Wicked One

There was cold, and then death cold. That had been a shock, but only to the point the pain started. In death all that was left was the base consciousness, nothing should be felt, but that didn't matter to the soul that was being tormented right at this moment.

Something ate into it, pitting it, hollowing it, and leaving behind nothing but a hollow recollection of something that had once been alive. The pain was scouring, indistinct and all consuming, making the description of what it could or should feel like impossible, and when it did end all that was left couldn't be called whole anymore.

There was a brief time that the cold returned, but it changed with a small pressure. Then there was warmth, pleasure, and when it was over the many hollowed parts of what was something started to become someone once again.

There was a soft pull as the filled in pieces set to find equilibrium with its new host. If the soul had been whole it would have been akin to a parasite sucking away what was there to create something new, but to the fragment that had been pitted like a fruit it was a balm to a savaged wound. It filled those places that had been scoured away and then took what was left and brought it back together. This operation, which by most would have been invasive and uncomfortable. Was instead soothing, and stabilizing; despite the deep dark power layered beneath.

A calm settled into place, falling into a void after the constant bombardment of sensations. Just as the cold seemed to finally set back in; heat filled the void.

_

There was a small pop of her ears as a wealth of sensations overwhelmed everything. Seconds passed with eyes squeezed closed trying to stop the spinning. After the ear pop the world seemed to finally reach some slow equilibrium. Taking deep ragged breaths of dusty cold air, tinged with the taste of fresh blood, and taking her time she slowly moved her arms to curl, placing her hands next to shoulders.

Spreading her hands out, she gave a little push. Nothing physically groaned, and she gave a grateful sigh. 'Nothing feels out of place.' So she put more strength into her arms, pushing the top half of her torso up off the ground. Two things were of note with the action. Smoke black hair, like that of a terribly caustic chemical fire came tumbling around her shoulders like silk flowing through the air, it was long, and for all its ethereal looks, quite beautiful. The next thing of note was despite the cool air, she felt warm, and was sure if left down here long enough the room would start to warm.

Pushing off the floor brought another revelation, the ease at which her body came off the floor. It felt very light almost as though it would float if given the chance. Taking a deep and still ragged tension releasing breath, she pulled legs under her and slowly worked herself into a kneeling sit. The light and silky hair settled on the front of her body draped comfortably over her shoulders. Leaning back to find a more comfortable and stable position. Bare bottom pressed into calves lightly, even when allowing her full weight to sink into the position. Despite the ease of movement and apparent light weight of her own body, she was still breathing heavy as though shed been holding her breath for far to long.

The throbbing of the headache inducing spin the world had decided to torture her with was finally ebbing, allowing the now strained face to finally start relaxing slowly. Minutes passed in a limp bodied kneel simply letting the deep ragged breaths come under control. Her body was relaxing more and more, as the world stabilized to a basic understanding of what was up and down.

Slowly and carefully, she started to open closed eyes. It took a moment for the now open eyes to start focusing. Black lashes covered much of her vision with the eyes just open to slits. 'No more spinning that's a start.' She thought sighing, letting all of the tension in her muscles release.

Continuing to lift the lids of her eyes, hazy images came into view for the first time. Furrowing her brows she started blinking, several times didn't seem to help clear her vision. She frowned and rubbed her eyes gently with the back of her hand. Grimacing and blinking a few more times. Found her grinding her teeth together, as the vision had been improving, but slowly as though they were unwilling to adjust or visualize to the world around.

When her sight did come into focus, it was with a quick snap into focus that made her jerk unintentionally. Then her eyes widened, as her down turned head in its relaxed position took in the sight of herself. She blinked quickly unsure if what she was seeing was her, then frowned opening her mouth to protest then stopped puzzled, and placed a hand to her head gently. Before the hand could into place however a hot pain splashed across her forehead as a much to long finger nail tried to dig into flesh making her jerk her hand back.

"Ow" Came a high but musical grunt from her throat. The voice was soft, and it was the type of high that when the screaming started you knew exactly where it came from. It also felt like the power behind wasn't just a high shrill, but a voice that could boom across a crowd with authority.

Pulling the hand back then proceeded to glare at the offending digit, a cool ashen blue hand with four fingers and one thumb came into perfect clarity. The digits were long and slender, with just enough meat on the bones to give a strong look, while also still being oddly dainty. Frowning as she gazed; on the tips of each of the digits was a black nail thick and sturdy that came farther out than she felt it necessary, and was the current victim of her glare. She studied them, black, and thick enough that it made her wondered about their purpose. Several things crossed her mind including, some pleasurable, and some not so pleasurable uses.

'All things must have a purpose.' She mussed an easy appreciative smile slithering across her face. Then frowned again tilting her head trying hard to reach mentally for something that she was sure should be there. It was like reaching in the dark for a hand full of sand that floated in the air. Every time a mental grip grabbed something, it seemed to just slip away like sand leaving only a remnant that something should have been there.

'Woah..." A voice cut into her thoughts, breaking her trance like state. The voice was deep but still very boyish, and her head turned to the right, locating the source of the noise. Two boys looked back at her one slack jawed, the other triumphant. The triumphant one saw her looking now and jumped slightly at her scrutiny, then as she was him he looked her over. His eyes lingered longer in the usual spots, he seemed a bit young to her eyes so she ignored him, and moved her attention onto the other. His eyes were full of wonder, awe, and as her gaze shifted to him, terror. He was kneeling on one knee next to a circle and as she looked closer, said circle seemed to be on all sides of her, making her the center piece.

'Weird,' she thought frowning and narrowing her eyes as she looked around, before locking an accusatory glare at the kneeling young man. He went to his feet quickly, stiff as a board. His partner laughed, "She's bound, what are you so nervous of!?" His jovial tone, was a baritone having lost its youthful lilt, suggested they were in no danger. The dismissive tone made her narrow her eyes, she was pretty sure her nails could do some damage if she wanted to.

"I, uh, well..." The nervous one spluttered, blushing as she held his gaze. Unable to look away, he stayed frozen in place locked by her gaze as though trapped by an unknown chain. The other boy sighed dramatically. "Seriously man? Grow a back bone." The boy said starting to move forward. Her eyes flicked from the motionless boy to the cocky one now moving to her. Out of the corner of her eye, she watched the still one relax as her gaze shifted. As for the approaching boy, she didn't move but the muscles in her body started to coil like a spring ready for action. "Watch Eric, it'll be just fine."

Setting a clamped jaw she stood then, shifting her weight back, and putting her toes to the ground from her kneel. The shift from her body weight allowed the toes to get traction as they flexed, and the unusual lightness of her body allowed her to stand from the awkward position. As she came to her full height she came from the tip toes she had used to stand, to being on flat foot by the time she was fully erect. With this action the boy slowed eyes flicking to her feet and then the long black nails at her finger tips. He gulped, as the easy confident smile he had previously worn like paper armor, was shredded. 'Good boy, this flower has thorns.' She stood a full head taller, and looked to be in better shape than the young teenager in front of her.

"Uh, Eric you are sure you got the summoning right, uh right?" He asked frown marring his still young round face, as his eyes skittered across the room like a nervous animal. The boy who had gone ridged at her very glare, now only gapped. His eyes took her in wholly now and she was sure his gawking was more than just polite interest. That did make sense though, they were only teenagers and summoned or not, looking at herself for the brief moment before realizing she hadn't been alone. Even she had to admit she looked pretty good. There would be time for mirror love later, right now she had to figure out a couple of things. One, why she had been summoned? If they wanted a sex toy, these boys were in for a rude awakening, her eyes flicked her glare back to Eric. Making him nervously stiffen once again. Second thing she had to figure out was, where was she? To this question she finally broke eye contact with both of the boys. Figuring if they tried anything she'd be able to at least get a few scratches into the inexperienced looking boys, and looked around the room.

The room seemed to be made entirely out of some type of red stone brick, and was placed together impeccably well. Four pillars near the corners of the room held the tall ceiling above their heads aloft with more than adequate craftsmanship. They had murals on them, depictions inlayed beautifully into each layer telling a story she couldn't comprehend. As she swiveled her back and forth studying the area looking for anything that would trigger her memory, a small sinking feeling in her stomach told her that something was amiss. She frowned at the feeling, and despite the large well made painting at the back of the room and her summoning circle, the room seemed to be inconsequential. Giving nothing for her brain to lock onto that might have been familiar, she begrudgingly slowly brought her eyes back to the only people in the room who could give information.

They for their part seemed to be having a quiet conversation between each other now that the nervous boy, Eric she reminded herself. Had moved forward emboldened apparently by his partners approach. She listened intently now as they tried to whisper to each other, but the room was dead quiet and she could hear almost everything they were saying now that she was focusing. "No," Eric said. "I don't think Daniel, I know it was right and before you ask again, Yes I know that Imps don't look like that normally, but, I will bet my favor that she is indeed some sort of imp." He stated firmly. "The imp family is huge Daniel, not just large but huge, it like trying to map a werewolves gene line, with all of the turned in the running as well." His hands gesticulated in front of him wildly. "I don't..." Eric started, but Daniel cut him off. "I get that, but you also said it would be a male so that it had less of a chance to spread, and..." He trailed off once his eyes meet hers now that she was done examining the room.

Daniel cleared his throat, "My apologies," he started pushing an amiable smile to his face. "This is Eric and I am Daniel. We have summoned you here to help us with simple, tasks." His pause was laced with enough false meaning, that it made her consider clawing his eyes out, but quickly reminded herself that he was a teen, and controlled by his emotions among other things. She did however narrow her eyes hostilely on him, a suspicion laced scowl marking her face. She had been hoping the boy would see she was onto him and back off, but either he was to dense or knew something she didn't because he just kept his smile plaster over his face. She decided then she did not like Daniel, and at the first sign...

Her thoughts paused, what would she do to him if given the chance? The images of making him a fleshy corpse flashing through her imagination seems a bit extreme, if a bit worryingly suggestive. She didn't get much more of a chance to think on the strange violent thoughts or how to enact them as Daniel asked a question that froze her entire being.

"What's your name?"

Eric's eyes went wide at the question, shivering in place as they both waited. Daniel with his plastered smile, Eric in abject horror. For her part her face had gone slack in concentration. A feeling of emptiness accompanied the thoughts of her name, and well anything. There was no memories at all outside of this room. It felt wrong somehow like there should be something, but before the thought of spiraling confusion could truly set in Eric's low voice cut in. "Be very, and I mean very, glad the question went unanswered!" The voice was low, laced in angry relief.

Eric rose his left hand, which drew her eyes suspicion. "Bound status." He muttered quietly, his words were phrased like a statement but came out close to a question. Frowning the Imp continued to look at Eric's hand. 'System?' She questioned, her faces scrunching trying to wrap her head around everything. She felt truly lost, there was nothing to grab onto in her mind, no experience to draw on, or advise to help her. She had words but no knowledge of how she obtained them, but that mattered little as a small translucent rectangle popped up over his left wrist. She had a hard time reading the bulk of the text but the top bigger lines were easy enough to read.

Lvl. 1 Imp

Location, Ritual basement.