[Perfect pillow skill is in effect, recovery increased exponentially.]

Neira blinked the translucent screen away and tightened her grip, her claws almost digging into her pillow’s tender flesh. Her beastly eyes cast cold gaze around the tent and warning growl reverberated inside her throat. That in itself was scared away all potential contenders. They knew their place and yield to her.

All but that one.

Tossing her long elven leg over Joe’s sleeping frame She closed her eyes and pressing her head against his cheek she sunk into the world of darkness where she fought her final enemy.

“Buzz off you squid! Master’s mine! Only mine!”

She screamed at the terrifying presence that hid in all the shadows. A presence that came to hunt her hubby every night in this world of dreams.

“I am not giving him to anyone! Definitely not to some slimy, porn meme!”

Neira had no idea what porn or meme was but screaming those words felt good. Somehow, they fit. Perhaps that’s why Joe kept mumbling about it in his dreams?

Bad, bad dreams. She had to pinch him awake or he would toss and turn the whole night. He always woke with his body drenched in cold sweat and stinking of fear. Her master proud master, the one who did not fear death, could not suffer at the whims of that slime covered monstrosity. She would not stand for it.

“Dear oh dear… Why wont you give it a rest already? Look, I’ll give you a cookie…”

The enormous, solitary eye appeared among the void.

“Begone you filthy monster! Leave my master alone!”

“… b-but I need h-him! A-and I am no monster! And um… like… umm… can’t we share?”

The kitten, as she did countless nights before, charged into shadows to once more challenge the one that molested her master. With fangs barred and claws outstretched, she chased the ominous eye.

Tonight, was the night she would ascertain her dominance!

“…Sigh.”

A tentacle shot out of the darkness and caught the slave in its slimy grip.

“Listen little one and listen well. Joe is MINE and mine alone. I had him first.”

The tentacle brought the trashing elf closer to the ominous eye.

“I am tolerating you and your antics because he is fond of you. Because so far you have kept him safe. For that I am grateful but know, that alone will not shield you as my patience is running thin. Best you learn your place…“

With her body bound, Neira did the only thing she could do in her state. She kicked the darn squid. The stoopid mastah was hers and hers only. No slimy splurt will tell her what…

And then the maw of Darkness closed around her.

And Darkness chewed.

And chewed.

And… why did they made those dark elves so resilient.

“SPIT IT OUT.”

With her hair tied in a bun and devoid of her usual robe, Death appeared beside Darkness, summoned by someone soon to be in need of her services. Her pale body glistened with round water droplets while black rubber duckie hanged at the front of her chest, lodged inside her ethereal valley.

“Mmm mmm mmm nnnn eeemm!”

“I DO NOT CARE. I SAID SPIT OUT THAT SOUL. IT IS NOT HER TIME YET AND BESIDES, HE WILL NEED HER.”

“…whmm bllerrreg hrrr grrrglle whhnn?!”

“ENOUGH. YOU ARE IMPOUNDING ON MY FREE TIME. DO I NEED TO REMIND YOU HOW PRECIOUS IT IS? SPIT HER OUT OR I WILL CUT HER OUT OF THERE.”

Reluctant, Darkness gurgled and spat.

“But she even kicked me! And I got bubu! See! See!”

Darkness pointed at the colossal red, angry bump growing on her shiny forehead.

“REGARDLESS, IT IS NOT HER TIME. ALSO, I THINK YOU SHOULD REWARD HER.”

Death pointed at the drool covered ball, foaming at the floor of the void.

“R-r-reward?!”

The entirety of Darkness became glowing red while anger boiled off her being.

“THAT MORTAL HAD ENOUGH FAITH IN YOUR EXISTENCE TO BELIEVE SHE COULD HARM YOU. IF THAT IS NOT WORTH THE NAME OF YOUR HOLY MAIDEN, THEN I DO NOT KNOW WHAT ELSE MIGHT BE.”

“B-buuut…”

“NO BUTS. IT TOOK ME EONS TO NEGOTIATE MY DAYS OFF AND I WILL NOT SQUANDER ANY SECOND MORE OF IT.”

Thus said, she vanished. The SPA she booked charged horrendous fees, so she intended to get her money’s worth.

“…stooped mastah…”

Spit covered and trembling, Neira still whispered even through her tears. Joe was hers as she was his… he just didn’t know that.

“Why do you like him so?”

The monstrous eye asked hanging above her. She lost again and yet, the eye again spared her as if to mock her once more some other night.

“Worth.”

The slave whispered.

“Worth?”

“Master could have ditched me when I almost died. He could have raped my mind and use my body however he liked. Joe has done none of that. He gave me worth I did not have.”

A gentle tentacle slid over the sobbing soul and scooped her tear.

“Sleep little one. “

…

[DING!]

[Holly Maiden Title received.]