How had this happened? He had trained so hard. He had become so strong. Yet, here he was.

Blood dripped from the stubs where his limbs had been attached. He had no legs, no arms, he was just a torso, leaning against the charred prison bars.

The man responsible, the Lumberjack rested his great axe on top of his shoulder and blew out a displeased breath.

“I’m so sorry man, I swear I didn’t want you to suffer like this.”

“I did!”

Zulo piped up. He was in the corner, fashioning his discarded limbs like an arched tombstone over Eira. He was having difficulty balancing his hand over the two legs, and it crumbled.

“I need some hot glue or something. This isn’t working.” Zulo then up and left.

The Lumberjack watched as he left, and sighed. “I only meant to kill you as quickly as possible.”

“I don’t believe that at all!” Riot yelled. “You took my waifu, he banged her, you probably impregnated her, and then you’re killing me. All you’ve done is make me suffer!”

“I didn’t want to rub salt in the wounds.” Chad scratched his cheek. “She is super pregnant right now. I’m supposed to have a dozen children on its way.”

Riot forced a laugh. “Even your seed is super.” His head dropped. “I have to admit it. I am not strong. I am not worthy of her love.”

“Oh man. Don’t beat yourself down like that. I’m sure you’ll find somebody you love. Just not in this life.” The Lumberjack hefted his axe as he stepped right next to him. “Now, I’m going to make this as painless as possible. I need you to just stay still, just like that. If you move, I might miss, and you might not die instantly. I don’t want that.”

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Riot bared his teeth. “I am Riot Labyrinth. I might die, but my reincarnation will come and destroy you.”

The axe swung.

#

From his experience, death wasn’t too bad as long as it was instant. He had died once before. A giant truck dropped on top of him, smashing his body into paste. It was gross, but it was also painless. His spirit popped out of his body and he attached himself on Dalton.

But this one was different.

He grew conscious of being in a pure pitch-black setting. The only light came from a small silver haired girl holding a book.

His heart thrummed with anticipation.

“Do you desire power?” The girl asked.

“Power?” A smile cracked on Riot’s face and he pumped his fist in the air. “Oh, joy. This is it isn’t it? My axe gained sentience because I loved it too much, and now I’m about to do a power up!”

“No,” the girl’s response was curt and cut at Riot’s hope as quickly as his smile faded.

“Curses! What could I have done to give it more love? I have rubbed it against me every night without fail.”

“Do you want power, or not?”

“That depends.” Riot stalked closer to the girl. “What are you?”

“I am the grimoire.”

“Eira’s grimoire?” Riot shouted. “Damn it! Why can’t I have a loli book?!”

Black tentacles shot from the darkness, wrapping around Riot like a coil until it reached Riot’s mouth, plunging it deep so he could not speak.

The girl held her hand up, her eyes a pool of inky oil.

“I have no time to play with you. Do you wish for power or not? Just nod your head: yes or no.”

Riot nodded his head.

“Wonderful. There is a cost. Your soul will be mine. When you die, your soul will not be a part of the cycle of reincarnation.”

The tentacle pulled itself free from his mouth so he could speak.

“So, what you are saying is, I shall be a prisoner to an eldritch horror that takes the form of a loli with silver hair.”

The girl stared at him for several minutes. “Sure.”

“Then, yes!”

The tentacle plunged into his mouth again.

“This will hurt.”

Something was happening to his body. His body was shaking uncontrollably, if not for the tentacles, he would be flailing like a man struck by lightning and screaming like a grown man getting his teeth pulled.