A chime rang through the room dug into the soft, damp sandstone, lit by merely three candles and a brazier hanging from the ceiling. Brazen Claw knelt in front of a bowl made of brass, waiting for the ringing to come to an end.

TEAR!

“Pain is a blessing upon the wicked.”

Claw struck the bowl to raise another chime.

FEED!

“Death is a mercy they don’t deserve.”

Claw rang a chime again.

TAKE!

“Those who deal pain shall come to know pain.”

Chime.

GORGE!

“Those who repent shall come to feel the price.”

Chime.

FEAST!

“Those who refuse, shall pay it in full.”

Brazen Claw waited for the sound to end, then put her forehead to the ground. The Serpent was still furious, but Claw pressed down, kept her from acting out any more.

Again and again she had said these and many other words in deep concentration. Every time she let them flow from her mind to her mouth over her lips, she felt them grind into her soul, which was also the Serpent’s soul-To a degree. It was painful to say them, they went against every desire and demand the Serpent stirred within Claw’s heart and mind. Every syllable felt only like a single drop on a hot stone, but steady drop would wear even this stone down to timidity. Ever since the Serpent had gained control during Claw’s drunken stupor, She had tried again and again, becoming bolder, more aggressive. Subsequently, Claw needed to repeat these words many times a day, not unlike what Master Paramonos did when they were meditating, except this time, Claw was in control. She tried not to make the Serpent subservient, but to bring Her thrashing and moving into harmony with her own desires and purpose.

She was waiting in the basement of a house on the craftsman's terrace, procured by Teacher for the purpose of their attempts to shape the Serpent into a true deity and Claw into a true priestess. She wore the primitive forms of her vestments: a bright green scapular with a hood and a wide leather belt around her waist, along with one of two long yew spars, about as long as she was tall and slightly thicker than her thumb. The most important ingredient however would soon be brought by Teacher, a parish. For the first time, her ability to teach the Serpent discipline would be put to the test. She repeated the litanies once more. She had drawn inspiration from the many sources; books on the early priesthood of the Flame, scrolls from the priests of the old Pliranti Empire, and her own journals, especially her dream journal. In the weirdness of dreams, like the weirdness of the realm beyond the veil where the Serpent came from, truth could be gleaned.

In the end, Claw sought the truths she held dear in her heart, the lessons her teacher had taught her, while also having to banish some of them. She had learned from her teacher that fights were to be avoided, conflict to be shunned and attacks to be hidden and unseen. The Serpent knew how to lurk in the shadows and strike from them, but the ritual demanded to be a duel, not a sneaky ambush. The one litany her teacher would be most willing to agree: to fight means to forfeit the way of the word. The way of the blade, bludgeon and bow is one of victory or defeat, not negotiation and compromise, there can be no middle ground.

And there it was. The sound of the door to the house being flung open, then smashed closed again, struggling, muffled yelling and cursing. They were coming down the stairs to the cellar. Then the door to the room was flung open.

A man was thrown through the door. He was thin and small, about Claw’s size, with dark hair and below, a face with more scars than a man should survive. Scrapes, cuts, burns, a crooked nose and cheek bones, it was all there like a morbid collection of violence. His hands were bound and his mouth gagged. Behind him, Purple Paw moved his huge figure carefully through the low doorway.

“Irenus the stabber,” he proclaimed loudly. “ten counts of theft or robbery, six counts of blackmail, four counts of rape, three counts of murder, at least those are what is sure to the city guard.” He undid the man’s gags and binds, ending by kicking him further into the room and away from him. “I think he does qualify, what do you say, High Priestess?” Purple Paw did not put any sarcastic twist on that title.

“He will, my Acolyte.” She made sure to emphasize the honour and recognition that address bore with it. She turned to Irenus. “Do you deny these charges?”

“What’s the issue with you weirdos? What kind of circus is this?” He looked around and found the only exit to be blocked by Purple Paw’s impressive shape. “I thought you’d bring me to the guard, but you’re just doing some kind of... what is this? Are you some sickos that get off on torturing people while doing it?” He stood up, weary of the man behind him and the kneeling girl in front of him.

Claw asked again, with patience in her voice. “Do you deny these charges?”

“You know what? Screw this, what if I don’t? Just go ahead and kill me!”

“This is not a murder. This is a trial. Should you come out victorious, you will be granted to leave.” Claw waved to her acolyte and he moved away from the door, into a corner of the room. “It is my promise as High Priestess.”

“What sick god do you serve? Never seen a priest like you!”

Claw smiled. The ream of smoke from the brazier suddenly whipped around, towards her and started to whirl, get denser, until it assumed the shape of a serpent, the Serpent. “The Just Serpent Ssil. She will judge you. But first, you must accept the charges to be able to wash yourself free of them.”She held one of the two spars aloft. “I assume you will be content with this weapon?”

Irenus grinned. “Fine then, I’ll play your stupid game, whore. I accept the charges. I had my fair share of stabbing and blessing some gals with the time of their lives; you look like you’ll do fine.”

Claw threw the spare spar forward and got up for her kneeling position. She held her spar tightly. Some would say it was too thin for a proper weapon, but it wasn’t supposed to kill, it was supposed to hurt.

Irenus picked up the staff and shota quick glance over to Paw, who remained where he stood.

“Don’t worry about him. His duty is done. He will not interfere.”

Irenus twirled the staff a bit, found the centre of mass, gripped it at one end and closed the gap between him and Claw with a long step and yell. He brought the staff down on Claw, who blocked the strike easily with hers, held in both hands. His anger spurred her heart on, but she had to remain calm. The Serpent was to learn how to control Herself during a fight. Today, they would see whether She had learned anything in the past month, whether discipline and purpose had been added to Her shape.

In a single, quick motion, Claw moved Irenus’ staff over her with hers and moved to his back, he was at the disadvantage. A strike to the back of his knee and he sank in. She saw him, on his knees, unable to fight back, her pulse rose. She took a step back.

Stay calm.

FEED!

Her throat started to dry, it cried out for flesh and blood. Both were in ample supply in front of her, she just needed to reach out and take it. She could kill him easily. Her glance shot over to her acolyte; his stern gaze reminded her.

No! Show restraint, the accused needs to suffer. Harvest the pain, savour every drop of it!

Claw charged forward. Irenustried to punt her with the tip of his staff. To the right she dodged, pushing his attack to her left. With the staff in her right she aimed for the side of his head. The staff whizzed through the air and hit Irenus’ head.

SWAEK

At this satisfying sound, the Serpent jiggled her ethereal body in delight, bathing in the pain; the scream was her music. Irenus sank against the wall and slumped to the ground. Awareness had passed from his eyes, he was at Claw’s mercy. She felt strength surge through her every fibre.

Strength taken from pain, given to pain!

MORE!

Strength made her hand shoot forward, her claws dug into Irenus' skin. As she pushed him to the wall, she felt his pulse, his blood coursing through him like a panicked crowd. She could take it all. She should take it all! She dropped her staff and readied her other hand to tear deeper into his veins. Fear rose into his eyes as he saw the other hand approaching his neck

The red haze was torn apart by a ringing knife. Claw regained her mind and looked to her acolyte. Before him on the ground was a brass bowl, its chime still hanging in the air. She saw clear again. She saw her helpless victim before her and she realized he was an accused, not a victim.

She released her grip and took a step back, then picked her staff back up.“Stand up! Stand back up; your trial is not yet concluded!”

Irenus’ staggered onto his feet, stemming his weight with his staff. He regained clarity and was ready.

“Fine then, you got me good. But down think you will do it again!” He twirled his staff some more, keeping his distance this time. He grinned.

Claw wanted to wipe that smirk off his face. She got closer. A quick strike from her right to his left, blocked. She retreated a step before he could bind her weapon. A step forward, a punt to his chest with the tip of her staff. He tried to smack her staff aside, but she brought hers around. Another hit to his head.

Irenus caught himself before falling this time. He positioned himself. With a quick stab and step, he came closer, but she wouldn’t let him stay within reach and took a step back. Her hands were trembling, her desire to lash out grew, but she held her thoughts back, whispering to herself.

The time to strike will come. The goal is pain, not death. Harvest it, savour it.

She held her ground. Irenus’ lips split into a wide grin. He took another step, attempting a jab. As Claw moved her staff into position for a block, he changed his direction. Upwards.

CLANK

His staff hit the brazier directly above her, tipping it over and raining burning coals and ash down on her. A scream escaped her, a whack hit her hips, then her knees as she shielded her face with her hands.

“TAFF!” she screamed and dropped her staff. The Serpent lashed in anger, but Claw kept her under control, barely. Although it was dark and hot ash in her eyes, she had not lost sight. The warmth of Irenus’ and her acolyte’s body were glowing brightly in the cold room in the sandstone rock.

Irenus tried to get out the door, bit it was locked. He couldn’t see and his cunning plan was thwarted by itself before it could come to fruition. He was at her mercy. “DAMNIT LET ME OUT!” He rattled the door in futility

Claw had patted the hot embers out of her clothes and fur and with just a few long steps she arrived at the door. The image she saw was strange. Like a picture held in front of her eyes, it was not her own sight, it was the Serpent’s and She grew ravenous within a beat of her heart.

Grabbing him at the back of his shirt, Claw brought Irenus to fall and he screamed in frightened pain as she dug her claws into his skin again.

“GET OFF ME, WHORE!”

She sat on top of him, clamping his hands below her knees, and reached for the sides of his head.

TAKE IT ALL!

Her claws started to itch, her fingers thirsted for soft flesh to sing into. She reached for his jugular when suddenly, another chime blew away her delectable delirium at the same time same time that light filled the room to the brim and stung her corporeal eyes. A white orb was in her acolyte’s hand. The anger calmed. She saw the accused again. Accused, not victim.

“You deserve to suffer more; death shall not come quickly for you!” She stood back up, got her staff, wiped the last bits of ash out of her face. “Get up! GET UP!” she tapped the staff on the ground as she paced up and down. He was stalling for time, the bastard. She waited eagerly until he had picked his weapon back up.

She stormed forward, the staff shrieked as it cut through the air, hit his shoulder with a satisfying WHACK, drove a scream of pain from his mouth. What a symphony! The dance continued.

The priestess whipped many more screams from the accused. His face filled with bruises, his legs buckled and blood was drawn from his knuckles where she had hit them many times. As the drops hit the ground or were sprayed across the walls by the priestess’ staff, its scent rose to her head and burrowed into her mind.

It seemed to exude power and a red, blazing stench filled her nostrils. The stench of tears of women and children. The stench of the slime of his loins dripping into them as they struggled. The stench of the blood of his victims running down his blade and hand. The stench wails of mothers and fathers as their courageous children sink to the floor lifeless. The stench of his greedy hands as they tore gold and silver from the elderly and weak. She smelled it all. The stench of his sins. The Serpent remembered these. Many sinners She had tasted and all She had crushed by the weight of guilt.

“Rapist!” She heard herself say. “Murderer! Thief! Degenerate! I will draw every drop of payment from your body.”

Again and again she hit the accused. His voice became hoarse from screaming, his body became limp and weak as he lost more and more blood.

It was a feast. What a delectable feast! All the flavours she could imagine were there for her. Claw 0had to rear in the Serpent, force her to taste the pain as that which it was: payment for crimes. No strike was placed wildly or without consideration.

The time came that Irenus expired. Claw looked at her work. The floor and walls were speckled in red, teeth lay strewn around the room, Irenus’ body was covered in welts and lacerations, his entire stature resembled that of a sack full of butchery scraps, the room stank of death and worse. Purple Paw sat in the corner, still observing the high priestess.“I have to admit that I disagree with such a death. Not just ugly, bit also ineffective.”

Brazen Claw cleared her head of voracity and bloodshed. “This one was rife with guilt, enough to condemn half a dozen men to death. But others might not have to die. Tonight, the Serpent could drink more than enough. It will be harder to rein Her in when there is less offered up toHher.”

“Good. She must learn that She is no demon that drinks as deeply as possible from the sacrifices of mortals; She shall be given only what she is due.”

Claw nodded. All of this had been Paw’s idea, she just fine-tuned the specifics.

“So ...” Paw clapped his hands together. “...how do we feel?”

“We feel good. The Serpent learned much today. I have to admit, this massacre is starting to clench my stomach. But the next time, I shall contain the violence and distil the purest pain. This staff is good at dealing pain in combat, but not every fight must be drawn out so cruelly, it’s too coarse and brutal. Many things need to be learned anew and refined.”

Paw put his hand on her shoulder. “I’m here for you, high priestess. But for now, we better get to cleaning up.”

Claw nodded. The Serpent agreed. There was nothing left in this room to feast upon, but Her time would come again, that much She had learned today.