Her fate is sealed

The now open chamber was a relatively small space, Voss' torchlight illuminating it brightly as he followed Shadowheart inside. The spiral motif was even more prominent here, the walls covered in swirls of varying sizes, each now featuring a carved image at its centre. Shadowheart scanned the walls noting that each spiral depicted two figures, one tall and slender, clearly Githyanki, while the other appeared more generic, a featureless humanoid. As she inspected the images the realised that each portrayed a scene of subjugation, the Githyanki figure punishing, torturing and tormenting the lesser being. Lesser being? Had she really thought that? As the Acolyte's gaze shifted to the other key features of the chamber, a shiver tingled up her spine.

The previously sealed space featured a number of person-sized alcoves dug into the stone walls, a metal plate embedded at the base of each. The room pulsed with a foreboding energy that was only amplified by the flickering light and all-pervasive spirals, and when Voss' voice echoed in her mind, Shadowheart could only obey, the fine hairs on the back of her neck prickling as she moved towards one of the alcoves.

"Step forth and receive your first gift, pet." came the Githyanki knight's command, and Shadowheart's legs trembled as she stepped onto the plate - her body obeying the command even as her mind resisted. As soon as she felt the cold metal against the soles of her feet her reality shifted, as if she had been sucked into a pulsing beam of light, or rather, a beam of shadow. Barely discernable figures flew around her like wraiths, a hissing, whispering chant rising and falling in her ears as she turned rapidly, trying to focus on one.

"Relax, pet." came Voss' voice and she immediately fell still, her breathing slowing despite her mind continuing to race. Soon Shadowheart felt a pressure upon her nipples, then a searing pain that caused her to shout out in shock. Looking down she found her nipples now bore a thick, metal piercing - a pin roughly an inch long spearing each. The pins bore balls at each end that Shadowheart knew without looking, did not unscrew. These were forged by some ancient magic and deep down she knew there was no earthly way to remove them.

The beam of darkness faded and the sprial room came back into focus.

"Look to me, pet." commanded Voss and she turned without thought. She found the Gith grinning maniacally, his gaze taking in her heavy breasts, her marked nipples now standing out obscenely as if she were permanently aroused.

"Excellent... now, the next one." came the command.

'No... please...' Shadowheart begged silently but her plea was ignored, her feet moving her towards the next alcove. Her mind raced with thoughts of what humiliating fate awaited her next. Clearly Voss had planned this all along... this place had no link to the Lady of Loss at all, it had all been an elaborate ruse. And she had fallen into the trap, so eager, so reckless. So foolish. The carvings proved that this was a Githyanki place and Voss' knowledge of the workings of this room proved it was not his first time here. What did that mean for her? As her bare feet once more met with the cool metal of the floor plate, Voss' voice filled her mind, just as the pillar of darkness enveloped her once more.

"Oh you are a clever one pet... how much sweeter that makes this. Yes, your esteemed leader offered you up as a gift, of sorts. She knows my tastes and... proclivities well. I need not tell you more, you have already deduced so much. Now... remain still and let me hear you scream again."

As Voss' voice faded a searing pain exploded at the base of Shadowheart's spine and scream she did. She wanted to recoil, to pull away and lash out at whatever it was that seemed to bore into her flesh, but she could not. Voss' command kept her frozen, standing stiff and upright as the pain reached its peak, then began to change, spreading from her rear out through her entire body. Tears welled in her eyes as the shadow lifted and when Voss came into focus his grin seemed to have widened even further. She strained to look back over her shoulder and see the wound but her twisting and turning was futile.

Voss chuckled, "My sigil, pet... it suits you. But this is no simple branding, no. You will find this gift will help you to think... correctly." Voss raised his eyebrows and smirked as he nodded condescendingly at Shadowheart causing anger to rise in her belly. A dull pain also began to rise with it and as her eyes widened, so too did Voss'.

"Oh-ho yes... you can feel it can't you? The brand has a... conditioning effect. Saves me the trouble of punishing you for every little rebellious thought I hear." Voss reached out and and gently caressed one of Shadowheart's shapely breasts, painfully sensitive as her nipples continued to throb and for a brief moment, the Acolyte felt a flicker of pleasure, a hint of desire she realised, for Voss. In that brief moment she looked at him in a new light. Tall, powerful and so very dominant... he had to be good in bed, right?

Shadowheart felt an explosion of pleasure hit her core then flow outwards through her body. The sigil on her back pulsed as it flooded her with sensation. Blissful. Seductive. Irresistable. The shock of it blanked her mind, causing the pleasure to quickly ebb away leaving a lingering taste of it behind like a stain on the Acolyte's soul. It was obvious, the mark not only punished the wrong kind of thoughts, it rewarded the right ones. Correct thinking, as Voss had put it.

"Clever girl." came the Gith's voice in her mind, "This gift will help guide you down the right path. Soon, your adoration of me will be second nature, your desire so strong you will float in a perpetual state of bliss. My perfect, willing ****."

Shadowheart winced at the Gith's words and the pain returned in a flash. She knew he spoke true. Knew that if this continued she had no hope of fighting it. The pain dulled and she fought hard to keep her thoughts neutral as Voss watched on in fascination.

"Very good. Well we are almost done here." he said, turning to one more alcove, this one shaped slightly differently, deeper and wider. He pulled a lever by the wall and the whir of machinery filled the room. "Now to get you dressed and we can return to the creche, show your little friends what you have... discovered down here."

Shadowheart watched as an ominous looking device unfurled from the walls of the alcove, all mechanical arms and spikes. Whatever was about to happen next was not going to be pleasant.