Dohalim simply had to ask himself - what kind of a sick joke was this? His eyes skimmed the letter's contents a second time, then a third. He kept thinking his vision was deceiving him, but alas, the words didn't change no matter how hard he looked at them.

"Kelzalik." He held out the piece of paper to his trusty advisor. "Just what is the meaning of this absurdity?"

Kelzalik bowed and took the letter, reading over it for himself. "My Lord, it would appear that Lord Almeidrea's work has come to fruition."

"That's exactly the problem." Dohalim slammed his fist on the arm of his throne. He wore a disapproving frown. "She experimented on human beings to create some hybrid abomination. No person, whether Renan or Dahnan, should be used for such a vile purpose. To have your body tampered with like a rat in a lab…"

Kelzalik couldn't agree with that mindset. Renan's were always taught that Dahnans were nothing but weak slaves to be used. Dohalim just happened to be one of the exceptions to the norm. To the advisor's dismay, he wouldn't even partake in the Crown Contest. To him, Lord Dohalim held no ambition - no purpose. He ruled with benevolence, and he treated his people as equals. He didn't even harvest their astral energy. So to Kelzalik, the news of Almeidrea's work was thrilling.

"M-my Lord," the bespectacled man spoke up, "it says here that Lord Almeidrea wishes to show her fellow Lords her latest work."

"No doubt a ploy to spark interest in her experiments that everyone notoriously laughed at in the past."

Dohalim sighed, lightly rubbing his temple with his fingers as he thought it over. He had no interest in such things. The mere thought of creating human-zeugle hybrids sickened him. But at the same time, he wished to meet the poor soul, and perhaps even offer them refuge from Almeidrea's cruelty. That is, if the hybrid still showed any humanity left.

"What will you do, my Lord?" Kelzalik's question broke the silence in the chamber.

Dohalim looked over at him. "I will accept Almeidrea's generous invitation. In fact, I wish to see her hybrid in action. The training grounds here can be cleared out for a demonstration."

The man stood from his throne, walking briskly to his quarters so that he may write a letter with his response. As much as he wanted to avoid the other Lords, and as much as he loathed having them there in his realm, he needed to see just what Almeidrea had created.

~~~~~

Everything was a blur. Asha snapped her eyes open to be met with the metal bars of her cage. As many times as she tried to remember, her earliest memory was waking up behind those bars. As far as she could recall, her life had always been like that. She'd always served Lord Almeidrea. She'd always looked different and had this beastly power inside her. She'd always worn that uncomfortable collar around her neck. That was her life, or at least, she believed it was.

Asha had lovely fair skin, and long hair as black as night. Her right eye was a vibrant green, but her bangs concealed an unnaturally blood-red left eye. She had small dark horns sprouting from under her hair, curving back slightly. Purple scales trailed from the nape of her neck, down her spine, and to a long reptilian tail. She was wearing rags at the moment, just something to count as clothing to cover her.

The clicking of heels echoed through the room, and upon looking up, Asha met the crazed grin of her master. "Good news, my fellow Lords are finally taking my work seriously. All because of your success, Asha. My perfect hybrid." She stuck a key into the lock, twisting it and swinging the cage door open. "Come. You need to look presentable for your audience."

Asha followed without question. She sat through a thorough washing, then was dressed in a dark blue bodysuit with silver accents. It had long sleeves and hugged her body. Her legs were bare, and it was open in the back to allow room for her scales and tail. Speaking of her tail, it was decorated with silver bands and a dagger-like blade on the tip. Silver cuffs with dangling jewels were slipped onto her horns, and anklets of a similar style adorned her bare feet. Her hair was braided so it wouldn't get in the way, and as always, she had on her thick metal collar. And lastly, a cloak and hood were fastened around her to hide her from the public eye.

Just as Almeidrea was finishing up with the last touches, Asha spoke up to ask, "My Lord, what is it that I must do?"

It wasn't often that the hybrid spoke, but her voice was light and calm, unbefitting her monstrous appearance.

"You need only do as I command," the Lord replied. "We're going to Elde Menancia to show the other Lords what you can do. Dohalim is hosting a banquet and giving us a place where you'll show off your true power." She lightly took Asha by the jaw, a smirk on her face. "You're going to prove to them all that my research wasn't for nothing. So, make me proud, Asha…or else."

She released her, and the hybrid simply stood there obediently. The name Dohalim sounded vaguely familiar to her. It left her brain in a state of confusion as she delved into as many fragmented memories as possible. Despite her hard thinking, nothing turned up. She couldn't remember anyone named Dohalim. Even so, the name alone would nag her for a while, she could already tell. All she could do was tuck the thought away for now.

Asha bowed her head to her master. "As you wish, my Lord."