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“NO! NO, DON’T YOU RUTTIN’ DARE, DON’T YOU-- GET THE SWIVIN’ HELLS--â€
He twisted his grip. A bone snapped with an audible crack. Someone screamed in pain, even as the bellowing all about him rose in volume to match his.
“Keep ‘im still!†“Hold him down, hold the bloody fool--†“Navigator’s Breath!†“--m’arm, sir, he broke--!†“Marauders to the fore!â€
Some blasted coeurl placed the barrel of a pistol beneath his chin. He wasn’t having any of that. He planted a foot on that someone’s chest and pushed.
“--OFF ME!â€
The unfortunate Seeker went flying into two of his fellows; they collapsed onto the stones, even as the Miqo'te struck the far wall of the cell. The room was well lit, despite the late bell and Menphina’s soft glow… despite the utter lack of a torch. Chakras… his aether… like a beacon. If he could just… he heaved with his right arm, and another three or four links in the chain snapped--
Something tugged at his center, as if someone had reached into his chest and pulled at the very heart of him. What followed was an all-too-familiar sensation, and his eyes widened as he felt it happen, felt his aether leaving him… just as what looked like a half-dozen Sea Wolves surrounded him and bore him down to the floor of his cell. To his knees he dropped and, though he struggled to look up with what strength was left to him, the steel vise of a hand clamped down on his head and kept him from staring anywhere but at the stones. The pain was staggering, and it drove any thought of protest from him; his jaws seized up….
“Please,†he heard, if you’ll just allow us to sedate him--â€
“No,†answered a booming voice, as if it had risen from the Deep itself. “I’m wantin’ him-- ahem. Pardon. I want him awake for this. A man should know what his folly has cost him.â€
The distinct sound of someone leafing through several pages. The clearing of a throat. The kindling cadence of words enchanted, incantation or evocation. The press of a hand between his shoulder blades.
Cold. Wet. Vile. Something wormed its way into him, found the hollow cavity within him and spread, reaching out through his limbs and up through his neck. Everywhere it went, he felt violated, even as those portions of his flesh and bone grew numb with the cold. The… thing... the intrusion… it sank its fangs and claws in, drank of his blood and his marrow, and what it took of his strength it then used to lay down roots. It settled. Took hold of him. Over him.
Bile rose in his throat, and his stomach fell away as reality set in. There had been no mistaking the bastard’s words.
â€Give him the Spot.â€
Footsteps squelched, and he found himself staring down at a pair of enormous boots. The pressure on his head vanished, even as the massive Roegadyn before him dropped to his haunches and seized Osric by the throat. A twist of the Wolf’s wrist brought the Lominsan’s chin up, and his eyes met those of a true jackal.
“How did you put it, Problemsolver? Your exact words… ahhhhh, yes, I remember now…..â€
Commodore Haelstyrmm Eynarhmsson favored him with a smug little smile, but the glint in the officer’s eyes promised endless oceans of suffering.
“...'even if I were to never return'.â€
Osric Melkire’s jaws slackened, his voice came back to him, and he screamed his anguish.
He twisted his grip. A bone snapped with an audible crack. Someone screamed in pain, even as the bellowing all about him rose in volume to match his.
“Keep ‘im still!†“Hold him down, hold the bloody fool--†“Navigator’s Breath!†“--m’arm, sir, he broke--!†“Marauders to the fore!â€
Some blasted coeurl placed the barrel of a pistol beneath his chin. He wasn’t having any of that. He planted a foot on that someone’s chest and pushed.
“--OFF ME!â€
The unfortunate Seeker went flying into two of his fellows; they collapsed onto the stones, even as the Miqo'te struck the far wall of the cell. The room was well lit, despite the late bell and Menphina’s soft glow… despite the utter lack of a torch. Chakras… his aether… like a beacon. If he could just… he heaved with his right arm, and another three or four links in the chain snapped--
Something tugged at his center, as if someone had reached into his chest and pulled at the very heart of him. What followed was an all-too-familiar sensation, and his eyes widened as he felt it happen, felt his aether leaving him… just as what looked like a half-dozen Sea Wolves surrounded him and bore him down to the floor of his cell. To his knees he dropped and, though he struggled to look up with what strength was left to him, the steel vise of a hand clamped down on his head and kept him from staring anywhere but at the stones. The pain was staggering, and it drove any thought of protest from him; his jaws seized up….
“Please,†he heard, if you’ll just allow us to sedate him--â€
“No,†answered a booming voice, as if it had risen from the Deep itself. “I’m wantin’ him-- ahem. Pardon. I want him awake for this. A man should know what his folly has cost him.â€
The distinct sound of someone leafing through several pages. The clearing of a throat. The kindling cadence of words enchanted, incantation or evocation. The press of a hand between his shoulder blades.
Cold. Wet. Vile. Something wormed its way into him, found the hollow cavity within him and spread, reaching out through his limbs and up through his neck. Everywhere it went, he felt violated, even as those portions of his flesh and bone grew numb with the cold. The… thing... the intrusion… it sank its fangs and claws in, drank of his blood and his marrow, and what it took of his strength it then used to lay down roots. It settled. Took hold of him. Over him.
Bile rose in his throat, and his stomach fell away as reality set in. There had been no mistaking the bastard’s words.
â€Give him the Spot.â€
Footsteps squelched, and he found himself staring down at a pair of enormous boots. The pressure on his head vanished, even as the massive Roegadyn before him dropped to his haunches and seized Osric by the throat. A twist of the Wolf’s wrist brought the Lominsan’s chin up, and his eyes met those of a true jackal.
“How did you put it, Problemsolver? Your exact words… ahhhhh, yes, I remember now…..â€
Commodore Haelstyrmm Eynarhmsson favored him with a smug little smile, but the glint in the officer’s eyes promised endless oceans of suffering.
“...'even if I were to never return'.â€
Osric Melkire’s jaws slackened, his voice came back to him, and he screamed his anguish.
![[Image: 1qVSsTp.png]](http://i.imgur.com/1qVSsTp.png)