Why does that spell even exist? (BE story)

[Chaos Echo]

Probably the darkest chapter yet, but... introducing a character who's been spoken of a few times, and an entirely new character!

Chapter 31

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The young woman entered the room, highly nervous, maybe even crossing into the realm of afraid. She uneasily gripped the white sleeve of her dress with her other hand, given what was coming up. She hated days like today. She hated days like this so very much. She could feel the light tickling feeling on her bare back from her very long, VERY light purple hair. Given how jittery she was, she didn?t really pay it mind, though.


Then, as usual, the other woman entered from the other door. ?Oh, hello, Ms. Narisaru.? The newcomer said, with not the slightest hint of emotion. This other one had to have been twice her age; not a hard feat, however, given how that put her in her mid-thirties. She was rather pale, and her black hair was cut short, parted and put over her ears, the left side slightly longer than the right. Small red earrings dangled from her ears, and her outfit was comprised of dark greys and blacks, with armor, oddly, traveling up most of her legs and forearms. As well, she wore a grey-blue cape, clasped over the top of her chest, and a white, ruffled cloth hung from that.


?H-hello?? The girl responded. ?So is today??? ?Yes. Today is one of those days, Ms. Narisaru.? She shivered on hearing that. ?My assistant has returned after a journey of a few months, so it is time to resume this.? The girl looked at her blankly, before she continued. ?So, as you know, it is much easier in a lighter state of dress.? ?Y-yes, I know?? Came her submissive reply, before pulling up her dress, lifting it over her head, and handing it over to the other woman. The action left her in only her panties, so she folded her arms over her petite, newly-bared bosom. The other woman didn?t seem to care, however. ?Ms. Narisaru, we have done this twice before. Surely by now, you are used to it?? She turned her head down to the clipboard she was carrying, took the pen, and began to write, quietly speaking aloud as she did. ?Miss? Mayu? Narisaru? attempt number? three?? Mayu dropped her arms, and the woman took a brief look at her, before turning her attention back to the clipboard. Though her mouth moved, she didn?t speak aloud this time.


?Unfortunately, Princess Ruhtina is attempting as best as she can to depose me, and she has thus hit my funding hard. If only she could understand what kind of progress we are making for the world through this?? She sighed. ?So we will need to cut back on the project. Narrow down the focus a bit.? ?N-narrow down?? ?Oh, nothing to worry about. Nothing will change with you.? ?Oh?? Mayu said, in a rather flat manner. There was a moment of pause, the woman looking into her black eyes, her own void of emotiveness. ?So.? She said, maintaining her unsettling monotone, ?get up on the table then.?


Mayu did as she was told, getting up on the metal structure. As usual, a thick white paper was under her as well, for reasons she knew well. The other woman tapped her on the feet lightly, and Mayu quickly recoiled and scooted up a bit further on it, so her legs no longer dangled off. ?As is procedure, I will introduce myself. I am Lady Rudine, and-? ?I know who you are? you?ve known me for years? can we just get it over with?? Mayu said, in no way wanting to do this again. Rudine looked at her with what seemed to be slight interest. ?Oh? Complacent so quickly? A marked improvement over your sister? and FAR better than that disagreeable third one.? She trailed off, writing something else. Then Rudine tapped her pen against the clipboard impatiently. ?Where is she? She is very late?? ?M-maybe she?s not here??


But Mayu?s hopes were dashed when the far door opened, and the tall redhead entered. ?Ah, there you are, Ms. Amantiace. You are late.? ?Yeah, yeah, sorry ?bout that. I was kinda busy.? ?Doing what, exactly?? ?Y?know. Stuff.? Rudine gave her a look, but didn?t care enough to ask further. ?So, now that my assistant is here-? ?Hey! I am NOT your assistant. We?re partners in this shit.? ?Right. So, now that my partner is here, should we begin?? The Amantiace chick went to the other end of the room, retrieving her instrument. Mayu looked on her with fear, and maybe a little bit of revulsion. The assistant seemed to have noticed, and she put her hands on her hips, and stuck her highly ample bosom out. ?Oh, come on! You get a hot nurse and everything!? She said indignantly, cupping her breasts in her hands. ?Look at the size of these things! And I even wore a little white nurse dress to show you plenty of cleavage!? She continued, pulling down the neckline even further to show more of her impressive breasts.


Mayu made a point not to look. By now she was trembling with nervousness. ?C-can we please just get started?? Rudine nodded. ?I agree. You can show off your body later.? Her assistant sighed. ?Fine.? She said. Rudine moved to the opposite wall. ?Right. Ms. Narisaru, if you could demonstrate your abilities preliminarily.? Mayu swallowed, and her hands glowed a faint blue, and her dress slipped out of Rudine?s hold and hung itself on the coat rack nearby. Rudine paused to write, and then continued. ?Now, without the hands.? Mayu swallowed again. She had no idea why. This time, she gave off no physical signs, but the coat rack scooted a few feet across the floor. Rudine continued to watch Mayu carefully. ?Go on?? She ushered, and the coat rack bent in half, before contorting itself to fit into her discarded dress, two of its ends coming out the top, and the other two coming out of the sleeves.


?Excellent.? Said Rudine, still having yet to change her tone from when she entered. ?You are getting better and better as time passes.? She tapped her pen on the clipboard in thought a moment. ?On to the next part, then.? ??Reflexes?!? Her assistant said with glee. ?My favorite part.? She positioned herself over Mayu?s right leg. ?Ms. Narisaru, you know the procedure here, yes? We shall strike up your leg, and record your-? ?Y-yes, I know?? Mayu said, before taking a deep breath. ?Ms. Amantiace, the first strike.? Her assistant did so, just above Mayu?s ankle. Mayu took care to not react in any way. Rudine noted this and wrote once again on her clipboard. ?And again, Ms. Amantiace.? She said, once she finished. Her assistant did again, to which Mayu winced in the smallest way possible, but still showed nothing. Rudine recorded it as usual. ?Now, up to mid-shin, Ms. Amantiace.? Her assistant did so, and a second time again at her command, and Rudine recorded both non-reactions.


?To the knee.? She said, and her assistant did so, but slipped, hitting it sloppily. ?Whoop, shit.? She said, and Mayu gasped. ?Ms. Amantiace, you really must be more careful.? Rudine told her, not breaking her deadened tone. She did her second there, and Rudine instructed her up to mid-thigh. ?Really though, it quite annoys me. If Princess Ruhtina only knew what progress we were making, scientifically and for all mankind, then she would not be so intrusive. I only wish I could just tell her, but then she- get at the top of her thigh now, just below where it ends- she in all her short-sightedness would see only the downsides, without seeing the long-term benefits, the wonders we are performing here. We are improving our entire species with what we are doing here. Yes, there is some? loss, inherent in it, but? that is how it has always been. These things need to happen?? Her assistant snapped her fingers. ?Yo! Enough dramatic monologue! I?m finished here!? ?Oh! My sincerest apologies. Ms. Narisaru, how are you holding up??


Mayu bit her lip to keep from crying from the pain. ?F-fine?? She managed to get out, after a long while. ?Could you count to ten for me?? Mayu was quiet. ?Ms. Narisaru?? ?One?? She whimpered. ?Two? three? four? five? six?? She took a shuddering breath. ?S-s-seven, eight, n-nine, t-ten?? ??acceptable, I suppose. You sister did much better there, but?? She trailed off, writing down notes again. ?Now? how about a magic display, then.? Mayu nodded, her eyes becoming wet. ?R-right?? She choked out, and her hands started glowing. Rudine?s assistant promptly slapped her own hand down on one. ?Ahp! None of that, now!? She warned. Mayu took in another stuttered breath, and tried again. The coat rack bent over and removed Mayu?s dress from itself, and it bent itself back into its normal shape, the white outfit hanging from it. ?Very nice.? Rudine said, and wrote for the final time.


She looked over everything she?d written, while Mayu softly cried. ?Your older sister did better. However, you still did quite well.? ?P-please? I? it hurts?? ?Hm? Oh, right. Ms. Amantiace, if you would?? ?Would what?? ?Fix her, of course.? ?What.? ??Ms. Amantiace. This is how the procedure has been for the last two times, and for every time to the other subject thus far. Do not tell me you have not figured this out yet.? ?But! I-? She looked back at the mess. ?Motherfu- ugh.? She surveyed the bloody leg chunks she?d cut, and shook her head. ?Every time, Rudy? Do I have to?? ?Yes, Ms. Amantiace.? She said, her lifeless eyes boring into the much taller woman?s red ones. ?It defeats the entire purpose of what we are doing here otherwise.?


Hakira pinched the bridge of her nose. ?Goddammit. Would?ve been nice if you?d told me this beforehand; I would?ve made cleaner cuts.? She picked up Mayu?s foot, which had been severed. ?Look at this thing! Look at the fucking? cut thing! Do you think it?s going to reattach easily?? Rudine took it and looked at it from above, and then to the stump at the end of Mayu?s leg. Then she shrugged. ?It is not my part to repair the damage. It is yours. Besides, if you do it ineffectively, it only means she will need to improve her magical abilities to compensate for the drop in motor function.? ?Use smaller words. Really. You can do it. Just say, ?she?ll need to magic herself around, since she won?t be able to walk for shit.??


Hakira looked over Mayu?s horribly wounded leg again. ?Well, shit.? She poked around in the gash she?d made above Mayu?s knee, and the girl cried out in pain. ?Yeah, that went through the bone. Dammit dammit dammit.? She took back Mayu?s foot and set it by the end of her leg. ??dammit.? She said again. ?We?d better do some serious fucking later to make up for making me do this.? She whined. Rudine held her pen to her mouth in thought for a moment. ?Very well. I have an hour or so open tonight.? ?Damn right you do.?


?But, with this taken care of, I have other things I must be doing. So clean up here.? Rudine said, and turned to leave. Hakira swore under her breath, and turned back to the bleeding, whimpering woman. ?Wh-why?? Mayu asked, tears going down her face from the pain. ?Wha?? came the redhead?s blank response. ?Why? why do you do this?? ?What? The mutilation and shit?? Mayu managed an ?Are you serious? look at her, even through her hurting, and Hakira laughed in her face. ?Well, let?s see. Rudy?s trying to like? make some kinda new, better race or whatever of sorceresses. Ones that aren?t limited by body. Ones whose minds are their strengths. Ones who can use magic off of will alone, no matter how damaged they may be. She wants to change the world.? She paused to crack her neck. ?Me, however, I don?t give a shit. There?s only one thing in this whole world that matters to me. So I?m just in it for the sheer pleasure of hurting people. Although you people DO make particularly good weapons, what with your ?immunity? to pain, and your no tell-tale signs of magic. Your big sister? Holy shit. Have you checked out the news lately? The Knights are all over her ass, trying to bring her in. She?s like some kinda crazy murderbeast.? ?N-no? Sh-she can?t be? E-Emi wouldn?t-?


?She can and would! And did!? Hakira leaned forward, close to Mayu?s face. ?And I can?t wait until we break you like we did her.? She stood up straight again, looking back to Mayu?s maimed leg. ?Fuck. I don?t want to fix it. That takes the fun out.? She touched the skin around one of the horrid gashes, and Mayu winced from it. Hakira snorted at the action. ?But that third one of you? ugh. She just will not give up. Her will is impressive.? She set to work mending the wounds. ?But we?ll get her yet. And we?ll get you first!? She said in a gleeful voice. ?Oh, and I hope you don?t mind if I fuck up here and there. But then, given how scarred-up your other leg is, I think you know what to expect from me, quality-wise~?


Hakira healed her leg in silence for a while, and then she spoke again, to Mayu?s dismay. ?We need to rename her or something. Emi?s not intimidating at all. She needs to be called, like? Zentinelise. Or? Xurotus. Something with a ?z? sound. That?d be cool.? ?She? Emi-!? ?Shut up!? Hakira yelled, striking Mayu?s leg and causing her to cry out in pain. ?Did I say you could talk? Stop bitching about your sister!? She pinned down Mayu?s arm with unnecessary force, and pointed directly into her face. ?Listen well. Everything you love, we will TAKE it from you. I will be sure that you?ve no reason to live but to do our bidding. Your sister has become a wonderful weapon for me, and I will make you into one as well. Any will you have, I will take from you. This, right here, is the rest of your existence. You won?t leave, you won?t escape, you won?t anything. And the moment I figure out how to do whatever Rudine does in secret, I?ll kill her too. The rest of your sad life is going to be as my puppet, and you?ll damn well deal with it. Is that understood??


Mayu didn?t respond, and Hakira struck her hard across the face. ?IS THAT UNDERSTOOD!?? She roared. Mayu nodded weakly. ?Good.? The tormentor said, suddenly calming down. She let up on Mayu?s arm, and resumed fixing her leg. Mayu just laid back and tried to suppress any noises or reactions to Hakira?s shoddy healing. ?Why?? How was I ever dragged into this? How were we ever dragged into this???