Part 3

Xellma and Syndra arrived at a large lake, and several rusalki, male and female alike, were lounging at the water's edge. One of them waved at Xellma, and she approached them.

"Hello, have you seen Verka Ashe? I have a... present for her." Xellma said, gesturing at Syndra, who stood lifelessly at Xellma's side, making no indication she was even aware of where she was.

"Oh, she looks delicious. Far side of the lake from there." The rusalki answered, pointing across the lake.

Xellma bowed in thanks, and departed, Syndra walking behind her. As they left, the rusalki began to whisper to each other.

"That was Syndra Valmaris, wasn't it?" One asked.

"It was, but she was like a corpse. There was nothing behind those eyes." A second one said.

"I've seen it before." A third one said, and the rest turned to look at her. "She's been turned into a doll."

"A doll?"

"I see lots of them when I wander around Hell. Souls with vacant eyes who can be ordered around, who don't talk or even resist you. I've heard the demons refer to them as dolls, since just like a doll, they do whatever you want."

"Can't say she didn't deserve it." One of them said after a few seconds of silence. The rest of the rusalki nodded in agreement as they watched Xellma recede from view.

---

Across the lake, Verka was sitting alone on a rock on the water's edge, reflecting on her life. She always wondered if she had done enough, but her thoughts were interrupted by Xellma coming into view with... was that Syndra Valmaris?

"Darling, I have a present for you." Xellma said, as she got close. "Syndra was quite naughty to my sweet Xolarand, so she's been turned into a doll."

Verka inhaled sharply. Syndra was the one person she wished she had killed when she had the chance, and now she's been presented to her as a doll in Hell?

"You mean it, Xellma?" Verka said, getting up and approaching Syndra. "Just giving me the only person I truly hated on a silver platter like this?"

"Of course I do. I always loved you the most of all." Xellma said, giving Verka a gentle hug.

Verka hugged Xellma tightly, before looking over at Syndra. "Oh I don't know where to begin."

"Torture or a meal? Always so hard to decide, isn't it?" Xellma asked, poking Syndra's stomach. "She's a bit fat compared to other elves, but that special magic she always used probably makes her taste better."

Verka decided to start with torture. Xellma watched as Verka closed her hands around Syndra's neck, choking her. Souls didn't need to breathe but it was a conditioned response from being alive, so Syndra began to gasp for air, and fell to her knees. Verka made no noise or sound as she continued to squeeze Syndra's neck harder and harder, until a sickening pop was heard, and Syndra's body went limp. Releasing her hands at last, she smiled.

"Syndra, dolls don't die. Get back up." Xellma stated. Syndra got back up as if nothing had occured, and continued to stare at Verka with a vacant look.

"You know, it's no fun if she's not aware of the torture." Verka said, stopping to think.