Chapter 141 An Interrogation II.
How do you feel when you see,
A grown man beating a young woman bloody?
How do you feel when you see this,
and know the woman had knowingly murdered his son?
Justice is about perspective, but the truth is eternal.
Noxi, Guardian of Light.
I stare at the grimoire on my desk, mixed feelings well in my chest. I'm reluctant to waste precious pages.
When I first got it, I treated it as an unlimited source of new spells, wasting precious pages on a cantrip that summon a vegetable of all things... Now I know how valuable and limited this source of magical knowledge is, I can't waste it on whims. Yet, I still have nearly 70 unused pages, and I do need utility spells. Not to mention how useful a mind reading spell would be, I still need one that lets me view people of my choice from afar.
No more sitting on the fence with this. I'll get the spells I need when I need to use them. My heart beats loudly as I flip a page and touch the paper. I need a spell that lets me read minds!
Lumina’s Mind Touch.
Names: Lumina’s Mind Touch. Mind Touch, Lesser Mind Read.
Element: Psyche.
Sub element: Force will.
Level: 1
Language: Reviss
Words: Revatol revisarisoroar. Atrevi revisarisor quiri to revisor keshla shin koarr/shoarr rakvis. Atrevi revshak quiri oarsorak.
Translation: Spirits of truth. I truly wish to know what’s in his/her mind. I humbly request your help.
Quicken: X Psyche and soul spells cannot be quickened.
Patterns: 12
Gestures: Offering> Ringfingers, thumbs, index fingers touching each other >left thumb on caster’s forehead between the eyebrows, and right thumb on the target’s forehead between the eyebrows.
Offering: 5 feathers from any bird of prey.
Requirement: X
Range: Touch
Target: A creature possessing a sapient mind.
Duration: 1 minute.
Effect: The spell will allow the caster to read the target’s surface thoughts
Cost: 50 light mana, 10 water mana.
Bound cost: 35 light mana, 6 water mana.
Altered cost: 5 light gem and 1 water gem per alteration patterns.
I let out a relived sigh. It works… good! Lumina? Isn’t that the same mage who created Kinetic Blast?
A warning from the Maven of Mysteries.
Lumina’s Mind Touch is a Telepathic Spell of the advanced Psyche Element.
Should you cast a spell of the Translucent Psyche element you shall be unable to cast gazing spells of the Soul Element.
The elementals of Psyche and Soul are at war, they reject casters who deal with the other side.
While elemental-less cantrips of these elements can still be cast without angering the other side, should you summon an elemental for your spell, you shall be rejected by all elementals of the opposing element.
Psyche Magic has an association to the Light Element, and Light Affinity may influence it.
Soul Magic has an association to the Fire Element, and Fire Affinity may influence it.
I shall recommend that you chose the Psyche Element due to your poor Fire affinity.
I shall recommend that you choose the Psyche Element due to a hunch I have about your bloodline.
But.
The choice between Psyche or Soul is yours make.
It’s not like my light affinity is that high… But a hunch about my bloodline? Why didn’t she say anything? Argh! I hate how cryptic she can be! At least she provided me a warning, I bet the same warning would show up if I attempted to look up a soul spell, and now I know that looking up soul spells would be a true waste… I hope that spying on another person from afar isn't considered to be a soul spell... I'll need one of these...
I wonder what this hunch is. Assuming that little Dark Fae wasn't lying, a Rakshasa should be a Fae that influence people's minds, so it does make sense.
Even without the hag's hunch… This spell is Lumina’s, and her spells had saved my life before. I hope to find more of her spells… I wonder if that Lumina is still alive and a nearly immortal mage somewhere like Effrat is, or dead… I really hope the hag isn’t Lumina… What was the hag’s name again? Fiulaka right? Didn’t she wipe it out of my mind? Do I really remember the name right? What’s her mage name? Do I even know that? It can’t just be the “Maven of Mysteries,” that’s a title…
It doesn’t matter, I’ll find out sooner or later. Back to business. This spell does seem to solve my problem. It’s a mind reading spell. I’ll have to touch the assassin for it to work, but that’s not a problem…
I'll save learning a spell that lets me spy on people for later. When I actually need it. Maybe later I might spy on Salik and see how they're doing in Tolste's Bay. I also want to check Janara's cell, just to make sure. The main reason I want such a spell is to keep an eye on my brother and possibly find my sister anyway, but I have no idea what's the range limit for such a spell is. For now I have to practice this mind reading spell, and I've got the perfect prisoner for that... Now I just need to get some feathers.
*
{28} Rakisha (September) the 21st.
“Revatol revisarisoroar. Atrevi revisarisor quiri to revisor keshla shin koarr rakvis. Atrevi revshak quiri oarsorak.”
I offer the owl feathers Berthold acquired for me, and they disappear with a translucent barely visible smoke. If the smoke wasn’t thick, I wouldn’t even notice it was there, and even as it is, it’s harder to notice than vapors.
I've been practicing the spell in the prisoner cell for over a day now. Trying it over and over in an attempt to conjure elementals who are responsive for my plight. The psyche element is oddly easy, the patterns differ from the light element and my mind can easily fit them and form them the way I want.
Each of my attempted cast had brought an elemental before, but they usually took the offering and disappeared before I could see them.
And now for the first time I actually notice the elemental within the translucent smoke. The crystalline ghostly figure is without facial features or bodily features that suggest its gender. The creature accepts the feathers as I go through the series of gestures required for the spell.
"Revisarisor."
"Revisarisor."
The elemental flies between us, then presses its tiny frame against my chest where my heart is, right at the light mana pool. Revisarisor.
Knowing I finally bound the spell, I place my right thumb on the prisoner's forehead and my left thumb on my own forehead. Now I can hear his thoughts.
“Ohhh! She’s touching me! Yes! This is nice! Her hand is soft. I love women’s hands. I love killing women, they’re so soft! I love it when they scream! This one’s a beauty, a shame I didn’t get to kill her too. I’d drive a dagger through her nice little jugs and snake her while she screams until she dies under me, yes!”
His thoughts comes with flashing images of his imagination. Disgusting!!! This is the worst kind of monster! If I don’t get anything with this spell, I’m letting Sharla and Ryon torture him no matter what Kolag says!
"Please call Sharla Kolag and Jerro." I order the peacekeeper by my side. The man nods and leaves.
“Good. The man went away and now we're all alone. I want to kill her so badly! What is she doing? Some kind of sorcery? What is she doing? She's been doing this weird sorcery yesterday too. What is she…”
“Who hired your guild to kill me?”
The monster in shackles chuckles and speaks through clenched teeth. “You girly sink I’d just tell you because you act like you put a snaking sorcery on me? Nice smoke show, but it doesn't work and I ain’t telling you pea rot!”
“She’s really stupid, she’s never going to find out with a magic show. She's been here for a while, trying this. This sorcery doesn’t do rot, I don’t feel a thing, her hand is so nice though. I wonder how tight she feels...”
“Who hired your guild to kill me?”
“I wish I knew! Shaf Dolster didn’t tell us pea rot! I bet it’s a beautiful woman… Only women hire assassins to do their dirty work. Only women bother to pretend they're not monsters like the rest of us. Unless they become assassins themselves. Oh yeah Dana was nice to work with, she has wind! She knows just how to stab men in the good parts! A shame she ran away, she has good jugs.” The monster just smirks at me and his eyes wonder down to my body in a way that makes me want to wash up. “No matter. I have this one to play with. Oh yes! I’ll stab and snake her!”
The flashing images makes me wince. I really want to just blow his head off! I close my eyes. Focus! He doesn’t know, because he’s low ranked… Of course it’s not that easy… It’s never that easy… I can’t just jump to the next question, he’ll figure I’m reading his mind… I have to keep pretending for a little while, and then move to the next question.
“Who hired your guild to kill me?” I repeat the question five times and endure his rotten thoughts. I extend the spell with a pattern as an afterthought, and move to the next question.
“Who leads your guild?”
“Garam Wraithblood, and if he was here he’d spank your soft ass and stab his snake in it! Oh yeah! I’d love to see that happening!”
I sigh and repeat the question five time, enduring the horrific images. Relax! I’ve seen and been through worse in reality, thoughts like that won’t scare me away. And this mad man dies horribly after I’m done with him! Acid will do! I never thought I’ll use ‘Acid Splash’ ever again, but this madman deserves it!
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“Where is your guild’s headquarters located?”
This question takes three times to ask before I get the answer I’m looking for.
“Arch Radiant Nulix street, right below the jewelry shop. No one ever suspects that, and I love to see all the soft women looking at the jewelry. Working in the shop is such a sky blessed occupation, I miss the store. All these soft women to stab and look at!”
I ask one more times, but before I get to the fifth time he finally gets a clue.
“Is that magic hearing my mind or something? Rot! Think jugs! Think jugs! Think jugs! Big soft jugs that I can stab, yeah!”
I ask one more time and move to the next question from Sharla’s list, pretending nothing’s changed.
“What are the safe words required to enter your guild’s headquarters?”
“Think jugs! Think Jugs! Big soft bouncy jugs!”
“What are the safe words required to enter your guild’s headquarters?”
“Jugs! Jugs! Soft jugs! I want to buy an onyx silver ring for my daughter! Snakes! Did she hear it now? No no! Think jugs! Soft! Round jugs! Yes!”
“What are the safe words required to enter your guild’s headquarters?”
“Good! She didn’t hear it! She wouldn’t be asking! Why is she asking me every question five times? Is it sorcery that tells her what she wants to know after five questions? What kind of sorcery is that?”
“What are the safe words required to enter your guild’s headquarters?”
“What kind of sorcery is that?! What kind of sorcery is that?! Snakes! I wanna snake this woman! Pull her hair off! And stab her! Hard!!! Poke her eyes out! Get out of my head you falafu! Harlot! Harpy!”
His forehead now accumulate enough sweat that makes me want to wash my hand, but I persist. “What are the safe words required to enter your guild’s headquarters?”
“The snakes in all of creations! I’m dead! If she really knows what I’m thinking, I’m dead! No more killing! No! NO! I DON’T WANT TO DIE! I DON’T WANT TO DIE! PLEASE!”
He struggles violently against his chains and collar, but they hold him in place.
“I got the answers I wanted. I only have to ask you five times. I don’t even have to read your mind. Of course I also got to read your mind.” I say aloud and smile at him, the most acidic smile I can muster. “It’s been such a delightful experience. I think I’ve seen cleaner outhouses than your mind. You really love stabbing jugs, huh?”
His chains rattles violently. “NO! NO! NO! NO! I’M DEAD! NO MORE KILLING! I CAN’T KILL! NO! NOOO!!”
“Yes. You’re very much dead and you won’t harm a single innocent soul. Because I want to buy an onyx silver ring for my daughter!” I giggle, enjoying his torment. He deserves it! These aren’t just some dark taught he doesn't act upon, he’s a killer, a true monster! How many innocents did he kill?! How many women did he torture in such a horrible way?!
“Ha! She doesn’t know that you need to answer the second question with ‘my daughter is only nine years old, I’ll bring her tomorrow to measure the… snakes! No! jugs! Jugs! Soft jugs! Can I see what you have in stock? No! No! No!”
“Oh yes! I wonder how will you feel when someone cut off your snake and shove a stick in you while you bleed out!”
“Inara!” Kolag shouts angrily. I didn't notice when Kolag got in. "What on Lukam are you saying?!" he demands to know.
Oops! I forgot Kolag’s there! My dear pawn and his... No! Stop!
“I’m dead! Dead! Dead!”
I cancel the spell and move away with disgust. “I’m sorry, Kolag. He’s… Let’s just say he’s the kind of man who enjoys torturing and killing women, like the slavers before the tower, only worse, way worse. I’ve been through his mind, and we got everything we wanted." I turn to the Fae at his side, her autumn dress flutter on an unseen wind that shouldn't be here in this enclosed dungeon. Her face passive, pretending what she did to us yesterday never happened. "Sharla? Anything else you need from him?”
“I still don’t have my answers?” She crosses her hands on her red leaves dress.
“Oh that. He doesn’t know who hired them, he’s too low ranked for that. Their leader is a man named ‘Garam Wraithblood’. The guild is based under a jewelry store located in Arch Radiant Nulix’ street. The code words to enter are: ‘I want to buy an onyx silver ring for my daughter’, and when the clerk ask something you say: ‘My daughter is only nine years old, I’ll bring her tomorrow to measure the size. Can I see what you have in stock?’ Anything else you want me to ask before I kill this bastard?”
The Fae leans forward with interest, lifting the defeated monster's chin and looking at it closely. Her face less than a centimeter from his. “Yeah. Tell me what you saw in his mind," she says in a distracted tone. She keeps the man's eyelid open and observes his eye up close.
“It’s… Not something I enjoy describing. Why do you want to know?”
Her form shifts. Now she wears the assassin’s body, and the spitting image of his face. The man in the shackles stops struggling. His brown eyes open widely. Awww I love the look on his face! Stop! Torturing is pointless, I’ll just kill him when we’re done. Lezere was right about it… Even if the guy deserves it…
“Mostly stabbing women in intimate places and snake them as they bleed out and die in his arms. He’s crazy. He’s obsessed with jugs. He think women are soft, he likes the softness and also liked the female assassin who worked with him. Her name was Dana.”
Sharla nods. “Yeah. She ran. I saw her.”
“And I can trace her.” Jerro claims calmly from outside the cell, I can't spot him from within, but with Kolag wide frame Sharla and me, there's no space inside the tiny stinking cell.
“We have our way in.” Sharla grins with the madman’s face. The grin is that exact same superior smirk he gave me at the beginning of the interrogation.
“Can I kill him now?” I ask impatiently.
“Yes,” Sharla says as she leaves the cell, squeezing between Kolag's armored arm and the wall.
Finally! “Kusharissa!”
I hear Kolag's arming sword leaving its scabbard, and turn to see the tall man steps forward with his bronze blade drawn.
"Don't end it for him, Kolag," I order, standing in his way with my hands crossed. "He deserves every second of that."
Kolag pushes me aside, and his blade pierces the dying monster's heart. “Do you have to be so cruel?"
“Did you have to end his suffering? He clearly deserved it in case you haven't heard what kind of monster he was,” I reply coldly.
“It was torture! Killing him is necessary, causing needless pain isn’t!”
“I thought you cared about justice.”
“That!” He points at the half melted corpse behind him, “wasn’t justice. That was cruelty! How can you do this?!”
“Do you know how many women that man tortured and killed?! Do you have any clue? He wanted to do the same to me! I saw it in his head over and over while I was reading his mind. He was doing it to me in his head. Over and over!”
“I… Inara. My love. I think sharing your mind with a man like that may have affected you. You always went for a quick kill when it comes to monsters. ‘Never give them a chance to fight back by toying with them.’ You told that to everyone who listened after King Luard, remember?”
“He deserved it!”
“So you’ll become like him and torture people now?! We need to have lines. We need to have honor! How are you better than him if you stoop down to torture as a punishment?!”
"So you're suggesting I'd torture innocents now? Is that what you're saying? I inflicted that upon a monster who'd do this to innocent people, that's the difference! If you can't see that, if you can't see me for who I am, don't claim to love me."
"Maybe you're right. Maybe I shouldn't. I clearly don't recognize you anymore."
“You two. You need to sleep it off.” Jerro interrupts. I thought he left with Sharla. “Inara is influenced by what she saw in that man's mind. You’ll have nightmares, Inara, flashes of what you saw. You meditate, you’ll still see that.”
No I'm not! That man deserved it! I won't lie to Kolag for the sake of keeping him loyal. If he doesn't love me for who I am then...
“Go study spells." Jerro continues "It’ll keep your mind occupied from the visions. Concoct a sleep potion, and use a sleep potion for the next upcoming week. Avoid meditations. The visions should go away after a week, maybe two. Study spells meant for battlefield and war, spells meant to battle armies. I see battles ahead.” He pats my shoulder and turns to leave.
“His advice is sound,” Kolag echoes. "I'm sorry for my rush judgement, my love."
"It wasn't rush. I think he's lying to keep us together. This is who I am Kolag. I'm not going to apologize for it. I think turning my cruel side toward a monster—a rapist who'd torture innocents—is completely justified. You can disagree if you wish, you can stop loving me if you wish, but you can't change me."
Kolag’s sigh echoes. “I’m sorry. I was quick to judge you earlier, and you're right. I just... Seeing a man suffer like this... Anyone... It's not something I can just stand and watch idly by. I cannot understand how anyone can take pleasure from that."
Did I take pleasure from it? Yes... I did... What does it say about me? "Ok. No more apologies! I won’t accept any!”
“So you’re not going to forgive me for that?” I hear more genuine worry than disbelief behind his echoing voice.
“Not if you won’t stop apologizing for every little fight we have. If it’s a major offense, of course I expect an apology, and I’ll give the same. But a little disagreement that ended with us agreeing?! No apology required! My heart isn’t made out of twigs, a little shouting won’t make me change my mind about you. Now, I’m going to take a sleep potion, and you’re going to watch over me like a loyal knight in case Jerro missed an assassin.”
He salutes with a fist on his chest. “Will do! I will stand over your bed for as long as you sleep!”
“I’m inviting you over to sleep with me, you stupid bucket head!” And maybe some touching that we both enjoy to take pleasure in...
“Oh… oh! Yeah! Ok, let’s go.”
“Did you know that they write songs about us now?”
“They do?”
“Yeah. It goes like this: Oh my paladin where are you now~? Kiss me and honor your vow~!”
*~*~*
Power level: 3rd stage apprentice.
Mana pools status:
Crown-knot: Affinity 10: connected: 1 gem replenished per minute.
Neck-Bridge: Affinity 6: formed: max amount of gems drained per day: 91
Abdomen-storage: Affinity 5: connected: 41 neutral gems. Conversion ratio: elemental : neutral-3:1, neutral : elemental-1:1
Air: Affinity 4: formed: 34 gems
Fire: Affinity 2: formed: 17 gems
Light: Affinity 3: formed: 16/26 gems
Water: Affinity 6: connected: 75 gems
Earth: Affinity 1: formed: 8 gems
Wood: Affinity 2: formed: 17 gems
Gravity: Affinity 9: connected: 102/113 gems
Cantrip known:
Air: Shavi’s Breeze, Shavi’s Sword. Shavi’s Hair Dryer, Aria’s Enhanced Hearing. Aria’s Sonic Scream. Aria's Increased Voice.
Fire: Nuriss’ Flame. Effrat’s Firefly, Effrat’s Fire Breath. Sorladika's Lesser Heating. Nuriss’ Ignite. Oniga's Soap Creation.
Light: Noxi’s Light. Lako’s Blinding Light. Rika’s energy hand.
Water: Water Evocation, Water to Ice, Ice to Water, Water to Vapor, Vapor to Water, Mayan’s Icy Spike, Ayla’s Water Jet. Ayla’s instant freezem. Ayla's Flowing Shield. Ayla’s Freezing Vapors. Hot Water Conjuration. Boiling Waterjet.
Earth: Alice’s Oil Summoning, Reiko’s Acid Spray. Alf's Copper Bolt
Wood: Arigor’s Lesser Vines. Kolosu’s Vegetable Summoning.
Gravity: Lumina’s Kinetic Burstm. Tukado’s Repulse. Tukado’s Lesser Shield IIm. Imari’s Minor Telekinesism. Imari’s Jump. Leo’s Pullm. Leo’s Grounding. Alino’s Light Body. Alino’s Heavy Body. Alino's Orbiter.
Transmutation: Oniga's Laundry.
Spells known:
Light: Wassho’s invisibilityb2x2 Rika's Electric Channelb1x3
Gravity: Alino’s Weightless Bodyb1x2. Tukado's Pushb1x3. Tukado’s defense IIIb1x4m. Imari’s Lesser Flightb2m.
Psyche: Lumina's Mind Touchb3
Life: Brigit’s Lesser Cure Poison. Brigit’s Skin Restoration.
(Little letters by spell sides: m=mastered. a=advanced. b=bound spell, number near the b is how many gems of the mana pool binding the said spell takes.)
Focus capability: 21 patterns.
Social status: The Queen of Red Cedar City. Inara, Daughter of Mysteries. Apprentice to the Maven of Mysteries. Sorceress.
Carried Wealth: 39 Golden Peas, 27 Silver Scales.
Personal Items:
Magical necklace. Contains 100 gems of general mana, can be drained like a mana pool. It’ll recharge by itself at the rate of five gems an hour.
1 potion of lightning body.
1 potion of mana, medium grade.
1 potions of Lesser Healing.
5 potions of Pain Tolerance.
An enchanted belt with eight pouches, the enchantment keeps the pouches’ content fresh. Each pouch may contain 10g of petals or six potion flasks.
40g Rose petals.
4g Lavender petals.
10g Sowbread petals.
10 empty soul bottles. Glass with a diamond stopper, put in scaled leather wrapping.
The Great White Egret grimoire. Dedicated by the Maven of mysteries to Inara. 32/100. Unlocked.
Present Companions:
Kolag of house Befar.
Jerro.
Sharlafyn Nettledew.
Berthold.
Ryon.
Languages:
Toml’a
Sinteo
Myrsha
Felul
Nim
A'arkalu
Injuries and scars:
Curses: unknown extracted parasite, possibly bloodline related. Gone due to an unknown bloodline magic.
-
Kingdom’s treasury: 26,123 Golden Peas. 965 Magic Gems.
Kingdom’s citizen:
Red Cedar City: 3,609 adults. 1,654 children.
Apricot City: 1,877 adults. 504 children.
Total: 7,644 souls.
Kingdom's army: 123 Footmen. 16 Peacekeeper Knights. 500 Blood Spears.
Notables at Court:
Tasiya Keyholder.
Jolla SilverQuill.
Talbot Bookkeeper.
Aisha?