The Warlock and Chalice (Part 2)

“Does it still hurt, my precious vessel?” the warlock asked her.

“Like hell,” Mira choked out, her forehead sweaty.

She was lying in the cave, wondering how it was possible she didn’t bleed out or die because of sepsis. She was still alive, although barely hanging on. Each breath hurt. Her back was constantly burning, the pain so strong, she was unable to move, even if he would release her from his spell.

She didn’t know how many days she had been like this. The cave was always dark, and the warlock visited her irregularly. Some days, she just left her there. She passed out multiple times per day. The pain was just so strong, her body had to give in regularly so she wouldn't lose her mind out of agony.

She did not understand why she was not hungry or sweaty. It looked like the magical circle that was locking her in was able to manipulate the time. Or at least the time of her body.

But all beings from the outside of the circle were able to enter freely. The water was constantly dripping in the cave, its echoes making her mad. The cold air was chasing the goosebumps around her naked body. She could feel insects crawling over her, biting her, and stinging.

She thought she saw a glimpse of paws standing near her multiple times during the night. She didn’t know if it was a wolf or a fox, but the animal always took one of the dead chickens and ran away. She was waiting for the day when it would be her turn. She would gladly die in this place. Everything else was better than this misery.

“You did very well,” the warlock said, kneeling next to her, stroking her hair. “All my previous experiments died after a few days, no matter whether it was an animal or a person. You lasted the longest. I was right in sacrificing my mana and summoning someone from a different world. I rewrote almost all of my books, now, only the last few remain. But I already used all the space on your skin, so I will need to turn you over to continue on your front. But I will need to find a way to dull the pain in your back, otherwise, you will be unable to keep lying on it. I am so close to my goal, it will be a shame if you die now.”

“Do you… not have any spell to stop the pain?” she asked, gasping.

“Spells? Dear god, no. I am not going to waste my time learning such foolish spells. The world is too rich to be lost on healing magic. Not to mention, it costs me too much mana to summon you and keep you in the circle. I do not have enough spiritual energy anymore. But I brought something strong today, to numb your senses,” he said.

“Do it. Please,” she pleaded.

“As my dear vessel wishes,” he smirked.

He took out of his pocket a flask full of dense liquid. He turned her over on her back. She jerked out of pain, tears stinging in her eyes. Another painful scream escaped from her lips.

“You have such a strong and husky voice,” he said. “Good thing this cave is too far from the village, otherwise someone would surely hear you.”

He sat down, moving her head onto his knee to prop it.

She opened her mouth.

“So eager,” he laughed.

He poured all the liquid into her mouth. She was gulping it down as if it were the last water on earth. She did not mind what it was. She just wanted this pain to finally end. She was just too tired.

He lay her down on the cold floor and she screamed again. He did not care.

“It will take some time until the herbs start working in your body, but I do not have time to wait. I need to start inscribing the next book.”

Now she was able to see he was using a quill to write on her skin. But its tip was so sharp, he was easily able to cut into her skin deeply. She watched as he started scribbling down the spells on her skin, going down with each line of words.

Sometimes, when she was about to pass out and her brain stopped the incoming pain, she was thinking about what she would do if that sorcerer started touching her inappropriately. He mentioned he would make her his wife, after all. But seeing him now, she realized, he did not care at all that a naked woman was lying before him.

He was fully focused on his work, carefully putting down one word after another. He was interested only in his magic and spells.

The drugs finally started working, and she could feel the numbness spreading through her body. The pain dissipated, and her body finally relaxed. A soft gasp left her mouth. If she knew he had a way to stop this pain, she would have asked him from the first day.

“Why didn’t you give me that elixir sooner?”

He stopped writing down on her skin, raising his head to meet her gaze. “Too comfortable to speak now? I hold no craft in potions. I had to ask an old woman from the village to prepare it for me. Now, let me finish that before the effects wear off. I still have many things to do.”

She didn’t know how many hours it took him, but he was still there, now writing down around her ankle. The tall candles were now short, their flame weaker. He blinked multiple times, rubbing his eyes. She could see him fighting the weariness, but he persevered. Strange man.

Her back started itching, then the sensation turned to soft burning. Mira realized the potion started to wear off. Now, not only was her back hurting, but also her chest, her legs.

“It hurts again,” she said, sweat forming on her forehead. “Oh god, no more, or else I am going to lose my mind.”

“I am finished,” he announced.

Dropping the book onto the ground, he stood up. He cut his palm with the sharp quill and started spreading his blood around her and on her body. She squirmed, but he never paid much attention to her feelings.

He started chanting in a language she did not understand. The circle around her started glowing again. All the letters that were cut into her skin were now digging deeper into her body, sinking through her skin and flesh, through her bones, deep into her existence itself.

Suddenly, he slapped his hands together.

A strong force went right into her body, straight for her soul. Mira coughed, unable to breathe properly, but the numbing sensation disappeared as quickly as it appeared. The words hurting her body disappeared from her skin.

“Does it still hurt?” the warlock asked her.

“No,” she said.

She was now able to move, but her tortured body was too tired. Being without pain now, she just wanted to close her eyes and sleep for several days. Her eyelids were heavy. She blinked slowly.

“Good. The spell is now finished,” he said.

He lifted her onto his back.

“Where are you taking me?”

“We are going back to my home. With all spells finished, there is no need to hide you anymore.”

He brought her out of the cave. The moon was high in the sky, illuminating the woods. Mira wanted to look at her surroundings to see where they are, but she was too tired. She fell asleep.