Demiurge walked next to the bubbly girl with a steady clip, and he took careful note of the way she walked, she had a funny little goose step and kept her hands folded behind her back. Her hair bounced behind her and she was seemingly heedless of the fact that she was only in a robe. "You're an odd one, aren't you?" Demiurge asked.
Her walk shifted immediately to a more purposeful stride, a shift so rapid he was caught offguard, and the bouncy look in her eyes shifted to something sharp as a mystic blade as they gazed at him without even the slightest sign of fear or hesitation. "I am. I know I am. I walked through nightmare, hell, weak, suffering, tortured and tormented, losing everything...and I ate the ones responsible, and I liked it. I cut the ones responsible, and I loved it, I knelt before absolute power, and worshiped its source as the god it is, it shields me, teaches me, guides and protects me, and I will remain loyal to it forever, hunting what he tells me, offering whatever he wants of me, and enjoying the suffering he permits me to inflict on those who deserve it most...how I love it when they deserve it...perhaps I am broken and odd...but in a way...it has made me whole...and I want to make music again...music in tribute to the one true god of this world..."
Demiurge held her eyes during her statement, her voice was almost 'transcendent' haunting, lilting, low, like she were singing, and it was quite charming, then just as suddenly as she finished speaking, the bouncy behavior was back and she reached out and impulsively took his hand. "Now show me tha way eh? I wants to hear some singin!" She giggled.
A few minutes later Demiurge brought her to the work room of Neuronist Painkill. "Are you sure you want the music?" Demiurge asked with a wry and challenging grin. Vanysa grinned and nodded rapidly, bouncing her hair behind her and smiling happily. "Ah do ah do ah do! But ehhh...what'd they do to make em need tah sing?" She asked.
"Does it matter?" Demiurge asked curiously.
She nodded again, "Course'n it does."
"Why?" He asked with a tilt of his head.
"Cause a couple reasons, yah see..." She began, and the bubbly face faded into one of cold calculation...
"The ones who deserve to suffer, should suffer what they deserve, they are plentiful, and make the world a better place not by existing, but by dying, and they serve a useful function, warning others not to be like them, not to disobey, to not deprive others of what is theirs, their suffering creates stability on which great rulers such as my divine lord can more easily build their desired world, target the ones who deserve it, and leave the rest to loyally serve those who deserve to be served, and the structure of the world remains true to the vision of its rightful ruler...and also...revenge can only be taken on those who deserve to have vengeance taken...and last...they always know just why they're suffering, no confusion, only clarity and pain...just like they should have..."
She had a happy gleam in her eye again and she said further, "Plus ah know thas what makes mah god a happy god, cause he hurts the ones who hurt people, he protects whas his, so ah wanna make im happy by hurtin whats tries ta hurt im by takin whas his!" She said with a giggle and squeezed his hand.
Demiurge laughed loudly, "I think I begin to see why he finds your company enjoyable, come, follow me, the ones within tried to steal from Lord Ainz, they invaded his home, attacked and killed his servants, and tried to rob it afterwards. But one in here in particular is worse than all the others, he was bad enough that he was actually raised from the dead purely to punish him. We bring his former slaves down sometimes to let them satisfy their thirst for revenge, he had three of them, female elves, he apparently enjoyed abusing them a great deal, it incensed Lord Ainz very much, so...he will be your first...concert, if you can manage it."
He looked at her face to see how she took that statement, and he saw gleeful eager sadism, it was quite pretty on her small frame.
Demiurge held his eyes on her as he opened the door, wondering if she'd live up to what she seemed to be. She stepped through easily and looked around, she began to bounce up and down, hopping from one foot to the other and clapping. There against the wall was a terror stricken naked man.
Neuronist Painkill was standing near a table when the door opened, and she glanced at the perky happy looking girl and said without hesitation..."Is this a new one to play with, Demiurge?"
Demiurge shook his head, "No, this one is going to be doing some playing, lets see how she works."
Vanysa looked over to Neuronist Painkill and waved, she skipped over and bent forward at the waist, "Hiya, I'm Vanysa, ah gets ta make some music in yer music room today, can I see yer tools?"
Neuronist was much amused by this oddity and stepped aside, gesturing to the table, "Be my guest." Her voice betrayed her amusement, but Vanysa was not one to be put off by doubt, she went from one object to another, before selecting something in particular and holding it up to herself, and then cradling it gently as one would a newborn babe. "Yes...you are my instrument." She smiled down at it and the sadism shown in her eyes. Neuronist & Demiurge watched with curiosity as the scene unfolded.
She looked over her shoulder at the two beings and said, "May I play you a song...?" She asked.
Demiurge let loose a small grin and gestured to the figure who was secured to the wall. "I'm afraid I have little experience," she said as she walked over, and Demiurge saw that she had selected a simple hammer, crude...but effective, "but in honor of my lord, I must make the best music that I can." Her steps were slow and short, but Demiurge saw absolutely no hesitation in her movement, she drew inexortably closer, and he realized as he saw the ice in her eyes, that this too was part of the music, the man was struggling, but it was truly hopeless. When she came close to him, she leaned in, so close that her breasts were pressed to his flesh, it had to be a very pleasurable sensation, the first such he'd had in a very long time...but as he watched he realized this was not the kindness it appeared. Her fingers traced over his body, and her smile was warped, like a mockery of joy, he was terrified even as some pleasurable sensations came through her actions.
Her hand gently touched his cheek, it was a soft caress, and she said, "Do you enjoy girls...do you like them...like how we cry and scream...does our pain excite you...do you need us to be slaves to you...for you to be able to slake your lust...is that what you need, is that what you do...?" She asked and giggled as if the questions were a jest, is it not enough when we are beautiful, as I am...or willing...no...not for you those things are not enough." She traced the head of the hammer over his skin, the cold metal head sending him into spasms of terror. Vanysa's beauty had become terrible to behold, and she stepped back from him, breaking contact.
Her eyes shifted the gleeful happy look began to shine through, even in this dark place it seemed like she could shine, and she brought the hammer up...and then swiftly down on his pinky toe. He howled, and she raised the hammer up, and brought it to the knee of the other leg. Bit by bit she worked him over with her hammer, choosing a different part each time, and through these variable choices and an almost perfect timing, both Demiurge & Neuronist detected a kind of rhythm, a song in the sound of crunching bones and screams that were the result of well timed strikes, each one far enough apart that the pain of the last strike did not bleed in to the pain of the next strike, thus each pain was fresh and all its own, and bone after bone fractured and broke. When it was done, Vanysa turned around and skipped over to Neuronist and handed back the hammer. She looked at the pair and began to rock back and forth on her heels with her hands behind her back while the unfortunate vile adventurer sobbed in a still rhythmic fashion, and her little rocking was timed to it as if she were dancing.
"Well...how'd ah do, did ah make good music?" She asked sweetly as could be.
Demiurge and Neuronist shared a glance with one another, and as one they began to politely applaud.
"Where did you learn how to inflict pain that way, it was inspired, such complex work for a simple hammer?" Neuronist asked curiously.
"Ah learnt it from beastmen...an from men, monsters'r all over the place...an they're good teachers." She said with a cruel smile back at the whimpering figure.
Demiurge's smile was a genuine one, "Truly Lord Ainz found a very interesting servant."
She bowed. "Thankee. Ah try 'an be a good servan to 'im, ahm awful grateful tha he teaches me stuff."
"What does he teach you?" Demiurge asked curiously.
"All kinds ah stuff, he teaches me ta read an ta write, an he says ahm gettin good at it, an he teachin me tah think an use me head in new ways'n stuff, he even done give me books, aint nobody but rich nobles and such got those, but..." She pouted a bit.
"What?" Demiurge asked curiously.
"Whell...everbody should have em, cause books, they got good stuff in em, an ah like readin...ain't great at it yet, but ahm gettin ther an ah really like it, jus a damn shame nobody but rich folk gots em, maybe ifn' everbody had readin skill, the Sorc'r King could put all 'is thoughts in one place, then 'is book could go everwhere an everbody'd know how great he was w'thout ever havin to meet im." She pouted as Demiurge looked at her quietly.
She looked at him, and then looked down. "Did ah say sumthin dumb?" She asked demurely, worried about a poor impression on Lord Ainz's servants.
Demiurge laughed, "No, not at all, that was a very astute observation Vanysa. I'm very impressed."
She grinned her toothy grin.
"Tell me, would you like to join me for a...concert, next time you come to Nazarick, and perhaps dinner?" He asked.
"Ah'd like that, but ah'd have ta get the Sorc'r King's permission ta come back, an ta take the time away from servin 'im, ah hope yah unnerstand, he gots ta come first, ahm his servan, an ah gots ta do what he says or ahd be a bad servan." She said.
Demiurge grinned, "You have the proper attitude girl, come, we should return to the baths."
"Thankee!" She said with a happy smile and gave a little wave to Neuronist, "Bye bye Neuronist lady!" and Neuronist waved an awkward farewell of her own as Vanysa skipped along behind Demiurge and back the way she'd come.
"What a pleasant girl." Neuronist said to the helpless former adventurer. "I say she makes fine music...but I still think mine is better...what do you think...which do you prefer...hers...or mine?" Neuronist asked as she leaned in close to the shaking figure, stroking him similarly to how Vanysa had a little while before.
The screams that followed next were not more pleasant than the last, but nobody else was around to hear it.
Vanysa followed Demiurge back to the baths, and Ainz was dressed and ready to go, when she saw this, Vanysa's eyes snapped to calculated intelligence and all joy fled her gaze...she immediately rushed and prostrated herself at his feet, "Oh master, please...forgive me for coming late, she should have been here to dress you and provide you clothing and...to be absent when master requires something...unforgivable, especially when fulfilling my selfish desire to see your home...I am prepared for punishment."
Demiurge looked at her prostrate form in approval.
"Think nothing of it, I granted you permission for a partial tour." He said to Vanysa before turning to Demiurge.
"Is she a capable musician?" He asked.
"Very, my lord, you have chosen a servant whose merit is no mystery, even Neuronist liked her song, and you know what a music snob Neuronist Painkill can be." Demiurge said with a smile.
"You may rise Vanysa, I did not set a specific time limit on your visit, and your own clothing is not quite ready yet, so perhaps you'd like to choose something from Nazarick?" He asked.
She blushed, "Master how can a mere peasant were clothing from a god?"
"By your god's direction." He answered, and she lowered her gaze to the ground.
"As my lord commands." She said softly.
Within an hour of the arrival of a Pleiades maid, Vanysa found herself wearing the most comfortable clothing of her life, it felt like she was naked, so light and airy was the clothing, but it also pressed her chest upwards, almost as if they were on display, but as only her god would see, she was contented with it. So with that they returned to their former camp, with Vanysa hopping up and down waving goodbye to a Demiurge who...much to his dismay, found himself waving back.
On their return to camp, more undead horses were raised and the two resumed their ride into Beastman territory, with Vanysa peppering Ainz with questions about Nazarick...and to his surprise...questions about Demiurge. These were things he was happy to talk about, and they brought back happy memories, memories that shined all the more brightly because of the sunny disposition she brought to every sentence. It did all this so well in fact that they lost track of time...until they crossed a low rising hill and saw what lay on the other side.
Ash...barren ash and total desolation, cracked rocks, dead grass, and ruined land. What trees there were, were all dead and clearly had been for quite some time, there was evidence of fire, but also of flood and general ruination.
They brought their undead mounts up short and stared out over the scene before them, it reminded Ainz of the world he'd left behind with his humanity, there were small ruins of buildings here and there, nothing very big, small structural frames only, it was an ugly scene. "What the hell happened?" He wondered aloud.
"Ah don't rightly know sire, but ah betcha we done just found a part ah the reason the beastmen done chose to invade mah country." She said in awe at the devastated hellscape before her.
"I think you may be right, but to confirm, we need to find someone who can answer questions, lets move farther on, we'll see what we can learn about what happened here." Ainz said practically, and he prodded his horse into a slightly faster walk. Vanysa was quick to follow behind him.
"As yah say m'lord, ah'll be with yah the whole way!" She said happily and trotted to just two paces behind him, smiling maliciously as she did so.
They moved to a nearby ruin, a fallen building made of simple crude bricks, there was no evidence it had been inhabited for quite some time, and no tracks were found in the area nearby.
"Whenever this happened, we are far removed in time from the cause." Ainz said. "This happened quite some time ago." He added, clarifying for Vanesa.
"How'd yah know?" She asked curiously, "Yah weren't here when it happened, so...how'da yah know Sire?" She asked.
Ainz pointed to the soil and ash, "No foot steps, so it follows that unless the person had a magic spell for 'fly' then it happened recently. There is no smell of burning in the air, no smoke...all that suggests this happened awhile ago. Also, its been picked clean, no animals are here either, so its been entirely abandoned."
"Ah see." She said softly.
They moved their undead horses further along for awhile and only encountered more hellscape, eventually they came to a small canyon, and they looked down into it and saw numerous bodies just rotting there.
"Do beastmen bury their dead?" Ainz asked.
"I don't know sire." She asked, "I never got the chance to ask one."
Ainz rolled his eyes, it had been a foolish question.
"Strange how they're all down there like that, I wonder what happened." He said, and after they descended down and plucked out several of the bodies, the answer became clear.
"These are victims of violence." Ainz said flatly.
"How'd yah know that?" Vanysa asked as she trembled at the thought of someone casually obliterating the lives of so many monsters.
Ainz plucked out a held it up for her, "Look at this." Ainz said, "Its been defleshed, the same way you dress a chicken. I'll bet all of these were cannibalized and discarded, so the question is...were they willing sacrifices or unexpected ones?" He pondered.
"Ah don't know sire, but...ah think mebe those over there might tell yah if'n yah ask em." She said, and pointed to the other side of the small canyon where a group of bearmen were hauling a body destined to be discarded."
She began to jump up and down and shout, "heya! We gots some questions for yah, can yah stop a minute?" She shouted.
"Well...that is one way to stop a funeral procession in its tracks...if that is what it is at least..." Ainz said softly
i like Vanysa almost as much as i like lupusregina