“You'll tell me, won't you?” Clara whispered sweetly to the hapless young man she had literally spell-bound, caressing him softly as she continued pressing him for answers. “Jackal; Jaaackal; sweet, little Jackal...” she cooed, using the subtle force of her Thessalian racial bonus to its fullest advantage. Thessalians had a twenty-five point default bonus to Charisma and a two-point-five percent positive modifier on persuasion options. Clara had capitalized on this in addition to her poisonous array of magicks, as well as advancing the Art of Persuasion and the Secret-Finders trees. It was one of the reasons Melody had chosen her as second in Venomheart: her inquisition techniques were among the best in the game.
Jackal, the subject of her advances and questions, was having a hard time keeping answers from her. He had already unwittingly divulged the name of the place where the Nine Orbs would be used, suddenly clamping his mouth shut with both hands just as he was about to reveal the location itself. Now he struggled again as Clara subtly redoubled her efforts.
“Hmm, hmm... won't you tell me, little Jackal?” she pleaded seductively.
“Nnngh! Grrrgh!” he fidgeted uneasily.
“It's no use, dar-ling,” Clara smiled sweetly at him. “I'll just do this to someone else, and then another, and another, on and on and on, until I get what I want... and I always get what I want...”
Jackal knew it was true; he'd heard rumors of this person, Venomheart's interrogator. He'd only half-believed the forum rumors... until now. Might as well tell her... it's not like those losers Rama or Hathisis can do anything at this point...
“Ih, it's east...” he stammered out.
“East?” she repeated in a whisper near his ear.
“Ahh! East, east of... j-jungles...”
“The jungles...” Clara noted with a sultry tone, sliding her fingers underneath his chin delicately.
“Mmm... mrrmm... i's... it's the... the--!!” he started stammering again, part of him still unwilling to yield.
Drrrrgh!! Hahh... wouldn't it be impressive if I was the one who broke the inquisitor?! Jackal thought in a semi-deranged state of mind, desperately clinging to loyalty again.
“Hmm... let's see... east of the Jungles of Zyda...” Clara mused, and then softly gasped in realization. “Of course, of course... I see now,” she said, releasing her victim, who slumped back in his chair, understanding that he had, in the end, failed to keep her from guessing. A shrill laughter was heard, and the room filled with the smoke of poison as Clara left him.
The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.
“Hah... so that's why she had me meet here out here in the abandoned house... to avoid the in-town penalty for a player death...” Jackal sighed. “Blast Rama, and blast Hathisis, too... we need Rayna back...” he mused as his health bar went down rapidly from the poison.
***
Near Pithoeses, Clara found Cyan waiting for her. The silent necromancer blinked as she approached him, and she smiled at her comrade.
“Did you get sent after me?” she asked him. He nodded back. “Melody?” Clara wondered; another nod. “Then let's contact her right now. I have some good news she'll be delighted to hear about...” Clara told him with a venomous smile.
“Hmm.” Cyan returned, the rare and faint glimmer of a smile coming to his face as he pulled out the communication crystal to contact the other members of Venomheart.
“Clara?” Melody said as the other five came into view moments later.
“Mel-mel, sorry I wasn't on to greet you; I just finished an interrogation, though,” the green-haired girl said in a dainty sort of way.
“Oh?” Melody raised an eyebrow.
“I've figured out where the Silvernight Queens will be going for the final ritual involving the Nine Orbs.” Clara told her with a quiet smile.
“Oooooh-hoo-hoo-hoo-hoo-hoooo!! Say we'll go! Say we'll go!! Say we'll goooo!!!” Venomy crowed, hopping up and down like a frog at the words.
“Good work,” Melody said to her second with a smile. “No need to tell me now; we'll meet up with you around Pithoeses. We were planning to be in the Wildlands for the King-Priests major assault tonight, but... this seems more up our alley.”
“Oh of course,” Clara returned, idly twirling a lock of her hair around her finger. “That's exactly why I put more effort into it,” she casually shrugged.
“We'll see you soon, then.” Melody smiled, and the communication ended.
“Tch, you'd think at least that idiot Venomy would stay around the Wildlands....” she sighed.
“Hrrmm.” Cyan shook his head, tapping the side of it a moment later.
“Oh I know. Be-lieve me I know.” Clara remarked. “Good thing the real psycho is safely locked away...” she muttered.
“You... actually know him?” Cyan wondered.
“Like I said,” the girl with green hair said with a shrug, heading towards the wayport.
Cyan tilted his head for a moment, observing her, and then decided it didn't matter. They had a job to do, and it wasn't one their self-appointed overlords had foisted upon them. He followed her to the wayport, eager to be on a task that they had now chosen for themselves. Clara smiled as he caught up to her, pride swelling in her chest.
Tonight, Lana... we settle things tonight!