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Tales Of Morveria: Covetous

Lost in a Heart of Darkness

By Mantrid Brizon

Bero slowly opens his eyes, awakening to a blinding light. It's quite jarring at first, the quiet of the sterile room. The thirty-year-old human's eyes swiftly adjust and he begins to take in his surroundings. The glimmering walls of the crystalline growth is decidedly alien. In a panic he tries to bolt upright, only to find himself fastened to a strange table. His mind takes longer to adjust than his eyes do. As he looks around the room, he recalls the circumstances that brought him to this strange and frightening place. For a moment, he thought it all a bad dream.

That's exactly what it would be, had he left with Leitha. His decision to remain behind and attempt to free Laito is one he perpetually regrets. After watching Leitha, Lucina & little Arice leaving on the wagon to, escaping to Zhanai with the funds he'd provided for them, he did what he could for Laito. He made his way to the town where he was being held, only to enter on the day of his execution. Before he knew it, Laito's corpse was swinging by the neck, strangling to death in front of a crowd of gawking citizens.

Realizing the error he'd made, Bero turned to leave the town only to bump into a patrolling guard. From behind he was indistinguishable from any other male citizen, but upon seeing Bero's face the guard's eyes grew wide. He roared for his comrades and they swiftly subdued the rogue. He was beaten, stripped and then thrown into a jail cell in the very depths of the prison. It took some time for him to recover and regain his strength, and for several weeks he lingered there, but as usual, he managed to escape. There isn't a jail cell in Morveria that can hold him, or at least there wasn't...

Upon fleeing the prison, he burglarized two homes for supplies, raiding only the wealthy and leaving the impoverished untouched, despite the danger it posed. It always felt wrong to him, taking from those who have very little. With some good clothes, a brand-new short sword and a crossbow pistol of considerable quality, a satchel of bolts and food and some coin, he decided to make his way to Zhanai, to find Leitha and Lucina. Perhaps they're still waiting for him? Perhaps they would forgive him for not leaving with them when he had the chance?

It would've been a long journey, lasting many months. On foot, it could've taken a year or more. However, with the coin he'd stolen, he was able to charter a wagon. With any luck at all, he'd be able to find them, and with only a month's head-start, he could help them start anew. This plan filled his heart with joy, but a severe storm caused the driver to lose control of the horses who were frightened by bolts of lightning. They raced off of the road, through a field and toward a cliff. Bero jumped just in time, losing all but his satchel and the clothes on his back.

He rolled through the mud and turned toward the edge, where the sounds of the screaming driver and whinnying horses echoed until they reached the very bottom. They couldn't have survived. Now alone, unarmed, with only a shoulder bag containing two days of rations, Bero began the arduous march toward the nearest town. One visit to a wealthy noble's house would replace all he'd lost and more, but a wounded knee slowed his pace. Darkness fell, and with the storm raging on and the darkness as vast as the abyss of space, he became confused.

When day broke, Bero was unsure of his direction and did not see the road they'd left, nor did he find the cliff. All he had was some food, a sprained knee and the soaking wet clothes on his back. He walked for days, quickly running out of rations and being forced to forage for food. The march only made his injury worse, and he knew that if he didn't find help soon, he might die in the wilderness, alone, without ever seeing Leitha, Lucina or little Arice again. It used to be one of the only thoughts that filled him with true terror...

Just when he was about to lose hope, he saw something in the distance. Is that a snowcapped mountain?! It looked so close and yet so far away. As his only landmark, he made his way toward the strange landmass only to reach it just before dusk. To his shock, it was not a landmass at all but one of the crystalline structures made by the Hitrosii. Why is an elven tower in the middle of the forests of Vetosk?! He'd seen art of their great wall, but that's in Chumar, one region over, and beyond the border of the Kingdom of the Ilium Rose.

Is it abandoned? Is this a military base? Do rogue Hitrosii live away from their kin in this strange structure? He couldn't be sure, and as he walked around the tapering base of the pillar of gleaming crystal, he couldn't find a door. Perhaps this isn't a structure at all? If only he had the tools, he could carve out pieces of crystal and live like a king. Just when he was about to lose hope yet again, he heard a noise. It was a strange hum mixed with what could best be described as the chittering of small wind chimes, or perhaps glass breaking in reverse.

He turned around to see the wall of the massive crystalline pillar melting! It first began to glow, then withered so swiftly that it was almost as if it was a door sliding open, from top to bottom. A bright light came from within, a light as bright as the sun. A shadowy figure stood within. Bero raises a hand to shield his eyes. After a pause, he opened his mouth to speak only for the being to raise their own hand. A blast of purple lightning flew from their palm, striking his chest and sending him flying! He had no defense, no time to prepare. Bero fell unconscious.

He awoke some time later only to find strange shackles holding his wrists and ankles. He struggled against the white bands around his waist, chest and thighs. They did not appear to be leather, instead constructed from some foreign material he'd never seen. It was stretchy and comfortable but strong; it's far too strong to break. He heard the strange noise again and turned to see a female! His eyes grew wide at the sight of the Hitrosii, the first he'd ever seen in the flesh. He knew right away that it was a woman, even without impulsively eying her voluptuous figure.

Though they were once so reclusive that none could claim to have seen them, several centuries of gradual contact have resolved many misconceptions. The males are towering creatures, lanky and terrifying with their silver or slate gray skin, dark eyes and menacing fangs. The females, on the other hand, are dainty and alluring creatures, no taller or shorter than human women, and with colorations that contrast the males. Unlike the cold appearance of the men, female Hitrosii have skin that ranges from polished brass to a beautiful gold.

Their hair is soft, fair and warm in coloration, often light and with hues of red or orange. This is also true for their eyes; they have large irises and snake-like pupils, and their eyes range from ruby red, amethyst, citrine and amber, as well as many variations of these warmer colors. This particular female has golden skin, light fuchsia eyes and hair that could best be described as strawberry blonde, heavy on the strawberry. The silent Hitrosii looked him up and down, a strange little smile on her face. Her lips parted, revealing the four menacing fangs of her kin.

She raised a hand, flashing her deep golden claw-like fingernails before brushing her hair back and away from her ears, which are long and swept back. Unlike the males, who have rigid cartilage and upright ears, females have very little ear cartilage, and so theirs hang backward, under their own weight. She tucked her hair behind her ears, revealing the two prongs at the top of each. The upper prong is always longer than the lower, and the soft curve between these two points is distinctive of her race.

“Hello, my pretty specimen." She began, speaking his language.

Bero was at once shocked and disarmed. Her voice was so soft, so soothing.

“It would seem that you appeared just when I needed you."

“What?"

“My last specimen was very useful, but she couldn't handle the tests... Perhaps males are more resilient?" She spoke, as though she were talking to herself.

“What do you want from me? Where am I?! Who are you?!?!"

“So inquisitive, my pretty specimen!" She giggled. “I'm Felryn, this is my tower, and you will be my new specimen!"

“..."

“I am a scientist, conducting very important research!" She chirped, holding up a clawed index finger. “And you will help me with it!" She added, gently poking the tip of his nose.

“What research? What are you going to do to me?!"

Felryn didn't answer, instead eying Bero up and down. Her little grin revealed the tips of her fangs, and the look in her eyes unnerved him. It was as though prey had stumbled upon a predator who didn't yet know if it was hungry or not.

“They say in our training that we should not associate too closely with our specimens, especially the most inferior, the Yasheriit... However, I'm curious. Do you have a name?"

“Bero..." He murmured.

“Ooh! That name has a nice sound!" She cooed, resting a hand upon one of his biceps. “Are you a strong one, Bero?"

“I suppose..."

“Good! You may need it..."

The sinister tone in her otherwise soft voice was further offset by what he thought was melancholy, perhaps even pity. What does this elf have planned for him?! Before he could ask, she began to move the table upon which he was restrained. As she moved him about, he glimpsed the gauntlet on her hand. Was that the device she used to strike him down?! What power these elves possess! The Hitrosii's magic has never been properly understood, and though he'd heard rumors of their might, he never before witnessed it, let alone experienced it first-hand.

“The Coalition of Hitrosii has sent me here..." She suddenly began, locking the table into place. “So that I might test my theories."

“W-what theories?" He asked, looking up at the hideous contraption placed behind his table and above his head.

“I must map your brain."

“WHAT?!"

“Don't worry, Bero. I don't need to remove it." She giggled. “I just need to look inside and probe it..."

What is she talking about? How can she map something she cannot see? What is she going to place inside of him?! His heart began to race and Bero was certain he was doomed. She stood by his feet and pushed his table closer to the contraption. A light inside began to glow, illuminating the monstrous core of the sinister beast. It swallowed his head, a strange padding pressing firmly against his shoulders as the light dimmed and he waited in pitch darkness. A whirring sound terrified him, and a pressure on the back of his head made him whimper.

“Aww, don't be afraid my pretty beast! It won't damage you!" She cooed, speaking as though he was a child.

He heard her words as if she was inside of the chamber but it was impossible to believe her. A curved pad pressed against his forehead, locking him in place and keeping him from moving. The whirring became louder. It reminded him of an auger he'd once seen, powered by a waterwheel. He winced, tears streaming down his face as he prepared to die. What else would happen, if she needed to see his brain?! The light inside of the contraption began to brighten, and he could see the horrifying visage of himself, locked into a most insidious device.

A bright, blue light began to pass over the crown of his head. At first it was quite perplexing. Is this all that was meant to happen?! For a moment, he wondered why this contraption would even need to hold him still.

“Good! All systems are functioning normally. The scanner is creating a neural link. Alright... I'm about to begin!" She chirped.

About to begin?! Bero was tempted to ask what would happen but there was no time. The whirring became louder and faster until the contraption screamed. The light was so bright that he couldn't see anything, and a pain unlike anything he'd ever felt before made his entire body spasm.

“Don't fight it, Bero! That will make it hurt worse!" She called out.

How could he hear her over the sound of this awful device?! Bero didn't know what else to do and so he tried his best to relax, to accept his fate. The pain decreased, though it never went away, and soon he could hear the giddy Felryn remarking about her findings as she peered through the veil and into his mind.

“What does this part do?" She would ask.

Suddenly, he began to smell cooked meat and then rotten eggs.

“Oh, I see! Fascinating!"

She would ask a similar question and Bero would endure a strange sensation that made no sense. Sometimes he would taste and other times the light would change colors or even fade away entirely. In one moment, he felt a hand in his, only to suffer a sharp jab in the soles of his feet. He became hot and then cold. For a brief instance, he could no longer hear the contraption, only for the sound to then become so loud it made him scream in pain.

“Oops! So that line goes here... Hmm... ... Your mind is much more organized than the last one! It also doesn't share a layout... I wonder if biological sex plays a role in that?"

Despite these occasional mishaps, Felryn continued her probing, mapping out Bero's mind for what felt like an eternity. When she was finished, the weakened Bero was taken to a bland room, deep within the crystalline tower. She pushed a device against his shoulder and it clicked, just as he felt the jab of a tiny blade. Soon, he was too exhausted to resist, and with the human's compliance, she removed his bindings and sat him upon a bed which emerged from the wall. It was surprisingly comfortable!

Moving around him, she held a small device in her hand, like the handle of a saw but without the blade. She attached a small, glowing crystal and moved around him. He felt a faint sensation as she raised his shirt to expose his back, then a pressure above his left shoulder blade, in the meat beside his neck. It wasn't painful though it did cause discomfort.

“All done!" She chirped, rubbing his shoulder before lowering his shirt. “Good! The tag is sending a strong signal. You rest. I'll bring you food and water. Press your hand against that blue gem on the wall when you need to relieve yourself." She instructed before turning to leave.

“H-how..."

“Hmm?!" She turned back.

“H-how long..." He paused to swallow. “How long will you keep me here?"

“Oh, my inquisitive specimen... Who ever said you were leaving?!" She giggled.

The realization that he was now this Hitrosii's prisoner began to settle upon Bero's weary mind. Whatever she'd done to him had greatly weakened him, but the desire for freedom was unlike anything he'd ever felt before. Unfortunately, whatever she'd poked him with made it impossible for him to fight. He could hardly sit up when she returned with a platter of food but no utensils. She bumped a pink gem on the wall with an elbow and a glowing platform of clear crystal emerged, upon which she placed the platter.

“Here you are, Bero. Eat and rest. You'll need your strength! We have much more work ahead of us!" She giddily exclaimed.

“Thank you..."

She turned to him, a strange expression on her face.

“I was lost and wounded. I would've died had you not intervened." He spoke softly.

He hung his head as though defeated and moved his wounded knee. There was no pain.

“What did you do?" He asked as he looked up at her.

“I treated you."

After an awkward pause, Felryn left the room. The door closed behind her, moving rapidly from the floor and toward the ceiling as if it was being grown. It made the same stranger chittering sound he'd heard when the main entrance opened. He knew right away that there was no picking this lock. If she used that gauntlet weapon or poked him with whatever it was that made him so sleepy, he'd never escape. The only weapon left to him was his charm, but the Hitrosii are notoriously bigoted against humans. He wondered; how does a dog make a human compliant? By being sweet, affectionate and adorably submissive. It was his only hope.

He ate Felryn's food and was surprised by the pleasant taste, despite it looking like nothing he'd ever seen before. He nibbled at the strange and colorful cubes with a texture akin to dry bread only to then feel the need to relieve himself. He followed her instructions and pressed the blue gem, jumping back when a small door opened and what looked like the seat of a privy emerged, sliding across the floor and stopping at his feet. Not only was the seat warm, it cleaned him with water after the fact; a spout over a basin provided running water with which to wash and a vent in the wall blew warm air on his hands.

What wondrous technology! He couldn't understand why the Hitrosii had not conquered the whole of Morveria instead of the humans, who by elven standards are quite primitive. In many ways, it reinforced his own humility, making it easier to display when the time came. Felryn returned, the strange gauntlet on one hand and an unusual device in the other. It was shaped like a crossbow pistol, but without the bow, a short and narrow piece of golden metal protruding from the front. She made her demands clear.

“Bero..." She looked at him.

“Yes, Felryn?"

“It's time to resume our work. If you resist, I'll be f-"

“Alright." He interrupted her, taking one step forward. “I'm ready."

Felryn's soft fuchsia eyes grew wide. She could hardly believe her pointed ears and stared at him with disbelief.

“Is this a trick?!"

“No." He replied, shaking his head. “You said I wouldn't be leaving, and after seeing this room, the way the door becomes the wall... I know now that I'll never escape. I'm only wasting my energy and wounding my sanity by fighting you."

“Hmm... You're wiser than most Yasheriit..." She murmured, looking him up and down. “Are you comfortable with that term or is 'human' more appropriate?"

“Yasheriit has often been used with disdain by the beast folk-"

“Beast folk." She giggled, raising a single eyebrow at him.

“But it isn't a word we enjoy."

“Oh... Well... Human it is! ... Are you ready?" She asked.

“No." He flashed an innocent grin. “I assume you want me to walk in front?"

“You assume correctly." She nodded.

As Bero was led from behind, back into the room that caused him so much anguish, he felt a knot forming in his gut. The anticipation was palpable, but reminding himself of the futility of attacking her kept him from acting rashly. Felryn appeared to appreciate his newfound submission, her tone changing as the day wore on. He was once again made to endure the mapping of his mind, a process she warned him would take several more sessions. Her tone was unusually sweet as she spoke. Was his ploy working?!

After more than a dozen sessions, each with a day or two of rest in between, Felryn had accomplished her mission. Bero's compliance had earned him a considerable amount of time to rest, though the lack of contact with his captor made him increasingly restless. Food was slipped through a slot in his door, which seemed to change shape at will. Without windows or a time piece it was impossible to keep track of time, let alone the days. It felt like many, but Felryn inevitably returned. A familiar hum and the chittering sound drew his attention.

“Hello, Bero. How did you sleep?" Felryn's soft voice began.

“You already know."

“Do I?" She giggled.

“Aren't you always watching me?" He winked.

Felryn's golden cheeks darkened. Is she blushing?! The moment took them both aback.

“No... I give you privacy." She spoke very softly. “You've served your purpose, Bero..."

“What are you saying?" He furled his brow in confusion. “Are you letting me go?!" His eyes widened.

“No! You're mine!" She swiftly replied, her eyes fiery and stern. “But I was thinking about my research, and... You've, uhm... You've been a very good subject. Very compliant and reasonable. It's more than any other Yash-, er... Human."

“Oh?" He smiled and bowed his head, doing his best to look innocent.

“Yes... I hadn't expected this..." She murmured then sighed.

“Hadn't expected what?"

She closed her eyes and shook her head for a moment. The look on her face was disturbing. It was as if she was fighting with thoughts ranging from the benign to the sinister, and didn't know which course of action to take. There was a dichotomy in her that, as he watched, became increasingly evident. She turned her eyes to him, her gaze soft yet unsettling, and gently bit the edge of her bottom lip.

“... I would like to begin a new course of study." She spoke quite sternly, motioning for him to stand up.

Bero obeyed. She led him back to the same room, walking in front of him for the first time. She pressed her palm against a red gem and a large, clear table emerged from the wall. The compartment it came from was much larger than the table itself. She turned to him, placed a clawed hand on her jutting hip and motioned with her head.

“Remove your clothes and lie atop the table." She instructed.

“... What?"

“You've never known me to misspeak..." Her tone remained stern and demanding.

Bero did as she commanded and slowly removed his clothes. She watched him carefully, intently. He sat upon the table only to lie flat on his back. Felryn's eyes scanned him from head to toe, moving unusually slowly as she looked between his belly and his knees.

“You are a brute, aren't you... A filthy, primal beast." She spoke in an unsettling tone.

Her expression changed, her eyes narrowing and her mouth agape, revealing her menacing fangs. It was as if she was out of breath. Her fingers moved, slowly and rhythmically bouncing atop her hip. She turned her fuchsia eyes toward his face, the corner her of lips curling into the most sinister of grins.

“Now, Bero, my pretty beast, we will see what your insides look like."

His heart sank. Had he been kind and gentle only to endure even more sadistic tortures?! With the press of a gemstone, the table retracted into the wall and he was sealed inside. A teal light began to scan his body from head to toe and back again. Unlike the other contraption, which often left him with ringing ears and splitting headaches, this device caused him no pain. Seemingly unsatisfied, Felryn left him in this claustrophobic space and scanned him again. The light slowed and passed over his genitalia multiple times. Only then did her earlier expression begin to feel familiar.

He shook his head, disbelieving that one of the Hitrosii would ever find interest in a human. She herself has called him a beast perhaps as many as a hundred times, though as of late she seemed to say it as a person speaking to their pet. “Who's my little doggie? How is my pretty kitten today? Hello, Bero. Did my beast have a good sleep?" It all rings the same in his ears. Eventually, the teal light dims and the wall opens to release him. He bounces and shifts as the table slides from its compartment and abruptly stops.

“At least that one didn't hurt." He remarked, slowly sitting up.

He paused when he realized that Felryn was staring at him, though it wasn't his face she was staring at.

“Felryn?" He spoke up.

“Mmm..."

“Fel?"

“Hmm?!" She snapped out of her trance. “What did you call me?!"

“Nothing, Fel." He replied.

He wondered if shortening her name would make a bit of difference. From her confused expression, it might've. She bowed her head and cleared her throat. How long has he been her prisoner? Why didn't he think to do that sooner?!

“Fel..." Her lips curled into the faintest of grins. “Ahem... Gather your clothes. We're done for now."

“Alright."

He made his way toward his clothes and was about to dress when Felryn suddenly stopped him. He turned to her and saw a dichotomy within her. Did she want something else? Was she not yet finished with him? Her eyes looked him up and down, then she turned her eyed toward her own feet, closed them and took a deep breath.

“Fel? Are you alright?" He asked so sweetly.

“Huh?" She quickly looked up at him. “Oh, uhm..." She closed her eyes and shook her head. “Yes! Yes, I'm fine... Put on your clothes... I'll take you back to your room."

She led him back to his room without speaking a word. He could tell that whatever he'd said and done had some affect. He drove a splinter beneath her golden skin, one which she was struggling to remove. After returning him to his room, she abandoned him there for some time. It felt like many days, but then again, it often does when you can't see the sun or the twin moons. She only returned occasionally to slip food through the slot. Finally, she came to him and opened the door. She insisted he needed another examination and Bero didn't refuse. He followed her like a loyal dog, stripped naked and lay atop the examining table, all at her command.

Unlike before, Felryn didn't place him into the compartment or run the blue light over his body. Instead, she felt him with her own hands, starting with the nape of his neck and moving down. She remarked about the strength of his muscles, which had remained toned, as he'd continued to perform simple exercises while alone in his cell. She felt his arms and his chest, pressed against his belly, squeezed his thighs and took notes, pressing her fingertips against a slab of what looked like white crystal. The tablet made strange beeping sounds with each press.

She set it aside, reached out with both hands and took hold of his manhood. It startled Bero, who promptly jolted and began to sit up. This only startled Felryn, who seemed to immediately regret her actions. She made Bero dress before taking him back to his cell. For what felt like days his mind raced. He hadn't expected that! Had he known what her intentions were, he'd have prepared himself. Perhaps then he might've earned an escape? After all, sex is one of his other skills, and stands alongside pickpocketing, lock picking and burglary as one of his most practiced.

It took several of these examinations, which progressed in intensity and thoroughness, before she ever showed him her body. By then, she'd gone so far as to massage him to arousal and even smelled and tasted his flesh. She'd claimed it was all for science, to thoroughly study his race, but he knew better. Felryn stripped naked, removing her sleeveless and legless bodysuit, eager to witness the rise of his manhood. She took note of the time it took to become full and strong, perhaps to maintain the charade or perhaps for her own perverse curiosity.

Touching and tasting him ensured that he would remain firm for her, and after some time, she made her decision; she couldn't stop, not now. Bending over the table, she revealed herself to him. With her dainty fingers spreading the flower of her womanhood, her golden claws pressing into her soft flesh, she asked him, “does it look like your kind?" A wide-eyed Bero nodded, though she wasn't looking at him and was unable to see his awe.

“Yes, it does... And it's very beautiful." He praised her golden womanhood.

She giggled and wiggled her behind, then turned her head and peered over her shoulder at him.

“Then we'll try another experiment... ... Put it inside."

Bero couldn't believe his ears but he still obeyed. He needn't arouse himself, as she'd already done that for him; he penetrated Felryn's elven loins without hesitation, and quite gleefully so. Her body was easy to enjoy as she's so humanlike; plump and perky breasts, soft and feminine curves, broad hips, a toned buttocks and taut loins. In fact, what startled him the most was her exclamations. She wailed and shrieked upon feeling him enter her, which he did quite roughly. She was wet but she wasn't ready.

She called him a brute and a beast and clawed at the table. As he began his work she continued to wail and even praised him. She extolled his size and proclaimed him to be bigger than “the others." Who are the others? Other Hitrosii?! As long as it took for this moment to occur, perhaps many months, he couldn't imagine “others" being other humans; he's the only other person in her tower. She enjoyed him until she reacted as any human or beast woman would; Felryn orgasmed, a sensation he felt, saw and heard. She proclaimed the experiment to be a success, but Bero wasn't quite finished.

Though it was a risk, he was as desperate as he was aroused. He took Felryn by the hips and rolled her over, startling the Hitrosii. She wasn't accustomed to facing her partners and he knew it, her eyes shifty and skittish. She asked him as he held her if this was the way humans mated. His assurance that humans and even many beast folk prefer to look their lovers in the eye as they copulate only made Felryn more uneasy, as though he'd pointed out a flaw in her perceived racial superiority. Still, she didn't resist him and allowed him to finish, a sensation she greatly enjoyed.

Once they were done, she proclaimed the experiment truly over, and also a tremendous success. However, she did not release him or even make the offer. It seems that nothing he does will ever earn his freedom. Instead, she once again had Bero return to his cell where she promptly locked him away for what again felt like many days. She provided him with food and water, as she always did, and on two occasions they even spoke through the slot. They were casual conversations. She wondered what he was doing before; where he was headed and why. It struck him as odd that she never thought to ask these questions when they first met.

He was honest and forthright, something of a rarity in his line of work. She seemed quite interested in his desire to reunite with a beast woman, a Vostii of the mouse-kin. Felryn called his attachment to Leitha “quaint" and made notes on her strange, beeping tablet. She asked him why he wanted to find her so badly, wondering if she was part of his tribe, and was quite startled to learn that humans mate with beast folk as often as they mate with each other; upon hearing that he'd enjoyed Leitha's virginal flesh, Felryn appeared to become jealous. Once again, and with a scowl, she took notes.

Despite her own displeasure at some of his answers, especially those involving Leitha, this line of inquiry only further intrigued her and she remarked that many more experiments where in store for him. Bero prepared himself for anything. Perhaps the next time she would cut it off and study his organs with her many strange machines? Thankfully, what Felryn had in store for him was anything but painful. She would carefully and even clinically begin their sessions by arousing him. She would choose only one position and that's how they'd remain, copulating atop the clear table until they were both finished.

Bero did his best to give Felryn as much pleasure as she could handle, having begun a mapping of his own; he learned how to administer to her womanhood until her orgasms were quick and powerful. Once she was satisfied, he ended the experiments in the appropriate manner. Afterward, she would collect his seed, even after he'd left it deep inside of her. She would watch with wide eyes and an innocent smile as it spilled from her loins and into her bare hands, and later, a special cup. She often placed his seed into containers, though occasionally she'd taste it. After each “experiment" she'd swallow little items which she called “pills," which had been made from the powder of dried neberum mushroom caps and which she grew in a large planter.

Was this truly scientific curiosity? He soon had his answer. He cannot quite remember exactly when things changed, when she began using him expressly for her sexual gratification, but she soon ceased to call their carnal rendezvous “experiments," and instead demanded raw pleasure. These acts also moved from her laboratory table to her private bed chamber. She gradually revealed a level of depravity that he hadn't expected from her. Often, she would shriek in pleasure and make many exclamations, calling him a brute and a beast, saying that he was defiling her superior body and even asking him if he intended to breed her, filling her with his potent seed and forcing her to bear his inferior, hybrid children.

He didn't even know that humans and Hitrosii could breed, until she told him and used the possibility to enhance her pleasure. It quickly became clear to Bero that Felryn enjoys being submissive and perhaps even humiliated, if only to a point. The more he catered to her desires, dominating and using her, the faster she would climax and the stronger it was. The Hitrosii even began leaving his cell door open, allowing him to roam about, though many rooms remained sealed. Using a “tag," she always seemed to know where he was. Eventually, she insisted that he join her in her private quarters, sleeping beside her throughout the night. She greatly enjoys it when he holds her.

He never resists her or disobeys, as his only realistic course of action is compliance. As each day passed, it became clear that he'd become little more than the elf's pet, her personal concubine and plaything. She takes such pleasure in his body and loves to be held in his arms, but she remains emotionally distant, often treating him like a small child or a beloved animal. It bothers him, often causing him to reflect on his life before meeting Felryn. What of the beast folk, the females like Leitha? Is this how they felt beneath their human masters, like cheap pawns or playthings, or do they truly enjoy the social hierarchy of slavery, as they often appear to and as everyone has proclaimed for millennia?

For quite some time, Bero was slave to the Hitrosii, aiding in her legitimate experiments and also pleasuring her whenever she desires, which is often and with regularity. It's more comfortable than he'd anticipated; he adapted to his new life quite well, gradually earning more privileges. Soon, she was leaving most of her tower open to him, and he could walk freely from room to room. Still, he yearned for a chance to reclaim his life, to find Leitha, Lucina and little Arice and resume where he should've never left off. The question is, how? How will it ever be, and how can he attain it? He knows of only one way...

He thrusts and grunts while Felryn rocks and wails with delight. Her pleasured moans echo throughout the crystalline structure. As usual, she feels the need to debase herself, proclaiming her racial superiority only to imply that Bero's manhood sullies her loins, that the way he ravages her is primal, even bestial, and that every touch from the human defiles the sanctity of Hitrosii womanhood. Before long, she's begging him to desecrate her, to pollute her womb with his profane human seed. As she cries out these perversities, her sharp claws mar the flesh of his back and sides and buttocks. He endures and prevails, as always.

After conquering Felryn and releasing his seed, he lay beside the elven woman as she pants, her golden skin as glossy as a wet Sabaarii. Bero turns to her and glances at her hands, golden fingernails like claws crowning each slender finger and curled over her ample bosoms. He can see a bit of red on some of them and feels the scratches along his body. They ache and throb. How many of them, untreated, have since turned into scars? Thankfully, she didn't bite him this time. At least when she sinks her fangs into his shoulder, she's quick to stop and even uses her potent elven medicines to seal his wounds. Those marks never scarred.

He clears his throat and she turns her head to him, flashing a toothy grin, her menacing fangs hanging over her thin lips as she sighs with relief. It's obvious that he's done a wonderful job. As often as he entertains his mistress, he now knows how to bring her to the peak of pleasure with only marginal effort. She rolls onto one side, reaches out a hand and pets his head. It's soft and gentle, yet somehow condescending. She rubs just above the back of his neck, giving him a tingle and causing his back to gently arch.

“That's my Bear. You like that?" She coos, using his pet name. “Yeah, you do. That's my big Bear. You did very well, tonight. I felt it; I have so much to collect! Whenever I can sit up." She winks and giggles. “When I do, hold the cup for me. I may need both hands to steady myself."

“Fel..."

“Yes, Bear?"

“How long have I been here?"

Rolling over and putting her back to him, Felryn shows no fear. Bero has never once attempted a proper escape, not like he could, nor has he ever harmed her. She touches her tablet and he can see for the first time that it displays a strange script. The letters change as she touches the screen, causing it to beep. She sets it aside and rolls over, an unusually giddy look on her face.

“Can you believe it, Bear?!" She happily exclaims. “It's already our second anniversary!"

“What?!" He gasps, slowly sitting up.

“Somehow, I'd missed the first one. I thought I was keeping track. Perhaps I should do something special for you?" She thinks to herself, rubbing her bottom lip with a finger.

“I've been here for two years?!"

“Time flies." She giggles.

Her jolly expression changes once she pays attention to the look on his face. She curls her body, her hips horizontal as she pushes her upper body and cranes her neck, until her head is nearly vertical.

“Why do you look so sad, Bear? What's wrong?! You can tell your Fel all about it!" She reaches out and rests a hand on his leg.

“I can't believe it's been two years..." He hangs his head and places his face in his hands. “I told them... I told them I would follow them to Zhanai. All I wanted to do was save Laito, but I failed that, too... What could they be doing right now? What if Leitha and Lucina and little Arice think I'm dead?! By 'The One', little Arice would be six or seven-years-old now! Would she even remember me?!"

“Aww, I think I know what will make you feel better..." Felryn coos, grabbing his flaccid manhood.

“Stop, Fel. Please, listen. This is important to me." He pleads.

“Wha-?! ... Don't tell me to stop... You're mine, Bear! Don't you understand?! ... I took you in, I care for you, I protect you, and I'm keeping you..."

“But I had a life before, Fel!"

“You had nothing before... Now, you have me, and I will make you happy, as you make me happy..." She speaks in a dry, sinister monotone, her eyes narrowed and fangs displayed. “So don't you fret your pretty little head!" She suddenly chirps, flashing a closed-eyed smile and ruffling his hair as though he were a small child. “Besides, it's about time I give you another bath, and then I can make us dinner! But first, I'll need the cup to hold all of your sweet, hot-"

A strange sound suddenly fills the room, startling Bero. Felryn is unphased and appears quite annoyed by it. It's an odd dinging sound, mixed with a low hum and a soft whir.

“Ugh! Who's calling?!" She growls angrily at a glowing crystalline hexagon about the size of most mirrors and mounted near a corner in her bed chamber. “I'm sorry, Bear. Please, be good, grab your clothes and leave the room. Wait for me in the hall."

Bero obeys, confused and unsure of what else to do. He steps into the hall and glances back. Felryn has rolled over, grabbed a transparent, purple gown made of a strange material that looks like leather but feels soft and pliable, like silk. She slips it on and closes it, then grabs the cup she'd asked him for, using it as she'd originally intended whilst hobbling toward the glowing hexagon. As she reaches the crystal panel, she looks back at Bero and gives him an irritated look. He scurries away like a whipped dog. He glances back one last time before moving beyond her view; she touches a green crystal beneath the large hexagon and a man's life-sized face appears!

“Oh, hello! It's nice to see you, Marsilor!" Felryn begins, speaking in her native tongue. “Why are you calling? My tower is classified Top Secret! How do you even have my address?!"

“I was recently promoted by the Coalition. Second-Commander. I'm directly overseeing security for all off-site projects, including yours. Security protocol has been very lax among the bases, especially yours! I wish I could say I'm surprised..." The young male Hitrosii scolds her.

“I've always marched to the beat of my own drum." She smirks.

“I'm amazed they haven't dispersed you..." Marsilor shakes his head.

“Yes, well, I'm useful to them."

“You're as useful as you can be, given the circumstances! ... As useful as they need you to be." He retorts.

“Still have that stick up your ass, I see?" She softly giggles.

“I'm thorough. I do my job as they command, and to the best of my ability, like a good soldier. You should do the same, little miss scientist..."

“That's what I am doing, remember? I'm gathering the data for their project, mapping the minds of the Yasheriit. It isn't easy when I'm the only one out here." She remarks, lifting her hand and setting the cup beside the screen.

“What's that? ... Are you drinking on-duty?!"

“Oh, that's... Something else."

“What?"

“Science stuff... Anyway, you let me worry about my security, Baby Fangs." She chuckles.

“Don't call me that!" Marsilor roars. “I hate that nickname! You never showed me any respect! None of you have! Not when I was a lowly officer pulling security duty, and not now that I've become Second-Commander! That will change! You will fall in line..."

“Don't scold me! I'm the one out here all alone!"

“And your research could be the key to salvaging Operation Decimation! With Ebrenu having defected and sharing tech with those filthy beasts, your work may be our last hope! I have to protect it, for the glory of the Coalition and the future of all Hitrosii! Including you, unfortunately..." He mutters the final sentence.

“I heard that! ... Operation Decima-. Who came up with such a silly name, anyway?" She snickers.

“I don't know and I don't care. I only care about my orders, and whether you like it or not, these calls will become frequent, and your data uploads more timely." Marsilor instructs.

“Hmph!" She crosses her arms and scowls. “You know, if anyone heard you speaking with such emotion, you might be in trouble..." Felryn flashes her sinister grin.

“I'm in a secured office. I can afford to release my emotions, especially when I'm forced to deal with you." He sighs and rolls his cobalt blue eyes.

“Uh-huh... Well, stop worrying about me. I have everything under control."

Meanwhile, Bero pulls on his clothes as he eavesdrops from the hallway. The sound of their language is as startling as the dramatic shifts in tone and volume. He'd learned Hitrosii in order to communicate with the beast folk, as most humans do. It's a simple enough language to learn, and yet what he hears from the mouths of Felryn and the stranger whom she speaks to through the mystical device is virtually unknown to him. Even the words he does recognize seem to have an entirely different meaning or have been modified to the point of being nearly incomprehensible. Their conversation piques his curiosity.

He pokes his head around the corner, unable to resist the temptation. Upon peering inside of her room, he can see that Felryn is indeed speaking to the moving picture of the Hitrosii! The male elf sees her, hears her and answers in kind. What technology! The image is so clear that he can make out every feature. His short and spikey silvery-blue hair, his somewhat glossy skin, the color of dulled silver, his cobalt blue snake-like eyes, the firm elven ears and... Four small fangs?! They aren't as long as Felryn's or the drawings he's seen of adult male Hitrosii. Is he a child?! He doesn't sound young.

“asw'cij^wri*jijy#qc/w;eigjt!" The male rambles in his incomprehensible speech.

“Vor'dsd*hdwgh;agrhjiw#efwg." Felryn retorts, a smug grin on her face.

“Hal;fjgkt^bovm*nyia#azha!!! Wiv#agtg;egcef^aswrgg~htth-... Wohtvokcow?!" The man turns his head and points at Bero, who peeks into the room.

“Huh?! Oh! Kwaksi fuzh blbrtmus, Bero!"

The human looks to her upon hearing his name, one of the only words he understands.

“Come, Bero!" She chirps, speaking fluently in his tongue.

Bero enters the room and joins Felryn, standing by her side as she rests a hand on his shoulder. She once again speaks in her incomprehensible language to the male, who narrows his eyes and glares at the human.

“I'm learning so much about humans through him! I've never been so thoroughly satisfied with my research! He really puts me through my paces! I leave every session exhausted and filled with wonder!" She chirps, flashing her smug, toothy grin at the human.

“Uh-huh... Well, perhaps once you've devised a reliable way to control them en masse, you can keep him as your pet or something... I have to go. I have other bases to contact. We'll speak again in fifteen days."

“Okay, buh-bye!" She waves to the man in the hexagon, which swiftly returns to a blank screen. “Asshole... He always had a chip on his shoulder." She mutters in her native tongue.

Turning to Bero, Felryn can see the confusion on his face.

“I'm sorry, Bear! I didn't want to shoo you away like that!" She coos in his language, pulling the human into a tight embrace and kissing his cheek repeatedly. “I didn't know who was calling and I had to protect you. I promise, we can snuggle all night long. I know you like that!"

“It's okay, but Fel..." He pauses to look her in the eyes.

“What is it, Bear?"

“Can we please talk about this? About me leaving? You've studied me to your heart's content for two whole years, and I've always complied. Couldn't you j-"

“I've already told you..." She interrupts him, her expression becoming blank and soulless. “You aren't going anywhere. You're mine, Bear. You're my subject, my human! ... You'll forget all about them in time. You'll see! We'll have so many wonderful years together!" She chirps, her eyes growing more wild and her grin widening as she continues.

“But Fel!"

“No!!!" She pushes his shoulder to turn him around. “No more of this nonsense, Bear! Be good... Now, I need to make dinner, riiight after getting this into the incubation chamber!" She exclaims, swiping the cup from the table.

Bero follows Felryn like a loyal pet, walking with her as she enters her laboratory. She takes the cup filled with his seed and places it into one of many strange devices. This one, she'd explained, stores and “stimulates" his fluids for later research and experimentation. He couldn't understand what use it could have for her, other than impregnation. She responded with an amused giggle before telling him not to trouble himself with complex thoughts and to allow her to finish her work.

With his recent emissions added to the growing stockpile, Felryn takes him into a different room. He'd been here several times before. It's the main room, beside the kitchen and adjacent from the corridor that leads to her laboratory and his former cell; Bero has been sleeping beside Felryn long enough that he doubts he'll ever see the cell again. She places him on a sofa and gives him a kiss.

“I'll make us dinner. What do you think about venison? I know you like that. A deer walked too close to the power pylons this morning, the poor, dumb animal."

“Fel..." He speaks very softly.

“What?"

“I don't want to upset you, but..."

“But what?"

Bero can feel the tension and it causes him to hesitate. Is he being conditioned? Trained to submit?! With every passing day he struggles to resist the elven female, despite his own deep desires for freedom. He gulps, swallowing the fear, then looks at her with the softest and saddest eyes.

“Are you truly going to keep me forever?"

“What a silly question..." She sits beside him. “Of course I am! You're my Bear, and I would never part with you!" She exclaims, throwing her arms around his neck and giving him a tight embrace.

“It doesn't work like that, Fel. There are things I will never forget. If nothing else, I'd like closure." He replies.

“You've been so good these past two years. Why are you suddenly acting out, now?" She asks in a most condescending tone, pulling away and placing her clawed hands on her hips.

She looks him up and down but his visible melancholy prevents her from unleashing her anger upon him. When she becomes upset, she becomes vicious, like an animal, a ravenous beast. Softened by his sorrow, she scoots closer to him and drapes her arms over his shoulders only to kiss his cheek so softy.

“Do you need more attention? Am I spending too much time with my work? Is that it, hmm?"

Bero hangs his head and rests it against hers, unwilling to answer in words.

“I'm sorry, Bear..." She gently kisses his cheek. “I know you never imagined you'd be here. I know that you often wish to leave, though I can't imagine why, because I'm so good to you! I take good care of you. I may have hurt you before, but that was for science, and I haven't harmed you ever since! Well... Except for the occasional bite... But I can't help that!!!" She pulls him into warm embrace.

“Fel..."

“I climax so hard sometimes that my body reacts, and I always treat your wounds and keep you fed and clean and comfortable! ... You're such a good boy, Bear." She continues, ignoring his efforts to speak. “You're so good; you make me feel so wonderful. B-but I don't want you to think that I use you! ... Do you think I give you my body purely for my own gratification?! No!!!" She coils her fingers, slowly digging her claws into his flesh. “I give you pleasure just as much as you give it to me. I take good care of my human! I lo-! ... I care for you, so much... Please, Bear... For me, for your Fel, forget this silly notion of leaving. You're mine, now! You're mine, and I'll take good care of you!"

Bero meekly nods.

“That's my sweet Bear. What a good human!" She chirps, speaking as though he was a child. “Would you like to watch the screen, Bear? I never did show you my world. I might as well, since it's going to be yours someday." She grins from cheek to cheek.

“Alright."

Using a strange device, a rectangle with many buttons on it, she points to the screen in her main room. It's shaped like two trapezoids, one upright and one inverted, atop the other, like a wide hourglass. She presses a red button on the device in her hand and the screen activates. In an instant, life-like images of Hitrosii reveal themselves. Bero becomes nervous as they speak and interact with each other.

“Can they see us?" He sheepishly asks, leaning into Felryn.

“Hehe! No." She giggles, softly rubbing his scalp with her fingertips. “You're so cute."

An elderly elven male suddenly appears on the screen, in a different location and wearing an outfit that doesn't appear like the others, who all wear virtually identical clothes based on their two genders. Felryn's expression changes; she sighs, rolls her eyes and slumps back.

“Oh, good... It seems it's time for propaganda."

“Who's that?"

“Our 'leader', Zoviden." She grumbles. “He's just a figurehead. The Coalition is more of a grand council."

“Oh..." Bero stares at the aging elf.

“We are a, uh... A people in crisis... And, uh... And so we must. Remain focused! ... Focused on our true goals! One Coalition, one people, one world! End of quote! Repeat the line!" Zoviden boasts in his native tongue, to Bero's confusion.

“Psst! You don't say that part." An unseen voice whispers.

“Wha-? Uh... Come on! You gotta say the... With the thing, and... What am I doing, again?" Zoviden looks around the room.

“Cut the feed!"

The image promptly changes to a weather report for the region of Chumar. Little clouds float over a map as a female elf speaks in her incomprehensible language.

“Typical." Felryn snickers. “And Marsilor always wondered why I requested this post..."

“What just happened?"

“Nothing, Bear. Just an old man making a fool of himself."

“Oh..."

Felryn turns to him, leans in and kisses his lips. He can feel her fangs just behind them.

“I'll make us dinner. You watch the screen, okay?" She coos, petting his head and moving his hair from his face with her sharp claws.

“Alright, Fel."

“Good boy!" She chirps and kisses him again. “I'll be back!"

She uses the device that controlled the screen and points it at a wall. Pressing a light pink button, the wall makes the strange humming and chittering sound, like distant glass breaking in reverse. It glistens as the crystal growth rapidly drops to the floor, revealing her kitchen. Felryn rises from the sofa and leaves the controller beside Bero, to his shock and amazement. He turns his eyes and looks toward the doorway, where Felryn stands with her back turned as she opens a large chest, the door swinging toward her. It softly hums as she pulls butchered meat from the deer's carcass.

He returns his attention toward the controller. He hears Felryn humming a strange tune as she places slabs of venison atop a plate, which immediately makes the meat sizzle. Bero carefully and even sheepishly picks up the device she'd left behind, examining it. The buttons are not wood or metal or leather, but some strange, pliable substance with a tacky texture. The icons on the buttons don't make sense to him, and are similar to the script he'd seen on her magical tablet. Perhaps this controller is the key? Perhaps one of these buttons opens the front door?!

He hastily sets the device back atop the sofa, aligning it as if he'd never touched it. Felryn returns and sits beside him, unaware of what he'd been doing. She leans in, kisses his cheek and nuzzles his face with her nose.

“Are you enjoying the moving pictures, Bear?" She coos.

“Yes, but I wish I could understand them."

“You aren't missing anything. They never say anything interesting, and that's why I never watch it."

She pauses to sniff his flesh, only to let out a delighted sigh.

“Hold me close, tonight. I want to feel worshipped." She remarks.

A dinging sound from the kitchen makes her back straighten.

“It's ready!"

Bero and Felryn eat their dinner and then continue the evening as usual; she works in her lab while he sits by, assisting her by fetching small items and otherwise comforting her. While deep in her work, he's able to walk away, ostensibly to use the bathroom. Instead, what he does is find the device sitting atop the table and begin an experiment of his own. He points it toward the kitchen and presses the same light-pink button she'd pressed. The door rises up with the same unusual noise.

His eyes widen and he nearly jumps for joy. Thankfully, he stops himself. Pressing the button again, he lowers the door and makes his way through the tower where he finds the platform that she'd used to bring him to the upper level. He tries a few buttons, a little red light revealing his folly with every mistake. Finally, he finds the right one and the elevator moves down to ground level, nearly sixty-feet below.

“Bear? Where'd you go?!" Felryn calls out.

“I'll be right there!" He exclaims.

Hastily pressing the button causes the platform to rise. He races back to the main room and returns the controller to the table only to head back for Felryn's lab and nearly bump into the buxom Hitrosii as she steps out.

“Oh! Bear! ... You scared me." She smiles so sweetly, her light fuchsia eyes turned up to him.

“Sorry, Fel."

“I'm all done for the night. Now, it's time for bed." She coos, taking hold of his hand.

He follows her to her room, a room that's gradually become quite familiar to him; it isn't just that he entertains her there more often than not, but that it almost feels as though he belongs there. Climbing into bed, he curls up beside Felryn, who always sleeps undressed. Her proclivities have become his, and the warmth of her golden skin against his flesh is very soothing; he struggles to remain awake. Eventually, Felryn jolts and emits a soft mumble. He lifts his head from her incredibly soft pillows and peers over her shoulder.

With her eyes closed and mouth opened ever so slightly, he can see the glinting of her pearly white teeth, her sharp fangs. He slowly pulls an arm from beneath her, as he often does whenever he desires to roll over. This time, however, he scoots away from her. His bare feet softly patter atop the cold, hard floor, which illuminates a distance ahead of him, as though it knows where he wishes to go. He reaches the opened door and looks back at Felryn, only to watch her sleeping for a moment.

He cannot believe it; a part of him doesn't want to leave! After all, Felryn cares for him so much. Perhaps it's only as a pet, but she still does her best to accommodate and even comfort him. She feeds him, keeps him warm and safe, and he even enjoys her perfect body on a very regular basis! He truly wants for nothing! What's really left for him out there? When he was fending for himself, he was often cold, hungry, and forced to steal to survive. He'd been beaten, arrested countless times and nearly killed on several occasions. Here, with the elf, he no longer endures such sorrows. He has no pain.

But what of Leitha? What of the beast woman he'd freed from slavery only to send away with Lucina and her daughter, Arice? What of their suffering? What if they need him? Lucina and her daughter are just about the only family he has left, and Leitha was the softest, meekest creature he'd ever known. He may have taken her virginity under her cruel master's nose, but the guilt in his heart forced him to return and rescue her; he wasn't merely using her for his pleasure. He's better than that!

He struggles with the fissure in his heart, the dichotomy of whether to stay and surrender to his own master, or to flee into the wilderness in search of his family and friends. He nearly succumbs. Despite the fear and the uncertainty, he closes his eyes and lets out a deep sigh.

“I'm sorry, Fel... A part of me will truly miss you." He whispers, before blowing her a kiss and moving away from the door.

Entering the main room, Bero slips on his clothes and ragged boots. He'd refrained from wearing them lest the loud clopping of the leather soles on the crystalline floor awaken her. He finds the device that seems to control the majority of the tower and heads for the elevator. A press of a button sees him riding it down to the ground floor. Now the only question is which button opens the front door?

“Mmrrmm... Bear? ... Bear? Are you in the bathroom?"

His heart sinks. If he fails now, there'll be no turning back! Breaking her trust will earn him a terrible punishment! Perhaps he'll never leave his cell again?!?! The stalwart Bero, who never before flinched at even the threat of the death penalty, feels his body trembling. He's like a small boy waiting for his father to come home and punish him for some misdeed.

“Bear?! Where are you?!" He hears her distant voice crying out in a panic.

It only deepens his guilt. The Hitrosii often hide their emotions, as cold and calculating as the Drakozhai, the desert raptors, but Felryn has never hidden her emotions or denied him her passion; he can hear the worry and the rejection as she begins to search for him. Why does he feel so badly for her?! The platform reaches the bottom and he steps off, only to stop in his tracks.

“Bear! What are you doing?!" Felryn's voice echoes from above.

He turns back but his words freeze in his throat. The platform begins to rise, but he never touched the button! He looks up the shaft to witness a furious Felryn, wearing only her purple gown and slipping on her gauntlet, while her other hand pinches another controller. This is truly the point of no return. He turns toward the front door, known to him only by the frame that digs into the crystalline wall. He presses button after button, hoping to see the door slide down and open.

“Bear! Stop! What are you doing?! Where will you go?!"

He keeps pressing buttons, one after the other after the other.

“Bear! Please!"

The tone in her voice changes, becoming less angry and more fearful. He stops, turns his head and peers over his shoulder to see the look of absolute terror on the Hitrosii's face. She genuinely fears him leaving! It takes him aback and nearly disarms him. A hard shake of his head and a brief memory of Lucina and her daughter returns him to the present. Button after button after button. The elevator hums softly as Felryn makes her way down to stop him. He glances back again and tries to maintain his strength at the sight of her crying eyes.

“Bear!" She whines.

“I'm sorry, Fel, but I cannot stay here forever!" He yells up at her.

“Please, don't go! Don't leave me!!!"

“I'll come back!"

He stops in his tracks. Why did he say such a thing?! He doesn't want to come back! ... Or does he? He cannot discern what he does or doesn't want anymore. All he knows is that he must leave, before it's too late. He presses another button only to hear the familiar sound of the door. He turns to see the world beyond, a world he's been kept from for two whole years. A wind blows in and he can feel the rain. It's pitch dark, and a storm is raging outside. Funny; it's always been so peaceful inside Felryn's tower.

“No! You're mine!"

Leaping onto his back like a pouncing lioness, Felryn nearly forces him to the ground. Bero drops the remote as he falls toward the entrance. They roll on the floor as Bero wrestles with the Hitrosii, who fights for control over the remote he'd stolen. Does hers not have the capability of closing the front door? Has she forgotten all about her powerful gauntlet?! After a bit of struggling, Bero rolls onto his back as Felryn latches onto him. Her eyes are wild and downright savage, her expression so brutal and terrifying that it defies his ability to describe. He's never felt such absolute terror.

“YOU'RE MINE, AND I WON'T LET YOU GO!!!" She roars.

Bero shoves her off, using a knee against her belly. The sound she makes as she falls to the ground makes him worry for her. Once again, he's forced to shake off the contradictory feelings and focus on his escape. Felryn's gauntlet begins to spark as she pushes herself up, glaring at him. If he turns his back on her, will she shoot him in with her lightning? He has no other choice and bolts for the door. Felryn leaps from the floor and latches herself to his back. As he stumbles, he kicks the controller, sending it flying across the large, empty room. He reaches back, grabs her and flings the buxom elf over his left shoulder, only for her to grab his wrist and forearm and bite the blade of his right hand.

He screams in agony as her four fangs sink into his flesh. The sound of his pain appears to reach her; her brow unfurls and softens as her eyes widen and her jaw opens. It's as if she instantly regrets wounding him. His blood runs down her lips as he stumbles toward the doorway, clutching his wounded hand. Stepping into the darkness, his eyes, so used to the artificial light of Felryn's tower, cannot discern his surroundings. The rain soaks him to the bone within seconds, and he feels a chill coming upon him. In spite of the fear and the uncertainty, he keeps walking.

“Bear! Come back! I'm sorry! ... P-please!" She cries out to him.

He struggles to continue, a large portion of him wanting nothing more than to return to her. Why?!

“Bear! I'll find you! You're mine! You'll always be mine!!!" She screams so loudly that her soft and sweet voice begins to crack.

He wanders deeper and deeper into the forest until he can no longer see Felryn's tower looming over his shoulder. Eventually, a small lake appears to block his path. This is as good a place as any. He stops and tears his clothes, his eyes finally adjusting to the darkness. He can tell from the position of the two moons, which illuminate the dark woods, that it's roughly the same season now as it was when she first claimed him. He wraps his wounded hand with the strips of cloths, stopping to gaze upon the damage she'd done. It looks as if a wild dog, hungry and desperate, had latched onto his hand and shook it from side to side many times.

He whimpers as he presses down the torn flesh. Just then, he recalls her words. How will she find him? How did she always seem to know where he was in her tower? His mind replays the first few days of his capture and confinement. What was that thing she'd place inside of his left shoulder, the strange crystal she pushed into the numbed flesh? He reaches back and places his ravaged hand onto the spot where he'd felt the pressure. Pressing down as firmly as he can with a wounded hand, he feels a firm spot, like a large splinter just beneath the skin. His eyes widen in horror.

“Oh, no... She can find me!"

He searches frantically for something, anything that he can use to remove the sinister device from his shoulder. He has no tools, no knives, and so he looks to a small rock. Picking it up, he throws it as hard as he can at a much larger rock, shielding his face as he breaks it into pieces. Taking up a razor-sharp flake and an old, dead branch, he wraps the branch in unused cloth torn from his shirt and bites down on it. With the flake pinched between only his thumb and index finger of his right hand, the others quite stiff after Felryn's bite, he prepares to cut himself and cries. The tears stream down his face and drip from the tip of his nose. A few deep breaths and he's ready to begin.

The pain is as great as he'd feared. Bero cuts deeply into the flesh just above his left shoulder, the blood running down his back like the rain that envelopes him. His hand shivers as he nearly loses the strength to carry on. Just then, the flake scrapes something hard. He feels nauseous. Is that his bone?! Dropping the flake, he reaches back and pokes whatever he'd hit. It's far too high to be his shoulder blade. The pain he feels as he wiggles the strange object makes him spit out the cloth-wrapped branch and dry heave. Only the sheer force of his will to be rid of it gives him the strength to keep going.

Pinching it with his weakened fingers, he slowly pulls the gem from his shoulder, sighing with relief when it's finally removed. He brings it close to his face and gazes upon the strange device. The shard of crystal oscillates a sickly green glow. If it were currency, he'd be a wealthy man, indeed! He turns toward the small lake and grits his teeth in anger. Clutching the stone in his hand, he brings it back and prepares to throw it as far as he can. Good riddance! He holds, staring at the lake for some time. After struggling with himself for longer than he'd care to admit, he once again brings the gemstone toward his face.

With a soft, sorrowful sigh, he closes his eyes and slips the crystal into his pocket. Taking the cloth from the fallen branch, he uses it to press against his shoulder and continues to make his way from Felryn's tower. He isn't sure how long he'll be walking, or if he'll even survive the journey from the dark and dangerous forest, but at least there's a semblance of hope. Perhaps now he can finally return to Leitha, Lucina and little Arice?