The Ranger, the Rouge, and The Bard: Order of the Dragons

Chapter 5: Into The Pit of Despair

Cole snaps awake as cold-water splashes into his face. He struggles to move as he finds he isn't in the semi comfortable chair now, it is a cold, unforgiving, steel chair with steel cuffs restraining his hands behind him. His vision is disorientated a light shines into his eyes as blinding as the sun as it bores into his eyes. While he struggles a chill laugh fills the air and Cole freezes, he knows the laugh, a laugh of a man who was the 'Clean Up Crew' for Black Hat, a devilish man who you never wanted as a enemy, a man only known by the instrument of destruction he used. As his elven eyes adjust to the brightness he sees him. He wears a dark coat with a black linen shirt underneath, his face is as haunting as always with a dark mark of carved obsidian in the shape of a skull with white crystalline antlers protruding from either side of this garish mask. This man is the Violinist.

"Well, well, well if it isn't the man of the hour? Cole it's been a while I'm surprised a worthless failed assassin like yourself evaded me so long after that night." The mask shows no emotions, only echoing the Violinist's chilling voice. Cole shrinks back in his chair as this man sits in front of him his mere presence chills him to his core, "I didn't do it, I can't even remember the night anyway. It's just a hazy mess in my mind and I don't even know what happened I just know I didn't do it." He says meekly not even attempting to look into the piercing eyes of the violinist which carve him up like a pig in a butcher shop. The Violinist laughs in a sound like a cracking glacier as he stares at Cole, "You are a funny one now, aren't you? Do you honestly think I believe that please! You had all the motive, a hatred of them, an easy way to get close for the kill shot, and just so what so you could prove you, a hapless reject who should have never been hired, were semi competent? I mean it's pathetic really, but what can I expect from the one member of the Blackheart family who didn't live up to his name." His words cut into Cole like a midnight winter wind as this man just tears into him. Cole just sits there silent these words swirling in his mind as the Violinist feels to grow larger than life with every word towering over him like a tsunami that is ready to crash down and drag him to the depths.

Carla and Jebidiah are a bit panicked at this sudden development of Coel disappearing "Shit! Did the damn it must have been the dragon order, but that doesn't explain why it was only him... If they wanted, they could have slit our throats in our sleep. It's odd..." he says looking around for clues like a dime novel detective, scouring this disappearance thoroughly while Carla thinks as she sits on her bed, at the same time calming herself from the nightmare which had gripped her earlier steadying herself as she looks to the window her eyes focusing on something Jebidiah had missed a small piece of paper left stuck under the know open window.

"Jebidiah, look over there! There is a piece of paper at the window." She points it out feeling very proud of herself for the find as Jebidiah stands and inspects the paper. It's an easily miss-able little stub, a recite of sorts that shows proof of purchase, Jebidiah leans and reads it "Says here our culprit is staying at a place called the Tall Tower Suites, in room 9-12, elevator access bellow." Jebidiah strokes his chin, he never heard of a hotel that has a stub that is that specific. Have you heard of anything like that Carla." Jebidiah asks incredulously and Carla simply shrugs. "Sorry Jeb, I don't know." Jebidiah sighs "Well, I don't think these parts have any massive fancy shmansy hotels so I say that upper side that crispy man mentioned may be worth a good look'n." Jebidiah says as he grabs his coat and rusty rifle which hangs static on a coat holder.

Cole pants he's a bit bloodied his left eye is swollen shut, some of his fingers are bent at an unnatural angel. The Violinist simply is washing of a now bloody hammer with his back to Cole, in this time Cole looks around now not being so disorientated he picks up that this isn't a proper interrogation room, paintings hang on a wall of floral design, that's not really what you expect for an interrogation room, and he sees a couch and bed this looks more like someone's bedroom rather than a place to extract information. Cole can guess he hasn't gone far considering this hasty interrogation set up. This knowledge invigorates him, and with that, he decides to do the one trick he remembered from training. With a wince he dislocates his wrist, an easy trick to escape some restraints on his hands. As he silently slips his hand free the Violinist turns back around "Now, Cole, I bore of these just admit you killed them, and I'll end it all. I will even be nice and make it nice and quick, how about that?" he says with a sinister cold chuckle as he faces Cole but as he looks at him his frosty demeanor falters as Cole is smiling.