I covered my face and started to cry. I was completely broken. This is not a game. I don't want to play this game. I want out. I don't want to feel these worms, I don't want to feel this pain. I want out. This is not a game. I don't want this! I do not want to feel this!

My brain was running in circles. I did not realize there was no logic in my thoughts, as I could not think logically. I did not realize there was no pain anymore, as the pain was inside me. I was the pain.

There were reverberations of pain and horror that washed over me, that circled inside my brain, enough to keep me forever insane.

All I could do was cry. Something was pressing me and it triggered my brain as it brought in fresh memories of teeming leeches all around me. I screamed again. I did not even realize I was free to scream, I was free to breathe. I screamed.

Forever insane.

Then there came a voice that penetrated my madness. It superseded it. It broke the circle and removed the pain.

“We are lynxes. We are not afraid. We are the top predators. Nothing can scare us. You are my pup, you will grow up and become as strong as I am. We are strong. You are strong!”

There was a furry leg I was clamping myself to. This was different. This was not like the leechy worms that had been around me. It was in a way radiating warmth. The strange words comforted me. The warmth comforted me. Am I a lynx? A pup? I don't know, but I was feeling better.

Slowly the warmth spread through my bones. I took a deep breath.

“Don't be afraid my pup, we are victorious!”

A rough giant tongue washed me over. I am a pup. I took another deep breath. My brain started slowly to function. I opened my eyes and saw this time around.

I was hugging, desperately hugging one of the Lynx's forelegs. Alice and Tina were hugging me, whilst White Flower was sending soothing waves of white magic over me.

“You are lying, I am not your pup Lynx!” -I said that between tears and added - “But that was a good lie.”

I hugged him again and got again a swipe of the tongue. Tina asked me:

“Are you OK?”

Wrong question to ask. I kept close to the furry leg but turned my face to watch her.

“I don't know...”

I was more or less naked, hanging there on the furry paw. Even my spelled-out shirt seemed to have greatly suffered from the corrosive liquids inside that...

A shiver passed through my spine. Fuck, I was inside something.

“I was swallowed, isn't it? By what?”

A raged alien scream came as an answer from not far away. I turned my head, still hanging at the furry leg, trying to look behind.

“That's the beast.”

It was Spartacius who spoke. I raised my eyes to look at him. His face had a greenish taint and he had some traces of vomit over his clothes.

“Beeh, you should clean up your vomit Spartacius, you look dreadful like that!”

Everybody laughed as if I would have said the best joke around. I was confused by their sense of humor, but I added:

“Just turn around, I want to dress.”

His face became red, and he turned his back to me.

“Let me wash you first, then you can dress.”

Alice smiled and turned her head toward Spartacius.

“Spartacius, are you so kind as to prepare us some water? A big bowl full of steaming water?”

Another alien sound came from not far away. I tried to look in that direction.

“Don't worry, it cannot come here inside.”

I looked at White Flower as she spoke and sighed.

“What is it with those scars?”

It was Spartacius who asked whilst he was preparing the water for me. His face was still turned the other way.

I put instinctively my hand on my neck. I can feel the scar! I should not be able to feel it. I know it is here, but I should not be able to feel it. Why do I feel it? What does this mean? Does it mean that he could see my scars? How? Why? I looked at my ankle. Oh!

“Let her alone, Spartacius!”

Tina was looking angry at him. I swallowed.

“Oh, these... these are older scars. Well, I guess I can explain it to you...”

My brain was slowly picking up normal speed. Surprisingly fast. I took another deep breath and looked around. Thinking about other things helped. I pushed my hand against the furry leg.

“You! What was that with the puppy thing?”

The Lynx grinned, lowering his head to look straight into my eyes:

“A little spell to comfort pups.” - He looked now slantwise at me - “It worked, so it means you have a connection to me!”

“You are my mount!”

I said that hitting the furry leg with my hand. The Lynx laughed.

“Yeah, sure. Only my pups may ride me. I rather think you are a pup. You are so cute!”

“Cute? Don't you see what I look like? I look like a zombie! I am a zombie!”

“You are my cute pup, not a zombie!”

I sighed. And yet I had comfort in him teasing me. I didn't want to feel like a zombie, even if I knew I partially looked like one.

“Well, look at me. You need to get used to my new look. I wonder how did that beast extract my anklet, that should not go off my foot unless I want it to happen...”

“I guess it must be still there...”

It took my brain a full second to process the thought. I looked at Tina, then towards the grotto's entry.

“Oh. I guess that beast has now a hell of a drop. A relic class item!”

“What is a relic class item?”

Spartacius was now looking with big round eyes at me.

“Don't turn! Look away! A relic class item is a unique item that was done in an angel's forge. Forged by an angel.”

“And you had such an item?”

He was standing now well behaved, looking away from me. Alice was giving me the second bath in this journey and I was starting to get used to being treated this way. It really helps calm you down and I needed it badly.

“Yes, I had such an item.”

“Who handed it over to you? Those items are of inestimable value. You must be in very high esteem, loved by an angel to get such?”

“Yeah Spartacius, I was very much fucked by an angel!”

“Fucked? Angels? Is there anything in this world that you did not fuck with? Now really!”

I sighed. Boys!

“Not fucked fucked, but fucked.”

A furious Tina turned towards Spartacius:

“You have no right to ask! This is a girls club!”

I chuckled. I think I need to find out what Spartacius and Tina talked about in the carriage during the trip. Spartacius tried to protest.

“What? But the Lynx is also a boy?”

“He is a Lynx!”

Spartacius raised exasperated his hands. To remove all doubts, I explained:

“Tenebra, the angel of death. She did it.”

Alice was surprised:

“Tenebra is the name of the angel of death? Is it ok if you tell us this?”

“She has many names.”

I sighed. I can tell them the whole story. I don't see why I should keep it secret from them. Not now, when they can see me as I really am: a zombie-like assassin.