Everything went as expected. The enemy army trapped us, but didn´t fight us immediately. They waited patiently. They had nothing to gain from attacking us after all. From that distance, we couldn’t even identify them as most of them were hooded.

“There is a child …” Hannah muttered, pointing straight ahead to two figures walking a bit towards us. That development wasn’t entirely surprising as they must have picked up my activities with the orphanage. But I did hope that the warning the whore gave them was enough. Apparently, they sadly didn’t fear angering the ‘The Crown’ a little bit more than their eventual disappearance thanks to my actions like building an orphanage which put them at a disadvantage because they certainly were against it. Exhaling loudly, I made a step forwards, and then another one. Repeating that process which was commonly known as walking, I reached the duo within a few minutes.

“Laura?” I knew this girl. It was the one I saved from the werewolves and became incredibly attached to me ever since. What I couldn’t understand was how she got here. Sure, she was abducted, but I specifically told Tom to hire a few guards for the orphanage. Something must have gone wrong though.

Laura didn´t reply to her name as she was gagged but I could see her crying which broke my heart. If Tom didn´t … if I hadn’t fucked this up, she wouldn’t be here. It was all unnecessary in the first place now as I probably wouldn’t benefit from this plan whatsoever thanks to what Irminsul revealed.

“I am the saint.” I stated and looked into the eyes of the Pope of Death. Pope Magnus.

“And yet you have an enemy in the criminal world.” He said, wearing his shady smile like no other before him.

“I do not know what you are talking about. Free her at once.” I stated and reached out to her. He pulled her away from me, letting my hand grasp nothing but thin air.

“Surrender peacefully and you can spend all the time you want with her.”

“Let her go … take me, but let her go.”

“Hmm, how about no? But we are kind enough to let your friends over there leave.” Kind? Tom made it as a prerequisite that the whore could visit me once to reveal her affiliation and that everyone else would be allowed to leave. Bowing in front of an organization that could bring a traitor to the side of the saint was not kindness.

“Let her leave at once.” I said haughtily.

“Or what? Will the gods smite me? We both know they don’t give a fuck about what happens down here.” I wished this was the case. But time and time again, they had to mess up my life on this planet.

“That’s not true.” I claimed and looked into his eyes.

“Then where are they? Why aren’t they helping you now?” I balled my hands to fists, but couldn’t find a satisfying answer.

“Because …” Well, fuck me, because I sent that goddess away. Because I didn´t want her goddamn help.

“See.” He said, holding a completely black bag towards me. Reluctantly, I took it and put it over my head slowly. It was daytime, I couldn’t do anything in the first place which would have been fine if she wasn’t there. One last time, I could look at Laura and then, I couldn’t see anything anymore. Brutally, Pope Magnus pulled me on my arm and dragged me towards his army. At least I could hear Laura´s weeping by my side, meaning she was safe at least for a little while.

“We will have so much fun together, my saint.” I was sure of it. I would have so much fun ripping out his eyes if he would allow me to do so. But for now, I could only stumble behind him and reproach myself. Not soon afterwards, I was gagged, my feet and hands were bound together without any care for my fair skin. I groaned in anguish as they carelessly threw me onto a cart and I could still hear Laura´s sobbing by my side. I knew what they would be trying to do. They would try to break me with her and my only hope was that the others were fast enough. Sadly, this was getting more and more unlikely as we moved for hours without end. I did hope their hideout was close by, making it easier for my rescuers to come here, but apparently that wasn’t the case. This was by far the worst plan I ever made up. I didn’t care what happened to me as long as the results were good, but I didn’t want a child to be dragged in this.

I couldn’t even soothe Laura, making this whole journey a torturous activity for me. Thankfully, I didn´t have to lay on the cart for a whole day though. A few hours before dawn, I was lifted off the cart and screamed into my gag. I could hear them doing the same to Laura who wheeped herself into sleep some time ago, making me scream even louder. I wanted to tear them apart so badly, even if that revealed my true race.

But the sun was still over the horizon as I was bought underground into a rather damp place. My carrier walked for a few more hundred metres, went around corners and took a few steps down until he laid me down on the ground. He freed me of the ropes and then stepped back after I started kicking his legs in defiance.

Finally, I dragged the blindfold off my head, got rid of the gag and stared over towards Laura, who was still bound tightly. I robbed over to her and pulled the bag off her head. I could see the tears in her eyes, but also the hope that I would get her out of here.

“Laura, it is going to be alright. Someone will save us, okay?” She nodded quietly, still crying wordlessly. Finally, I freed her of her own gag and fumbled with her bindings as the man looking at the spectacle and shielded by two guards spoke up.

“Nobody will save you. You will all die here.” He stated.

“That’s not true!” I exclaimed and pulled Laura in my arms. The fragile girl returned the favour but began to cry once more.

“Yeah, sure.” He was just a small fry, and yet he was acting really cocky. “First of all, she dies before you. Depending on how docile you two are, she may survive a little bit longer.”

“…” I wanted to tear him apart so badly. I was tortured enough to know that they only could get a giggle out of me, but if they started to hurt Laura, I wasn’t sure what my reaction would be. I spent so much time with her that I became somewhat attached to her as well, which did muddle my emotions even more than the usual stuff.

“Strip.” He said as if it was completely natural. Well, considering he liked to beat his woman to death, forcing others to strip was probably normal.

“What?” I still asked, incredibly perplexed.

“Strip. It´s not that hard. And you too.” I thought he wanted to torture me right away. His eyes were burning with hatred for me as I represented everything he didn´t believe in and pushed for policies that would put his church at the brink of extinction. And most importantly, I couldn’t see any lust in his eyes. His soul was filled with rage, and rage alone.

Slowly, I stood up, shielding Laura from his gaze. I looked around once, trying to find a way out of this situation but except stones, more stones and a few torches, I could see nothing. Reluctant, I reached towards my jacket and pulled it over my shoulders. It hit the ground right behind me, shaking Laura out of her momentary daze. I looked at the Pope in defiance as I grabbed the hem of my shirt and pulled it over my head.

The two guards gazes went downwards, but the Pope kept looking into my eyes, a cruel smile on his face.

I wasn’t worried about myself as I pulled down my trousers, not even remotely. I knew what was on my plate as I decided to go through with this plan. Torture, rape, you name it. And I didn´t even care. I would let others torture me if it suited my interests … but I wasn’t willing to drag children into this.