<thanks for the RP kris - part two of two>
North of MystHaven Lee Residence mid-day today Zurvan sat on the front porch of his newly structured two-story home, awaiting his guest. It was his pride and joy, completed for about a week now, and behind the house he had a small stable that a few farmers and him raised together this weekend. Soon the pending wedding ceremony will bring Sezen here to truly make this place complete. However, he was glad that her presence was absent from here this day. He would not want to expose her to what he had in the back of his stable. Rue rode up, Zurvan's note stuffed in his vest pocket along with the payment amount he was expected to exchange. His hair was sheared close to his head, and his skin a bit browned from the early spring island sun he'd spent a great deal of time under lately. He swung down off the horse before Lar had come to a complete stop and the horse blew disgruntled. He looked with appreciation to the home and then to his contact, "Congratulations...looks solid." Zurvan chuckled softly and tilted his head to gaze at his fairly large home. He grinned, "Thank you mon amie." He stood up slowly and ran one of his hands along Lar's soft nose, then turned and with a wave beckoned both of them to follow to the stable. Rue grabbed the loose end of one rein and stuffed his hands into his trouser pockets as he walked along, "Things have been quiet...too quiet." He stated with the voice of impatience. Zurvan chuckled softly, lofting a brow, "They have been quiet Mule?" He used the man's undercover name even though they were not in public or in danger of being overheard on Zurvan's private property. He entered the stables, "Please stable Lar before we do anything else." Rue arched a brow and turned to the first available empty stall on his left. "I thought you just had something to tell me...the new leaders' names I was hoping..." He quickly pulled the saddle and blanket off and slipped the bridle down over Lar's ears. If a horse ever rolled while saddled, they could easily break their spine or get their hooves tangled on something. Zurvan smiled and shook his head. "No, no leader information yet...but what I did get, Raydin gave me something extra to verify the story..." He closed his eyes, "The Panther hates loose ends and wants to make sure everything has proof without fail..." He opened his eyes and moved toward a few bales of hay piled at the back of the long row. "The Panther..." Rue repeated beneath his breath. He nodded as he stepped out, shut the door, and stacked the tack on end, brushing his hands over his thighs as he trailed after the man. Zurvan stopped for a moment, turning to look Rue directly in the eyes, asking, "You're not squeamish are you?" Rue stared back, worrying creeping somewhat up over his shoulders and causing him to stroke the back of his neck once or twice. "Uh...not usually, no..." Then he arched a brow, "I didn't ask for any targets to be made..." Zurvan nodded, "Yes but information acquired..." he left the rest unspoken, moving behind one of the bales. A piece of cloth was strewn over what looked like a body, though it moved only slightly, it was enough to indicate whoever this was, they were still alive. Rue stared at the blanketed figure. Then he glanced up and frowned, reaching for Zurvan's elbow to indicate he wanted to speak out of earshot of this...victim. Then he spoke in hushed tones, "We've already had one informant...it failed horribly...faced with execution by their own members, they feel they have nothing to live for and refuse to talk. We had to charm what information we could get and by then it was too late..." The light in Rue's eyes seemed to be of an urgency, as if time was running out. And in fact, he couldn't be sure how long the mission could be funded. "What's the deal with this...?" "Well the guild has some extremely well-trained ways of extracting information..." Zurvan then reached over and pulled the shroud off of the body, revealing the half-living corpse of a man. Deeply gouged and obviously missing their components, each of the Wyvern Raider's eyes were sewn shut. His hair was gone, his skull looking as if he had actually been scalped. Along his bare chest, neck, and face were countless whip, knife, and branding iron markings, so much that not an inch of flesh seemed unscathed. And each and every wound was intricately sewn shut. Zurvan moved around the body not wishing to tell to Rue what other, more gruesome and less apparent things had been done to this man's extremities, still covered beneath the blanket. "This man gave the clan information, about an attack in ten days. Apparently, there is a Lord by the name of Galensfire who lives in a manor just outside of the north side of MystHaven." Rue stared at the nearly dead man...and just stared some more. Oh gods and demons, by what evilness has he aligned himself? Rue rubbed his hand over his cheeks and listened as Zurvan spoke. Rue had been tortured, but not....not to this extent. He felt his stomach muscles clench and he forced a deep breath. "Galensfire...? They're planning to hit the Galensfire estate?" He could not look away from the man to confirm it with Zurvan, but Galensfire was a small but profitable manor. If the gang was successful in taking that estate, then others would not be far behind. Zurvan nodded. "They're planning to hit and seize the estate, they wish to acquire the equipment the Lord has there and in one of his warehouses, but the estate run is first. Galensfire has been dealing with some...illegal merchandise behind the scenes that interests the Wyverns." Rue sighed. It sounded like they would strike much the same way they hit the inn. "Can he speak?" Rue closed his eyes, knowing well enough there were times that called for such brutal treatment, yet Khelti flashed in his mind. And certainly, the Wyvern Gang was capable of this. Time had not faded the scars on Lilla or Carine for example, nor likely any of the other Mystonian citizens who had been abused at the gang's fancy. Rue's jaw clenched and he opened his eyes. Zurvan nodded softly, "Yes and you might find between his ramblings he has some useful information..." He looked at the tortured man. "He lived through two of the clans' treatments for enemies...they saved him from the last so you could verify...or use him as you wish." He stepped back from the man's body to allow Rue to do as he wished. Rue crouched and thought as he stared at the man, then finally he glanced up to Zurvan. As he tugged down the gag from the man's mouth, he asked, "Do you want some water?" Zurvan watched carefully and yes Zurvan himself had given the man water...not being as evil as the Raydin's clan. The man shook his head, tilting his sightless head toward Rue's voice. "The cats...there are cats in my mind...please kill me...please." His body shook violently. Rue winced at the man's words. Yes, beg for death. He knew that all consuming feeling and could only imagine how this man's pain was still at that shattering point before the numbness hit. He placed his hand to the man's shoulder. "I think you're already dead my friend." Perhaps not the most comforting words to say, but Rue never really had the right words for any occasion. "What's your name? What did you do for the Wyvern?" "Leytham," the man coughed, wetting his lips and trying to clear his throat as his body continued to tremble with the hand on his shoulder. His lips shivered as he spoke, all his words coming out in stuttering spurts. "I... I... was an archer for them... a sniper..." Rue nodded, pushing away the thought that came immediately to mind. Instead he asked, "And this run on Galensfire...you were going to be a part of it?" Leytham shook his head, "Only supposed... secure daughters, wife... ahead of time... after inn raid, given honor... do whatever... the girls..." Rue's hand flinched and dropped away as if it suddenly stung. It was a question he'd have asked eventually, but there it was. Leytham had been part of the inn raid. Now it seemed it was all he could dwell on. Rue stood up abruptly and moved away, pacing with the scent of the putrid gag on his fingertips. He looked hard at Zurvan and stated, "The raiders will just call off Galensfire now, don't you think?" "No... very important raid... to the new leaders..." Came Leytham's panted voice. Zurvan nodded. "The clan replaced his body. The Wyvern think he's merely dead and buried, not kidnapped." Rue nodded curtly, still walking in a small circle as he thought. "Why did you join the gang? Why did you want to rape and pillage your own country?" He barked out angrily. Leytham winced, trembling quickly into a ball and crying out. "Because of the damned guards... they did nothing. They couldn't protect us..." He began to sob softly and coughing in the process. "The gang promised to protect me and what I had left, and they did not break their promise... until now." Rue had only two questions left to ask. Two questions left to determine how he would proceed. His jaw clenched and he looked to Zurvan a moment before he asked Leytham, "Do you have any family?" Zurvan watched Rue steadily as he listened. He watched as the Wyvern Gang member shook his head. "No... not that I know of ... but my sister may still be alive... taken in a pirate raid ten years back..." Rue studied Leytham in silence. His gaze roamed over the wounds sewn shut until he stared once more at the sewn shut eyelids. "Do you worship a particular deity?" "No...... the gods... failed me too many times." Rue swallowed and looked across to Zurvan once more. "Anything else?" He mouthed to the more experienced man. Zurvan looked down at the archer on the ground, then he paced around the man. "No I know the rest of the raid details, I don't wish to prolong his suffering." Rue stood where he was a few feet away, "You don't want this on your land. It's a bad start for a new place." He stated, certain that it was beyond the call for what he'd asked Zurvan to do. Zurvan shook his head, "Personally, I don't." He stepped away from Leytham and then faced Rue. "What do you want me to do with him though, we can't release him..." Rue nodded and came closer, to place his hand to Zurvan's shoulder, "I agree." There was a heavy pause in the air. "It's my mark, I'll bear the burden." Zurvan nodded, wondering about Rue's plan. He was worried Rue was not going to do what he expected should be done. "Alright..." A few moments later, Rue led the re-saddled horse out to the walkway and tethered Lar to the crossties. He borrowed a shovel and secured it to the saddle. Then he walked over to the man and asked Zurvan, "Help me get him up and tell me the closest border of your land?" He moved to reset the gag. "The closest border is to the north, the lake." Zurvan said as he lifted the man's arms. The manner in which his arms and legs dangled, they appeared to be fully broken. He then turned with Rue and placed Leytham over the saddle, belly-side down. The man groaned, close to passing out. Rue swore softly beneath his breath as he realized the man's additional damage. Then he turned away from the foul scent of the injured man. He reached into his pocket and withdrew two platinum coins and extended them to Zurvan. "Tell Raydin thanks. Next time I don't need so much proof." ~*~ *~If you can tear down the walls Throw your armor away remove all roadblocks barricades If you can forget there are bandits and dragons to slay And don't forget that you defend an empty space And remember the tinman Found he had what he thought he lacked Remember the tinman Go find your heart and take it back~* Rue shouldered the man's body and crouched to set him below a tree just off into a clearing by the lake. Rue looked away from the passed out, limp figure, and he reached for the shovel. He began to dig up the ground a short location away from the deep roots of the tree. Suddenly, like some twisted form of guilt, Khelti's angry features surfaced in Rue's mind as he dug deeper and deeper. "Bah!" Rue muttered. "What am I supposed to do? Bring him in for healing?" A short while later, Rue stood in the grave, stood over the unconscious man he'd dragged in, and leaned his forehead against the cold earth. His thumb ran over the back edge of the dagger grasped in his palm. "This should be me..." Then, with a painful sigh, Rue leaned down close and grasped Leytham's head. Rue quickly slit the throat, severing the jugular vein. The man's body twitched then went still. Leytham. Whoever he was. Whatever he did. He'd killed innocent Mystonians. And he wouldn't get away with that anymore. Rue sagged against the side of the grave, dagger still grasped in his hand and he silently shook, consumed by the overwhelming sense of loss all around him. And he started to wonder about this last reason he was still alive. -end- -- To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Archives & Other DMI Lists: http://islesofmyst.com/lists.php3
