Tazai was awoken by the sound of footsteps against a hard stone floor. As his eyes eased open, he found himself laying within a metal cage in the middle of a windowless dungeon. The only source of light was a large candle resting atop a table on the other side of the room. Fighting against his drowsiness, he stood up, trying to make sense of his predicament while his eyes adjusted to the darkness. "What da hell?" he groused, still trying to recollect the events leading up to his imprisonment. Was this the work of the succubus? If so, it could only mean his luck was about to get even worse. He attempted to pry open the door but was unsuccessful. This exercise in futility was met with an amused giggle originating from the dungeon's entryway. When he looked over, he saw the silhouette of the demon he had encountered in the forest. Now he knew what it felt like to be caught in a spider's web.
Angrily squeezing the bars of his cell, he glared at the succubus. "Where am I?" he demanded.
"The home of my master," she replied as she began to sashay towards him.
"What ya want wit me?"
She stopped just beyond his arm's reach, shaking her head. "Oh, darling, I just want you to relax." Her eyes drifted down his body, glinting with arousal. It was around this time that he realized he was undressed, save for his loincloth. This discovery only exacerbated his temper.
"Ya be lettin' me go if ya know what's good for ya," he threatened.
The succubus cackled. "How cranky! No need to worry, handsome. I would never harm that beautiful body of yours... unless you're into that sort of thing."
Before he could respond, a third voice drew his attention back to the entryway. "Nymera, stop teasing the prisoner."
The command came from a tall elven man with bone-white hair and a wicked countenance. He was dressed in the trappings of a warlock, all but confirming he was Nymera's master. Tazai had enough knowledge of these dark wizards to recognize the danger he was in.
As Nymera retreated from the cage, the warlock marched inside. Once he knew who his prisoner was, his face contorted with disgust. "A troll... You captured a troll."
Nymera nodded excitedly. "Isn't he exquisite? The perfect male specimen. So much life energy... I can practically t--"
Her exaltation suddenly transformed into screams of agony as she began to writhe from the pain of some invisible affliction originating from the warlock's palm. The spell was a clear indication of how the elf felt about her opinions and a preview of his cruelty. It was strange to feel sympathy for a demon, but Tazai soon remembered she was the reason he was stuck here in the first place. When her torment ended, she shrunk away to the corner of the dungeon, trembling.
"A troll, Nymera?" he spat. "You think I want to harvest the soul of some mongoloid?"
"I'm sorry!"
"Sorry? I'm sure you are. How disappointing for a demon of your caliber to return with something so repulsive."
As much as Tazai despised the warlock's cutting words, he remained silent, not willing to tempt his wrath. His survival depended on his ability to remain calm. This was not the first time he had been in a tough spot, and he was determined it wouldn't be the last. Even as his captor's eyes shifted back to him, he remained stoic.
"I suppose you can still be of some use," the warlock muttered. "I've been meaning to make some more troll's blood elixirs." With that, he snapped his fingers and turned to depart. Nymera followed him out, hissing bitterly at Tazai as she passed him. The dungeon door closed behind her with a heavy thud.
Tazai suffered his isolation for what felt like hours. He found no weakness in his cage, dashing any hopes of an easy escape. Although he was resilient, the lack of nourishment was starting to take a toll on his faculties. If he didn't replenish his stomach soon, he would perish in captivity. All he could do now is pray for the loa's mercy.
Fortunately, his prayers were answered. The dungeon door opened once again, and on the other side of it was a sight for sore eyes. Passing through the entryway was a smoldering elven beauty with long raven hair. Her luscious body was wrapped in a silky black gown that was anything but modest. She had decorated herself with jewelry that was tastefully alluring, marking her a woman of great affluence but also a woman of great vanity. Indeed, the imperious manner in which she carried herself was a telling sign of a noble pedigree, and she was keenly aware of it.
He had to pinch himself to make sure this wasn't some hallucination. Not only was his visitor gorgeous, but she carried a pitcher of water and a plate of fresh bread that filled the room with a rich aroma. She placed it on the table next to the candle and turned to face him, shifting her weight to one leg as she placed her hands on her hips. Her condescending gaze did not bother him, only fueling his desire to have her.
"The nerve of my husband," she fumed with a haughty tone. "He allows that whore of an assistant to bring her prey home, then completely neglects to take care of them afterward."
"Who you be?" he questioned.
The woman took a few steps forward. "Tamaryn."
"What I be doin' in dis cage?"
"Well, you're lucky you aren't sin'dorei. My husband and his pet demon love tormenting handsome elven men and harvesting their souls. I suppose he had other plans for you, though far less interesting ones." She paused to sigh. "Anyway, I suppose you're hungry."
She went to retrieve the key to his cage which hung on the wall near the entrance. He remained still as she approached the cage door and began unlocking it, utterly confused by her actions. Was she not aware that he could kill her and escape? Her recklessness was jarring, he knew better than to interrupt an enemy who was making a mistake. Yet, as the door swung open, his first instinct was not to attack her. Instead, he scratched his head.
