While it is the most painful time of Monicas life, it also eventually becomes the most clear. Seminary doesn't need her to make decisions. She needs to keep the scripture in her head, suffer and be tyrannized, bend over, and become Asmodeus'. It is quite simple, all in all.

Once that week starts, sleep deprivation horrible to start, thirst horrible after a day, it starts to actually be hard to remember. And process. Things. Thoughts. Opinions. She is told she is worthless. A worm. A living ghoul to serve the tyranny.

But one thought starts to creep into her mind.

Why would she be worth Asmodeus' attention? What does she have, that is worth it?

She is not particularly obeyant.

She is not particularly bright; as can be noticed from the fact that she has lost her ability to sum numbers larger than 100 together.

She is not particularly good at scripture; it is hard to understand the lessons at this point.

So what does she have? What would and could Asmodeus do with her?

Desire. One thing she has, one thing she can do, she will do better than most, is bend her desire.

Not all serve Asmodeus willingly. It is not necessary. It is not particularly looked for. Asmodeus doesn't care.

But maybe... if she just... wills it enough, maybe Asmodeus will Choose her. And she will get out of this part.

And she prays.

<prayer>

It is an orthodox type of prayer but not the kind often seen in individuals aiming to get Chosen. The usual ratio of Pride and submission to the Tyranny is different, many Chosen thinking with their ego.

There is a kind of weakness here. But all mortals are fundamentally weak. They can be Chosen for potential, never finished product.

The squirrel is Chosen. Lifted to minor glory in the Tyranny. To yield Him fruits of her toils, to break her back shoving Cheliax down to Hell, and receive her deserved reqard. Hell.

Asmodeus hasn't had prophecy for a century, but He knows how these things go.