Bindings of the Subjugator

Once again, I must remind you that this story will have some upsetting themes, including but not limited to:

rape, mind control, domination, slavery, physical abuse, humiliation, violence

All characters involved in sexual acts in this story will always be above the age of 18.

Chapter 04: Tightening Grip

Establishing a foothold, laying the foundations of an empire...

******************************************************************

Something had not been quite right lately. It had started a few days ago, the morning after the prince had left the estate. That night, five of the other guards, those posted at the front gate, had seemingly just vanished in the night. That should have been concerning enough, but rumor among the mansion staff was that the baron had barely reacted to the news.

Jimmy had served as a guard in Castle Dumal for almost ten years now. As far as work went, it usually wasn't too bad, if not a bit boring. Nothing ever really happened. But something

had

happened recently. A few weeks ago, one of the baron's maids had jumped the wall and made a run for the nearby woods. This maid in particular was an azelle, a cursed girl. Although she had always seemed more miserable than outright evil, Jimmy knew better than to get involved with the demonic, and had always kept his distance.

Obviously, having an azelle on the loose wasn't something anyone would want, and a search party had been sent after her, but when they didn't return after a few days, a second search party had been sent to investigate. Jimmy had been among them, which was why he even knew most of this. Wouldn't want to spread panic among the local communities, so the whole thing was on a strictly need-to-know basis, and that was probably for the best.

What Jimmy had seen that day in those woods, he would never forget. They found three corpses in a clearing, those of the missing search party. Two of them seemed to have been attacked by wild beasts, their remains half eaten. However, the third corpse told a much more sinister tale. Th man seemed to have been liquefied from the inside, his skin covered with massive boils, from which his blood had violently erupted. On top of that, all three soldiers had been relieved of their weapons, and completely missing from the scene were the two hounds that had accompanied them... but no hints of the maid to be seen. Nearby, a circle on the ground inside of which the grass had been turned to ash.

Obviously, everyone present had suspected that something very foul, maybe even demonic, was at play, and the guard captain had contacted the nearby church to request the sending of Demeius paladins. Meanwhile, Mr. Grayson was working on a spell to locate the missing maid, if she hadn't perished already, and the guards were on high alert.

Looking back, Jimmy should have handed in his resignation that very day. He had considered it at the time, but had decided against it. Deserting the local lord at a time like this certainly wouldn't earn him any favors, and finding another job would certainly be a hassle.

The pay here may not have been spectacular, but it was enough to send some to his sick mother back home in Neston, what with lodging and food being provided, and aside from the regular training drills, the work itself wasn't all that demanding.

After a tense but ultimately uneventful few weeks, Jimmy came to hope that this whole situation would just blow over, and things would soon go back to normal, once the paladins arrived from the capital. With the Father's protection and blessing, they'd sort this out in no time.

But their expected arrival was still days away and things around Dumal Castle had been... off, lately. There was this general air of malaise about, and everyone just kind of knew, and they knew that everyone else knew, but they didn't say anything because they didn't want to seem like they were the crazy one. It had started on the morning of the 1

st

, when those guards had gone and abandoned their posts. Two of those five guards had also been a part of the second search party. They had probably told the others of what they had seen and decided not to stick around and find out. Jimmy couldn't really blame them.

Since then, lord Dumal had been acting strangely. Jimmy didn't interact with the baron all too often, but he felt like he had a decent enough idea of who the man was, enough to know that he should have been furious to learn that five of his men had deserted in the dead of night, leaving the front door open on their way out.

Jimmy hadn't believed the rumors at first, but ever since that night, the baron hadn't been quite himself. He would spend most of his time cooped up in his office, not even leaving at night to go to bed. The really strange part was that he would call in members of the staff, and they would stay in there with him for a few hours. Sometimes it was only one person at a time, and never more than three.

And it wasn't just the maids anymore, that wouldn't have been so unusual. The baron kept a lot of pretty girls in his service and would often call them into his office, usually only for a few minutes, sometimes longer. Didn't take a genius to figure that one out...

When the baron

did

come out of his office, it was to go out on horse rides, which wasn't something he often did before, but now it was a common occurrence.

And then, there was the most obvious thing: the lady in black that followed him everywhere. She wore a dark leather garb, and her head was always covered by a black hood, which obscured her face. Despite the collar around her neck and the cuffs on her wrists, she had an intimidating air of power and danger, like she could kill you in seconds if she wanted to. Nobody knew who she was, or why she was here. She had just shown up one day, and seemingly took on the duty of being his fulltime bodyguard.

Jimmy wondered if his mother would even believe him in the letter he was writing her, as he always did whenever he sent her a pouch of coins. Having recently lost her husband to a mining accident and her ability to walk to illness, receiving news from her son was one of the few pleasures remaining in her life.

Perhaps he shouldn't say too much about these recent events... The last thing he wanted was to worry his poor bedridden mother, and the whole nasty business in the woods was supposed to be confidential, but Jimmy did not get to ponder this for much longer, as he was suddenly startled by the sound of a firm knock at the door. Jimmy shared this bunk room with three other guards and none of them

ever

bothered to knock before letting themselves in. Jimmy's break wasn't supposed to end for another thirty minutes, what could this be about?

As he opened the door and saw who it was that had come for him, his heart sank with apprehension. The lady in black. It was his turn to go to the office, wasn't it?

"James Baker?" Her voice had a cold authority to it, a sharp edge that could slice through the nerves of most men. Jimmy had a couple of inches over the woman, and yet she seemed to be the one towering over him.

"Y-yes ma'am, that's me."

"Lord Dumal wishes to speak with you."

There it was. But this woman's voice... Jimmy could've sworn he had heard it before, but couldn't quite put a face or a name on it. Who was this woman? Why did she seem so vaguely familiar now that he'd heard her speak? These questions bounced around Jimmy's head to no avail as he followed this menacing woman to his employer's office. This would be the first time he entered this room, and Jimmy didn't have the faintest idea of what to expect from these next moments, but he would soon find out for himself what it was that had been happening lately behind these doors.

As the mysterious woman opened the elegant white doors, Jimmy could hear the palpitations of his heart beating faster, and he dared not look up at the face of his employer or say a word as he walked into the room, daylight barely slipping into the room through the cracks of the lowered blinds, and so nervous he was that he jumped slightly at the sound of the doors closing shut behind him, and the woman in black walked past him to take her place in a dark corner at the back of the room, standing there silently, watching him, judging him. At this moment, Jimmy would have rather been just about anywhere else.

"You may sit. I assure you, you've no reason to be quite so shaken."

The nobleman's voice echoed through the darkened office in a way that didn't seem completely natural, both reassuring and threatening, and his eyes glinted eerily in their sockets as he sat behind his desk. Though his words were probably meant to comfort the guard, they had the exact opposite effect. There was this sense of dread that hung heavy in the air, a frigid hand gripping at his heart. He did not sit in the chair so much as he fell back into it, and he doubted he would be able to stand back up at this point, even if he mustered all his strength.

As he stared into the eyes of the baron, he felt the crushing pressure building, and then, suddenly vanishing. The darkness itself seemed to dissipate in the office, and Jimmy released a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding. The pressure lifted from his shoulders so completely that he couldn't help but wonder if he had simply been imagining it. He was so on edge lately, his mind must have been playing tricks on him. That had to be it. There was no reason to jump to conclusions.

"I'm certain you are aware of the recent desertions among your ranks. Well, I must say it has given me much to reflect upon, and I believe I've come to realize how crucial it is to reward loyalty as one would punish treachery."

See, nothing to worry about. Lord Dumal had simply been going through a bit of introspection, that's why he'd been acting a little different lately. No reason to panic, just good ol' human growth. Yep.

"Indeed, I believe you'll soon have guarded my home for ten years, and I would be remiss to let this occasion pass me by. Is there some favor I may grant you to reward your diligence?"

This seemed really out of character for the baron. He wasn't one to just... give away something without receiving anything in return. Admittedly, Jimmy didn't know the man

that

well, he was just a guard after all, and he supposed people can change over time. Besides, if the lord really was offering, then why not give it a shot? But what to ask for? Jimmy didn't have to think much about it.

"Thank you lots milord, that's real kind of you. Actually, my mother's not doing so well, illness has got her bedridden, and the medicine she needs isn't exactly cheap... If you could send a bit of extra coin her way, we'd be very thankful milord."

"A simple enough request. One that is well within my power, and one that'll not see me too inconvenienced. Consider it done. So long as you remain steadfast in your duty, your mother need not fear lacking the coin she requires to treat her illness."

Though it seemed strange to word it like this favor was conditional to his continued loyalty, Jimmy didn't think much of it. Nobles seemed to love the sound of their own voice, and usually talked more than they said. It was probably one of those fancy formalities that flew right over his commoner head. The bottom line was that Jimmy's mother would get her medicine, and that was enough.

"I- I can't thank you enough milord!"

At this, the baron seemed to pause in consideration, and then offer a response, which had clearly been practiced.

"Actually, I believe you can. In truth, there is a certain task I would ask of you, Mr. Baker. A small task, barely even worth mentioning, I assure you."

And suddenly the crushing darkness began to roll back in, a deathly chill running up the guard's spine, making its way towards his heart. Again, a dark glint seemed to shine in the nobleman's eyes, piercing Jimmy's very soul. This wasn't some illusion or trick of the mind, now he knew for sure, though he couldn't claim to understand it either. Somehow, Lord Dumal had come across a terrifying power, and Jimmy was trapped firmly in its grip.

His gaze turned to the only other person present in the room: the woman in black. During this entire exchange, she had not moved or asserted her presence in any way, simply staying still in the corner, watching them. Was she the one behind this? He had no time to dwell on this, as the lord spoke once again.

"Mr. Grayson, in his studies, has come across an ancient ritual in an old manuscript. A spell capable of enhancing the hearts and minds of Men, and of strengthening their bonds of loyalty. It is a simple thing, one that would take mere moments and could begin this very instant, if you are willing to play your part."

Under the baron's voice seemed to come another, sinister and foreboding, echoing his words in a slithering whisper. It didn't speak to the ears, but to the soul. Jimmy was trapped under the weight of a darkness he could never hope to defeat, and the embers of hope within his heart, dim as they already were, began to fade.

"What if I refuse?", he said meekly, knowing this would not be an option. The baron, or whatever evil spirit had possessed him, leaned back in his chair, knowing this battle of wills had never even had the chance to begin.

"Whyever would you do such a thing? I assure you the ritual is quite harmless, and you'll find yourself none the worse for wear. In fact, I suspect that, in time, you'll come to see it as a blessing."

The mask was coming off. Whatever the voice wanted from him, it would be getting it one way or another. Jimmy wondered what the point of that initial conversation had even been. Was it simply toying with him? To use as leverage, dangling a reward in front of him, only to threaten taking it away? Would it even follow through with its own promise once it got what it wanted?

Although he knew that whatever power had taken hold of Lord Dumal was pure evil, he also knew that he had no hope of resisting it, powerless before its suffocating might. And although he knew the Father would never forgive his cowardice, the despair he felt was too great, and Jimmy's heart failed him. And the words came to him, ancient and vile, though he could not understand their meaning. And he spoke them aloud, his head held low in shame.

Dur sevesh icarthul birtorothul dirshuk Uthün bir Sammàth. Ekkes, shatar, birkatàl, thulashk dumkar, birashk torthul dir bèrkat. Durthul kazad kor ashk thul birdur guldün ash apargul, naz biratàl. Uthün Nergal, skar ix bèrkàlsh, ix thul éresh.

Jimmy regretted every word as it crossed his lips, and yet he did not stop until it was finished. He spent these moments in regret, regret that he had not left this cursed place a week ago, when he had first thought that something was wrong. He had known that something sinister was going on, and yet he had done nothing, hoping that everything would just go back to normal in time. But now it was too late, and Jimmy had gotten himself involved in some kind of demonic ritual.

Suddenly, the guard noticed a growing, uncomfortably hot tightness around his throat, and a black metal collar materialized around his neck, soon followed by similar cuffs around his wrists, and the heat of the metal made his skin crawl. It was not lost upon Jimmy that these bindings were identical to those of the dark-hooded woman, still standing in the corner. Had he misjudged her? Was she also a victim in this situation? Then the true evil in this room would be...

Lord Dumal smiled with malevolent glee as he rose from his seat, and as he walked around his desk, he seemed to grow in stature and his features began to twist into something utterly inhuman. Jimmy watched in horror as his employer transformed into a nightmarish creature, massive and imposing, its fiery eyes devoid of pity, its wickedly sharp teeth lined into a mocking grin. Its skin, the color of ash and dust, crossed with softly glowing, blood-red lines of power, and large horns curved around on either side of its head.

Jimmy flinched as the demon (for it could only be a demon) brought a clawed finger to the new collar that bound his neck, but the man could not remove himself from the chair he was sitting on, for he was paralyzed by fear. The demon seemed to be inscribing something into the steel, and soon the contraption vanished from sight, though Jimmy could still feel its weight.

"It is yet too soon to reveal myself; you are not to speak a word of what has transpired within these walls."

The creature did not ask for confirmation, as though it knew its word would be obeyed without question. Its voice was deep and rumbling, and Jimmy thought he could hear the bellowing flames of a furnace echo his every word. Taking a step back, looking at him like a hungry man would look at a warm meal, the demon spoke again.

"As for our earlier arrangement, you've no need to fear. Your mother shall not want for the medicine she requires. I

never

go back on my word. Now, there are further adjustment to be made."

*******

According to the human calendar, it had been a month since Nergal had first appeared in this world, bereft of any belonging or even his own memories. The demon had now siphoned the mind of Gillon Dumal to better impersonate the nobleman, and in doing so had gained a better understanding of this world, and its conventions.

The human year consisted of twelve months, each containing six weeks of five days. Emily's escape, and therefore Nergal's own earliest memory, had occurred on the night of the 14

th

of Avindel, the fourth month of the year, and it was now the 13

th

of Pentyr, midsummer. The year was 2776, as the calendar began with the battle of Teutates, which marked the independence of the Five Holy Kingdoms from the Remician Empire.

The Dumal Barony, which Nergal now found himself residing in, was a lordship subservient to the Howes Duchy, which in turn answered directly to the royal family of the Holy Kingdom of Fernal. Also known as the Crossroad Kingdom, Fernal was most central among the five, and bordered each of the other four.

Unfortunately, with Nergal's conquest had come a few unintended consequences. He could not declare his existence publicly, as the Holy Kingdoms were, in no uncertain terms, hostile to all things demonic. He had suspected as much from the treatment Emily had received for the color of her hair, something humans saw as a sign of demonic influence. And now he was glad to have erred on the side of caution. The Demeius Church, founding institute of the Kingdoms' faith, actively sent out their paladins to hunt demons wherever they appeared, and though Nergal was indeed powerful, he was not mighty enough to singlehandedly lay waste to entire legions of holy knights. Not yet at least, not in his currently much diminished state.

And so, the mighty Feldrenar now had to impersonate the late Baron, completing his tasks in their logistical and bureaucratic tedium. Nergal somewhat regretted letting Emily execute her revenge so soon, perhaps it would have been better to let the nobleman live a while longer so that Nergal could dedicate his time more fully to his own aims, but that was no longer possible. If he did not keep up the pretense of normality, it would inevitably bring unwanted attention.

Not that he had been completely unproductive. He had taken the occasional ride out to expand the domain of his claim, including the nearby town of Dumham. He had been slowly subjugating the estate servants, a few at a time as he had planned, expanding their mana veins to increase his own reserves. Slowly and quietly, Nergal would ingrain the roots of his dominion into the very land, as the thralls at his disposal grew in numbers.