Raeda: Spill Your Secrets or Spill Your Guts?

Putting the Terror into Interrogation

The heavy set doors of the palace dungeon swung open with a loud groan. The two guards that stood either side of the doorway quickly stood to attention as the Emperor strode past, his cape trailing behind him as the sound of his boots clicking echoed out into the darkened corridor.

A single light illuminated the room, flickering every so often as the room's most recent inhabitant lurched foward once again as another gut renching blow was delivered to their stomach from a palace guard.

Unmoved by the sight in front of him, the Emperor moved to stand next to Kikimora who was overseeing the interrogation. As soon as she saw who had entered the room, the demon bowed deeply.

'Has our songbird revealed anything?' Belos questioned, his eyes unwavering from the bard who was currently strung up hanging from the ceiling from large chains, their feet barely touching the floor as each hit threw them violently to one side.

'Not yet sire. But they shall.'

Kikimora almost sounded guilty as she spoke. Of course it wasn't out of remorse for what she was witnesssing but instead it was purely due to the sense of failure she felt from the lack of information she had been able to extract.

'I want to know everything. Every witches name, every hideout location, every dirty little secret they know. Nothing is hidden from the eyes of the Emperor.' Belos said, peering down at the demon to make sure they understood that failure was no longer an option.  

'Of course my lord.' Kikimora nodded.

Belos turned sharply on his heel and headed back towards the door.

'Oh and Kikimora?' Belos spoke once more over his shoulder, almost out of earshot.

'Yes sire?' Kikimora asked, curiously.

'I want you to break them. Irreversibly. Treachery like this deserves punishment.' Belos said cooly before leaving, the grand doors closing behind him once again.

'For the Emperor.' Kikimora muttered proudly to herself.

Kikimora headed over to the captive who was looking rather worse for wear. Their shirt was bloodied and damp with sweat, their wrists red raw from the chains and their skin a mottled canvas of black and purple.

Kikimora knew this wasn't working. No she needed results now, so she knew she needed to deal with this herself. So wordlessly she dismissed the guard and soon there were only two people left within the room.

Sensing a shift in the room, the prisoner managed to raise their head up and soon realised that their interrogator had changed.

'Just when I thought my day couldn't get any worse.' Raine laughed, their throat hoarse from dehydration.

Kikimora simply smiled, 'Oh, how delightfully wrong you are.'

It was unnerving the way she spoke, almost cheery. Raine knew this wasn't going to end well.

'I won't tell you anything.' Raine said stoically, holding their head high. They hoped it still seemed intimidating in spite of the black eye and bloody nose.

'We'll see about that. And that attitude is why I am going to enjoy this even more.' Kikimora said smirking.

She took a few steps towards the bard and despite her small stature she caused Raine's stomach to twist and turn.

'Are you familiar with the story of Icarus?' Kikimora asked suddenly.

Now, that took Raine aback.

'The Emperor told me it's a human tale about a ancient inventor whose son grew too confident for his own good and ended up flying into the sun with one of his father's own inventions.' Kikimora continued, staring at her hand as she absentmindedly picked at her fingernails.