The Village / The Town

A/N: Wrote this for the Halloween 2026 contest. It's on the more darker side of things. Please vote/comment/give constructive criticism/all of the above if you feel like!

PART 1: THE VILLAGE

The water rippled around her as she dipped beneath and then resurfaced. Rubbing her eyes, she opened them and smiled at her peaceful surroundings, glad to have found somewhere for herself. Far away from the wretched village of the daeva that she never felt truly a part of. But she needed to be back soon.

Sighing, she relaxed against a rock protruding from the water and stared at the setting sun. What she wouldn't give to stay here forever. She still couldn't risk running away. Her fingers traced the brand on her shoulder, the one that the chief's son had felt fit to burn into her skin when she'd dared to try escaping.

With that in mind, she slowly made her way back to the grassy land of this beautiful meadow, promising herself to come here every chance she got. She'd been fortunate enough to sneak here while everyone was too busy with more wedding preparations. The one between that pig of a chief and yet another young bride he was taking.

Before she could make it back, she caught sight of a ripple through the water. Ruika was about to turn around to see what it was when a rough, calloused hand covered her mouth, an act she'd become all too familiar with. Her own went flying to his instinctively as his other arm wound around her middle and his hard chest pressed to her back. Ruika struggled, but she may as well have had the strength of a child.

"You never told me you liked coming to such a beautiful place," his timbering voice murmured in her ear teasingly. "How shall I punish my slave for yet another thing she tried to keep hidden from me?"

A line of light kisses trailed across her jawline, and she felt his erection against her back side. A muffled sound of protest escaped, and she tried hard to pull his hand away. Nuakuora, the chief's son, merely laughed playfully and pulled her back with him. She could do nothing as he turned with her and lifted her slightly, then bent her over the very rock she'd been relaxing against. His muscular thighs spread her legs wide, and she tried to scream when he situated himself between her legs. With no more preamble, he eased into her and moaned.

"You have no idea how much I needed you," he grunted out as he began moving. "Every annoying idiot I had to deal with today... I ought to punish you for disappearing when I get you back home."

Thrusting deeper and moving faster, his nails dug into her hips, and he moaned louder. The tight grip over her mouth nearly suffocated her, the wet surface of the rock beneath her digging into her breasts. Her gasps were muffled, her own nails digging into his hand in a useless attempt to cause enough pain for him to pull it away. He paid her no mind as his hips set a punishing pace in and out of her, even as her hot tears ran down her cheeks and onto the large hand that continued to gag her.

With a few more thrusts, he came, nails digging harder into her skin as he groaned loudly in her ear. Ruika flinched when he spilled all his seed inside her, his hands roaming all over her body, the heavy, satisfied breathing right next to her ear when he lay against her. She tried once more to get him out of her, but both his strong frame and the hard rock allowed nearly no movement.

"You're such a good fuck," her owner rasped, pressing another series of slow kisses to her cheek and neck. His fingers ran over the brand. "Even if I have to punish you, I'll be sure to give a little more to your family this month."

He told her this every time he would take her. Gift her family after he violated her, though she didn't know why he felt he needed to do that. As the chief's first born, he could do whatever he wanted to whoever he chose as long as they were of a lesser status.

Her family were definitely low status in this village. Her father had sold her to him in exchange for payment. That itself made more tears run down her cheeks. Made her wish she could run away from it all. If only she had the means.

She thought she'd only be doing housework and nothing more, but Nuakuora had other ideas. She'd only been at his service for a day before he'd snuck into her room while his three wives and many children were asleep and climbed into her bedroll. For all her struggling, she could do nothing as he lay over her and thrust in deep, his hand pressing against her mouth when she cried out from the pain. Always gagging her and telling her to be silent so as not to wake the rest of the house. Or the rest of the village, he'd said as he laughed while she let out pathetic puffs of air against that sweaty hand.

"You're such a beauty," he'd whispered in her ear, his hands running all over her body as he shattered her innocence over and over. "So young and soft, unlike my older wives. I will reward your family for this."

His promises did nothing to comfort her. They never did and she cursed her supposed beauty for all this. Her large, mossy green eyes. Her long, red hair. Her tall stature and clear, pale skin that was a complete contrast to most of the other girls in the village, much darker than she or even the chief's family were. No one knew who her real mother was, but one thing was clear - she wasn't from this village. The only thing her father had told her was that she'd set a newborn Ruika on her father's doorstep and had left without so much as being heard or seen by anyone. Ruika's father had always acted harshly towards her, but she'd never thought he would do this.

Finally pulling out of her and letting her go, it took her a few moments to gather herself. Wiping her tears away, she finally turned to him. Nuakuora stood with his back to her, washing himself in the very river she thought she could escape to for a couple of hours. His blonde hair, fashioned into its usual spiked mohawk, shone in the sun. His tanned skin stretched over large muscles. When he would look at her, his turquoise coloured eyes hungrily followed each of her movements and eyed her curves. Bile rose in her throat. Even now, after everything he'd done, he refused to see or acknowledge how much damage he'd caused.

He was a handsome one, his tall height nearly matching her own. Only slightly taller than her. All the girls would fall head over heels trying to please him. Trying to be chosen to spend even an hour in his bed. Yet here she was. The one he took in.

And Ruika hated him. Hated all of them for allowing any of this to happen.

***

"Slave!" Suroomie snapped, waving her hand at her. "Get your lazy ass here and help the others clean up more. This place is filthy and we can't have that when people visit after the wedding."

Ruika looked about the nearly spotless grand hut belonging to the chief. Though he had his own slaves, it was expected for his oldest son to lend his own helping hands to get everything ready faster.

Ruika cast her eyes down, bowing her head and moving past Suroomie quickly. She didn't want another punishment - she was already aching in places that made her flush with humiliation as she tried desperately not to think about everything that had happened earlier.

As she worked, she suddenly felt the sharp sting of pain across the back of her thighs. Ruika yelped and flinched. Everyone stilled for mere seconds before averting their eyes and focusing more intensely on their work.

"Faster, you slow creature!" Suroomie commanded. Ruika felt the heat rising in her face. Before she could do as she was told, two more lashes followed, and she cried out.

It didn't stop there. Suroomie's bloodthirst would not let it stop. A few more lashes across her back, and Ruika finally tumbled to the ground, tears streaming out of her eyes. She looked behind her, willing Nuakuora's third wife to show mercy. Cold, dark eyes stared back down at her as Suroomie lifted the bamboo stick in her hand, readying another strike.

"Suroomie, stop!"

At that moment, the voice of Nuakuora's second wife, Laranim, cut through the air. Suroomie paused and glared over at her. Laranim rushed forward and ripped the bamboo stick out of her hand.

"What have you done?! Look at her. Nuakuora would not be pleased."

Suroomie scoffed and rolled her eyes. "We'll just say she was being unruly again and we had to put her in her place."

Laranim sighed and looked down at Ruika. She was still hunched over, tears streaming as she cast her eyes down. Her heart pounded. The wives always backed each other no matter what, and Nuakuora would always take their word for it. Sometimes, he would use it as his own excuse. Not that he really needed any.

"Enough of this. You two," Laranim hissed. "Get her out of here and clean the bloody mess."

Two sets of hands wrapped around her trembling arms and helped her up. The women led her away, and once they were out of earshot, murmured soothing words to her as they took care of the wounds on her back and legs.

***

It was far past the wedding celebrations that he sought her out. He'd come into her section of the slave quarters - somewhere where he kept her isolated from the others. He stank of sharp whisky and rum, stumbling over and telling her that Suroomie had told him interesting things tonight.

"You ought to be more thankful," Nuakuora breathed as she let out another sound of protest. Her cheek still stung after he'd slapped her when she'd tried to refuse tonight's advances.

She kept gagging whenever he hit the back of her throat, but he didn't care. Forcing herself to keep her mouth open, Ruika didn't dare to bite down. He towered over her after he'd ordered her onto her knees, his fingers painfully tugging at her hair as he shoved his cock in and out of her mouth.

"I give you all this, give more to your family then they deserve, yet you still dare to be ungrateful for all of it. I ought to just throw you out and take another girl."

Her hands were still on his thighs, instinctively trying to push him away or at least slow him down. Her right one ached, still wrapped up after what Suroomie had done. The jealous woman had sought her out with her own henchmen during the wedding celebrations, then arranged an 'accident'.

With a few more hard thrusts, he came into her mouth and didn't let go until she swallowed his load. Breathing heavily, he reached down and caressed her sore cheek.

"There's a good slave."

Backing away after a moment, Ruika stared after him as he left her kneeling there. The moment he was gone, she stood to her feet. Going to the waterskin, she washed out her mouth and crawled into her bedroll, curling into herself and rubbing her right hand idly. At least, there would be no more of it tonight. Hopefully.

As she stared at her surroundings, that dark feeling inside crept up again. And so did the shadows around her, until they covered her once more, filling her with peace. She never found this strange anymore. It had begun happening months ago...

Ruika rushed about the hut with the other servants, cleaning everything she needed to. The family will be back soon, and everything needed to be done by the time they returned. She was thankful that he'd chosen to leave her behind tonight.

Afterwards, they all sat with each other in the slaves' kitchen, talking and eating. Ruika listened as the others gossiped. She never felt quite like she belonged here and the others were happy to mostly ignore her even if they were never cruel. She was just too quiet.

Sometime later, she lay in her bedroll, still wide awake. Nuakuora had whispered to her in the midst of the chaos of his family's return that she should be ready for him. That he needed her services tonight.

Her heart was in her throat as his large hand drew back the curtain to her resting quarters, away from the other slaves. She froze beneath his glare, his eyes sweeping the length of the blanket covering her body, still able to see that she was clothed.

"I thought I told you to be ready for me," he murmured. Walking to her, he crouched and gripped her blanket. With a flick of his wrist, he threw it aside and climbed on top.

Ruika flinched, her hands instinctively pressing flat against his chest, but he was already spreading her legs open with his own. She opened her mouth to plead. Before she could, his thumb brushed her lips, followed by his own. When he backed away, he looked at her adoringly.

"My wives told me a curious thing, slave," he whispered, caressing her face. "They told me you were a strange creature, that those sounds you make weren't to stop me but to invite other men into our bed. Is that the truth?"

Ruika looked up at him in shock, her mouth drying out. How was she to explain it was because she was afraid of him, did not want him to touch her that way? She was nothing but a lowly slave, after all.

She squirmed under his gaze, and he let out a low laugh. Then, his hand covered her mouth just like he had the first time, when he'd forced himself on her just days ago, and he leaned down to trail kisses from her cheek to her neck.

"Ah, my mischievous, lustful creature," he whispered in her ear. His other hand reached down to undress them both and Ruika tried to struggle, eyes wide and heart racing. She should have said something. Maybe he would have left her alone.

His fingers reached between her legs and stroked her until she'd grown wet. Her hands shot to his and tried desperately to pull it away from her mouth, but he held fast. That noise he now completely misunderstood made its way up her throat, muffled.

"Quiet now..." he said as he eased into her. "The only one you belong to is me. No one else."

Ruika lay helplessly beneath him as he had his way with her, sobbing when she came against her will. He chuckled under his breath. When he was done, he kissed her one last time and left without another word. For a long time after, she still lay awake as what his wives had told him circled her mind. Tears streamed down her face. She just couldn't understand why any of them would even believe such a thing.

All around her, the shadows seemed to loom closer. Ruika had stopped crying by now and lay there, staring at them. For a moment, they washed over her arms, legs and torso as if they too yearned to cover her. Keep her hidden from everything. She stared and stared. When she finally blinked, everything had snapped back into place, and she wondered if it had been her imagination. But those shadows no longer moved and she sighed, closing her eyes as the sun rose.

The next night, Ruika sat on her bedroll anxiously, waiting again. She'd thought about running away several times throughout the day but didn't know how successful she'd be. That, and the sight of her siblings running around the village looking happier than she'd ever seen them, had stopped her. Nuakuora had provided for them just as he'd promised and she couldn't bring herself to take their newfound happiness away. No matter how much she hated her father.

So here she was. Ruika had thought about at least telling Nuakuora how uncomfortable she felt about what he kept doing. Hopefully, he'd allow her to provide other services.

The curtain was swept aside and Ruika stilled. Just like every other night, that terror returned along with the voice of doubt. What if he didn't care? She was a slave here to please him however he wanted.

She swallowed as he walked over, taking off his clothes and tossing them carelessly to the floor. His turquoise eyes fixed on her all the way and the moment he was near, he crouched and climbed over her.

"Wait!" Ruika whispered in a panic after he'd forced her onto her back.

Nuakuora stopped and looked at her sharply.

"What is it, slave?" he snapped and a fresh wave of terror washed over her. She'd heard about how he'd had a particularly bad day today. Maybe it wasn't the best time...

But if not now, then when?

Swallowing, she finally spoke, her hand reaching up to caress his face for good measure.

"I just... I... this isn't something I like doing, master..."

He stared back at her before a smile slowly spread across his face. Leaning down, his lips brushed her ear.

"Of course you do," he murmured and Ruika's eyes widened. "You're a lust-filled creature. I feel it every time I couple with you. Now, lie still and be quiet. Obey your master."

He reached between her legs, fingers playing with her, no longer hindered by undergarments - he'd forbidden her to wear them for his own convenience. His fingers slick, he spread her wetness across her lips, then kissed her before pulling away. Before she could say anything else, his hand covered her mouth and he entered her. Utterly defeated, Ruika lay beneath him, tears rolling out of her eyes all the while. When he was done, he kissed her tenderly, then left.

Over and over, he violated her. Almost every night. She'd given up trying to plead entirely after the first week and instead resigned herself to his advances.

Sometimes, he would take her from behind, his grips almost bruising her delicate skin. Sometimes, he would use her mouth for pleasure, leaving her gagging and eyes stinging with tears. Once she'd grazed him by accident with her teeth, making him pull out and smack her hard across the face. After that, he told her every time that if she bit down, even if it was by mistake, he would punish her severely for it.

To her growing disgust, her body became used to him. Even seemed to take pleasure from his touches, as if it had a mind of its own. No longer seemed to feel the invasion inside her as he fucked her, that thing between her legs hugging around his as if it wanted to give him pleasure. To be taken. She felt nauseous.

Every night after he left, those shadows reached for her as she curled into herself.

One day, out in the village when he was away, she escaped the hut for a few hours, glad to be away from his scheming wives and the pitying or jealous servants. Especially glad to be away from his oldest son, who'd also taken an interest in her.

She'd walked about the village, staring up at all the huts built high up on the trees. Rows and rows of small ones, side by side. Then, there was their chief's one - the largest hut, placed in the middle of the village square. She looked away and kept walking.

She spotted her father, his wife and her ten-year-old twin sisters. Myru and Risou. Unlike her, they'd inherited the same dark features as her father and stepmother, the black hair and the hazel eyes that their mother had.

A pang of sadness went through her as she stared at their happy faces. She missed the sisters she'd once taken care of. Her stepmother, Amaisu, was a kind woman herself. Tried to be a good mother to Ruika even if in the end, she could do nothing to stop her father giving her away. She remembered all the times when Amaisu would encourage her to make friends, but she'd been too shy.

Amaisu spotted Ruika then, giving her a sad smile back and waving at her. Ruika waved back and quickly turned to leave, unable to bring herself to go and talk to them. Especially not her father.

As she kept walking about, she looked at all the joyful faces around her. The happy families. Her mind drifted back to last night, when she'd kneeled in front of Nuakuora as he leaned back on his hands, his legs open. She'd reluctantly took him into her mouth and pleasured him. He'd groaned, his hand stroking her hair while she kept the nausea down.

And that's when it happened. Her breath stuck inside her chest, her eyes filled with tears. The thought that she'd soon have to go back to them suddenly became too much. Before she could think better of it, she ran. She ignored all those who glanced her way, then she was out of the village. It was becoming hard to breathe but she didn't stop running.

By dusk, she had no idea where she was anymore. She stopped and spun around but nothing looked familiar. She'd never been this far away. Then, it hit her - she was actually free. Maybe they wouldn't find her out here. She should keep going until she found another village, even if she didn't know how far she'd have to travel.

A crunch behind her had her turning around, at the same time she came to the realisation that there might be dangerous animals out here. From between the trees, a wildcat made its way out and stared at her. It stalked forwards and Ruika backed away, heart racing.

It crouched and looked like it was about to pounce. Ruika snapped out of it and turned to run. It lunged at her, but its claws only caught her back. Ruika yelped in pain but didn't stop. She ran as fast as she could. Somehow, she sensed the wildcat jumping at her, but she dodged and ran in a different direction. She entered a clearing and kept running when suddenly she smacked into someone.

"You!" The familiar voice said. She looked up. Nuakuora glared back at her before the wildcat caught his attention. With a snarl of his own, he pushed her back and faced the animal.

The beast lunged and Nuakuora dodged it, his movements lithe as he turned. The daggers seemed to appear out of nowhere and he stabbed the cat in the neck as it tried to attack again. It lay before him, whimpering while it bled out onto the forest floor.

Ruika stared with wide eyes, and she trembled. She'd been told Nuakuora was a great warrior but had never seen him fight. And now he was walking fast towards her, sheathing those daggers he'd just used to kill a dangerous animal within seconds.

"Master, I-"

His fist connected with her face, and she tumbled to the ground. The world spun for a few moments, the ringing loud in her ear.

"You tried to run! Ungrateful wench!"

She could say nothing as he gripped her hair and dragged her back to the village, yelling at her about how she'd forced him to go to the trouble of tracking her down. Nothing as he pulled her through a staring crowd, forcing her up the stairs back to his hut. She kept silent, body shaking as he threw her onto the floor of her quarters, told her to stay put and left.

It was only a few moments before he came back. She trembled even more at the sight of the glowing hot poker he held. The one he would use to brand the animals that were traded. Shaking, she back-crawled away from him.

"Master... please..."

"Shut it. You need to learn who you belong to, and this will teach you."

He pushed her down and straddled her. Covered her mouth, and as he lowered the hot poker and pressed it to her shoulder, she tried to scream louder than she ever had.

Nuakuora threw the poker to the side and still on top, he stared at her. He leaned down, his hand still over her mouth.

"You will never run again. Understood, slave?"

Gulping as the pain spread across her upper arm, she willed herself to nod. He finally let go of her and left, telling healers that had appeared to take care of her. Ruika lay there, letting her tears fall as the women gently tended to her, trying to comfort her through it all.

***

Everyone had gathered that night in the village square to welcome the warriors from a neighbouring village, here for trade. Ruika rushed about with the other servants, tending to whoever called for food and drink. Gods, she hated these events. It always left her and the others more exhausted. Her limbs were already sore from all the running around. The only blessing was Nuakuora being too busy.

"Girl. Drink. Now," a large, dark-skinned man snapped his fingers at her. Ruika swallowed back a retort and went to fill his cup. Before she could leave, he grabbed her arm roughly.

"This is barely half a cup, you stupid bitch. Fill it to the brim!"

"I-I'm sorry..."

The moment she was done pouring, he reached out and grabbed her backside. Ruika yelped, spilling some of the wine. The man roared with laughter along with his companions.

"She's a pretty one. Funny, too," the man to his right said. "What do you think? Shall we take turns?"

Ruika's mouth dried out. Before the man who'd grabbed her could answer, another voice came from behind her.

"I wouldn't advise it, Ramu. That's Nuakuora's personal slave you just grabbed."

Ruika turned to see Nuakuora's younger brother, Narebou, walk up and stand beside her.

"Shit. He didn't see, did he?"

"You'd already be dead if he had," Narebou said. Ramu rolled his eyes but still looked relieved. Narebou looked at her. "Get on with your rounds, girl."

Though he'd barked the order, Ruika still felt relieved that he'd intervened. She'd lost most of her voice the moment that piece of shit had dared to touch her.

Sometime later, the gathering was nearly dying out, with more people retiring for the night. Nuakuora was nowhere in sight, but she thought he'd be in the large tent set up in the middle. Either that, or he'd be with another poor girl.

Glancing around, her eyes fell on Narebou. He was looking at her and gestured for her to go to him. When she did, he brought his cup towards her.

"Not drunk enough yet?" She whispered flatly, pouring.

"Not nearly enough. Fuck, I hate these gatherings," he sighed. "At least, you're a sight for sore eyes. Come with me."

"I can't. You know I can't," Ruika said and turned to walk away when he spoke again. Memories of the last time they'd made love - months ago, during his occasional return to the village - tried to resurface, but she pushed them away.

"Is that a brand?"

Ruika cringed as he touched the scar on her shoulder.

"Fuck. Why did he do that to you?"

"I... tried to run," Ruika answered, turning and looking at him as her eyes filled with tears. "I couldn't take it anymore. I had to. But he caught me. Dragged me back by my hair and burned it into me. He told me he'd do worse if I tried again."

Narebou looked back wordlessly, expressionless. The silence stretched. Ruika turned to leave. What had she been thinking, opening up to him?

"Well, at least let's be together for one night," he said almost nonchalantly, stopping her again. "It's not like he would know. Too busy with father and the visitors."

She stood there and watched more people leave. Her eyes fell on the large tent. Swept all around, not seeing any of his wives or children.

Defiance. That's all she felt as she put the jug down and let Narebou take her hand and lead her to the shadows of his own hut. Lying beneath him, his fingers glided along her body, and he kissed her in tender ways she wasn't used to.

His turquoise eyes, a slightly darker shade than Nuakuora's, stared back as he reached between her legs and stroked her gently until she'd grown wet. Her legs parted of their own accord and as he entered her, he leaned down to kiss her softly. Ruika reached up to touch his face, her lips moving with his.

For a moment, she imagined a world with him. Having his children. Being his wife. At least, she could let herself dream of all this as she looked up at him, moving in and out of her. But it was nothing more than a dream.

Afterwards, he lay next to her, and she looked over at him. He was just as handsome as Nuakuora. Closer to her age, only a few years older. She really did contemplate asking him but knew he would laugh at the thought. Even now, far past the age where men would normally settle down, he remained unmarried with no prospects. He was a wanderer, never spending too long here before running off to gods knew where. He enjoyed stealing fleeting moments with different women, something that would get him lectured a lot.

She sighed internally and turned to look at the stars. At least, it was easier being with him. No demands, no expectations. She let herself enjoy these rare moments. When he climbed back on top of her, she wrapped her arms around him and kissed back.

Ages passed as they moved in sync, their hands all over each other. On top now, she tipped her head back as he gripped her hair, his lips pressing to her neck once more. When they were done, she curled against him as they lay next to each other. Ruika looked at him.

"Take me with you," she blurted. Narebou blinked back in surprise and her heart raced. She shouldn't have said that. There was no sense behind it because of the consequences she would face if she was caught. When she was caught. And she should never have said that to the brother of her Master...

"I'm sorry," Ruika said as she gathered herself. Carefully hid that pain and buried it deep. "It's nothing like that. Master treats me well. Provides for my family. I should be going back now."

He said nothing but his hand gripped hers as she tried to stand and she paused.

"He takes you, doesn't he? You're more than just a simple servant to him."

She said nothing, but her tearful eyes told everything he needed to know. Narebou sighed.

"I'm sorry," he said. It was her turn to be surprised. He caressed her face. "I still can't blame him for being drawn to you, even if it is awful. You have no idea how much power you hold over men. Your taller stature, your eyes and your hair. Your embrace is one that most men dream of coming home to."

He kissed her with a renewed hunger and Ruika closed her eyes against the tide of conflicting emotions inside her. At first, she kissed him back again. But then, his words sent a strange pain seeping into her veins. Maybe she would never be more than a good, fleeting fuck for any man.

Breaking away, she finally stood and left without a word. He was silent as he remained unmoving behind her.

***

The visiting warriors had left days ago. Now it was time for Nuakuora to visit another village for trade. Narebou had left after them without another word to her. Bonfires burned in the distance, crackling away as all those gathered spoke and laughed in its light. But here in the shadows she was, cornered against a tree, in the middle of the woods she'd tried escaping to. Ruika shouldn't have been surprised. Nuakuora probably had eyed her the whole night and the moment she'd turned from her father - who'd she been fighting with over what he'd done to her - he'd pounced.

Really, she should have known better by now. What had she been thinking, coming to a more secluded spot. She might as well have invited him herself. Now, here she was, pinned against a tree. He leaned in, nose brushing her cheek. He still held some of her hair in his hand, having gone on about how beautiful it was. He kissed her again. When he pulled away, he smiled.

"I couldn't wait any longer," he murmured against her lips, breath smelling strongly of whisky. Her eyes were fixed on his, her fists tightening as she held them against his chest in some attempt to keep him from her. "One last good fuck before I leave tomorrow. Speaking of which, you'll behave, won't you? I don't want to hear more complaints from my wives than I already have to."

His fingers brushed through her hair and over his brand on her shoulder, then trailed down her sides and behind her. Beneath her garments, he kneaded the flesh of her backside as he pressed more into her and ground his hips. The light bites on her cheek were laced with hunger. Swallowing, she nodded. His wives. She'd have to deal more with them. And his oldest son...

Ruika shook the thought. One problem at a time.

"Good girl," Nuakuora said before his mouth devoured hers again. His hands roamed all over and another sound of protest escaped as he pulled her to the forest floor. He couldn't be this brash, taking her right here and now. They were only a little away from others, and even if he was drunk, surely he still had some sense of decorum...

He kissed her deeply, his tongue brushing against hers. Ruika's eyes widened. He'd never kissed her in such a manner. His hand trailed to her breast and as he spread her legs open for him, she tried once more to get him off her. Pushing on his chest, another protest made its way up her throat and into his mouth. He stopped and pulled away to smile. He cupped her chin and leaned in, his hot breath against her lips once more.

"You will only call out for me tonight, my slave. No one else," he whispered and pinned her wrists. Fear coiled inside her as his eyes flickered with that emotion she dreaded the most. The lust and yearning to possess her body and soul. "Or would you rather I silenced you with my cock again?"

Not waiting for an answer, his lips brushed her cheek, then the corner of her mouth where he lingered as his growing erection pressed against her thigh. Ruika squirmed beneath him and he let out a low laugh. Letting go of one wrist, he reached down and began baring himself to her. And when that cock was freed of the flimsy cloth over it, he merely had to push her clothing aside. Her bare mound was exposed to him, and he entered her far too easily. He let go of her other wrist, bracing his arms on either side of her head as he looked down at her. Ruika shifted and managed to dislodge him for a second before he gripped her thighs and roughly pulled her back.

"Please, master," she whispered to no avail. Entering her again, he began to move, the weight of him pinning her to the dirt completely.

Tears pricked the corners of her eyes. Looking past Nuakuora and back to the distant festivities, his grunts filled her ears, she told herself to breathe. Just breathe. It would be over soon. Instead, her eyes roamed. She wondered if any of those gathered had seen them yet. If they were even able to while they lay here in the shadows. She hoped not.

Her nails dug into his chest as she stretched around him. Above her, he continued to move faster, his hands now braced on either side of her head. Ruika cursed internally as she grew more and more wet. Her climax was building, not helped by the fact that he'd leaned down, pressing lingering kisses against the curve of her neck and just below her ear. As his grunts filled the air, she squirmed. Her hands came up to his massive arms and tried pushing him away again.

"Stop," she whispered. "Please, master. Plea- oh!"

Crying out as she came, she quickly slapped a hand over her mouth. Nuakuora chuckled at the sight. His fingers wrapped around her wrist and dragged her hand away to reclaim her mouth. She wrenched her face away, but he just leaned towards her neck again, his other hand caressing her thigh. Ruika looked away even as she writhed, desperately trying to get him out of her even as the force of her climax rippled through her body. He ignored her, eyes closed as he kept moving. Turning away from the sight of his disgusting face, her eyes widened a little.

Off in the distance, Suroomie glared back as she took another sip from her goblet. Then, she turned and walked away. Her hand, the one that had healed by now, ached. Ruika knew. There would be more hell to pay after this. After he left her at the mercy of his jealous wives.

With a few more thrusts, Nuakuora groaned as he came. Still buried inside, he dragged her face back to his and kissed her again, long and deep as he moaned. When he leaned back, he looked down at her with a different kind of drunkenness.

"I'm going to miss you for the next few days, slave."

She kept still as the aftershocks of his body finally settled, with him still kissing her wherever he could reach, breathing her in, memorising her. Ruika cringed, wishing he would get off her already.

Finally pulling out, he grinned and redressed. Ruika looked between her legs, still slick. Bile rose up her throat even as he dragged her up with him, telling her to go back to the hut and that he might actually visit her once more in the morning.

How joyous, Ruika thought wryly as she did just that. On her way, she watched as he stomped clumsily to his first wife, Tamaren, the one with black hair and large breasts. He grabbed hold of her arms and pulled her into his tight embrace, kissing and touching her all over. Tamaren laughed heartily and she stared at both in disgust. He kept kissing her. As if he hadn't just spent the last few moments shoving his cock into Ruika herself.

She turned and rushed away, more tears gathering. The wives knew what he did to her, but they flung themselves at him, anyway. On her way, her blurry gaze fell on her father as his eyes followed her, expressionless. She turned from him. From all of them. The moment she reached the slave quarters, she washed the disgusting feel of him off her.

***

She finally had the chance to escape. Get away from the wives, though not before Nuakuora's first son, Yakurabi, had cornered her in the barn and had his way with her.

Ruika didn't know where she wanted to go. For a moment, she thought about visiting the hotspring, but that place had been tainted for her now. Sighing, she headed towards the only sanctuary she had left - another meadow, surrounded by trees that were clustered together.

She walked and when she got there, she sat on a patch of grass and stared around. Various flowers decorated the land, and the surrounding trees were tall enough that they cast a nice shade over everything. She leaned back against the one she sat in front of, drawing in a breath and relishing the floral scents and the peace that lay over everything here. Ruika closed her eyes.

Moments passed before a sound had her eyes snapping open. Jolting, she sat up straight and looked around. She saw nothing and thought about going back to her light nap, but what if it was Nuakuora? Or something else?

Her peace ruined, Ruika stood to leave as fast as she could. She was close to the edge of the meadow when a man's voice called from behind her.

"Wait!"

Ruika stopped and turned around, dread filling her.

But the man that stood in front of her simply smiled and raised his hands, his short, light brown hair sweeping in the light breeze. His eyes were a deep shade of blue and Ruika felt herself being pulled in as she kept staring at them. He took a step forward and Ruika snapped out of it. Instinctively, she took a step back, her eyes sweeping the rest of him. He wore strange clothes made of materials she didn't know, and she wondered if he was from a human village. He certainly looked like one of those humans she'd heard about, though she'd never seen one in her life.

The man stopped and laughed nervously. "I'm sorry if I frightened you. I was just curious..."

Ruika stayed silent, still regarding him. She should get out of here. It was never a good thing when a man took any interest in her. She turned quickly to leave again.

And her eyes widened when he appeared in front of her, materialising from the wind as if it had carried him to her in seconds.

She jumped away from him, staring wide-eyed. He held up his hands again, looking up at her. It was then that she noticed how much taller she was. At least three and a half heads taller than him.

"Wait! I'm sorry. Please, just hear me out."

"What are you?!" she whispered, taking another step back.

"Elf. Well, part elf. Just like you are," the man said. "I mean, I'm part human. By the looks of you and where we are, you must be part daeva, right?"

"... What?" Ruika breathed.

"You're the same as me. Different kind, but we're both part elf. My name's Lance."

Still holding his hands up, the man took another step towards Ruika, but she backed away in turn, heart thudding. She should run. Now. But she didn't think she would make it far before he stopped her again.

"Please," Lance repeated. "I've no reason to lie. Can't you sense it?"

Ruika shook her head and Lance frowned.

"What about other things? Have you noticed anything strange happening around you?"

Eyes widening again, her mind went back to those shadows that seemed to reach for her. She stared at him, still unable to explain it.

"At least let me tell you more," Lance pleaded. "You're the first of my kind I've come across in this realm in a while."

Ruika shook her head. "No... I'm sorry. I have to go."

She turned and ran. Lance did not stop her this time.

***

Throughout the rest of her day, she couldn't help but think of him more. The strange man materialising from the wind. She barely heard Suroomie's snide remarks, keeping her head down and silently going about her duties. Not caring at all about any of it as she obeyed Suroomie's commands. She didn't want any trouble today.

But Suroomie was never the forgiving type.

That night, in the cover of darkness, she was dragged from her bed, two of Suroomie's men gagging her. They pulled her towards the railing surrounding their hut and terror overtook her. Suroomie's nails dug into her cheeks as she forced Ruika to look at her.

"I've had enough of you," she hissed. "Maybe my husband will miss his little whore, but he'll be over you quickly enough."

Backing away as the men gagged her again, she nodded towards them. Ruika struggled as much as she could, trying to plead with them not to go through with this. Before she knew it, the ground beneath her was fast approaching.

Pain shot through her entire body as she made contact. They'd thrown her back-first off that railing, and she could do nothing but lie there, staring at the shadows of the three of them far above her until she fell unconscious.

***

"Shh... It's alright. You're safe."

Ruika moaned softly, relishing the fingers brushing through her hair.

"Here. Drink this," that male voice said. He cupped the back of her neck gently, raising her head up just enough as he pressed something to her lips. She felt the water being poured into her mouth and swallowed, glad to be rid of the dryness in her throat. When he'd given her enough, he left her to rest.

Ruika opened her eyes, her vision still blurry. She could barely make out that she was in a dark place, only a sliver of light coming from her left. Closing her eyes again, she went back to sleep.

***

Time passed by and she felt herself healing. She'd been able to make out more of where she was. And who she was with. Lance.

He'd taken her in, helped her recover from the fall. He'd explained that she'd survived thanks to the fall not being from as a high a place as it had needed to be. Her being part elf had also helped, thanks to her naturally being able to heal faster.

Once she could stand and walk, albeit with Lance's help, he'd brought her outside for some fresh air. He lived in a small house. A cottage, he called it. The bed she'd been sleeping in was very soft, making her want to curl up in it.

She looked down at him as they walked. At first, she'd been afraid that he'd take advantage of her inability to move. Imagined him climbing on top of her, not caring if he'd cause any pain to her still-healing body. Have his way with her not being able to fight back at all. She'd still been completely paralysed from the neck down during those first few days.

"Please," she'd begged, her voice trembling. "Don't hurt me."

"I won't hurt you," he'd told her, taking her hand. "Don't worry. You'll be able to move soon."

He'd been gentle the whole time and strangely, she found herself growing comfortable around him, even missed his presence whenever he would leave her to rest. Though still not comfortable enough to accept his offer to help her change into cleaner clothes. Even if it pained her, she'd made him leave the room and slowly went through the process of changing herself.

They sat by a small river and Ruika shifted around, trying to get settled as much as she could. The white dress she wore was comfortable, though he'd said it was a bit shorter than it should have been on her, but she was still sore in some places. Lance took out something he called a bottle from a bag and poured the contents into two clay cups he'd also brought along. The steam rose towards her and she breathed it in. Some kind of tea. Taking the one Lance offered her, she took a sip and kept looking at the water rushing by. Tried not to think about any of those things that had happened. Or what was happening now. She couldn't bear the enormity of it all.

"Are you alright?" Lance asked but Ruika didn't answer. "What happened, anyway?"

"Shouldn't you already know?" Ruika asked drily, raising an eyebrow. "You said you'd followed me back to my village, after all."

"Yes, but all I saw was you on the ground. Did you... try to..."

"I did not try to kill myself," Ruika snapped, turning her head sharply. She winced at the pain shooting down her spine, and she tried her best to ignore it. "And I don't want to talk about it."

She looked away and Lance fell silent. But now, those memories resurfaced in full force. Every bad thing that they'd ever done to her. Tears stung her eyes and she silently cursed Lance for dredging up those memories.

"Take me back home. Now. I need more rest," she said through gritted teeth.

Lance said nothing as he helped her back. In her room, she carefully lay down and turned from him. He simply stood there for a moment before he left, closing the door softly behind him.

***

More days passed before she finally accepted Lance's offer to teach her about her magic. He'd at least managed to get her to admit what happened with the shadows whenever she felt scared.

They sat by that same river, Ruika being able to walk by herself now. She looked at the shadows of the trees in the daylight, willing them to come to her. They remained still. After several moments, she threw up her hands.

"I can't do this!"

Lance gave a small smile. "You didn't have someone teaching you when you were young. This will take time. You just need to be patient."

"To hell with you," Ruika snarled and, much to her annoyance, he laughed.

"Come on. We should go eat dinner now so you can have more energy to yell at me."

Ruika glared at him and he just laughed again, then gestured for her to follow. That annoying, cocky bastard.

But as they walked back, she couldn't help a small, fleeting smile.

***

Weeks later, her body grew stronger. Even more so as Lance began to teach her more about her physical gifts. She still couldn't believe she was here, trying her best to land even one hit on him with the wooden sword in her hands. It was heavy and she'd dropped it several times.

At first, she'd been reluctant - women had always been discouraged from doing such things in her village. Only men were taught to fight. But that rebellious side of her wanted to spit on all those traditions. And so, here they were.

"Are you ever going to tell me your name, oh mysterious one?" Lance teased as they walked back into their cottage.

"No," she replied with a grin. One of the many she'd given him.

"Fine. I'll just keep coming up with names for you. 'Mysterious one' is your name for this whole week."

"That's fine, short one."

She left him standing there, gaping at her back as she laughed, closing her bedroom door behind her so she could take a shower in peace.

Afterwards, she joined him for dinner. They ate in comfortable silence, and she couldn't help her eyes drifting to him every now and then. She still couldn't believe she was here, being comfortable around a man who'd been nothing but a stranger a few weeks ago. There was just such an easiness to Lance that made her forget about her troubled previous life.

It hit her, then. Really, truly hit her. She'd escaped her prison. She was free when she never thought she would be. And he'd given all this to her.

"Are you okay?" Lance asked and she realised she was crying. She wiped her face.

"No," Ruika answered. After a moment, she looked at him. Maybe it was time to tell him the truth. She was finally ready to talk. "The night you found me..."

She choked on her words but swallowed and tried again.

"The night you found me... I didn't try to kill myself. I was... I was thrown. By one of the jealous wives of my master. She hated me, kept hurting me any time she could. Until she decided she'd rather see me die."

Lance stayed silent, looking at her with a mix of sadness and anger. Ruika looked away. Swallowing again, she went on. Told him everything her father and the rest of them had done to her. When she finished, Lance looked like he would kill the whole lot of them.

"I'm sorry," he whispered. "Sorry that you went through all that."

Several moments passed.

"My name... my name's Ruika."

"Ruika," Lance said. Then after another moment, "well I guess I don't have to use that whole list of names I had at the ready. Shame."

Ruika looked at him. And burst out laughing.

***

They grew closer after that but stayed strictly friends. Ruika never thought she would want any man to take her again for as long as she lived. Lance himself never pushed or looked at her in the way most men in her village had.

They were fine. They were happy and Ruika was glad for this new life she was given. Maybe one day, she'll venture out more with him, to the places he spoke of. Villages full of humans, or the elf realm he sometimes ventured into. Meet more of the people he knew.

She made more progress on her magic, being able to draw those shadows to her, among other things. Lance taught her many different spells, and she tried her best to learn. She made good enough progress, earning her several smiles from him. Sometimes when she lay in the dark, she felt her shadows reaching in. Heard their voices at the edge of her senses, as if they were trying to speak to her. When she told Lance, he said it was nature starting to communicate and one day she'll be able to hear them clearly.

But the best thing about her new life was the freedom. Freedom to do whatever she wanted, to go where she pleased. Sleep in until noon if she felt like it. Even so, she still helped Lance with some of the chores.

One afternoon, she finished hanging the clothes she'd just washed and walked back to their cottage. When she got close to the door, she halted and her heart nearly stopped.

There he stood, his nose flaring as he glared furiously at her. Nuakuora. And at his feet was Lance, slumped onto the ground. Blood pooled all around him as he lay there, staring wide eyed in her direction, his eyes glassy. He did not move an inch.

"Thought you could really have this life with this filth, low class piece of shit instead of me?" Nuakuora sneered, eyes staring madly at her.

He stepped forward and Ruika dropped the basket. Without a second thought, she ran, her breath hitching. Tried to keep her wits about her as Nuakuora followed, bellowing after her. She couldn't stop. Couldn't let him drag her back to her hell of a previous life.

But as fast as she'd gotten in these recent weeks, Nuakuora was still faster. Before she knew it, she was on the ground with him on top, pushing her face into the dirt.

"You ungrateful little bitch!" he spat, punching her in the rib. Ruika gasped, inhaling some dirt. She tried to cough them out, but it was no use.

A moment later, Nuakuora hauled her up. Then, his arm wrapped around her neck, squeezing. Ruika struggled, clawing uselessly at them. As her vision slowly blurred, her arms falling to her sides, she heard his voice in her ear.

"You let him fuck you, didn't you? Fucking whore. You'll pay for all of this."

Darkness took her. When she awoke, she was tied up inside a cage. Looking around, she realised she was in the barn. The same one in her village. And Suroomie was smirking down at her.

"Thought you'd be dead," she mocked. "But I have to admit, what Nuakuora has in mind for you now is much better than anything I could have come up with."

Her mouth was so dry, her body trembling as she stared back pleadingly. Why couldn't these people just let her live her life in peace?

"He's going to make you pay, you stupid creature. Torture you until he's satisfied, before he hangs you in the village square. And I get to watch you suffer more."

"That's enough, Suroomie. Leave."

Jolting, Suroomie turned. Ruika remained quiet as the woman's smirk faded. Bowing, she quickly left. Nuakuora stepped into her view, holding a hot poker in his hand. The same one he'd once branded her with. The mark she'd long since forgotten was even there.

Reaching in, Nuakuora roughly grabbed her hair and pulled her face against the bars. She screamed when he pressed the hot metal to her cheek. When he was done, he left her in the cage to cry silently.

***

True to Suroomie's words, Nuakuora made her suffer every waking hour of the five days he kept her caged. Tortured her in all the ways she'd never even imagined in the darkest corners of her mind.

Every night when she was finally left alone, she closed her eyes and saw Lance's face. All the times he'd made her laugh. The times when they'd shared more details of their lives.

Then, his pale face as he lay there, dead and staring at nothing. The best person she'd ever met, and his life had been snuffed out. All thanks to Nuakuora.

When she opened her eyes again, she saw Lance's form flickering in and out of her line of sight. Remembered his words about nature and spirits. Was he there in the afterlife, his spirit still watching over her?

Lance had deserved to live a long life. So much longer than that monster. She stared at all the shadows, and her anger grew and grew. Ruika willed them once more to move for her. Wanted so much for them to wrap around Nuakuora's neck and choke the life out of him. Out of all the wretched creatures in this godsforsaken village. Her father, who'd given her away without a second thought. Her stepmother, who'd done nothing to stop him. The many servants who treated her as someone not worth helping, the many women who threw themselves at Nuakuora's feet as if he was a god in their tiny, insignificant lives.

Her rage consumed her like never before. The shadows answered her call. They reached for her. She willed them to break her out of this cage and watched as they did. Crawling out, she walked slowly out of the barn. The pain in her body only drove her forward. She glanced back and finally saw Lance clearly. Tears stung her eyes.

"I will avenge you, my friend."

Lance smiled, nodding encouragingly before his wind magic carried him away.

Some strange calm settled over her as she walked. People danced in the square, completely unaware of her walking towards them. She looked at the centre where Nuakuora sat with his wives, laughing as he groped another girl in his lap. The girl smiled as she kept his arms around him.

Ruika just looked at them, nothing but ice and darkness in her heart. That stupid girl would be the first to die.

The shadows rushed outwards, reaching for her. In the next second, they wrapped around the girl's throat and Ruika watched as she clutched her neck. Tried desperately to wrench away the untouchable force. Moments later, she paled and slumped to the floor even as others shrieked or stared, unable to believe what was happening.

Ruika wasn't done yet. More shadows rushed forth, more people died in their wake. The warriors who tried to attack her, only to quickly be taken care of. Nuakuora among them, trapped by her magic. He needed to wait his turn.

The women, other men and children were next. They tried to flee, but she caught them all in her snare. She no longer cared. She left Nuakuora and his family alone. Wanted them to watch as she destroyed everything all around them.

Only afterwards, did she quickly dispatch of that bastard Chief and all his remaining family. When she was done, her power reached for Suroomie. The bitch who simply stood there, gaping at her. Her men nowhere to be found. The other wives and all their children now lying dead around them.

"You..." she whispered as Ruika stepped forward. Suroomie sank to her knees.

Ruika did not wait for her to utter another word before she choked her, too. Through it all, Suroomie stared back at her pleadingly. Ruika did not heed her. Just like the many times the bitch had not listened to her pleas for mercy. She watched with a dark, twisted satisfaction as she finally slumped to the ground, face pale.

It was then that Nuakuora's yelling caught her attention. He struggled, but her shadows only tightened around his limbs and throat.

"Stop this," he forced out. Ruika laughed, a loud, joyless cackle that echoed through the now silent square.

For a few moments, they just looked at each other. Him glaring, her amused at his audacity. Before he could bark out another order, he also lay at her feet, dead.

And Ruika stared down at him. She felt nothing. Turning, she stared at the rest of the people lying there. Walking through them, she found her former stepmother, her eyes wide as they stared up at the sky. Her twin sisters clutched in her arms, their own eyes closed. All of them pale and still.

Crouching down, she closed her stepmother's eyes, then caressed her sisters' faces. At least, they would never have to know the wretched life of a woman here. She'd saved them. She'd done the right thing. Even as she thought this, something in her tried to bubble up, but she pushed it away. Abruptly, she stood, and continued her walk, only glancing at her father's body before looking away.

Inside her former father's hut, she drew a bath. When it was ready, she sat in the tub and closed her eyes. The water washed all the filth and blood she'd been covered in for the past few days. Her cheek still stung but she'd take care of that soon. Lance had taught her how to apply medicine that worked with her natural healing so well it would clear the scarring altogether.

She smiled as she thought about him now. About all the funny names they'd called each other.

"I did it, Lance," she whispered into the darkness. "I avenged you."

She heard a ghostly laugh in reply. Her smile grew.

***

Morning light came and Ruika awoke. She looked down, realising she'd fallen sleep in the tub. Laughing, she stood and got out, not caring about leaving a watery mess all over. She would never have to worry about leaving any mess ever again.

She practically skipped all over as she made breakfast, ignoring the pain in her body. She ate some cheese and bread her servitude had paid for. Drank some milk to chase it all down. Danced around the hut that her pain and suffering had bought for her father. Gathered the things she hated into a pile inside the firepit and set them on fire, dancing more around it as she drank and sang.

By sunset, she'd had her fill. Even decorated the trees around the village with the bodies of Nuakuora and all of his family. Spat on the face of their barbaric chief. The one who she'd also seen terrorising countless women like her. Then, she got to work using all the whisky she found to set the remaining bodies on fire, her shadows helping gather all of them in the middle of the village. She kissed the faces of her sisters before she did, then left the burning pile behind her as she walked away. Out of this wretched place for good.

She'd taken a few steps into the clearing when she found Narebou in her way. Along with the dagger clutched in his hand, a look of sheer disbelief and terror on his face.

"Ruika... did you... what happened here?!"

Ruika stared back at him and a smile slowly spread.

"What do you think happened? I ended the lives of everyone who tormented me."

Narebou slowly shook his head. "What I saw in there... that was a massacre. You killed all of them? Even the innocent?"

Something inside her snapped and she stepped forward. Narebou tensed, his grip on the dagger tightening.

"None of those beasts were innocent! Not a single one!" Ruika screeched.

"What about your sisters? The many children and women who were just as tormented as you?" Narebou whispered.

"I saved them, Narebou. Now, they never have to know any pain again," Ruika said, raising her chin. "What would you know, anyway? You're a man. A son of that pig of a chief. You never had to know what it was like. Even as I suffered, you stood by and did nothing. None of you did!

Narebou stood there silently. A moment later, he sheathed his dagger, then raised his hands, stepping closer. Ruika's eyes filled with tears, remembering a time when Lance had done the same. Seemed like lifetimes ago, now. She felt the ghost of Lance's hand on her shoulder, whispering soothing words she could just barely hear.

When he got close, Narebou reached out and touched her cheek. The stinging reminded her of what Nuakuora had done. She flinched but did not move away.

"I'm sorry," Narebou murmured. "I'm sorry I was never there when you needed me."

Ruika searched those turquoise eyes, and all she saw was pity and fear. Not love. Maybe he would never love her the way she'd hoped for. But she still wanted him in her life, especially now that she had no one else left.

She leaned in, her lips brushing his as her shadows whispered to her. Whispered how she could make him hers. Narebou stayed still as she leaned back and held his face in her hands.

"No, you weren't. But you will be."

Before he could react, her shadows held him still. Pressing their lips together again, she breathed more of her darkness into his mouth, sending them coursing through his veins. Narebou could do nothing as she bound his life to hers forever.

She leaned back and smiled. "Come, my love. We finally get to walk through this world together."

He tried to speak, tried to ask her what she'd done to him, but Ruika hushed him with a finger to his lips. She made him follow her into the dusk, his hand in hers.

***

PART 2: THE TOWN

The night streets of this town bustled with life. Many people passed by as the hunter walked, barely glancing at the various shops as he did. He took another inhale of his cigarette, then tossed it onto the ground, crushing it with his foot. Then, he turned the corner and there it was. The local bar he was supposed to meet his client in. A man who'd reached out to him, needing him to look into a case. A cult of sorts. Sacrifices. The works.

Cults weren't usually something he looked into. He was a hunter of supernatural creatures, not depraved, brainwashed humans. Damon would have declined had it not been for one thing - the man had told him he was a former member, and an entity of sorts was plaguing his town. That the townsfolk were trapped by it. So, here Damon was.

He pushed open one of the heavy double doors of the bar, the thick scents of stale ale and pipe tobacco washing over him. Scanning the dimly lit room, his eyes landed on a plump man huddled in a corner booth, fidgeting. He assumed that was Adam, the former cultist.

When Damon slid into the seat across from him, Adam jumped, his pale face drawn with exhaustion.

"You came," he breathed, clutching his glass of beer.

"Well, I'm here," Damon said gruffly, leaning back. He took off his hat, placing it on the table. "Now start talking. You said the town is trapped, but I just walked through a bustling market. Those people didn't look like captives."

"That's the lie," Adam whispered, leaning in. "A façade. Story is that fifty years ago, this thing appeared out of the western woods with a man. It took our town, ringed it in unseen warding magic, and forced us into a twisted ritual. Every year, we have hand over two 'honoured' young folks to it."

Damon frowned. "A sacrifice. To keep the creature fed?"

"To keep it young," Adam corrected, his eyes wide with horror. "It drains their life force. The thing and the man guarding it still look barely twenty, while the rest of us age and die."

"Why hasn't anyone killed it in fifty years?"

"Most of the town loves it. Brainwashed idiots! A small number of us tried," Adam whispered bitterly. "Poison turns to ash in its mouth. Blades shatter against its skin. Bullets ricochet off it. We could do nothing. Please! You have to help us!"

Damon thought for only a matter of seconds, then nodded.

"Where does it live?"

"At the edge of town, a house set in the canopies, somewhere behind the Morgan Hotel. It won't be hard to find. The place has this... weird chill to it."

Damon nodded, then stared silently at the other man as he drank his beer in one gulp. For a moment, he only felt doubt. This Adam fellow didn't seem in his right mind, especially with his eyes darting all over the bar, his sweaty body trembling. Would he really be telling the truth?

But Damon shook the thought. There was only one way to find out. Picking up his hat, he stood.

"I'll see what I can do," he said before leaving Adam staring after him. He would take the payment once the job was done.

***

He entered the Morgan Hotel, where he would rest for the night. Perhaps ask more people about this creature and see how they reacted.

At the reception, a middle aged woman greeted him with a bright smile.

"One room for the night, please," Damon said and looked about him. This place seemed like a normal hotel. Polished wooden walls and floors. The glow from the fireplace gave it a warm, cozy look. People sitting in the lobby and the small restaurant section, talking and laughing with each other.

This place did not look like a place where people sacrificed their young to some ravenous thing.

"Here we go," the woman said, handing him the key. "My name's Carol. Let me know if you ever need anything."

"Thank you," Damon said, smiling back. Taking the key, he left to go to his room. Once he'd set his suitcase - the one full of his hunting gear and clothing - onto the floor, he washed up and then went down to the restaurant.

"Whisky, please," he said to the waiter. The young man smiled and poured.

"I haven't seen you around before," the man said. "What brings you to this neck of the woods?"

"Just passing through, my friend," Damon replied, taking a sip. The whisky left a familiar burn in his throat. Taking out another cigarette, he lighted it and took an inhale. "I met someone at another bar, talking about some kind of creature. Almost made me want to run for the hills."

"Oh, Adam?" a woman next to him piped up. The waiter chuckled. "He's the town drunk. Says a lot of strange things."

Damon glanced at her. She was a tall woman with red lipstick and eyeshadow, her brown hair long and curly. Her black dress dipped at the neck and hugged her sizeable curves. Her arm was around the blonde man beside her as she sat in his lap.

"He never could accept our Goddess," the man holding the woman said. "I'll never understand, either. Our Goddess has given us a lot."

Damon frowned at this. A Goddess, huh?

"But that drunk said something about sacrifices?"

"Sacrifices!" the patron exclaimed. "Sure, we provide tributes every year, but they're not sacrifices. She provides eternal life to them! Grants them a place in Paradise. They are the Chosen!"

Damon froze. That did not sound good. Not good at all. But he forced a smile, then laughed.

"Eternal life. Sounds too good to be true, my friend."

"Oh, a non-believer!" the woman said. "Okay, sugar. You arrived at a good time. Tonight, she will hold another ritual. Come with us. You'll see!"

Damon drank more whisky, pushing it down past the lump that had formed in his throat. A moment later, he looked back.

"Oh, I don't know. Religious rituals were never my thing."

"Come on," the waiter said this time. "It's amazing what she will do. Seeing it will change your life. What do you have to lose?"

They all grinned at the same time and Damon glanced at each of them. Taking another inhale, he smiled again.

"Sure. Guess I'll bite."

The man and woman both stood and started walking. As the man passed, he clapped Damon on the shoulder.

"You won't regret it, my friend!"

Damon said nothing as they left. Turning back to the waiter, he asked for another glass of whisky before going back to his room. He needed to prepare for whatever this Goddess was. Hopefully, try to save the innocent life that was about to be taken, though he wasn't quite sure he could. It was a bitter pill to swallow, but sometimes people just couldn't be saved. He would do his best, anyway.

First, he would scout this so-called Goddess's living quarters.

***

Guided by Adam's directions, Damon made his way deep into the dense, dark woods beyond the town perimeter. The air grew stiflingly cold, the pale moonlight swallowed by shifting, unnatural shadows clinging to the ancient trees. High above, nestled in the canopy, sat a grand wooden estate.

Damon slipped through the unlocked front gate, his silver-forged shortswords drawn. The hall was silent, the air cold. He didn't make it three steps before a figure emerged from the dark house. In another moment, he materialised from shadows that had suddenly appeared in front of Damon. Damon instinctively lunged, but the man disarmed him with ease.

They both stopped, staring at each other.

It was a man dressed in fine silk. A very tall man, at least four heads taller than Damon. He was handsome, yet his turquoise eyes were hollow, blonde hair slicked back. He looked like a man walking through a nightmare. Shadows followed each step he walked.

"You shouldn't be here, hunter," he said softly. His voice carried no malice, only profound weariness.

Damon blinked, his heart racing slightly. "How did you know I was coming?"

A thin smile touched the man's lips. "We have ears all over this town. Besides, you cannot kill our Goddess. Not yet. People have tried and died screaming. But I did not meet you here to kill you. I had sent Adam to do what I cannot."

The man stepped closer, his eyes pleading as he whispered. "Go to the elder willow at the edge of the northern swamp. There lives a witch. The last of an old coven. She knows the ancient magic. Knows how to forge the only thing that can pierce her."

Damon searched the man's eyes, expecting a trap. "Why are you helping me? She keeps you young, doesn't she?"

"She made me her prisoner," the man whispered, tears welling in his eyes. "I... I have grown to love her through the madness. I pity her more than I hate her. But she is in torment, hunter. The shadows speak to her, consume her, break her every single day. She suffers, and she makes the world suffer with her. I want her to rest in peace. Even if her death means my own blood stops pumping the moment hers does."

"If you know so much, why have you not tried yourself? Or have others help you? Why are you risking it all now?"

The man sighed and took out a vial of red liquid.

"Because before, I was not able to get this. Only tonight did I manage to put her to sleep long enough to draw her blood. The witch would need this to forge that weapon."

Damon glanced suspiciously at the vial, then back up at the man. If this was some kind of trap...

But it did not make sense. For them to draw him all the way here just to trick him now. Taking the vial, he quickly left.

***

Outside, he passed by many people. They all smiled back at him, welcoming him to their town. Then, in the middle of the town, he came across a woman standing on a stage, clad in black ceremonial robes. She looked like a dark priestess of sorts. A crowd gathered around her as she spoke, her long, red hair swaying in the wind. Damon walked closer and stared up at her along with the rest.

It was then that the woman from the bar found him. Squealing, she joined him and clutched his arm.

"Glad you came, sugar! You're going to love this. My name's Hailie, by the way."

Damon said nothing, merely smiled back before turning to the stage again.

"She's the High Priestess of the Goddess's temple. Only those with the gift can be, and the Goddess gives them the same look as her. The same long, red hair and green eyes. It's the highest honour."

Highest honour indeed, Damon thought drily.

"My people!" the High Priestess called out. "Tonight will be the night! Tonight will be the night our Goddess walks amongst us again. And Helena will be our tribute!"

All around, people clapped and cheered as a young woman was brought up to stand beside the red-haired woman. She looked no older than seventeen, dressed in a white gown as she smiled at the crowd.

Damon's eyes narrowed at her, disturbed. But as he kept looking, he noticed the slightly hunched shoulders. The tightness in that smile, a contrast to the brilliant one that the black-clad woman had.

He looked around. People here cheered and clapped, but most held the same kind of demeanor. Darting eyes. Grins too wide to be real. They clapped a little too hard for people who were meant to be reverent. Even the woman next to him. Only a small few at the front seemed to be real worshippers, as far as he could tell.

Indeed, in the midst of the loud clapping and cheering, the woman leaned in and whispered, "you've met with him by now? Her Guardian?"

Damon's eyes furrowed at her, reeling. How much did she know?

"Yes," he whispered.

"Good. Please hurry and save us," she whispered back. Damon looked at her again. Tears shone in her eyes before she quickly blinked them away, resuming her cheering with the others.

Perhaps Adam was wrong. Most of these people were not brainwashed. They were terrified.

Just half an hour later, the townspeople gathered around again, after more celebrations. The crowd parted, and they all fell silent, bowing their heads. Damon looked about and caught sight of her.

She was tall. Almost as tall as the turquoise-eyed man - her Guardian - had been. Her green eyes remained cold and fixed on the path ahead, ignoring all those around her. Her black gown trailed behind her, the shadows left in her wake wrapping around the Guardian that followed.

Damon took her in. The red hair and flawless skin. Those piercing eyes and the magic she bled out.

This was no Goddess. This was an elf. Most likely part daeva, given her tall stature. Probably the same as the man behind her - turquoise eyes were not natural for the daeva, who normally sported darker colours of all sorts. Brown, black, dark red or navy blue, usually. How had he not pieced that tidbit together when he'd met this Guardian of hers?

Chanting began as she neared the front and died down once she walked onto the stage. No one moved as the hybrid faced the young girl, caressing her face. The young girl trembled. staring back with wide eyes.

"Do not be afraid," she whispered soothingly. "Tonight, you will be free of all your pain."

The hybrid leaned forward and pressed her lips against the girl's. The girl tried to back away, tears streaming out of her eyes, but the shadows held fast. Around him, no one dared to breathe. Most looked away, but Damon stared. Before his eyes, the girl's skin greyed out. Then, her lifeless, shrivelled body fell to the floor, her milky eyes staring at nothing. And the hybrid inhaled, the life she'd just stolen filling her, setting her skin aglow.

Sickness and anger filled him as he stared at the dead girl, but he bowed his head, hiding it. He couldn't lose his cool right now. He held his breath along with the others as the hybrid took her leave. The moment she was gone, the crowd began celebrating, still keeping up the act.

More priestesses appeared on stage, taking the girl's body. A woman at the front sobbed openly, only for the others to gather around her quickly and lead her away, laughing louder than the others.

Off in the distance, an old man caught his eye. He simply stood there, next to Hailie, his eyes filled with sadness for a moment before Hailie took his arm and also led him away.

Damon could not bear to watch anymore. He quickly turned to leave.

***

At dawn, Damon left the hotel, after a night of restlessness. He walked through the swamp until he found the twisted, ancient elder willow. Beneath its weeping branches sat an old witch, her eyes milky white with age.

"You came," she greeted. "Do you have her blood?"

"Yes," Damon said, handing the vial to her.

Without a word, the witch took it, then sawed off a branch from the weeping willow. She got to work, carving two long, narrow stakes. She spoke as she worked.

"I remember when she first came to these woods fifty years ago," the witch rasped, her blind eyes staring into the distance. "She was no Goddess back then. Just a broken girl fleeing a burning home, carrying the ghost of a dead boy in her heart and holding a bound man by the hand."

"Part elf, part daeva," Damon said. "I've pieced that much together by now."

The witch smiled. "Indeed."

Damon leaned against a tree, listening in silence.

"At first, they lived quietly," the witch continued softly. "She built a small life in that estate, trying to find the peace she'd been denied. But dark magic is not a passive thing. Those shadows have a mind of their own. They lingered in her mind. Whispered in her sleep. Slowly, over the decades, the dark magic ate away at what was left of her sanity until she became a monster."

"And the man with her? He's the same, is he not?"

"Same thing, yes, but he is the product of several generations in a diluted bloodline. Never had the raw magic she does, even if he has the looks. His name is Narebou. Hers is Ruika."

The witch began chanting in an elder tongue, weaving blood and ancient earth magic into the grain until the wood glowed with a faint, violet light.

"His family made her suffer. Narebou told me once. Madness took Ruika and she murdered that entire village, both their families with it. All these decades later, Narebou says he still regrets it. Regrets not saving her from it. His family were never innocent, and he wanted to get away from them... but perhaps if he'd taken her with him, the innocent ones in that village would be alive, too.

"She made herself unkillable because she is terrified of ever being powerless again. What stands in that estate is not a Goddess - it is a creature just as trapped as the people it rules over. One who killed her own young sisters, saying it would be a mercy. End her suffering, hunter. Give her the peace the world denied her."

She looked toward Damon, handing him the now glowing willow stakes.

"The willow draws life back into the dirt. It undoes the stolen youth. Strike true."

Damon took both stakes, tucking one into his coat and gripping the other tightly as he sprinted back to the estate.

***

The guards dragged the man back to her, not caring if his legs were too injured for him to walk now. Into the large chamber he was pulled, and he stared at his Goddess as she stood there and glared. He was unceremoniously thrown at her feet, and she waved at the guards to leave them alone together.

"You tried to escape again," she said, voice hard. "What do I have to do to keep you by my side?"

The man lowered his head. Despite her commanding tone, there it was. That vulnerability beneath it all. His heart ached as he remembered that girl from decades ago. The helpless one begging for him to take her along on his adventures. If he had, maybe they would have both been happy together.

His Goddess sighed and walked to him when he remained silent.

"Stand up," she ordered.

"... I can't, my Goddess," he said, bowing his head lower.

She said nothing but then he felt it; her magic wrapping around his legs in a cold cocoon. He looked down as his bones crunched back into place and his skin healed.

"Now you can," she said coldly.

He did so and looked at her. Her sharp, green eyes pierced his.

"Why?"

"There is no reason I can give you that will make you happy," he murmured, meeting her gaze steadily.

Her lips pursed for a moment, then she walked to him. She caressed his face and he leaned into her touch. He didn't think he could ever stop himself. Even now, despite everything, he yearned to lean in and kiss those soft lips. Hold her and tell her everything would be alright.

She exhaled.

"We need to be a united front, Narebou. Now more than ever." Her thumb brushed beneath his eye as she regarded him. "You're aging again. Open your mouth."

Narebou gulped as he resisted the command. His Goddess's eyes narrowed and she cupped his chin, making him look at her as her shadows wrapped around and held him still.

"Open," she hissed, her nails digging into his cheek.

Narebou's eyes closed as he did what he was told. He felt her breathe into his mouth, the feeling warm at first, then cold as it made its way down his throat. The coldness spread through his body, and he felt that strange, unnatural life filling him, tying him to her again.

Then, her lips were on his, kissing him feverishly. He couldn't help kissing back, relishing it all, and as she let him move again, his arms wrapped around and held her. She broke away a few moments later and cupped his chin once more.

"You're mine. Only mine. Remember that, my love."

She kissed him again. Before long, she'd pulled him into her bed and spent the rest of the night making him atone for his sins, dragging the truth from where he'd been as she did.

***

He went back to his hotel for some rest. It was late by now and if he needed to face this creature, he wanted to do so with full strength. In his room, he cast all the usual protections that he normally did. Did not allow himself to feel sorry for her. Perhaps, she had been a victim once, but now she'd become the monster. The girl's dead body flashed through his mind and he steeled himself.

Once more, he laid out all the weapons before him, the willow stake among them. Silver daggers and poisoned darts to try and weaken her. He guessed that the only reason the townspeople had failed was because they just hadn't used the right kinds of weapons or poison. Then, the moment he had his opening, he would drive that stake through her heart and be done with it.

He only hoped she would still be none the wiser, though he still hadn't heard back from Narebou after their meeting earlier. Damon pushed aside the rising dread. This was a job and he'd do it with or without help. With that, he packed the weapons away and tried to get some sleep. By the time the sun rose, he managed to have a grand total of four hours. Good enough, he guessed.

***

Damon burst into the grand central chamber. He'd gotten in with ease. Too much ease, filling him with dread.

And there she stood. Ruika. Beside her, Narebou remained silent and unmoving.

"A hunter," she purred, her voice layered with echoing shadows that slowly crept across the floorboards. "Did the townspeople send you? How sweet. They always send such brave young men to die."

"This needs to end, Ruika," Damon said, eyes flickering towards Narebou again. Narebou kept his head bowed, looking at the floor. Grimacing, Damon lunged forward with the silver dagger.

Ruika winced at the sound of her name, then glared. With a flick of her wrist, a wave of solid shadow erupted from the floor, crashing into Damon like an iron battering ram. He was thrown against the wall, the breath exploding from his lungs. The dagger flew from his hand, clattering across the floorboards.

Damon scrambled to his feet, drawing another dagger and lunging again, but she materialised in front of him in all her shadowy glory. She caught his wrist, her grip like a vice. With a cold laugh, she snapped the hilt and shoved him hard, sending him sprawling to his knees, disarmed and bleeding. But in the next second, he'd managed to shoot three poisoned darts into her.

Gasping, she swayed a little. This was his opening. Drawing out the willow stake, he lunged again. But she recovered quickly. Much more quickly than he'd hoped. Her hand found his throat while the other wrenched the stake from his grasp.

"Fifty years, and they still don't understand," she whispered, gripping his throat tightly. A sphere of suffocating dark magic gathered around his throat. "I am unkillable. I am the nightmare that keeps them-"

Her breath suddenly hitched. Her words died in her throat. She froze, her darkening green eyes widening in absolute disbelief. Slowly, she looked down at her chest.

Protruding from the centre of her heart was the second willow stake - the violet-glowing wood sinking deep into her flesh, unravelling the dark spells holding all that stolen life.

Behind her stood Narebou. His hands trembled, wrapped tightly around the hilt of the weapon he had taken from Damon earlier, when they'd met just outside the town. Tears streamed down his face.

"Narebou...?" she gasped, blood spilling past her lips. The shadows around the room began to dissolve, turning into harmless wisps of grey smoke. "Why...?"

Narebou stepped around her, gently wrapping his arms around her waist as her legs gave out. He lowered them both to the cold wooden floor, pulling her frail, trembling body into his lap.

"It's over, my love," Narebou whispered, his voice cracking as he pressed his forehead against hers. "No more sacrifices. No more darkness. You need to rest... you have suffered for far too long. Rest, Ruika."

Ruika stared up into his turquoise eyes. The manic, icy glare of the dark elf faded, replaced for one fleeting second by a terrified girl. She reached up with a trembling, pale hand, her fingers brushing his cheek.

"Lance, my sisters... they're waiting..." she breathed softly.

"Then go to them," Narebou sobbed, kissing her forehead.

As the willow magic drained the stolen decades from her heart, the tether bound to Narebou snapped. The color drained from his face, his own heart slowing to a final, heavy beat.

Damon watched silently as the dark magic dissolved entirely, leaving behind only the quiet inside the estate. Side by side, wrapped in each other's arms, the two lovers closed their eyes and finally lay still.

***

Damon stared down at the two. What a mess. He needed to get out of here. Picking up his fallen weapons, he turned to leave. But then, he stopped as people gathered in the doorway, staring in disbelief at the scene before them.

"You!" a man screeched. "You... murdered our Goddess!"

Dammit all to hell.

"Arrest him! Kill him now!" the High Priestess ordered.

More shouts followed. More calls for his head. Damon braced himself as they rushed towards him. He was about to turn and run when something else stopped him.

The people surrounding the group that wanted him dead.

"Stop, you fucking idiots!" the old man from earlier yelled. "Can't you see we're finally free?!"

"Free?!" the High Priestess hissed. "Our Goddess is dead! We can no longer prosper-"

"Prosper from what? That thing killing our children?!" a dark-skinned man called out. "It took my cousin's son!"

More shouting followed. More arguments. Eventually, the majority of the townspeople surrounded the worshippers and dragged them out as they struggled.

The old man sighed and turned to Damon. He walked forward.

"Sorry you had to see all that," he said. "Some of us just aren't smart enough."

"I've seen worse," Damon said. Grimacing, he took out a cigarette and lit it, taking a deep inhale. He rubbed his forehead and looked back at the old man. "What will you do with them?"

"Probably lock them up for a little while. Or send them to the loony bin. We don't know yet."

"And them?" Damon asked, gesturing to the bodies behind him. "You'll probably want to burn them, just to make sure they stay dead."

The old man's eyes glazed over for a moment before he nodded.

"We will. Thank you. Thank you for saving more of our children being sacrificed to it."

With that, the old man left. Damon looked back at Narebou and Ruika, the memory of what had just happened flashing through his mind. Despite everything, he felt a twinge of sadness for them both. But he had more work to do. Other clients to meet, and this job had taken longer than he'd anticipated.

Turning, he left to go back to his hotel. More people thanked him, some trying to give him gifts, but he refused. Before long, he was on his way out of the town, leaving them to deal with the easiest part of the job. He drove past the pyre that Ruika and Narebou lay on top of.

The old man caught sight of him as Damon drove by, sending a small salute his way. Damon tipped his hat, and then off he was.

At the pyre, the witch appeared and walked forward. She looked down at the bodies as she stood next to the old man. Then, reaching out, she took Narebou and Ruika's hands, joining them together.

"What are you doing, Nathalia? These things took so much from us!"

"They did, Gary... but surely you still remember their suffering. We can at least have some compassion for them at the end, can we not?"

Gary scoffed but stayed silent. They looked over the dead pair before Gary took the torch and set their bodies alight. He and Nathalia stepped back, silently watching as the townspeople gathered behind them. The younger ones cheered. Some others who'd been old enough to remember the earlier days stayed sombre.

The smoke reached up to the sunny sky, taking all their suffering with it.