Post by iphigenia on May 16, 2011 19:47:47 GMT -5
Iphie glanced around nervously. She didn't know where Dusty was, having lost sight of her a short while ago, but that was what she had wanted. If she was seen bringing somebody along it would probably go badly for her and Dusty both, but mostly her. She remembered the note that had been waiting for her outside the door that morning. She had almost panicked and lost her head completely. That would have been bad. Worse still, the twitching had returned. She hadn't really noticed before but now she was well aware about how her left hand continually twitched, turning toward people as she passed by them. She was starting to lose control, the last time this had happened had forced her to take a walk in the country, and that was where she met that devil woman.
She shivered. She was afraid of the woman but that paled in comparison to the fright she was experiencing right now. The woman was a thought, unlikely to appear again, whereas what she was about to face was very much real and very much immediate. She found her way into the dark alley where she was supposed to meet someone. Some yet unrevealed member of the order. She took her place in the shadows, kneeling.
It wasn't long before the robed figure revealed himself. It was Akim, she remembered him well. The memories were altogether unpleasant. He had been sadistic in his treatment of her, one of those who were always against her continued existance in their walls. He'd taken every opportunity to display his displeasure too. This was worse. He came to her and looked her over with the same look of superiority he had always held.
"Well if it isn't our lost and wayward crow. I see you haven't changed much." Iphie didn't answer, she really just wanted to get this over with, but she knew how much he liked to see her suffering. "Well have you succeeded in your mission?"
"No brother." She answered quietly.
"Of course you haven't, it was rhetorical." He slapped her with something he held in his hands. It wasn't hard, but it stung. "If you had there wouldn't be a need for me to come down here." He glared at her. "Tell me, what have you succeeded in since arriving?"
"I have met the princess and obtained a job in the library."
"Is that all?" He struck her again. "You call yourself a servant of the brotherhood. You've proven worthless again." He turned and opened a small case he had brought with him. Inside were bottles filled with clear liquid. "I was ordered to bring you these, you hardly deserve them but I suppose I must do what I've been asked. Unlike some I do what is needed of me. Hold out your arm." She did after rolling up a long sleeve, this was something she had been forced to do often. He looked at it. "You've killed someone. You've released it haven't you?" He hit her again.
"Yes." He hit her twice more.
"You've drawn attention to us." He accused.
"No, I haven't, I swear it."
He hit her again and turned back to his case, withdrawing one of the larger containers. "See that you don't." He opened it and poured a drop on her arm. Iphie winced as it hit and began rolling down her arm, trailing steam. "The potions we gave you at the temple are one hundred times more powerful than the potion you know how to make. have you been taking your medicine?"
"No brother, I've run out."
"Of course you have. You took too much since it wasn't working. Well here's a secret. You were growing a tolerance for it, so along with your double doses, we put it in your food, your water. Everything that passed your lips was saturated with it. I'm surprised you lived this long, but I suppose the killing helped." He spilt a few more drops on her arm and she almost cried out in pain. "These are nearly a thousand times more powerful than what you've been given before. Can you feel it? It thinks it's dying doesn't it. He smashed the bottle over her head and she blacked out for a second. The pain was beyond anything she'd felt, the liquid rolled down her face mixing with blood from the shards of glass. The man smiled. "It has to get everywhere."
He opened another bottle and poured it over her. Then a third, and a fourth. Soon, there were only the small vials in the case. "See that you hurry up with your mission. We all miss your company." He laughed and walked away leaving her in the alley.
Iphie forced herself up and felt her head. It stung. For the first time since before she could remember, she actually felt the cold breeze. If she had a mirror, she would see that her sickly pallor was gone, replaced by healthy tan looking skin. She looked positively normal, no trace of the disease that fed upon her. But all she could feel was cold.
She shivered. She was afraid of the woman but that paled in comparison to the fright she was experiencing right now. The woman was a thought, unlikely to appear again, whereas what she was about to face was very much real and very much immediate. She found her way into the dark alley where she was supposed to meet someone. Some yet unrevealed member of the order. She took her place in the shadows, kneeling.
It wasn't long before the robed figure revealed himself. It was Akim, she remembered him well. The memories were altogether unpleasant. He had been sadistic in his treatment of her, one of those who were always against her continued existance in their walls. He'd taken every opportunity to display his displeasure too. This was worse. He came to her and looked her over with the same look of superiority he had always held.
"Well if it isn't our lost and wayward crow. I see you haven't changed much." Iphie didn't answer, she really just wanted to get this over with, but she knew how much he liked to see her suffering. "Well have you succeeded in your mission?"
"No brother." She answered quietly.
"Of course you haven't, it was rhetorical." He slapped her with something he held in his hands. It wasn't hard, but it stung. "If you had there wouldn't be a need for me to come down here." He glared at her. "Tell me, what have you succeeded in since arriving?"
"I have met the princess and obtained a job in the library."
"Is that all?" He struck her again. "You call yourself a servant of the brotherhood. You've proven worthless again." He turned and opened a small case he had brought with him. Inside were bottles filled with clear liquid. "I was ordered to bring you these, you hardly deserve them but I suppose I must do what I've been asked. Unlike some I do what is needed of me. Hold out your arm." She did after rolling up a long sleeve, this was something she had been forced to do often. He looked at it. "You've killed someone. You've released it haven't you?" He hit her again.
"Yes." He hit her twice more.
"You've drawn attention to us." He accused.
"No, I haven't, I swear it."
He hit her again and turned back to his case, withdrawing one of the larger containers. "See that you don't." He opened it and poured a drop on her arm. Iphie winced as it hit and began rolling down her arm, trailing steam. "The potions we gave you at the temple are one hundred times more powerful than the potion you know how to make. have you been taking your medicine?"
"No brother, I've run out."
"Of course you have. You took too much since it wasn't working. Well here's a secret. You were growing a tolerance for it, so along with your double doses, we put it in your food, your water. Everything that passed your lips was saturated with it. I'm surprised you lived this long, but I suppose the killing helped." He spilt a few more drops on her arm and she almost cried out in pain. "These are nearly a thousand times more powerful than what you've been given before. Can you feel it? It thinks it's dying doesn't it. He smashed the bottle over her head and she blacked out for a second. The pain was beyond anything she'd felt, the liquid rolled down her face mixing with blood from the shards of glass. The man smiled. "It has to get everywhere."
He opened another bottle and poured it over her. Then a third, and a fourth. Soon, there were only the small vials in the case. "See that you hurry up with your mission. We all miss your company." He laughed and walked away leaving her in the alley.
Iphie forced herself up and felt her head. It stung. For the first time since before she could remember, she actually felt the cold breeze. If she had a mirror, she would see that her sickly pallor was gone, replaced by healthy tan looking skin. She looked positively normal, no trace of the disease that fed upon her. But all she could feel was cold.
