Vanishing Embers

Lorian sighed softly, gazing longingly into the distance as a breath of warm, damp air wafted onto her forearms, before washing over her face in a wave of heat. Her words came out in a soft, unfocused mumble, not quite talking to anybody but her own self.

.

"Will I ever find love?" She whispered, dejectedly.

"What was that?"

.

"Oh!"

.

Lorian tore her eyes from the couple she had been staring at with jealousy before anybody else could notice, a flush creeping up her neck. But she couldn't quite stop herself from taking a second glance at the two girls snuggled up to each other, their hands interlaced together in an affectionate display, before turning her head.

.

"Nothing."

.

It wasn't really nothing, though. Gods, how she longed for something like that. A heat flared in her face, partly from the flush of her thoughts, and partly from the sudden surge of warmth rising from the coliseum floor below.

.

Lorian flinched as a massive fireball flew across the coliseum floor, exploding on contact with the sturdy stone walls. The crowd cheered, even as the entire building shook from the force of the contact, throwing food and rocks from the dirt at the two men fighting on the floor. Food, beer mugs, and glass bottles rained down onto the coliseum floor like arrows, but evaporated before they could even reach the fighters, a massive, translucent bubble protecting the fighters from outside interference.

.

One of the fighters extended his arms, a stream of flames spewing out of the limb like a flamethrower, flames licking dangerously at his opponent's chest. The other man grimaced as the heat singed and burned his chest hairs, the fighter grunting in pain, but soon conjured a blue fireball of his own, tunneling through the stream of fire and hitting his opponent square in the chest.

.

With each spell, the fighter's chests lit up with a warm, ethereal glow, almost in rhythm with a heartbeat. But the light that emit was not from the fires that licked at their bodies - rather, the flames that danced through the coliseum seemed to draw from the glow, traveling through their bodies before leaving their palms and fists, briefly diffusing into the air, before erupting into flame, like gasoline lit by a stray spark.

.

At the successful collision of the fireball, the room erupted into varying cries, both cheers and boos mixed in with the rowdy conversation of those who hadn't staked money - although they were quickly drowned out as arguments began to break out. Arguments that soon turned into fights, and soon, the stands were also filled with their own, less watchable fights, glowing fists and random sprays of various elements creating a chaotic mess of noise and bruises.

.

Lorian could only sigh, placing both hands on the railing in front of her and leaning backwards, stretching out her shoulders and back. She needed it - being so tall, and so busty, really took a toll on her muscles.

.

Nothing else really managed to hold her attention, but she managed a glance towards her "date" for the night, Jean, as he jumped and cheered at the spectacle in front of him - it seemed like he wouldn't be of any help.

.

For a second, Lorian moved to tap the boy on the shoulder, but changed her mind, shaking her head. Jean wasn't ugly or unpleasant, but they just had nothing in common, and it was difficult to make conversation. Not for a lack of desire, or even effort, but the man was simply the latest in a long line of prospective dates, prospective friends, lovers... anything. It didn't help that she wasn't into men - at least, not the kind of macho, fight-loving, aggressive men that he was. 

.

Lorian didn't consider herself a misandrist, but damn, she loved girls. Kissable lips, squishy bodies, and smooth, velvety skin - oh...

.

"Oh shit." She muttered, wiping a bit of drool from her mouth.

.

But oh, she wanted to be with a girl so badly! How badly she longed for the feeling of a warm body, ready to be squeezed, the gliding friction of their legs rubbing together, the warm pants and heated gasps - even the soft moments, a nice walk, a tender conversation...

.

Lorian's daydream soured as she looked down at herself, large breasts resting on the shiny railing in front of her, biting her lip bitterly. Despite her great, statuesque figure, most people were chased off by her massive frame, at a whopping six and a half feet, and clingy, hyper-energetic, somewhat childish attitude.

.

She whined in her throat, hand coming up to rub at a long-faded slap mark. It wasn't her fault! It just... It had been so long since she'd had a cute girl to hold in her arms, and kiss and cuddle and dote on...

.

She was drawn out of her thoughts by a loud voice at her right, screaming into her ears and making her wince. She quickly wiped the bit of drool that escaped out the side of her mouth and looked at the source of the noise, almost grimacing at the sight before her.

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"Oh! Wow! Did you see that Lorian?! Man! That was amazing!" The boy's voice pierced the air, his excitement bordering on manic as he jumped up and down on the railing, causing it to shake and rattle. Clearly, he didn't share Lorian's distaste for the sport. Although that much had been obvious when he had suggested coming in the first place.

.

Lorian's gaze drifted downward to the arena floor, where one of the fighters had been caught in the blast of a fireball. The flames had dissipated against the protective shield, but the force of the blast had still knocked the fighter back, causing the shield to ripple and flicker. 

.

"Um, yeah! Great!..."

She forced out the words, her voice flat and unconvincing as she tried to muster some enthusiasm. Her smile was stiff, clearly not fooling Jean, who rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly and laughed, clearly realizing her lack of interest.

"Uh… yeah," he muttered, an uncomfortable silence stretching between them.

.

He didn't bother talking to Lorian for the rest of the night, leaving the poor girl with nothing to entertain herself for the rest of the event. She sighed. It was neither of their faults, really. It was simply not to be, and yet she still had to pay the consequences. Oh well.

She tried to watch the sport, but it was too difficult to bear. It was clear that, rather than judging who the best fighter was, the sport was meant to simply be as bloody and fantastic as possible, and while it made for a flashy show, it only made Lorian's eyes harden in apathy.

.

Eventually, one of the fighters took one last fireball and fell after his shield shattered, blowing him back and sending him into a wall. The crowd erupted in cheers and boos alike, money exchanging hands, and magic beginning to be thrown around amidst the crowd, as the fighting erupted into a crescendo- Fireballs, showers of rocks, bolts of lightning, jets of water, gusts of wind, and even food and cups were launched throughout the seats, chaotic and dangerous, but never really strong enough to grievously injure someone.

.

.Lorian ducked under a bolt of lightning that flashed over her head, irritated, but was left unaware for the elbow that hit her in the back, forcing out a short curse. She smoldered, turning around, ready to incinerate the short man who had hit her, but stopped herself, taking a deep breath.

.

She slowly waded through the crowd of people who clamored around the railing to see the events closer, making her way outdoors.

.

The moment she stepped outside, she inhaled deeply, grateful for the clean air—free from the smell of sweat, charred earth, and the noise of the crowd. The cold night air kissed her skin, and for a brief moment, she simply stood there, relishing the quiet peace that came with being away from the chaos, despite the biting nighttime cold.

.

A soft, violet light edged into Lorian's vision, and by reflex, her body tensed, ready to act, but a short breath calmed her down, and upon recognizing the source of the light, her lips curled into a smile.

.

A violet flame danced in the palm of a young, thin looking woman, the same age as Lorian, dressed in a criminally short skirt and a skimpy, thin top, looking quite mis-dressed in the cold night air. Despite this, she didn't shiver, although goosebumps were visible on her arms.

.

"Akasha! What are you doing here?" Lorian exclaimed, walking towards her friend for a warm hug.

Akasha welcomed the hug with a soft laugh, burying her face into Lorian's shoulder, grateful for the heat radiating from her friend's larger frame. She let out a contented sigh, basking in the warmth before slowly pulling away, though the chill of the night still lingered around them, and they never really fully parted.

.

"Waiting for someone." Akasha said. "Is Jean going to get another date?"

Lorian shifted nervously. "No… I don't think he's going to ask for one."

.

Akasha gave Lorian a knowing look with a smirk, putting a hand on her hip saucily. Lorian could practically hear the "I told you so" from her lips, so much so that the thin girl didn't even need to say it.

"I don't know why you keep going on those dates." Akasha laughed. "You never like it. You don't even like guys!"

.

"Hey, you don't... know that." Lorian shot back, although the disdain left on her face from the night did not help her case. "I'm... keeping my options open... and I have to at least give them a chance!"

"You don't have to do that." Akasha chided, shaking her head. "That's not how it works here!"

"What am I supposed to do?" Lorian asked incredulously. "Just tell them no, and embarrass them in public?"

"Yes!"

.

Lorian just gave her friend a sour look, clearly disapproving, but she relented, knowing that Akasha had a lot more experience than she did with these matters. She would just feel so bad though...

.

Lorian sighed.

.

"It's not as if it's a lot of my time, anyways. Like I said." Lorian said glumly, taking a seat on a clean-looking spot on the ground, dusting it off first with her glove. "I'm keeping my options open."

Akasha gave Lorian a small, reassuring smile in return, sitting down next to her and wrapping an arm around the tall girl.

"Don't worry, you'll find someone! You're pretty, and tall! Some girls are into that!"

.

"I've never met anyone who's into tall girls." Lorian replied.

"I'm into tall girls!" Akasha shot back indignantly.

"You're not into me." Lorian pouted, laying her head on top of Akasha's.

"That's different!" Akasha laughed back. "You're my best friend! I mean, I like Fen!"

.

Lorian raised an eyebrow. "So what, you know two tall women, and you're only attracted to one of them?"

"...Yes?"

The tall girl finally cracked a smile. "Then you don't like tall girls, you just like Fen!"

"A-aw, come on! W-well, I mean..."

.

Lorian let out a contented sigh, letting herself relax into her friend's presence. The cool night air, her breath misting as it escaped her, felt calming. For a moment, she just let herself be, basking in the warmth of Akasha's presence. It wasn't often she felt this kind of comfort, and as much as she longed for someone to hold and cuddle, this moment of simple companionship, of being close to someone she trusted, was enough.

.

"Hey, hey, what's your type?" Akasha asked absentmindedly, cupping her hands. After a second, a violet flame burst open into her hands, but the thin woman's hands were unharmed, the flame emitting a soft warmth.

Lorian turned her head at the question, letting out a short breath from her nose.

.

"..."

"Come on, you always dodge this question!"

"It's... embarrassing! Besides, you already know that I like short girls."

"I know you like short girls..." Akasha teased. "But it's not just short girls."

Lorian scoffed. "What do you mean, not just that?"

.

"I know you." Akasha laughed. "You spend all day daydreaming about someone to pamper. There's no way that 'short' is all you've thought about."

Lorian could only muster up the dryest expression she could physically make, but Akasha's enthusiasm was unwavering.

.

"Come on! Tell me! I wanna know!"

"I like catgirls." Lorian whispered.

Akasha leaned in close. "Huh?"

.

Lorian yanked Akasha's head incredibly close, so that her ear was directly next to her mouth, and yelled, "I LIKE CATGIRLS!"

Akasha instantly recoiled, her head ringing, and ear still moist with Lorian's breath. After the ringing stopped, she gave the tall woman an upset look, but both of them knew that she kind of deserved it.

.

"Geez." She grumbled. "You like fey, huh? Like Fen?"

"Kind of like Fen..." Lorian mumbled unsurely. "She's a little too... um... princely for me."

"Too tall?"

"No, it's... the personality isn't my type. She doesn't seem like... well, she wouldn't..."

.

"Wouldn't what?" Akasha teased. "Wouldn't jump in your arms, and beg you to fuck her? To kiss and hold her?"

.

"God, don't put that image in my head!" Lorian squeaked.

"Aw, so tall, handsome girls aren't your thing... or at least, not the ones that act all aloof..." Akasha mused, putting a finger on her lip. "Then what would you prefer?"

.

"Like a uh... A nice, cute, short girl... with big, fluffy, sensitive ears."

"And a tail?" Akasha offered.

Lorian shook her head. "No tail. It would... get in the way."

"Wow, you really have this thought through." Akasha giggled. "Aww, she sounds cute."

"And... she would love hugs, obviously." Lorian continued.

"Obviously?"

"And I would pet her..." Lorian said, ignoring her nosy friend. "A-and she would purr and moan for me... And when I come home, she would leap into my arms, and then we would cuddle for a while, until she got needy, and then we would move into the bedroom and-"

.

"Okay okay!" Akasha said hastily, stopping Lorian's fantasy from getting erotic. "Wow, you're really... kinky, aren't you."

"H-hey, I don't judge your crush on Fen!" Lorian buried her red face into her hands. "I just... I want to love someone... and cuddle... I want to... soooo baddd..."

.

Akasha put her hand on Lorian's shoulder. "You'll find her, okay!"

"I hope..." Lorian sighed. "It's been so long..."

"Things were simpler back... home, huh?"

.

"It's so complicated here." Lorian shook her head. "So many rules."

"The rules are exactly what makes it different." The shorter girl said, a serious look on her face. "Thank Maruna there are rules. The humes are quite clever in that regard."

.

"No, I don't mean those..." Lorian let loose a long, deep breath. "I mean... the unspoken rules. The ones that 'you're just not supposed to break.' Like touching girls. Cute girls should be hugged! How was I supposed to know that-"

Akasha laughed at her big friend, spreading her arms out wide. "Aww, poor girl. You can hug me!"

.

Lorian pouted and smiled back, accepting the girl's gracious hug.

.

The two women just sat there again for a few minutes in a comfortable silence, just enjoying the nice atmosphere, and the cool air. It didn't last long though, as soon yelling erupted from the arena behind them, and the unmistakable sound of flying spells and glass bottles could be heard.

.

Lorian made a sound of disgust. "Ugh. It's awful. Fighting for... sport. There's nothing..."

"I know, right?" Akasha agreed. "Humes."

.

Lorian nodded her head a bit in agreement, before a thought came to her mind, making her frown. If Akasha hated the sport, then...

"...Wait, then why are you here?"

.

"Um..."

"...Is Fen here?"

.

There was a long silence, Akasha sucking her lips into her mouth and looking to the side, in a poor attempt to feign ignorance.

"Maybe, who's to say?"

"You're starting to become like a stalker." Lorian sighed.

"Maybe I am. It's just in my nature."

.

Akasha smiled teasingly. Lorian rolled her eyes and started to leave, leaning forward and getting up from her sitting position. As she stepped forward to leave though, Akasha's smaller hand reached up and grabbed hers. When Lorian looked back at her, the woman's face was serious and filled with concern, a far cry from her sly, playful expression earlier.

.

"You're going to have to pick one tonight, huh."

.

Lorian tilted her head back and sighed, her expression turning sour.

"Yeah..." Lorian sighed, her shoulders slumping in defeat.

.

"Don't do that to yourself." Akasha muttered. "Let me help you. You don't have to degrade yourself like that. We don't have to live like animals anymore."

"I have to." Lorian muttered. "I can't just leech off you forever. Look at how thin you've gotten. "

.

"It's nothing!" Akasha insisted. "Come on. At least let me go with you."

"I can take care of myself." Lorian sighed. "Don't worry about me, please. Go find Fen. She's probably expecting you, with how often you ambush her. I think she likes it."

.

"But still..." Akasha mumbled. "You came here so you wouldn't have to do all that shit anymore. Your principles."

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"It's worse to hurt someone I care about." Lorian mumbled. "If my principles hurt the people I care about... then what's the point anyway? Besides, it's nothing that I'm not used to."

.

With that, she left, the cheers behind her slowly fading away into a dull hum.

Lorian sighed as she glanced down at the small glowing paper in her hand, her eyes scanning the numbers: 298. She looked up, and sure enough, the store in front of her had the same number etched into the faded sign. She double-checked the paper, then grimaced, taking a second look at the dingy alleyway shop. The rusted nameplate above the door read "Rigel's Sundries and Potions," the copper letters flaking off into green oxidation. The door handle matched the theme—flaky, grimy, and unpleasant.

.

Inside, the shop was no better kept then the exterior. The shelves were sparse, with only a few items, each coated in a layer of dust. Her gaze caught on the first item that stood out—just to her right. It was a dull red crystal, sitting beside an equally lackluster red potion. Curiosity got the better of her, and she leaned in for a closer look.

.

She could see the beginnings of mold starting to form on the lip of the potion, and the liquid inside was beginning to turn dull and... green. She curled her lip in disgust and turned away from the shelf, looking for a cashier.

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Behind the counter stood a impish-looking man in a fancy shirt and coat. She assumed this man was Rigel, since this place clearly did not have enough business to warrant having multiple employees. When Lorian entered, he took one glance upwards, and immediately went back to reading his book, licking his thumb to turn the page.

"Are you lost, missy? You're in the wrong shop." He said, dismissively. Lorian wrung her hands together, taking a careful look around, before she spoke her next words.

"I'm here to buy a slave." She said quietly, but firmly.

.

The cashier immediately put his book down, straightened his posture, and flashed a beaming smile, showing off his very white teeth. Lorian was almost impressed with how quickly he changed his demeanor, going from disinterested and slovenly, to clean-looking and neat, his posture immaculate, and his steps radiating energy. He walked over and took Lorian's hand in both of his gloved hands.

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She looked down at the hands with distaste.

.

"I'm so very sorry, ma'am!" The man apologized, speaking quickly, as if he was on a timer. "You just look a little young to be here, that's all! Please, follow me to the back and -"

Rigel stopped himself, looking up and thinking.

.

"You're not a cop, are you?" He said, sweating a little.

"Er, no."

"Well then by all means follow me to the back and I'll show you the wares! Quickly now!"

He led them through a curtain into a back room. Inside the back room there were… more empty shelves and dusty boxes. Rigel hastily shoved aside a few boxes and made his way to a shelf that looked slightly less cobweb-ridden than the others. He moved it aside and placed his hand on the wall behind, which started to glow blue. It slowly faded away and vanished.

The wall gave way to a large room, lined with rows and rows of stacked cages, and Lorian was hit quickly with the sound of hundreds of screaming and crying humes inside them. She looked around and looked sadly at all the people trapped inside the cages, most with animal features, such as horns, ears, or even hooves, but some looked just as human as Lorian.

.

It made sense. Humes were not known for their tolerance of other races, or even of... each other.

.

She glanced at the side of the room, where there were humans caged, probably prisoners of war, or criminals of some sort. The ones that she could see were all young, probably about her age. All the caged slaves were collared by a large steel band, with glowing blue engravings, and had a glowing blue diamond on their necks.

.

(That girl looks like she's the same age at me.) Lorian thought solemnly, as she glanced at the cage of a young woman, breasts and stomach marred with the long gashes of a whip. The woman stared pitifully at Lorian as the girl walked by, and they made eye contact, although Lorian broke it quickly, stony gaze wavering slightly.

.

(I'm sorry.) She thought.

.

"So, what can I interest you in?" Rigel asked, in that salesman-like, annoying energy. "A seasoned fighter, to pit against a beast for your entertainment? A young stud, to satisfy your... more carnal needs? Perhaps a matronly -"

"Just show me the cheapest ones, please." She muttered. "And stop talking like that."

The corner of Rigel's mouth twitched, but nonetheless, he kept smiling.

"Well then, come with me. I hold a wide selection of…"

Lorian tuned out the salesman's blathering, which was starting to get super annoying, as they walked down one of the isles. Lorian froze as her eyes locked onto one of the cages, a young man with dark red skin and horns sitting inside with a frightened, angry look. The man's eyes met her for a second, and suddenly, his expression grew curious, crawling forward in his cage in an attempt to get a better look-

.

His finger bumped the edges of the cage, and his screams of pain filled the room, the engravings on the collar around his neck releasing a blinding light, accompanied with an agonizing shock through his body. The red-skinned demon's thin arms bulged as he attempted to wrench the collar off his neck, but his efforts were left in vain. Lorian could see the blue lightning arc from his neck to other parts of his body and grimaced, trying to blot out the sounds of his screams from her mind.

.

(Just like home, huh?)

For a second she thought of killing Rigel, and setting all these slaves free, but...

No. She couldn't draw attention to herself like that. She was a student.

.

They finally reached the end of the aisle, where the back wall was stacked with cages. There were less cries for help at the back. Curious at the lack of cries, Lorian looked at a few, and she realized why. The back was where all the sick and elderly slaves were held, some looking like they were on the verge of dying. A rotten, sickly kind of smell hit Lorian's nose, and she wrinkled her nose slightly, but held back the urge to gag. 

.

"I mostly sell these to arcanists, and... sometimes even... scientists. Ugh." Rigel let out a shudder of distaste. "But we have a non-discriminatory policy! It's all in the name of fairness! Anyways, I'm sure you don't need a slave for dissection, so over here are the products that... um... don't have contagious diseases, they're just a little..."

.

Lorian groaned as Rigel talked on and on without pause, the combination of his blathering and the putrid smell making for an incredibly unpleasant experience. She just wanted to buy something quick and get away from the suffering as fast as possible. Honestly, she could do with the smell. But the talking was getting really annoying.

.

Eyes wandering around, Lorian spotted a small cage in the corner of the room, covered slightly with a cloth. She couldn't see much, but under the cloth, the cage was barred, instead of using the energy walls that lined the rest of the cages. She walked closer and lifted the cloth, squatting down to get a better look at the slave inside.

.

Inside was a small girl with medium length black hair, arms and legs frail from weeks of malnourishment. On top of her head sat two fluffy and pointed ears, and her neck was noticeably uncollared, showing off her milky, smooth skin. Lorian gasped at the sight, excitement filling her body, and the girl resisted the urge to jump up and down happily.

.

It was love at first sight, as cheesy as Lorian thought the expression was - she was just so small, and cute, and she looked all cuddly and soft and huggable-

.

(A fey? She's so cute! I want to hug and pet her! IwantherIwantherIwanther!)

.

Lorian made an excited squeal in the back of her throat, prompting the girl in the cage to look at Lorian and give her good view at her face and dark red eyes. Lorian made eye contact with the girl happily, gazing softly into the girl's eyes, but soon recoiled.

.

The look in the Fey's eyes made Lorian take a step back in surprise.

.

They were cold, and dead. There was not an ounce of light left in them, as if they were planted in a corpse, although the girl's movements suggested that she was still alive. Staring into her eyes made Lorian uncomfortable - The way that they flitted across her frame almost seemed unnatural, and combined with their dead expression, made Lorian feel like she was being scanned, observed, by something inhuman. It sent chills down her spine.

.

Lorian's instincts told her to walk away and put the cloth back on top of the cage, never looking back. Looking at the little fey just creeped Lorian out, the same way seeing a little kid in a haunted house might. But despite that... she wanted her so badly. She just imagined the girl with a happy expression, and a beautiful shine in those eyes, and her heart bloomed with heat.

.

She reached out a hand through the bars, and the girl's eyes followed the appendage, but she made no attempt to touch, hold, or even bite Lorian's hand. After a bit of coaxing, Lorian retracted her hand and gave the girl a hurt expression, which didn't prompt a response either.

.

"Is he hurting you?" Lorian whispered.

No response.

.

"Do you want to get out of here?" She tried.

Again, no response.

.

Lorian's frustration grew, but she didn't give up. "Do you... understand what I'm saying?" she asked, a final, silent plea for a reaction.

The girl's mouth remained still, her cold eyes unblinking. It was impossible to tell whether she even understood the words. The longer Lorian stood there, the more uncomfortable she became. It was as though the girl's presence had grown oppressive, her dead gaze pulling Lorian deeper into the mystery of her silence. But even through that, a surge of pity rose in her chest. Such a sad, hollow expression on such a small, cute face... It felt wrong. It felt like a crime.

She should be happy. She deserves happiness. I can give her that.

.

Lorian knew that if she didn't buy her, that dead expression would haunt her for the rest of her life.

.

She interrupted Rigel again, the salesman still rambling on and on about selections and sales and merchandise.

"I want her." She said firmly, pointing to the cute fey.

.

Rigel wheeled around to take a look at the cage that she was looking at, excited to make a sale, but when he saw the girl inside, he finally lost his smile and his expression turned sour.

"Oh shit." He muttered.

"...Huh?"

.

"Eeeeeeerrrrrrrr I mean... Are you sure you want that one? I assure you, there are plenty of better options over here if you -"

Lorian shook her head. "No, I want her. And I want to know why she's back here."

.

"You know, it's rude to interrupt people when they're talking like that!" Rigel snapped, finally losing his patience, pointing his finger at Lorian in an accusatory manner. After a few seconds of silence, Rigel coughed and retracted his finger slowly, embarrassed at his outburst.

"..."

.

Rigel sighed.

"That one has had five previous owners." He explained. "But the story always ended up the same. They were enchanted, like you have been right now, young miss, by her bIG ears, and her bIG, rOUND eyes." He mocked.

"But they quickly got bored of Aisha." He finished flatly.

"Why?"

.

Rigel took a deep breath, and then exhaled, irritated, before beginning to speak, his words exasperated and without rhythm, like he was tired of saying them.

.

"Because people like toys, not figurines." He said, with a tone of voice that seemed to suggest that he expected Lorian to understand completely.

.

She did not.

"What?"

.

Rigel rolled his eyes. "Ugh. Fine, I will explain. Do you know why people buy figurines?"

"...No?"

"It's because-" Rigel spread his arms wide. "They like to collect them! Or trade them! Or put them into jars and - er, anyways, the one thing that people DON'T do - is actually look at them. They enjoy the IDEA of a figurine, but what people despise the most, is to own something they cannot play with! Even something like a shovel - encompassed in every sale is not just the physical item, but also the dream, the idea of a flourishing garden, of a brand new house, a job well done! In this way, all sales are just toys!"

.

"Do you have a point?" Lorian asked, annoyed.

.

"Aisha is defective product." Rigel explained with a shrug. "She doesn't cry, doesn't scream, not even if you beat or whip her. She's too frail to do any labor, and she doesn't listen to any orders, and so she just does nothing but stare at you, until her owners decide they don't want her anymore and bring her back here for their money, and then I have to feed her until the next customer comes along, and I have to go through this... cycle again."

.

He took a large breath at the end of his sentence, and Lorian took a second to admire how long the salesman could speak continuously without taking a breath. But just a second.

.

"Defective..?" Lorian mused. "What's so special about her? Is there something... wrong with her?"

.

Rigel shrugged.

"I don't know. No brain problems, no diseases... other than malnourishment. She's probably lost the will to live... I've seen better come to far worse. Well, no. Aisha's definitely the worst of it."

.

.

"Probably lost the will to live? Why probably?" Lorian asked softly, her voice quiet, as if afraid to hear the words that came next. "What aren't you telling me?"

.

Rigel sighed.

"This girl doesn't have a soul."