Just dominate me queen

Viviana's laboratory was filled with the faint hum of magic and the occasional crackle of energy from a floating rune or enchanted artifact. I sat on a worn stool at the edge of her workbench, watching her scribble furiously in a large tome with a quill that seemed to glow faintly at the tip.
Eris stood by the door, her arms crossed and her ever-present expression of quiet disapproval firmly in place. She'd been tense since Viviana began rambling about her theories, and I could see the frustration in her posture.
"Well," Viviana finally said, slamming the tome shut with a triumphant flourish. "It's not impossible."
"That's reassuring," I muttered, leaning forward. "So, what do we have to do? Sacrifice a goat? Dance under the full moon?"
Viviana smirked, her golden eyes glinting with amusement. "Nothing so crude. But creating an arcane portal capable of crossing dimensions is no small feat. It requires power—immense power—and very specific components."
"Specific how?" Eris asked, her tone sharp.
"Specific as in rare, dangerous, and scattered across the world," Viviana replied, pulling out a long scroll and unfurling it across the desk. She began sketching a rough map, marking four points on the parchment. "Here's what we'll need."
She tapped the first location, a region in the far north. "First, we'll need a Shard of Eternal Ice. It's found in the Iceheart Crater of Auroria. Extremely cold, extremely dangerous. The ice itself is sentient—well, semi-sentient—and it doesn't like visitors."
"Great," I said sarcastically. "What's next? Fire that burns underwater?"
Viviana grinned. "Close. The Heart of a Volcanic Titan," she said, marking a point in the south. "It's located in the Infernal Chasm of Lapiscarra. An active volcano inhabited by creatures of fire and molten rock. Very temperamental, very deadly."
Eris's frown deepened, but she didn't interrupt.
"The third component," Viviana continued, pointing to a region in the west, "is the Ethereal Bloom. It grows in the Enchanted Forests of Sylvanna. Beautiful place, if you ignore the fact that it's guarded by spirits who don't take kindly to outsiders."
"And let me guess," I said, leaning back. "The fourth one is even worse."
Viviana nodded, her expression turning serious for the first time. "The Obsidian Fang," she said, tapping a point in the east. "It's said to be the tooth of a legendary shadow beast that once terrorized the Himorai region. The beast is long gone, but its essence lingers in the ruins where the fang is kept."
"So, let me get this straight," I said, rubbing my temples. "You need us to collect magic ice, a piece of a volcano monster, a glowing flower, and a cursed tooth. From the most dangerous places in the world. Do I have that right?"
Viviana shrugged, her smirk returning. "I said it wasn't impossible. I never said it would be easy."
Eris stepped forward, her expression unreadable. "This will take months, if not longer."
"Good thing he has you to protect him," Viviana said sweetly, her tone carrying just a hint of mockery.
Eris ignored the jab, turning to me. "We'll need to prepare. Traveling to all four corners of the world isn't something to take lightly."
"Hold on," Viviana interrupted, holding up a hand. "There's no need for him to go gallivanting off to certain doom. He can stay here, with me."
"What?" I said, blinking. "Why?"
"Because you're valuable, Alec," Viviana said, her voice dropping to a low purr. "You're the key to all of this. If something happens to you, all of this is for nothing. Besides, I'd take excellent care of you."
Eris's jaw tightened, and her hand instinctively moved to the hilt of her sword. "He's my responsibility," she said firmly. "I won't leave him behind."
Viviana raised an eyebrow, her golden eyes narrowing slightly. "Your responsibility? You're not his babysitter, Eris. This is bigger than your sense of duty."
"My duty is to protect him," Eris shot back, her voice cold. "I'm not abandoning him."
The two women stared at each other, the tension in the room thick enough to cut with a knife. Viviana's smirk slowly returned, though there was something sharper behind it now.
"Well," she said softly, stepping back. "Far be it from me to interfere with a knight's sacred duty."
Eris didn't respond, but she didn't lower her gaze, either. After a moment, Viviana sighed dramatically and turned back to me.
"Looks like you're stuck with her," she said, her tone light and teasing. "Try not to get yourself killed, alright?"
"Yeah, I'll do my best," I muttered, glancing between the two of them. "So, what happens now?"
"Now," Eris said, her voice returning to its usual calm tone, "we make a plan. The journey won't be easy, and we'll need supplies."
"And allies," Viviana added, her eyes sparkling mischievously. "If you're smart, you'll seek out the rulers of each region. They might be willing to help...for a price."
Eris nodded, though she didn't seem thrilled about the idea. "We'll see."
I was just about to step out of Viviana's lab when her voice stopped me in my tracks.
"Alec, wait." Her tone was playful, but there was something more behind it—something that made my stomach twist. I turned around slowly, trying to act nonchalant, but I could feel the tension creeping up the back of my neck.
Viviana was standing there, her fingers drumming lightly on the desk in front of her. She was wearing that infuriating smirk again, the kind that made me feel like I was walking into a trap. "I've got an offer for you," she said, voice smooth like honey, but with an edge to it. "I've been thinking about how I can help you, Alec. You're going to need more than just luck to get by in this place."
I raised an eyebrow, already suspicious. "What's this about?" I asked, crossing my arms.
She stepped closer, those mischievous golden eyes locking onto mine. "I've got an artifact," she continued, her voice lowering as though she was telling me some secret. "It can create a temporary magical barrier. It's not much, but it'll help you survive a bit longer—especially if you've got enemies sniffing around, like I suspect you do."
I glanced down at the ground, weighing her offer. "And what's the catch?" I asked, my gut telling me something was off. Nothing was ever free with Viviana, not with how much she liked to experiment on people.
She smirked, as if she'd been waiting for me to ask. "Well, I need something in return, of course." Her eyes twinkled as she leaned in closer, a hand on her hip. "I'll lend you the artifact, but only if you let me run some tests on you first. Don't worry," she added with a sly grin, "nothing too painful. Just a little... experimenting."
My stomach dropped. I could already feel the heat rising in my chest, an uncomfortable mix of both curiosity and dread. I wasn't exactly thrilled with the idea of her messing around with me again, especially after how last time turned out. But the thought of being unarmed in this fucked-up world wasn't sitting well with me either.
I took a deep breath, trying to ignore the knot in my throat. "What kind of tests are we talking about?" I asked, my voice tight.
"Nothing dangerous," she said, though I wasn't sure how much I could trust her on that. "Just some quick measurements. I've been itching to know how your body reacts to mana—since, you know, you don't have any. I'm very curious."
I couldn't help but groan inwardly. The last time I let her mess with me, I ended up turned into a fucking cat. Who knows what she'd try this time? But I wasn't exactly in a position to say no. If the artifact was real, I needed it.
"Alright," I muttered under my breath. "Fine. But if you turn me into some damn animal again, I swear I'm going to—"
"Relax, Alec," she interrupted, cutting me off with a grin. "You're too dramatic. I've got something else in mind this time. Just trust me, okay?"
I gave a reluctant nod, already regretting my decision. She was practically bouncing in place with excitement, and I hated the way her energy felt like it was suffocating the air around me.
"Good," Viviana said, then snapped her fingers in Eris's direction. "Eris, step outside for a bit. I'll be done shortly."
Eris was standing by the door, arms crossed, eyes narrowed in suspicion as she shot me a look. She didn't like the sound of this, I could tell. But she didn't argue. She gave me one last glance before stepping out into the hall.
As soon as the door clicked shut, Viviana stepped toward me, eyes gleaming with an almost predatory look. She motioned for me to sit down on the nearby chair, and I did so reluctantly, still unsure of what I was about to endure.
"Don't worry," she said again, her voice low and teasing, as she ran a finger down my arm. "You'll be fine. I'm just doing a little experiment. Nothing to get worked up about."
I wasn't sure if I could believe her, but I had no choice. I could feel the pressure building in my chest, like something big was about to go down.
Viviana leaned closer, and her hands moved to my shirt. "Let's get you ready for the first part of the test," she said with a smirk, already beginning to undo the buttons on my shirt.
I couldn't help but wince, already knowing where this was headed.
Q: Would you volunteer as Vivian's test subject?