Act II - Episode 47 There is a slight rush of cold air as Kiana, the Goddess of Cruelty, takes human form in Sarodor. She stands upon a mighty rock in the wake of the undead army, watching with grim satisfaction as they press in around the beleaguered Kindred fortress. Good, she thinks. Soon, Savuk. Soon your pitiful little rebellion will be over, once and for all. She tries to reach out to him, to get a sense of him, just as she has tried so many times since he made his intentions known to her a year ago. But, as usual, there is nothing. His heart is closed to her now. Instead, her heart is filled with cries of agony from the battle unfolding before her eyes. She hears the gurgling scream of Janik, a Kindred archer, as an undead warrior clambers over the battlement and locks its jaws around his throat. She hears an unnamed troll, howling in agony as the grenade he was carrying is pierced by an arrow, engulfing him in flames. She hears the sickening crack of snapping bone, as a Kindred runner loses his footing on a ladder, moments after delivering an important message to General Riglak. Far in the distance, she hears the tortured cries of Mordimus, convulsing uncontrollably at the searing agony of the Necromancer's deadly touch. Yes, she hears all of their pain. And she fills their hearts with despair. She widens her mind a little further... She hears the twisted thoughts of thirty-five-year-old Walter, unbuckling his belt as he advances upon the terrified figure of John, his twelve-year-old son. She hears twenty-five-year-old Dyfar and thirty-year-old Sabal, mocking the pleading cries of their victim Nadine as they tighten the ropes around her wrists and take turns beating her. She hears forty-eight-year-old burglar Jason, moaning with anticipation as he approaches the cot, the shadow from his knife falling across the tiny baby's sleeping face. Kiana moans softly. The cruelty. It feels so...delicious. She closes her eyes and savours the waves of pain rushing down the valley from the battle of the Kindred fortress. She does not notice the orc creeping silently up the rock behind her, a dagger clutched between his teeth. Or the second orc preparing to pounce upon her from the ledge above. Or the three arrows sailing out of the darkness toward her. Credits: Angels Of Darkness by Stormi V1 Catsuit from DAZ3D Hair by Koz