Modgud looked around her hastily, not for the first time. Razza'jin, however, showed open confusion. Small wonder. Modgud's words were more than disconcerting. There were the parchment with the names that for the most part meant nothing to him and her cryptic warnings. Her obvious fear had to rub off on her dialogue partner. Struggling for every word, Modgud had tried to make him understand what was going on. She'd had time to prepare. There were things she couldn't say because Vykos's magic was blocking her. But Modgud had battled his influence in the past weeks. For a few painful moments she could talk if she chose her words carefully. And that she did.

The words spilled from her like a waterfall, not always entirely clear, but the overall direction was obvious. 'Vykos … I think … was the first victim. He needs help just like the rest of us. Modgud leaned against the wall, and Razza listened, patiently, his expression very hard to read. 'We have … we drank blood. Blood of a demon.' Razza's eyes widened.

'What? Why d'ya do that?' Modgud swallowed.

'I had … no choice. He … he made me.' Razza took a step towards her, and his voice became more intense while with every words speaking became more difficult for Modgud.

'Who? Modgud … Who?

'Vy-' She fell silent, the automatic punishment from the influence immediate and painful. 'The master of shadows Razza.' Razza'jin studied the list for a while, his face a mixture of bewilderment and insight at once. Her control was slipping. 'Razza … I don't think … I can … for long.' Her voice grew softer. 'I have … I gathered the strength to speak to you. Don't trust any of these people. Not even me.' Razza closed his eyes for a moment and made a gesture with his hands. Some of her strength came back. 'The Death Dealers are in his hands, probably more than I know, but I am sure there are some that can withstand. And he doesn't know you, can't target you. Protect them. I'm lost already. I'll be an obedient servant to my master.' There was venom in her voice, but then Razza's spell lifted, and Vykos filled her mind again.

'Do ya think,' the Troll began, 'Razza can believe this?' His voice was cool and brought her back to the here and now. 'Vykos, a senile dead man, have done that? Ya just wanna make yaself sound good. And a calf? Nah. Ya oughtta've thought of something betta than that.' Modgud felt as though the ground was falling away beneath her feet. Her last hope was crumbling. Razza didn't believe her. As far as she knew he didn't even know Vykos, but he talked as though the did.

'Make myself sound better?' she echoed. 'What did I do?'

'Razza don't know. But Vykos don't have the spirit to do that. You got the spirit, and you got the malice, it seems.' Razza looked at her as though waiting for a reaction. When none came he took a deep breath and took a step forwards. 'Tell Vykos that from me.' He made another gesture, his palms stretched towards her. It wasn't as painful an attack Vykos's had been, but still it hurt. The anger within her welled and boiled over. She lost the last shreds of control and saw the anger leave Razza's face to be replaced with profound sadness, but that only made it worse.

'How dare you? You will feel the wrath of the Master!' Her voice was shrill and loud, and she lunged at the Troll to inflict as much pain on him as was at all possible. 'He will crush you!' she shrieked. Or at least she wanted to. Something caught her in mid-jump. She was trapped and silenced. Razza shook his head.

'Sorry, Modgud. Razza'll release ya, but right now, ya're not a Forsaken. Ya're an Undead under the control of a demon. Razza'll keep ya safe. From yerself, mostly. Ya'll understand, one day.' He sighed deeply. 'Now what can I do with ya? Can't keep ya here.'

ϡ

Modgud blinked a few times in quick succession. It took a while before she knew where she was. 'Are you completely out of your mind?' she demanded. 'I've always known you're not normal, but I didn't realise your lunacy went quite as far!' The portal trainer glanced at her with her usual baleful expression.

'I'm not supposed to let you out.' Modgud started laughing loudly.

'You know what? Stop me! I'm a mage, not some rabid dog you can tether to a mushroom.' She shook her head. Something had changed … Slowly, normal thought started to trickle through the noise. She vaguely remembered that she had spoken to Razza'jin … had almost attacked him … and now … all was different. Had Razza taken Vykos's influence from her? She doubted he had that power.

Under the eyes of the protesting Forsaken, she had opened a portal to a few feet further, freeing herself of the chain. She was hardly out of the cave when Razza came running down the path from the Spirit Rise. He stopped less than a foot away from her, reached over, and held her by the arms. His grip was firm but not painful. 'Modgud?' His stare was boring into her eyes, but she was oblivious to his concern.

'That woman, the portal person, had me trapped! Can you believe her nerve?' Razza cocked his head.

'Razza had to shackle ya.' It took a few moments before this sunk in.

'What … Why?'

'Razza needs to be sure ya're not under the demon's spell any more. That all right?' Whatever defence she'd had in mind, it crumbled. It all returned to her … Her desperate fight for freedom, peaking in her flight to Razza'jin. She nodded. 'Good. Ya come on up with Razza, we'll get yer head right again. Don't ya worry, mon. Ya'll be all right'


((This has never happened in the game, at least not like this. Modgud was under a CC spell, but rather polymorphed than shackled. It worked the same way, though: She was provoked into attacking and then cc-ed. The mage that did it was also a Forsaken and had her put into one of Keever's cages.

I changed that for two reasons: The smaller one is that the mage has been mentioned here, but not as an existing Forsaken. The real reason, however, is, that I cannot / will not post the real context in which Modgud desperately ran to Razza'jin for aid. She did that, and he helped at once and happily, but not with this.

That, however, required me to change the conversation. The mage that helped me was from the start angry and wild in her reaction. Wild, however, is a trait Razza doesn't possess at all (as far as I know him), so I had to change the tone of the conversation on his part. I do however consider the character capable to commit a small act of violence as a last resort for the greater good ;) ))