Soul Swap

Every day since my first visit with that twisted man I was taken to have a meal with him. He would talk for hours, I refused to eat the mean and instead only ate the vegetables and fruits offered instead. Seeing my reaction to his meals only made him grin with perverted glee.

Every night I tried to force my mana to run its course or try to get in contact with Setsuna who was sealed away in my mind. The man called me a two souled and he called this necklace a soul binder, or slave collar. It's designed to enforce a contract of obedience on it's target but for the same reason he couldn't devour my soul before, the collar failed to work as intended. It sealed only half of my true self, the years of being separated from my other half must have divided my soul into two. Two minds, two souls, one body. Ussusually I would be the one in control and Setsuna would remain in the shadows of my mind watching and waiting.

Not having her there to talk to felt alien to me, wrong after having her in my head for over two years, ever since my kidnapping. So every night I sat and concentrated on her trying to pull her back.

Tonight I felt like I latched onto something, mentally pulling as hard as I could I felt it shift. A sharp pain stabbed my mind and I felt my heart give a jolt, I blinked and I found myself in an open white expanse with a large window looking out into the room I was in. I walked around it and on the other side I just what looked like pale white skin, I assumed that this was the necklace Setsuna was in but where was she?

...

Setsuna

Opening my eyes I looked around a large lavish room, the bed looked like it was made of thousands of blankets, curtains covered the beds sides. Rolling out of bed I stepped out onto the carpet, my bare feet digging comfortably into the soft floor.

I made my way over to the Mirror and looked at my reflection, two ears poked out from the top of my head and sharp fangs replaced my dull canines when I smiled. Flexing my hands claws appeared retracting them I stretched back until my palms touched the ground. Flipping back and landing back on my feet I started rotating my upper body, cracks and pops could be heard and I moaned in pleasure. "Much better I said" I placed my hand on the necklace, knowing Kana was now inside.

For a long while I debated on if this was a good thing or if I should try to free her from that prison. For years I was trapped in the back of Kana's mind forced to watch from the shadows and unable to do anything. Just because the last two years were better than before doesn't mean I enjoyed it. I still felt trapped and forced to go along with whatever Kana desired like a passenger that couldn't leave the carriage.

I decided to think about it later, looking back in the mirror I tried to focus on the magic residing in my body, the one that belonged to my mother. Pulling it to the surface it took hold of my body. Grimacing in discomfort I felt my ears and claws fade away and my teeth shrink. It felt like a body suit that was one size too small when ever it was active, but I knew enough now to know that it needed to stay hidden as a trump card. I was going to escape, Kana was weak and tried to look for a easy way out. Hoping they would leave the door unlocked or maybe tie sheets together and climb out a window.

I scoffed at that thought, she was too sheltered, she doesn't remember the life I lived before she came to be, the things we had to do to survive.

Just as my features shifted back to normal human standards I heard the door unlock and the demon in human skin walked in. "It's time for dinner with master my dear, please follow me" walking over I stepped passed her. She looked startled my my sudden confidence but that just made her smile and lick her lips. "Oh I'm going to enjoy breaking you when master is done playing house little girl" I heard her whisper to herself behind me. I involuntarily shuddered but continued walking to the dinner room where the man who claimed to be little white brother sat waiting. I sat down and looked him in the eyes, the smile on his face faltering slightly but he quickly recovered and clapped his hands.

Two maids brought over steaming dishes of meat and fish uncovering the top I recognized the meal as the same one from the first day he dragged me here. I picked up the fork and knife ans dug in, meat and all, the usual talkative man sat silently as I ate. A deep frown apearing on his face, when I finished I stared him in the eyes and he just stared back. I took a drink of the water to the side while I waited for him to talk, he always had something to say.

"I see you're more energetic today" he stated

before he continued to stare at me silently.

I shrugged my shoulders and took the time to look around the room, when Kana left she always had her head lowered like a broken mutt. It riled me up thinking about how pathetic she was always relying on me to pull her out of difficult situations. Like now, not once did she try to find her own way out but instead focused entirely on trying to push her problems on me.

I saw a few doors on both sides of the long room. Above me a chandelier hung and was only half lit, giving off just enough light to eat by. I memorized the door I came from, the door the kitchen staff resided and that just left two other doors to figure out. If I'm lucky the kitchen would lead to a larder and into either a servants quarters or outside to dispose of uneaten food and bad ingredients. If I'm lucky it would be all three.

The man on the end noticed my gaze and smiled appreciatively "Wonderfully isn't it, this whole building used to belong to a very wealthy merchant family by the name of Corkindale. Very wealthy dealt in wines and fine meats and in the black market was the leading provider of slaves. It was given to me as a gift for my work in the field, from my lord" he spat the word lord with disgust "it had everything I wanted and more, his store room was well stocked and his supply of slave collars guaranteed that his servants and maids would be dutiful and loyal to their new master." he smiled waving over a maid with his hand. He lifted her chin and brushed back her long brown hair to reveal a choker just like mine around her neck." Unlike you dear, these servants are unable to disagree or refuse any order I give them. For example" he pulled out a Dagger and handed it to the young woman "Use this and give me your ring finger dear" the girls eyes grew wide but with out hesitation she laid her hand on the table ring finger out. Holding the knife in one hand she placed in on her skin and began to saw it off. Tears of pain ran down her face and she bit her lip so hard she began to blood ran down her chin.

I was disgusted but didn't look away, me and the girl locked eyes for a moment before she looked away depressed. I shook my head, these people were a lost cause if none of them have any fight left. The girl picked up her finger and handed it to the man who now had a grin plastered on his face. Taking the finger still dripping with blood he swallowed it, no chewing and nothing to wash it down. He waved the girl off and turned to me, kicking the blood from his lips.

"I've said this before but you really are a sick son of a b*tch" I said but he waved his hand as if to dismiss my claim.

"Comes with the territory dear, the potion this body drank to become a lich was made incorrectly, instead of reforming the body and soul it became a poison that feasted on it. I have to consume souls daily to maintain my body and until I can find my lost brother and rip his soul from his body. I will remain this way until my sanity is gone and my body decays. I long gave up trying to keep my old morals, why struggle when your dying anyway. I say live to the fullest even if it makes you a demon. Now I've grown bored early today, so I'll send you back to your room" he stood up and left the room as Selena walked over and dragged me out as soon as I entered the room and heard the door locked I let my features return. My ears came back, my teeth grew and my claws slowly started to form. I shook myseld in comfort for a minute and glanced at the window to my side. It was warded with strong magic and I couldn't break it even if I wanted to. I saw that the sun was just barely touching the sky, grimacing I turned towards the room and came up with a plan.

Poking around all the drawers and cubbies I found a sewing kit. Taking it and tearing up sheet with my claws I began to fasten a makeshift rugsack. By the time I was done the sun was setting, going over to the door I began to insert my claw into the lock. After thirty minutes with no success I raked my claws at the door leaving deep grooves in the wood. Shaking my head for not checking if it was actually warded or not I began to cut out the door handle from the door piece by piece. Soon the door swung open and I looked outside. No guards were station and no butlers or maids ran around.

I silently walked towards the kitchen and opened the door. The chandelier was still lit and the table was cleared by all but a lump of something on the lich's side of the table. Hesitantly I made my way over to take a look. I gasped at what I saw, the maid from earlier rested on the table. Her outfit ripped ofen revealing her pale skin, her entire front half was bare. Her stomach was gone, ripped open, no organs were left inside. Her chest bones laid to one side, the marrow liked clean from the bone. Looking at her face, she stuck in perpetual agony, dried tears ran down her face as she stared up at the ceiling. I covered my mouth about to throw up, she was eaten and not only that, she was eaten while conscious and alive.

Quickly leaving the room I made my way tl the kitchen. Opening the door I saw stoves and prep tables. Knives were along one wall and pot and pans across another. I made my way in, careful to move quietly. I opened a side door and saw row after row of food items. Walking in I began taking jars of preserved fruits and vegetables, I also grabbed huge chunk of dried meat and a block of wrapped cheese. Stuffing them in the bag I walked out, seeing a loaf of bread on the center island I grabbed that too and put it in my sack.

Looking into the only other door, I saw it was indeed a servants quarters. Four beds were in the room, but one was distinctly empty. Slowly I walked into the room and rummaged through the belonging of the empty bed. As I did so I heard a cough and I froze, turning around I saw a haggered old man looking at me.

I backed away slowly but he held up his hands. "I mean you know harm miss, but maybe I can be of some help." he bent over and pulled out a worn leather travel bag and tossed it to me. "I figured one day you might try to escape and I hoped you would be smart enough to raid the kitchen. I made sure to keep dried meat and a fresh loaf out every night since I saw them bring you in" he sat down on his bed. "In the pack is a change of clothes a bag of money ranging from gold to copper coins, a Dagger, rope and a water skin already filled." he looked down sadly "I don't know how you managed to break free from the slave collar but can I ask you one thing?" he said and I nodded slowly "Please send us help when you can, by the time they get here we may all be dead eaten by that monster in human skin. But atleast, or I hope that when you return you can kill that monster and avenge us" I said nothing but nodded my head. If given the chance I'll try to self help but I didn't want to make any promises.

He smiled at me grateful, tears in his eyes good. Now here he walked my way and unlocked the chest holding clothes of the maid who died. He pulled out a set of common clothes, a belt cloak and shoes. He pointed towards a room divider and shoved me behind it. "Put those on, walking out in rags will only cause suspicion" I quickly changed and put on the pack. I moved all my good item over and pit the back over my shoulder. I walked out and thean nodded. He showed me the way out by opening a side window. Climbing out I looked back just as the door to the room slammed open. I was only able to catch a glimpse of red hair and I was shoves out the window by the man. "Run!" I heard him yell.

Hitting the ground hard and I rolled to my feet. I ran at a dead sprint towards a line of trees in the distance. Glancing back I saw the manor and behind it was a very tall wall of stone and brick. A flag that was half burned still hung from what was left of the crumbling defense. It had the sigil of Tormok the capital city. I saw a glimpse of a man, whose skin was so black it seemed to absorb the light from the moon. His white horns glowed faintly, the moon rays giving it an otherworldly glow. He watched me go, hands behind his back. I blinked and he was gone, shaking my head I resumed my mad dash into the unknown.