FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

The kobold turned away from the coals burning inside the braizer as the heavy chamber door was thrown open. Two burly orc guards were hauling a struggling lion between them - a tight leather muzzle holding any grunts at bay. A thick metal collar was bolted onto the lion's neck, marking him as a prisoner of the lord's dungeons. To the kobold, he was just another duty to attend to.

Kleet walked over to the guards, not bothering to greet the trio. He merely held out his hand to receive the missive that one of the orcs held. The greenskin began to speak, explaining the hardship the lion had given them and the discipline they inflicted - but the kobold ignored them, too busy inspecting (and breaking) the wax seal as he held the parchment near the braizer to read.

The message was sparse, as expected. Lion, crimes of dissention, injured warden. Iron maiden. The duke of Nuxium's signature closed the short missive.

The kobold walked over to the imposing iron construct, pulling open the weighty metal doors. Inside, the mummified body of its previous victim stood impaled on the thick spikes. Kleet took hold of an inch-thick wooden board that rested between the rat's head and shoulders before pulling it free from the torture device - the body moving with it and tearing itself free. Once removed, the kobold released a buckle at the rear of the board, allowing the bloodless and dry body to fall to the ground. He could hear the lion's pleading mewls now, fear of his impending death overwhelming any pride remaining.

Pulling the rat out of the way, the kobold then moved towards the lion with the board. Finally speaking, he merely said "on his knees" to the orcs - the powerful guards forcing the lion down low enough for the kobold to press the wooden board around his neck and buckling it in place.

"Stand him outside it. Line up the board. Push it in"

The two orcs, somewhat reluctantly, followed the torturer's instructions. The lion did everything in his power to get loose, pleading through the muzzle and kicking out with his legs to get away. But it was pointless. With his wrists and ankles held together with short-chained manacles, there was little chance of escape - and the days of beatings and abuse had drained his strength.

The wooden board was slid into the grooves of the iron maiden, keeping the lion's head in place. Tears rolled down the felines face as the reality sank in. The cold spikes poking at his back and thighs as he was forced to stand there, staring into the grinning faces of his jailers. Unable to see the smaller form of the kobold executioner. The light form the braizer making the shadows dance like demons from hell. He could hear the rattle of chains and grunting yips from the kobold as he prepared something out of view. The sides of the maiden moved slightly, teasing the lion with their lethal points - but stayed open, prolonging the terrible suspense.

---

Finally content that the water barrel counter-weights were full enough and the quick-release primed, Kleet walked away from the iron maiden, far enough that he could stare into the eyes of the crying lion. He now wore his half-hood, the black leather signalling him as an executioner on duty. He nodded at the orcs. They placed their hands on the levers. Kleet raised an arm, never taking his eyes off the lion. His hand fell.

The quick-release pins tingled as they were pulled free from the tense ropes that connected the counter-weights to the maiden's doors. The thick hemp creaked as it took the strain - slamming the heavy metal doors shut, driving their spiked deep into the body of the lion inside. Bones shattered and organs ruptured under their unstoppable pressure. The lion's body was forced back against the rear spikes, a pin-cushion pierced on both sides. He couldn't even scream, the air blasted out of his chest in a bloody gurgle from the impact. His eyes went wide, still visible as the head portion remained open. Kleet still gazed at the dying lion. He could see the pain racking the lion's sundered body reflected in that horrible visage. Blood slowly started to ooze out of the base of the maiden, funnelled along a groove and into a drain. The executioner waited, watching the agonised expression of the lion's face, waiting until the life faded away. The lion's tear-filled eyes finally glossed over, the muzzled snout falling down onto the wooden board that held it in place. Content that the sentence was complete, the kobold signalled the orcs to close the head piece. Two thin spiked drove their way into the lion's eyes as the metal door was pushed closed. From the outside, the maiden resembled a smiling demon in a heavy cloak. Blood flowed freely from the bottom hem of the cloak, and slowly began to dribble from between the wicked lips of the demon's smile.

Content that his work was done, the kobold burned the missive and waved the guards out of the room. Moving over to the rat's body, he inspected the gaping holes the maiden had caused. Any chance of salvaging a pelt or trophy was gone; the body was too sundered to be of any use. And too desiccated for cooking. How long has he been here? the kobold wondered. This was the first time the maiden had seen use since he was employed by the duke - almost 2 years ago. The lack of rot was a testament to the hygiene (or magic) the duke employed to keep his prisoners free from infection. Fever was such a simple way to die, and gangrene often ended interrogations before the flecks of information could be extracted.

Kleet pulled the rat's body to the opposite end of the room, furthest from the single door. There, he unlocked a large grate in the floor before pushing the rat into the chute below. He still wondered who (or what) the duke used to dispose of the garbage. He hoped he never had to find out.