"01997" | Sukoshi, Ayla, Chenyol, Toron, Guiscard
“Why so stubborn?”
Green eyes glaring into mine, delicate mouth curved into a slight smirk, she shook her head as she backed up eyeing my shackled form. What did it look like? Red probably, I could feel the liquade pouring from so many cuts runnin over burns. The bandage around my waist growing soaked from the overflow.
“You do realize we’ll find her with or without your help.” She stated tucking a strand of golden hair behind her ear. She had had perfect baids when she began.
Vision blured my lungs coughing from exhaustion.
“You’re almost out kid.” She sighed
A muffled enraged scream sounded from the other side of the room.
“Oh would you just calm down. This is why he’s still alive, you dunce.”
White searing pain close to the collar bone. The involentarty cry of pain followed as I screamed.
“Where did you send her.” Voice calm but dark, as the band lifted. “Tell me and I can end your suffering.”
The world was already dark, my eyes closed. Fire on the bicep, just a breath excaped this time. The knight yelling in muffled anger...
“Whe- … sh- kno- -ou…-ow.”
“You have to learn to read your tormentor Sukoshi. Hidding pain or pretending you don’t feel it will often make the timid ones feel better about what they are doing and the suborn ones more determined to break you. Beyond that, screams and tears can release the tention and make it easier to bear.” “But I am not weak sensei.” “Never overestimate yourself.” Chenyoel chided looking down into my gaze, calm composed, the headmaster of Hawrang. “Of course,” I bowed, “forgive my pride.”
Cold! My eyes shot open, as angry feminine yelling assaulted me. I could not recognize the words. “-damit all!” she fished, as my face was thrown to the side in a backhand. Still rattling chains from the other side of the room. Angry protests. “You know you getting mad changes nothing Guiscard,” I voiced, coughing and let the tears flow, “She’s got a job she doesn’t care about your opinion.” “You’re first words aren’t even too me.” She sighed. A jabbing on one of the burns. I let myself gasp with the pain. “At least I know for sure you can speak Common now. You are aware of what I am trying to learn aren’t you?” A chuckle to respond. Why that would be funny? I have no idea. That was just what I did. An impact in the center of my chest. Her fist rested there for a moment and she sighed. “Look it’s not like I’m enjoying myself either. Just tell me where she went and I can probably get you released.” I looked up to meet her gaze. Expert. Her green eyes trying to show sympathy. “Come on kid. You’re so tiny. You can’t take much of this.” “You underestimate me.” Stars and darkness.
“The best use mental and physical tricks, alternating between harsh and sympathetic. And if they feel remorse they use it and try to get you to pity them so they can stop. I most assuredly do.” He looked down. I stiffened. Though it wasn’t the same, Chenyol had been the closest thing I had to a father. I wasn’t his first. I wouldn’t be the last.
Wet! “You know you passing out on me isn’t making this any easier.” “Ayla, maybe-” “If you can’t handle it, leave.” Vipir. “But you? Surely you can’t-“ My hearing popped as a tearing cut across my chest. I gasped. Chains shook and strained in the corner. “This dagger… it’s made by the elves. Only their wicked minds left to fester for centuries could make something so incredibly efficient at causing pain with each cut. My entire family fell to these. But I’ve brought elves to despair with them too. I was the official interrogator at Five Knives Defense. I broke a lot of elves. I can break you no problem. So when do you want this to stop.” The world still a flame. I focused on my breath. Tears fell. Fading into darkness. Another tear. I screamed. Dark and dull.
“They may brag about all the, people they have broken before. Saying you will be easy. You know our graduation rate. Many do fall. But, no two people are alike. They don’t know what you can take. And you don’t know what that is either. Not until you’ve faced it. Sometimes gifted fall quick, sometimes they who appear cowardly prove the most resilient.” “Yes, sensei.” The breeze stirred pale petals drifting down like snow. “Are you sure you don’t want to wait a year or two. You are not required to complete the final examination until 20.” “You said yourself I can gain little more from practice. It is best to complete out my training so I can enter into the emperor's service, and begin paying my family's debt.” “Your father should feel honored.” “I hope so.” I looked down. And a moment of silence… of calm, like an eye... “Are you ready for the numbers?” “Yes, sensei.” “0 1 9 9 7.” “01997,” I repeted. Memorize it and make your way to the outbuilding tomorrow at 4. “Yes, sensei.”
Cool. Damp. Soothing this time. “…just with his small frame.” “He’s fine.” Her harsh voice. Dark eyes. An older face, one I had seen before. “Hey kid,” he began smiling weakly. “How are you feeling?” “He’s a prisoner for crying out loud,” the girl, “Don’t pamper him.” “Oh I’m sorry, if this is the second time today you’ve needed me to keep him from dying. Unless you want that to happen, please let me work.” She shifted to the side, green eyes staring down at me with… something. A hand reached clutching at the collar of my shirt.. “What are you doing?” a male voice to the side called nervous. “He’s too weak right now to do anything.” She stated jerking forward then leaned in to check. The doctor shifted still treating the wounds with his ointments, the sensation mildly stinging though in comparison it was soothing. “Damn,” she sighed pulling me further from the wall and shifting my shirt to the side. “Ayla what-” A delicate finger traced a line upon my back. She sighed. “That’s a lot kid…” “That’s- what is it?” the male stated, unsure. “Whips, burns it look like… acid maybe.” Yep, acid was the worse. “And a tattoo.” Tattoo? “He’s had this before,” she said, letting go. “You mean torture?” “No, I mean doctoring what do you think whips and burns are, Torin!? Could have just been punishment for something.” She spat staring into my face as if searching for an answer. I blinked flicking my gaze to the dangling braid. Blonde was such a fascinating hair color. “You’re so tiny. You know that. Little thing like you, almost killed a general, been a target for bounty hunters for months. Everyone here is terrified of you. Whatever you went through before… today was noting to you, hu?” I did not react. I was too tired to do anything. “Do you think… we should… like not worry about it.” the man said coming closer his face showing his unease at everything he had just seen. “No, he can be broken, it just will take a long time. At the rate of destruction the rectifier is likely to kill her before we know where she is though. And it’s very possible she could be on the move now if she wasn’t sent to Kokka.” She turned running a hand through her bangs. “You think she was.” “Doubt it.” “If she was she’s already gone.” “Yeah.” Chains rattled a muffled yell. “Oh shoush. Maybe if you had picked a nice lady from Vachelous, none of us would be in this spot.” Angry footsteps storming away, a pair of reluctant boots following. The doctor sighed, “Guiscard… It’s not your fault you know.” He spoke in a hushed tone. “Your younger brother is possessed by much bitterness and self-righteousness. It was his decision.” The chains shifted. “It’s not your fault either you know.” He returned smiling down at me. “I saw how you saved that girl, that must have been hard to do but it was very admirable.” “What do you mean?” His face drained of color as his hands froze mid-task, “you don’t know.” I only met his gaze. “The Rectifier…” he paused clearing his throat, “Fired, for the third time, upon Yoi Shihon… It is possible the whole island was destroyed.” … Numb… … … … I kind of want to die…
“You have to learn to read your tormentor Sukoshi. Hidding pain or pretending you don’t feel it will often make the timid ones feel better about what they are doing and the suborn ones more determined to break you. Beyond that, screams and tears can release the tention and make it easier to bear.” “But I am not weak sensei.” “Never overestimate yourself.” Chenyoel chided looking down into my gaze, calm composed, the headmaster of Hawrang. “Of course,” I bowed, “forgive my pride.”
Cold! My eyes shot open, as angry feminine yelling assaulted me. I could not recognize the words. “-damit all!” she fished, as my face was thrown to the side in a backhand. Still rattling chains from the other side of the room. Angry protests. “You know you getting mad changes nothing Guiscard,” I voiced, coughing and let the tears flow, “She’s got a job she doesn’t care about your opinion.” “You’re first words aren’t even too me.” She sighed. A jabbing on one of the burns. I let myself gasp with the pain. “At least I know for sure you can speak Common now. You are aware of what I am trying to learn aren’t you?” A chuckle to respond. Why that would be funny? I have no idea. That was just what I did. An impact in the center of my chest. Her fist rested there for a moment and she sighed. “Look it’s not like I’m enjoying myself either. Just tell me where she went and I can probably get you released.” I looked up to meet her gaze. Expert. Her green eyes trying to show sympathy. “Come on kid. You’re so tiny. You can’t take much of this.” “You underestimate me.” Stars and darkness.
“The best use mental and physical tricks, alternating between harsh and sympathetic. And if they feel remorse they use it and try to get you to pity them so they can stop. I most assuredly do.” He looked down. I stiffened. Though it wasn’t the same, Chenyol had been the closest thing I had to a father. I wasn’t his first. I wouldn’t be the last.
Wet! “You know you passing out on me isn’t making this any easier.” “Ayla, maybe-” “If you can’t handle it, leave.” Vipir. “But you? Surely you can’t-“ My hearing popped as a tearing cut across my chest. I gasped. Chains shook and strained in the corner. “This dagger… it’s made by the elves. Only their wicked minds left to fester for centuries could make something so incredibly efficient at causing pain with each cut. My entire family fell to these. But I’ve brought elves to despair with them too. I was the official interrogator at Five Knives Defense. I broke a lot of elves. I can break you no problem. So when do you want this to stop.” The world still a flame. I focused on my breath. Tears fell. Fading into darkness. Another tear. I screamed. Dark and dull.
“They may brag about all the, people they have broken before. Saying you will be easy. You know our graduation rate. Many do fall. But, no two people are alike. They don’t know what you can take. And you don’t know what that is either. Not until you’ve faced it. Sometimes gifted fall quick, sometimes they who appear cowardly prove the most resilient.” “Yes, sensei.” The breeze stirred pale petals drifting down like snow. “Are you sure you don’t want to wait a year or two. You are not required to complete the final examination until 20.” “You said yourself I can gain little more from practice. It is best to complete out my training so I can enter into the emperor's service, and begin paying my family's debt.” “Your father should feel honored.” “I hope so.” I looked down. And a moment of silence… of calm, like an eye... “Are you ready for the numbers?” “Yes, sensei.” “0 1 9 9 7.” “01997,” I repeted. Memorize it and make your way to the outbuilding tomorrow at 4. “Yes, sensei.”
Cool. Damp. Soothing this time. “…just with his small frame.” “He’s fine.” Her harsh voice. Dark eyes. An older face, one I had seen before. “Hey kid,” he began smiling weakly. “How are you feeling?” “He’s a prisoner for crying out loud,” the girl, “Don’t pamper him.” “Oh I’m sorry, if this is the second time today you’ve needed me to keep him from dying. Unless you want that to happen, please let me work.” She shifted to the side, green eyes staring down at me with… something. A hand reached clutching at the collar of my shirt.. “What are you doing?” a male voice to the side called nervous. “He’s too weak right now to do anything.” She stated jerking forward then leaned in to check. The doctor shifted still treating the wounds with his ointments, the sensation mildly stinging though in comparison it was soothing. “Damn,” she sighed pulling me further from the wall and shifting my shirt to the side. “Ayla what-” A delicate finger traced a line upon my back. She sighed. “That’s a lot kid…” “That’s- what is it?” the male stated, unsure. “Whips, burns it look like… acid maybe.” Yep, acid was the worse. “And a tattoo.” Tattoo? “He’s had this before,” she said, letting go. “You mean torture?” “No, I mean doctoring what do you think whips and burns are, Torin!? Could have just been punishment for something.” She spat staring into my face as if searching for an answer. I blinked flicking my gaze to the dangling braid. Blonde was such a fascinating hair color. “You’re so tiny. You know that. Little thing like you, almost killed a general, been a target for bounty hunters for months. Everyone here is terrified of you. Whatever you went through before… today was noting to you, hu?” I did not react. I was too tired to do anything. “Do you think… we should… like not worry about it.” the man said coming closer his face showing his unease at everything he had just seen. “No, he can be broken, it just will take a long time. At the rate of destruction the rectifier is likely to kill her before we know where she is though. And it’s very possible she could be on the move now if she wasn’t sent to Kokka.” She turned running a hand through her bangs. “You think she was.” “Doubt it.” “If she was she’s already gone.” “Yeah.” Chains rattled a muffled yell. “Oh shoush. Maybe if you had picked a nice lady from Vachelous, none of us would be in this spot.” Angry footsteps storming away, a pair of reluctant boots following. The doctor sighed, “Guiscard… It’s not your fault you know.” He spoke in a hushed tone. “Your younger brother is possessed by much bitterness and self-righteousness. It was his decision.” The chains shifted. “It’s not your fault either you know.” He returned smiling down at me. “I saw how you saved that girl, that must have been hard to do but it was very admirable.” “What do you mean?” His face drained of color as his hands froze mid-task, “you don’t know.” I only met his gaze. “The Rectifier…” he paused clearing his throat, “Fired, for the third time, upon Yoi Shihon… It is possible the whole island was destroyed.” … Numb… … … … I kind of want to die…
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