((Potential squick warning for body horror starting here))
Jordan's eyes felt gummy and stale in the way that they did after a long and restless sleep. The light hanging overhead was bright, too bright, and he squeezed his eyelids shut again hastily. Where was he? He didn't remember anything after the desert, after -
"Buon. Observe. The subject is now recovering from sedation," a low, scratchy, accented voice sounded somewhere nearby. "When your specimen awakens, it can be expected to be disoriented and confused. It will not yet struggle. Use this time to ascertain that it is securely bound, as excessive struggling will make your task more difficult."
In spite of the brightness, Jordan's eyes jerked open again. He squinted, eyes watering, and spotted a tall, thin, robed figure beyond the circle of the spotlight. He became aware that his arms and legs were stretched out and fastened securely with leather straps to the table he lay on. The figure reached towards his face, and he instinctively recoiled, only to find that another strap was fastened snugly across his forehead, keeping his head still.
"There, it has realized it is unable to move. When performing a procedure with the specimen conscious, you will be able to harvest much Fear. This is one of many reasons that you may wish to allow your subject to regain its senses before you begin." The figure patted his cheek, the gesture oddly avuncular, in contrast to its clinical tone.
Its cool, clawed hand withdrew, and it picked up something that flashed silver in the glare of the light. "I have marked out the initial incisions on its skin," it continued. "Attend closely. Mark your diagrams as you observe. Once you have demonstrated that you are sufficiently familiar with the procedures, you may be permitted to assist and eventually, perhaps, to experiment."
Jordan flinched as the cold point of a scalpel settled on his sternum. He pulled at the restraints, and his eyes darted frantically, searching for some way out, some weakness in the bindings that held him. He found none. Beyond the circle of brilliant light that pinned him on the board, he could barely make out tiers of tables, figures shifting occasionally behind them, light glinting from many pairs of eyes.
No way out, no way to protect himself; whatever they had done to him had left a void where Ferros was supposed to be, an echoing silence where he had grown accustomed to the dragon's heavy presence. Ferros, he called uselessly into the emptiness.
The blade was well sharpened, and the first few slices hurt very little. Distantly, he heard the creature that was beginning to take him apart say, "As the pain increases, the specimen will flinch. Its muscles will twitch and tremble. This is unavoidable. You must be quick and accurate." Claws settled lightly onto the incision as it began to sting, his body finally realizing that it had been laid open. Jordan clamped his teeth together, but he was unable to keep from whining as the creature took hold of his skin and began to peel.
The creature talked over the noises, explaining patiently as it uncovered layers and pinned muscle back to reveal organs. Something happened in Jordan's head. He closed his eyes and listened with detached interest. He could hear someone screaming, a hoarse ragged sound, but it wasn't important, except where it interrupted the lecture. Eventually, he realized it was himself.
Jordan's eyes felt gummy and stale in the way that they did after a long and restless sleep. The light hanging overhead was bright, too bright, and he squeezed his eyelids shut again hastily. Where was he? He didn't remember anything after the desert, after -
"Buon. Observe. The subject is now recovering from sedation," a low, scratchy, accented voice sounded somewhere nearby. "When your specimen awakens, it can be expected to be disoriented and confused. It will not yet struggle. Use this time to ascertain that it is securely bound, as excessive struggling will make your task more difficult."
In spite of the brightness, Jordan's eyes jerked open again. He squinted, eyes watering, and spotted a tall, thin, robed figure beyond the circle of the spotlight. He became aware that his arms and legs were stretched out and fastened securely with leather straps to the table he lay on. The figure reached towards his face, and he instinctively recoiled, only to find that another strap was fastened snugly across his forehead, keeping his head still.
"There, it has realized it is unable to move. When performing a procedure with the specimen conscious, you will be able to harvest much Fear. This is one of many reasons that you may wish to allow your subject to regain its senses before you begin." The figure patted his cheek, the gesture oddly avuncular, in contrast to its clinical tone.
Its cool, clawed hand withdrew, and it picked up something that flashed silver in the glare of the light. "I have marked out the initial incisions on its skin," it continued. "Attend closely. Mark your diagrams as you observe. Once you have demonstrated that you are sufficiently familiar with the procedures, you may be permitted to assist and eventually, perhaps, to experiment."
Jordan flinched as the cold point of a scalpel settled on his sternum. He pulled at the restraints, and his eyes darted frantically, searching for some way out, some weakness in the bindings that held him. He found none. Beyond the circle of brilliant light that pinned him on the board, he could barely make out tiers of tables, figures shifting occasionally behind them, light glinting from many pairs of eyes.
No way out, no way to protect himself; whatever they had done to him had left a void where Ferros was supposed to be, an echoing silence where he had grown accustomed to the dragon's heavy presence. Ferros, he called uselessly into the emptiness.
The blade was well sharpened, and the first few slices hurt very little. Distantly, he heard the creature that was beginning to take him apart say, "As the pain increases, the specimen will flinch. Its muscles will twitch and tremble. This is unavoidable. You must be quick and accurate." Claws settled lightly onto the incision as it began to sting, his body finally realizing that it had been laid open. Jordan clamped his teeth together, but he was unable to keep from whining as the creature took hold of his skin and began to peel.
The creature talked over the noises, explaining patiently as it uncovered layers and pinned muscle back to reveal organs. Something happened in Jordan's head. He closed his eyes and listened with detached interest. He could hear someone screaming, a hoarse ragged sound, but it wasn't important, except where it interrupted the lecture. Eventually, he realized it was himself.
