Page 16 of The Demon's Tongue

The room remains silent, save for my own ragged breathing. I'm on my own, at least for now.

Finally, the moment I've been dreading. The door creaks open, and my stomach drops. An older dark elf stumbles in, his eyes glazed and unfocused. The stench of alcohol hits me before he even opens his mouth.

"Well, well," he slurs, leering at me. "Aren't you a pretty little thing?"

I back away, my heart racing. "Sir, I think you've had too much to drink. Maybe you should lie down."

He laughs, a harsh sound that makes me flinch. "Oh, I plan to. With you."

The dark elf lurches forward, reaching for me. I sidestep, my back hitting the wall. "Please, don't touch me."

"Don't be like that, sweetheart," he growls, closing in. "You know why you're here."

His hand grabs my arm, his disgusting fingers digging into my skin. I try to pull away, but he's stronger than he looks.

"Let go," I hiss, pushing against his chest. "I said no!"

The dark elf's face twists with anger. "You little bitch. You don't get to say no."

He shoves me hard, and I stumble, nearly falling. Before I can regain my balance, he's on me again, pawing at my dress.

"Stop it!" I yell, slapping his hands away. "Get off me!"

But he doesn't listen. His grip tightens, and I can feel bruises forming under his fingers. Panic rises in my throat as I realize how quickly this is spiraling out of control.

I knee him in the groin, hard. He doubles over with a grunt, but doesn't let go. Instead, he backhands me across the face, the impact making my head spin.

"You'll pay for that," he snarls, shoving me towards the bed.

I dig my heels in, fighting every step, but he wrestles me down onto the bed. "Help!" I scream, grimacing at the strain on my vocal chords. I'm praying someone, anyone, will hear. "Somebody help me!"

The dark elf clamps a hand over my mouth, muffling my cries. "Shut up," he hisses in my ear. "No one's coming to save you."

I bite down on his hand, tasting blood. He yelps and jerks back, giving me a moment to breathe.

"Calix!" I shout desperately. "Calix, please!"

But the room remains empty, save for me and this monster of a dark elf. I'm on my own, and the realization hits me like a punch to the gut.

The dark elf's hands are everywhere, pawing, groping, violating. I struggle against him, my heart pounding in my ears. In a desperate move, I reach into the folds of my dress, fingersclosing around one of the crystals. Its cool surface grounds me for a moment.

"Get off me, you bastard!" I snarl, trying to knee him again.

He laughs, a cruel sound that sends shivers down my spine. "Feisty little thing, aren't you? Don't worry. I'm gonna fuck the defiance out of you."

As he pins me against the bed, his weight crushing the air from my lungs, I close my eyes tight, focusing on the crystal in my hand. My fingers clench around it so hard I fear it might shatter. Calix's face flashes in my mind, his red eyes glowing with otherworldly power, and for a moment, I feel a surge of hope.

"Come on," I mutter through gritted teeth, my jaw clenched so tight it aches. "Work, damn you!" I plead silently, desperately willing the crystal to do something, anything to save me from this nightmare.

I picture the dark elf's soul, imagining it as a writhing, inky mass pulsing within his chest. In my mind, I reach out, grasping at it with spectral fingers that tremble with effort. I pull with all my might, trying to yank it from his body and into the crystal. The strain makes my head throb, but I don't let up. It's my only chance, and I'll be damned if I don't fight with everything I have.

Nothing happens.

The dark elf's hot breath is on my neck. "Stop squirming, little bitch. You're making this harder than it needs to be," he growls.

Panic claws its way up my throat, threatening to choke me. I grit my teeth and concentrate harder, picturing the dark elf's soul being sucked into the crystal like water down a drain. I can almost see it, a swirling vortex of darkness being pulled away from his body. But still, nothing happens.

"Please," I whisper, my voice barely audible even to my own ears. I'm not sure if I'm begging the crystal, some higher power, or just the universe itself. "Please work. I need you to work."

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