Private Tales What Is the First to Break?

A private roleplay only for those invited by the first writer
"What is the first to break?"

A sharp pain struck through Alistair's back as he blocked out the monologue from the man who stood over him. He wasn't even sure why the so-called priest was still at it, as Alistair had gone numb to the physical blows weeks ago.

"Is the body, or the mind?"

False thoughts filled his brain, foreign but yet they were his own. Right? He was a follower of the Radiant Church. Of course, he would want to assist the great plan. All they needed to know was a few troop positions and which Dreadlords were currently stationed on the frontlines. That was rather simple to answer.

His mouth parted to speak, before a swift bite down drew blood from his tongue, as the part of him that had been trained to survive such tactics finally won out. This was nothing for him. He could hold out for as long as he needed.

"Or maybe it is neither, maybe it's something far more important that breaks."

What had Alistair done to deserve this? His mind traced back to how he had gotten here. It had started as a simple reassignment as the Vigilite needed someone with a successful track record to slip behind enemy lines and report back to Vel Anir. The first weeks had been easy enough; in fact, they had been too easy. Alistair should have seen the signs; maybe it had been his own hubris at his recent successes in life, but it had almost felt like the Church had known he was coming.

His memories then slipped even further away to times long ago, events that certainly would have sent his karma in a negative direction. Was it the brutal treatment of former classmates as he was tasked with hunting down deserters? Was it the burning of homes and killing of innocents during his first campaign at the Canal? Or maybe it was all the way back to the night he had murdered his father?

Yes, Alistair certainly deserved all of this. It had just taken time to catch up with him.

"Or maybe something was already broken? We can help you put that back together, you know?"

Alistair only now looked up to meet his jailor's eyes. He could not see him, of course. He was afraid to activate his runes, as every time he did, security measures caused him great pain. And, inside this cell, his eyes would not work. Not a sliver of magical aura for him to find. Even so, he knew what was before him. The old man with a kind smile went directly against the bloody work he performed.

Father Ezekiel looked like he had walked out of a children's nursery rhyme rather than the nightmares of some twisted and demented mother fucker was must have taken as much joy in torture as they did in breathing. If the Dawn Lord, of whatever it was these fuckers believed in, truly had crafted each of them, then that god must be seriously fucked in the head.

Evaine Ispir Sione
 
Of all the places to be sent.

Of all the half-baked plans.

In the quiet corner of an enemy city, breaking the neck of some unsuspecting Radiant Church nun and stuffing her body into a fish barrel. How did she go from surviving the wilds of Arethil's most untamed and monstrous lands to gutting religious sanctity simply to steal its robes.

"You're supposed to be keeping watch," she intoned to the hired bard as she yanked the nun's robes on over her head, "not silently judging my ability to fold dead bodies into small spaces."

Ispir Sione
 
  • Stressed
Reactions: Ispir Sione
Of all the places to be covering one's face with both hands, legs shaking and eyes squeezed shut Ispir truly wished to be almost anywhere else right about now!

A translator, they had told him, a translator for negotiations and someone with with that could speak the local language. In truth Ispir hadn't even known he could SPEAK the local dialect until he heard it in passing and processed it without any issue. No doubt some holdover from long-forgotten memories he could not place or relate to any longer.

Nevertheless being hired as a translator and watching his partner in, well, CRIME at this point, shove a dead body into a stinky fish barrel was altogether far too much for him. The only reason Ispir's judgement of Evaine and her actions was anywhere NEAR silent was out of startled, overwhelmed terror than any sort of commenting on her technique! But at her reminder he would cautiously peak around the corner he was pressed up against, if for no other reason than to not get caught and killed himself..... AND to throw up from the absolutely horrid smell of dead body mixed with fish.

Coughing and retching as he deposited his lunch onto the floor Ispir would shudder and prestidigitate his lips clean before shaking his head rapidly, his twin tails flailing about himself. as he retorted.

"I-I'm not exactly used to seeing dead bodies folded ANYWHERE really....."

Evaine
 
  • Smug
Reactions: Evaine
"Then you haven't lived," Evaine replied flatly as she tucked her wheaten blond hair back into a low tie and pulled the cowl of the robes over her head.

It was less to hide her identity than it was simply to remain inconspicuous. She'd seen plenty of these Priests and Priestesses milling about the city with their cowls drawn. Something about holy essence, though she'd only heard some ship hands speaking of them in passing.

"Since I can't speak the language I won't speak at all," the woman's sash next fastened around her waist, it hung with a bit more loose material around her far more trim physique, but Evaine didn't think that mattered much. "You'll do the speaking for me. I will tap you on the shoulder; once for yes, twice for no. If I squeeze your shoulder," the Dreadlord clamped a hand down on Ispir's nearest shoulder and gave it a none-too-gentle squeeze, "it means shut the fuck up."

Scooping up the book of the Sunfather and the Priestess' staff where it leant nearby, Evaine poked her head out the door to look either way along the narrow allow that cut between the buildings.

"The church we're heading to isn't much farther. Walk in front of me and play the music from the worship sheets you were given."


Ispir Sione
 
  • Stressed
Reactions: Ispir Sione
Ispir would, coughing a bit more from throwing up so heavily, puff out their cheeks in an indignant pout at Evaine 's mean words. Protesting in a manner that, if it wasn't clear already, made it crystal clear her small companion wasn't at all used to this line of work.

"I-I have too! I play music everywhere and I've made a lot of money and met a lot of people! I even uhh... got shot by a kobold once....."

At their hesitation their voice went from pouty and indignant to soft and muttering only for Evaine to clamp a hand down on the bard's thin shoulder. Was it a bad thing that he was thinner, less muscled, than she was? In fact it was no stretch at all to say the bard was downright soft by comparison. Gulping down their fear, doubt, trepidation and what remained of their stomach contents Ispir would give a quick series of obedient nods before shakily rising up and taking a deep breathe.

While part of him DID want to simply run away, abandon the whole thing, for one he doubted he could escape Evaine. For two it might cause Zinnia trouble if it was discovered he had ran away scared from a job with her uhh.... colleagues? Though he would DEFINITELY have to tell her about not all her associated not fitting the name DREADlord!

Putting on his best performing face, which he was admittedly good at despite his terror, Ispir would open the door and begin to walk. His fingers gently plucking at his harp for the tune "Grace of the Sunfather" which he had memorized along with the others already. For better or worse with Evaine at his back Ispir felt both safe and in danger. The woman in his wake feeling both like a dagger pressed to his own proverbial back as well as brandished against their enemies.

Oh well.... nothing to do now but continue the performance!

Alistair Krixus
 
  • Dwarf
  • Frog Eyes
Reactions: Evaine and Zinnia