I apologize as one of the bandits starts to moan, I have some things I need to take care of first. You won’t release me? She asks indignantly. Oh, I will eventually, I say joyfully. But I think you can use a little time out first to reflect on the benefits of basic manners and kindness. You lowly … She starts, but I cut her off. Right now, you’re nothing more or less than the rest of us here. Let that sink in for a bit, we’ll talk more later. And I go around the camp, gathering some supplies.

By the time I have everything I wanted to find, 3 of the bandits are semi-awake, although they do appear to still be a bit sleep drunk. So I quickly go to work, and tie all of them securely to some trees, so that they can all see each other. Ignoring most of the safety rules I’ve learned over my long years of tying people up in my old world consensually. When I’m done, I hear Kalea whistling appreciatively. Now that was a sight to behold, she says, I have never seen someone do that with such ease and grace. Thank you, I tell her sincerely, I love the feeling of ropes through my hands and over my skin, so I have had quite some practice over the years. This is my first time tying up unwilling victims though. So I didn’t want to take any chances and get it over with before they were completely awake.

All of your previous victims were … willing? She says confused, mulling the concept over in her head. I nod, oh yeah, lots of people enjoy getting tied up, as long as it’s in a safe environment. I leave her to consider that little nugget of information, as I sit down before the half-circle of bandits, and wait for them to wake up fully.

Jake, the jolly voice that started all of my nightmares is the first to break the silence. Well well, what do we have here? We were sure you’d die somewhere out in these woods all on your own. So nice of you to come back to us, I was getting bored since the boss said we couldn’t touch the noble bitch for now. I simply smile at him, as he tries to walk over to me, not yet realizing the situation he's in. What the fuck, he yells, as he tries to move his arms and legs to no avail. And as he slowly looks around, I can see realization dawn in his eyes. Untie me you bitch, he yells, but I just smile once more, and wait till all of them are truly awake.

It takes almost an hour before all of them are awake. Cursing, bargaining, threatening, … They’ve tried it all, but I haven’t replied to any of them yet. I just looked at them, smiling, delighted inside about how much that simple act is driving them insane already. Finally, I stand up and calmly wipe the leaves off me. So, I start, as some of you might have already guessed, this is your trial, and I will be the judge, jury and executioner. So I suggest that you think carefully before you speak.

Jake opens his mouth, but a stern look from Brent, their leader, stops him in his tracks. Good, I say, you will all get a chance to plead your case, assuming you can keep it civil. If you don’t, you’ll forfeit your chance to speak. I move to stand before Jacob, the one who always did all the cooking. You can start, I declare, is there any reason you would deserve mercy? I, he stammers, I never hurt anyone, I’m just a cook, I never wanted to live the life of a bandit, but what choice did I have? I could either starve on the street or join this gang. I nod at that, he was the only one who never touched me, and I can feel his sincerity. You still allowed them to do whatever they pleased though, without any complaint, I reply. Of course, he almost screams, I’m no fighter. What do you think would have happened to me if I had gone against them? I nod, I can see that yes, truly, just a person trying to live their life in shitty circumstances beyond their control. Very well, I will grant you mercy. I see hope flickering in his eyes, but it quickly turns to despair, when I drive a dagger straight into his heart. As his head slumps down, I hear laughter behind me, and Kalea asks if I wouldn’t happen to have any dragon ancestry in my bloodline.

I ignore her and move on to stand before Jake, jolly Jake, the start of all my nightmares. I don’t want to give him a chance to speak, not really, but the part of me that is not rejoicing in this scene is compelling me to at least give him this. I feel relieved when he just starts cursing at me, and I focus my decay magic carefully. Withering away his tongue, taking away his ability to speak permanently. It takes me a while, as I take care not to channel too much at once. I don’t want to accidentally kill him. After around 10 minutes, his tongue is completely gone. His screams of pain however are still ongoing, but I ignore him, as I move to stand before Andy.

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Neither Andy nor John give me any compelling reasons for mercy. While they weren’t as demonic as Jake, they still took eager advantage of Carnelia. So they too lose their tongue. And then I step in front of the last one, Brent, their leader. And ask him the same question, is there any reason you would deserve mercy? He looks at me calculatingly and replies with a question of his own, you’re not that brat that got away, are you?

I smile sadly at his deduction, no I am not, she never made it out of the forest. Then who are you, he asks, and why do you even care about her? I am the one who’ll deliver her vengeance for her, I reply quietly, something she traded her body and soul for. His eyes widen, an infernal, he whispers. No, I counter, just a witch, in the right place, at the right time. However, for you, there isn’t much of a difference. Any other last words? Burn in hell, he spits at me. And I take his tongue as well, silencing him like the others. Of all of them, he’s the only one who manages not to scream for a whole 5 minutes. However, then even he reaches his breaking point and cries like the rest of them.

I move swiftly now and secure the 4 remaining mouths open with a piece of wood. Kalea looks at me questioningly, while I appreciate the gesture, I don’t think that will reduce the volume of their annoying screams, she jokes. Oh no it won’t, I tell her, this is so that they won’t be able to use their teeth to try and end their lives once they hear their sentence or while it is being carried out. I see, she replies quietly. Do their screams bother you, I ask her gently. She raises an eyebrow, and chuckles, what are you implying, that you would stop whatever you have planned if the noise of it was bothering me? No, I reply sincerely, but I could make you some earplugs from candle wax before continuing. She blinks, that would … I would like that, yes. While I’m enjoying this show greatly, the intensity of the noise is something I could do without.

Why are you being so kind to me, Kalea asks, I would not expect a vengeance demon to care. Even if I’m not the target you were summoned into this world for. I sigh, as I already told Brent, I’m not a demon, I’m just a human witch. I don’t care for you in particular, I just enjoy being kind in general. If I can help someone out without a significant investment on my part, I will. Kalea laughs at this, you just enjoy being kind? Child, I’ve just watched you kill 1 and torture 4 people with glee. You were practically glowing with joy as you performed this task. You call it a trial for vengeance, but at the same time, you show care and consideration for one who has done far worse than they ever have. She freezes, realizing that she has said too much.

I smile in reply, if I had the power to turn them into beautiful but weak little girls, I would sell them as slaves to a brothel that caters to clients that have a taste for inflicting pain. And consider that an appropriate punishment. To have them taste what they have inflicted on so many others. However, I can’t, so I’ll have to settle for torturing and killing them instead. You, however, are trapped in a body that doesn’t match who you are inside, powerless to control your fate. Even if you’ve done things far worse than them. I don’t need to add to your torment. Instead, I hope to help you learn something from it.

Learn? Kalea almost screams indignantly, what news do you think there is for me to learn? I’m well aware of how the world works already, the strong take, and the weak suffer. I am weak now, but I will not stay this way, I will regain my strength, I will regain my body, and stand at the top once more.

I shake my head, tell me, I assume you know how useful humans can be when ruled with fear? Kalea nods, of course, as long as they are kept in line, they make perfect servants. I return her nod, and have you ever seen the heights a human can reach, when doing something out of passion, instead of fear? She looks at me as if I’m an idiot, of course, they are very passionate about not dying, and do everything I tell them to.

I shake my head, if you think that that is the limit of what humans can achieve, then you still have much to learn. Sure, fear is a powerful motivator. But when humans don’t live in fear, when their basic needs are met, and they are free to just follow their dreams in safety, they can do so much more.

Hmp, Kalea grunts, even if that would be true, which I doubt for the record, they wouldn’t be doing what I want them to do. I smile at her, I believe you are wrong on that account as well. It’s a simple numbers game, the human’s life cycle is very fast compared to dragons, and they breed like crazy when the circumstances are right. Give it a few generations of benevolent cooperation with them, and there will be humans who cater to your every need with a passion, and not just out of fear. Sure, most of them won’t, but you don’t need them anyway. They are just the pool from which the truly useful ones are born.

Kalea looks at me like I’m insane, but I can see her mulling the concept over in her head.