Countless attempts at the zip tie left Ruchi's wrists painfully raw as his hands sat sorely behind him. It took a lot out of him to remain as calm given the harsh facts he was able to determine. The first, his captors had removed any and all access for components, including the ones in his messenger bag. Next, he wasn't the first or the last addition to the group of kidnapped individuals as every so often more would be tossed into their ranks like cattle with their own restrictions and restraints against their magical talents. Finally, his anxiety would rise, heart beat quicken and stomach lurch whenever one of the captives would be forcibly taken. Their pleas, swears, threats and cries would be muffled as soon as the door closed, leaving the rest to sit hopelessly and wait.
None of them could speculate what would happen once taken since those who were never returned. Tonight was no different. Ruchi's eyes had adjusted to their poorly lit room as he and others continued to be tortured by the passage of time. Whomever was left of their group kept to themselves after days of screaming and hoping for an escape proved useless. Each person huddled in their self appointed spots along the aged concrete walls or cracked floor of the makeshift prison, their minds lost in their internal thoughts. Previously when they were up to talking, Ruchi had learned that most of them shared similar stories before they became prisoners. Taken from behind in the dark or forcibly subdued.
Ruchi recalls running his usual morning mail route and had just delivered a collection of bills, parcels, advertisements and snail mail to Euginia Kast's building. The sun had yet to rise, but he would usually be met with a smile from Euginia as she too was an early bird. Ruchi's best guess was that she found the need to sleep in and wouldn't have held it against her that day. The last stop was just north of the park and there were signs of road closures, so he would have needed to find a detour. That's when the shock of blue light flashed in his eyes, disorienting his vision and impairing his ability to control his truck. He remembered how tightly he gripped the steering wheel as he jerked his truck over on the side of the road, palms sticky with sweat as his heart and lungs vibrated. Once out on the side walk to catch his breath was when a heaviness crashed into the back of his head causing him to black out.
The initial burning pain had become a dull irritating headache over what he guessed was eight days in captivity. His once cleaned and pressed postal workers uniform was covered in dirt and dust that clung to his body due to the humid conditions of their make shift prison. When the sound of the door met his ears, he refused to look up knowing what comes next and it wasn't good. It was made even worse when pairs of hands slipped under his arms and hoisted him up to his feet with ease. Ruchi's body hesitated in disbelief before reacting, kicking, shaking and pushing against the two escorts as he saw his fellow captives look away. He didn't want to believe it as he flailed weakly against his captor's grip as they roughly dragged him out.
Beyond the door and through a narrow pipe lined hallway, Ruchi found himself in what looked like an office building. A graveyard of cubicles atop stained linoleum floors surrounding them on all sides encased within graffitied walls. A cold breeze companied the night time sky that swept through the largest set of windows that carried muffled words and conversations to Ruchi's ears as his eyes adjusted to pick out shapes in the darkness. His captors were many in number, the whites of their eyes flashing in and out like the edges of a freshly sharpened knife: surrounding and cornering him from all sides.
"It's best not to fret my good man." a sweetly bemusing voice cut through the more distant conversations before the room filled with the familiar blue light.
It filled Ruchi's sight with black specks as a low electronic humming filled the room. Before him stood a lean, well dressed individual who eyed him gently with concern and pity. Their features were alluring as was their voice, almost calming through his current storm of inner turmoil.
"Though you may feel small and outmatch, you'd be wise to accept your beautiful fate." the figure stepped closer, soon squatting to look Ruchi in the eye. "Its unlucky for you handsome that someone very special to my boss left a mark on you thus you've been chosen tonight because of how special you are."
Ruchi felt his face go red as this person complimented him, their eyes taking in Ruchi's tense body hungrily. This close to them, Ruchi could feel their breath on the tip of his nose, lingering on his face before he felt it snake down, passing his lips and circle his throat. Fear was becoming replaced with annoyance as he recognized cheap magic tricks, now averting their eyes and subduing the thrall. Though Ruchi was part of the larger population who relied on components to utilize the arcane, he was no stranger to this sort of treatment from those who possessed natural talents. The city council had worked its way through generations of unfair and discriminatory behaviors to rectify the balance between all forms of magic users, but it wasn't unheard of that there were those who still believed in certain class systems.
"Fine." a sudden drawl filled the figure's voice as their words spat in Ruchi's direction. "Enjoy what you have coming for you runt."
The change in disposition wasn't what caught Ruchi's attention, but instead the thick bicep that reached from behind and grasped his collar. He was hoisted off the ground without effort, now a good foot above the first figure's head, his eyes trailing up the muscled arm towards a pair of steeled grey eyes. Panic flooding through him, sweat falling faster down his forehead as he struggled to push air through his chest, unable to look away. In a clean pull, Ruchi felt a gust of air before his right upper body went slack and a horrible wet, tearing sound filled his ears. Mouth agape and glassy eyed, as his flesh and body were devoured. The blood poured down onto the floor, splashing the lean figure who finally stood with annoyance before stepping off to the side. They watched with mild disgust at the unfolding scene, it wasn't the first time witnessing and it wouldn't be the last.
The second figure dropped what was left of the post man's body onto the floor with a wet thud, it seemed satisfied for now.
"Hardly anything to harvest from that one," individual brought one clawed finger to their now painted lips as their tongue explored their mouth, relishing in a familiar taste. "but I can taste remnants of a magic I haven't encountered in--."
"Exactly one year." The lean figure chimed in, smiling pleasingly. "Take a guess, I'm sure you're smart enough to figure out where you've felt it before."
The beast of a man towered over most of the gathered individuals and filled them with predatory intimidation, the lean figure seemed to be unbothered by the frightening presence. They watched as the man seemed to reveal in a familiar sensation coursing through his body.
"And of the devil?" the man demanded.
The lean figure met the grey eyes with a tired expression before cracking a smile. "You really hate losing," their voice filled with viscous mockery. "but I didn't sense anything demonic on your boy during my visit. He's vulnerable again." As they finished, they watched as a toothy cheshire grin crept across the blood stained mouth of the grey eyed figure.
"Just like old times, Jeris."