Multiple silhouettes emerged from the shadow of the woods. Wearing demonic masks and black cloaks. As they inched closer, Freya saw their grotesque appearances. Some wore masks that covers just their eyes, some mask covers half of their faces with just their mouths showing, some wore masks that shows the left or right side of their faces and some wore full masks. Their cloaks not hidding the bizarre appearance beneath it. Some had their mouth or eyes sewn shut. Some had fangs or insect like pincers. Some had eyes like monsters.
The others stood by to encircle the party and a few of them approached Freya to restrain her. They turned her body to face the ground. Two cloaked figures held and pulled each of her arms on the opposite directions. One stepped on her head to the ground. Another two held her legs down. Another two closed in to pull and stretch her wings apart.
"Glory to the Darkness" said the cloaked figures.
"Praise the Black Regent" replied Dina full of reverence.
One of the cloaked figures stepped forward, offered up a dagger and said, "Rejoice fellow disciple, now is the time to show your devotion to our Lord. You will be initiated to be one of us, The Children of Night, by realizing your deepest and darkest desire. My name is Draven but you may address me based on our seniority which is '4TH'. And for you, you will be our master's 6th disciple."
"I shall comply with the Sect's orders" Dina bowed as she accepted the dagger.
"Are you wondering if this is too much?" said the 4TH as he looked on the restrained Freya.
"A bit maybe?" said Dina.
"Tsk, tsk. Not really. You can never underestimate a Valkyrie. In the Great War their strength was commendable since they were one of the enemies that was able to defeat our Lord. And you 6TH, there's no room for mercy. At the end of your trial, I expect that morality of yours will be dead. Our master regards you highly. This fellow disciples are at your disposable. I'll standby to watch you" conveyed the 4TH.
"Umm Seni- i mean 4TH? Will master come here?"
"Regretfully, he won't. He's on a mission and needs to be at the Heroes Gala. After all, the Imperial Family cannot be alarmed of our existence. How about you? I heard you're invited with your family"
"I see. Me? Well, master gave me those one-time use Clone Magic Scrolls. And I did what master told me to. Earlier I made sure to talk as much people as I can at the Village for me to have solid alibi. As we talk now, my clone is talking with my parents as they made their way to the teleport circle connected to the Imperial City"
"Master really has a good eye for talents. Anyway, enough chitchat. You may now begin your trial 6TH"
**
While the two were talking, Freya was contemplating her escape. Her biggest problem right now weren't her enemies, paralysis, nor Dina, it was her access to mana. She hasn't heard of Extreme Paralysis and Mana Obliterate nor does she know how to make an antidote for it. What's even worst was that only her motor receptors were affected by the paralysis. It means even if she can't move, she was still susceptible to pain. Her body deteriorating to level of those mortals that can't utilize mana.
If only she could use even if it's a tiny amount of mana, she could open her spatial storage. In her storage, she can either summon her weapon, backup communicator, potion, magic scroll or anything that can save her.
Freya was forged by her multitude experiences on combats, adventuring and trainings. Sure her sister's betrayal was definitely a shocker but at the moment she forced herself to be calm and rational despite her impending doom.
All she can do was survey her surroundings, her detainers, what she can use to her advantage, plan her escape and wait until what Dina injected to her and the debuffs subsides.
'If I was at my fullest I could take anyone of these guys. Damn it', Freya thought to herself.
'Hmm... the one restraining my head. Standing on one leg will definitely be unstable. Damn! she's going to cut off my wings. I still can't move. All this negative status' affected my field of vision. I feel sluggish'
'What's taking Dina so long?' Trying her hardest to listen, she found out that her sister knew one of the masked people.
'Hmmm.. Black Regent?! Children of Night?! Impossible!! According to the archives, they should have disappeared along with their Lord on the Great War. Fuck! All the more that I need to escape. I have to inform the Empire. All these years they were undetected? How strong are they? How could Dina be one of them?'
'Master? Damn! Then that means we have traitors in our midst. Just a few more minutes until it subsides. As long as I can move, it will be ok. Probably?'
'The ones holding my left arm, right wing and left leg weren't exerting the same amount of force as the others. Exploitable'
It didn't took too long for Dina and 4TH's conversation, it's just that Freya was thinking very fast. Pushing herself to limit because of the intense situation.
'I could fight without mana but damn this debuffs will take time to go away. My immunity wont work without mana. Just a bit more'
She noticed that the two stopped talking and Dina was making her way towards her.
"Frey you look so pitiful right now. How nice of you to prostate yourself before me hehe. I would love to pluck your feathers one by one but you see, I don't have time. And I also want your wings as my Hunting Trophy. I will mount it on my wall when I have my room in the sect or better yet, maybe I should gift it to master. Maybe he'll like it, after all it's not every day you get a chance to hunt a Valkyrie and have it as a trophy" said Dina as she slowly traced the edge of the dagger against Freya's back.
*stab
"hmmpp" grunted Freya in pain.
"Oops sorry my hand slipped" said Dina smilingly as she pushed the dagger down to its handle and slowly twisted it.
"hhmmm... hmmppmmp" whimpered Freya as she thought to herself, 'That fucking hurts! Pretend. Keep on pretending Freya. Endure it. The more Dina prolongs this, the better the chance we can escape after the paralysis and debuffs wores off'.
Dina suddenly pulled the dagger out of her lower back and plunged it on her left shoulder. She twisted it in a way that it scrapes Freya's shoulder blade and said, "Oops slipped again. Sorry sis! You know me, I've always been clumsy"
She pulled it out again and started slashing Freya's back.
*slash
"Sis your back looks bare. Let's draw a star. Yey! Oh wait I got a better Idea. Why not write your name after I finish the star? Aren't I great sis?" exclaimed Dina as she continues to slash and draw.
*slash slash slash slash slash
"There finished! Wow!" said Dina as she looked at the result and glanced at her hair. She grabbed the back of the head, bunched up the black locks of hair.
"Frey you really have beautiful hair. I've always wanted for my hair to be like yours. I even died it once before but they just laughed at me. My, my, how beautiful" Dina bit by bit cut the hair.
Freya couldn't see but she felt everything. It was already hard for her and the only thing that keeps her going was her hope she can escape.
Dina started stabbing her arms, torso and legs. She didn't stop to twist the dagger but instead continued to stab as much as she can. Relieving the hatred she bore towards Freya all her life.
"You know Freya, I was so lucky to have my master took notice if me. If he didn't took me under his wings, I'll probably continue to live my life as your shadow. To literally look up to you because you always do things that are so great that people can't ignore you! You were always blocking my path. Being always compared to you. No matter what achievements I get, it's nothing compared to yours. I loathe you. But now I'm very thankful to you sis, you'll be my ticket to enter the Black Regent's Sect. My first kill will be a Valkyrie. My, my, what an achievement. You really are the best Sis, until the end you were so useful. And moreover the Lord will be pleased to know my aid to plucked out the Empire's Prodigies hehe" said Dina deliriously then she focused on her left wing.
"It really is pretty. Now its mine!" shouted Dina as she little by little sliced leisurely at the root of the wing on Freya's back. When the dagger finally hit the bone, Dina continue to slice steadily to make sure that Freya will feel the tearing pain through her bones.