In her deep sleep, a dream appeared in 18's mind. It was hazy with foggy figures she couldn't make out, only herself was shown in detail like a picture in focus with all the background blurred.

 

She was a young child of seven years with long grey hair. Her small wolf ears and yellow eyes characteristic of the wolf-kin out in the open unhidden from plain sight.

 

She was wearing a brown stained sheet with many patches that had been carefully stitched over many rips and tears.

 

Her child self showed none of the emotions of the young, there was no curiosity or joy, not even a spark of innocence; there was only a void of emotions, a static face with no expression.

 

The light in her yellow eyes was all but dull, almost glazed like that of a lifeless doll.

 

A foggy figure with a blurry face approached her. The voice of a man ringed in her ears, it was high pitched and gave off a warm tone.

 

To anyone else it would have sounded like a normal voice of a middle aged man but to 18 it was like slime, making her ears feel dirty.

 

"Come, come Cirith. I've a new client for you, a very exceptional madam with specific tastes... make sure you please her." The foggy figure beckoned with an outstretched hand.

 

The absent looking Cirith reached out her hand which was swiftly grasped by the foggy man.

 

The foggy man brought his face closer to Cirith. "Listen closely, I will not tolerate any mistakes, this guest is far too important. You know what'll happen if you fail to live up to expectations right?"

 

Cirith nodded slowly, her absent expression not changing.

 

The foggy man nodded. "Good. I don't like delivering pain, remember that Cirith. Now come along."

 

As she was led down a dark hallway lit by candle light, the sounds of grunts, moans and the creaking of beds was heard from every closed door passed.

 

The smell in the air was thick the scent of sensual activities, almost suffocatingly so.

 

Eventually she came to a door. It was a dull white, streaks of gold were carefully painted in various designs of men and women entangled together.

 

The foggy man knocked on the door and stood silently waiting patiently, eventually the door opened.

 

The foggy man bowed and said. "Madam Duchess, I've brought her as you requested."

 

Standing in the doorway was a woman, her extravagant dress stretched by her shapely figure.

 

The Duchess bent down and carefully inspected the small Cirith, the smell of heavy perfume and sweaty musk assaulted Cirith's nose.

 

The Duchess's face was sharp and refined but the finer details were faintly blurred by fog. Only her eyes and lips were clearly seen. Her eyes were a deep blue and were squinting into two crescents, her lips bright red with a shiny gloss.

 

"My my, well aren't you a little cutie!" The Duchess licked her lips lasciviously, her voice was heavy on Cirith's ears and her breath smelling of smoke.

 

"This little one is perfect, here." The Duchess handed over a small cloth sack that could fit in the palm, it made a chink sound as it fell into the foggy man's hand.

 

Opening the sack, the foggy man nodded after inspecting it.

 

With a pleased voice he bade his farewell. "Please enjoy yourself Madam Duchess, don't hesitate to ring the bell if you require my services again or when you're finished."

 

After the foggy man left, the Duchess smiled and reached out her hand.

 

"Come to me little one."

 

The dream shook as everything became hazy, 18's voice echoing throughout trying to make her will known.

 

"No.."

 

"Don't reach out! Run away!"

 

"Please!"

 

Her voice was almost begging but nothing changed, the dream continued.

 

Small Cirith reached out her delicate hand once again with no change on her face.

 

Gripping Cirith's soft hand, the Duchess clicked her tongue in satisfaction. There was anticipation in her cold blue eyes, akin to a bestial fire that had yet to be sated.

 

The Duchess led Cirith into the room, when they neared the luxurious bed she lifted off Cirith's patched sheet top revealing her bare naked form, a small fluffy tail swayed limply behind.

 

The Duchess stroked Cirith's tail with delight, her body giving off shivers.  "Such a good dog.. "

 

The Duchess leaned her head close to Cirith's and took in a deep breath. "Lavender? How plain, but it's not bad.. "

 

She reached out and gently slipped her finger into Cirith's mouth and opened it wide. After checking Cirith's small pink tongue, she sighed blissfully. "Just Perfect."

 

The Duchess looked over Cirith eagerly, her misty eyes full of desire. "I've been so stressed lately.. but you, little cutie will ease me of my burdens. Make sure to cleanse me properly."

 

The Duchess waved her hand towards the door causing it to close.

 

18's voice once again echoed desperately.

 

"Stop!"

 

Her voice had no power at all, the door closed.

 

The dream began to shake, as 18 wept.

 

"Ahn.. yes, good dog.."

 

"Make.. sure to.. lick.. properly... Ahnn!"

 

With pleasured moans sounding from behind the door, the dream began to distort into a nightmarish scene.

 

The hall had vanished with only the door remaining, the once beautiful designs on it had degraded into pink flesh with various slits opening and closing, cloudy fluids repeatedly dripping from them.

 

"No more!" 18's voice cried aloud.

 

The moans became more frequent and more intense as time went on eventually resulting in a final climax.

 

"Ahhh!"

 

A loud primal scream echoed through the dream.

 

"Drink it! Drink it you little whore!"

 

The sound of hushed coughing could be heard along with the displeased berating of the Duchess.

 

"How dare you spill that you low class filth! You should be grateful to drink from a high noble such as I."

 

There was a loud smack causing the dream to shake, the powerless voice of 18 was now sobbing and sniffling loudly.

 

"I have to discipline such naughty behaviour otherwise you'll never learn. Don't worry though, I made sure to bring the right tool."

 

As if remembering something, 18's voice wept fearfully and pleaded with a distorted voice.

 

"Stop it.."

 

"Please.. not that.."

 

The Duchess sighed with a cold fury. "This is for your own good.. If only you had listened to me.. Why does no one listen to me? If they just listened.. I wouldn't be so stressed.. This.. is your fault."

 

"...Mind the spikes dear."

 

In that instant, there was a tearing sound accompanied by the scream of both 18 and that of the young girl Cirith.

 

18's weeping voice slowly faded while the frail Cirith's voice continued until it became raw and hoarse and then finally silent. Only the sound of flesh clapping together and the tired grunts of the Duchess remained.

 

Blood was now pouring from the fleshy slits on the door, and a dense red fog escaping from it's edges.

 

Time passed as the dream shook with every clap, it seemed to be torture to 18's tired voice as it caused her to wheeze and choke.

 

After a while the loud clapping ended with the satisfied sigh of the Duchess. The flesh and fog dispersed, the door recovering it's previous form.

 

The echoing of a bell could be heard and then hurried steps against a wooden floor.

 

The foggy man reappeared once again, he knocked on the door.

 

The door opened ajar, the slightly flushed face of the Duchess could be seen with a long cigarette holder perched in her hand.

 

"I'm finished."

 

"The girl?" The foggy man asked with a hint of anxiety in his voice.

 

The Duchess sighed with pity in her blue eyes as she shook her head regretfully. "Ahh.. I'm afraid I've made a terrible mess. The poor little lass will be on her way soon, you don't mind though do you?"

 

The foggy man stuttered. "N-not at all Madam Duchess.. it-it's just that she was.."

 

The Duchess's eyes narrowed. "Was what? Out with it."

 

"S-she was valuable merchandise Madam Duchess." The foggy man said hesitantly.

 

The Duchess frowned, she flicked the embers from her cigarette and took a puff.

 

Breathing out a cloud of smoke, she took out another cloth sack from her sleeve, it was more weighty than the last one.

 

"Here, I hope to come here more often so I'll compensate you this time." The Duchess opened the door wide and dropped the sack in the Foggy man's hand.

 

"Make sure to send me a letter when you've got some more merchandise, preferably exotic like the little one just now." The Duchess waved her hand as she left down the hallway, holding her purse tightly.

 

"Yes Madam Duchess!" The foggy man bowed and then entered the room.

 

A small bloody figure laid bare on the silk sheets, her breathing extremely faint.

 

The foggy man clicked his tongue in dissatisfaction, he inspected the girl and the bed carefully before sighing with a little relief.

 

"The silk sheets can be saved at least."

 

He picked up the brown patched sheet on the floor and then wrapped the bloody Cirith up in it.

 

The dream became hazy and the scene changed, the foggy man was now in a dark tunnel, holding Cirith in one arm and a glowing blue crystal in the other lighting the way.

 

As the foggy man kept walking, the tunnel finally giving way to an open area.

 

A large river flowing upon carved stone, it was brown and rank with the stinging smell of sewage, urine and rot.

 

The foggy man stroked Cirith's cheek and sighed. "It's a shame.. you still had many more years of service ahead of you."

 

Before he could toss her away into the river of filth, a shadow cloaked in black mist appeared behind him gripping his neck in a chokehold.

 

"W-what who are y-you!"

 

The foggy man panicked. He dropped both the crystal and Cirith as he tried to tear away from the shadows grip, but his weak arms offered no challenge.

 

A dry voice whispered in his ear. "Dream leaf."

 

The foggy man's body suddenly tensed up as he stuttered. "W-wait!! Is this about-"

 

A silver blade slid along the foggy man's throat causing blood to spurt out like a fountain.

 

Gripping his reaped throat desperately, the foggy man choked and gasped as he fell forward into the brown river.

 

The shadow stood silently before turning to leave but he halted.

 

A small pale hand gripped his leg tightly, one which was reaching out from the brown patched cloth.

 

The black mist dispersed as a man wearing a block robe and a obsidian crow mask was revealed.

 

He kneeled down and picked up the brown sheet, moving it aside revealed a battered and bloody Cirith barely holding on.

 

With one eye bruised closed, the remaining yellow eye half opened and looked at the man.

 

His obsidian crow mask was quite distinctive with many runes carved upon it, a few scratches were also revealed by the soft blue light of the crystal.

 

"Do you want to live young one?" He asked with a dry voice.

 

His question was met with a silent stare.

 

"I take the broken and the weak, I make them into killers and murderers. This is a life in the shadows, never destined for a warm home or a silent peace.. is this what you want?"

 

A light flickered in Cirith's yellow eye.

 

The crow masked man chuckled. "I see. Well then, reach for my hand and it's a deal."

 

Holding out his hand, Cirith hesitantly reached for it one last time.

 

A warmth spreads through her body from the man's hand, the waves of pain racking her body slowly disappearing.

 

Cirith's tense expression slowly eased as she closed her remaining eye, her breathing becoming strong once again.

 

"Mr crow.." 18's voice calls out softly.

 

The dream fades into mist as a raspy voice calls out to her.

 

"Wake up child, your beauty sleep is over."