The merchant sat and stared. Lily walked over and inspected
him before she plunged the knife into his back. With a slight twinge from the
merchant, the blade bounced off a few inches from his body. She repeatedly
tried to attack him but to no avail. He faintly smiled and introduced himself
as Doctor Styenbeck, although the doctor part was mealy a facade to help sales.
He looked into her eyes, there was anger, resentment and frustration, which
could only mean desperation, and desperate people were not logical. To
Styenbeck this meant that her recklessness could mean his death if he did not
at least give her something tangible. Cautiously ,he asked what she wanted from
him, what information could she possibly need? In return she heated the knife a
little longer to ensure it was white hot before she attempted to inflict pain. Lily
then decided to try different approaches, angles, pressure points and temperatures
to try to make her way through whatever barrier he had in place. All the while
he attempted to make light conversation, to which she completely ignored, he
tried to insult her, she ignored, compliment, she ignored. He mentioned that if
she was so resolved to harming him, then he was not afraid, as his life, regardless
of the information, was forfeit. With her resolve nearly at an end she came to
the conclusion that perhaps this barrier was not something she could physically
pass, perhaps she could draw upon the deceased and blast him with their conjured
energy. She placed her hand into the pool of blood on the floor beneath her and
concentrated on Styenbeck. A flash of bone glinted in the slithers of light
from the window, before the hand grappled onto his head and shattered into
dust. In that brief second Eryn caught something out of the corner of his eye.
There were two layers of dust. One on the floor and one an inch or two from it,
next to Styenbeck. However his guilt
over the situation had rendered his perceptions silent. Lily continued to volley
necromantic attacks followed in combination with that of her heated blade but
to no avail. The man was simply shrugging it off, even making jokes about how ineffectual
her practices were.
It was at the moment Lily's rage was about to froth from her
mouth so Styenbeck stood up now unbound and confident. He introduced himself
formally, and then asked what Lily wanted. She was taken aback, and returned
with an aggressive stance. He reassured her that on any less of Metricious
would have succumbed . She told him of the word 'Tangent', it now tasting bitter. He simply stated was
that was the Metricious bank, only members and high ranking citizens are
allowed an account. She asked about the guild itself. He replied that tt was formed
by the first traders to ensure their survival against the black market,
specifically the Silver Palm. He continued that the guild tries to legislate trade
in the face of the threat from the Foundations. The city is also in the best
position for trade across the steadfast, and that position must be protected. She
then brought up that she was guided by the symbol of the golden beetle, and what
that meant to him. His answer was tinged with trepidation. He told her that the
Metricious have a working relationship with the Whisper Network, secrets from
customers are traded for protection. Anyone could be working with the network,
all are puppets, sometimes with no knowledge they are being used. Sometimes the
pressure point is blackmail, the lure of status and wealth or perhaps a simple
request from a friend or lover. You only
know you work for them, if they want you to. Lily now realising the methodology,
now wanted the name of who ran the network. Styenbeck could only say that the
network was set up around the same time that a few new families moved into the
city. Most of them are now prominent members of the court or higher social
circles, only one has stayed relatively humble, Lyathra. There was one complication however, he motioned
to them, which was one of funding. The network was unfathomably vast, and
obviously supported by a large amount of resources, something that the family
historically could not provide. He admitted to Lily he was clutching at straws.
With her rage now subsiding, Styenbeck turned to the blood
on the floor and the trail from the window. He asked who the blood belonged to
and Mephisto replied. There was a emptiness that now swelled in Styenbeck, he
couldn't tell if it was regret, guilt or grief. He could have spoke up earlier,
acted faster, been less selfish. He resolved to at least make a difference. He
looked down at the red mark on the windowsill. It was a bloody handprint,
presumably from Zarik. Styenbeck brought Mephisto over to see if this was
likely his brother's hand. The pollen from the plants outside was became caught
in Mephisto nose. Without warning he violently sneezed, forgetting he had not
fully closed the lid on the box containing his brother. A small fraction of the
ashes dispersed into the air and then clung, as if drawn by a powerful
attraction to the windowsill . Where the ashes fell, it marked a footprint on
the windowsill on the outside with some settling on garden. Styenbeck mentioned that Chloe had been over
here to investigate.
In all honesty, the others had hardly noticed. The peace and
quiet that they had enjoyed during the interrogation, was, at least they
thought, product of it. Chloe's disappearance had gone unnoticed but now, not
unappreciated. Although Styenbeck protested that a young girl at that age
should not be left alone in the city, Lily and Eryn were pleased to see her
gone. Mephisto seemed swayed a little more to not caring either, after her
outburst in storage. Styenbeck sighed, if they were going to carry on regardless
so should he. To that end, he asked if the group had taken his belongings, such
as his cart, money and stock with them here. Eryn, now slightly embarrassed,
shook his head. Styenbeck tutted. He offered, as partial payment that they owed
him due to the detriment to his business, that they would guard him while he
walked to the bank. Lily grumbled,
unhappy about her torture. She sharpened her blades before stowing them with
the few pieces she carried. Eryn went to help the doctor, offering him a
cigarette, while Mephisto drew on the stone with his brother's ashes
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