A Friendly "Chat"

[Elloria]

Josk entered the lobby of Malakian’s business front in a towering temper, followed closely by a Malakian runner. His long hair was mussed and his clothes were in disarray. To the guards at the entrance to headquarters, it looked as if he had been rushed while he dressed. He was wearing just a wool over-shirt and badly wrinkled trousers. It was the most unkempt any had ever seen the young elf before. Glancing warily at his partner, one guard opened the door for Josk to enter before both stepped out of his way. He stormed right past them without a single remark. The runner gave a quick nod of apology and the guards breathed a deep sigh of relief. An angry Josk was usually a violent one.

His temper was warranted, for he had been pulled from a sound sleep in the middle of the night. The runner following him had informed him that he was needed for an interrogation. And while on the one hand it was very flattering that Lieutenant Vencari wanted Josk to handle it, the fact remained that it was, at most, 2 in the morning – and he’d only been asleep since midnight. Still it was urgent Hive business, so who was he to refuse? “Where did you say it was?” he snapped to the runner as they descended.

“Th-the m-main interrogation r-r-room,” his companion stammered. The poor boy was new to the ranks of the Malakian, that much was clear to Josk. He’d never seen the kid before and he kept careful track of the other members of his company. He’d let him off easy this time. “Fine, fine. Leave, then. I probably know where I’m going much better than you.” The boy hastily complied and dashed back up the stairs. Josk let out an angry sigh as he reached the base of the tree. Without pause, he stalked through the corridors, ignoring the glances of the few members wandering around at this forsaken hour.

Within moments, he had reached the main interrogation chamber. He paused outside to clean up his appearance a bit. As he straightened out his shirt, he murmured a brief spell in the Ancient Language to get rid of most of the wrinkles. He ran his hand through his hair a few times to make sure it fell into its normal style around his face. Once he felt presentable, he opened the chamber door and walked in. In the chamber’s center, a male elf was tied to a chair. And to his surprise, his lieutenant was standing off to the side. He strode over to her, ignoring the bound elf completely. Giving a low bow, he murmured, “Lieutenant Vencari, it’s an honor to have you present here. May I ask what brings us here at this late hour?”

[Kite]

It is very rare to find something that she hated, now that she truly knew the feelings behind the word. One thing that comes close, though, is bad intelligence reports. Especially ones that got some of her Drones hurt.

Tonight, this intelligence will be corrected.

The Malakian Company Drones were sent on a mission recently to gather some fairly important documents from a particularly vicious owner, protected by the countess of Ellesmera. We had gathered intelligence, although our informants seemed to have fed us bad information, and planned out the boost to the second. We even practiced the procedure on a similar house hall. The plan accounted for a few of the guards, maybe, but it just so happens that all of the guards were there. Against the intelligence we had received. From the very man tied up in front of her.

Needless to say, Drones were injured, and Amelia was pissed.

So, she had called Josk in. Even at this ungodly hour. Better for him that the drones that had had to go back out and pick this guy up. Better for him than what this man was about to go through, since Josk was likely not very happy with life right now. Mostly because he had to wake up at this time. Really, for all the crap she gives him in her mind, Amelia really didn’t blame the man. She has just had a little bit of a bad moment here, and was taking it out on him. Just as she expects Josk will on the man. At least for show.

As Josk moves into the room and over to her, she smiles softly at his slightly disheveled look. It was perfectly fine, to be honest, but it was slightly abnormal for him. Good to know that she inspired such a rush in him. She usually is confident that she is a good leader, but it was rather nice to notice and hear about it occasionally. She returns his bow, although not quite as deeply. She meant no slight by that either, smiling at him to reassure of him of that. She speaks softly to him, although not too soft that the prisoner couldn’t hear.*

Well, Josk dear, this man here fed us extremely false information about the raid tonight. Now, you know what that means to people like us, and you know how angry that makes me…

*She winks at him and then turns her gaze to the prisoner, her eyes glittering mischeviously*

Josk, will you please get the correct information? I know how skilled you are, I’m sure you’ll do great.

*She turns back to Josk and grins.*

Do you mind if I look on, honey? I’ll make sure not to interfere too much.

[Elloria]

((OOC: “italics” are spells. Ma’mor means unlock, losna means release.))

Josk frowned slightly as Vencari spoke. False information, huh? That was why he’d been dragged out of bed? He could feel his anger, already considerable, rise even higher. False information meant wounded Drones. Possibly even dead Drones. No one in the Hive would be pleased about that. And if the lowly Drones wouldn’t be happy, he could only imagine how pissed Vencari was.

He ignored her wink. Neither did he return her devilish grin. That just wasn’t him. “Look on if you will, Lieutenant. I shall make sure it is a worthwhile show,” he said calmly. With that, he turned and moved over to the bound elf in the room’s center. He felt his body slowly relax as he neared his prey. Here was a perfect way to express his displeasure. The mere thought pleased him. He squatted and looked up into the elf’s eyes. They held each other’s gaze for a moment before the bound man turned his head. The promise of a slow, painful death burned brightly in Josk’s expressive eyes.

“I told them everything I know.”

“Everything you know…or everything you know you’re allowed to say?” The bound elf made no reply. After a moment, Josk stood abruptly and strode over to one of the walls. Placing his palm against it, he murmured “Ma'mor.” The bark folded away, revealing a disturbingly large number of oddly shaped and sinister-looking instruments. His hands drifted over each one, lingering lovingly on a few, passing quickly over others - always eying each one critically, sizing up its potential in this particular interrogation. He finally stopped at a small box nestled in the corner of the storage nook. A twisted smile warped his face as he turned around, box in hand. “I think these little beauties will suffice for a start.”

As he reached the elf, he opened the box to reveal several small cylinders. They were pointed at one end like a needle but slightly thicker. He shook the box slightly, beneath the elf’s gaze. “Do you know what these are?” The elf shook his head, eying the ‘needles’ nervously. “I like to call them the blooming lotus.” Josk carefully lifted one from the box and held it up to the elf’s eyes. With equal care, he slowly pressed the pointed end into one of the bound forearms. The elf winced, but remained silent. Josk grinned.

“Losna.”

A small scream came from the elf as the ‘needle’ opened beneath his skin, creating a raised image of a lotus in bloom. Josk lifted another. “Anything you’d like to tell us?”

The elf panted for a moment. “I...I’ve...told...all I...know...”

Josk sighed. “I see.” He pushed the needle into the elf’s bicep. “Losna.” Another scream, another bloom.

[Kite]

*As Josk tells Amelia that he will make it worth her time to watch, that he will make it a worthwhile show, she leans back against the wall she waited by earlier and crosses her arms over her chest. She was conflicted in her mind, and her eyes were slightly distant as Josk started his routine. She was reliving her pain, as she always did. Every thrust, every grind, every pull, every punch, every slap, and every fairth of the event. She was reliving every cry, every laugh, every snarl of every minute of that night. That made what was about to happen worse in her mind. Her physical pain may not be the equal of what this man was about to experience, but her mental picture is going to be worse, and she sympathizes with him. A little.

Not enough to forgive or forget.

Her moment of reliving the night passed as Josk sticks the first lotus in. The elf was in for a rough night if Josk was starting with the lotus. The tools were sickly beautiful, but insanely painful she was sure. The tearing of the skin was an intense pain, and would extract what he wants soon. If it didn’t, if this elf was made of stronger stuff… Well, that’s what she paid Josk for: Extraction of information no matter how tough the detainee. He was extremely good at what he did, too. She trusts that he will succeed, and until then she will try and keep out of the interrogation. It was difficult though. She never liked these… Frankly, she’d almost rather she be taking the punishment than he.

She very nearly slaps herself at this. Drones are hurt, one might even die, and she was feeling this for a man that had caused these harms. Fuck him, she thinks. She has a spurt of infinite rage, and nearly jumps out of the corner to beat this man silly. After a flash of that, however, she focuses her anger into a single point, into a cold fury that will fester. She will let it fester and grow, just as her true hate does, as she has with many others. She looks at the man after his most recent scream.*

Tell us. This will only get worse.

[Elloria]

Josk stepped away slightly as Amelia spoke. He had barely begun the process of breaking this fool and she was already urging the fool to speak. He sometimes wondered why he remained in Malakian company. It was, by all accounts, the least violent of the Hive companies. All because their lieutenant was a bit squeamish about it. He found it a bit contemptible, to be honest Violence was a natural part of life. There was no point in trying to avoid it the way she sought to. For an elf of his particular bent, this just wasn't the company he belonged in. He'd been reprimanded more than once for excessive violence, but it hadn't really stopped him. He was violent and brutal as he saw fit, not as his lieutenant expected him to be. It was one of the few things he was stubbornly resistant about.

“There’s nothing more to tell!” The bound elf's voice had become higher, panicky. It made Josk hum quietly with delight. “I swear!” He pulled a third needle out and moved around behind the elf until he was on the right hand side. Without ceremony, he quickly pushed it into the right forearm. He repeated the process in the right bicep, both thighs and just above the bound elf’s navel. One at a time would do nothing now. The fool would grow accustomed to the pain far too quickly. His smile had been twisted before, tainted by the malice he’d felt. He felt no dark emotions now. There was only delight in his task and joy that he could practice his craft. It was a genuine smile - the kind that was rare after Rensu’s death and non-existent after his mother’s. The kind that had sometimes drawn him admiring glances while walking with Rensu. His whole body was relaxed. The gentle glow of his skin seemed more radiant, his hair darkly gleaming against it. Sometimes, Josk missed moments when he felt content like this.

He stood at an angle for a moment, admiring the positioning. He then lifted his gaze to the elf’s eyes, relishing the horror in their depths. Delight danced in his own eyes. His voice was bright and gleeful. “Losna.” The scream lasted for several long moments before becoming silent. The echo of it lasted a bit longer, but soon even that faded away. If Josk had been the type to squirm with pleasure or giggle in delight, he certainly would’ve been doing both in that moment. Instead, his smile merely became beatific. “I can do just that all night, my friend. But you’d grow used to the pain soon enough. And I really don’t think you want me to go to my next step.” He turned his gaze upon Vencari, that beatific smile firmly in place. “Wouldn’t you agree, Lieutenant?”

[Kite]

*Josk was a troubled man. And Amelia didn't say that because she detested violence and that was this man's love. She didn't just say that because almost everyone in the Hive was a troubled and hurt soul. She said that because he had lost many people dear to his heart. That was as deep as she looked. He had a brother in the city of Dragons, but he was far enough away not to have enough of an affect on him to have him stay stable. At least, thats what she could tell. Really, she hadn't spent too much time with him although she had read reports on him and his works. Shes reprimanded him several times, and she stood by her words, but at a point she started to stop. It wasn't working, and she shouldn't hobble her company just because she disliked violence. Josk was the very best she had, and that gave him some room to move.

The man went back to work, and Amelia just decided to keep her god-damned mouth shut. Her input would hurt, not help, and it was fascinating in any case. Josk was putting the needles in probably the most annoying spots that Amelia could imagine. All the places most likely to move, on purpose or not. Disturbing, but brilliant. The Prince of Pain speaks another word, and the man screams for a few seconds. Her mind echoes the scream, and it slowly morphs in the recesses to her mind. She keeps her face static while it does, but the echoes of pain and screams come back. This is an annoying recurrence and she has sort of just gotten used to it. She succumbs for a brief moment, and then pushes it away, the sound of the room being taken in once more as Josk speaks to the man of getting used to the pain. He then turns to her with his smile, his presence emanating as pure serene bliss. She looks at him, then lazily over to the prisoner, before back at Josk.

This night, she was determined to take in the events and learn to steel herself, even enjoy them. She would need such skills where she was going, for better or worse. She smiles slightly, nearly a smirk at his words, before speaking.*

Definitely.

[Elloria]

The bound elf blanched as Vencari replied, “Definitely.” It was quite amusing to Josk. He moved towards the elf, almost chuckling as he flinched. He crouched down before him and placed his hand upon the elf’s cheek. He gently stroked his thumb against his skin, almost lovingly so. “What’s your name?” The elf stared at him. Josk merely continued to smile. All threatening had vanished from his gaze, replaced by simple curiosity. After a moment, the elf hesitantly answered. “Nyoth. Of No House.”

“Nyoth.” He patted Nyoth's cheek. “A sad little orphan boy who thought he could lie to the Hive and get away with it. Allow me to correct that misconception.” He rose from his crouch and reached out. Firmly grasping the stem of the lotus in Nyoth’s right bicep, Josk ripped it free with a quick jerk. The scream sent a shiver of delight racing through him. The petals of the needle had closed the moment they'd left Nyoth's flesh. It gleamed in the half-light of the room, pristine and bloodless before he placed it back into the box. He calmly gazed at the wound it had left. He repeated the process with each lotus, the scent of blood gradually filling the entire room. When he had removed them all, he closed the box and moved back to the cabinet. He placed the box back in its corner before returning to Nyoth’s side.

He stared at each wound he’d left, mesmerized by the sight. He inhaled, allowing the whole experience to embed itself deeply in his memory. After a moment, he placed his hand over one wound and murmured “Waíse heill.” He felt the magic stitch the rent flesh back together. He healed each 'plucked lotus,' feeling a bit worn out at the end of it. He looked down at Nyoth. He was somewhat surprised to find that the elf was still conscious. “Well. I'm glad you're still conscious. I can stop here, if you’d like. You need only tell us what we need to know. When is Jora Aranwion at his least guarded? Where are the documents we seek?” He grasped Nyoth’s wrists and leaned forward until he was less than an inch away from the elf’s face. “And most importantly - who wanted you to lie to us?” Nyoth held his gaze defiantly for a moment. He soon flicked his eyes away, though. “Nothing, huh? As you wish.”

Josk returned to the cabinet and surveyed the items again. He eventually lifted what looked like a coil of silvery rope from a hook. He unwound it slowly as he walked back to Nyoth. When he was about a foot from Nyoth, Josk murmured, “Vakna.” One end of the coil lifted up of its own accord, revealing two amber eyes. He held out this end to Nyoth, saying, “Say hello to Argetorúm, Nyoth. He sleeps a lot because he's very lazy. Sometimes he wakes up because it's simply too cold where he's at. You see, Argetorúm loves to nap in warm places.” Closing the gap between them, he placed Argetorúm on Nyoth's thigh. It nudged at the flesh gently, yet insistently. Nyoth stared down at the ‘serpent,’ his eyes filled with fear and loathing. “But first, he always has to explore. Don’t you, Argetorúm?” Nyoth’s head jerked up to stare at Josk. Josk merely smiled “Grafa un kanna.”

With a sharp thrust, Argetorúm buried itself in Nyoth's thigh - drawing out a panicked scream from the elf, accompanied by frantic straining against the restraints to escape the burrowing serpent. Josk watched quietly as the snake 'explored' its new 'home,' following it as it distended Nyoth’s flesh in its quest to map him out.

((OOC: Grafa un kanna = Dig and explore))

[Kite]

*Amelia shifts slightly and leans back against the wall once more, and she lets her head lower a little while closing her eyes and evening out her breath. This serves mostly the focus of letting her mind wander and find a grasp at the topic she wants.

Draman Lancarin.

She hears Josk asking questions of Nyoth, then begin to teach the young elf about what happens when you screw with the Hive, especially in Ellesmera. He had pissed in the Company's face, he has forsaken everything that Amelia and the Hive had paid and given him. The Malakian Company paid extremely well for information and did so consistently. They even were known for aiding some of their most trusted ones when they need it, and what does this fool of a man do? He forsakes all of that for a payoff. Did they really think, really, that they could hide him from the Hive? Did they really think that they could hide him from her? And did he think that they could do so? Only one man had done so, and he would not continue to do so. Mr. Lancarin would face her eventually, but the now was just as important as the future that she had planned for Draman. It would guide her there.

The screams as the blossoms are ripped from his skin, leaving fairly distinctive wounds upon his skin that Amelia can imagine but does not see. She breathes in every scream and the scent rising into the room, and suppresses her normal urges when she recieves that stimuli. A challenge, but nothing she couldn't handle. The repition sort of made it seem dreamlike until the dream ended and Josk began to heal the man's wounds.

Josk's questions kick up again, and Amelia is slightly impressed that no answer is issued to him, although it is possible that Nyoth is strong in resistance. Maybe, she mused to herself with a small smile, the little man is just karma coming back at us and screaming screw you in our faces. Hopefully, it was the first one because it is much more pleasing to break down a man hard than a soft man, and because it would be interesting to hear what the protector of Jora Aranwion did to make him refuse the Hive and to attempt to decieve them.

She opens her eyes and stands straight once more as he introduces his devilish coil, Argetorum. She had heard of the device, but had personally never witnessed it in action. That was the only thing that saved her from jumping slightly as it enters Nyoth's skin, sliding into it as Nyoth screams and tries to move and get away, or break through and rip Argetorum out of his thigh. All of his actions are in vain of course. The man had to be nearing his wits end, it was obvious. His eyes bulged and flicked and flitted between the man holding the spook and Argetorum in his leg, and shook. That reaction is only natural, of course, but this was one of those worst nightmares sorts of fears for those who think of it, and Nyoth was definately now thinking of it. Muscles and veins were clearly visable now, on his limbs and neck and head, and he was writhing ever more now. Amelia just sits and observes, waiting for Josk to finish breaking the little man so she could correct the error made with his original information.

--- Late and short, I apologize. ---

[Elloria]

Josk stood silently, his arms crossed, as he continued to follow the snake's progress. It traveled up Nyoth's torso, down one arm and back up again before crossing to the other arm. It finished that arm and curved up over his shoulder to meander down his back before curving back around the thigh opposite its starting point. It snaked down his left leg and back up again before slowly disappearing in what was more or less the center of Nyoth's trunk. It was no longer visible as it curled up in his belly, shoving aside organs to make a nice little ‘nest’ to rest in. Nyoth had quieted by that point, though tears of pain silently streamed down his face. It was almost pitiful.

Josk hummed a random tune - a song that Niko had sometimes sung to him in childhood. He simply stood there for a few minutes, waiting for the right moment. At last, Nyoth began to shift uncomfortably and frown down at his stomach. Josk stopped humming. For him, this was where things began to get interesting. “It seems Argetorúm likes his new nest. How lovely. I do so love to see him comfortable. You see, when he’s nice and cozy, he’ll shed his ugly old skin and eventually emerge as a truly glorious serpent.” Nyoth's head jerked up to stare at Josk, who grinned. “As I recall, the old skin dissolves into this rather intriguing poisonous liquid. That’s why Argetorúm usually squirms out as soon as he’s shed it completely.”

Josk lifted a hand to cover his mouth as he quietly laughed. Nyoth's stomach had begun to bulge outward again and he was screaming again. Soon, there was a loud ripping sound and Nyoth's flesh split like an over-ripened watermelon, expelling a brightly gleaming, silvery Argetorúm. As soon as the serpent was free, the wound closed of its own accord. All that remained was a small reddish line. Argetorúm hit the ground and immediately curled up into a lifeless silvery coil. Josk picked the coil up and moved to place it back in the cabinet. Satisfied that it was both clean and properly stored, he grabbed a small vial that was stored beside Argetorúm. Closing the cabinet, he went and grabbed a chair from another corner of the room. Placing it in front of Nyoth, its back towards the bound elf, he straddled the chair and sat. He crossed his arms on top of the back and rested his chin upon them. Nyoth stared back at him. Silence fell heavily between them before Josk spoke again.

“I’m sure you’ve already begun to feel it, right? A feeling of ecstasy as your heart rate and breathing begin to increase? Almost as if you’re heading into the throes of passion. But,” he raised his left index finger and wagged it at Nyoth. “That will not last, my friend. Soon, you’ll start seeing things...terrible things. And they will be out to get you and only you. With the poison making your body hypersensitive as it is, you can quite literally scare yourself to death.” He held up the vial so that Nyoth could look at it. “This is the antidote - a blend of Tunivor’s Nectar and a tea brewed from delois leaves. A single drop upon Argetorúm’s exit site and the poison will be slowed. However, it will only be completely neutralized if you ingest it. Until then, you’ll simply go through the phases of the poison again as it builds strength. I’m more than willing to give it to you. But only if you answer my questions.”

[Kite]

*Amelia shakes her head and laughs a little bit to herself as Argetorum leaves Nyoth's flesh, and she rubs her temples, seemingly impatient for the interrogation to end in the Hive's favor. This was both for show, and true all at the same time. That is, the laugh was for show, but the rest was true in a way. She understood the time it took for information to be gathered occasionally, but she also didn't like it that much. She shook her head not to stop the actions, but to admire the tools. They were nothing if not interesting and effective. She wondered who crafted them. They may well be of his design, but she wasn't sure if he made them or not. Best not to ask, but it was interesting. Seeing Josk in his natural habitat was also eye opening and instructional. This man truly enjoyed his job which, while common for the job, was still an interesting change for her as she did not often run into people so happy to engage in gratuitous violence with someone who could not fight back. Hell, she could maim and kill in a fight, but she was not sure she could stomach performing such an act as Josk did more than once. Though, all acts could be learned through time. Perhaps she should speak to Josk about such matters. He certainly knew his craft.

The poison bit was quite effective, it seemed. The skin bursting in front of them, out of Nyoth, was a horror show to be sure, but it wasn't quite as bad as the poison. That was pure overkill, and ingenious in her mind. If Nyoth didn't break soon, it'll surprise her. The poison had to at least be uncomfortable, and would draw him closer to panic as he felt it spread.

Amelia gave him 30 minutes at best. Only time would tell.*

[Elloria]

Nyoth had begun to whimper pitifully. Josk remained unmoving in his seat, carefully watching. This was one of his trickier techniques. It was never possible to ascertain how much poison Argetorúm would deposit in a single shedding. The amount always varied and could very easily reach lethal levels before he could administer the antidote. But that's what made Argetorúm one of his favorites. The uncertainty, the risk - it was exciting. Within ten minutes, Nyoth had begun cowering in his chair. Tears flowed unchecked down the elf's cheeks as who knew what horrors assailed his mind. And yet, he still remained silent. That, too, always varied from victim to victim. Some saw terrifying creatures straight out of their nightmares, trying to rip them apart. Those ones usually started screaming by now. Others saw ghosts from their past, returned to exact vengeance that the victim subconsciously felt he or she deserved. Those were the ones that wailed in abject misery. Again, they were usually at it within ten minutes.

Josk tilted his head slightly, intrigued. Nyoth, it appeared, was one of the rarer ones. He was what Josk termed an innocent. There were, of course, no innocent individuals involved with the Hive. But sometimes, he came across an individual who would have been a remarkably decent person if life hadn't come in to screw things up. People who didn't always like what they did, but did it because they knew no other way. And they were always filled with regret and strength in equal measure - hence the silent tears. But what Josk had discovered was that, inevitably, bitterness ruined them. And that was when the screams would begin - angry, pained, frightened. But always, always the loudest and most difficult to listen to. They were the most difficult to predict.

Another ten minutes and Nyoth had begun screaming. This time, Josk didn't sit back to listen to it. He immediately rose, shoved his chair aside and quickly opened the vial. With one hand, he held the struggling Nyoth against the chair's back, tilting it, and let a single drop fall onto the harsh red line splitting his abdomen. The screams immediately quieted and Josk let the chair fall back on its feet. He replaced the stopper in the vial and moved his chair back in place. Sitting in it, he murmured, “I’d rather not let that poison eat away at you. Answer correctly and it will all go away. Continue to defy the Hive and it will only get worse. Because I will not let you die, Nyoth. I will let that poison continue to wane and build strength within you until you’ve all but lost your mind from it before I let it kill you.” He leaned against the back as he had before. “Do you understand?” He received no answer, so he sighed and returned to watching for the signs. He hated the fighters most. They were so frustrating. Always standing by whatever principles drove them, always being the most pathetic and heart-breaking. It made him sick. Would Nyoth prove to be a fighter? The next few minutes would tell.

And oh, how those minutes seemed to crawl by. But soon enough, Nyoth had begun his silent cowering and weeping again. That continued another few minutes before Nyoth sobbed, “All right, all right! I’ll tell you everything just...just make them go away!” Josk let go of a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding. So the little orphan boy wasn't a fighter after all. Good. He rose and readministered the antidote to the opening. When Nyoth had quieted again, he ran a hand soothingly through the elf’s hair and asked, “When will Jora Aranwion be at his most vulnerable?”

Nyoth took a deep, shuddering breath as he leaned into Josk's hand. “Tomorrow night. He’s...leaving for Osilon. Only those he most trusts know about it. N-none of them will be expecting an attack.”

“And the documents?”

“In his personal library at his summer home on the outskirts of Osilon. He plans on turning them over as soon as he arrives.”

“Excellent. And last, but certainly not least.” Josk pulled his hand free of Nyoth’s hair and moved it to lift the elf‘s chin. He looked straight into Nyoth’s eyes. “Who paid you to lie to us?”

Nyoth shivered beneath Josk's gaze, his eyes filling with tears once more. “C-Círdan. Lord Círdan Sáralondë.”

[Kite]

*Amelia smiles a little bit when the man finally breaks and nods as he starts to speak. The waiting had been full of tension and suspense and Amelia had wondered slightly if the man had planned to die before the information was leaked, but all had worked out in the end. It was a relief too, because it would have been a pain in the ass if the man had gone without saying a word. Tracking down people and middlemen was not a quick task, and she knew that they did not have much time even before the man had said so.

The things he said were all very simple, but they were all exactly what they needed. Sad that Nyoth had to learn his lesson this way instead of through observation. He had always been such a smart boy, although he did have a thick streak. Some lessons must have been repeated to him five or six times. Probably should have seen this coming then, but he had usually come through. He did this time, now. He listed his information, that the estates would be most vulnerable tomorrow night, and how Jora was leaving for Osilon, where the documents were. He even listed who paid him to lie to her.

Amelia hears the name he speaks and she pushes off the wall she is leaning against, her face incredulous.*

Círdan Sáralondë? Círdan-fucking-Sáralondë? Your kidding me...

*She circles closer to Nyoth and shakes her head, laughing a bit*

That little bitch thought he could screw with the Hive, with us? Really?

*She laughs in his face and then walks to the door, before turning back to Josk.*

Finish up with Nyoth, finish as you'd like, then come up to my office ready for some payback. Oh, and for a short ride. We are probably going to have to finish the business ourselves.

*She winks at Nyoth.*

Thank you for the help, dear. I'm fairly certain we will never see each other again.

*She nods to Josk and smiles at him, then leaves for her office, traveling upwards to the second story of the compound, and entering her office, sitting down onto her chair, scrubbing her eyes and breathing deeply, collecting herself before Josk follows her up to the office.*

[Elloria]

Josk watched silently as Vencari left the chamber. His hand still rested comfortingly on Nyoth's cheek as he considered what to do next. It seemed only a natural end to this whole interrogation to kill Nyoth. After all, the orphan had betrayed the Hive. And if they did it once, they were likely to do it again. But...Nyoth was one of those innocents. Josk was a warped individual, he freely admitted that. But even he had a hard time denying an innocent the chance to either remain so or be corrupted. He sighed heavily. There was nothing else for it. Nyoth had to go. He knew that going in. But not like this. Pulling his hand away, he unstopped the vial once more. “Open your mouth,” he said. Nyoth eagerly obliged and Josk poured the entire vial down his waiting throat.

Relief immediately washed over Nyoth's face as the poison was fully neutralized. Moments later, Nyoth of No House was no more. For what Josk had neglected to mention was the fact that a large amount of the antidote, when ingested, was just as lethal to the body as Argetorúm’s poison. It was simply less painful. It shut down the brain first, then all the other major body systems in a matter of minutes. He'd been told by one of the few he'd managed to revive during experimentation that it was rather like falling asleep. One moment you're conscious and the next there's nothing. “If there is anything beyond this life, may you find some peace in it.”

Making a mental note to concoct more of the antidote, Josk left the room and gestured to some guards to clean up. “Make sure you give him a proper burial. His name was Nyoth,” he said to one. The guard nodded, silently assuring the torture master that his wish would be fulfilled. Satisfied, he slowly made his way up to Vencari's office on the second floor. As he climbed, he began bringing himself down to an even keel. The cool down after a torture was usually the hardest part, especially one as short and intense as this had been. But whatever reward Vencari had in store for him would surely be acceptable for the disaster, though he wasn't overly pleased about the thought of finishing up this botched affair personally. Still, Vencari was good to her Drones. He couldn't deny that.

So it was in a temperate frame of mind that he knocked quietly on the shut door before entering. He closed the door behind him and approached her desk. Pausing before it, he didn't sit. Instead, he crossed his arms and stood before her. “What now, Lieutenant?”

[Kite]

*Amelia straightens herself as Josk knocks on the door to her office and nods to him as he walks to the desk. She had come up with a plan to get all of this mess finished, and quickly on her terms which was most important here. She looks up at Josk as he asks her the question, and she speaks softly to him.*

Well, it is fairly simple from my standpoint what we are going to have to do now, however we have a few choices and I would like your input on them, Josk.

The first option is that we have to go to Círdan, cut him down, and then we can contact the Hive in Osilon and get them to take care of the documents and let the matter rest.

The second option is that we take care of Círdan, cut him down, and then we personally go to Osilon and take care of business. We could even mess with Jora if that sounds advisable to you.

You get paid the same amount either way, and the pay is good as always, Josk. Its all up to you, either way is blameless. Thats why I leave it up to you.

*She stands and tilts her head, waiting for his answer patiently, knowing that he will probably think it over for a moment.*

[Elloria]

Josk frowned slightly as Vencari began asking for his input. He’d assumed she would simply give him some more orders and that would be the end of it. But she was actually planning on taking care of matters personally? With him? Well...that’s what it sounded like at least. He dropped his eyes to the desk and turned his mind to the options. He could wonder about the specifics of involvement later.

The only main difference in the options was whether or not they would travel to Osilon. As far as Josk was concerned, though, Jora Aranwion needed to die. It was his documents that had resulted in pain for Drones tonight. That was unacceptable. And then there was all the trouble he’d been giving the Danta family for years. This could very well end up being a good move not only for the Hive, but for advancing the Danta name in the Grand Game as well. But only if it was played properly. That would be the tricky part.

And since Vencari already planned on killing Círdan Sáralondë, Josk didn’t need to even remotely worry about that issue. So which option to choose? “Well,” he said slowly. “Whichever one we go with, it’s rather obvious that we must act tonight. And I rather like the idea of ending Jora’s life. I have other reasons for wanting that imbecile dead. Círdan, too...But I must admit, I’m rather curious about these documents. And I don’t think we can trust that others will take care of it properly. So. Let us go to Osilon ourselves. And if we do that, I’d suggest taking Jora with to show us where the documents are - rather than searching ourselves for who knows how long - and kill him once we have them.” He watched Vencari, his face completely neutral. He hoped she would approve. She had asked his opinion after all.

[Kite]

*Amelia smiles at him as he finishes his statement, and his opinion. She stands up and holds her hand out to him to shake, her eyes sparkling a little bit.*

My thoughts almost exactly, Josk. I think you might make a great Lieutenant in the future, my dear. I have wondered what is in those documents, and cannot wait to find out myself. And your thoughts about using Jora... Oooohhhh I can't wait!

*She shakes out a little after dropping her hand back and sits back down in the desk, opening a drawer and pulling beautiful metal and leather gauntlets out before strapping them to her arms and closing the drawer. She stands once more and moves around the desk to Josk, and looks at him, smiling widely.*

Well, are you ready or would you like to get some things before we leave? I will meet you down on the entrance steps if you need to grab anything before hand. If not, meet me down there.

*She walks away from him, moving out of the door and down the stairs to the entry level, nodding to the guides and secretaries at their places in the lobby and moving through the large doors out of the tree to the steps that lead back to the ground, and waits for Josk, whistling softly and enjoying the night air.*

[Elloria]

Josk shook Vencari’s hand hesitantly. His voice was quiet as he said, “Thank you, Lieutenant.” A great Lieutenant, huh? He'd sometimes thought so himself. And he did covet the position greatly. On the other hand, he didn't trust a single woman in the entire Hive. Well, that wasn't entirely true. He trusted them - to stab him in the back one day. None of them - or so it seemed - wanted to see a single strong, confidant man in the world. Which was fair enough in Josk's opinion, considering the situations most of the women came out of. But it wasn't like he did anything to warrant their disdain and hatred. He was just kind of there most days. And once they learned he would never react to their taunts, they generally left him alone. But it always infuriated him that they would seek to frustrate him in the first place.

Letting go of her hand, he watched as she put on a rather remarkable and stunning pair of gauntlets - all gleaming metal and warm leather. “If you don’t mind, I’ll grab some things from below and meet you on the entrance steps,” he replied as she left the room. He followed her out and descended with her, though he continued to the bottom of the tree rather than immediately exiting on the lobby level. At the base, he strode down the hall to a small room at the very end. In here were all the spare torture equipment that he and the handful of other interrogators used. And because the interrogators prior to his arrival had been dull and uninventive, many of the devices were of his own creation. He rifled through the storage room, debating on what to take. He pulled out a spare box of the blooming lotus as well as two small wrist braces he had been working on to go with them. He'd discovered early on when making them that they would be a perfect tool for assassinations. The only problem had been figuring out how to carry them discreetly, thrust them into a target and deploy the blooms. In testing, no one had quite the level of magical control to discreetly bloom the flowers and the braces had been finicky. But tonight would be an excellent chance to try out some of the changes he'd recently made to it. He strapped the braces on securely before loading the cartridges with the needles. And in case they didn't work, he grabbed a few of the spare scalpels they kept for “medical purposes.”

Satisfied, he exited the room and locked it securely before striding back up the hall. He ascended the stairs and stepped out into the lobby area. He gave brief nods to the guides and secretaries. When he stepped out into the night, he took in a deep breath. The cool air felt cleansing after having breathed in so much blood and death just a short while ago. He let the breath out slowly, feeling peace creep through him. The world always seemed so much more pleasant after a torture. After a moment, he said, “All right. Let’s finish this, then.”

[Kite]

*Josk walks up behind her and she smiles, forward and not facing him, before nodding and moving forward. She walked confidently through the late night and the city itself all at the same time. The man, if you could call him such, was living in the noble's quarters. He had a friend of a friend who offered a home there, and he took it, but that was not any proof of nobility. He was just a rich commoner. Amelia, who had grown up in that area, had met all of these people and lived on court gossip surrounding them. He was offered a home that had been the family home for a old and venerable family that was forced to move to Ilia Feon due to... complications of the political kind. Lucky they weren't slaughtered, if you ask Amelia. But, either way, Cirdan got ahold of the house and now planned for it to stay with his family for several thousand years.

Amelia was pleased to say that that would not occur.

Amelia lead Josk through the sector straight down the lanes, not even trying to hide. It wasn't as if their presence was forbidden, and what did Amelia care if people saw her? This wasn't exactly something they would know about til later, and seeing as Cirdan lived near the Vencari family home she wasn't necessarily going to Cirdan. Being seen was little to nothing in the importance scale.

The walk took about 15 minutes, and finally they rounded a corner and saw the house of Cirdan Sáralondë. The house was covered in ornate carvings of the deeds of the noble line that once occupied it, and an intricate pattern over the door. Amelia walks up to it then turns to Josk.*

Well, Josk, are you ready? He is gonna probably freak out when we go in, so we'll have to restrain him either through magic or other means. Got any bright ideas to do such?

[Elloria]

Josk silently followed Vencari through the streets of their fair city. He admired the play of the waning crescent moon's light on the trees and pathways, wishing it always looked like this. To him, the night was the most beautiful time of the day. Things were so much more peaceful in the dark. It was why his days usually didn't start until around noon - though he did wake up long enough to welcome the sun's first rays - and ended well after midnight.

Lost in his musings about the glory of the night, he didn't at first notice that they had entered the noble sector. When he finally did, they were almost to Sáralondë's home. He felt a certain sense of surprise as they approached it. His own family's abode was farther in, one of the older houses in the sector. He passed this house every day on his way home and he’d never realized it belonged to that swinish commoner Círdan. And why should he? He knew of Círdan's origins and knew that the wretch had somehow managed to obtain a nobleman's home. Josk had even known some of the family members that had first owned it! Which wasn’t particularly impressive since every noble could say they knew someone from every other family. But that wasn’t the point, really. He just thought it would be nice to put the filth in its place and cleanse his home of the fool's taint.

He didn't look at Vencari as she addressed him again. His attention was on the carved door before him. He wondered what lay just beyond it, for he'd never seen the interior after Círdan's occupation. Slowly, he lowered the barriers around his mind, allowing himself to become more aware of the life moving around him. He didn’t probe at any of them, preferring to just appear as if he were just passing and keeping aware of everything surrounding him. Fully aware now, he scanned the tree from bottom to top. At the base were several bright lives patrolling. There were fewer with each level, with the top one being empty. There were four levels in all. In a room on the third level, he saw only three lives - two standing just outside it and the third laying down within.

The inspection took less than a minute after which he slowly raised the barriers once more until he couldn’t see anything within at all. Vencari was now barely a blip beside him, let alone the almost blinding light she’d been earlier. At last, Josk turned his head to her. “There are ten people all told - nine guards and Círdan. Four are patrolling the ground floor, another three are on the second and two are guarding Círdan on the third. Unless there’s more hiding, I’d say he’s overconfident. I can bind him with magic. If there’s one thing I excel at and pride myself on, it’s magic. But that’s going to take time and energy. I can help with some of the guards, but after the first floor is cleared he’s going to be awake and ready to go. That’s when I’ll need to strike. Think you can take care of the rest?” The question would have almost seemed condescending were it not for the seriousness in his eyes. On the one hand, he didn't doubt her abilities. You didn't get to be a Lieutenant by sitting around on your ass and twiddling your thumbs. What concerned him was whether her whole non-violent streak might be an issue.

[Kite]

*Amelia analyzes what she has just heard from Josk and tries to picture it in her head. Once they entered the building, it was extremely likely that they would rush the hell out of her and Josk. That wouldn't be a problem, however.*

I have the rest, no doubt about it. Just tell me if they try to aid Cirdan in magic. I will go ruin their day. Otherwise, I will keep watch over you so that they do not try to ruin yours.

*She smiles and counts down with her fingers from three, and then kicks the door as hard as she can twice, caving the installed brace and forcing it in on the second kick, opening and allowing them both entrance. By that time, however, the men on the bottom floor had moved into the entranceway and had drawn their weapons . Not that that was a problem, this was for harming the Hive's workers.

This was going to be fun.

She walks in and the guards pull the common "Halt!" move and she just laughs a little bit as she walks in and bats the sword of the guard to the side with the metal of her gauntlets with her right hand and strikes with her left, punching the guard in the throat and knocking him back a step or two, where she follows with a quick step and a foot to the knee, forcing it back and breaking it. As the guard falls and gathers his magic to heal himself enough to fight once more, Amelia steps forward and brings her heel sideways into his temple, knocking the man out.

The guard next to the one she engages moves as she kicks his buddy in the knee, and slashes at her back. She feels the blade enter in through her clothes but be slowed enough not to cut deeply as she kicks the man in the temple, causing her to lurch forward a bit and have to regain balance, which she does just in time to lurch out of the way of the guards next swing and she steps into his guard while he recovering and strikes with her elbow into his chest, catching him and causing him to be thrown onto his back at her feet, which she follows up with a knee drop to the stomach, falling to her knees on top of him. He cries out as blood and some vomit leaves his mouth and he is rendered unconscious by a quick punch to his temple, causing serious head trauma.

She stands and looks at her two enemies and thinks to herself that they are not likely to live without medical attention, and she sure wasn't going to attend to them. Cirdan needed to lose some men as repayment for her lost Drones. She then looks as Josk to see how he faired against the two opponent who engaged him as she engaged and dispatched her own foes. She was quite confident, but a little curious on how he did it.*

Seems that Cirdan's guards are as inept as he is.