• Memory • [Augiery] Consequences

[Ministry]

18th Trial of Cylus,
Arc 714
Language: Grovokian

“Traitor!” The first voice whispered harshly, no sympathy in her high voice. Clammy, wet hands peel at Ministry’s right leg, which shakes in pain against the stone tile of the Augiery dungeon.

“She probably thinks she’s better than us,” said a second, more mature voice, so close to Ministry’s face that she could feel their matted breath. “Are you crying? Moseke and Qylios can’t help you here, child.”

A hand grazed her sore cheek, but she couldn’t see anything. They had gagged and blinded her, and she hadn’t seen anything in trials. She was beginning to think that she would never seen anything again, and she would be left to die in the fireless cell that she craved every night, before they took her away again every morning. There was no use in fighting them, and no help would come. Her only option was to endure and hope they push her frail body too far. The torture was getting worse each time, and they were beginning to use more disturbing methods.

The first voice took Ministry from her thoughts, but the voice wasn’t talking to her, “If she doesn’t talk we’ll have to use more.”

Ugly pause. Ministry sweats in anticipation, the hot, damp room didn’t betray a sound that could tell her what was coming next, besides from a dripping noise to her far right. A cold, piercing feeling drags across her arm, and then it sinks into her skin. Ministry cries out in pain, and her knuckles turn white as they clench onto the rests of the chair. She tries to raise her arm in shock but the shackles prevent her from doing anything. Then, one hand massages the wound on her arm with a slick jelly. It was almost relaxing, and it cooled the area immediately. In a few moments however, the feeling betrays her, and the jelly seeps into her wound, and a burning sensation spreads across her entire arm. Ministry’s head knocks against the chair through force, and she screams, her entire body buckling under the pressure.

The second voice speaks softly in her ear as the pain moves up into her arm and stings it into numbness. “All you have to do is tell us about Aradia and her plans. Where are the others?”

Aradia was the closest with Ministry and her two sisters, and the Naerikks wanted to know if she had shared anything important with them that she didn’t with the others. Ministry couldn’t focus clearly as the jelly infects her body, burrowing into the bones on her arm and tearing apart every fiber of it.

Suddenly, curved claws sharp enough to tear anyone to pieces strangle at her throat. The first voice, strange and almost demonic now, shrieks into her face, “Where are they?!”

“Stop it, you’re going to --” the second voice cuts off.

Ministry croaks out something, little more than a moan. The claws deepened in Ministry’s throat begin to recede, and a small slap on bare skin echoes the small room, and the first voice mutters something that Ministry can’t hear. Then, a door opens behind her and closes.

“There’s nothing I can’t do to you now as long as it makes you talk.” The first voice says, more gentle now, and pained almost as to what she's saying. The voice pauses, and there are brisk footsteps to her left. The voice speaks out once more, behind her, “Do you know what you’ve done to us? To the city? You’re no longer one of us any longer.”

The door opens, and then closes once again.

[Yavanna]

18th Trial of Cylus, Arc 714

⌘ Current Theme: HUSHH

⌘ The family home was abuzz with many important faces in Augiery. It seemed Yavanna's mother had the honor of interrogating a special captive this trial. Not entirely sure what was happening the young near sat back and watched as the woman came and went, her mother and others pouring over torturing notes and the likes. What drew the young near's attention, however, was the screams and moans of pain and discomfort. She waited till no one was watching, and slipped in when one of the torturers left the holding cell. Hiding in the corner her eyes gazed over the captive. She was a naer too. So many questions began to flood the young girl's mind. Who was this woman, why were we detaining her, what could she have possibly done to end up in my mother's clutches?

These were all buzzing around in her mind, but her focus went to wanting to help her mother in any possible way after all torture ran in her blood. Yavanna kept to the shadows, making sure to remain out of the peripheral of her mother and colleague. When both women left, Yavanna waited a moment, then slowly came from the dark corner she was hiding in. Im going to be rather frank with you, if you don't spill your guts, my mother will spill them for you. She said caressing the beaten and bruised face of the captive. Yavanna's eyes poured over the pain and helplessness of the victim, soaking it all in with a delighted smile. Tilting her head to the side the young naer held the woman's face with both hands, making her eyes lock onto Yavanna's demented gaze. Is holding your tongue truly worth it? What secrets are worth this misery? It's pointless to keep them, so why don't you share with me, if you do I'll tell you something no one knows, that could actually ruin my mother's reputation.⌘

[Ministry]

18th Trial of Cylus,
Arc 714
Language: Grovokian

Once the voice had left, Ministry held her head down. Was it worth it getting to this point? Her thoughts didn’t stray far, aside from worrying as she usually does for the fate of her sister Imogène and her mother. Her mind was too focused on the pain eating at her arm, and the girl cried, silently. She must endure much more in the trials to come if she is to survive.

A faint sound comes from somewhere around her, as quiet as a mouse. Then, suddenly, a gentle hand caresses her sore cheek as the other voice had earlier. It was relaxing, relieving, and for a brief moment Ministry believed that perhaps someone had truly come to rescue her from this hell. Instead, the hands applied more and more pressure until her slashed cheek was burning in pain. Her blindfold gets tugged off, and for a moment, Ministry’s eyes adjust to the low lit cell, the small lantern in the corner dizzying her.

Then, a small woman’s face began to become clear. No, not a woman’s, a child’s. She couldn’t have been any older than Ministry was at seventeen arcs, but there was a coldness in her gaze that terrified her. Her eyes looked past Ministry and only at her wounds, and for a brief moment you could almost see a child. But then her hands gripped the woman’s cheek, and she said, “I'm going to be rather frank with you, if you dont spill your guts, my mother will spill them for you.”

Her head bounced to the side, and she smiled, as if it were all a game. Finally, her eyes rested on Ministry’s, “Is holding your tongue truly worth it? What secrets are worth this misery? It's pointless to keep them, so why don't you share with me, if you do I'll tell you something no one knows, that could actually ruin my mother's reputation?”

Ministry’s eyes wandered to the far right, and the dripping noise she had heard for the past several breaks. There was a grate, most likely apart of a sewer system, leaking water. She closed her eyes, and tried to absorb the last few moments of peace she had gotten. The girl ungagged her as quickly as she had done with the blindfold, almost causing pain in just doing that.

Ministry coughs up bits of blood off to the side, and once she looks up, she whispers, “Some secrets are worth keeping. No matter the cost.”

[Yavanna]

18th Trial of Cylus, Arc 714

⌘ Current Theme: HUSHH

⌘ A smile crept onto the young naer's face at the woman's answer. The woman was willing to throw her life away for someone he had no blood relation too it seemed. In any case, Yavanna would be a good little girl and help momma however she could. Releasing the captive from her grasp, Yavanna went and grabbed a bottle, it holds a clear pink liquid in it. Walking over to the near she poured it over the gravest of wounds and wiped them. Its an antiseptic, will help fight off infection and keep you from passing out. She said moving over to the shelves, hidden by the darkness so that anyone unfortunate enough to be sitting in that chair couldn't ascertain what horror was coming next. After gathering the needed supplies she returned and sat in front of the older woman.

Yavanna was fascinated by her, her resilience, her loyalty, and most of all, the fact this one could take a beating. If that is what you truly believe, then let us see just much you are willing to pay for keeping your secrets. I will warn you, I'm no master of torture like my mother, simply an observer. She said picking up a pair of plier-like tools. I can't say that my methods won't be anything less than crude. If you thought the pain caused by an expert torturer was unbearable, imagine pain coming from someone with no formal training at all! She said in a rather delighted and demented tone, giggling like a giddy school girl, with a rather demonic glee of a facial expression.⌘

[Ministry]

18th Trial of Cylus,
Arc 714
Language: Grovokian

The girl got up and returned, and then she began to pour a sizzling, and boiling vial of pink liquid across Ministry’s right leg. It had been peeled the most, and was already pink and reddened -- but the liquid unexpectedly seemed to attach itself to every cut and, instead of causing pain, soothed the areas slowly. Gradually, the sizzling fades as it enters her body, and her wounds seem to take on a more healthy hue within a few trills.

“It's an antiseptic, will help fight off infection and keep you from passing out.”

Was the girl going to help her after all?

The girl moved over to the shelves and returned with a bundle of tools, too difficult to make out in the dimly lit darkness of the keep.

“If that is what you truly believe, then let's see just much you are willing to pay for keeping your secrets. I will warn you, I'm no master of torture like my mother, simply an observer,” She said picking up a pair of a plier like tools.

She continued, “I can't say that my methods won't be anything less than crude. If you thought the pain caused by an expert torturer was unbearable, imagine pain coming from someone with no formal training at all!”

The girl’s hair hid her tiny face well, and although she was young, there was a darkness held in her expression that only the most demented of the Naerikk seem to have. Not a warrior’s, but a conqueror’s, and a ruler. She didn’t want to hurt her enemies, she wanted to make them truly suffer. Ministry wasn’t quite sure if she should be proud of the Naerikk for raising someone like this or horrified that she is instead on the wrong side of the torture’s chair. Ministry instinctively prepared herself for what might be coming next, and refused to speak at all to the girl.

[Yavanna]

18th Trial of Cylus, Arc 714

⌘ Current Theme: HUSHH

⌘ Awe what's the matter, cat got your wittle tongue? She giggled in a condescending & playful manner. Yavanna walks behind near, undoing her hand restraints, only to slap them on the table, and clamping them down tautly at the wrists. Sitting back in front of the captive, Yavanna took her left hand in her own, picking up the pliers with her right. I overheard my mother say this the one time my father disobeyed her, but did you know there are 27 bones that support your hands? Do you know how much pressure one must apply in order to break them? She asked a looked of childlike curiosity in her eyes before they shifted to a more playful and sinister appearance.

With those questions floating about, I want to play a game with you. Its called "27 questions". Its a really simple game, I ask you a question and you answer. If you don't answer, then I break a bone. The goal of this games to make it till the end without having all 27 bones broken, cause if that happens, well then I'm fairly sure your left hand will be useless. But I'm no doctor so don't take my word for it. He said, laughing a little. So first question, who besides yourself, is the rebel leader's closest allies? She asked, caressing the naer's hand with her own, but also applying pressure to her first bone as a means to show she was meaning to break it if the captive didn't comply.⌘

[Ministry]

18th Trial of Cylus,
Arc 714
Language: Grovokian

Everything seemed to click for Ministry when the girl asked her that question. Although she had revealed as much earlier, the girl truly knew nothing of the situation. She had found her mother’s toys, and wanted to play torturer, but didn’t know the stakes. Ministry thought to herself, that if the girl was so passionate and easily led, she should have joined their cause instead of following in her mother’s footsteps. Although Ministry was the one bound in chains, and beaten, there was nothing more satisfying for her except to see her own captors lacking the same freedom. Ministry saw herself in the girl almost, and wondered that if her fate would be similar if her teacher hadn’t led her astray. The girl was a soldier, but knew nothing of the war she was fighting in.

The question she asked was harmless enough, the others already knew the answer to it, the rebel leader’s closest allies were Ministry’s sisters alongside herself, one of which was burned alive in the rebellion. Imogène, the other sister, was captured alongside Ministry. One of them had to crack for the Naerikk to get what they wanted.

But the girl, Ministry assumed, didn’t know this. She couldn’t extract any information if she didn’t know what was happening. Despite the pressure the girl had on her hand, despite the consequence, if she talked now, the girl would know too much. It would only get worse from there. She had no doubt, despite the inexperience of the girl, that she would dig and dig until Ministry broke. Finally, she wouldn’t have to endure any longer, and her elder sister was tougher than her, she always was, and she would find a way out of this. But not with Ministry, her time was done, and she served her cause with everything she had.

Ministry said in a weak and quiet voice, “Aradia was closest with my sisters and I. I don’t know if she was close with anyone else the way she was with us.”

Or if it meant anything.

Aradia was a Naerikk, and whether her maternal feelings were genuine was a difficult question that Ministry didn’t want to know the answer to. Aradia treated her better than her own mother had, and that was all that mattered to her.

[Yavanna]

18th Trial of Cylus, Arc 714

⌘ Current Theme: HUSHH

⌘ Well that was far easier than I expected, you gave up your sisters just like that? She said in surprise. She was expecting, at least hoping to break some bones before getting a response to any of the questions. But her mind was so different, as she had seen enough of her mother's work to know there were always details in what was said by a captive. If Aradia was truly close to this woman and her sisters then Yavanna could use that to gain more from her. You would give up your siblings so quickly, that's quite a horrible thing to do. What a bitch She said as she sat the pliers down and walked behind the captive, the young naer's hands trailing across her prey's skin. Though I guess its a trait that run's in the family. There was a near before that was here. She broke in more ways than one at the skill of my mother. She had the same skins as you, her hair not as luscious, but still beautiful, even after being beaten and tortured beyond recognition. I was so excited hearing her wail at night, its truly soothing to say the least, help me get to sleep ya know. She said cupping the woman's face from behind and lounging on her shoulders.

In any case, I now have the task of determining what you've told me is true or not. A lie like that would be very detrimental to your health you know. But If it is true then you have put you're siblings in grave danger, beyond what they could already be facing. Did it ever ponder in that brain of yours that if we were able to catch you we could get our hands on your sisters? Now that I think about it, you and that other near look very similar. She said, obviously lying through her teeth, but that was fun in the game, seeing if a delirious and abused naer could see it, or slip up and reveal more than she intended to. Yavanna came back to her seat, the top half of her face obscured by the darkness of the room, her glowing amber eyes peering at the captive⌘

[Ministry]

18th Trial of Cylus,
Arc 714
Language: Grovokian

Her comments stung. Ministry, in her eyes, didn’t have a mother. Barbosa was too wrapped up in her work to care for her girls, and in the few times she did, she made it abundantly clear that their accomplishments were the only things that mattered to her. Barbosa was jealous of Odessa, almost obsessed that her niece was able to rise so far above their family. She wanted what Odessa had, what all the vice queens had.

Ministry’s sisters were her true family. They were inseparable, they trained together, fought together, and functioned together. There were only a handful of people in all of Idalos that handled battle so fluidly like the each of them did with each other. It was a stunning display, and very few in Augiery at their age could match their potential. But, their opportunity for something better fell short when Marguerite died in the rebellion, and Imogène’s whereabouts were unknown to Ministry at the time. It was as if Ministry lost parts of herself, and although she may have been able to contain her anger towards the girl if she were more focused and strong, her willpower and self control was draining, and she did little to conceal it across her face.

As the girl began talking behind her, Ministry’s mind began to wander, until she mentioned that the Naerikk girl she was speaking about could be Imogène. Tears welt in Ministry’s eyes, and she felt a spark. It was almost like a scratch, it was so subtle, she almost missed it. But it was there. She felt the water from the grate she saw earlier, she felt every drop that rained down from it and onto the stone floor, and she was part of it. Perhaps the Abrogator from before got distracted for a moment and the defense slipped, but this was unlikely. Instead, Ministry’s rage began to boil and her commune with the elements began to rise with it. The elements were more than friends, far different from the relationship she held with her sisters. The elements were bound with her, and intertwined with her very being since her initiation. The suggestion that Imogène, her wise older sister, who raised her when her mother was away, being tortured set her blood aflame. She felt the stone in the floor, and the water from the grate, and the ability to finally connect with the elements again filled her with the strength to push through, if not for herself, but for Imogène.

For the first time in many trials, Ministry’s eyes reflected something different. In them was something that stood out compared to the hellish dungeon she’d been living in. Her violet eyes locked onto the girl’s, and she said, “You don’t know what you’re taking part of, do you? You don’t know of the world outside The Keep’s walls. You have so much passion, it’s a shame that so much of it is wasted. Go get your mother, girl, she was far better at this than you will ever be.”

She spit the last words out, and didn’t dare to break eye contact with her.

[Yavanna]

18th Trial of Cylus, Arc 714

⌘ Current Theme: HUSHH

⌘ When the captive bucked back at Yavanna, the young near didn't cower, nor did she react in any way. She allowed the woman to have her say. It seemed this one has some bark left in her after all. It was surprising seeing how much she had already endured from being tortured. Instead, Yavanna was admiring the woman's strength, her will to stay true to her resolve. And the more she was infatuated with it, the more she wanted to break it. So she put on her best face and moved to go grab something off the wall. The clanging could be distinctive enough to be recognized, and as she moved to the captive, Yavanna knelt down to unlock the shackles of her feet. Sitting back down Yavanna placed the key in her pocket.

"If you want your freedom, I have one simple request. In exchange for this key, I want you to tell me about her, the rebel leader. What kind of woman is she, she must be strong if she is able to gather such strong-willed naer such as yourself? Honestly, I don't think I could be as strong as you if the shoe was on the other foot. So I'm curious as to what type of person she is, so I have something to aspire to." Yavanna stared with longing eyes, a look of a little girl hoping for a favorable answer. She leaned forward as she rested her head in her hands waiting for the naer to answer. ⌘