Inactive [LP CYOA] Overlord

[Baltika9]

That's another reason I want the Tourettes slime with us: imagine us trying to be all serious and then that thing starts cursing people out for no reason.

 

[lightbane]

Seems that some people want to get to know some of the slimes better, so what are the proposals on that front?

I think people wanted to send a pair of them with Rin, to make the humiliation of the bandits more complete. My money is on purple!

I proposed sending the red and purple slimes (the carnivorous and the "cloth-eating" ones) with Rin to visit the bandits. The two would be able to gladly feed on the dying and the wounded, shortly after Rin unleashes her strong diplomacy methods. The pink one would either be left idle or on guard-duty, whatever one that lets her keeps an eye on the prisoner. The rest would be on guard duty.

The orange one... No idea, it could go with us to Ontoglia I suppose. What is its food preference? Fecal matter? Foul-mouthed people? Or both?
Either way it probably won't help us much in our negotiation attempts, but the idea that the governor could have his daughter cured should cause a strong reaction (after he spills the beans about her condition, of course). When he asks for proof, we can take his most wounded/ill miner back to Grahferde to heal him. Alternatively, Erd can gladly cut off his own hand and do the same process with himself. Or even better: do the former and remove one of his eyes as well. Perhaps even add one of his wings too, since the Codex seems to be quite willing to pointlessly mutilate the characters they happen to control at the moment.

Jokes aside...

"They're secretive, mysterious, blood-thirsty, sadistic and terribly powerful. Also not very smart. "

Sounds like Rin!!

Not really, as bad as Rin can be, she does have a code of honor of sorts that she tries to maintain. She also promised that she would help us as long as she can achieve her goals. The supposed Angel has neither and has no reason to trust or follow us, nor anything points out that he wouldn't attempt to murder us at any moment for one reason or another (for example: not considering Erdrick a "true" angelic being).

Besides, the only mysterious and secretive things about Rin are her wingspan measurements the conditions to unlock her H-scene what is the true extent of her power (she did some impressive stuff back at the end of the first chapter that she shouldn't have been able to do, although that could be because she was being mind-controlled), whether she'll tell us at some point what she can do with her wings and how to replicate it with ours and, lastly but not least, if she'll have what it takes to betray us once she has what she wants.

Fortunately, the latter is not going to happen anytime soon: Zayan might be able to provide her an answer, but chances are it will take years, or even dozens of years, until she has found a foolproof method. Then there's also the fact that such endeavor would require lots of resources and material, such as magnetite, which we're currently lacking at the moment.


Finally, I do not believe Angels have a strict ethic code they follow to the letter. I assumed the whole thing about "slaughtering entire cities because a child misbehaved" happened because they used the latter as an excuse to go wild and begin the mass murder and carnage they love so much.

EDIT: treave, is Rin affected by our "monster chief" too? I'm not sure if she would, considering she can be considered an elite class of monster, possibly closer to a Demon Lord level.

 

[treave]

Fortunately, the latter is not going to happen anytime soon: Zayan might be able to provide her an answer, but chances are it will take years, or even dozens of years, until she has found a foolproof method. Then there's also the fact that such endeavor would require lots of resources and material, such as magnetite, which we're currently lacking at the moment.

She could actually be having so much fun being out in the world and free for the first time and having it be a brand new world to boot that she might have forgotten what she should be doing rather than dicking around.

Not that Erdrick is going to go out of his way to remind her, of course.

EDIT: treave, is Rin affected by our "monster chief" too? I'm not sure if she would, considering she can be considered an elite class of monster, possibly closer to a Demon Lord level.

It would, but she takes a lot of XP to level up, so to speak.

 

[Nevill]

She also promised that she would help us as long as she can achieve her goals.

I remember a few codexers going 'pffft, so she promised us, so what, she is our former enemy, she emanates hostility, she can break it anytime now'. I think even Baltika shared the sentiment.

And now she is our BFF.

Maybe it's because the angel is the boogeyman now.

The supposed Angel has neither and has no reason to trust or follow us

A strong statement about someone we never met. What do you know about that angel? That he didn't swear his undying loyalty to a guy he doesn't even know exists?

For the moment, he/she/it seems to be confined somewhere under the ground. I'd say a promise of release may provide enough reason for both - and if that isn't enough, then a promise of bloodshed that will surely follow once the Methussians get a wind of who is responsible for the deed.

Finally, I do not believe Angels have a strict ethic code they follow to the letter.

Frankly, it is kind of strange to make such a precise statements about a whole race.

I do not believe humans have a strict ethic code they follow to the letter. I do not believe demons have a strict ethic code they follow to the letter, though their nobility/royalty - just like their human counterparts - seems to put some value on keeping one's word.

That is a meaningless generalization.

 

[TOME]

At least one slime with Rin. Don't know about Baltika's proposal, how would the slime stay hidden in crowded town?

 

[Grimgravy]

No slime in town. Some slimes to help with bandits is ok with me.

 

[Kipeci]

Carnivorous slimes can go with Rin, I guess. Do try to indicate that they should be protected well as reasonably possible, though. I still don't like it, Rin's reckless nature could just as easily get them killed as piling up the bodies to make them stronger.

I wonder, could the pink slime function as a jock strap? Got to protect the angelic hyperweapon, and slimes might make decent shock absorbers if they can hold themselves together well enough to not slip through the clothes and make a mess.

 

[treave]

Don't know about Baltika's proposal, how would the slime stay hidden in crowded town?

Under your cloak. They can ball up and cling to it on the inside and you can whisper to people from a dark alley and draw your cloak back to reveal them as if selling illicit merchandise.

 

[Baltika9]

Too cool not to try. Especially since that one curses worse than a sailor.

 

[Kipeci]

Don't know about Baltika's proposal, how would the slime stay hidden in crowded town?

Under your cloak. They can ball up and cling to it on the inside and you can whisper to people from a dark alley and draw your cloak back to reveal them as if selling illicit merchandise.

I'll take that as a confirmation for pink slime hyperweapon sheathing.

 

[treave]

I'll take that as a confirmation for pink slime hyperweapon sheathing.

Not only is your hyperweapon no longer hyper, it can't even be called a weapon anymore.

 

[Kipeci]

Well, not with that attitude. We have a good physical endurance; we could probably find some way to club some poor fool to death with even the flaccid remnants of Erdrick's once-proud pillar. Just remember to use the protection and it's all good!

 

[archaen]

Pink Slime for Mercant; carnivorous slime and Turrets slime for Rin.

 

[Nevill]

We have a good physical endurance; we could probably find some way to club some poor fool to death with even the flaccid remnants of Erdrick's once-proud pillar.

We should do it if only for the sake of our reputation!

 

[Elfberserker]

Well since Kipeci plan has lead, I vote to take at laest foul mouthed slimes with us.
She will be fine cursing in mining city and I wouldn't be surprised, if miners found it hilarious.

Eldrick+ lucy slime addons:
Blue
Green
Purple

Rin, Aria and arlin slime addon:
Pink
Orange
Red

 

[Grimgravy]

We should leave a slime or two for Zayan to interact with. A 2-2-2 split seems reasonable.

 

[Elfberserker]

I wonder do slimes unlock more abilities as they level up? Like more varied poisons and other nice chemical produces?
Or are all of them unlocked already and just get more powerful as they level up?

I think the difficulty to choose, which slimes to leave behind since we have no idea what they excactly each slime do.
And also leveling up to get that queen slime.

 

[Azira]

If we want more detailed data on the slimes, we probably should assign them a group containing both Zayan and Erdrick...

Just saying..

 

[TOME]

I vote 2-2-2 split.

 

[Nevill]

Sure, ok, let's get this going. Pretend that they are control groups.

 

[lightbane]

Now seriously, why would Erdrick go to Ontoglia with any of the slimes, especially the pink and the orange ones? The former would starve, the poor thing, while the latter may make our negotiation attempts more difficult, no matter how funny the idea sounds.

I would leave the purple and the red ones go with Rin, while the rest stays on Grahferde: one of them on watch while the pink slime remains on standby. In any case, it's not that important anyway, I would like to have the next update soon, if possible.

A strong statement about someone we never met. What do you know about that angel? That he didn't swear his undying loyalty to a guy he doesn't even know exists? For the moment, he/she/it seems to be confined somewhere under the ground. I'd say a promise of release may provide enough reason for both - and if that isn't enough, then a promise of bloodshed that will surely follow once the Methussians get a wind of who is responsible for the deed.

Sure, we know little about our fellow angel bro/sis, but I assumed he wouldn't be too friendly just by what we know about their race. Even if it was happy enough to stay with us in exchange of burning Methuss to the ground, that would start a war we are not prepared to face yet: even if the other angel was capable of destroying the country by itself, it would quickly attract unwanted attention from pretty much everyone else, something which won't help us at all. More importantly, it would ensure we lose access to the kingdom's magic research and libraries, as well as forgoing the chance of acquiring more women for Erdrick's future harem. And then we would still have to deal with the problem that the angel would constantly be inching for a fight, looking around for an excuse to start slaughtering everyone in his path.

Frankly, it is kind of strange to make such a precise statements about a whole race. I do not believe humans have a strict ethic code they follow to the letter. I do not believe demons have a strict ethic code they follow to the letter, though their nobility/royalty - just like their human counterparts - seems to put some value on keeping one's word.
That is a meaningless generalization.

Well, I was referring to what Gobblecock said, I was trying to point out that considering their race's lust for violence and relatively small numbers, any kind of ethic code they follow would be a justification to resort to violence at the smallest provocation. In any case, it doesn't matter now. Perhaps there is an entire village of peaceful carnage pigeons chilling out at Dijeh, but we won't know anything for sure until we meet some of them in future chapters.

EDIT: Fuck it, I vote to follow TOME's plan to speed things up: a split of 2-2-2 of the slimes. Let's get this shit done already and move on to Erd's next misadventure.

 

[treave]

There doesn't seem to be any decision yet, so instead of an actual update you'll be getting another interlude today.

 

[TOME]

 

[Azira]

Freeform questions; the bane of any LP.

 

[treave]

Interlude: Amesdan the Bold

The darkness of the woods was held at bay only by the campfire. Crackling, it gave Amesdan both light and warmth. Which was just as well, seeing as he did not have a single piece of clothing on him. A frigid gust of wind rustled the leaves and made the fire dance animatedly. Shivering, the muscular man pulled the two naked women on either side of him closer, huddling under the thick blankets. They giggled.

“What’s wrong, Ames? Can’t stand a little cold?” said the woman on the right, a short-haired, tan-skinned beauty with a mischievous grin.

“Well, little Ames has certainly perked up,” laughed the other woman, her fine, long hair gently tickling Amesdan’s chest while she traced her way down his abdomen with nimble fingers. She glanced up at him with her bright blue eyes and smiled.

“The two of you have had your fun,” grins Amesdan. “We are just cuddling until the next shift.” He said his words with an air of finality, as befit the leader of this little adventuring band.

“Oh, come on. Monika and Jessika aren’t coming in for another fifteen minutes or so,” pouted the short-haired woman. “That’s enough time for Laika and I to have a bit more fun.”

“I don’t know, Velka. Fifteen minutes was never enough to satisfy you,” giggled Laika. “Back at the orphanage… remember when you would almost get caught by the priest for sneaking into Amesdan’s bed for too long?”

Amesdan laughed. “That was a close shave. Thought we were going to get whipped, or worse.” He remembered the hot and sweaty nights underneath the sheets. Youths on the cusp of adulthood exploring forbidden pleasures. That was ten years ago now. The orphanage had burned down. Overnight, Amesdan had been thrown into the streets to eke out a living, separated from the girls that he had grown up with. It had taken him long enough to find them once more. Velka. Laika. Monika. Jessika. He would never let go of them again. His arms tightened around their waists, and they hugged him tighter in return.

“That job we just did,” asked Velka suddenly, her impish tone now solemn, “Can we not do something like that again?”

Amesdan was quiet for a while. Turning to look into Velka’s eyes, he nodded. “Yeah. Of course. We’ll pick out our next job more carefully.”

“I didn’t expect the dryads to be so… human…” Laika shivered.

“Me neither,” muttered Amesdan. They had not expected the Galbaldian mercenaries to be so thorough in their butchery either. Amesdan knew that the dryads were monsters, enemies of humanity, but even then he found it hard to stomach the sight of them screaming in pain as they were run through with spear and sword, as knives were taken to their bark-like skin and peeled off with quick, smooth strokes. He had to remind himself continually that this was a job. That he had nothing to do with it. That the dryads were the job. In the end, he had been paid in both gold and some pieces of bloody bark. From what he knew of the market, the bark was worth a lot more. It was a lucrative job. But still…

Monika had been unable to watch for long and had spent most of the day vomiting. She decided to take the first night shift soon after and Jessika volunteered to stay with her. Velka and Laika were also unnerved… and if Amesdan was honest, so was he. Even though he was no stranger to the cruel world, there were limits to what he could tolerate. He would not take such a quest again. Especially if it would hurt the girls.

“But will our finances be alright?” asked Laika. “I mean, Jessika is expecting a child…”

“Haha, do not worry,” grinned Amesdan comfortingly. “We are one of the best adventuring bands in the kingdom. We can survive without doing quests like this.”

“That’s right,” says Velka. “Don’t we have that big quest lined up? You know, the expedition into the Forest of Ruin?”

Amesdan nodded. “Yeah. Old man Alexander approached me the other day. It’s going to be a big one. Not only are we getting reinforcements from the royal army, many of the big names are going to be participating. The Dragonslashers. The Blue Spinels. The Trinity Coterie. The kingdom’s treating this seriously enough to throw big money at it.”

“The Forest of Ruin… that’s the one where the legendary Minotaur Firelord lives, isn’t it?” murmured Laika. “I wonder if we could handle it. I know you can deal with a minotaur, Ames, but the Minotaur Firelord is said to be a thousand times stronger than normal ones…”

“We won’t be alone,” said Amesdan in a confident manner. “We’ll be with some of the most experienced adventurers around. I even heard that that some foreign adventurers were making their way here, enticed by the reward. Besides, we’re also pretty good ourselves. Have faith in yourself, Laika.”

“I… I’ll do my best,” she smiled.

“Yeah, yeah!” cheered Velka, suddenly excited. “With Laika’s magic and my daggers, we should be able to trash that Minotaur thingy in no time! Monika’s really good with a bow and no one can beat Jessika with a sword!”

Amesdan let a happy grin spread across his face. This is where he belonged. The orphanage was just a place – these girls were where he should be, in both body and soul.

“Hm, isn’t it about time for Monika and Jessika to come change shifts?” said Laika.

“Knowing her, Monika is going to be very angry that Ames started having some fun without her,” Velka replied.

“Ha, you’re in for it now, Ames,” Laika teased. “I’m going to go call them now.” She stood up and began to put on her gear. “Monika! Jessika! It’s time to swap!”

There was no response. In fact, all was quiet. Almost too quiet. The wind changed direction, and with it, Amesdan caught the scent of blood in the air. He sprang to his feet, shedding the blanket as he ran for his sword. “Be on guard, everyone!” he shouted.

Right when his hand closed around the comforting leather grip of his trusty blade, he heard a weak, whimpering moan.

“A…mes…dan…”

It came from the darkness of the forest. Amesdan peered, squinting his eyes. There was a figure in the shadows. He recognized the voice. The faint silhouette. “Jessika?”

The figure stumbled towards him, into the light, hands outstretched. It was Jessika alright, but what Amesdan saw made his blood run cold in his veins. A deep, dark red stained the entire front of her leather tunic. Her guts were spilling out from a gaping wound, hanging down low and swinging from side to side as she staggered closer to the dumbstruck adventurer. She had been cut almost in half; Amesdan wondered morbidly how she could even walk. “A…mes… run…”

Jessika tripped over her own intestines and fell flat to the ground. Jessika, who had always been strong and smart, and so sure on her feet. Jessika, who was even better with a blade than Amesdan himself but had always been patiently – lovingly – guiding his own swordsmanship. Jessika, who was carrying his baby.

The reality of the terrible sight before him finally sinking into his brain, Amesdan let out a roar of rage and sorrow. He ran towards the prone woman. “Jessika! Jessika!” Calling her name over and over again, he turned her over. There was blood, far too much blood. He had no idea if the baby in her womb was alright, but at the moment that was the least of his concerns. “Laika, can you do something about this? Quickly!”

“I-I’ll try. Oh, what in the world happened to her?” Laika came to his side, her eyes filled with tears as she prepared to cast healing magic. Jessika’s breathing was shallow and rapid but at least she still had breath left in her. Amesdan could only hope that she could pull through.

“Monika… what about Monika?” he asked. He did not know who he was posing the question to. Laika? Jessika? Himself? His mind was fogged up, hardly able to comprehend what had happened.

“Is it this one that you are looking for?”

A cold voice, hollow and echoing and distorted, spoke out. Something dark and round tumbled to the ground in front of Amesdan. It rolled across the dirt until it finally came to a stop, rocking against his feet. He stared at it. He would recognize that face anywhere. The girl that always scolded him, was always hard on him, yet who loved him so passionately.

His lips trembled.

His fists clenched.

His sorrow evaporated in a furnace of fiery anger.

Raising his head, Amesdan stared straight ahead of him, at the thing that stood half hidden in shadow. It appeared to be a knight of some sort, in full black armour that obsfucated his identity. The black knight had a relaxed pose, his arms placed on the hilt of a gigantic blood-stained axe planted upright on the ground. He had so many questions to ask this monster. Why did he kill them? Why was he even here? What did he want? What was he? Why?

But at this moment he pushed all of those questions away, his mind focused on one thing and one thing only.

To kill.

Wielding fire in one hand and his sword in the other, Amesdan charged at the black knight. He was one of the few in the entire kingdom who had the necessary skill to wield both blade and magic at the same time, combining both disciplines in the deadly art of magefencing. There were no more than thirty of them in the whole of Methuss; Amesdan still considered himself – humbly – in the top ten, even though the appearance of that mysterious mage at the royal banquet who somehow defeated a Knight-Captain and a high-ranking member of the Royal Caster Society at the same time might have bumped him down a spot.

“Inferno Slash!” shouted the adventurer, fury driving his attack. The leaves of the trees all around him combusted as he swung downwards, crimson red flames streaming from his blade. This was his most powerful move, a technique which he had once used to slay a rampaging minotaur. He was not about to hold anything back; not against the one who had killed Monika and Jessika.

Amesdan’s blade met air and nothing else.

The knight was no longer there. His instincts screamed at him, telling him to turn around… and so he did. There he was, the figure in black armour, standing above a petrified Laika who was still trying to keep Jessika alive. How did he get there so fast, and in such heavy armour? Gritting his teeth, Amesdan stretched out his hand, praying and hoping and desiring that he would reach them in time.

The black knight raised his axe.

He would not reach them. Amesdan opened his mouth to scream. Anything. Anything to attract that monster’s attention.

“Take this!” From the shadows, Velka appeared, mist-like darkness melting away from her form. She had been waiting for this chance to backstab her foe. Dashing forward at lightning speed, she drove her daggers into the knight’s unguarded back. The knight jerked forward.

“Velka!” shouted Amesdan happily. “Let’s do this!”

A wide grin on her face, Velka shouted back, “Amesd-“

There was a tearing, ripping noise. Amesdan stared. Velka’s face was not there anymore, replaced by nothing but blackness. No. It was still there. Something was still there, at least. Her lower jaw, and a flapping tongue. The top part of her head was entirely missing, consumed by wings of shadow that had sprouted from the knight’s back.

“Velka!” screamed Laika as she raised her staff, incanting the most powerful magic that she could muster. Sparks of electricity began gathering around her, joining into arcs that scorched the trees and the ground.

“Oh?” The black knight took a small step back. “Lightning magic, eh?” he said in that terrible voice. Amesdan wondered if he was concerned. Was lightning his weakness? But more importantly… Laika was about to cast a spell she should never use.

“Don’t do it!” cried out Amesdan. “You’ll die!” A spell this powerful would drain her of all her mana. Laika had to know that. He had tried to prevent her from learning this spell, but in a rare expression of stubbornness, Laika had insisted. It was only as a last resort, she said. Something they would probably never need.

Illuminated by the glowing blue lightning, Laika turned her head to look at Amesdan. Fresh tears had left streaks down her cheeks, shining with the reflected light of her magic. She knew that she would not survive this; the resignation in her eyes was clear. It was a look of farewell, and Amesdan could not stand seeing such a look yet again. Once was enough. “Thank you for everything, Ames.” The corners of her mouth twisted and turned as she attempted to smile. “I… I love you.”

Amesdan sprinted towards her, trying to stop Laika before she could release her spell. His fingers stretched out, reaching for the woman wrapped in powerful streams of lightning. The arcing bolts singed the back of his hand but he did not care. He needed to reach her. He had to.

“Thunderstorm!”

All of the power in Laika’s body surged upwards into the sky before raining back down in a storm of electricity. The place where the black knight was standing lit up as brightly as a star, bathed in lightning. The noise was tremendous. Crackling, thundering, the raging magic violently assaulted its target, churning up gouts of acrid smoke and turning nearby trees into flaming candles.

As the spell subsided, Amesdan opened his eyes. He thought he would have been fried by that magic too but somehow the storm had passed him by. A… miracle? No. It was by Laika’s will. She had managed to control a powerful spell such as this to the extent that it spared him from any harm. His heart beat faster. If Laika could have accomplished this, perhaps she could have survived the spell? He hoped. He prayed. He stepped forward, his hands waving away the smoke blindly.

There. There she was, looking perfectly fine with her staff still in hand. She was alright. Amesdan broke into a smile. “Laika!” he shouted.

Laika’s form scattered into ashes at his shout, flaking away until it was undistinguishable from the grey smoke surrounding him. Amesdan sank to his knees. No words came out of his mouth, only anguished, choking noises crawling up from the depths of his throat. Hot tears ran down his face.

And there, still standing upright, was the black knight. It began to walk towards him, showing no signs of fading away like Laika had. The only signs of Laika's death spell were a few smoking scuffs on that damnable armour. What was this thing?

“I see, I see. A sentimental sort, aren’t you? Not afraid to show your feelings on your face. He really should be more like you, be more honest with himself. Oh well. I think he’ll be happy if I bring you back?” said the black knight with a strange note of happiness in his voice. He was saying things that Amesdan did not understand, could not understand. The darkness engulfed him, and for a while, he knew no more.

***

When Amesdan woke up, he was trussed up and gagged and surrounded by goblins. They were carrying him out into the sunlight. He squinted. Before him was a stunningly beautiful woman and a hooded man. The man was speaking in a strange language. For some reason, the woman blushed. Then, the man turned to look at him.

Amesdan felt a cold chill bite deep into the fiber of his very being.

That stare… that hateful, black stare that seemed to embody in itself a disgust for all humanity… It was a hatred that no one could hope to extinguish, a hatred that ran so deep that it threatened to destroy the world.

At that moment, he knew that before him stood a terrible monster, one even more horrifying than the black knight. This man was probably the dark master of that knight. The one who had slaughtered his oldest and closest friends and lovers. Just the thought of that dreadful sight churned up the anger in him again. They killed Laika. Velka. Monika. Jessika. And for what? He did not even know. Here he was, naked and bound… but he would not give up. He would not let their deaths be in vain. Glaring back at the hooded man, Amesdan screamed in rage, writhing in the mud. If only he could get free. If only he could just free a single finger. Even if he would die here, he would not die without a fight. The goblins began to poke at him with their sharp spears, nicking his skin. This would not stop him. He was Amesdan the Bold, one of the best adventurers in Yuiria. He unrelentingly fought against his bonds.

But Amesdan’s struggles seemed beneath the man’s notice. He continued to speak dismissively to the woman. The bound adventurer roared his heart out. It would have been impressive if not for the gag muffling his shouts. Finally, the man barked out something and jerked his thumb at a dome. Then, he stepped over Amesdan insultingly like one would a mangy dog.

***

It was dark and there was a strange smell in the air. Amesdan stirred, his eyes opening blearily. There was a woman sitting in front of a veritable arsenal of glassware set up on a large desk.

“Oh, you are awake. Perfect.” She smiled. Yet another beauty, though of course Laika, Velka, Monika and Jessika were prettier.

Amesdan growled at her. “What is this place? Where am I? Let me go now!” His gag had been removed some time ago.

The woman ignored him, instead opting to examine his naked body more closely. With his groin in such close proximity to the face of a beautiful woman, despite himself, Amesdan started to feel aroused. “No, no,” he muttered. “I can’t…” He had to remain faithful to them. To their memory.

“Huh,” said the woman as she glanced detachedly at Amesdan’s crotch. “Looks healthy. I wonder if he would be willing to try a transplant? It might work.” She seemed to be talking to herself.

“Transplant?” mumbled Amesdan.

“Maybe later.” Again, Amesdan got the feeling that she was not talking to him. “I have to ask some questions first, I think.”

The woman walked back to her desk and rummaged around the messy table. “Ah, here they are. Perfect! I can test my new methodology while accomplishing the objectives of my interrogation at the same time! It's genius, if I do say so myself,” When she turned around, she was holding a few thick needles in her hands. “I have rarely had the chance to practice this before, but do not worry, there will not be too much damage done.” This time, Amesdan could tell that she was talking to him now.

“Damage?” he mumbled again.

“There will probably be less damage if you answer my questions truthfully,” admitted the woman. “But regardless, I do not want to damage the specimen too much should he be willing to try a transplant, so do not worry. It is safe in my hands.”

“What specimen?”

The woman grinned.

The needles went in.

Amesdan screamed.