"You… did what?" Moswen's sudden menacing voice rose and Bedona stopped him before it got him angrier.
"It was nothing serious. Just a blackout for an hour or so. He was not harmed at all…" She held her breath after the answer. She was not sure how the spell on her specified truth form lies. She also wasn't sure she believed that she hadn't harmed Tristan. But Moswen's interest in the boy was alarming. The familiarity and worry she sensed from him did not make sense to her. Who was he? And who was he to Tristan? Of course it could be a distant family member but Moswen had no question about anyone else. It was just Tristan that he care about.
"And what happened to him after that?" Moswen asked again in a calm tone but she finally found something. Bedona was certain now that he knew Tristan. And there was something about the relationship he was very much trying to hide.
"Olean found him and brought him to the village." Bedona sat dumbstruck at direct answer. That was not what she wanted to say. She did not want to speak of Olean's involvement at all. Was it his spell? It had to be, it answered for her without consent. And the sudden apathy in Moswen's demeanor told her that she was in trouble now.
"Explain yourself."
Again, the words poured out of her before she realized. The carefully worded answer she had in mind didn't even get a chance to get out. She told him how she took the medallion from Tristan. How she received her and took away his memories and worst of all. How she left him knowing he might not survive the night.
Moswen only silently listened as she spoke. There was no twitch, no movement on the giant as she poured out her crime to him. And she found the silence and lack of reaction much more unnerving. It promised a far worse punishment for her than in an immediate reaction.
"Hmm…" Moswen crossed his arms and somehow it looked very uncharacteristic on him. "What was your mission?"
"I… I can't answer you that." She was surprised she could say that, as she knew she could indeed answer it just wouldn't be pleasant.
"Why? Was it that big of a secret? Or was it something else?" Moswen asked coldly again. Odd in his voice but it made it for some reason more terrifying.
"…I…really can't-"
"You will." He didn't give her any warning as he suddenly grabbed her by her wrist. She felt him in her mind, burrowing himself, putting shackles on her thoughts, she didn't even get time to resist before she knew what was happening.
"No. …No please, anything but that?" She cried pitifully, but it was already too late.
"After what you did, you have no right to refuse. This ends here. Answer me now or stay like this forever." The man's voice was soft but cold, it sent a freezing current through her vein s as she heard him utter those words. His form swallowed the entire sky above her as he loomed, pushing his close near hers, so close that she felt his beard tickle on her chin. She shivered in fear, as it became more and more apparent just how big he was.
"I am sorry. Please, anything but this. Please don't make me answer. Just one more chance, if-if I betray them, you don't know what would happen to me, I will be ruined, my life all-"
"I. DON'T. CARE." He hissed, his hot breath with warm spittle buffeted her frozen cold face but she was way past caring at that point.
"Tell me." He hissed again as her tiny wrist cracked loudly under his massive grip, she grimaced at the sound as no feeling reached her from it.
"No, please." She whispered, defeated, all her will suddenly leaving her. Her head dipped limply in front of her as twin streams of tears reached the corners of her mouth.
"Speak or I make you." The man growled. Not an ounce of sympathy was left in him, which was what she deserved; she heard her traitorous mind say.
"I …can't." at that moment she felt so small that felt like even his breath would be enough to blow her away.
Silence stretched as the man didn't say took his time replying. Bedona, didn't lift her head, too afraid that the silence would break if she so much ass twitched. She so dearly hoped that the man took mercy and let it go. But his next word and tone killed the tiny hope inside her without any mercy.
"Pity! I hoped you would be smarter." He said with genuine regret and cupped the side of her hand.
She felt shackles, spiked and alive worming deeper inside her brain. They burrowed and squirmed, their hooks and spikes, loading inside the cracks as they descended deeper. Bedona sat helplessly as a network was formed inside her head, painful in their restraints of her brain. She wanted to scream out, claw at her hair but to no avail. She could not move without a command.
His command.
"Now then," said the man, and she felt so much joy to have heard her master's voice that all her pain was forgotten. "Will you answer to what I ask?" he asked coldly.
"Yes." Was her eager reply, she was ready, for her master, to please him any way possible. Only if she could move and do more… But it was on his wish that she remained like that so she didn't complain.
"Again, who are you?"
"Bedona Parsi of Sharak."
"What is Sharak?"
"We are a Guild of mercenaries. There are four towers of Sharak, looking over four different aspects. I am of the Golden Tower."
"And what is your job?"
"I-" Bedona started but a flash of pain through her right hand despite her numb state stopped her from speaking more.
Last warning!
The words buzzed in her head, completely drowning everything for a moment. Grimacing she pushed through the irritation and looked up at her master's concerned face. Her heart melted seeing his worry for her and Bedona smiled in reassurance.
"I spy and watch according to my orders. Here I was following after Cinda…aa…AAAH!!!"
Bedona screamed. Liquid fire ran in her veins, starting from her skin as she gasped and clawed at her skin. Suddenly she found herself able to move, mind clear but in burning agony. "What did you do? WHAT DID YOU DO?!"
She screamed at the man, who stood, his eyes wide in shock. Scalding tears were streaming down her face, as they burned her face and eyes. "NO NO NO NO NO!!!" Bedona cried "Not now, not like this."
Her hand with the mark had become charred black up to her elbows. She didn't even feel it anymore; she had been disowned by her guild. Vilon's contract, Vilon's curse was consuming her.
She fell on her knees head up and opened her mouth to scream, her raw throat bubbled and smoked as she gurgled out a pitched whimper and fell over.
This was the end.
And then a strong and massive hand grabbed her by her good shoulder. Grip like million fiery needles through her skin. With blurry eyes she saw the dark form of the giant and her bad shoulder exploded, in liquid fire and pain. And a moment after that peaceful darkness took her.