Interlude.

“It can speak! Interesting. Very interesting. That means…’ Venom grabbed another vial and slammed it into the chest of her latest victim. An ogre type by the looks of it, the hunters did well, ogres, no matter what level- were always a pain. The only saving grace was that they are all stupid, even the smart ones. The potion broke over the hide of the subject and noxious fluid immediately started to spread. Venom looked at the ogre expectantly, the potion always took a few moments to set in but when it did… The studies that could be done are innumerable.

Venoms expression turned quickly from expectancy to puzzlement. “It is working, but it seems that the monster is not feeling it. Well, that won’t do at all.”

She grabbed another potion and smashed it onto the ogre’s chest. “Doesn’t seem to be working. How will I bring the beast to heel if I can’t break it? All things have a breaking point and nothing that I know of can stop the pain completely. That being said the system is unknowable. Praise to the system!”

“Batling. I don’t know what system you're talking about, but I haven't felt pain in years.” The Ogre spoke? Venom stumbled back, surely not! “Intelligent? No. Ogres are classed as monsters. They cannot speak. The potion doesn’t grant intelligence just understanding. Or so the system says.”

“Shut up!” Venom said before going silent. This truly did change things, a lot of things. The amount of study that could be done… The number of opportunities. Intelligent beasts or sapient creatures could be used for some of the more special experiments. Venom already had an idea, she was going to test an aspect on the beast. After the breaking in of course. That had to come before and it had to be done properly. Despite the creatures seemingly high resistance to pain, it should have a breaking point. It was a too low level not to have one. Whatever the case it had to be done.

Venom remembered the last time an Aspected ogre type was let loose. The tribe had to relocate while the Warriors battled it. Venom was told to be careful after that and restrictions were placed. Restrictions she planned on ignoring for a little bit. She had just tied her vice and aspect together and was more powerful than ever before. A simple ogre posed no threat.

Besides the only low-level creatures with capabilities to resist Venoms breaking in regime were exactly zero. Only the hero-chosen races had that type of capability so early and none of those had appeared for ages, at least none that had entered the dungeon. So Venom guessed it was possible. This Ogre was not though. If it was then she would have gotten a system message as soon as it entered the dungeon.

What really got Venom though was that the Ogre appeared to not feel the pain of the potion. Not uncommon, many had [Pain Resistance] this Ogre though was low level and no matter the experiences in its past there was very little chance of the Ogre training that skill very high. [Pain Tolereance] perhaps, but resistance was something very different.

The Ogre struggled against its bonds again and spoke: “What do you want from me?” Truly the ogre wasn’t bothered by the potion. Venom would have to make it stronger next time. On the bright side though it seemed that the translation part of it was working.

“Why does the pain not take Ogre?” Venom wanted to test just how intelligent this Ogre was.

It grinned. “Trolls don’t feel pain. Pain is for whelps.” Its brow furrowed. “Who you callin’ an ogre? The only ogre looking thing in here is you.”

“Surprising.” Curios as well. This--Troll truly did seem smarter than the usual. The aspect might be an accurate representation of what it would look like on her brethren. Venom looked closer. She did see the differences between the average ogre and this… troll. They were faint but recognizable, ogres had tough skin, this thing had a full-blown hide. Venom would have to take samples of that, maybe see if it could be harvested.

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Whatever the case it was time for the beast to meet its counterparts. The aspect would come later when it was fully settled and ready to go. Venom would probably throw in the worm thing as well once all of her brethren had fed. True beast blood was hard to come by, especially blood that tasted like it had come from a Hero’s creation.

The Troll moved again, it seemed to have not gotten through its thick head that there was no way that it was getting out of its current predicament. Stupid, stupid, stupid, but very ogre-like.

Venom spoke again. “Ropes! Tighter. Follow.” Venom gave out commands, she wasn’t aspected in anything that had to do with capture but she had enough aptitude to be able to learn a few basic commands and with her magic power, the ropes leaped to obey.

She concentrated and opened the passageway to where the other experiments and war beasts were kept. As soon as it opened the growls and screams of the captives were heard. Fighting each other, growing stronger, it was an unfortunate waste of space, but Venom wasn’t powerful enough to contain them all in individual cells and ropes only held for so long before fraying. No matter how powerful the user.

The Troll growled, veins popping in its neck, “Where.” It demanded.

Venom looked over and sniffed, “to the cells of course. Your home for the rest of your life, I do hope you enjoy.” With those words, she spoke to the ropes again. “Throw. Unbind. Return.” The ropes hurled themselves and the Troll into the cells, or really The Cell. She briefly thought about making the ropes stand sentinel to make sure he wasn’t killed, but then decided against it. The Troll was strong enough to take care of himself. The rabble in there were powerful but she had already [Stat Scanned] the Troll and knew that it should be able to take care of itself, so long as it stayed away from the more dangerous of the denizens. They shouldn’t take notice of it though, they were always to busy with each other.

....

Eye was in pain. Much pain. At first, it not so bad, little pricks, like when mistress stabbed nail into scale. Then it hurt more. Much more. Eye did not know where it was. Eye only know that it was almost dead. Eye also know that it name is eye. Eye not in pain anymore. Eye stop feeling pain. Only dull ache. Like when second master punch Eye. Eye not like dull ache. Eye no able to tell when it dying or not. Eye also not tell if Eye can walk, or if Eye fight. Eye see wrinkly bat come toward Eye. Eye scared. Eye no want to die. Ropes. Painful squish. Eye see black. Eye wake up. Eye see the second master. Eye feel mistress call. Eye no go to mistress. That what Eye says. Mistress says you kill Troll? Eye say no. Mistress says kill Troll. Eye say yes.

….

I roar. Damn it. Where is this hag taking me? Why are these ropes so strong? Roaring does nothing though and neither does struggling. All I can say is “Where.” That’s all I have the will to say. Time and time again I fail. Over and over and over again. I hate failure. Failure sucks. The worst part is that I can’t afford to fail. I actually can’t. If I do then this happens. Over and over again. I can’t help thinking that maybe I’m not a Troll but just a pretender like that Troll in the forest.

…

“Another Troll?”

“Yup.”

“Damn.”

“Yup.”

“I hate it here.”

“Believe me so do I. Damn do I miss Earth and damn do I wish that these Ogres would stop.”

“Yup.”

....

“What do you mean that you didn’t kill the Troll?” The Hex Hero was pissed. How could a Daughter of hers be so incompetent? “How could it and you, not kill a simple level ten Troll!?” She was supposed to be one of the more promising of her daughters, she turned out to be a failure. So many do. The Hero sighed. Nothing for it. She would let her daughter go for now but if she failed again… The Hero could do with another Soul to forge.

…

The Paladin seethed, glaring at the back of his incompetent brother. The man could barely kill a Hex and needed a rescue party. Yet still, he held the title of Cardinal. A title that should rightfully be his. He would wait though, his Brother said that he had another to show them, another {Hero Key} in the form of a Troll.

…

The Hex raged. Trolls dropped dead. Faces locked in expressions of utter pain. They did not deserve ecstasy. They only deserved death. At least she knew where it was. The Troll who caused this. Who caused her to fall. She would find it and rip its soul from Its body.