She had been careless, and now she was at their mercy, there was little she could do. Her tears were hard to see through the rain that was pouring down soaking the lands and everything on them.

”Careful now, beast, you don't want to accidentally slip, do ya?” A rough voice asked with a dark chuckle as he eyed the poor thing he was speaking to.

In return was a growl, but one that only got more laughter from him, and his companions. They had caught themselves a rather interesting prize, but, upon realizing what they were dealing with they had decided against their original plans and went to plan B.

Their captive was only five feet tall, poison green eyes that were red with crying and rage, long mousy brown hair that was mattered with mud and blood. They had seen fit to strip her as well, just to see what else she had been hiding under her robes, she was rather pretty in a different way. Her body was slim and lithe, light golden skin now covered in fresh gashes and drying and fresh blood. She had quills running down both sides of her scale covered spine, or, rather, she once had the quills there, they had forcibly removed them, pulling them out. That had been their first indicator that they weren't dealing with something in its right mind, for she was hardly that. They had also tore off the quills from the back of her head as well, these were for fun and to torture her, for she had got off on the pain before, but after a rather bad mental torture that had changed somewhat. Her four foot tail hung limp behind her, her hand bound behind her back with spider silk rope, and strong as she was, she wasn't about to break those bonds.

”Give me back my son.” She growled at the four of them, three males and a female, two of the males were human, one male elf and the female was a mix of human and elf. They all laughed at her as they watched her teeter on the log she was just barely keeping herself standing upright on.

”That doll? I think not. Too had you aren't safe enough to keep alive, you'd sell well.” The female spoke up as she stepped closer and prodded at the captive's one leg making her gasp and swing slightly from the rope around her neck. ”Just hang in there.” She laughed.

Xyaban closed her eyes, she was trying to struggle against her bonds but any movement on her part made her lose balance slightly and if she slipped from the log the noose around her throat would tighten. Because of how they had set the noose up, she wouldn't drop far enough to break her neck, no, it would be a slow and painful death by strangulation. An ironic and fitting death for the dragoness considering wrapping her hands around someone's throat and strangling them was her favourite method of killing when time allowed it.

They had caught her by surprise and had used some kind of stone to nullify her magic right away once they realized she could cast. Once they found out that she was some kind of dragon, a kind they hadn't seen before they had decided to capture her alive, and the baby she was carrying in her arms that she was protecting. The rain had made things some what difficult and they had underestimated her abilities based on her small frame. So when she had proven more than capable of protecting herself and that she was rather insane, they had used different methods to subdue her. There had been five them of by Xyaban had killed one, hence another reason they had chosen to end her life by hanging her, slowly and making her suffer.

The female had managed to get Xy's baby boy away from her and when her focus turned from the males they had jumped her and bound her. However, despite thinking they at least had a prize in the bundle, what they found instead was more evidence of the dragon's insanity. The 'baby' she was carrying was in fact a stuffed toy that looked somewhat like her but a baby instead, she had made it herself. At the moment they had done anything beyond keep it from her and making sure she knew that they controlled it, and, in turn, they controlled her.

Xyaban struggled some more, but her one foot slipped and she stopped moving long enough to just get her foot back on the log again without pushing it away. She had no idea what to do, and being a captive again, after what her 'parents' had put her through for the first hundred years of her life. She was slowly reverting back to that scared little dragoness, unable to do anything against those that would do her harm. Add in the fact that they had her son and they had everything they needed to keep her under control.

The rain was lovely tonight, and Luzia had decided to stalk through the forest.  Her companion was in the city, searching for new contacts, new information.  She had no fear that Itzal would go rogue, he was deeply loyal to her.  So she had only taken her familiar, and they had gone stalking into the dank evening.  Then she caught the scent of blood, and Luzia could tell it was not from animals hunting.  There was a vaguely familiar tang to it, a particular scent that all with dragon's blood shared.  That alone piqued her curiosity enough to give her aimless wandering a direction.  Perhaps a new recruit?  Time would tell.

Creeping up on the raucous laughter, Luzia could see they were far too intent on tormenting the captive than paying attention to their surroundings.  Which suited Luzia just find.  And who they had strung up in the clearing… it made her blood boil.  A bunch of mere humans and elves had no right to treat one of her kin like that.  Whether or not the dragonkin joined her, that wasn't too important.  But playing the savior, that could be of benefit to Luzia.  She entertained the thought for just the briefest of moments of leaving the captured dragonkin to her fate, but no.  The lesser races had to learn.  It was all part of a grander plan.

The strange rainbow colored spear went through one of the human's chest hard enough that he was lifted from the ground.  It took him a few moments to register just what had happened, and Luzia had intentionally stabbed it through his right lung.  He would die slowly as blood filled his lungs.  "Now that isn't very nice.  Just what gives you the right to torment a superior?  Time to learn a lesson," Luzia crooned, as the man on her spear started to scream, blood colored spittle starting to fleck his lips. A jerk of the spear, and he went flying towards one of his compatriots.  The others just started, then rushed at her.  This would be fun.  And in the meantime, her familiar had started untying the female's ropes.  Her reaction would be quite telling.

Slowly, slowly Xyaban was starting to go deeper into her own mind, going back with her mentality, and if it kept she would be back to that younger self, that scared self she had left behind. So when the rainbow spear appeared in the human's chest Xyaban could only stare from her place on the noose, while trying desperately not to fall off the log she was tip toeing on. She watched as the new female stepped into the picture, speaking to the humans, threatening them to boot as the human that had been impaled started to scream.

As the humans attacked the newcomer the female who had been carrying Kirin dropped the bundle making Xyaban cry out as her baby was dropped. In that moment of pure panic for the safety of her child Xyaban slipped off of the log. The drop wasn't far enough to snap her neck, no, they hadn't been that kind, instead she was hung there as the strange familiar thing was starting to cut the rope. But Xyaban was still there, choking as the rope strangled her and she was trying to gasp for air.


When the rope was cut Xyaban dropped to the ground and coughed and wheezed trying to catch her breath again while the thing that had cut her down worked on her wrist restraints. ”Ki, Kirin.” Xyaban wheezed, eyes blood red and tear filled and the moment she felt the rope on her wrists were cut she crawled forward on all fours. She reached her baby and picked him up carefully and looked him over as he started to squirm in her arms. Which was actually Xyaban unconsciously using magic to make him move like a real baby, another layer to the lie that was her life as a mother. ”It's okay, baby, mommy has you, you're safe now.” She opened a small magical gate close to her, one that led back to her hidden home cave. Carefully she reached in and placed Kirin down. ”Mommy will get you soon, Kirin.” Xyaban cooed and closed the gate, and then her eyes, drying up and turning angry, turned to the humans, more so, the female.

The humans were distracted with the other dragonkin, they hadn't take this one by surprise like they had Xyaban. But Xyaban's roar made them all stop for a moment when they realized where that may have come from behind them. The enraged and insane dragoness charged forward, leaping up as the female human turned, fear on her face now that she saw what was coming towards her. They collided and the human tried to get her weapon up, but Xyaban knocked it aside with her tail as the rolled on the ground.

Xyaban proved her strength, fuelled by rage, as she came up from the roll dragging the human by her hair up with her. The short dragoness stared with her poison green eyes into the human's for a moment before slugging her across the chin knocking the human out, saving her for last. Dropping the human Xyaban looked back to the two remaining males who weren't looking as brave as before when she was strung up, a red ring around Xy's neck from rope burn.

Xyaban's eyed moved to the dragonkin female for a moment, recognizing a distant cousin when she saw one. ”One for you, one for me.” Xyaban smiled showing all her fangs as she rushed forward. The male she went after turned and raised his blade but Xy's own blade snapped from her wrist and she countered the steel with bone and scales. She pushed back and tackled him, grabbing his wrist and snapping it making him yell out and drop the sword. Xyaban wasn't that heavy given her small size but the ferocity she attacked with made up for it.

He went to punch her but she took the blow like it didn't happen and clamped her mouth around his arm and bite down, hard. He screamed as Xyaban's fangs dug in, his blood dripping into her mouth the predator in her enjoying this. She pulled back and tore a chunk of his flesh away from his arm and spat it out. She punched him the chest and knocked the wind from his chest, and broke a few ribs, and took that moment to use her blade to cut the tendons in his legs. He screamed again but unable to walk he wasn't going anywhere.

With a crazed look in her eyes Xyaban hacked up something in the back of her throat and then spat it on his chest. The greenish liquid started to bubble and hiss as it started to eat away at his armour and clothing, the glue like substances would eventually eat through his chest as well, It was a slow and very very painful death he would experience. He started to scream and while Xyaban liked that noise it was annoying after a few moments so she snarled and forced his mouth open and ripped his tongue out and tossed it back in his face.

Standing up Xyaban watched him for a moment and then looked to the other female dragonkin after she was finished with her play thing. ”Thank you, cousin.” Normally scared of other dragons, this one wasn't a full dragon and she had saved Xyaban so that helped. Didn't hurt that she was pretty. To that end Xyaban walked over slowly with a smile on her blood covered lips. With a giggle she leaned up and forward and quickly planted a loving kiss on Luzia's lips. It didn't last too long but the lust was there and Xyaban broke it after a moment with a giggle and walked towards the slowly rousing human female. ”I'm Xyaban.” She said to Luzia as she thought about it.

Walking over to where she had been strung up Xyaban collected the rope and went back to the human who was starting to come to. By the time the woman came to Xyaban had her tied up by her wrists arms stuck in the air to a branch but she was still flat footed on the ground. But Xyaban had also stripped her naked and dragged her tongueless friend over for her to see, he was trying to scream as Xyaban's acid spit was eating through his chest. He had tried to wipe it off so now his fingers were starting to dissolve as well.

”Wake up… wake up!” Xyaban slapped the female's face and that got her awake only to see her friend before her and realize that she was tied and naked. Fear spread across her face and she struggled but Xyaban had tied her tight enough to cut the blood flow to hands, she wasn't going anywhere. ”You took my son and threatened to harm him. Why?!” Xyaban growled as she grabbed the human's chin and forced her to look at Xy's insane eyes.

They rushed like cattle to the slaughter, and Luzia had a manic grin on her face.  It was easy, but there was a purpose to even the most basic of kills.  Practice, recruiting, food.  Human flesh wasn't her favorite, but it was often the most plentiful.  One ear was kept on the female's words, but most of her attention was focused on the fun before her.  It wasn't long before only two were left, and the other female was gracious enough to split up the kills.  That was good, Luzia wanted to gauge her ability to kill.  The desire was clearly there, and the ability soon manifested itself.  Luzia satisfied herself with a quick kill, a slash to the throat and thrust through the man's heart, so that she could watch the other one fight.  And she was not disappointed, the use of teeth, ferocity, and some kind of natural acid would make her a very nice addition to Luzia's little collection of outcasts. 

When she tore the man's tongue out, Luzia knew at that moment that the dragoness could be a useful, albeit dangerous, addition to her crew.  It was certainly work taking the risk.  And unstable, the kiss left her thrown off for a moment.  It had been so long since she had felt any manner of affection towards another being, or even physical contact that was not violent in nature.  "Luzia.  You fight well," she said, returning the introduction and following her to the human.  It was only fair what she did to the female, given what had happened.  Crossing her arms over her chest, Luzia watched with a cold grin The fear in the human's eyes was a beautiful thing, and she was already considering ways she could use the female.

There was a bit of confusion at the mention of a 'son' but she remembered the doll.  Interesting.  That could be a weak spot that could be useful for her.  A promise of safety for the 'child', and she could have another devoted disciple.  While she was thinking, the human female was babbling.  A slaver from the sounds of things, and they had managed to catch Xyaban off-guard.  She was certain it was the only time it would happen.  It was a lesson learned, and one that Luzia was certain had been learned well.  "A straight answer would save you a lot of trouble, I think.  Someone sent you, most scum like you do not have the specialized equipment to neutralize magic," Luzia finally spoke up.  It was a niggling thought in her mind, and perhaps there was more at play here than met the eye.

The human babbled for a moment buy Xyaban slapped her and snarled. ”There are fast ways to die, human, and slow ways. Answer my question and I'll give you a quick death.” Xyaban grabbed some of the human's hair and pulled her face down to look her in the eyes while Luzia spoke up. She asked of the method used to stop Xyaban's magic, something the dragoness hadn't considered.

”Sl, slavers, we're slavers. We spotted you and thought you'd be a good sell, but you defended yourself too well, you weren't worth the hassle. So you're doll…” She stopped with a pained sound when Xy growled at the word 'doll' and pulled her hair harder. You're son, you're son we could sell for a good price indeed. We got the magic nulling stone from a client for helping us capture magic users like you.” She explained. ”That's all of it, I swear!”

Xyaban released the woman's hair and stepped back and seemed to be thinking. Coming back up to the half elf Xyaban lowered her enough to let her feet just touch the ground and take a little pressure off of her wrists. The elf looked worried, as she should, at what this might mean. Xyaban reached out and cupped her cheek with a small grin. ”My record for keeping someone alive while I torture them is four days, I'm going to try for five with you. Do a little more mental fun before I move to the physical, I'll break your mind, make you pleasure me and then slow, ever so slowly, bring you to death.”

The half elf went to protest but Xyaban moved forward and pressed their lips together, as she breathed out a puff of miasma magic went to the elf. Xy broke the kiss and stepped back and smiled to Luzia as she waited. It took a second for the spell to kick in, but, when it did, the half elf started to scream and thrash as she was tied up. Her eyes went wide in terror at whatever she was seeing in her own mind, Xyaban smiled again. ”I do have to wonder what she's seeing.” Xyaban commented.

Leaving the woman to scream and struggle, the spell would wear off in a few minutes anyway, Xayabn turned to Luzia. ”Thank you, Luzia, for your help. You fight well to, I wasn't sure how I was getting out of that situation, I won't be letting my guard down anymore.” Xyaban assured. ”Now, if you have the time and would like to stay with me for a little while I have my fun, you're more than welcome, in fact you can do as you like as well. That spell won't last much longer.” He raised her left arm and her small foot long needle like blade came out and she flexed her hand a few times and out of the end of the blade came a thick liquid, Xyaban's natural toxin. ”There, with all of that out of me, I can create some new stuff for her that won't kill her right away. I can mix the toxins in my own body but I can only save one at a time for use.”

After a bit of time passed the woman started to stop screaming as the spell slowly came to an end and she was left hanging there gasping for breath. The look on her face once the spell was gone, looked as though she wasn't fully convinced that what she had been seeing wasn't actually real or not.