Dark Crow Rising

"Who are you working for?" the interrogator asks, his tired eyes inching ever slightly lower down the list of questions he has. Rolling my set of them, I flop onto my back and turn my hands into a pillow. Wherever they've put me, I can't use my magic to get out. They're so sure, in fact, I haven't seen much in the way of security.

He taps the tablet gently with his writing tools, and I hear the sip of a drink. He's not going to get anything out of me, not now, not tomorrow, and he's seen enough to know. So, why he's still here, I do not have the capacity to fathom. I've told them all again and again-

"Bring me Grandguard Inerish!" I bellow, slipping a hand out and reaching for the faraway ceiling of my cell. My head lazily falls to the side and I force it further so my gaze is in line with his. Neither of us budges in the staring contest and a hand rises so he can gesture for someone. No doubt it's time for my latest beating.

Armoured steps echo our way and soon, too soon, if my tight chest indicates anything. A shadow-faced soldier halts nearby and the interrogator gets to packing his stuff up again. The man rises and that hand he used to gesture points my way. He shakes his head in disappointment.

"Put him out, I'll be back later," the interrogator orders, and my cell opens up. Although this is not the first time, I fall off my bench and scramble up. Instinctually, I move to cover my face and the soldier wrestles both arms down with one grip. The other hand forms a fist, metal knuckles shining with the signs of their inexperienced service.

It comes for me!

Groaning myself awake, I shake my head and mind my sore nose. They've put enough magic in my system to crack it back into shape. However, the bruising is still there, the swelling as well. My nose is all clogged with dry blood and I think a bit of snot as well.

Craning my nose out over the little sink I am lucky to have, I get to work. One wince accompanies the first nostril, and I blow harshly. My lips smack at the icky sight, and I wet a palm to wipe the lingering mess away. Not all the blood is dry and rough, some might as well be glue with how thick it's congealed.

Taking the moment to wash my hands of the mess, I quickly sort out my next nostrils. Mouth open, I crinkle out the pain that the punch to the face left me with. Gods above, I thought becoming a stronger witch was meant to make my internal-magic reserves rise? Why in all of All That Remains do I feel like a blank from the lowest of lands?

"Ah... Actually, roll down the spikiest mountain." I swear before I make a random popping noise to vent my pain into something else. Taking the moment, I use my hopefully clean palm to get something to drink to help out with the dry throat. I smack my lips to remind my body that I have drunk something, but it's all still sore, like I am a smoked fish. Drinking a bit more, I try to drown the feeling.

Footsteps echo down the cell-lined tunnel and the interrogator returns with his stuff. He sits down and sets himself up with the same unamused professionalism. Covering my hands in more water, I make sure they're thoroughly drenched. Elbows on the bars, I stick my digits through and flick.

I scoff a little as he winces and a little cloth wipes the mess clean off. Lingering around and putting off the idea of further water fun, I wait for him to get ready. Same questions, same answer. If he wants me to give him any damn answers, he can...

"Take me to see the Grandguard or bring her to see me!" I groan, shaking away at the reinforced metal. If I had any money on me, I'd be more than happy to bet that his ears are not working. Who knows, maybe the Seven-Peaks Union of Jherikra has invented new little devices that make someone only hear what they want to. Oh, I wish that was the case. People are selective hearers even without Ancient Jhermonikra inspiring engineers.

"Why did you break into the Gnomon with a bag filled with tablets?" he asks, and I 'o' a shape with my lips. This is a new question, one that directly leads into my prior set of requests!

"Grandguard. Inerish!" I struggle to not shout. To compensate, however, I press my face up through the gap in the bars as much as I can. He writes down another note. His eyes meet mine again, an intimidating angle found within, hiding them halfway behind his brow.

"As you might be aware, the Dual-Republic of Thrurstradtur-Suhurlodst is no longer a thing. At least, in theory. But, for the time being, this is all Seven-Peaks Union of Jherikra now. Rules only need one word from the right man and your life is forfeit." he threatens and while there is some credit to what he's saying. I almost fell for it, even. But, there's something specific still happening that makes it a little too easy to dismiss the threat.

"Doesn't matter, there won't be even a continent of Jherikra if Atarifuge has anything to say about it!" I snap, smacking the bars with as much attempted spell-casting as I can. Throwing myself off, I pace about with a forwarded lower jaw and a curled-in bottom lip. Stopping right in the centre of my cell, I cover my hips with my hands and turn.

My eyes keep on getting wider.

"Atarifuge is the name of your leader or your organisation?" the clueless man asks and I throw my claw-shaped hands in the air. Mutters escape my mouth and the volume rises.

"Atarifuge is the name of... THE DAMN GIANT YOU'VE BEEN TRYING TO KILL!" I go, building up into a livid rage that stops with a harsh kick to one of the bars. The man writes down more notes and seems to ponder this information. More notes are written down, and he gets up to leave. Soothing my expression over, I watch him depart.

The footsteps are taking their time to vanish out of earshot and I have a feeling I know why. Some faded, incoherent words make it down to me and I lean as forward as my constraints let me. Metal feet march my way. A shadow-faced soldier with a particularly flexible set of fingers.

Stepping back a little in understanding, I eye the cell door and rush back to it. Positioning myself as best as I can, I try to fight back against the soldier. His grip settles where it needs to go and the cell door slides open. Leaping away, I safe my limbs from being smashed up against the wall.

Taking my chances, I try to barge past and am thrown back. Groaning away on the floor, the soldier yanks me up by the collar. He sets me up in front of the wall and forms a fist. Whimpering turns to annoyance.

"UNDWOTE NEVER FIND YOU!" I shout with all I have and the fist moves.

Groaning into a noise that's short of a scream, I push down against the pillows. Pillows? Blinking a bit, I mind the lack of soreness across my face and spot my bag. I smile a bit and turn some more to find a very unhappy woman.

The dark-skinned warrior flicks a finger across the inside of her thumb, lighting the distal up. This fusion of dark and fire magic is short-lived and I get up fully, eyeing the plate of food and cup of water a bit. Inerish seems hesitant to hand it over, but she does so. I don't move.

"You best explain yourself, Student of Suhurlodst." Inerish encourages with the forward tilting of her head. Snapping my focus away from the food, I rush to my bag and begin bringing out the tablets. Turning around with no goal in sight, I opt to simply clear a table. If it doesn't look fragile, I throw it onto the floor and array the tablets where I can.

Covering one eye and mushing the aches out of my system, I fidget about looking for a place to start. Inerish walks up beside me and looks down at what I have arrayed for her. She picks one tablet up and goes through it, stopping when I find the one I want. I have her full attention.

"Since I got back from the dig site, if you remember where I asked to be dropped off..." I say, idly moving my hands about as I continue to be unsettled by the stress she can't help but show. This is probably the only reason my presence is even sharing a room with her. She's been trying to handle the problem since day one and only the crackpot theories remain to be tested. No conventional method has worked so far, which she will understand clearly once I show her this fully.

"You had us stop by a spiral-train station. Yes, I remember." She goes, nodding while I find the tablet face she wants.

"Right here, see? This is Atarifuge, an ancient machine built by the gods' way, way, way back." I point out, handing the tablet over and scrambling to find another piece of vital information. Where is it? Where is Segaansallis' slew of lore!?

"Godbot." Inerish reads out loud and I look slightly her way.

"Yeah, that's what some in the field of study for them call them... As they're not exactly legend makers, we don't have many myths on them. My friend... She... She quite enjoyed them as a topic, an obsession that cost her, her- Nevermind. Here, information on what you can use to defeat Atarifuge." I ramble on, keeping the topic off of my dead friend so that the Grandguard can know what she needs to.

"What makes you so sure any of this will provide us with a meaningful solution? Professionalism be damned to the worsts parts of Errakur... I've watched this giant trample cities into endless dunes without any sign of slowing down. Whole armies are gone to the point another country just walked in and took over! Even then, their armies are accomplishing nothing either!" She explains, barely keeping so much out of her eyes and eager to thrash hands.

"I know, bu-" I try to get out, only to fail at the first sign of her voice.

"I've watched mobile fortresses, the largest animal on the continent, creatures as big as mountains and filled to the brim with an entire coven of war-witches. Two of them, covered in armour too, rich as rich can be with magic." She elaborates, throwing out the core-shaking thoughts and leaving me with a strained expression to watch.

"I know... They failed..." I squeak quietly, looking down at the tablet in my hands. She puts a gloved one on my shoulder. The other moves my chin up.

"I will consider this information, the tablets are confiscated for the time being. I will put these up for debate and read them over. Just don't expect much from me, Baltanthan. This is no place for such rabidly incoherent theories." She explains, releasing my head and it bounces into a series of nods.

"I know this sounds crazy, but, the Sword-Faced Giant, that statue a fair bit south of here. It's not a statue, it's an ancient weapon, it will be able to survive the aura! I know it will." I insist with all I can bleed out of my heart and she sighs, arms crossing over.

"Return to your dormitory, Baltanthan. I will strike this incident from the records and have your belongings returned to you. Do not try this again." Grandguard Inerish tells me and she moves to leave the room. I hold a hand up and try to stop her, only to form it into a fist. Keeping my anger in check, I refuse to kick out the table and instead snatch up the bag. With a groan, I throw it back down to the ground and get going.

Stepping out the door, I frown at how familiar this place seems.

"Oh, it's Suhurlodst. They brought me back here after knocking me out again." I realise and I rub my healed up nose as while my body is fine, the memory still hurts. One thing I intend on doing, however, is rather than going back to my room for something to eat or drink... I should go to the on-campus temple.

At this point in time, prayer is all I can think of to partake in. A simple hope that will be carried by this request to the gods. Inerish needs to listen, she needs to take into account my words and offering. Our hopes lie with Segaansallis, but I doubt she believes me at all about it being able to last... I guess she thinks it's just a statue!

"Dammit..." I swear, turning back around to instead use up the food and drink offered to me. At least I can try to spend the time eating productively. Arrange the tablets better and all that, write a quick note for her or something. Gods help us all.

I close the door and sigh in exhaustion despite the knock-outs helping me get forced sleep.