Claire's eyes slowly opened, finding herself in a barred cage. Five large boxes stood outside her cell, and a table with a single chair; a man, presumably a slaver, sat there, fast asleep.
'Where am I?'
Claire tried to make sense of her surroundings, puzzled by her current predicament. It didn't take long for her to remember what had happened in the alleyway.
'That's right! I heard a scream, so I rushed into the alleyway. There were women and children in a barred cage, enslaved people, I presumed. But then... the slavers guarding the carriage surrounded me, and I had to fight, but I was defeated.'
Suddenly, a creaking sound echoed from a hidden hallway to the left. Footsteps followed, resonating down the corridor. Claire attempted to count the number of people; her best guess was five. Four rugged men appeared, all wearing similar uniforms as if they were guards. Then, a man came into view. His clothing was neater than the others', with black hair and black eyes. His skin was tan, and he wore a brown leather coat, black pants, and a ring on his left finger – not a wedding ring, but likely a magical item. He approached the cell with a slight smirk, kneeled to Claire's height, and began talking.
"So, you're the fine new catch my men brought down here. I'd say you're quite the specimen. Maybe I'll take you for myself," the man said, chuckling at his own remark.
'Judging by his clothes, he's probably the leader.'
The man took a deep breath, admiring Claire.
"Hm..." The man said as he stood back up.
"I'm Marcus, but you'll call me Master from now on. Do you understand?" Marcus demanded.
'Master? He expects me to call him that?'
"No, I'll call you something else... hmm, let's see! I believe 'mentally ill' suits you quite well," Claire retorted. This angered Marcus, who ordered the guards to drag her out of the cell, which they did.
"What are you-" Claire tried to speak but was interrupted by a sharp pain in her stomach as Marcus started kicking her repeatedly. She struggled to breathe; every time she managed to take a breath, another brutal kick landed in her stomach.
"You little bitch! I said call me Master! Nothing else!" Marcus yelled, trying to make his point.
"You're nothing more than a child in a man's body!" Claire shouted back. This only worsened her situation, as Marcus stopped kicking and kneeled to whisper in her ear.
"I didn't want to do this, but if you won't obey me... I think a little shock therapy might just convince you," Marcus menacingly said, signaling the guards to take her to the torture room.
'S-shock therapy? What does he mean by that!?'
"Wait! No!" Claire cried out, trying to stop them. But the guards grabbed her by the feet and dragged her to the torture room. They slid the door open and lifted her, locking her into a contraption. Marcus walked into the room, grinning in anticipation.
"Since you don't want to follow orders, we'll have to train you using alternative methods. Magic crystals power the device you're locked in; it uses lightning magic. So you can guess what's coming next," Marcus explained, holding a portable button.
"W-wait, I'll obey-" Claire tried to persuade them to release her from the contraption, but her plea was interrupted by a surge of electricity. Claire's screams echoed down the endless hallways.
"Let the training begin!" Marcus announced, laughing maniacally.