Laz finished his drink after setting the lyre down by his side, wondering just why he had thought of that song. It wasn’t a dirge, but the way it was sung could be considered as one. It wasn’t a mourning song either, but more like a echoing cry of war. Laz wasn’t even sure where he had heard it, but it was something that stuck with him for some reason. Laz had lost people, Kat being the closest one to him. And her death had haunted him, time and time again. But he was beginning to heal from it, to move on. He had worked things through in his mind, made peace with his mistakes. And now... death was more like a traveler on the same road, one that he encountered from time to time and yet who never stayed long, much to his luck. It was a familiar presence, even if it wasn’t a welcomed one.

So why did that song come to his mind? Out of all of the others he had ever heard in his life?

"Not a fucking clue," Laz answered himself out loud, deciding it was better to get out of his own head, the lament having ended and his own mood seeming to have improved.

"Was there something lacking from us?" The woman asked, putting away her instrument as they were collected and brought back outside.

"Hmm? No. It was good. A sending. An echoing cry. Exactly the kind of song one should use to send off the souls of warriors," Laz said as another drink was delivered to him.

"I’m glad you approve," She said, her black eyes fixated on him as she stood next to him again, her hips swaying a bit as she moved.

"So who are you and what do you want?" Laz asked, not even a shred of pleasantry in his voice. They had asked to be here and had wanted nothing for serving the rather stoic and rude slaves drinks, not something even a free woman would have normally done since slaves were seen as less than human no matter what the circumstances. Even worse was that they were currently occupying a tent meant for service men and drinking liquor meant for officers with money stolen from said officers. They fact that they hadn’t been rounded up and killed seemed to have been some sort of oversight that would soon need to be corrected. Anyone near them would have normally feared getting caught up in the mess and yet these women wanted to be here.

"My name is rather long and hard to pronounce with your human tongues so I just go by Nesha. As for what we want... well... the bloodlust and sorrow radiating off of you and your men is like a divine scent to us... so we wanted to see just what kind of men you are. And being around you is much more pleasant than the normal men we encounter so we figured we would stay for a while until they come to collect your heads," Nesha said with a laugh, showing she clearly knew their situation but didn’t much care either.

"So be it. Sit and talk then. Jacob.... hasn’t really been saying much for a while now..." Laz said, pointing at the arm across from him.

"I would hate to intrude..."

"I doubt he will complain. Sit." Laz said, kicking out the chair next to him as she then smile and sat down.

"Don’t mind if I do," Nesha responded as one of the younger girls then brought her her own drink. It seemed that several of them were already sitting while others were still standing and waiting, either for an invite or to be told to piss off. Each of the slaves seemed to accept these women being here and serving them since Laz gave them the ok, but as for inviting them for a drink, some did and some weren’t ready yet, something unusual for these normally very healthy and horny men. If the woman was invited to sit, she was then given a drink. Until then, they didn’t take any of the booze Laz had ’purchased.’

"So.... what’s your race called? Don’t think I’ve seen your kind before? At least... not something from recent memory," Laz said, thinking that their red skin and horns seemed familiar yet not, at least not something he had seen since being here.

"You’ve lived in this capital city all your life?" Nesha asked, probing.

"No. Just got here a few months ago now, I think? Before then I came from ... outside," Laz answered honestly causing Nesha to choke and spit the liquor from her mouth which actually ended up in Laz’s face.

"Was it something I said?" Laz complained as he wiped off his face.

"You came from the outside?" Nesha asked, her eyes alight and her horns glowed, although it seemed rather faint enough for Laz to question if he was seeing it right.

"Yes. Seems you know about where you are huh?" Laz had left his words ambiguous as to not give away too much, but she was able to read them for what they were.

"Yes... The elders speak of it... but it’s not something you should tell people. Ever... And as for your question, we have many names, but you humans mostly refer to us as the demon race although we’ve never understood why. When the Emperor brought his people here, my ancestors were guards they had hired to escort them from what I’m told. Once inside, our people were prepared to leave, but the Emperor sealed the entrance and there was no way for us to leave. Apparently it was to keep the location of this pocket dimension safe or something, I’m not too sure. Either way, it was the Empress who granted us the Islands in the west that we currently occupy as our own and the Empire has mostly stayed away from out territory despite them having it out with every other kingdom here every couple hundred years. So we enjoy roaming the mainland as bards and mercenaries, keeping to the original lifestyle our ancestors had. Since the call has gone out for warriors, our people have answered. My mercenary group just happened to arrive here early while others are still making their way over. Didn’t expect the Emperor himself would issue a call like this..." Nesha said, taking a drink.

"That’s cause even he was injured and forced to fall back," Laz responded, causing Nesha to again spit her drink right in his face.

"This some sort of tradition that I don’t know about?"

"That’s impossible. The Emperor.... is the god in this place. What the hell in this world could threaten him?"

"Something from outside this world, naturally."

"And you know what that is?" Nesha seemed really, really excited now as she slid closer to Laz, bringing her chair close enough to the point that her leather bound leg was resting right next to his.

"...?"

"What?"

"You seem very interested in this?"

"No. No... of course not. But... I mean... something stronger than the great Emperor would be... disastrous to this world..." Nesha was stumbling over her words and it looked like she was physically pained to have called him the great Emperor. But that wasn’t enough for Laz to let slip anything more than what he already did. He wasn’t about to trust this woman with any information that could cause him problems, especially if she was on the side of the emperor and just acting otherwise.

"Right. Not really something a slave like me knows. Perhaps talking to an officer would get you more information?" Laz suggested coldly, but it ended up having the opposite effect as she physically got closer to him, her shoulder rubbing against his.

"You must really be from outside this pocket dimension if you think anyone in power in this empire wants anything to do with my people. If it wasn’t for the Empress, we would have been wiped out a long time ago. Our red skin and horns are generally hated by those who despise anything but pure humans and that’s most of the ruling family. If they didn’t need the help back in the day, there was no way the emperor would have hired my ancestors. There are a few other lines like our in this world, but I would be willing to be you’ve never seen any of them in that city, did you?"

"You have a point. Then why exactly are you here if you’re so hated?" Laz asked again, despite the answer he got earlier.

"Like I said, there was a summons. And as a mercenary company, we responded. Of course there is another reason as well. My people aren’t exactly able to birthed men... and the ones who are born are only slightly different from women. So we have a problem of needing men to help continue our line. The problem is that besides being taboo to the Empire’s people, sex with us is also dangerous and has a tendency to end with the death of the man. From what I know, there were plenty of races who could survive mating back in the great empires that used to span the stars, but here... in this place? Barely one in a hundred survive. So... we are forced to either accept those who are already dying or those who have nothing to lose, like solders in wars. We sign up to fight and are allowed to seduce any men we like as payment. But even then, we would prefer strong ones who are brimming with life and strength. Hence..."

"Hence why several of your comrades have already left with several of my group?" Laz finished for her, pointing out that he had been paying attention to what was happening.

"Yep. Since many of them are already thinking they will be killed, why not have a little fun before you go? What’s more, their names are tattooed on the bodies of the woman they sleep with to commemorate their sacrifice towards keeping our line alive. After the women conceive, they are sent back to the island to give birth and new recruits are sent to us to learn how to fight and seduce. And once the women give birth and heal, they come back to the field to repeat the process."

"What an interesting way to live. Reminds me of a fictional race of women from lore called Amazons who only had daughters and had to capture men as slaves to reproduce. Of course, if a son was born, he was killed..." Laz said, thinking back to some things he had read when he was younger.

"If boys could be birthed, why would they bothering killing them?" Nesha asked.

"Like I said, fictional race. Anyway. Makes sense. Feel free to seduce as many of them as you want. I doubt we will even be put back on the field anyway after this mess. And if we are, it will only be as sacrifices anyway. So I guess it’s not a bad way to die," Laz said after understanding. He then raised his glass in a toast to Nesha and her people. She lifted her cup and banged it on his in return before taking a large drink herself.

When they both set their cups down, a woman came over and refilled them.

"So are you interested? The life force and energy that’s brimming within you is... divine. I can personally promise you any woman here that you want. The ones pouring the drinks are all virgins... and I know some of you prefer that. The ones serving them are all at least one time mothers and instructors who are incredibly skilled. What’s more, you can be as violent with them as you want and I promise you it will just turn them on more. Finally the ones sitting and seducing are all skilled although not yet blessed with offspring as just one mating doesn’t guarantee conception. They will still give you a night you will never forget." Nesha said, as though offering a sales pitch.

"And what about you?" Laz asked, half amused. He wasn’t exactly in the mood for this, but since he was just waiting for the enforcers to show up, he figured it was a good way to waste time.

"I... uh..." Nesha started to hesitate when one of the serving demon women came over.

"She’s had some experience, but it’s best for you to choose someone else sir. I would be more than willing to do anything you desire?" The woman said, pulling down the hem of her leather armor to expose her massive breasts while her long, snake like tongue licked her lips, offering things Laz could only dream of. Laz had to admit that she, like every one of her companions, offered a dangerous sort of exotic vibe. Their armor was protective and not revealing in the least, but since it was skin tight it showed curves that seemed ridiculous in proportion for a female warrior.

"Oh? And why would she not be a good choice?" Laz said, giving the woman a wink before turning back to Nesha.

"Because... The few times I’ve been chosen, the men all died even before they could deliver their seed..." Nesha admitted.

"She’s a good girl, an amazing fighter and the daughter of our current matriarch, but... her poison is so deadly time after time that she only has one more chance before she will be recalled to stay on the island and raise the young as she would be too dangerous for our race to keep sending out. We don’t exactly have many men lining up to mate with us so we can’t waste even one of them..." The serving woman said, a look of pity on her face.

"ALL THOSE GATHERED WITHIN. YOU ARE TO EXIT THE TENT IN THE NEXT TEN SECONDS OR WE WILL SET FIRE TO IT AND KILL EVERY ONE OF YOU TRAITORS!" A loud voice suddenly sounded throughout the tent.