< Chapter 1

 

 

 

 

 

 

As Illia awoke at the next day, the mind clouding effect of the dead thrall spell on Skana got re-newed, purely through her will. She chuckled while walking over to Skanas cage and commanded her minion out of the cage, only to fixiate her with chains hanging from the ceiling, in a rather uncomfortable position. "Not that you'd mind bending over like that with these muscles of yours, right? Now, let's continue where we stopped yesterday."

 

 

Illia proceeded to stab Skana in her side, again with the dagger. Over and over again, this time without taking any notes. "..hurts..." Skana did only moan in agony, similar to a generic reanimated undead. Illia stopped after what felt like an eternity. " You bled like a stuck pig my dear, but apparently there's no more blood left in your body, astonishing that you're still functioning."

 

 

 

Illia stabbed Skana one more time, without any different result, there was no blood left."It's time we should move on onto more..serious tests." Illia unchained Skana, but not before giving the command to follow her into the next room of her lair. Skana obeyed, her body seemingly unimpressed by the loss of blood.

 

 

 

 

This time, Illia excelled herself in terms of sadism when she fixiated Skana onto a stretching rack. "I'm going to grant you your consciousness for this, even allow you to scream." Illia laughed and began to operate the rack with a single magical gesture, at the same time she granted Skana her consciousness, lifting the mind-clouding effect of the spell on her. "I really have to commend these Thalmor torturers for inventing a magical rack, simply magnificient." The rack began to work slowly and Skana just realized what happened. "Are you totally snapped you necromancer bitch? by the gods and they call us bandits crazy! Get me off this.. thing so i can rip your head off!" Illia just grabbed her notebook and a feather and made a crude gesture, making the rack work faster. "I wouldn't call you lot crazy, but stupid seems appropriate, you threaten me yet you are in no position to do so, i will enjoy breaking you."

 

 

 

Illia just smiled as she saw Skana fighting the rack, to no avail. "Can't you just turn me into a stupid puppet again? Argh, gods, i can't take this!" Illias smile became a wolfish grin with these words."But where's the fun in that? Ah, but fret not, this is all for a purpose. I just have to see what your body or to be more precise in this case, your bones can withstand and also, if they regenerate at the same rate." Skanas eyes widened at those words."Wait.. you don't mean...?" Her sentence turned into a scream when she felt the bones of her arms and legs breaking.

 

 

Illia just took another note in her book, unimpressed by Skanas screams until she stopped the rack. "See? Was that hard? Now i'll kill two birds with one stone, let's see how fast your bones regenerate if your body is still getting strained. But for that we don't need the rack, you'd be useless without limbs to me" That said, Illia opened the shackles and carried Skana back into her laboratory, after all, she can't move with broken bones. "You are.. a damn.. sick woman!" Illia decided not to listen to her rantings.

 

 

Back into the laboratory, Illia fastened Skanas hands with the ceiling shackles again just to have her lifted up, hanging from the ceiling. Skana laughed with a sarcastic tone."Oh fantastic, is that the part where you get your whip?" Illia lifted an eyebrow and chained two heavy iron ball-weights onto Skanas legs and smiled."Quite tempting, but i think these two should be enough." Skana choked on her sarcastic tone as she felt the iron weights doing their work. Illia just nodded. "You'll tell me when you feel just fine, unless you like hanging around."

 

 

 

 

Illia became impatient as Skana said nothing the next hour. "Alright.. this takes too long, i think i'll have to break them a lot more if i want to make you more durable." Skana just hung there saying nothing. "Yeah don't play dead on me i know the spell is still working, i can feel it, but i guess i should get you down there, don't do anything stupid!"

 

Skana tried to stand up, but her limbs failed her, the bones being not completely regenerated, breaking again. "Urrgh..i ..can't.." She was finally feeling some kind of unnatural weakness. Illia sighed and dragged Skana back into her cage.

 

 

Illia was writing again into her notebook after she locked the cage door, speaking to herself. "one hour.. not fully regenerated..needs more improvement.." Illia noticed Skana was sitting in the cage. "Oh sitting already? Figures, after all your spine wasn't broken, but we'll get to that later. And i think we should work on your tone, i don't plan on letting you be a puppet, you're of more use to me if you know what's happening around you, you should adress me properly, after all you're my property now."

 

 

 

Skana just snorted. "Go to hell, bitch." Illia closed her notebook and chuckled. "I think you are mistaking the word 'Bitch' for 'Mistress' here. Think about it, i'll give you a day to recover, i can do even worse things to you afterwards, not to improve your durability or anything, just for my entertainment and you'll be begging me for something generic as a whip. Take your time, i'm going to run some errands. Oh and you're not allowed to leave the cage or to break it open in any way."

 

 

 

Skana just dropped onto her shoulder at the ground of the cage. "Whatever.." all she wanted was to close her eyes and wait for the pain to go away.

 

A deep guttural laughter could be heard in the room surrounding her, but she didn't cared.

 

 

 

 

Skana could hear Illias voice calling out to her and opened her eyes. "Wait.. did i..sleep?" Illia just shook her head. "No, undead don't sleep, but apparently you can fall into the same state vampires do at day, funny however that you did while sitting and a whole day too. In any case, i got something for you." Skana eyed the crude looking greatsword in Illias hand. "Great, i was already asking myself what you're stabbing me with next."

 

 

Illia Just rolled her yes and opened the cage. "Get out, i don't use something that crude.. it's for you, ebony crafted by a master smith, so it can withstand the force you're going to be swinging this. Don't get your hopes up, this is purely for you to defend me. Now there's a little special to it of course."

 

 

 

Skana stared at the sword and put on a bored tone."Oh let me guess, it requires my blood? I need to decapitate myself with it?" Illia just gave her the sword, only to see the sword bursting into blue flames. "This is called a palefire enchantment. It weakens enemies and drains their life force, fortunately for you it only works when wielded by someone undead." Skana couldn't help herself but to admit that she liked that sword. "Neat."

Illia looked expectantly at Skana. "Well did you work on your tone or are we going to have a long day again?"

 

 

Skana didn't liked what she was doing, Illia didn't command her now, she has to do it out of free will. But that rack was enough for her, so she kneeled infront of Illia. "Thank you, mistress." Illia eyed her with a triumphant grin. "Good good, i see you finally learn where your place is. Now get your ass up, we're going to Windhelm, i have business to attent to on Solstheim."

 

 

 

 

Skana was curious so she asked. "Solstheim? What would you want on that island?" Illia corrected her. "What would you want on that island, Mistress. Is that for you. I'm having a dunmer named Ralis Sedarys running an excavation for me there, i'll most likely need to convince the second councelor that i'm interested in any the local problems, like this ash spawn crap they had running there last time. And now shut up it's a long way to Windhelm." There was that laughter again, only Skana could hear it, but she didn't said a word.

 

 

 

Later at candlehearth hall, Illia was just sitting in a corner, observing the room. Skana sitting next to her on the ground. "Is there a reason why i have to sit on the ground like a dog?...mistress?" Illia just spat in her mug. "You just said it, i'm your mistress, i might let you keep your consciousness but i won't give you completely free control over your body and now we will follow that man over there, i saw what i wanted to see here."

 

 

 

Illia and Skana followed the man to the shipyard onto his ship. Illia greeted the man dry. "Gjalund, you know why i'm here."

Gjalund didn't stop hammering at his ship post, obviously trying to fix something. "Illia was it?"

Gjalunds two sailors noticed the commotion. "Who's that cap'n?"

 

 

 

 

 

Gjalund stopped hammering for a second."Everything in order boys, this is for coin, we're setting sail soon." Illia just put on a smug grin. "I see captain you know that asking questions is bad for business. Oh and don't mind Skana, she'll just sit over there"

 

 

 

One of the sailors eyed Skana. "Woah Cap'n that's quite the outfit she has there." Gjalund just shook his head. "Forget it boy, i don't think you're into that sort of thing." "But ...?" Gjalund cut through his question with one word. "Necrophilia?" The sailor quickly turned to his business and didn't say another word. Gjalund just shrugged. "Exactly boy, we're traveling with a necromancer, that's all we need to know, we get the coin and we don't ask questions, now let's get our nutshell to solstheim!"

 

 

 

 

 

 

Upon arrival Illia had to justify herself, apparently not the first time, infront of Adril Arano, the second councilor of Ravenrock. Skana just stood there watching, she couldn't say anything productive anyway. "Adril don't be so stupid, i know how proud you dunmer are but i can help with this Ashspawn menace." Adrils attention turned towards Skana. "Say, who's this? I'm not foreign to necromancy Illia, but last time you were alone and this clearly isn't an imperial so telling me one of your ancestors watches over you just to trick yourself into our traditions won't work."

 

 

Illia got increasingly annoyed by the questions Adril was asking, but this was Morrowind, she had to follow the rules here unless she wants to mess with the whole Redoran guard. "This is, or was, a lowly bandit i scraped up somewhere in Skyrim. None of your business, she's my property, even by your laws, see her as a slave if you want." Skana wanted to say something but noticed Illia wasn't allowing her to talk at the moment.

 

 

Adril stopped being so nosy all of a sudden, looks like he lost interested in his own game. "Very well, i assume you're not here to cause trouble. If you really want to help with this Ashspawn business, talk to captain Veleth. You'll find him at the Retching Netch at this time." Illia just sighed. "About time Adril, you take your position here too serious. Come Skana." Adril just snorted and greeted Gjalund.

 

 

 

 

 

On their way to the Retching Netch, Illia and Skana met the captain of the redoran guard. "Captain Veleth, at your service." Skana noticed how Illia lifted an eyebrow and behaved a bit off, apparently she liked this Dunmer. "Oh my, such a handsome looking guard Captain you are, i heard you are headed to the Retching Netch?" Veleth was a bit puzzled at first but regained his posture shortly. "That i am m'lady, would you like to join me?"

 

 

 

Skana was disgusted by the thought of Illia having a partner in any common way, she had pity with this Dunmer, but noticed that she still wasn't allowed to speak so she just watched in silence. But Veleth didn't seem to care for Skana at all, apparently also not foreign to necromancy, as dunmer are. Illia just made a pretty face. "Oh i'd love to, however i must speak to you about this Ashspawn problem you have here."

 

 

 

Skana was actually rather glad that she was sitting in the corner, so she could focus on something else than a chirping necromancer and her guard captain. There was also that laughter again she kept hearing from time to time, but something was off, she felt as if someone was watching her. Illias words interrupted her thoughts. "Get up, we're going to rest the night here.".

 

 

Illia eyed Skana expectantly again once they entered the room. "Well?" Skana rolled her eyes. "Well what?" Illia became slightly angry. "Well what, mistress, for you!" Skana kneeled down, obediently. "Mistress." Illia adorned herself with that triumphant and smug grin again."Good, you stay like this until i wake up, you'll kill anyone who's entering this room, the only person allowed to do so is Captain Veleth, oh and be silent slave." "Did that bitch call me slave?!" With these words Illia went to bed.

 

 

At that moment, Skana could hear the laughter again in the room. "Yeah i'm sure that's funny, whoever you are" Against Skanas expectations the laughter turned into a voice. "A human enslaved as never before, conscious but undead. Unwillingly captured in servitude. This amuses me indeed."

Skanas thoughts began to go haywire, she didn't expect to get an answer. "What the...? Who the hell are you and why can only i hear you and even more important why can you read my thoughts?!" The voice laughed again, in a calculating cold way. "I am the creator of the spell that turned you into this magnificient being. I am your true master."

 

 

Skana laughed in her thoughts. "Great, what is it this time? an arch-necromancer? somebody from Illias funny little cult?." The voices amused tone changed into something so cold that even Skana could feel it in her dead body. "I am your true master, Skana. And i command you, kill Illia, she served her purpose. Offer me her soul!"

 

 

When the voice said her name Skana could hear it a thousandfold in her head as if she was standing inside a giant bell and someone rang it, it was compelling, a force so strong, she had to obey no matter the cost and she wanted to. As she regained control over her body, granted by the force unknown which spoke to her, all she was thinking about were those hours Illia tortured her.

 

 

With two quick steps Skana stood next to Illia and lifted her out of the bed. Illia instantly awoke and gasped for air as Skanas grip fastened around her throat. "Urghng, how is this possible, i command you! you dead piece of meat, let me down!" Skana stared into Illias eyes, a look that would even freeze the red mountain to the ground."There are things in this world, things you don't know of, things you don't understand, you opened the door to darkness and now i'm going to slam it shut, with your neck in between!"

 

 

 

Skana eyed her victim like one does with an interesting insect. "Cast your petty spells, try to enslave me! I will crush your throat before you do. I told you i'll rip your head off with my bare hands. I was a bandit once but i always kept my promises, but where's the fun in that when it goes so fast, right?"

 

 

 

Skana pounded Illia onto the bed, over and over again, until she was heavily bleeding from the impact on the wooden frame. Illia tried to crawl away, but only managed to fall off the bed on the other side. "Please...., stop! You will... kill me....at this.... rate!"

 

 

 

Skana went around the bed and kneeled over Illia. "Take a guess why i am doing this, beg a bit more you necromancer cunt, beg before i choke the life out of you!" Skanas hand closed like the jaw of a werewolf around Illias throat.

 

 

Illia just did that, she tried to do something with her right hand, but her strength waned instantly and her arm just dropped to the ground. "Thank

the... gods, i'm about... to ......pass out.." She wimmered with a weak voice.

 

 

 

Illia passed indeed out just after saying that. Skana didn't liked that. "I'm not done with you yet! You tortured me for hours if not days! Let me return the pleasure!"

 

 

 

Then there was that voice again, shouting at Skana. "KILL HER! I DEMAND HER SOUL NOW!" Skana hesitated at first, killing Illia now would make her revenge rather short, too short for her taste, but then she remarked how this unknown entity didn't force her to kill Illia with those words. Skana smiled to herself and thought; "Finally someone who knows how this works."

 

 

Skana lifted Illia up again and ripped her head off of her shoulders with her bare hands, effortlessly. The look at the face of Illias now detached head, showed Skana that she must've felt it. This pleased her.

 

Skana dropped Illias head and body without further interest and left the room. "Now i want to know who you are." She asked the unknown entity. The voice laughed at her again before replying. "You shall learn of that soon enough, when you've earned your place in my little game. For now, you'll serve me and you will find that my leash for you is much longer than the one that necromancer had."

 

 

"Do i have a choice?" Skana asked.

"Several." The voice replied.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chapter 3 >