I know my place in the scheme of things.

My head throbs, so little sleep, but the glory of the sound of His voice again! Baring my breast, He blesses me with another flash of His lightning, a burning reward and a blistering reminder... My scream tears through the early morn, "More, Lord, devour my soul and feed me with Your will!"

The dogs of Shalonesti hold a centuries-old grudge and for this, they ambushed our Matron. They beat her senseless, dragging her, tossing her already frail body into their hell-hole of a prison with as much care as you'd show a sack of grain. Cuffed, gagged, bone broken -- oh I know, alright, I examined her when she was returned to the Stronghold. Self-inflicted wounds? I laugh, I spit in your faces, disgusting dogs. Her wrists were raw, she bore dark welling bruises all over, and was pale from loss of blood well beyond that of childbirth.

And the child. Darkness bless this infant, for his chances of survival are slim. He cries not, his lungs are too weak. I've seen it before, birthed far too early, only one in three like this can survive--and that when the birth takes place tended in a proper bed instead of on a foul, filthy prison floor. Give me our most litter-filled alley any day.

And now our Master escapes, laughing at their ineptitude and folly. But this is hardly the end. Their new queen ripe with pride, the pinnacle of inbreeding and so many years of arrogance and comfort, has only just begun to test her authority. Their warriors and archers have grown fat on swagger served with superiority--and they think us weak and easy prey. I laugh again, my head tossed back, a roaring cackle echoing against the cold stone walls of my retreat. And I pray, fervently, spittle running down my chin and tears falling to the floor mixing with the blood from my knees as I crawl and grovel,

"My Lord Mencius, nourish our souls with Rage to fertilize the soil for Fatale who in turn will build pyres of flesh for Dragoth, while Devion dances around it all to the delight of Drakkara and with the solemn approval of Necrucifer."

I have a messenge from Mencius.