Conspiracy of Nurses (closed)

[Shamadconde]

 

Just you and me it appears Vareal. Join in if you want Tadir but no need to feel obligated.

 

 

Serenla huffed and puffed as she walked into the inn in the Al'mian Oasis. That was a great run, even with that pipsqueak slowing her down. She looked around the common room. All she saw was the Miqo'te and Hyur from earlier. She headed for the stairs.

[Vareal]

Nedral looked up from her drink as the Lalafell walked into the bar, breathing rather heavily, looked around then headed towards the stairs. Nedral set her drink down and got up, slightly interjecting herself between the stairs and the woman, putting her hand out slightly to further bar the path.

 

"Excuse me, sorry. Serenla, right? Shamad wanted me to tell you that he's resting and he doesn't want to be disturbed. Your little run tired him out." Nedral signaled to an empty seat at the table for Serenla to sit in. "Would you like a drink?"

[Shamadconde]

Serenla gave Nedral a searching look. She shrugged. "I guess I can stand him sleeping. It will help him heal at least." She followed Nedral to the table and took a seat. She got a glass of water and drained it. "There we go. Now I'm ready to drink."

[Vareal]

Nedral forced a polite smile and lifted up the bottle she had gotten from the bar. "This one is empty, I'm afraid. What would you like? I'll get it for you." She said and made her way to the bar.

[Shamadconde]

Serenla put a sausage finger to her cleft chin in thought. "Any oosquai? It's my favorite. You'll know it by a blue label with a flame border."

[Vareal]

Nedral began rummaging through the different bottles and finally found one with the blue label with flames on the back wall. It was nearly empty, but there was enough for at least three more glasses.

 

"Aha, here it is." She announced.

 

She grabbed an empty glass from the front of the bar with one hand while retrieving the vial from her pocket with the other, then turned back to the bottle. She upturned the vial for a moment then uncorked it and squeezed one drop of the liquid from the cork into the glass while pouring the drink at the same time. She quickly recorked the vial and slipped it back into her pocket. She then grabbed another bottle and, while carrying the oosquai as well, went back to the table and set the glass and bottles down, sliding the glass to Serenla.

 

"Here you are." She said, pouring a drink for herself.

[Shamadconde]

Serenla took the glass and downed the contents. Her face turned red and she pounded on the table with her open hand. "That's the stuff!" She coughed with tears in her eyes. Her face went placid and she started to drool a little. She looked at Nedral dreamily. "Did you know you have a caterpillar on your nose?"

[Vareal]

Nedral gently scratched her bruised nose.

 

"I didn't think it would work that fast..." Aixa said.

 

"Me either." Nedral said aloud then grabbed the blue labeled bottle and leaned forward. "Another drink?" She didn't bother to wait for a response and filled Serenla's glass. "So tell me, Serenla," she leaned back, setting the bottle back on the table and took a sip of her own drink. "How long do you think it will take Shamad to recover?"

[Shamadconde]

Serenla hiccupped and took a sip. "He's almost recovered now. All he really needs is exercise and sleep. That won't stop me though." She stared at the walls as if there was something moving on them.

[Vareal]

Nedral stopped mid-drink, an eye brow perking up, and she set her glass down then ran her hand through her hair. "Stop you from what? I mean, if he's almost healed shouldn't you head back to Ul'dah?"

[Shamadconde]

Serenla snorted, an ugly sound. "Not hardly. I still need to extract the information from him. It's a matter of pride. A Shari never leaves without completing her mission. I'm going to have fun squeezing everything out of him." She stood up and started pacing. "First I'm going to break his legs. It wouldn't do if he could get away. Then if he won't tell me what I need to know, I'll carefully peel him a little. I know how to do that without killing you know. It's a matter of heat. You can't bleed through cauterized flesh. I could just skip all this fun torture and just drug him but where is the fun in that? Anyway after I'm done peeling him, I might do a couple nonessential amputations. Then I'll kill him. He will have confessed everything by then. After all that fun wetwork, it will be back to the Garlean Empire for me!" She sat down and drained her glass. She shook it at Nedral, indicating a desire for a refill.

[Vareal]

Nedral laughed loudly then removed her cloak and stood up, placing the cloak on her chair. She moved around to the other side of the table and took a seat next to Serenla, still giggling slightly. She grabbed the blue labeled bottle and graciously filled Serenla's glass, emptying the bottle.

 

"Sorry, but the image of his little body squirming under a hot blade is quite comical." She took a measured sip of her own drink then, lowering herself somewhat to meet Serenla's statute, put her arm around Serenla's shoulders. "But you have to tell me; what kind of secret are you expecting to get out?" She chuckled maniacally. "You've struck the curiosity of the cat."

[Shamadconde]

Serenla joined in her laughter. "The secret of the Nadma Kal. It is a legendary weapon the has been tracked for the past 1000 years. There was a powerful island nation that was in the middle of a civil war. Both sides made powerful weapons, one upping each other in lethality. Both sides' weapon research culminated in a living weapon. The two weapons hated each other with an unholy passion. The Nadma Kal and the Aman Saem were only deployed once. The island was wiped off the map. We tracked the twelve pieces of the Nadma Kal to Eorzea. We don't know where Aman Saem is but we search continuously for it. We have been watching for the Nadma Kal's avatar and Shamad is it. We have been instructed to watch for someone who suffers from Aetheryte sickness and comes out with blond hair and red eyes. As you know, Shamad has those features. He should know how to make the weapon and we will possess it!"

[Vareal]

Nedral's eyes widened slightly, wondering if what Serenla referred to is the same artifact that Shamad had that was destroyed. "Mmm," she muffled with a mouth full of her drink before swallowing. "And who is 'we'? Perhaps I can help you."

[Shamadconde]

Serenla looked at her with astonishment. "You've never heard of the Shari? No. I guess you wouldn't. 'We' are the branch of the Garlean Secret Service responsible for spying and assassination. There are very few of us for obvious reasons."

[Vareal]

"Ahh, I see. Well, I'm quite good with assassinations. I've got just the thing for them," she reached into her pocket and produced the vial of the clear liquid and held it out for Serenla to see. "This will knock 'em out and get them talking before they even realize it. Enough can kill." Nedral smirked, looking Serenla directly in the eye.

[Shamadconde]

Serenla looked at the bottle, paled, and started to shriek. She stood up shakily and started for the door wobbling.

 

 

 

 

Shamad's eyes popped open at the sound of the screaming.

[Vareal]

Nedral stood, walked up to Serenla, grabbed the front of her shirt, lifted her up then carried her back to the table and slammed her down on its surface hard enough to knock the wind out of her. Nedral looked down on her, holding the vial up so she could see. "Be silent, wench." She said then uncorked the vial, grabbed Serenla by the cheeks, forcing her mouth open, and went to pour the liquid in her mouth.

 

"Stop!"

 

Nedral stopped suddenly, looking around the room for a moment then back to Serenla and her eyes narrowed. "This must be done, Aixa." She replied.

 

"I agree, but not this way."

 

Nedral thought for a moment then re-corked the vial then drew her sword. A flash of blue steel followed the shing of the blade out of its sheath. She held the blade up to Serenla's throat.

 

"Any last words?"

[Shamadconde]

Serenla didn't say anything. She hocked a loogie at Nedral and looked at her balefully.

[Vareal]

Nedral flinched as the saliva hit her face. She grinned then ran the blade through the Lalafell's neck, twisting it hard. A sickening pop sounded out about the bar and she removed the blade, watching the life leave Serenla's eyes.

 

"Damnit." She said to no one in particular as she looked at the dead body. She cleaned her blade on Serenla's shirt, sheathed the sword then grabbed her cloak and headed up the stairs.

 

She banged on the door to her room. "Luther, wake up!" she shouted then moved to Shamad's room and entered. "It's done." she said.

[Shamadconde]

Shamad sighed with relief. "Did she suffer?" He saw she was getting ready to leave. "Are we leaving already?"

[Vareal]

"She suffered enough towards the end." She turned at the sound of heavy footfall on the wood floor.

 

"What's all this then, princess? I was havin' a good dream." Luther said, rubbing an eye for dramatic effect, Nedral knowing full well he wasn't tired.

 

She turned back to Shamad. "It would be prudent that we leave now, lest anyone find the body." She moved over to the bed and started to help Shamad.

 

"Body?" Luther scratched his head.

 

"I had to deal with something." She said then looked to Shamad once again. "You should probably let Luther carry you for now until we're a safe distance. We can talk on the way."

[Shamadconde]

Luther picked up Shamad carefully and carried him out of the inn. The trio walked to the outskirts of town. They were amazed to find a carriage with a sleeping Lalafell inside. They were all astonished to find it was Dr. Darei. Shamad motioned for Luther to lower him down. Luther lowered him to the level of the bad doctor. Shamad pantomimed to Nedral for the Devil Weed. She handed it to him. He dripped a tiny drop into the doctor's open mouth. The doctor sat up licking his lips and looking very sleepy. They pushed their way into the carriage and they took off for Ul'dah with Luther driving.

 

 

To Be Continued

in another thread