Taking a look around her, Carol found she was in a grey space within her own mind. Distantly she could feel her body, at the edge of her awareness. If she focused, with a thought Carol could return to the awareness of her body. When she thought that, a fear struck hard to the point she was going to collapse again, but then the mental stability kicked in and she felt the fear smooth down.

Deciding to put off waking up, Carol began to examine her status window. As she read it over, knowledge poured into her mind explaining what each part meant. It was like a whisper in the back of her head, she found the voice a little soothing, a guide to help through this nightmare. Deciding to go along with the voice, she looked over the classes and picked the one the voice guided her too.

A rush of information on psionics filled her, and suddenly she understood. For as long as Carol could remember, she had strange abilities, things that made her think she was mad. Hearing thoughts of others occasionally, pushing open a door with a thought, all these were explained through psionics.

Feeling as if she had suddenly opened a door and discovered a whole new world, she followed the voice onwards to take a look over feats. Her first feat allowed her mind to reach stability, yet the voice warned her she was drifting away from her body. Carol was confronted with the realization that her body was still suffering from the effects of the rape.

The voice had guided her to the word she had been ignoring. Fleeing from it, she had kept it away, until crashing headlong into it. Now she was horrified by the realization that the nightmares haunting her, were the memories of what had happened to her. Carol had been raped by goblins, and now the full weight of it hit her.

Like a torrential wave, fear and shame began to drown Carol. Standing her ground, she let the feeling was over her, feeling her mind stay stable despite the onslaught. Talking to herself, she said "This was not my fault. What happened was the actions of those goblins, they are the guilty ones, the monsters."

Amidst the shame, from the dark recesses of her mind came accusing whispers. They brought up memories of what happened, painting it as if it was indeed her fault for what had happened. Facing them down, Carol said "No, this is just a confused and hurt part of me. It's looking for a way to cover the pain. I will have to face this pain to heal. It will take time for me to heal, but I will recover."

Rage suddenly emerged from the dark. This time it poured out it's vile hatred towards Mianda her charge. It accused the girl for being the reason Carol for getting hurt. Grasping the anger, she tore it into pieces and said "The actions I choose were to protect her. How could I regret doing that? This is just me trying to justify the anger I feel about the situation. I love Mianda like she is my daughter, it will take time to recover, but I will not take it on her."

From within the dark, a towering goblin of fear began to advance towards her, Carol felt herself start to paralyze. Shaking free from it, Carol said "No, I will not let this thing take control over my mind. I will not be consumed by fear for what it did to my body. This is my mind, while these memories will always hurt, they will not control me."

The wave suddenly disappeared as fast as it came. Carol knew it would not be the last time she would have to face it, yet she felt stronger for having dealt with it. Time would see if she could heal these gaping wounds within her mind. To help deal with the wounds of her body, she looked at the feat’s she had available, and chose the one for the situation at hand.

The moment she took it, she felt as if seperate pieces of herself suddenly snapped back together, and she could feel what her body was feeling. Strangely she also felt another piece of herself that felt like it was being burned constantly, Carol realized that this piece was her soul.

Focusing on her body, she could tell she was lying on something comfortable, perhaps a bed. With her mental senses she could feel two people near her, one she identified as being Mianda, the other was a stranger to her. His mind leaked out thoughts of medicine, so she assumed he was a healer.

Pulling herself free of the gray mental space, she awoke lying on a cot. She was in a cottage that smelled of herbs and strange concoctions. Standing above her was a dark skinned elf, who was examining her. He said "I see you have awoken. That is good, surprising yes, but good."

Sitting up, she took a look around spotting Mianda in the middle of crushing something in a mortar. Seeing her gaze, the elf said "She wished to be of use, so I set her to make some simple poultices."

"Where am I?" Carol asked the Elf.

Standing up straight the Elf said "I am Master Healer Petele, you are being treated in my clinic at the moment. The village we are in is unnamed."

Mianda seeing Carol was up, dropped what she was doing and rushed over to her. "Carol! Your awake!" Mianda practically jumped onto the cot and gave Carol a hug.

Forcing down the reflex to flinch, Carol hugged the girl back, and found she was wearing a very basic shift. "Can you tell me what happened Mianda?"

"Sir Telvin came and rescued us from the goblins! He helped to bring you to Petele to get you healed." Mianda said excitedly. "It was so amazing! He defeated all the goblins and saved us like those knights in those stories you tell me."

Feeling the pure happiness coming off Mianda, Carol hugged her fiercely and spent a moment just taking in the good feelings. "I'm glad your safe, '' Carol said.

Coughing as an interrupt, Petele said "I had to remove the remains of your clothing to examine your injuries, and condition of your body. Luckily you were brought before the goblin body formed within your uterus. I was able to remove the parasitic infection, and healed most of the physical damage done."

"Did you let her watch?" Carol said frowning.

Petele shook his head. "No, it's far too gruesome for a girl her age to watch."

Mianda pouted and said "I am the daughter of a duke, I should be allowed to watch whatever you want."

"Yes, in the future, you can, right now little one you have to listen to your elders." Carol said, rubbing Mianda's head. Suddenly the feeling of bile began to rise up her throat.

With a practiced hand in these matters, Petele brought a bucket to Carol to use. She began to hurl a clear frothy liquid into the bucket. Her throat burned and she kept hurling until she was just gagging over the bucket. Her entire body ached from the act of vomiting.

"Can you go get her a glass of water?" Petele asked Mianda.

As Mianda went to the kitchen, Petele looked at Carol and said "I helped heal your body as best I could, but the damage to your mind is beyond my expertise. The damage to your soul is even more so. My recommendations to help heal your mind would be to remain in the company of trusted friends and family, and speak with them about what happened to you when you feel safe."

"I see, and what do you recommend for my soul? It feels like it's burning." Carol said.

"The damage to your soul is not just from the assault I'm afraid. The goblins in order to use you as a vessel to grow their unborn, burn a mark upon your soul."

Looking at the man, Carol asked "A mark?"

"A magical mark, over time it will weaken. However it will always be a scar onto your soul. Perhaps the power of gods might be able to remove it." Petele said.

Mianda came back with a glass of water and asked "What does the mark do?" she handed the glass to Carol who swished the water in her mouth to remove the foul taste.

"There are several levels to it. Carol is at the first level, thus she has the best chance of recovery. At her level, the most it does is just help her bear monsters and creates a soul smell that will draw goblins and other monsters to her." Petele said.

Fear of goblins coming to find her, gripped Carol for a moment. Then she thought of her new powers and said "If they come, I will end them."

"What are the other levels?" Mianda asked.

Petele shook his head and said "I only know the first few, the later ones are only historical accounts from the time of the goblin wars. The second level makes them able to withstand a greater amount of births, and specialized monsters might be born. The third level is where it splits into several paths. The ones I know are a specialized breeder, a mass breeder, a pleasure slave, a corrupt fighter, a royal breeder. There are some more from historical accounts, but I have never heard of them appearing in today's world."

"So they only mark women?" Mianda asked.

"Mostly, but they do occasionally mark men. Women are more likely to survive the birth process, the goblins usually tear their way out of men killing them in the process. Typically the only reason they use men is if they are making an army, or if they are unable to find women." Petele said.

Carol, feeling disgusted over the conversation said "Can we change topics, I have no desire to hear more about this."

"Right, please forgive me. Now let's take a closer look at you. To be honest I'm surprised your even coherent. From my experience it usually takes a week or so for a similar woman in your position to awaken." Petele said while examining her eyes.

Carol replied "I was aided by signing a contract with a god while I was asleep."

Surprised Petele said "That would make sense I suppose."

"Do you have any clothes I could borrow?" Carol asked Petele.

Petele thought for a moment and said "I think I might have something from my ex. Let me take a look."

He went up some stairs. While he was gone Mianda asked "You signed a contract with a god?"

Carol nodded and said "Yeah with a god called Jack."

"Wait, I think that's the same god that Sir Telvin signed with!" Mianda said excitedly.

"So tell me more about this Sir Telvin?" Carol said looking at her charge.

"He's incredibly handsome, and so gallant! Father will surely make him a knight! Do you think father would let him serve as my protector" Mianda gushed.

Feeling like the little girl was brewing a crush for this Sir Telvin, she said "Maybe little one, for now we need to get back to him on the double."

A minute later Petele came down holding a worn out dress, "I apologize, my ex didn't leave much options. This looked like the best kept one."

Carefully standing and feeling a bit woozy, she took the dress and went behind a privacy screen to dress. Keeping the shift, she took the dress and put it over her. Petele handed her old shoes over the curtain and said "here are your shoes."

While she finished dressing, a knocking on the door came. Petele grunted and said "God's don't let it be another one." Opening the door, Petele said "Oh it's you. Have you come to check back on them?"

Stepping back Petele let in the visitor, and like he was stepping in from Carols memories, his face was slightly different, but she knew in an instant that this half-elf was the son of Eric Evercral, the brother of the Duke.