In the dead of night, while silence reigned supreme, two men violently dragged Darfredon from his sleep. A punch, delivered by Opiter, struck him immediately and tore him completely out of the fading remnants of his dream. Pain forced a rough groan from his throat, but it was above all the arrogant tone of his attacker that brought him fully back to consciousness.
- Get up, you lazy bastard! It's time you paid for your insolence. Agrippa and I have decided that tonight, you'll finally offer us the apologies you owe us.
Without giving him the slightest chance to recover, the two men each grabbed one of his arms and dragged him out of the cell. Still half-conscious, Darfredon stumbled along, casting a sideways glance at the damp stone walls sliding past him. They led him down a narrow corridor, then into a hidden room deep beneath the manor.
The air there was suffocating. A stench of rotting flesh mixed with the metallic tang of dried blood assaulted his nostrils. Torches fixed to the walls cast a flickering glow that only deepened the darkness of the place. The floor still bore the marks of past fights: dark splatters, deep gouges, as if the stones themselves had suffered.
The two guards threw him roughly into the center of the room. The door slammed shut behind them, and they made sure no witnesses had followed. A heavy silence closed in.
Agrippa grabbed Darfredon by the collar and forced him upright. The fallen angel, far from intimidated, curled his lips into a predatory grin.
- Wahahahaha… And what exactly do you think you can do to me?
His laughter echoed through the room like a deliberate provocation.
- For starters, you're going to stop laughing at us!
Agrippa spat, slamming his fist into Darfredon's stomach. Darfredon doubled over from the impact and collapsed to the floor, his lips still twisted in a defiant smile. Already, Agrippa hauled him back up, breathing hard, his eyes burning with barely restrained rage.
- On your feet, vermin… and apologize, or I'll make you regret still being alive.
- Wahahaha… wahahaha… oh, how terrified I am! Two pathetic worms who think they can actually hurt me… wahahaha!
His mocking laughter rang out, unbearable. Both men, seething with fury, began beating him in turn. Darfredon kept laughing between groans of pain, as if every blow were nothing more than another challenge.
Suddenly, knocks echoed against the door. Opiter and Agrippa froze, exchanging a startled glance. More knocks followed, accompanied by a soft female voice.
- Excuse us, gentlemen… for disturbing you. We would like to speak with you in private.
- Get out of here, we're busy!
Opiter snapped, convinced that no one could possibly have followed them. But another female voice, far more seductive, answered him immediately.
- Come now… I'm sure you can spare a little time to have some fun with three young women… as wicked as they are charming.
The two guards exchanged another hesitant glance. Should they open the door? Drive them away? Their thoughts were cut short by a third voice, sharper and colder.
- Enough, Megaera… stop teasing them. You can see they don't want to have fun with us.
That last remark made their suspicion waver. Despite themselves, intrigued and tempted, Agrippa and Opiter rushed to the door and opened it almost simultaneously.
Standing before them were three young women dressed in refined Roman gowns, each bearing a style that betrayed her true nature. The blonde, Megaera, stepped forward first. Already under her spell, Agrippa let her delicate fingers caress his chin. She then pressed a kiss to his lips, a mischievous smile curling at the corners of her mouth.
- Thank you for opening the door for us…
Opiter, witnessing the scene, felt jealousy surge within him. But before he could react, another of the women—dark-haired, her gaze burning—stepped closer and whispered softly.
- I can see you enjoy staring at my sister… but come here, handsome. My lips are longing for you.
Without resistance, Opiter let himself be ensnared by Tisiphone, who kissed him with fierce intensity. But his movement stopped abruptly when he saw the third sister—a red-haired woman with gleaming eyes—approach Darfredon, still marked by the beating. Driven by a possessive impulse, he shoved Tisiphone aside and barked jealously.
- Oh no, beautiful… he doesn't deserve you! Come closer to me instead. I'll take good care of both of you.
The redhead—Alecto—curved her lips into an icy smile. She dropped the seductive mask, her voice turning sharp, almost accusatory.
- I would say instead that it is you two who do not deserve us. For we are the Erinyes. And you have broken the first rule of Charognard: when a conflict arises with a man of worth, it must be settled in the arena… not in the shadows of these walls. And what do we see here? A man on the ground, beaten like a common slave by your fists.
- So what? What do you think you're going to do about it? You—so-called "Erinyes"?! Hahaha!
Opiter laughed, swollen with his illusion of superiority.
He didn't have time to laugh any longer. Tisiphone suddenly drove her knee into his stomach, folding him in half and sending him crashing to the ground. Shocked, Agrippa tried to intervene to support his companion, but Megaera immediately stepped in front of him. With a sharp backhand, she smashed his face against the door. The impact was so violent that he collapsed as well, blood spilling from his lips.
Both men lay on the floor, gasping, unable to react.
In the heavy silence that followed, Tisiphone stepped toward Darfredon and extended her hand to help him up. Alecto, impassive, then spoke in a cold voice.
- We've heard a lot about you, Darfredon. You're quite handsome for a man… but I thought you were more powerful than this.
- I let them hit me for fun, nothing more," Darfredon replied with a mocking smile. "Alecto… I too have heard a lot about the three of you.
At those words, the two guards staggered back to their feet. Drawing their weapons, they lunged at Megaera and seized her as a hostage. The young woman did not resist. She remained perfectly still, her gaze calm, as if nothing about the situation worried her.
Opiter, his face twisted with rage, shouted furiously:
- YOU'RE GOING TO REGRET THIS!
- Regret what? Megaera replied mockingly. For watching you beat someone like mindless brutes?
- Shut up! You're not strong enough to face us! And if your sisters move, I'll slit your throat!
Megaera's lips curved into an icy smile.
- Very well… my dear sisters, don't move. I'll deal with these two miserable wretches myself.
The guards burst out laughing—
but their laughter died almost instantly.
In a blur of motion, Megaera broke free from their grip and counterattacked. With feline agility, she deflected their blows, disarmed them within seconds, and slammed them violently to the ground.
Once both men were defeated, Megaera picked up one of the weapons and aimed it at Agrippa. Tisiphone immediately intervened.
- No. I don't think Death would appreciate you executing a citizen of Charognard.
- If he knows nothing about it, he won't notice, Megaera replied coldly.
- I said no, Megaera.
Alecto snapped, already heading for the exit while dragging Darfredon along with her.
Megaera sighed, then released Agrippa with contempt. As she walked away, she whispered to him in a disappointed tone:
- Such a shame… you would have made a pretty corpse.
Her icy words unsettled the two guards, who began to tremble despite themselves.
Tisiphone forced Opiter back onto his feet. Exhausted by their defeat, the two men staggered forward, still hurling insults at the three sisters—calling them monsters and whores. But their bravado was nothing more than a mask; fear clouded their eyes.
Along the way, Opiter, drunk on rage, spat in Megaera's face.
The Erinys stopped dead in her tracks, her eyes blazing. Without a word, she shoved Agrippa violently to the ground, then seized Opiter by the jaw. Her iron fingers forced his mouth open.
- Consider yourself lucky that my sisters are here to restrain my urge to kill… But I won't kill you. No— that would be too easy. I prefer to break you slowly, to make you scream until the very end. And for your insolence… you're going to kiss your friend.
She released him abruptly. Amused, Tisiphone took over the provocation and shoved Opiter toward Agrippa, who was barely managing to stand. A cruel smile spread across her lips.
- Come on… a little kiss, right in front of us.
Both men resisted, their faces rigid with defiance. But Megaera stepped forward, grabbed Opiter by the hair, and let her hand slide down to his crotch.
- Don't make things worse for yourself… or I'll show you exactly how I make men like you bark.
Alecto, who had remained silent until now, let out a soft laugh, her voice slow and venomous, like a poisonous caress.
- Heehee… I strongly suggest you obey.
Terror clouded Opiter's eyes. Feeling Megaera's cruel grip tighten around his intimacy, he shut his eyes and, forced, slowly leaned toward Agrippa. The latter stiffened, refusing at first to give in—
until Megaera leaned close and whispered hot, poisonous breath into his ear.
- You too… make an effort. Otherwise, I'll make you bark like a dog.
Agrippa broke. He kissed his companion by force, a heavy, lingering kiss, like that of two lovers. The two men, shame carved deep into their faces, felt utterly annihilated before the three sisters, who burst into laughter and applauded them, mockingly congratulating them on their "first real kiss as men."
- Very good… it looks like we have an excellent start to your education, Megaera exclaimed, patting the men's backs.
Disgusted, they tried to break their embrace, pulling their heads back slightly. But Megaera immediately forced them closer again, her firm hands gripping their faces.
- I didn't tell you to stop. Go on… I know you're enjoying it. Keep kissing.
Trembling, the two guards obeyed and prolonged their humiliating exchange. Their lips pressed together again, their tongues entwining under the cruel laughter of the Erinyes.
- You're right, sister, Tisiphone added mockingly, while squeezing one of the men's buttocks. Look at them… it seems they're starting to enjoy it. Maybe we could go even further.
- Not so fast, Megaera replied with a wicked smile. Everything in its own time. Alright… boys, you may stop.
The two men finally separated, their faces flushed with shame and restrained rage. Broken, they no longer dared attempt any act of rebellion.
- Good… my little dogs, Megaera said cruelly. You've had your first lesson. Now you're going to follow us—nicely.
With a sharp gesture, she ordered them to move.
The three sisters calmly made their way toward the massive doors of Death's manor, followed by Darfredon and the two still-trembling guards.
Inside, Alecto approached one of the palace guards and addressed him with a confident voice.
- Good evening, Marcus. Is Crassus available? We would like to see him—we're bringing back two impostors.
Marcus exchanged a glance with a young soldier who had just appeared in the corridor. The older guard motioned for him to step closer.
- What is it, Marcus? the young man asked.
- Have you seen Crassus?
- Yes. He is in his daughter's chamber. He made it very clear that he does not wish to be disturbed.
Marcus nodded gravely.
- In that case, escort our guests to the Hall of Judgment. As for you, Alecto… come with me. I am certain Crassus will want you to keep his daughter company while we pass judgment on these two men.
For a brief moment, Alecto turned toward her sisters… and her gaze lingered especially on Darfredon, as if she were trying to probe something deep within him. Then, without a word, she followed Marcus toward the chambers of the little Reaper.
Meanwhile, the young soldier, Quintus, gestured for the others to follow him. With brisk steps, he led them toward the Hall of Judgment, where destinies were about to be decided.