Volume One Chapter Five Forged By The Fay

 Slave

Lasta had been feeling conflicted ever since finding out the true origins of Otb and the conspiracy that led to his existence, yet she was still scared of him. However she was more scared of Salynara and whatever she had planned. She had often wondered what this was all about. Yet the one thing that scared her the most was the fact that she could kill her at any moment and she would not know it or see it coming.

It had been three days since the conspiracy was exposed and she still did not know what to make of it. She had many thoughts running throughout her head. Which did nothing to relieve the situation. The truth was Otb was still a monster and she was still in Salynara’s hands. There was nothing that she could do about it or escape. She still went to sleep crying for her mum, dreading that the next day would be the day that she died.

When she did sleep all that was waiting for her were nightmares and they were getting worse as each night passed. She first had nightmares of Salynara taking her toys away from her. Then hurting her now she had another one, making her hurt others. She had, had that one more times than the others and every time she hurt more and more people of all ages.

She would always wake up from these scarier nightmares screaming blue murder covered in an ice cold sweat. Yet even though she longed for her mum to come and wrap her arms around her she knew that they would never come. She would burst into tears as she wished her mother and father were there with her twin brother too.

However it was in these moments that she would be reminded of Salynara’s cruelty as she would look at her and watch her weep with a satisfied smile. Making her aware that she was playing right into her hands. She would wipe the tears off her with her fingers and lick the tears off them. She would do this every time too.

“Just stop it! Please, just stop it!” She finally wept.

At these words Salynara smiled wider as she started playing with her hair like a mother would.

“No. Not yet.”

She looked up at her, pleadingly.

“Why?”

“You will soon know.”

“Why won’t you just leave me alone?! I wanna go home! I just wanna go home! See mum, dad and my brother!” She cried, yet even now she knew better than to say their names.

She put a hand on her shoulder.

“I know.” She said, wiping the tears from her face and licking them off her fingers.

She pulled her in and hugged her. 

“But I don’t want you to go home yet. After all, I have not even started with you. And if you’re crying now then I’m afraid that you will be utterly broken when I am finished with you!” She sang, kissing her forehead.

She tried to pull back but was pulled in further.

“Just stop it!”

“No. Now is the time for us to move.”

She soon walked as far as she could behind them. She sniffed and tried not to let her hear her crying. She carried everything that she could. She continued on even though her legs and feet hurt. She did not complain as she knew better than to do that. She just followed until her legs became like jelly. She soon tripped and hit her head.

“Lasta!”

She looked up to see Salynara smiling. She got to her feet, yet her knees were so weak that she was back on the ground. She knelt and placed her hand on her knees. She smiled.

“We will take a break.” She said, patting them. “Now, I will teach you how to cook.”

Her eyes narrowed at her.

“Why?”

“Because you will be doing the cooking next time.”

She looked at her pleadingly and was shocked.

“But I’m-”

“Just a child. Now, now, now! I know but we both know that you’re not an ordinary child. Yet I was your age when I learned how to cook. I was even younger than you when I learned to make potions too.”

“Really?” She asked, unconvinced. “Is there a potion that makes you forget the world’s even a thing?”

“You do not need a potion to do that.”

She rolled her eyes.

“What about dulling misery?”

“Yes.”

“It’s useless to ask for that, isn’t it?”

“Yes, after all, I love to see children like you cry.”

“Why?”

She chuckled and Lasta knew she was not going to like what she was about to hear.

“I like the taste of their tears. And not just tears of sorrow, though their taste is delicious yet bitter and salty. Tears of joy tastes sweet and surgery. Yet my favourite are bittersweet.”

She smiled wider than Lasta thought possible.

“After all, they taste like both of those combined!”

Better keep that in mind.

She then looked at her and gently placed a hand on her cheek.

“Is that why-” She was about to ask, but stopping once, she had just realised, that she already knew the answer.

Once they had the food out Salynara taught her how to skin the rabbit and cut it. She then taught her how to light a fire. She soon completed her lesson. They ate and soon they were back on the road. With Lasta carrying most of the luggage as payment for the lesson.

They came to a castle. She opened the door. She looked left and right. The moment that those inside saw her they looked at Lasta with pity. That was when Otb put a blade to her throat. She closed her eyes knowing what this was all about. They looked at him and down at her. They were all frozen in place. They then moved on. It was all too clear that she was always going to be used like this. To be used as a hostage to get the other two to where they needed to go. Yet she knew that she should not let this get to her. She did not want to give them the satisfaction.

She knew that she should use this time to get as much information out of them as wh could. Anything useful to be used to get out of this situation or, at least, her and much bought time as she could. 

“Where are we going?”

She smiled.

“You will see, drear child.”

So not something that I would like then? 

They walked on. They walked up a flight of stairs. That was when she heard a bump. She looked back to see all the people fall down. All of them were on the floor with their eyes closed. She looked at Salynara shocked.

She smirked.

“Oh? Do not fear! They are not dead. Though they will remember nothing of the past twenty five hours. Nor will they wake until we are done.”

“Why?”

“Because there is only one that I wish to kill tonight.”

“Any reason?”

“Yes, although none will remember the one that I shall kill. By the way girl, how are your cleaning skills?”

She frowned.

Why is she asking that?

“What you should expect. Why?”

She smiled.

‘You will have to demonstrate where you are soon. If you need any education in that department then I will give it. After all, I am sure that I owe you that much. After all, girls like you should be in school.”

Bit rich coming from you! Honestly, if me and Latso didn’t read all those books before we went to school I would be far too behind!

“Yes, they should.”

Speaking of which, how long has it been since I went to school? Weeks? Months? A year at least. Really? Has it been that long?

Salynara cocked her eyebrow.

“So what will my first lesson be?” She asked, jokingly.

“Cleaning up after me.”

Oh, like that is going to help!

“What about maths and English? You, gonna teach me those?”

“Only if they are important to my plans. Although, if they were, I think that I would teach you grammar first!”

“Of course they are important!”

That was when Lasta felt the blade pierce her skin. She knew what this was all about. She has to be very careful about what she says. So she kept quiet. 

She followed the fairy to a small room. She opened the door. She was greeted by a woman. She pulled out her sword. Yet Salynara slit her throat before she could do anything. She set the corpse alight. 

“Here.” She said giving her a cloth and a bucket. “Clean that.”

She looked at the blood and knelt. She took the bucket and cloth. She then started to clean the blood. She wiped the blood off the stone floor. She found it was easy to do. Yet she knew that she had to do this fast. She did not wish to cause more harm to herself. Which was why she did not even want to even look at the corpse in the room.

“Good.”

She used magic to set the bucket and cloth alight.

“Looks like I hardly need to teach you much in that regard.”

“Thank you.” She replied, trying not to focus upon what she had just seen. 

She smiled.

“Come, we will be going to my home soon. You need your rest for tomorrow.”

Lasta nodded as they walked to a mirror. They both took their hands and walked into the mirror and passed. The next moment they were in the castle that Lasta received her curse with the one that cursed her.

“Tell me, Lasta, how does it feel to be back here?” She asked.

She looked away not wanting to respond.

“Come on! Tell her.” Otb said with a slight smile.

“Anger.”

She smiled.

“Oh, your anger has not even begun to become ignited. So get some sleep. For tomorrow I will have you hard at work.”

“Doing what?”

“Cleaning.”

She nodded. 

“Which room will I be sleeping in?”

“Come with me.” She said, taking the girl by the hand.

They walked down a long corridor and descended a long flight of stairs and came to the bottom. She walked down a long corridor and came to a metal door. She took out a set of old keys and opened the door. She let the girl in. She saw the metal doors and the bars at the window. She suddenly knew what this place was. She felt a lump in her throat as she walked to the first cell. She felt something start to die in her.

As she walked in she longed for her bedroom. As she looked at the stone slab, she longed for her bed. She knew that this would not be her home and this was not going to be her bedroom. However she knew that these would be the closest to both.

She felt a tear fall from her eye. This was wiped and drank by Salynara.

“Why?” Was all she could say.

She smiled.

“You will know.”

She guided her in further and tears choked her as she saw the cuffs. She closed her eyes as she sat on it. She barely looked up as she put them on her. She lay down on the slab and kept her eyes closed.

“Mum! Help!” She said as she drew herself into a ball. “Mum, please! I don’t wanna be here.”

How can mum come? She’s home. Safe and sound and I’m here all alone with nobody to cry to. No protection. No nothing!

She cried herself to sleep. Even in her sleep she muttered and cried for her mother.

She woke up in the early hours of the morning. It was dark and even though her eyes had adjusted to the dark, she could still barely make out the cell. She curled and continued to cry. She could feel just how dry and sore her throat and mouth was.

“Help! Please, help!” She whispered

That was when the door opened. The moment that she saw Salynara she would have burst into tears if she was not already drained. When she walked up to her, Lasta hugged her. She knew that she would get nothing back but she did not care. All she wanted was to get someone, anyone to hug and steal even a scrap of comfort from him.

Salynara giggled as she uncuffed her. She placed a hand on her back. Suddenly Lasta felt pins and needles all over her. She soon felt her body was on fire and soon her arms dropped. She put the other hand on her back. She looked down. Her throat was far too sore for her to cry out.

‘Care to tell me what that was all about?”

“Miss mum. I wan’ mum.” She whispered.

She giggled.

“No. You will not see her.”

‘Ge' me mum.”

“No. I will not.”

“J-just ge’ mum!”

“Are you being selfish?”

She looked up, stunned.

“Bu’.”

“I mean you will be condemning your mother to another cell. She would be in the situation that you are now!”

“But at least I won’t be alone!” She screamed through her horse voice. 

She let out a giggle and took her hand. She pulled her up. She pulled her behind her. Lasta could feel that she was not only aching but weaker and she could feel that she was limping. Soon they came to the stairs. She was almost dragged to the top of the stairs. She came to the top of the highest tower. She opened it and she saw a man chained up. She looked at him and he looked at her.

“Who is this?” They both asked.

“You will see.” She said as she put a blade in her hand. 

Lasta’s eyes widened as she looked up at the fairy. Yet, for a moment, confused. Then there was the question that chilled her to the bone. Could this fairy control her? If the answer was ‘yes’ then what she was doing would make sense.

“C-can you control?” She could barely whisper.

She smiled and giggled.

“Seems like you are sharper than I thought!” She said as she put a hand on her shoulder. 

“What? Are you serious? She’s just a child! Don’t do this!” The man shouted as he tugged against the chains. “Don’t you dare do this!”

She smiled wider.

“But that’s what I like! Innocence ruined, the taste of tears and as she is a child, she will not be able to hold them back!” She exclaimed as she plucked a hair from Lasta's head.

She tied a knot in the hair strand. Suddenly she felt her entire body seize up. She tried to move but she could not. She was not only standing but it was as if her limbs were locked in place. She could not even open her mouth.

Please no! Just please no! Don’t do this, please just don’t do this! I don’t want to! She pleaded even though she knew that she would not hear it.

That was when she tied another knot and plucked the space between both knots like a guitar. She then found her hand raised and the blade pointed at the man. She felt her feet move forward yet she could not stop herself. It was like her body was not hers and was moving on its own. 

“Salynara!”

She could barely do a thing as she stepped closer and closer to the man. She wanted with all her will to stop, to drop the knife but there was nothing that she could do to do it. She felt herself shaking as she moved closer and closer to him. She wanted to drop the knife so much so that she could feel her hand and fingers twitching. She tried to close her eyes but could not. She then felt her knees and legs become weak and her legs were shaking terribly. This told her that the only reason that she was walking to him was due to whatever magic Salynara was using. She found that she was getting closer and closer but she was going slower as she took each step.

She wants to draw this out as much as possible.

At this she felt anger that she had never felt before! She was not only being humiliated but she was being forced to kill and the fairy that was behind it was enjoying every moment of it and wanted to draw it out as much as possible. She wanted to kill her. She had never felt like she wanted to kill anyone like this, ever. She was soon shaking with anger and every fibre of her being was filled with rage that she had never known. 

This is not fair! This is not right! How dare she do this to me! This witch has no right or authority to be doing this! The first moment I get I will kill her and if she comes back, I will kill her again! And if she still comes back after that, I will kill her again and again. Until she stays dead!

That was when she was about to reach the man when a red laser beam came out of nowhere and went straight through the heart and head. She felt her body drop as she looked back to see Otb holding the gun. She was stunned and grateful for him.

Cruel Sessions

Lasta had hardly spent three days in her cell and had not only stopped sulking but crying herself to sleep every night. She had never known how lonely she was there, but longed desperately for home and for all of this to end.

Salynara walked in. She had a sword in one hand and a dagger in the other. She put them away and uncuffed her. 

“You seem to be wasting away.” She commented.

She looked away. She did not want to look at her nor did she even want to focus on her. She just wanted her to disappear and never to see her again. Also she did not want to cry either.

At this she let out a lyrical laugh.

“I see… Tell me, how would you like to sleep in a proper bed?”

Far too much. But I know what you’re doing and I will not let you do it. I will not cry, I won’t!

Yet her curiosity could not help but be peaked. She did not wish to show it but she knew that it would have been obvious.

“I promise you. This is no trick. See, if you can beat me in a sparring match then you can sleep in a nice soft warm bed.” She said in a tone that was to put her at ease and lower her guard.

“And if I lose?”

She let out a sigh.

“Then you must agree to let me do, to you, whatever I wish for the next three days.”

She was still unconvinced that she was not telling her the truth.

“And if you still do not believe or trust me then I will bind the agreement with magic so that none of the parties involved will ever deny what was promised to the other. How does that sound?”

“Prove it!”

She smiled.

“Then you’re just going to have to trust me.”

“As if!”

Her face dropped slightly but she did not lose her composure. She then moved aside as a full English breakfast was brought in.

What is all this about?

“See, this is a full English breakfast! You can have it if you answer the question.”

She raised her eyebrow with a smirk.

“Why did you hug me the other day?”

Lasta looked aside. She did not want to answer that, yet the moment the aroma of the food hit her, her stomach growled. She felt a lump in her throat and knew that she was about to cry.

“Because-because-because I wanted one! I miss mum! I miss my dad and La- my brother! I miss home and I miss my bed! I miss my home and you’ve- you’ve been nothing but mean to me! And I- and I-I just wanted some comfort! So there!” She said as she broke into weeping, she felt like a dagger had been placed in her heart as she knew what she had just done.

She tried to stop herself from crying but she could not stop herself from releasing those years. She was about to wipe her tears away but Salynara caught them all in a test tube. She gripped the girl's head as she kept it there until she was done, by that time the test tube was filled half way. She put the cork on and put it away in her purse.

She put the plate next to her and wrapped her arms around her and stroked her hair.

“Oh, you poor thing! You’re right! I have been mean to you!” 

She then pulled away. 

“Eat up dear, you will be much better off!” She said in a loving tone. “You have been such a good girl. Thank you for the tears.”

She pulled away and gave her a knife and fork.

“I will come back later.” She said as she left. 

Lasta turned to the food and took a bite. To her surprise it tasted exactly like it was supposed to be. She tasted everything else and noticed that they were what they were supposed to be too. Nothing here was fake. Yet there was something else that she noticed too, this was the first full English breakfast that she ever had! After all, back home she always had cereal.

After this she took her blade in her hand. She looked at the blade and examined every detail.

That was when she felt like she should start building her body. So she started to do some push ups and sit ups. She jogged on the spot and went on to do some squats. After she took a break, suddenly she felt ready.

This was when Salynara walked in.

“Did you enjoy that?”

“Yes. Tell me, will you teach me how to cook like that?”

She let out a lyrical laugh.

“Sure, are you ready?” She asked with a motherly tone.

She nodded. They walked up the stairs and came to the ground floor. Then they walked out of the doors and walked outside. Lasta let in a long and deep breath. She never knew that fresh air was so thin and clear. It felt so good to breathe it in. She never knew that the light breeze could be so soothing. She did all that she could to enjoy the moment.

“Are you alright?”

“Yeah!”

She smiled.

“Are you ready?”

“Yes.”

“Then get to your position.”

She nodded. She looked around and noticed that there was a field with deep purple grass. She then looked at Salynara and they took their positions. She lowered herself into her fighting position. She looked up and spotted that Salynara was nowhere to be seen. She looked left and right. Then she remembered that she was a fairy. So she looked up and just in time too. She. Quickly moved out of the way and ran as she sent magic blast after magic blast at her. She spotted a rock and quickly picked it up. She threw it at her. It gave her an opening as she picked up another rock and threw it at her. She did this again and again until one hit. She ran to where she was going to land and slashed her blade up but this was blocked by her dagger in the air. 

Their blades scraped as she landed. She felt her body go to the side. She spun and met the other blade again. She tried to put her whole weight on to the blade, yet she could feel that Salynara was way stronger than her. She noticed that her arms were shaking as she felt the blade come closer and closer to her.

She kicked her in the shin which gave her an opening. She was about to kick the other but she noticed that there was a root around her ankle. She then pulled and pulled but she could not get it free. She looked up and spotted a splat of blood as her hands let go of the boat. She barely had time to understand when she felt a punch in the face.

The next moment she woke up in the cell. She sat up. She saw Salynara reading a book in a corner next to her. Yet she noticed that there was something over her. She looked down to see that there was a rag all over her. 

“You were quite good on the battlefield.”

“What?”

“You are supposed to say ‘thank you’.”

“‘Thank you’?”

She smiled as she closed the book. She got to her feet and put the cuffs back on. This told her that she was not going to like whatever she was about to do to her. She then felt the cuffs at her ankles. She closed her eyes in fear and dread.

She took out a test tube with purple liquid in it. She pressed her finger and thumb on her upper and lower eyelid. She opened them and placed a drop in her eye. She felt like her eye was on fire! She then pulled her hand away and she closed her eyes as she screamed out in pain. She pulled again and again at the cuffs. She then felt the other eye being forced open. She was about to beg her to stop but then she remembered the deal. Soon she felt the other eye feeling like it was on fire. She screamed and screamed. 

She found herself weaving in and out of conciseness. When she woke up she looked around and was relieved to find that she could still see. She also spotted that she could not only see but see in great detail. She looked around and as her eyes dropped to the keyhole, she could see the keyhole in great detail but also inside the keyhole clearly. It was at that moment that she saw that the cell was dark! She was seeing clearly in the dark!

Wow, that’s cool!

Then the light came on. She squinted slightly.

“You are awake! Good. Can you still see?”

“Yes.”

“Good.” She said as she came to her. 

She took out a vile of red liquid. 

“By the way those tears tasted so sweet. Just like blueberry muffins.”

She then opened her mouth and dropped a drop into her mouth. She soon felt like her tongue had thousands of needles in it. She could feel like the pain was getting too painful and she screamed and screamed. She soon found that she could not feel her tongue. She opened her mouth and smiled.

“Don’t worry. Your tongue is still there. Tell me, do you want me to stop?”

“Yes.”

“Then I will,just after this!”

She smiled as she took out a test tube with black liquid in it. She took out a needle. She pulled the liquid in. Then she gripped her arm.

“No! Please, no! Don’t do it!”

She put it in her arm. It was not the needle that hurt, it was what came after. She soon felt like there was fire in her vanes. She then spotted another needle and took some of her own blood and injected her blood into the girl. She felt like there were needles in her vanes, trying to force their way out of her and burst out of her body. She screamed and screamed until she could not. She felt her face and mouth cover in red foam.

Suddenly she was released and the pain died down. She cleaned and dressed her. She put her in a black robe with purple cuffs. She brushed her hair almost like a mother.  She then held her hand.

Lasta looked down and noticed that her skin was white! As in not a pale shade of creamy peach but as white as snow. Her nails were thicker and more like claws.

She looked up. Her guard was up. Salynara opened the door. She walked up to the highest level and in the centre of the castle. She opened the door to a bedroom. As she looked around to see that she was in none other than Salynara’s bedroom. She then cleaned her face and hair. She then guided her to a mirror.

She saw that her skin was white as paper. Her eyes were still mismatched but one the left was purple and the right red. Both looked like that of a cat with a slit. She noticed that her blond brown hair has become cosmic blue. She hardly recognized herself. Yet she screamed and she looked like a monster. She took a step back. She screamed and screamed blue murder.

She looked up at her horrified.

“What did you do to me?”

She smiled.

“I changed you, to fit my purposes. Tell me, do you like it?”

She looked at in horror and confused. Was she supposed to like it? No she was not. Yet she looked at it. She could not help but notice that she did. She may have looked scary, but she looked beautiful too. However she knew that there was more to it.

“Yes I do.”

Hold on, why did I say that? 

She smiled.

“Good. Now come.”

She followed.

They left the room and they walked back to the tower. She soon saw Otb chained to the wall. Next to him was a man that was in chains. Next to him was a small knife.

“Now, tell me, where is the white orb?”

“Like I will tell the likes of you.”

“Lasta, pass me the knife.”

She found her body walking over to the knife and took it in her hands. Her eyes widened in shock as she noticed that she was being very obedient right now.

Why? Why am I obeying her?

“What? Are you really going to use this child to hurt me?”

That was when she saw a flicker of a smile on her lips.

“Tell me, would you say if you knew that this would hurt the child more?”

“No.”

“Cut him in the arm.”

Before she knew it she flicked the blade across the arm. Both screamed at what had just happened.

“How?”

She looked around with a moment of shock. She could not believe what she had just done. She let out an ear piercing scream. She wanted to drop the blade but she knew that Salynara would not let it be that easy. She looked at her with pleading eyes.

“Wh-why?”

She smiled.

“Do it again.”

“No!”

She was too late. She struck. He did not cry out. She knew that was for her sake.

“Again. This time do it until he either says what I want to know or screams.”

She felt her arm flick to his arms again and again. She had to close her eyes as she felt tears fall from her eyes. She did not want to see what she was doing. She felt her powerlessness stinging her. She did not want to have any knowledge of what her hands and arms were doing. Then she felt the blood. At this she screamed.

“Make it stop! Make it stop! Please make me stop!”

“Open your eyes you foolish girl!”

Her eyes opened. She saw that she had taken chunks out of his arms. He looked at her as she took more out.

“Stop! It is found on Merth in a place called...”

He passed out.

“Drop the blade.”

She did. Hee hand shook uncontrollably. She collapsed. Salynara looked at the work she did. She smiled.

“Good work! Maybe…”

She looked down at the girl that was too deep in shock to register anything that she had said. She crouched in front of her. She took a tear and licked it.

“Those tears tasted good yet strange.”

Close To A Past Enemy

Lasta was crying. She had never known powerlessness like she did now nor being so alienated from her own body. A body she no longer fully controlled. A body that now haunted her very nightmares. She was utterly terrified of the moment that man woke up as she feared what she would be forced to do next. She trembled as she curled herself in a ball, not even wanting to look up. 

Help! Someone! Anyone, help! I can’t take it! I can’t take this! Please I’m begging you, help! Please, I saved you! The least that you can do is save me!

That was when the door opened. She let out a gasp as her body froze. Her body shook as she closed her eyes as she drew herself in closer. She felt herself shaking all over.

No! Stay away! Go away! I don’t want you to see you!

Then she felt a hand on her head.

“Here I thought that my life was bad!” Otb remarked. “At least I got a mattress!”

She looked up. She dared not to say anything. He wrapped his hands around her and placed a kiss on her forehead.

“Thank you.”

He smiled.

“It’s alright. You will be alright. We will get out of this.”

She looked at him in nothing but despair.

"How?! She has all the power! She has these bracelets, she has magic and she can control me to do whatever she wants! So ho-”

He slapped her. She looked at him stunned as she put a hand on her cheek. He leaned in and pointed at her in her face.

“Because we are stronger than she thinks. Believe me, regardless of what she does, she will not win! If any of those rumours of us are in any way true!”

She looked up at him, her guard still up, yet she wanted to hear more of what he had to say. Yet she looked at the bracelet and her heart sank. She thought about the day before.

“You think so? Looks like it’s just you that’s strong.”

He shook his head.

“Just hold on. You need to get out of here and I do too.” He said as he fidgeted with her cuff. “After all, there are many things that I want to do but I can’t with a girl like you here.”

“L-like?”

He smiled and gave a strange look that she did not like.

“I think that I might tell you when we’re older. Though I think that, that should be explained to you by your mother. After all, I don’t think that Saly will!”

She felt body relax as she thought about her mother. She wanted to see her, more than ever.

“Yeah. That’s if I see her again.”

He replaced his smile.

“Don’t worry. You will. See we will get out of this place and break these bracelets. Then we will find a way to break your curse. So hold on and stay strong and don’t let her get to you.”

She let a shadow of a smile appear on her lip. That was when Salynara came in. She smiled as she looked at Otb.

“Come along you two! Oh and Otb, should you disobey me again, I will make her torture you too.”

Lasta closed her eyes. As she felt her legs slide down and stood on her feet.

“Please don’t.”

“Don’t what?”

“Don’t make me hurt people again.” She begged, with a tone that had exposed just how close she was to tears.

She walked over to her. She placed a hand on her shoulder. She smiled and looked at her pleased. She placed a hand on her cheek.

“I’m sorry, but I will make you hurt more and more people and you will do it.”

She looked down.

“Why? What do you want? Why do you want me to do it?”

She smiled.

“You will see, or at least you will find out.” She said as they walked out holding her hand. 

She looked aside as she wanted to back away but she could not. She wanted to scream but knew better than to. She felt her legs move like they were made of lead. It seemed like she was walking to her death. No, death would have been easier. Yet she found that she was now in a bigger cell with two slabs.

“Wh-”

“You will be sleeping in the same cell tonight. If you behave, you will get your room back.” She said to Otb.

Lasta looked at him with envy as a lump appeared in her throat.

“Why don’t I get one?” She asked before she could stop herself.

She smiled.

“Because you lost.”

“Oh yeah.” She said as the lump increased.

Her hand tensed up in a fist as she tried not to cry. She soon walked in and she was cuffed to the right slab and Otb was cuffed to the left.

“Are you really chaining her up?”

“Yes. Why?”

“Why? She’s just a child! She is barely fourteen for goodness sake!”

She looked at Otb stunned at this. However, Salynara smiled.

“I know. Which is why she is way picking.” She sang. “Plus, did you not try and fail to kill her while she was in her childhood?”

“That was different and you know it!”

She cocked her eyebrow. She smiled as she closed the door.

“Sweet dreams.” She sang as she closed the door. 

She heard the door lock and Lasta curled up as she felt cold. She started to shiver as the cold sank into her bones. She became slow of mind. She closed her eyes and was soon asleep. 

She walked down the corridors in her dreams. She saw the dead bodies of King Elric and Queen Elrica. She walked on and saw the moment that Salynara almost made her kill. She came to the end and saw the way that she was forced to torture that man. She suddenly spotted that he was dead. She looked down to see that her hand was covered with blood.

She woke up screaming. She looked down at her hands and saw that there was no blood in her hands. She let out a sigh. She then felt the tears flow as she curled up. She pushed her hands in her hands. She shook uncontrollably as she rocked.

“Shh… shh…” Otb whispered as he held her hand.

She felt warmth almost flood her. It was the first time she had felt it for a long time. She drew closer to him. She leaned in and could hear his heart. She felt it comforted her and his voice calmed her.

“Thank you.” She cried. 

He tightened his grip slightly. 

“Thank you, thank you, thank you!”

He smiled as he continued to warm her up. It shocked him how cold the girl was. It shocked him just how she was more than grateful she was of him. He placed a kiss on her forehead. He continued to rock her to sleep. He did this until he too was asleep.

When they woke, Lasta seemed sombre and yet she had such a sorrowful look. She missed her mother and, after the night before, how he comforted her and rocked her to sleep. She missed her more.

“It’s alright. I will not hurt you!” He said as Salynara came in.

At seeing her she backed away into a corner. The cold feeling came back.

“How evil are you?”

She frowned.

“What do you mean?”

“Last night she was as cold as ice! Are you trying to kill her or something?” He shouted pointing at her.

Possibly. She thought as she looked down.

“Not yet. And how did you know about that?”

“She had a nightmare and when I placed a hand on her she was as cold as ice!”

“So, do you wish to sleep in your bedroom?”

“Not unless she has one too! She is a child! She’s supposed to be in her home with her parents!”

She cocked her eyebrow.

“True. Also how old are you?”

“Fifteen. Why!”

She smiled 

“Alright.”

“Thank you.”

She looked at her and smiled.

Death Of Innocence 

Lasta woke up. She felt something around her, keeping her warm. She noticed that it was a rag and yes she seemed to be clinging to it. It was the only thing that kept her from feeling the ice that always seemed to make her quiver. She slipped off the slab. She was glad to not have to feel those cuffs, apart from the one that kept her there. 

She noticed a small bird beneath her. It was small and light blue and pink.

She looked down and outstretched her hand. It looked at the palm suspiciously. Then it looked at her yet, after seeing there was no danger, jumped into it. She cupped it in her hands as she smiled. She stroked it with her thumb. She smiled however she could not help but feel envious of that small sparrow. It was free and had a home to go to. She knew that it could go back to wherever its mother and father were and get comfort from them. It could fly and go wherever it wanted.

Suddenly a thought crossed her mind. One that was horrible and she knew that she did not like. Yet in a strange way, she did at the same time. It would give her some type of control in her life.

What if I crushed it right here and now? What if I tore off its wings and I kept it as a pet? At least I won’t feel so lonely. That way at least I can have someone that I can talk to.

No! That would make me as bad as Salynara! How could I even think of doing something like that?!

She then let her hands fall flat and the sparrow flew through the bars. She knelt down and cried at what she was about to do. Out of loneliness no doubt! 

That was when she saw a flash. She looked up and out of the window. She soon saw the bird. Its feathers had become black and crisp as small flames were scattered all over its tiny body. She turned back to the door, shocked at what Salynara had just done. She walked up and collected her tear and drank it. Her smile was cold.

“Come.”

She followed. Her mind could not get that dead bird out of her head. She soon saw the man. He looked as if he was on the verge of death. There was a pool of blood underneath him.

“Clean it up.” She said, giving her a cloth and a bucket.

She caught a glimpse of Otb cuffed to the wall as she took the bucket and started to clean. She did it until the cloth was filled with blood. She refreshed it and did this again and again. She could feel the foul smell cling to the back of her throat like mucus. 

“Good, now bring it over here.”

She did as she gave her a needle and thread. 

“Now clean him.”

She did.

“Stitch up that wound.”

“I don’t know how.” She said, her voice was barely a whisper and felt hollow.

“Then let me teach you.” She said as she took an area with a deep cut. Then after lighting a fire at the tip put it into his flesh and started to stitch it back together. Lasta copied. She did this again and again until all the wounds were attended to.

“Good girl.” She said, passing her a bucket. “Clean your hands.”

“Where’s the soap?”

“What is soap?”

Of course she wouldn’t know what that is!

“Nevermind!”

She wiped off the blood from her hands. She then slumped down.

“Did you get what you wanted out of him?” She asked, trying not to focus upon all that she had just done.

“Yes. We will be leaving in a month’s time.”

She nodded.

She then noticed that Salynara started to smile. She closed her eyes in dread as she felt a lump form in the back of her throat. She knew that she was not going to like what was going to happen next. She opened her eyes again, knowing that there was no avoiding it.

“Now there is no need to keep him alive.” She said, calmly and clinically. “And Otb is chained up so there is no stopping it, this time.”

She felt shock and horror ripple throughout her body like electricity. She knew now why Otb was chained up. She felt a wet cloth in her hands.

“Now put this over his mouth and do not relent until he is dead.”

Her face and jaw dropped. Her eyes widened and her heartbeat increased. She felt her body shaking and she shook her head as she stepped back.

“No. Just no. Please no! Don’t! Not this, please!”

She felt her body rise up and move closer and closer to the man. She felt her mouth over his mouth.

“Stop it! Just stop it! Please stop it! Don’t make me do this! Please don’t make me do this! Please stop it! Just please stop it!” She shouted. “Please don’t do this! Don’t make me do this! Please, I’m begging you! I’ll do anything! I’ll be good! I’ll do whatever you want just don’t make me do this? Anything but this! Don't make me kill!”

She felt the man wake and twitch. She felt him try and pull away but there was no space behind him. He twitched as he pulled at his cuffs again and again. He started to shout but his words of anger were muffled. Then his voice silenced, his body dropped, the cloth dropped.

Lasta let out a scream. She screamed and screamed. She looked at her pale white hands. They were now covered with death and yet there was no blood. She let out another scream. She felt the tears come and they flowed. She closed her eyes as she dug the heels of her hands into her eyes. She wept and as she did Salynara walked up to her. She pulled her wrists away and started to wipe them off and drink her tears.

“Stop it!” She shouted as she punched her. 

“Leave me alone! What did I ever do to you to deserve this? Why are you doing this?” She screamed as she punched her again and again and again.

“Stop.”

Her fist stopped in mid air.

She smiled.

“Good, good girl.

Nightmares 

She was brought into a room with a bed with black satin sheets and roll shaped pillows. Beneath it was a pentagram that glowed lavender. At the side was a black wood fireplace that was lit with blue fire. She noticed that there was a black wood wardrobe. Opposite that was a built in bath with runes at the top that was glowing green.

“Nice room.”

Salynara smiled.

“I am glad you like it.” She said as she closed the door. “You need to cheer up. Here let me help you.”

She took off her rag and helped the girl into the bath. There, she helped clean her. She felt the water soothe her skin and it was strangely warm, even though she knew that it was colder than it felt. She poured the water on her hair and cleaned the hair. She pulled her out and wrapped a black towel around her body. She soon dried her hair and body and guided her to the black wardrobe. She pulled out a black and crimson nightgown. She noticed that it was too small for Salynara and resisted the temptation to believe that it was for her.

She could feel the lump in her throat as she used her magic to light a fire in the fireplace tuning blue to normal. She felt her breath quickening.

“Come on, I am sure that it has been a long time since you last slept on a proper bed.”

She nodded as she walked up to the bed. She was about to place a hand on the bed but she stopped.

“Th-this ain't- this ain’t a trick, is it?” She asked, with a higher pitch to her voice that exposed how close she was to tears.

“No.” She replied planting a kiss on her head near the partih in her hair.

She slowly slid in and as she felt the comfortable bed she felt a tear fall. Salynara wiped it away and licked it. She let a strange smile spread across her lips. She then heard him a tune as she stroked her hair and she was soon sound asleep.

She was walking a long corridor. It was dark and cold. She could feel the ice stone underneath her bare feet. She looked around to see the arches of the corridor were well covered with thorny vines. She reached out and could feel the edges. She wondered how she got there. She shook her head and walked on.

She came to o a set of double doors made of black wood with a dragonfly on each door with a red lily for a doorknob. She opened it to see that it was the hall of the Seelie Court. Her eyes dropped to see King Elric and Queen Elrica on the floor in the centre of the room. As soon as she walked in she saw their heads move up to see her. She jumped slightly. She walked up close to them. They sprang to their feet. They were still bearing the wounds that Salynara had given them!

How? How are they even alive? 

She ran up to tham and wrapped her arms around them.

“I’m sorry! I didn’t stop her! I couldn’t stop her! I'm so glad that you’re alive! I don’t care how!” She sobbed.

Then she smelt it; the stench of death. Then she heard the buzzing of flies. She looked up at the unresponsive eyes of the fairy queen to see that her gaunt and far too pale face was swollen with a maggot eating away at her cheek. She opened her mouth with a receding gum and her rotten and swollen tongue. She knew that they were not alive.

“No! We will never forgive you!”

“You failed! And now we are dead!”

She woke up screaming. She soon felt arms wrap around her. 

“Shhh, it was only a nightmare. It was only a nightmare.” Salynara whispered in her ear.

She found herself clinging to Salynara as she stroked her back. She held her hand as she stroked the back of her hand. She shushed her back to sleep.

She found herself back in the room where the dead bodies of Queen Elrica and King Elric were. She crouched to notice that they were not moving and she moved on. She came to a set of double doors opposite the ones that she came in. She then opened it and in the room ahead she saw the man that she was controlled to kill.

He pulled out a knife. As she looked into his eyes she could tell that he too was a zombie. He staggered over to her. He drew his hand up and swung at her like a drunken man. She dodged out of the way. She then drove a kick up and hit his chin which broke off and then maggots landed on her feet! Then they dug in her flesh. She screamed and screamed as the icey pain rose in her ankle.

She was soon back awake, screaming. She still felt the pain in her ankle. She pulled the sheet away and spotted that there was bleeding where the maggots had bitten into her ankle!

How? What is going on? What even is this?

“What spell are you using?”

“You’re quicker than most. It took Otb two days to figure that out. Even though he is only two or three years older than you!”

She gave her a cup. 

“Here, you must be thirsty.”

Lasta looked at it. She could feel her mouth and throat were like a desert. She closed her eyes. She knew that it was tampered with but she was far too thirsty to care. She took it and gulped it down. Her throat and mouth were a little better. Yet she soon became drowsy. She tried to keep awake but then Salynara started to stroke her hair. She did this slowly and this caused her to fall into a trance. This caused her to become even more drowsy. She blinked until she closed her eyes. She tried to cling to consciousness but this proved useless. She slipped back into her Dreamworld.

She noticed that that man was dead beside her. She  moved on knowing that she did not concern herself with him. She soon walked to the other end and opened the door. She saw that Salynara was there. She held a sword in her hand. She closed the door behind her.

Suddenly the walls turned to fire. She threw the sword to her. She caught it. She walked up to her.

“The rules are simple. If I strike you I put your hand into the fire. If you strike me then you can do the same to me.”

“Why are you doing this?”

“You will see in time.”

“Why are we fighting like this?”

“You will see that in time too.”

“Why are you not gonna tell me now?”

She smiled.

“You shall see in time.”

“Why?”

“You will see that in time too. After all, it is too soon.”

“What has that got to do with any of this?”

“It is too soon to know that too.”

“But not too young to be tortured? Not too young to be homeless? Not too young to be controlled to kill?”

She smiled. 

“It is all part of the process!”

“What process?”

“You will see in time. Now let us commence with the battle!”

She raised her blade and ran at her. Her mind went over all of the things that the fairy had put her through. She swung up with all her power. Both blades hit. Both put their strength into the point of the collision. Seeing that their blades were shaking, Lasta put more pressure into it. She subconsciously bent her knees and pushed onwards. 

Salynara pulled away and she fell forward. She got onto her feet just in time to see the blade fall upon her. She blocked it in time as she knelt. This gave her a more secure stance. She then kicked her in the shin and she was back on the ground. She spun and dug her heel into her gut. She did this again and again ten times. Drawing one leg forward and back after the other. She then put her feet together and got up. She hit her as she grabbed her sword and slashed whatever was closest.

She heard the swing of the other sword. She looked down to see a deep cut in her shoulder. She let out a scream. Suddenly she could not move! Salynara gripped her by the back of the neck. She dragged her to the flames. She dug her hand into the fire. She screamed even louder as the pain was not anything like she had felt before!

She soon woke up and it was day.

She felt something sticky on her hand and saw that her hand was covered in blood! Then she felt the sting in her arm. She saw that there was blood there too!

“Good work.”

She soon cleaned the girl up. Then dressed her in a black cotton robe. She looked at the girl and smiled satisfied. 

Lost Control

“Where are you taking me?”

“Patience, you will soon see.”

“I wanna know now!”

She let out a lyrical laugh as they came to a set of double doors. She saw that they were identical to the ones in her nightmares. She knew that she was not going to like this. Even worse was that she felt a distracting hunger that came from hardly eating anything. She could feel that this ill feeling made her sweat. She was barely awake but she knew that she would have to stay as awake as she could. 

“Yes, you are to stay in this room for the day.”

“Why?”

“It is part of the process.”

“What process? Why are you doing this? I don’t understand!”

“You will, in time.” She said as she opened the door.

She led the girl in and walked back out, shutting the door behind her. Leaving her alone in the dark. She hoped that it would not be too bad but knew better than to entertain that. She curled up on the floor clutching her hungry stomach. Felt like she was nothing here. 

She closed her eyes, hoping that sleep would dull the pain of hunger. Yet she could not help but cry.

Suddenly she heard some indistinguishable whispering in her ear. She thought that she could feel breath in her ear. She looked to her left only to see that there was nobody there.

I’m going mad! She thought as she shook her head. 

She got up and sat. Suddenly she saw an apple in front of her. She reached her hand out and took it. It no longer mattered if it was poisoned. In fact she would have preferred that it was. She bit into it only for it to have a strange taste to it. Almost as if it was only an echo of an apple. She closed her eyes and as she took another bite it vanished. However, something told her that it was never there to begin with.

She then thought about her past. Everything that led to this point. She thought about her mother, father and brother. What was his name again? What did he look like again? She felt shock strike her from the fact that she had forgotten her own brother’s name! Even worse, she had forgotten what he looked like! She tried to remember her mother’s face but even that slipped away from her mind. Her father too!

She went on to think about all that she had done, yet even all that slipped her mind the moment that it appeared. She knew that she had done a great deal, she tried to remember Santa, the Easter Bunny, the Tooth Fairy, everything slipped away. Soon she did not know who or what they even were!

"My name is Lasta Coop. My name is Lasta Coop. My name is Lasta Coop! My name is Lasta Coop! My name is Lasta Coop! MY NAME IS LASTA COOP! MY NAME IS LASTA COOP! MY NAME IS LASTA COOP!” She repeated over and over and over again.

If there was one thing that she could hang into, it was that! She gripped it in her mind and held onto it for dear life. She put all of her being into it.

“My name is… my name is… oh, what was it? Oh! I know it! It’s, it’s, it’s-”

She broke into tears. 

“What is it? What is it?”

She tried to think hard about it. She remembered saying it but she could not remember what she had said. It was a cloud in her head. She then found it unable to put into words what was going through, not because she could not put it into words, but because she could not even remember the words. So she could do nothing but cry. This soon turned to weeping.

Salynara walked in and out a vial under her eyes. She kept them under them until they were filled. She placed a hand on her head and suddenly all her memories returned. She still was crying even after.

“Come.”

“Has it been a day?”

“Yes.”

She followed her out of the room.

“So how long was it to you?”

“An hour…I think…”

She smiled.

“How long did it seem to you to lose all your memories?”

“I think that it was about five minutes.”

“Are you sure?”

At this she kept quiet.

“No?”

“Tell me, do you think that your memories are real? If so, how would you know?”

Her eyes widened at that. There was nothing that she could say or do in her defence. She had nobody but Otb to assure her that her past was real.

“Was that your plan?”

“What plan?”

“What you put me through. This process, all of this, was all part of your plan, wasn’t it?”

She smiled.

“How do you know that those memories are real? How do you know that I did not put them in your mind just to mess around with you?”

She bit her lip. She realised that even though she had her memories back, she could no longer trust them. She looked down and she made another realisation come to her, if she could no longer trust her memories then she could not trust her identity was the one that she had. After all, how could she trust that her identity was who she said she was?

She looked down feeling both disheartened and enraged. She wanted to do nothing but kill this fairy witch. She had taken everything from her and gave her nothing in return.

“Then who am I?”

“I will tell you.” She said as they entered another room. “In all due time!”

There was a young fairy woman in the room. She was cut from head to toe. She could hardly speak as she looked at them with nothing but shock.

She closed the door behind them. She felt a blade in her hand. She placed a hand on the back of her head. Suddenly every memory of Salynara and all that she had done, she stopped seeing Salynara and saw this fairy instead. She looked at Salynara as she felt more memories enter her mind. She saw the fairy kill her parents and her brother. She saw every grim and brutal detail. It was so bad that she was filled with anger and rage from head to toe.

She charged at her and quickly slit her throat. She did this again and again until her hand was covered with blood and her sight was filled with tears.

Then Salynara placed her hand in her head again. All her memories returned. She let out a scream that could have woken the dead. She then threw up. She bowed her head forward and wept.

"Tell me, is your identity that important to you?"

She threw a punch at her.

Salynara laughed.

“Tell me, if you can not control your memories, how much control do you have?”

Weapon

Lasta looked down. She stared at the floor of her cell. She was filled with sorrow and she felt completely lost. She could no longer trust her memories and she could no longer trust that she knew who she was. This had broken her in ways that she was far too young to comprehend. Nor did she have the words for. She had to question everything and she knew that she could not trust any moment of her memories before she entered this castle. This fortress of darkness.

She barely looked up as Salynara walked in. She barely reacted as she placed a hand on her back. Yet once she raised her hand to her head she covered it.

“Don’t! Just don’t.”

She smiled.

“So you were able to figure that out, were you?”

“Why? Why me? Why is it always me? Why can’t I have a normal life? Why can’t I be allowed to go to school and have friends? WHY CAN’T THESE ADVENTURES JUST LEAVE ME ALONE!”

“Have I not told you? You will know in time.”

“No. Now!”

“Are we not being brave?”

“Don’t care.”

“Then I will make you care.”

She took her hand. 

“What are you-”

“Get to your feet.”

She was standing before she knew it. However she did not care that she had complete control over her body and mind. She just wanted to know why or, at least, come to the end of all of this. She did not care how she came to the end of this. Only that it did.

“Come with me.”

She followed her down many corridors of the castle. She was dately taking any notice of where she was going nor where they had been. It was like there was a dark filter in her mind that nothing could get through. She did not want anything to get through.

“You seem to be very quiet.”

“Got nothing to say.”

She let that lyrical laugh out that she had started to loathe. She felt that murderous rage ran throughout her. Yet, she could not help but not trust that either. After all, if she could not control her memories then she could use that control to make her hate her.

She soon looked up and spotted a man in the room. Next to him were a few medical tools. She knew what this was all about and what was about to happen.

“Tell me, Steen. What place does this map belong to?”

“As if I will take the likes of you!”

“Tell me, is it true that your religion dictates that if you were to be tortured or killed by a child you would go to the Demon Realm?”

At this he looked at her and then at Lasta in nothing but horror. Salynara smiled. She placed a hand on his cheek.

“Now, if you don’t tell me, girl, cut his forearm.”

She walked up to them and picked up a scalpel. 

“What world does this map belong to?”

“This one.”

“Which island?”

He remained silent. Lasta cut. He let out a grunt.

“Again.”

She cut him again.

“Avalon!”

“The isle of apples? Interesting… It would have never occurred to me to look there... Are you lying to me?”

“No. I swear!”

“Swear on something meaningful.”

He kept quiet.

“Cut him.”

She did.

“No! Stop!”

“Then swear on something meaningful then!”

“My place in the heavens!”

She smiled.

“Then I will hold you to that.” She said as she turned away. “Come, girl. Time for us to make some breakfast.”

They left the cell and Salynara locked the door behind them.

“So. How do you feel after that?”

“Nothing.” She said, yet this caused a ripple of shock, to run throughout her body. “Why didn’t I feel anything?”

She let out a laugh.

“The better question is, child, why would you?”

She frowned, not understanding the question.

“What do you mean? I should’ve felt something! Shock, sorrow, hate! I should’ve felt something!”

“Why?”

“What?”

“Do you think that this expectation is drawn from your memories?”

“I-” She stopped, suddenly realising that she was right.

But I can’t trust those memories. Why did I expect to feel anything?

“I will tell you at the right time.”

“It's ’cause you’re evil. You’re just evil! Ain’t you?”

“Maybe!” She sang.

Of course! Why didn’t I think of that earlier?

Maybe because I thought that there was another motive behind her actions.

“What?”

“I was wondering why I didn’t think of that earlier. Or if I ever thought of that!”

“Maybe you did.” She said as they walked down a flight of stairs and opened the door.

She then looked around at the kitchen that was still stuck in the mediaeval era. 

“Now, time for your training.” She said as she instructed the girl how to cook. She then went on to forcing her to repeat it again and again until she not only got it but could do it in her sleep. She then cleaned up thoroughly.

“Put this in the bowl for the prisoner.”

She took a pink vial and poured it in the bowl. She knew that it was poison but she did not care. She took a spoon and stirred it. 

“Now, I want you to know that this is our signature weapon.”

“What? I don’t remember you using poison!” She retorted.

She looked at her shocked for a moment but regained her composure.

“No. I mean poison, poison is a woman’s weapon.”

She nodded.

I don’t think that I need to keep that in mind. After all, she could get rid of that when she feels like it.

“Oh.”

“Now come.”

They both walked up and soon opened the door that led to the man. He looked at Salynara in nothing but anger.

“I suppose that you must be hungry.”

“Yes.”

“Give him our soop.”

She walked up to him and took the spoon out.

Don’t feed him that! A voice said in her head.

She put it in. He then soon ate the spoonful. He swallowed it.

“Feed him more.”

She put more in his mouth.

“Thank-”

That was when he started coughing and blood came out of his mouth. His stomach was set alight. This travelled up and it eclipsed his body.

Lasta jumped back in shock.

“What a horrible way to die!”

“So, do you feel anything now?”

She shivered.

“Was that what all of that was all about?” She snapped trying not to vomit.

“Clean up now.”

She felt defeated as her body moved to clean the mess up.