"Rain. Hey Rain wake up," Lara's voice prodded at my consciousness.
In seconds my brain began to fire once more and my eyes opened fully awake, "What is it?" Judging from the light just outside the tunnel entrance it was still night. From how I felt I judged it was about 2 or 3 in the morning. The warmth from the fire was now only a pile of smouldering coals.
"Someone triggered my sensor and is heading this way," she looked to the outside warily. Beside us Marley was also rousing but slower.
"How many people and do you know them?"
"Two and no," she shook her head.
"Alright," I stood up. "You two wait here. I'll head outside and investigate."
"Wait, isn't that dangerous?" Lara's hand gripped my sleeve. "Shouldn't I go?"
"You can't hide well," I replied bluntly. "If something happens I'm sure you'll come save me."
She looked at me miffed knowing I was right. Despite all her talents, it was in her personality to stand in the front. Even the best magic wouldn't work if you wanted to be seen. In that regard it suited her. A Hero's job was to stand before anyone else.
"Fine go," she was still worried.
"Don't worry I'll scream if I need you," I patted myself down and exited the tunnel.
The moon barely shone through the clouds and beneath the forest branches it was almost pitch black. Years of training had given me an edge in the dark and my eyes adjusted quickly as I blended my presence into the surrounding foliage. It didn't take long at all for me to find who Lara was talking about. They came through the forest in a well-hidden path that even I may have missed. A small white light guided their steps as they whispered to one another.
"Are you sure you saw smoke coming from here?" a tall demon asked. He was wearing makeshift armour and carried a longsword on his back. Feral eyes glowed beneath his hood as he followed the path.
"It wasn't much but it could be those traders we saw slip overboard," the other replied. He was wearing armour in a similar vein but held a bow in his hands and a short pair of wings tucked into his back.
"Tch," the tall one spat. "That entire assault was a waste of time. It took us months to tame that bloody Kraken and it was almost useless against them."
"That's because whoever else was on their boat wasn't part of the plan," the other scowled. "If we can at least find them then we might just be able to make it even if we sell them as slaves."
"Here's hoping they were women," the tall one smiled. "We can at least relieve some stress before we cash them in."
"Okay enough of that. Pipe down we're getting close." They reached the edge of the river leading to the tunnel. The entire time I had been sneaking nearby. Their movements were trained and they ducked into the shadows beside me, slowly creeping closer. Too bad for them I was already waiting. Now that I knew they were the pirates who had attacked us there was no need for me to be merciful. Those that kill must be prepared to die themselves. That being said, they still could be a good source of information. I prepared to pounce. In the end I only needed one alive.
My attack was swift. Before the tall one could even realise what was going on I had drawn the knife at his waist and plunged it into his neck. His scream drowned to nothing as he gasped in shock. The feel of the blade cutting into his flesh was as usual distasteful. It wasn't something I could ever get used to and as his blood dripped down my arm I could only scowl coldly. His partner turned to see me, hearing the gurgle of death. I kicked the body in my arms forward. It fell limp towards the demon and in a panic he dodged backwards only for me to appear from behind it. He managed to draw his sword and swung it wildly. Compared to Earnest it was child's play and passed over my head harmlessly. I gripped his arm with my free hand and turned it against him with a crude snap. He screamed in pain as I forced him to the ground, his partner's knife now placed against his throat.
"If you know what's good for you you'll stop struggling."
"Shit!" he swore and I pressed the knife a little harder. "Stop! I'll talk."
"Good, now move," I pulled him back up and forced him to walk. Though he was about the same size as me, he felt much lighter making it easy for me to guide him. Given that he had wings it might have been a trait of his race.
I reached the tunnel entrance where Lara and Marley were waiting.
"Rain you're okay," Lara said in relief. "I heard someone scream…." She looked at the pirate I held and then over my shoulder into the forest. "The other one?"
"It got violent," I replied as if there was nothing I could do.
"I see," her expression saddened.
"Marley how are you feeling?" I asked as I lowered the demon to kneel. He was looking at the two in a mixture of confusion and concern.
"I'm fit as a fiddle," she smiled warmly. Unlike Lara the entire situation passed over her like nothing.
"Perfect," I purposely showed an evil smile letting the pirate see. "If he doesn't tell the truth and we have to get a little creative you can make sure he doesn't die."
"I'd be glad to," she continued to smile although now a sadistic edge had taken over the warmth.
"Hold on!" the pirate said desperately. "I'm just a hunter. We were-."
I let the knife slide into his neck and draw blood, "No lies. I heard you before. We know you're the ones who attacked us."
He grit his teeth, "So you're the ones who fell overboard."
"Yep and now you're going to tell us everything we need to know."
He laughed, "Like you could do a thing. You might have got the jump on us before but you're just a greenhorn."
"Lara bind him."
"Umm okay," she nodded and a slim rope made of magic wrapped around his body.
I looked at her seriously, "You should head back inside. You don't need to see this."
She shook her head determined, "No. I can't just close my eyes." I hid my surprise and was about to insist but just as Taylor had said the other night, she couldn't be shielded forever.
"Suit yourself," I removed my knife from his neck and instead stabbed his stomach. He coughed blood and cursed in pain. "Marley heal him."
"Yes sir!" she replied a little too cheerily and in seconds the wound disappeared.
I stood in front of him and narrowed my eyes, "That was just a start. This can be as easy or as hard as it needs to be. Your choice."
"Fuck you," he spat at me.
"I'll start with your fingers," I went to break them but Lara stopped me.
"Rain wait!" she was shivering.
"This is why I told you to leave," I sighed.
"I know but… even if he is a demon, we can't-"
Marley looked at her and simply smiled, "Lara it's not because he's a demon, it's because he's a bad man." She turned to gaze into his eyes, "I wonder how many lives he's ruined. How many innocent people he's killed. People like him don't deserve your sympathy." The way she said it so normally sent a chill down my spine. As much as I agreed with her, to say it with a smile and mean it was scary.
Lara shifted uncomfortably, "I-I understand…, just let me talk to him first." Her eyes locked on to mine unwaveringly.
I stepped back, "Go ahead." I wasn't sure why I didn't say no. A large part of me wanted to yell at her to stop being so naïve but the way her eyes looked into mine so clearly, I couldn't deny her. Who knows, maybe she could do it a better way and I was the one taking the easy path.
She stood in front of the tied up pirate with a fierce determination, "What's your name?"
"Misan," the man smirked. "First you stab me then send the pretty lass to do the work? What are you trying to do, get me to pour my heart out?"
Lara ignored her, "Misan, please answer everything we ask you truthfully. If you do, I promise we won't hurt you anymore."
He looked at me, "Is this a joke?"
I shrugged, "You tell me."
"Look girly, just go back inside and leave this to your mate. At least he looks the part."
A flare of mana skirted around Lara's feet, "I'm serious! I don't want to have to hurt you so please just tell us what we need to know."
Despite the visible power she was emitting Misan just smiled, "Go on and ask your questions."
"How do we get out of this forest?"
"Depends where you want to go." The way he looked at Lara made me want to cave in his skull. It was as if she was no more than a joke.
"Reese, the port town," she firmed herself.
"Just follow this river here and it'll join back to the main one eventually. Should be pretty obvious from there." He was definitely lying, my gut said so.
"Don't lie to me," Lara narrowed her eyes. "I can tell when you do."
"Really? How do you know, you guessing?" he laughed. Marley edged forward beside me angrily. I pulled her back.
"No," Lara shook her head and her eyes seemed to glow. "I really can tell. That path you just said leads back south and into a monster den. It's not a big one and we'd probably survive is what you're thinking. Then your friends would easily pick us off. First you'd kill Rain while making us watch, then slowly break us over days of torture and finally when we're obedient sell us as slaves."
He widened his eyes in surprise, "What- how did you…?"
"Tell me how to get to Reese," Lara gazed down at him with a shallow chill. If anything it was pity.
Misan's neck clenched uncomfortably, "Fine. There's a path we came from. It leads back to the river."
"You're telling the truth but not all of it. Going that way we'll go straight into your camp where you're hoping your friends will handle us for you. They're not really your friends you know. They don't like you. You know that. They think you're a busybody. You're weaker than them and it's only because you can read and write that they keep you around. You're afraid to disappoint them and put up a mask hiding behind your words because you know you're expendable. If you fell in the river, no one would save you."
"Stop!" the man screamed. "Stop it! You're lying! Get out of my head."
"Then tell me the safest way to Reese."
"I… I," he didn't know what to do and tried to look away but his eyes were drawn back to Lara's. Magic was definitely in play, one that I hoped she would never use on me. "Fuck you!"
Lara sighed, "The first time you met them was two years ago. They killed your best friend and would have killed you as well but instead you grovelled and begged for your life. In return you were treated as a dog, little more than a slave. Then you had a chance to become one of them. All you had to do was kill a single boy. He screamed for his life like you did but that didn't stop you from plunging that very knife at your waist into his heart. You broke inside, slowly starting to enjoy yourself and now you wonder what ever happened to the old you."
"Lara that's enough," I stepped between them as the man could only gape at her. I didn't stop it for him but for Lara. A single tear had dripped down her cheek. "Last chance Misan, tell us how to get out of here and to Reese."
He looked at me struggling to speak, "I only know the one path."
"Rain he's telling the truth," Lara spoke softly.
I tapped the knife against his shoulder, "Well don't you wish you just told the truth at the start now?"
He couldn't speak anymore and just stared into the earth. Having your inner thoughts and insecurities, your past thrown at you like that. For some people they would have much rather a traditional torture.
"We should kill him," Marley's words shocked even me.
"Hey now," I frowned at her, "he's broken enough."
"Like you said Lara, he's started to enjoy it. You know what he's done."
Lara couldn't say anything and just stared. I promised myself I'd never let her do whatever she did again. It had obviously affected her. After a long pause she shook herself and faced him again, "We'll let you live but if you do anything to hurt anyone again…."
He just nodded, "I know."
"Come on Marley," I pulled her away from the broken man. "We have one path and there's plenty of pirates left for you to deal with." She followed me hesitantly. Her eyes flashing towards him dangerously. "Lara let's go."
"Right…," Lara looked away from Misan and the roped binding him faded to nothing. He didn't stand up, he didn't attack us or even scream. He simply stayed where he was, stunned.
We headed down the path the two pirates had come from, passing the dead demon I had killed. After what Lara had done I wondered what his past was. Was it worse than Misan's? Could I have spared his life? To be honest probably, but I didn't have the intention to. If I didn't go in seriously to kill and instead he had managed to kill me, or worse someone else, I'd never let that go. I took the best option. Lara looked at his unmoving body then at me, her expression turned to pity but she said nothing.