic of colours that only gave her nausea and dread. It didn’t help that all three of them were smiling either. For the first time, worry met her face.
All of a sudden, they stopped, almost letting her fly if it wasn’t for the big man’s arm. They tossed her in the alleyway, her clothes quickly catching the dirt and mud that covered the almost pitch black space.
Girl: “Ouch…WHAT WAS THAT FOR?!…”
Gentle Face: “I can’t believe it! Our luck is really tuning around, ain’t it boys?” The other two laughed maliciously. “Girly, you saved our lives. See, we ain’t the good men you thought we were. No, no, we’re much worse.”
Her eyes widened as she frantically looked around. The men just continued to laugh.
Skinny: “Don’t bother, we know these alleys like they were our house. There’s no escape here, no ones going to come if you yell either. The city is dead at night, either you in a room, or your gonna face doom. Heh.”
Bigman: “Good one.”
The two silently chuckled at the horrible joke, while the girl stared at them with despair in her eyes.
Gentle Face: “Since you saved our lives, we at least owe you an explanation. We are gentlemen after all.” He chuckled and began to loosen his pants. She crawled to the back of the alley, she was met with a shoddily built stone wall.
Gentle Face: “We’re in the slave trading business and were pretty good at what we due. However, due to a tiny mistake, we lost some valuable merchandise. Our boss wasn’t too happy about that. He gave us a month to find something better or he’d be sending us to the mines. Trust me, you don’t want to go to the mines…”
The other two began to remove their own articles of clothing, she found herself in the corner of the alley, covering her bosom.
Gentle Face: “Either way, that month turned into a three weeks, then into three days. Now? Three hours remain. We were going to drink ourselves to death, if it wasn’t for you. Now, we can have a bit… a lot of fun, sell you off and finally leave Redpool. Today was the last day our caravan was in here. Where were we going next boys?”
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Skinny: “Magiyar, you know, the one close to that institute thing? The black market gives the best prices there.”
Gentle Face: “You’re right! Hear that? You’ll get to go to Magiyar! Though, I don’t think you’ll get to see any of it…”
She started to cry, but that only widened the grin on their faces.
Gentle Faggot: “Every time I look at you, I don’t believe what I’m seeing. Has anyone ever told you that you were beautiful? This might be the last time you’re hearing that. Short, black, wavy hair and your face? 20 gold ducats. You voice? Maybe a gold ducat. Depends on who we’re selling to. It’s heavenly by the way. Your breasts? What are you? Double D? E? 50 gold ducats. Your butt? Amazing, 30 gold ducats. Your body?”
He ripped off her shirt, revealing her pale, perfect skin and beautiful curves. He stared for a bit, licking his lips and going over her entire body.
Gentle Faggot: “Not a single lump of fat, no curve missed and the most unblemished skin I’ve seen. 100 gold ducats. Final opinions boys?”
Bigman: “Perfect, give her a few years though, her features might even become more pronounced.”
Skinny: “Maybe a bit younger, I’m still not complaining though.”
Gentle Faggot dropped his pants. “Don’t listen to them. They’re pervy idiots. I think your perfect just the way you are…”
His hand reached towards her arms, which were currently covering her naked chest, and just as he was about to grab her, she disappeared. Seemingly replaced with thin air.
The three men, now standing in a dark alleyway, cold and completely naked just stared at the empty space where there once was a girl.
Gentle Idiot: “What…”
All of a sudden, Gentle Idiot and Skinny Idiot heard a thump behind them. They turned around to see the large idiot, unconscious and lying on the ground. Behind him, a figure. A black robe covered most of her body, but was still unable to fully conceal her enormity of her chest. A mask covered the strangers face. A mask with no features. It was a simple, white mask with no holes, no cracks, no other colours, nothing.
At her side was a scabbard. In it, a shortsword that was currently hidden from view. In her hand, she held a dagger. One with the sharpest blade they had ever seen, and that was impressive considering the amount of weapons they’ve seen. A curved, black dragon-shaped handle opened up to a pristine white blade that reflected a perfect sheen.
A sudden feeling of dread washed over the two conscious men.
Gentle Idiot: “Uhhh….”
Without giving them a chance to react, she flashed the dagger towards them, light reflecting off the perfect blade and blinding the skinny idiot. “AH!” His eyes closed on instinct and a few seconds later, his body fell to the ground too.
Then she slowly made his way to the last remaining slave trader. Her hips rocking, and despite the robe, her features were still arousing.
Her: “That’s so sweet of you. I’m perfect? That’s the first time anyone’s said that to me. If you weren’t about to rape me, I might have fallen for you. It’s too bad that you were actually scum.”
The gentle idiot dropped to his knees. “Wait… please… I’m sorry…. I-I made some really bad mistakes in my life… please don’t kill me… there’s no excuse for my actio-“ He continued to ramble on and on, making excuse after excuse. She sighed and wacked his head with the butt of the knife. His body fell to the floor.
Her: “Jester, Joker, Fool. Come out please…”
The sound of tiny bells filled the alley as three figures suddenly appeared. One jumping down from a roof, one morphing out of the shadows and the last moving out from behind her. All three of them almost eight-feet-tall and donning the attire of medieval jesters. Fancy, looped patterns covered their ludicrous clothing; however, they lacked the bright colours fools usually had. Instead, they were colour in depressing whites, greys and blacks. The patterns on their clothing were all different, but to a normal person, they would be rather undistinguishable. The only real, discernable difference these three had were their masks. The first had the typical, smiling mask, the second the sad mask, and the third had a mask with no mouth.
The one with the smiling mask turned to her. “Mistress! What wonderful acting tonight, we must put on a performance for a crowd! They would love us!”
Her: “Maybe one day Jester. Right now, we have a job to do, and that includes going to Magiyar."
Jester: “You always say that mistress! Either way, did you hear him?! He praised your beauty! Didn’t you say you would marry the first man who did that?! I’m sure your parents would be happy!” It started to laugh. It’s laugh was demonic and inhuman, the pitch of the laughter changing every few seconds before it returned to its demonic origins.
Her: “This man doesn’t count. He only did it because he was a sadist, not because he actually meant what he said…” Her voice quieted near the end, turning almost into a whisper.
Jester: “HAHAHAHA! But he did mean what he said! Whether or not there was a future ahead of you, I’ll let you decide!” It started to jump and clap, the bells shaking and making a ruckus. The mouthless mask stared at the Jester.
She sneered at the dancing clown but it didn’t stop. “Pick these three up and follow me. I have somewhere I want to take them.” She started to walk out of the alley.
The sad faced clown looked over their bodies.
Joker: “A sad day, these poor folk, turned the wrong way, had the wrong yolk. Now they suffer the price, for humanities malice, they thought they found, their golden chalice…”
She turned to the Joker, her eyes narrowed beneath her mask. “I don’t care about their hopes and dreams. I don’t care if they were innocent. They actively did wrong, and that's enough for them to die.”
She turned back to the alleyway entrance. “Just pick this scum up. It's time to dispose of them."
Jester: “Of course mistress! We are your eternal servants! We’re also your only source of humor!”
The Joker and the Fool easily lifted up the men with ease. However, the Jester’s arms shook as he picked up the bigman, the long appendages looking more like noodles rather than formed muscle. “This one has been eating too much! Want to switch Fool?!”
The Jester turned to the mouthless clown. It simply stared back.
Jester: “Awwww, why not?!”
Her: “Come. There are still people here, and it would be quite hard to explain you three…”
Jester: “We could reveal ourselves to the humans mistress! I’d love to see their reaction when they find something that’s neither demon, monster or angel! I think it would be quite funny!”
She said nothing as she lead the three down the winding roads of the city. Eventually finding the wall. She quickly leaped from building to building before throwing a hidden carabiner when there were no more walls the leap off of. Once at the top, she quickly jumped down, the three were already there waiting for her.
Jester: “Very nice mistress! Wonderful! A fantastic performance! Have you considered joined the circus?! I know a good one!"
Her: “Shhh."
The Jester laughed. They took a few steps forward before they met their destination. Right outside the walls, lay the namesake for the massive city. It’s roars were louder than any beast. As if on queue, the three men in the jesters hands began to stir. Once one of them opened their eyes, he jumped out of his hands and yelled.
Skinny: “WHA, WHAT IS THAT?!?”
Jester: “Hehehehe… I love when they do that… hehehehe….”
Her: “Hold them in front of the river.”
The three harlequins held the poor men in front of the rivers curve. A large drop into sharp, pointed iron ores that couldn’t be harvested due to the danger. The men visibly shook. Their legs quivering and the eyes darting around. Their sense screamed danger, but their bodies were unable to move. The raw strength of the things holding them was immeasurable. Even the largest of them was unable to move a muscle.
Her: “Throw one in, make it random.”
Their eyes grew wide and they looked at each other. All of a sudden the fool suddenly tossed the skinny man in, his screams echoed as he fell. Then, he suddenly started to scream louder and the horrible tearing of flesh could be heard as his body was ripped apart by natures worst. The jester’s started to laugh, it’s laughter was so loud, it could be heard over the roaring monster that was the river.
The other two started to tremble. The confusion, fear of death, pain and clowns made their legs give in, but they were held up by the other two harelquins.
Gentle Idiot: “Oh god please no! Nothing but that… I’ll give you money! Gold! Anything you want! Please!”
Her: “You’ve already told me enough. Thank you for that by the way. You can just die now. You would have died either way tonight, so what does it matter? Throw him in.”
The joker threw in his body, his screams louder than the last. The river turned a little more bloody tonight.
The big idiot stayed silent.
Jester: “Are you not afraid?”
The big man said nothing. The Jester’s eyes glowed red again, and it tossed him into the river. It didn't take long for him to start screaming. She watched as the pieces of flesh that found themselves stuck on the rock, finally dislodged and rushed down the river. At that time, the sun started to rise and light started to overtake the day.
Her: “We’re done here. Let’s go.”
Jester: “Back home mistress?!”
Her: “Yes. Home.
Her: "For now."