บท 37: Shaken Awake

'W...What happend? Where am I?'

Michael came back to reality from what felt like an incredibly weird and lifelike nightmare.

Slowly opening his eyes, he first found himself hanging half naked from a ceiling, tied down by several weirdly colored chains. The naturally generated black shirt he usually wore had been ripped half off, leaving a part of his top to combat the chilly air alone.

'What..What is this?!'

He tried to get a better grasp of his environment, but his vision had not yet adjusted itself. All he could do was hear some faint arguing between a an unkown amount of people.

"You are telling me that the 'Uncharged soul spike' only managed to penetrate his skin?!"

Some gruff male voice was shaking inside his eardrums, but was soon held down by a lighter, more feminine tone which shortly followed after it.

"Yes, it wouldn't go any deeper no matter where she hammered it. But the poison seemed to have done it's work, and although he still breathes, we can finish the ritual while he is bound in those 'Cronotite chains'."

His eyes regained more clarity each time the strange metal binding around his body rattled together. The powerful sound helped remove the numming sensation laying itself over his mind.

"Looks like he is waking up..."

Now, clearly seeing his environment, Michael found himself in some sort of large metal room. Very similar to the one Jenkins had in the dungeon.

Before him stood two people. Both of them held rsther familiar characteristic, yet were dressed a little different than he could remember.

The first one was Branson, Firnell's father. He was now wearing some sort of weird cloak covered in drawings of eyeballs and candles. His usual smile was also not there any longer. Currently replaced by a angered and dissatisfied reversed half moon.

Next was his blonde haired wife, who unlike him, only wore some tight black leather. kind of a strange choice actually. However, as he starred at her weird costume, Lissanna felt his gaze travel over her cothing, and she quickly turned towards him.

"Oh, good morning, Darling. How was your sleep?"

Hearing the alluring voice and seeing the usual smile, he neither answered, nor changed his expression. Indifferently looking back into her green eyes.

Seeing that he did not struggle or question any of them, her seductive smile was strengthened, showing the pearly white row of teeth hiding behind her lips.

"I am sure you want an explanation, Marss darling. And I will surely give you one.."

However, before she could continue, Branson interrupted her.

"Why are you even talking to him? There is no need to.."

Lissanna frowned and starter speaking over him. Not tolerating his actions in the least.

"Oh calm down. Knowing what choice he will make won't change anything. Mabye he will be even more co-operative this way too."

Looking back at his hanging body, she once more spoke in a calm and seductive manner.

"You may want to know why we have you hanging there, Darling. But first things first."

"When Firnell told me she had found a man with the affinity of gold, I could almost not belive it. I mean, those kinds of things are very hard to obtain!"

Her smile was steadily rising. Growing more emporing and euphoric as she kept going.

"And not only that, you also have four other ones!"

She dragged her hand through the long blond hair, removing any rouge follicles from her face. Allowing the ecstatic smile to shine throughout the empty metal room.

"The reason we were so happy with your arrival is beacuse, you see, our clan is in possession of a very special technique. It allows us a chance to gain the affinity of another person. Only..."

She pointed her hand towards him. Childishly grinning ever so triumphantly while positioning herself in a more victorious pose.

"It will drain all the life force from the sacrifice. However, there sadly is no guarantee it will work.."

Michael narrowed his eyebrows at her. Even though he was angered beyond reason, there was also something he wanted answered.

"And what if your demonic ritual fail then, Mrs Lissanna?"

Hearing him speak, a blush was formed onto both her pale cheeks. She tied both arms around her waist while starring at his stiff frown.

"Well, you see, Marss darling. Affinities who are strongly present inside someones body have a small chance to be passed onto their offspring. As such..."

His frown deepend slightly as he heard her words, and he lightly fought agains the chains tying his body.

Looking at his effortless struggle, she looked a little saddened, yet also with a hint of mockery.

"Don't be like that, Marss darling. Did I not ask which one of my daughters you preferred the most?"

Lissanna held up one of her gloved hands. Softly snapping two of her leather covered fingers.

The snap echoed into the dark room. Reaching every corned available before coming back.

As the sound died down, a small set of footsteps could be faintly heard coming from behind both her and Branson.

A small line of turquoise robed women were now standing at their backs. Like a squadron of loyal soldiers.

Looking through the robed visitors, Michael found two familiar faces once again.

The girl who took him here, Firnell, had her normal facial features now. She was standing right next to her more mature sister, both smiled at him with the same expression their mother had. Actually, all the women had such smiles. Making the only thing which split them appart the rest of their features.

He looked through all of them, noticing that some shared the appearance of a couple maids he had seen when first arriving.

Lissanna saw how he eyed down everyone of with a netrual, yet angry gaze. Feeling a little betrayed by his bland reaction.

"Oh, don't be like that, Marss darling. Are you not even a little happy about the sweet band I have prepared for you?"

She seem to think of something while her last sentence finished it's journey throughout the room.

The unkown thought sunk into the depths of her mind, making her previously rosy cheeks now as red as Firnell's usual ones. The weak smile was evolving into a sort of possessed and frantic grin. Licking her lips while she immersed herself further into the idea.

And finally, as it burried itself into the consciousness, her eyes fully opened up. Glueing themselves on his body. Her new persona gave off a feeling of mad worship and excitement.

"Or..do you perhaps want me to join in, Marss darling?!"

She began to pant heavily as her cheeks further reedend. Not removing her eyes from him.

He was going to answer, but the husband was the first one to speak.

"Good! I have not enjoyed myself in a long time."

The kind hearted smile aimed in his direction, and Branson softly spoke to him in a relaxed and excited tone.

Michael erases his answer, now only watching the old man look back at him with a serioues expression.

"I hope you do not disappoint neither me nor my wife, young man!"

He didn't know whetever to cry or laugh now. Only looking over the scene in front of him with wide eyes.

'What the f*** kind of place did I walk into?!'

Michael closed his eyes. Remebering the first day he had arrived into this world. Savoring the words given to him by the one who promised him a certain wish.

Opening them once more, he looked back at the absurd scene. Reminiscing on the person he had been back on earth.

"Have I fallen so low? Did I really change this much only because of the death of some foolish child?"

His tired and self-belittling question made the surrounding people puzzled.

"Marss darling, what are you talking about?"

He looked towards Lissanna. Not knowing what to say back to her.

The uncertainty grew into a mild smile. He looked at the stunning woman before him, and then at the rest of the girls. Of course, ignoring Branson.

"I am very grateful that you have given me all this, Lissanna."

He returned his gaze back to hers, fully engraving the detailes of her red dimples and seductive smile into his mind.

"I will be honest, My lady. Any man would be able to die fulfilled if given such a grand present..."

She smiled deeper at him, brushing her hand onto the backside of the attire she currently wore.

"Then let us not waste any more tim.."

"However."

He looked back at the small parade of fools lined before him. Replacing the image with one belonging to his mother and father, then one of his traitorous sworn brother.

His mucles began to shake. Tightening the grip each chain had on his body.

Lissanna unlocked part of her costume, exposing a bit of her soft back while looking at his constant trembling.

She clicked her tounge at him and then continued to try and remove the rest.

Seeing more of her body being exposed, his trembling only increased.

"To think that all the experience and discipline I have acquired up till now would be so easily forgotten...."

His dark gold eyes began to light up. Leaving glittering afterimages as he began to pull his arms against the chains.

Everyone felt something was seemingly wrong. Why was he suddenly fighting so intensely back?

"Marss darling, those chains are specially made so that magic and energy can't be used. You won't be able to escape."

The absolute certainty withing Lissanna's voice made everyone calm down a little, silently ridiculing his wasted effort.

However, he only looked back at her with a further angered expression. One belonging to a humiliated and angered beast.

His entire body tightened itself, making the well defined mucles steadily expand.

They witnesed this alongside the two balck horns which were crunching themselvs out on each side of his head. It slowly removed their confidence and replaced it with an urgent desire to run.

However, before any of them could turn around, Michael spoke one last time. The voice was now not only much deeper, But the irises in his enlarged themselves slowly. Soon showcased a vertically slit lines resting within.

"Wasting time like this would be something Marss would have done. But I..."

The metal binding him started to slowly bend and crack as his body grew in size.

"I AM MICHAEL!"

The chains holding his arms in place crumbled beneath the sudden growth spurt. Only levitating in the air thanks to the lose ones swirling around the rest of his body.

[Ability activated!]

[Aspect of the tainted: Call forth the power from every bloodline mixed within your blood. Transforming you into the tainted beast of pure power.]