Astoria could hardly believe the words she was hearing… She stumbled backwards, unable to take the force with which her heart had begun pumping. ‘Oh god, I shouldn’t have chosen this form. Humans are too emotional.’ She maintained eye contact with Mark the entire time, not daring to look away.

‘I thought this would take a long time… I had already resolved myself to play him until he eventually fell for me… this is too soon, I didn’t prepare enough…’

Seeing the conflict raging within, Mark stepped forward before wrapping his arm around her waist. As he was fairly tall at around six feet he was forced to lean down slightly until their faces were inches apart.

“Astoria, I don’t know what it is about you…. but I can’t stop thinking about you.”

Each additional word caused Astoria’s heart to pound harder and harder…. To the point where she was panting and had tears forming at the edges of her eyes from the sudden pressure.

“I know you have been lonely… but now I am here for you.”

Unrestrained, tears began to flow from her eyes as she stared into Marks eyes. Compared to his previous dead expressions, he seemed like a completely different person. Normally Mark could be considered average looking in regards of his overall appearance. However, he never smiled for anyone. Right now, he smiled.

Astoria could hardly breathe, being cornered by her overacting emotions and the transformation Mark had gone through. He could give even some models a run for their money as his expressions exuded a grace which he normally lacked. His chiseled jaw finally fit as his dimples and nose aligned perfectly with the smile he displayed. He seemed so natural and confident that Astoria could hardly comprehend the moment he had started kissing her.

She closed her eyes as her entire world consisted of their intertwining tongues. Nothing else mattered, this is what she had always wanted. Being born from darkness, she had always wanted from the light and now she had it. Every other time she had tried, it- they had run away from fear. Each time had broken her conjured heart further and further.

The pit in her stomach that had slowly filled with negative emotions began to unravel as the two shared their emotions through their bodies.

At some point, he must have regenerated the remaining portion of his left arm as Astoria felt two hands begin to explore her body while she focused on their tongues.

Roaming completely free, they elicited moans from Astoria’s currently occupied mouth as she continued to fight Mark’s own for dominance….

The hands seemed to continue heading upwards, exploring every inch. The sensations had long since numbed Astoria’s sense of time as she lost herself to the emotions. Curving around her underdeveloped breasts, tracing their shape before reaching her collar bone. Caressing her soft skin before making his way to her shoulders and arms which her massaged gingerly as if to assure her everything would be alright. His hands lightly traced veins and muscles that comprised her neck before gently holding her head against his.

Lightly removing his lips from hers, a thin trail of saliva formed a temporary bridge between the two before breaking. Mark looked into Astoria’s misty eyes, as she struggled to see through the haze created by her repressed lust.

“Astoria, will you be mine?” The question seemed to reverberate throughout her entire being before she unashamedly poured her heart out to him.

“I am yours, do whatever you want with me. I belong to you and only you. Just as you belong to-” , her words were cut short as Mark once again locked their lips. This time she took the lead nearly making Mark gag as his mouth was invaded. None of this mattered as his hands resumed their exploration, dedicated to feel every inch of her body.

Slipping both his hands behind her back briefly, a flash of white brightened the cavern before once again being snuffed out by the darkness.

This time, as Mark’s hands passed over Astoria’s breasts, he took full advantage of her earlier statement and began to knead and fondle them to his heart's content, all the while working his way slowly back up her body.

Using his left hand to keep her breasts occupied, Mark’s right hand found its way around the back of Astoria’s neck to press their lips together even firmer.

By now a silent pressure had begun to build up inside Astoria as years of repressed feelings swarmed from the depths of her despair.

All the while, Mark’s right hand slipped something around the back of her neck.

*Click*

As the locking mechanism firmly enclosed the metal collar around Astoria’s neck, she fell to the floor spasming.

‘What's happening!?!?’

One moment she had been having the time of her life, finally able to release all her emotions, and the next she felt as if all her power was being drained.

Feeling around her neck, all she could feel was a rather thin metal band encircling her neck, with a small broken chain sticking out of the front. Whenever she tried to pull on it, her vision swam as her mind threatened unconsciousness.

Looking up towards Mark, who simply stood where they were previously engaged, she could see his masculine face, still smiling, as if he were enjoying this moment. However, there was a stark difference… His eyes had once again lost their luster, fading to the point of nearly being black as their green seemed to swallow all light.

Gritting her teeth, Astoria forced herself to speak through the pain.

“What did you do to me!??!”

At this, Mark’s smile grew…. His face lost the handsomeness that made even a millennium old being such as herself flustered, instead a demonically inspired monstrosity took its place.

“What do you mean dear.”

Mark seemed to be tasting the last word rather than speak it, while finding it absolutely detestable….

Through this short conversation, what little strength Astoria had remaining was beginning to falter as the color continued to drain her…. ‘At this rate, I won’t even be able to stand on my own…’

Throwing all caution to the wind, she began the process of abandoning the shell she had created… Winds tore at the space around her as her enormous soul tore through its bindings…. Only to find more in their place, with these being even stronger than the ones she had originally placed to keep herself anchored.

The bindings wrapped around her soul before resetting it inside the vessel known as Astoria.

….

…

……

Pure shock slowed her thoughts as she found herself unable to retaliate or escape, merely forced to sit and watch as she become a husk of her former self.

After she felt the last of her power slip through her metaphorical fingers, Mark once again decided to address her.

“That worked better than expected…” While speaking he worked his way around her arms and legs, fastening identical bands to that of her new collar. The first being her right arm, which seemed to make everything she felt become extremely sensitive. Even the luxury clothing she wore rubbing into her skin, made it feel as if someone had taken sandpaper and decided to test it on her flesh.

“Honestly, did you really think I was dumb enough to fall for the whole, ‘you wake up with the enemy but it turns out they saved you’ thing?”

Her left arm’s fastening seemed to slow her reaction time as she felt her body’s response to her own nerve impulses decrease significantly….

“Give me some credit, I may not look like it but I do have a brain….”

Her right legs anklet dulled her mind to the point where she felt as if she was drunk- an experience she had made sure to never repeat as last time it had resulted in an entire species becoming extinct.

“I am glad that you said the ghouls did it though… I figured they would provide a decent amount of FMP for what I needed…..”

While the remaining anklet seemed to cast additional bindings on her soul and body, forcing it to compress and leaving no room for movement whatsoever.

“Seriously, this is your own fault. This whole contraption only works if the recipient is completely willing. Kinda ironic dontcha think? You need permission from someone to enslave them- HA!”

At this Mark busts out laughing, completely oblivious to the fact that Astoria could hardly follow the conversation with her restraints…

“They were a bit pricey, but I have no doubt they were the only way I could get you. I mean, how in the world are you supposed to fight a black hole? Shoot it? Stab it? Hell naw.” He shook his head before looking into Astoria’s unfocused eyes, “Either way, you are going to help me bring Aiyla back. There's no way she's gone, or I would have gotten another message like the last time out link was severed. Think of this as punishment for ever thinking of harming her, she will be the one to judge you not me. In the meantime I will keep you close so don’t even dream of escaping….” At this Mark pulls a tiny black box from his pocket before pressing a red button towards the lower end of the remote.

Astoria’s still form spasms once again as an unknown energy rampages through her unprotected body, it doesn’t stop until a full minute later, through which drool had pooled below her head, mixed with tears of pain.

“That was just a taste of what these babies can do.” Mark laughed, knowing full well it had been an amazing purchase.

Love Choker

7500 - FMP

Devotion

Created by a race of lovers, requires the permission of the recipient before it can be used. Puts the recipient at complete mercy of their partner by draining their power to fuel the strength of the Choker. Only the one that put the Choker on has the ability to remove it. Degree of control retained after putting on the choker will depend on your partner. WARNING: Do not give your trust easily, this will last for your entire life should you chose the wrong partner. -- These guys had some weird fetishes. -- Part of a set 1/5.

Band of Hypersensitivity

1000 - FMP

Devotion

Developed in the hopes of making their experiences together more memorable, the band of hypersensitivity will increase all stimuli to the point of making normally comfortable things extremely painful. It can also help to reduce pain felt by first timers, controlled through the provided remote. -- Requires a Love Choker to function. -- Part of a set 1/5.

Band of Altered Reception

1000 - FMP

Devotion

For those that like to take things slow, this will allow a couple to go at a pace both will enjoy as one is altered to see things the way they want. Can also speed up the speeds at which things are done, although that is a rather risky option. -- Requires a Love Choker to function. -- Part of a set 1/5.

Anklet of Poor Judgement

1000 - FMP

Devotion

If anyone has issues getting drunk enough to see your partner as attractive, this is the item for you! Completely clouds judgement depending on your settings, no adverse side effects although it is not advised to completely dim your thoughts.... that might lead to some rather regretful memories. -- Requires a love choker to function. -- Part of a set 1/5.

Anklet of Spirit Suffocation.

1000 - FMP

Devotion

Have issues controlling a vessel while going through the motions? Then this is the accessory for you! The Anklet of Spirit Suffocation will keep your soul stabilized and completely immobile letting you have all the fun you want without the tiring exercise of constantly forcing down your soul! -- Requires a love choker to function. -- Part of a set 1/5.

Although it had been rather embarrassing when the system asked to verify his age, and when it asked if he wanted discreet packaging to avoid awkward circumstances….

Either way, it was difficult to find this thing. Luckily the massacre of the ghouls gave me just enough to get everything… If needed I could've gone without one or two accessories for the time being, but I would rather be safe than sorry….

After the fifth piece of the set had clicked into place, the previously broken chain on the main choker glowed an ethereal purple before turning transparent and extending all the way to Mark, entering into his chest. As he moved away from Astoria, the chain lengthened accordingly per their design, as they were able to function completely unhindered by distance. Not even death could sever the chain as it was supposed to anchor to his own soul….

Walking back towards Astoria’s still limp form, he quickly picks her up by her thin waist before proceeding to carry her like a sack all the way to the entrance of the tower…. Which now that he thought about it, was quite strange…. From beginning to end, he had never turned a corner, always heading straight towards his destination. It was almost as if the tower guided him to wherever he wished to go as long as he willed it.

Dispelling that train of thought, Mark heaves open the enormous doors before being greeted by the same monotonously grey expanse as before. Looking up towards Astoria’s true form revealed it to be inert, all the objects pulled into it continued to be absorbed but at a noticeably decreased pace. There was also, five ethereal rings orbiting the black hole, creating a sphere inside of each other as they were smaller than the one after it. Good to know that even her main body is affected.

Taking a deep breath, Mark cleared that issue from his mind before confidently strolling forward, ready to return to the grey portal should it still be near the petrified forest.

As soon as Astoria’s body had passed through the doorway, the entire tower began to quake, causing the surroundings to shake as it slowly began to shrink. Before long, the tower had decreased from a few hundred feet, to only a hundred…. To less than 50… and eventually settling into the shape of a ring with a pearly white rook resting on the top.

In the time it had taken to shrink, I had booked it, running as far as I could lest it topple and fall on me, or some other unfortunate circumstance that would instantly end my life.

However as it settled I made my way back to where the tower had once rested, before picking up the ring….

Tower of the Damned: Ascended

An extremely powerful dimensional storage ring. Over time it has absorbed the souls of countless users giving it the ability to manifest into the real world as a nearly indestructible tower, built to its owners preferences.

Its strength and size depends on its owner's soul as well as any sacrifices given to fuel its growth.

Current owner: Astoria Voidheart

As Astoria Voidheart now belongs to you, so do all of her possessions..... Authority overwritten...

The ring briefly flashed before liquifying and flowing over my other spatial ring…. As I watched, my poor spatial ring was completely devoured before the same ring as before rested on my ring finger, however now it was a solid black, with red light pouring out of the tiny windows etched into the sides. Passing my hand over the rook portion of the ring showed it to be an illusion conjured by the ring, so it shouldn’t get in the way of any of my movements.

The same headache as before appeared before quickly receding, this time leaving a strong mental connection with the ring on my hand…. Interesting, so the grade of the ring is what caused that extreme migraine before? These things are definitely like drugs, no doubt.

As the connection settled all the objects in my old ring flashed into existence before being violently ejected around the area. Sighing, I could only resolve myself to spending another hour picking up all the souvenirs I had collected over the past few days…. From the various clean skulls I had found, to… SCOTT AND JESSY! Shit I am so sorry guys, I completely forgot about you guys!

I had them on my back when I was transported here, I am just glad I had enough hindsight to put them in my ring. Although it had been cramped with all the stuff already in the ring, it was better than leaving them behind.

For all intents and purposes, that was much better than forcing them to experience some of the things I had to, the past few days.

With all my stuff gathered into my new and improved spatial ring, I secured Astoria on my shoulder before making my way towards the portal.

It was time to head back.