Talking With Her New Elf

True to her word, Beryl was quick. Krvavy barely had the time to get the deer before her elf had gathered up all the usable arrowheads. The barbarian was able to drain the sketchy man’s body with Transmute Blood before they left the ashen clearing though. No need to miss out on an opportunity to gain some exp.

Beryl is very interesting to Krvavy. Or really, it would be more accurate to say that how the collar is affecting her mind is very interesting to Krvavy. They talked while they walked, and from the sound of it Beryl can find absolutely no fault in Krvavy. Not even in hypothetical situations.

Her altered mind is incredibly hypocritical when it comes to Krvavy. She finds many things absolutely abhorrent and reprehensible, but if Krvavy were to do any of those things then everything is suddenly forgiven. If Beryl came across someone torturing a small animal out in the woods she’d kill them on the spot. Not even a single bit of hesitation. But if it was Krvavy doing it, then Beryl would be happy that the animal’s suffering is bringing Krvavy happiness. She even said that the animal should be honoured to be in that situation.

It is extremely fucked up, to be honest.

Krvavy fully understands why Beryl seemed to hate this collar so much. It is absolutely terrifying to think that things like this are out there in the world. No wonder the Elf tried to kill and blind herself.

Krvavy spent almost the whole time walking to Beryl’s camp trying to figure out if there is even a single thing that she can do to upset the elf. There is not. Beryl doesn’t want her to do any of those horrible horrible things, but she also can’t seem to find fault in Krvavy no matter what she does.

It is honestly quite annoying. Krvavy has never really liked yesmen. And now she has one.

If it wasn’t for Beryl leading the way, Krvavy would have walked right past the elf’s camp. Even standing amidst it Krvavy can hardly tell that she is in a campsite. Though to be fair, that is because most of it is up in a large tree. The elf clearly used her Shape Wood spell to, well, shape the wood into something she can sleep on.

Her camp is somehow more primitive feeling than Krvavy’s, which is saying a lot considering that Krvavy lives in a cave. It does feel rather fitting for a Wood Elf though. Even if Krvavy is stuck down here waiting for Beryl to get her belongings out of a hollowed hole in a tree.

The elf deftly lands on the ground in front of Krvavy, a modest bag with a secured bedroll tied to it on her back and a newly strung bow in hand. “Tha’ is all. Apologies fer makin’ ya wait.”

“Eh, I’m not in a rush, so no worries.” Krvavy shrugs, which is rather awkward to do with a deer carcass slung over one shoulder and her axe resting over the other. “I’d like to know more about that collar.”

“Aye? This blighted thing? Ah don’t know much, but ask away.” Beryl replies as they begin to walk through the woods once more.

“Well first off, what do you think of it?” Krvavy questions, as the tanned elf still clearly hates the collar. But she also seems fine with it being on her. Krvavy is just curious if the same reasoning of her being infallible to the elf still applies to it, considering that she isn’t the one who put the thing on Beryl.

The tomboyish wood elf takes a moment to think. “Ah’m not sure. Ah do hate it, truly, but Ah’m fine wit’ wearing it fer ya, if tha’ is what ya want?”

“Can it come off without, you know, changing how you feel about me?”

“Aye. Nothin’ can lessen my love fer ya now, my wy’ahld dragon~!” Beryl boldly professes. “Nothin’ beyond dangerous magics, that is.”

Krvavy isn’t sure how to feel about the magical enslavement being permanent. Sure, it is nice not having to worry about Beryl suddenly turning on her. But it also means that there is no going back. Beryl is her **** now, whether she likes it or not.

“Oh.” Krvavy suddenly mutters out, as she just realized something. She never introduced herself to Beryl. She seems to be making a habit of that... “My name is Krvavy.”

“Hmm~? What a beautiful and strong name~! Fit fer one as mighty and magnificent as yerself!” The tanned elf shamelessly flirts, trailing a hand down Krvavy’s muscled side, fingers glancing across abs. She quickly pulls her hand back when she sees Krvavy looking down at her with an eyebrow raised. “Ah’m sorry, apologies! Ah’d just assumed...! Wit’ how ya been looking at me...”

“No, it’s fine.” Krvavy reassures the suddenly saddened elf. “I do find you attractive, at least from what I can see. Just caught me off guard, that’s all.”

“Well... In that case, would ya like ta see more~?” Beryl flirtatiously offers, gently biting her bottom lip as she lovingly gazes up at the large barbarian.

Krvavy is a bit conflicted, as the way this elf is talking is really starting to turn her on. And it isn’t just the literal flirting either, as her accent is doing something for Krvavy. But she would rather not get too horny out here in the middle of the woods. “Save it for when we get home, alright?”

Beryl pouts at that, but Krvavy’s word is law to her now, so it is little more than a show.

“Do you want me to take the collar off? Since you don’t need to wear it?” Krvavy asks the elf at her side.

“If tha’ is what ya want.” Beryl responds. “But it is a dreadful thing, and wearin’ it gives me some reassurance tha’ it won’t end up around yer neck.”

She does have a point, as Krvavy does not want that thing on her. This game already messes with her mind enough, and she doesn’t trust the developers to have not added bad ends like that. But if she is being paranoid about it, then Krvavy should probably store it in her respawn point cave that only she can enter.

The thought of using it on Thea passes her mind, but is quickly tossed aside. Krvavy doesn’t want the collar to crush the noble girl’s bratty attitude beneath a whole lot of magical love. She might be able to just order Thea to act bratty again, but it isn’t worth the risk. The noble brat isn’t dangerous and Krvavy doesn’t need a magic collar to keep her in line, so it is best to just store the thing safely away.

“Alright, you can keep wearing it. For now. It is coming off once we get home though.” Krvavy firmly states. “Now tell me what you know about that collar.”

“Hmm...” Beryl takes a few moments to think. “Where should Ah start...?"

Shaking her head lightly, Beryl begins. “This cursed thing is a relic o’ an empire tha’ has long since returned ta the soil, thankfully disappearin’ along wit’ the knowledge ta make these blighted collars. But Ah have no idea how many are out in the world. A single one of these is dangerous enough, so Ah hope that few remain.”

“These collars are far from one-time use, though Ah don’t know how many lives a single one can ruin.” Reaching a hand up, Beryl touches the tips of her fingers against the cold metal resting around her neck. “There is so much power bound within this metal... Ah fear tha’ it may never run dry... And tha’ power makes these abominable collars difficult ta destroy.”

“In my brief and admittedly amateur research, Ah ‘eard o’ only one which was destroyed without the aid of powerful magics. It was a human blacksmith who ‘ad lost ‘is only daughter ta the blighted thing, and so ‘e brought it ta ‘is forge. He ‘ammered at it past the point of exhaustion, never giving up, and after days o’ trying ‘e finally cracked it’s shell.” Beryl shakes her head with a slightly rueful laugh. “The cursed thing blew up, erupting in violent magics. In place o’ ‘is village was a crater, a league and a half across.”

“Ah don’t know how much truth there is ta that story,” Beryl admits, before pleading out in a serious tone, “but please don’t try ta destroy it. Even if this collar deserves ta be shattered, it is not worth tha’ risk.”

“Okay.” Krvavy easily agrees with a nod. She honestly didn’t even think about trying to destroy it, just hoard it away. “Why were you researching these collars?”

“Ahh... Tha’...” The tanned tomboy elf shakes her head, clearing her thoughts. “Years ago the one closest ta me was taken, tricked by slavers pretending ta be traders. Ah wasn’t there ta protect ‘er, and in penance Ah threw away the life Ah had to go find ‘er. Ta bring ‘er home.”

With just those few words Krvavy is already feeling guilty for enslaving Beryl. Of course the elf has some personal connection to the **** collar. And this is definitely going to be a sad backstory, isn’t it? If that is meant to make her feel guilty for deciding to enslave this elf, well, it is already working. It sounds like the rest of the story will just make her feel worse, but Krvavy doesn’t interrupt Beryl and lets the elf continue talking.

“Ah hunted those slavers down as best Ah could, but Ah couldn’t get them all. And Ah couldn’t find ‘er.” Beryl says, her voice dripping with regret. “That is how Ah learned of the magic collar the slavers used ta keep their victims in line. So Ah looked into it as best Ah could. It was difficult ta find even the smallest hint ta what this collar was, as those who knew feared the knowledge or hoarded it fer themselves.”

“Ah spent years trying ta learn more, never stopping my search fer ‘er. And after a few decades my search paid off.” The elf says with a grimace. “Ah found her in the slums o’ a filthy human city, a shell o’ ‘er former self. She was once the most beautiful maiden ta grace this world, but ‘ad become gaunt and disease ridden, **** ta bed vagrants fer paltry amounts o’ coin. All because ‘er ‘love’ asked ‘er to make money fer ‘im.”

“Ah tried to help ‘er. Ah tried to save ‘er. But she wouldn’t ‘ave any of it. She hadn’t worn tha’ collar fer decades, yet its effect never faded. Ah couldn’t let ‘er suffering continue, so Ah killed ‘er.” Beryl sighs out tiredly. “And... Ah should be honest wit’ ya. She and Ah were once lovers. Before ya, there was no one Ah loved more than ‘er. Ah... Ah lost a part of me that day.”

Krvavy opens her mouth to say something, but the elf just continues on talking and Krvavy doesn’t have the heart to interrupt her.

“Unfortunately, the bastard who did tha’ ta ‘er wasn’t in town at the time. He only stopped by once every few months ta collect ‘er ‘earnings’ and Ah missed ‘im by a week. But she wasn’t ‘is only victim in tha’ town, so Ah went and put all o’ them out o’ their misery.” Beryl admits. “After that Ah ‘ad ta flee, but Ah didn’t leave my lost love there. Ah brought ‘er remains all the way home, putting ‘er to rest wit’ ‘er kin.”

That predictably tragic backstory causes guilt to shoot through Krvavy. This may just be a game, but it feels real enough to make her feel terrible for using the collar on Beryl. Why couldn’t this elf have just been some random woman?! But no, she instead had to be a rather sweet person who had her life ruined twice by that chunk of metal around her neck.

Krvavy will find some way to make it up to Beryl, if that is even possible... But the least she can do is treat Beryl with kindness, to try and return some of her love. Even if that love isn’t exactly real. But then again, this is a game. So none of it is real...

“Ach, don’t ya go feelin’ guilty now!” Beryl forcibly tells Krvavy, reading the barbarian like a book. “If it weren’t fer ya Ah’d be bound ta tha’ bastard! Ya saved me from a fate far worse than ****!”

“But I could have freed you!” Krvavy replies with a bit of anger in her voice, though she isn’t sure if that anger is for herself or the stubborn false love of the wood elf. “I didn’t though. Instead I enslaved you, giving you the same fate as the woman you loved...”

“Ach! Don’t even say that! What ya did to me isn’t comparable to what happened to... to ‘er!” The tanned wood elf angrily shouts out, getting upset at Krvavy for the first time since they met. “Ya are too good o’ a person ta make me **** myself like tha’!”

Krvavy glares down at the elf. “That is the collar talking! You don’t know anything about me! We just met!” She growls out.

“Ah know that ya are a good person.” The wood elf states with conviction. “Ya didn’t know wha’ the collar was, and now ya are feeling guilty fer it! A bad person would not be feeling tha’ guilt!”

“I had an idea on what it’d do.” Krvavy ruefully responds. “And is ‘Beryl’ even alive anymore? Or did that collar kill who she was?”

“Ach. Of all the people ta be bound ta, Ah get a dramatic one...” Beryl groans out, shaking her head dismissively. “Ah am still the same me. Just wit’ a new purpose in life.”

“And that purpose is being a ****. A **** who is happy to be a ****.”

“Aye. And tha’ is better than the life Ah ‘ad before.” Beryl admits, though Krvavy does not believe her in the slightest. “Do ya have any idea how long it has been since Ah have been happy? Longer than ya’ve been alive, Ah’d reckon. Ah ‘ave been miserable ever since losing my last love. And ya saved me from centuries of living out here, all alone wit’ just my thoughts and memories ta keep me company.”

Krvavy opens her mouth to respond, but gets cut off by her new elf. “No, don’t even say tha’ Ah could ‘ave gone home! Everything there reminded me o’ ‘er! Ah couldn’t stand the looks everyone gave me... Ah exiled myself ta get away from it all. And Ah’m an Elf. We are prideful and ‘ave long memories. Ah never would ‘ave gone home or gotten over ‘er.”

“Fine!” Krvavy hisses out. “But we are done talking about this!”

The sheer stubbornness of her new **** is really getting on her nerves here. And the fact that she is a bit pent up doesn’t help either, making her a bit more irritable than normal. But... maybe the elf has a point? The collar, as evil as it is, has given her a new chance at life.

Beryl simply nods as they fall into an uncomfortable silence, walking through the woods together.