Soulfire: Knightfall

Chapter 3

"Listen, you little bitch! I'll have you tossed in Reachcliffe Prison if you don't start telling me what I want to hear!" Colin growls, gripping Skye by her ear piercing, giving it a twist, causing her to lurch in pain, crying out and begging him to stop. Her innocent face now given a splotch of color from blood staining her fur from where he had just cut the side of her muzzle with his dagger.

If Vyris wasn't holding her blade to my neck, I'd do something about it. Unfortunately all I can do is watch and try to persuade this madness to stop. Fallion was always an overzealous bastard when it came to performing his duty to the letter, but he was never this aggressive. Even when dealing with demon worshipers.

This whole thing has gotten horribly wrong.
When we got to the orphanage, he was calm. He sent Vyris in to convince the matron that Skye was her lost sister- the fact that it worked speaks volumes about the woman's inexperience with Aylarsi. We took Skye back to the dungeon under the Holy Citadel, the Knights' base of operations just outside of the city, to have her questioned. When Skye refused to talk to us, Colin just lost it. He began threatening her and raving about some artifact, and Sema's brother.

Can't see why Vyris would put up with this, either. She would let her kin -or anyone for that matter- be tortured without a good reason? None of this makes any sense!

"Get off of me you bastard! Ko'aree ni kasi! Vakar!" Shouts Skye, cursing in her native tongue, Aylare, trying her best to seem intimidating.  Too bad for her she is just barely five feet tall, and lacking any sort of physical aptitude.
But her tears run freely, ruining any chance of being taken seriously during this violent session. She is at Colin's mercy. He could hurt her in any way he desired and no one could help her. I can't help her- That's the worst part.
Devine save us if this is what's becoming of the Knights!

"Colin, stop this! She's just a scared kid! Let her go!" I plea, trying to lock eyes with him, despite his back being tuned to me. "We're keepers of the peace, the will of the Divine, not totalitarian enforcers!"

"Just shut the hells up, Keith! Criminals forfeit their rights when they decide to break the law. She should have considered her fate before delving into a life of crime. It's her fault. Now she's paying the price."
Letting go of her ear, smacks her across the face with the metal plate on the back of his armored hand, then grabs her by the neck and begins squeezing, lifting her up in the air and pressing her small frame against the wall. What the hells is he doing!? "Where is Jak? Where is the artifact!? Talk, you damn worthless Aylarsi bitch!"

I look to Vyris desperate to see that he doesn't brutally murder the girl. "Are you gonna let him get away with this?" I ask, not daring to budge, lest she open a hole my throat with a mere twist of her wrist. "He's going to kill her!"

Vyris rolls her eyes. "That's his job, moron. He's a Knight of Purity. We kill witches. It's what we do. Who cares what happens to one girl?" She asks, looking sincerely confused. It's as if she'd never considered that there could be even the slightest error in Colin's behaviour. Though, I do take note the fact that she keeps her eyes pointed away from the scene, and winces upon hearing the cries and whimpers of pain.
But what makes them think that she is a witch, I wonder. She isn't wearing that necklace. What has she done to raise their suspicion?

"You have to listen. Killing her will get you nowhere!" I shout. If he kills her, I don't think I'll ever be able to forgive myself. God, please don't let him do this! Damn it. Am I crying? Ugh. Always hated seeing people in pain. There's a reason I became an investigator instead of an interrogation officer.

Vyris is snickering to herself, smiling at me as she watches. "Awe. Is the little knight gonna cry? Is he feeling just a wittle bit guilty?" She asks rhetorically. Who's she calling little? I'm taller than her, and easily nearly twice her size in muscle, and armor. She turns to Colin with a large grin on her face. "Hey, Bossy-Man." Bossy-Man? I've heard that Aylarsi have a hard time remembering names that don't conform to their naming system. She must've come up with a nickname to remember him by. "Look at this guy. He's crying."