Chapter 6: 6 – Monsters

Throughout the mansion gossip ran amok out of slave and human’s mouths this night and for several others long after. Talk on the slaves’ quarters heated up. Shadows spoke in deserted halls.

“It has to be done!”

“Grrr... they’ll notice!”

“You have to do it.”

“Purrr! Meoww’s he still alive?”

“You noticed too. Didn't you?”

“Miaoww... Everyone did! Meeoww way he spoke to the Lords... and still...”

“He is not normal. That elf, if I can call him that, makes me sick and I can sense something odd about him.”

“More reason to do it tonight.”

“Perfect night.”

“Then wait here.”

*



Nightfall brought a colder and stronger breeze. Our elf had been left tied to repent his actions. The drop in temperature improved his mood and numbed his lingering back pain. Before him laid a forest, property of House Liame, bathed under a full moon’s radiance.

A madman’s laugh escaped his mouth.

[Gone mental already?]

“Hahaha...”

[Several years too late, let me tell you.]

“Hah... nah... my old... whatever you are.”

The forest’s murmurs, branches dancing under a cosmic spell, leaves at the wind’s mercy, soothed his soul.

“I never thought... I’d see a full moon and a starry celestial vault... ever again.”

After contemplating what laid before him, he leaned against the old piece of wood he was bound to and closed his eyes. His consciousness returned when he heard noises.

“My gome! I knew you-”

Whomever had come didn’t allow him to speak. He was greeted with a hit to his head.

“Ah! What the-”

Another hit. This time lights went out.

*

A stream of cold water fell over his head. He regained consciousness. Voices.

“I don’t feel right tying a fellow slave.”

“We don’t know him.”

“Prrn’t he also one of meowus?”

Two shapes emerged before him, Head Slave-Butler Gnome and Ruianne.

“Mhmmm... thanks for the welcoming... party. Except you gome, I’ll get you later,” our elf said while sitting straight against the wall. His back burned before enjoying its coldness.

“... It’s gnome-”

“Shhh... quiet, he’s awake,” Ruianne commanded.

“Anyway, I choose you,” he spoke signaling Ruianne. “Yeah, you’ll do.”

“Purrlf... I want to-” another feminine voice, on a sharp note, spoke next to him.

He turned around and what he saw spooked him in ways he hadn't been in ages.

“What the fuck!” he shouted. “Aahhhh!” His cursed stomach acted out its misfortune.

“Quiet him down!” hushed Ruianne.

Head Slave-Butler Gnome’s arms enveloped his face and put his hands over his mouth.

“Quiet! Quiet!”

Despite his cursed body suffering under those unforgivable demon-gods’ wrath nothing could make him look away. He saw two beasts, monsters, real monstrous living things. A nightmare come true. What a reality, but Head-Butler Gnome and Ruianne kept their composure.

“Miaoww look at his eyes! Purrr way he is meoowing at us! Are we so horrible!?” the kinkat spew stress, sadness and surprise.

“No! You are not!” Ruianne interceded.

“Don’t let her fool you!” the elf spoke through a crevice in his captor’s fingers.

“Cover his mouth! His mouth!”

“Grrrrr... Not even humans look at ggrrrs like he does,” the beargang lamented.

The gnome kept holding him tight.

“Now you be quiet... or things will get messy.”

Head Slave-Butler Gnome’s super strength surprised him. Or maybe the demon-gods simply cursed him too deep, too weak. He calmed down and the gnome relaxed his hold.

“Ok... but someone tell me... What the f-f-freaking hell are these things?! These are not going to eat me? At least not alive, right?”

The kinkat turned around, approached and squatted besides him. She saw an honest fear on his face as he tried to push her away.

Two feline ears sprouted from her head, fur covered most of her body; from her neck down, part of her upper arms and upper thighs. Her chest and abdomen lacked any sign of body-hair. A mix of fur, humanoid and feline features made up her face. She dressed lightly and left little to imagination, not that he wanted to.

“Meowwwlings!?... Things?!”

“Why’s no one losing their minds? Am I the only seeing these... monsters... am I hallucinating? What a nightmare.”

The kinkat punched his stomach.

“Mhmm!”

“Grrrrr...!” she snarled with her claws out.

“Stop! Stop!” yelled Ruianne.

“Ahhh... that... felt real.”

“Everyone calm down,” said Ruianne. “Do you really... haven't seen a feralis before?!” she asked.

“That thing? Why'd you name it?”

“Ggrrrrr!” both feralis exclaimed in unison.

“He is strange one.”

A pale-green, tall, beefy woman with tusks protruding, spoke.

“Holy... sh-sh-sh-...”

He closed his eyes and took both hands to his head.

“You seem comfortable with those around, right?”

“Yes, they are fellow slaves, kinn’hayas, like you and me,” Ruianne said in the mildest way she could force herself to.

“Oh... yeah right. Let me tell you something, they’re nothing like me,” he said pointing and waving his index fingers at them. “Still... it’s what it seems to be...”

He looked at his tied hands, then at every creature there. Stranger things must’ve happened somewhere else. For sure.

“So... this is my welcoming party! I’m choosing you now more than ever!” he spoke steering his finger at Ruianne.

“What!?”

“For my personal welcoming ceremony.”

Everyone stared at him with condescending eyes. Some more hateful than others.

“What?” he asked aloud.

“This is such a waste of time,” said an impatient Ruianne. “Where do you come from? What elf dynasty bestowed you lineage?”

“I don't know.”

“You don't know or you won’t say?”

“I don't know.”

“Mhmm.... I’m trusting him even less now,” Ruianne said. Her patience scratched its limits.

“Purrres he’s strange, but there’s mieewmeling... worth...? I can miaowwnse it.”

“Thanks for... your vote of confidence... cat.. thing... being.” The elf tried his best to understand her mentally impaired speech patterns.

“Lumis the meowwme!”

“Well met.”

“Grrrrrr... your quick to forgive and grrrorget,” growled the beargang to Lumis. Which was a correct assessment of her personality.

“Can I get untied now? And the Sire... Lord... person said to take care of my back and I'm not one to snitch, but... I don’t know... with you pressing all the wrong buttons...”

“No, no and no. Just shut up!” Ruianne lost her patience for a moment.

He stared at her and still couldn't believe such perfect features, shapes and skin could coalesce all together in the same being.

Shame about her personality.

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“And I’ve not forgotten what happened at the auction house!”

“Rrrrr... all other slaves...,” the beargang added.

“You danger them,” the she-half-orc spoke.

“At least, from this House, it was only Ruianne and me there,” said Head-Butler Gnome.

He did nothing but gaze at them. A circus. A zoo. A pause in his thoughts, waiting for an idea that didn’t materialize. The tall greenish woman broke silence.

“High Mountain, don’t told him?” she spoke looking at the gnome.

“I couldn’t explain it to him! And it’s not my fault either! I didn't have the time... I mean, when I tried to he... wasn’t there... and after that brief moment I had no other opportunity. Who knew he would cause such a stir in his first day!?”

“Wait, wait, wait, I heard something seriously wrong,” the elf spoke. “Is your name High Mountain?” He broke down laughing.

“Yes. It is.”

Everyone looked at him like he had a screw missing. Maybe two.

“Oh, it wasn't a joke... Too bad.” He flashed a smiled before addressing them with a serious face. “Look you circus freaks. You go and entertain someone else. I’m hungry, tired and got a duel to plan... I want to rest.”

“You are freak,” replied the she-half-orc.

“Never said I wasn't one,” he said pointing at her. “Now please-”

Ruianne cut in.

“First-”

“Ohhh my!”

“Just answer some simple questions and your free... from us.”

“How about, no.”

“She wanted me to kill you,” High Mountain said looking towards Ruianne. “You endangered our plans.”

“Hey, shut it!” Ruianne commanded.

“It’s meeeooww truth,” said Lumis.

“Grrrrgguua... something’s outta place,” added the beargang.

“Don't you say. Lovely people everywhere,” the tired elf retorted.

“You’re answering?”

“If that means I can go to sleep soon... shoot then, and this better be good.”

“Is it true you can’t use magik?”

“Some freaks, freakier than all of you, said so. They might be lying. Who knows?”

“Have you ever casted magik?”

“Never.”

“Mmhmm...”

“Let’s bring it.”

Ruianne dropped a book at his feet.

“Read it.”

“Jeez... that attitude... Surely you’re single.”

“Prrhaprraha.” A hidden laugh from another slave escaped containment.

As he picked the book he failed to see Ruianne’s brows twisting.

“It’s all gibberish to me.”

“It’s elven.”

“How am I gonna know... elven? Huh.”

She dropped another book.

“Now read this one.”

He glared at her and picked it up. “’Preparing and Cooking Game without magik, for Slaves Only.’ Interesting title.”

“You can read human!” an altered Ruianne uttered.

“So this is human... intriguing. I can read it though it’s not the alphabet I know...”

“Stranger still you can’t read elven being an elf yourself but can read human.”

“It’s not my fault. Blame the demon-gods and their mess, and... you can read human too.”

“Of course we can. Were do you think we are?” High Mountain said.

“Same with me.”

“Even if your words were anywhere near the truth, what about elven?” Ruianne inquired further.

“Might have forgotten it. There’s a lot of things I don't know. Maybe I forgot magik too, parents, hometown, dynasty... nothing comes to mind. Maybe blame the f-freaking ones you pray to.”

“I did find him far too gone when the Lords brought him in,” said High Mountain.

“Prrrit’s like meeoowwre a human in an elf’s body!” an excited Lumis observed.

“How bizarre that’d be?” the elf wondered.

“Very...” Ruianne continued. “Do you have any skills?”

“Of course I have. What kind of elf do you take me for!?”

“Then show me.”

“Ruianne-” High Mountain tried to speak.

“Shhh... let him show us.”

“Of course I will!” he said looking at the other side of the room.

“Is that a bed?”

Everyone turned around.

“Yes,” answered Ruianne.

“Is it yours?”

“Yes.”

“Mhmmm...”

“What? You need a bed to show your skills?”

“Betcha I do, problem is, we are going to need a bigger bed,” he said with a big smile.

Again laughter erupted from someone at the back.

“And with everyone present, I don't mind, but do you-”

Ruianne finally understood.

She squatted before him and slapped him. Some more laughter rang inside those walls.

“Hey! Those are skills I honed trough a life of competence, effort and sometimes luck,” he said waving a fake anger. “Anyway... what’s your story? How does a pretty elf ends up here and becomes bitterness incarnate?”

“Hehe.” The half-orc grinned.

“Miaahaha.”

More laughs and several smiles made Ruianne angrier than usual. She stared at him with fire in her eyes.

“You mean you don't recognize her, Delia’ilu of the Sacred Elffen Heart Ruianne?!” asked Head Slave-Butler Gnome pointing at her.

“What? Do you have a mole on your left buttcheek?”

“Miahaaaohaowhawha,” Lumis cracked up.

Ruianne’s eyes pierced the poor, grinning elf.

“Then, no. God...! So serious...”

“You talk like a human.”

“Why? Because I want some before being dragged and eaten or tortured or whatever is it you do to weak beings such as myself? Or do elves don't...,” he said while making hand signs symbolizing mating.

“Purrrr not grrlat bad I miaouwwuess.”

He winked at Lumis though he understood shit. Better be safe than end up as some monstrous creature’s dinner.

“We have no option but to use it on him,” said High Mountain.

“You mean waste it on him!” an angry Ruianne spoke.

“Shhh... keep it quiet,” the male elf hushed her.

“You-”

“Things are moving regardless and we need to know if we can trust him or...” Head Slave-Butler Gnome didn’t want to finish his sentence.

“Feed me to the beasts! Say it. Don’t be shy High Mountain. Your parents weren’t when they named you.”

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