It had been a week since Oblirin encountered Zea whom patched him up well after escaping a facility where they took his blood for the black market. Amongst other things. He looked a lot better. In human form he no longer looked pale as if on deaths door and his reflexes had increased. And as promised, he permitted Zea to do her research by allowing her to take whatever she needed. He had to admit, she was quite something.
Below where he now lived for as long as Zea would need him, the trees were in full bloom as usual since his arrival and some plants that had been long dead and gone but those that would not harm the ecosystem, even improved, had been revived or grown back. Even some illnesses that several plants were dying from were cured.
But today, there would be a different kind of research. And that was seeing if there were any leads involving those who kept him locked up for so long. They would meet Zea's contact too.
''What would you like first. The person you've spoken off or the place I had been kept.''
He was actually not sure what he would do if he'd come across any of those he had not killed. Kill them swiftly? Slowly? Hook them up to their own instruments and leave them to die? Or do nothing at all.
Zea had successfully played a part in someone not dying. It was not precisely how she imagined her purpose in life, but it was a start. Baby steps. Baby steps! Once she had seen the equipment and hopefully research notes of Oblirin's former captors, she should have a better idea of how to proceed. After all, just because she didn't condone their research didn't mean she would waste it.
Perhaps even.... Perhaps once she had gotten an idea of how Oblirin handled bigtime emotion stress, maybe she'd let him come around her place, her actual place. Not yet, though. He had no reason to trust that the smells and noises really were nothing to worry about, and she had no reason to trust that he wouldn't come over all unreasonable about her occasional guests in the basement.
"Place you've been kept first," she decided. "Going after their local buyers is only a preliminary step if we want them to have a chance to escape with their lives, which I am not actually sure is a great idea? So we'll just deal with them and then clean up whatever little connections they may have leftover."
Zea dusted her hands, symbolically shaking the whole matter and all its attendant death off of them. "And then we're done!"
Oblirin nodded. He was not sure how much of a walk it would be but at the least it was done on this island. Somewhere. Having followed his blood trail on the first day would perhaps have been a better idea but his scent still lingered. His memory had not been a lot of help otherwise he could have just said it. Some waterskins and food had been packed and they were on their way. Him flying could not have been more then 10 minutes would basicly mean a few hours walk.
He remembered coming out of some cave not far from a rocky shore when he had busted himself out. Which at the least had narrowed it down somewhat.
It indeed took hours to get there. But there was no entrance like his memory recalled. Only heavy damage to trees and a few of his scales on the ground between the rocks. It did not make sense. His scent was also kind of all over the place.
He could not find an opening in the rock which usually would indicate a cave. But noticed instead after checking the rock wall thorough to see if there was nothing magic wise, that some plants and rocks seemed misplaced. A tree had been chopped down and there were traces of saw material.
With his foot he moved aside some of the rocks revealing a wooden lid. ''Cave entrace in the ground. Fair enough...'' he said and removed the rest before removing the lid by simply tearing it off and discard it somewhere. There was a tunnel that lead downwards. The floor being cut as if they were stairs. It was wide enough for him to have come through but there were traces of blood there. His blood. ''Normally I would say ladies first but... does not sound like a splendid idea... not to mention it smells a bit like rot down there...''
He could not breathe fire either and the metal in the wall that used to hold torches were empty. ''Mind your step..'' he said as he went in first after grabbing a fist full of soil. Breathing over it, creating a luminescent plant. It would only be for now.
---
The tunnel was long and dark. And the plant provided just enough light to see the stairs. Below though was a large cave. And fortunatly torches which he lit with flint and steel that was scattered around.
Aside puddles of blood, scattered parchment and journals, tables and stools, and a few severed limbs, it seemed nobody was here. The bodies had been cleaned up.''
''Well looks like this is the place...'' Oblirin said after noticing the torn chains and bindings along with weird devices that had tubes attached.
Oblirin hadn't contradicted her clear intention to kill his former captors, which was something of a relief. It would have been sort of a shame to alienate him just because he hadn't the stomach to remove troublesome members of the population and somehow expected the intimacy of his grudge to give him veto power. He didn't seem big on arguing in general, though. Might just not be his thing.
On the way, Zea periodically polled the ethereal locals to see if they knew anything about what she and Oblirin might be walking into. She didn't meet any other dragons, which was simultaneously fortunate--as it indicated the size of this operation--and unfortunate--meaning as it did that she only had one indignant dragon on her side. Shouldn't one be enough? They'd taken him before, but this time he had some local weirdness artillery to back him up in case their prior tactics worked again.
Maybe he'd do the whole bit himself and all Zea would do was learn what filthy miserable dragons smelled like stuffed down a hole for years.
"Does a bit. Oubliettes get like that."
She followed him down, doing her best to look away from his light source to avoid her eyes adjusting too much to it. Having a way to light torches was probably for the best, though. It meant she could get a better look at the research in question.
"No bodies, but research left behind." That was weird. If Zea had taken anything away it would have been the hard-won data she'd collected, corpses be damned. In fact... "Well, might as well while we're here."
Leaving Oblirin to have his moment of awful reverie, Zea began rolling the parchment into more compact tubes to be transported with the journals. Waste not, want not.
Oblirin was not the only one to gather the material scattered on the ground. He would give what he had picked up to Zea later. He chuckled though reading the last entry of a book. ''The beast had gone rampage killing most of us. Gained immunity for the sedatives. Bla bla bla...'' he skipped the lines about his little massacre. ''Going to attempt smuggling in a new one..'' he paused. ''That is not so good... seems like I skipped their scribe... along with two others whom were here when I escaped and of course missed those who were not present here at the time. There are nine more.'' he said before closing the book. At least he had wrecked their equipment to such a degree that it needed either to be fixed or replaced. And if you wanted to capture a dragon and hold it in place like they had with him everything needed to be ready.
"Awww a rampage. Poor little kittens," Zea said flatly.
Seemed like they had plenty of people to track down. The scribe was the real problem, because that indicated education. Were they local? Anyway, it seemed like perhaps that was the brains of the remaining outfit, unless one of the others was some kind of cleric or something. For one thing, she... wow. She might actually need to report this all the way up the chain. All the way up the chain.
Was it worth notifying the Maharani?
Would failure to do so look bad?
Shit, it might. Whereas by reporting it as far up as possible, Zea clearly delineated herself as One Of The Good Ones, and that was a place she very much needed to maintain. Some letters, then?
"I can send some spirits to relay what we've learned, and then we need to talk to some of our shady underworld professionals to let them know they might want to get out of the business before it becomes a liability." She straightened, hands full of scrolls. "What do you think?"
''What I think...'' Oblirin said picking up another few books from the ground. ''I am not to well accustomed with this countries rules but... I do not think what they did was a really good thing. Also they mentioned going to attempt getting another dragon. We do not know if it will be a Sorran one like me or a different one. But sending some spirits will not be a bad idea.'' Oblirin said.
He then looked at the stairs. He could hear a noise. Footsteps to be more exact which caused him to join Zea's side. Some voices came from the tunnel.
''Someone is in there. The torches are on and I hear voices.'' a male voice echoed through the darkness.
''Looks like the welcome commitee has arrived.'' Oblirin said. Reaching to his whip but did not took a hold of it yet.
Zea perked up at the sound, biting back a grin. She made a shooing motion toward Oblirin, urging him out of immediate view of the descending stairs, and began humming to herself the way a scavenger might if she imagined herself completely unsupervised.
"Ooh!" she said at normal volume, rusting through parchment. "This is worth even more. Scrape that top layer right off, yes ma'am. Even at a discount, still good."
She resumed humming, wondering if they'd buy it, wondering what they'd do either way.
"Even with the smell. Just air them out, that's all. Just got to air them out. Whole place needs some fresh air, you ask me."
She hoped they grabbed her. Nobody ever wanted a good tussle anymore.
Oblirin was not the one for hiding but he was curious what Zea was planning to do so he got out of view. A warm torchglow greeted the room when two men came in. They were locals for sure.
''What are you doing here. It is private property and what you are holding is not yours either. Put it down.'' The one speaking certainly did not look friendly. He seemed to have crossed the prime years of his life already a while ago.
''I could swear I heard her talk to someone''the other man spoke. He had some simularities with the older man for as far it was possible to be aware of distinct features meanibg they were related in some way.
Inima's tits, they were going for it. They were locals, though. Did they know who she was? Zea hoped not. She tried to keep her casual acquaintanceships limited, giving her time mostly to professional connections, but who could say what they knew? Who could say what ceremonies they'd seen?
"What?" she yelped indignantly. "No, you won't fool me. The people who were here are dead and you're just angry I got to the salvage first." She wagged a finger at them, stepping backward to continue filling her other arm with scrolls. Maybe they'd even let her get between them and the door. "Look at all this blood. I've done this before and I know what this means. Former residents are absolutely dead or badly wounded, so you aren't them and I have every right in the world."
''Those present when research went wrong died. Yes. Very tragic. But the rest have right to each piece of parchment you are holding. We will not let you leave until you do. We will pry it out of your dead hands if we must'' the elderly man spoke.
'' Father...enough died already..'' the younger one spoke but got a glare that shushed him.
''Your choice missy. One chance'' he pulled out his scimitar waiting for Zea's decision.
The little one, the son, he seemed like he had something approaching a capacity for higher reasoning. They'd already paid in lives for this research. Was it only worth the ones that had been lost? Did he love his father or his own life enough to pay for it?
"You look Thanati but I thought we raised our boys better than this." Out of her dead hands, he'd said. "Inima's tits," she cursed. "Listen to your boy, pet. Maybe he got some sense from his mother. Maybe he knows how much trouble the spirits of your victims can make for you."
Certainly not any sense from his father. Look at him. This was why the Maharani was a woman. Men couldn't handle the big decisions, not all on their own. The best she could say for daddy here was that he'd clearly futtered better than he'd been raised by. He'd officially served the only purpose he'd ever have and Thanatos would be well rid of him.
''What can I say. Some research requires sacrifices. Since you will not hand over what is rightfully ours, woman. I suppose I need to take it.''
Before he could be stopped by his son, the older man charged forward with the sword. ''Have it your way then!'' he said but was stopped by someone. None other then Oblirin whom had come out of hiding.
''I know your scent.'' the dragon said far from amused as he held the sharp end of the scimitar against his hand. With his other hand he grabbed the man by his throat although not choking him. The man released his grip from the weapon and attempted miserably to be released from Oblirin's grip. ''Ahh. I remember. You are the one who cut off the gem of my forhead. Looks like the anti aging process wore off.''
His gaze then went to the younger one. ''But I do not know your scent.'' he said at the kid who was startled. ''Been here before?''
The man shook his head way more often then needed.
''J-j-just here to pick up my dads... research.. Sir...'' he said half stumbling over his words
Oblirin had to be enjoying this. Zea could not imagine any other reason for the continuing conversation. Some kind of healing process confrontation thing?
"Thank you for getting that for me," Zea told him, shuffling the parchments so they'd make an audible noise. "Hands full over here. And listen, pup," she said, switching her attention to the frightened younger man. "Your dad is ambitious, amoral, callous, and greedy, but while I feel a certain kinship, my personal feelings don't factor. This isn't how things are done in Thanatos. So if you can try not to haunt anybody over this it'd be better for everybody, you included."
Exorcisms always looked so jarring. If Oblirin didn't recognize the kid, odds were he didn't deserve to end up anchored here after his death failing to notice his own consciousness slowly eroding. Even Pops over there probably didn't. Some fates just really were too ugly for anyone.
''W-what did he do?...'' the young man asked. Perhaps knowing would make him understand what the hell was going on. Why there was a foreign person who managed to actually stop a sharp scimitar with his bare hands, and a fellow Thanati alongside him.
''Your.. 'dear' old man over here along with a few others kept me here without my consent. Putting things in my body and taking things out which they sold. Things like blood. Spinal fluid. Name it. I'm sure they removed one or two of my ribs as well.''
The boy put up an expression of disbelief.
''But... other then appearant tough skin... why... father is it true?''
The old man remained silent. ''So now what. Going to kill me?'' he asked ignoring his son's question.
Oblirin looked at the young man. ''I'm a dragon... lad... now in human form. If you do not believe me... maybe you should read one of the sheets of paper that has been picked up.
The young man looked at Oblirin, then his father and walke towards Zea. ''Would it be alright for me to read a bit of it? I can not just trust a strangers word..''
Older fellow was asking if they were going to kill him like that wasn't a rhetorical question. Hadn't Zea just said she was going to? If Oblirin didn't, it was important that someone be present with the stomach to kill helpless captives.
"I'm not a stranger; I'm a priestess of Inima and your father is lucky I'm not a Khan. But sure. I think I saw something with a diagram over there next to that puddle of my buddy here's blood. I'm sure it's very educational."
She was going to need to see some pretty dramatic revulsion at this point, because now the kid wouldn't just be losing his father in front of him. He'd be the kid who lost his father and understood his father's research. That just seemed like a recipe for a revenge-driven slave army; it was the kind of thing Zea'd have done if she were not such a fine specimen of delicate humane sensibilities. Might be best to kill him while he was still harmless.
The boy nodded and took the little note book from the ground. Going through it globally. ''This is not research... it is just selling.'' he said as he slammed it on the table. ''No wonder things were suddenly so good at home. That man is not my father, he is an abomination to whole of Thanatos.'' He looked at Oblirin.
''Don't.'' Oblirin said. ''No need to say sorry for things your old man and his accomplises did. We have two options. Throw him to the judge system here... interrorgate him or just hook him up on one of those devices he kept me on.''
The suggestions seemed to put fear in the old mans expression. ''One way or another I wish your death is slow and painful.'' He forced the man on his knees and breathed out slowly the same way he had done with the plants.
''I do not grow plants only. Fungus too. And I just filled your lungs with it. Don't worry. Painfull death wont occur until two weeks later.''
Already though the breathing sounded really unhealthy. Accompanied with weird squeeky noises.
Zea sucked her teeth as Oblirin simultaneously decided the boy didn't need to apologize and that a quick death was too good for his dad. And to think she'd doubted him. Maybe Zea was the one who owed him an apology.
"Well, this looks like it'll be gratifyingly horrible. You're the, uh, wounded party here so I'll defer, but I'd rather he either die immediately or go to the Khans so he doesn't get the opportunity to pass his business to the survivors. Or warn them. That would be inconvenient, too."
Could they not just cut off his head and leave? Letting Oblirin leave this place alive had been their mistake. Did it have to be Zea and Oblirin's? But maybe cutting the old guy's head off in front of his kid would be sort of tacky too. It seemed like the sort of thing she wouldn't be able to tell people she'd been okay with, which might mean it wasn't okay? But it sure would be efficient.
Whatever.
If Oblirin let this guy walk out and he sent some kind of signal, at least Zea had left the matter to him. Maybe she could get a good word in with the Khans herself if she gave testimony. Maybe it'd be all right.
"Incidentally, can I get that notebook?" Zea nodded down to the bundle in her arms. "Making a pile."
''Of course'' The boy said picking it up again from the table and handling it to Zea.
''Hurts. Doesn't it.'' Oblirin said to the old man who gritted his teeth. ''How about this. Give us all the names of your accomplises and I will make sure you have a clean death unless the lady prefers us taking you to the leaders. Sounds like a fine deal right? I mean... I do not think you'd like to turn into a... small part human most part paracytic fungus right?''
''I'd rather die'' the man said and swore under his breath. ''The Khans it is then.'' Oblirin said on a cheerfull tone. ''Truth be told I have tons of ideas I would not mind applying to you right now. Plucking some skin... removing some ribs... shove some things in your body... tapping blood and spinal fluid to near death... you know, the usual. I think you are familiar with the procedure. But I also should not take the law into my own hands. Thanatos is not my country of origin and I should and also respect its usual ways.'' he then turned to Zea. ''Unless dragging him to those Khans you speak off is to much of a problem.''
''I... I can help. Perhaps father left some things at home.'' he suggested
''No offense kid... I kind of do not fully trust you. You indeed have never been in here. But you could be a part of this too. Pretending you are not and then warn the others. Nothing personal.'' Oblirin said.
"He's right. It's what I'd do if I were you. Lay low and get revenge later."
Zea did her best to shuffle all her brand new research things together, setting them back on the table while she spread out a carrying cloth on the floor. That was where she finally sorted them for transport. No way was she leaving them here like they had. What a bunch of incompetent schoolboys.
"And it's worth noting that if we'd just killed him in my defense earlier, that wouldn't have been murder. Self defense is entirely legal. But the Khans are good too. They probably have someone who can compel the truth out of him or at least make an example."
With luck the extra scrutiny wouldn't last, and wouldn't much apply to her in any case.
''Since I am not trusted. What will be espected of me Priestess of Inima.'' the boy asked. Giving her a few more stray pieces of written parchment. Although they had basicly lain in gore and blood making it most likely unable to read them fully.
Oblirin in the meantime however used his long whip to bind the old mans hands.
''Eathen... you... you are my son. You can not let them take me... I... I did this for you.'' he started to plead on which his son raised an eyebrow.
''I would have rather starved then knowing I was fed with money you made by selling what was not yours to sell. He mentioned head gem right? Was his pain worth curing your bone illness and look younger? Like I said. I can not give a damn what will happen with you and doubt that even if I would care and plead to our Gods for mercy they surely would not give it. So why should I.'' He looked at Zea again awaiting her answer.
Zea watched the family drama unfold open-mouthed. The kid seriously was going to let his father die convinced his son hated him. Either this Eathen was seriously so gripped by pains of conscience that he cared more for justice than his own family, or he was one seriously cold-blooded bastard who'd do anything to anyone to save his own skin. Definitely more interesting than his father.
"At this rate, I expect that your father will be pressured to do the honorable thing. Especially since you're still around and presumably want to have some kind of future here, right? This is going to completely ruin your whole family's chances unless dad makes a very permanent apology."
Best if he did that in Khan custody, though. It'd spare Zea an exhaustingly impassioned speech urging that the family's honor had been redeemed and the son deserved to live his life.
"If he turns out to be too much of a coward to make things right for you, though, I'd say your family's going to be down to Untouchable."
''I feared as much.'' Eathen spoke with a sigh. ''I assume I will need to accompany the both of you to the Khan?''
''Most likely. But like I said. I am not to familiar with the culture. But that Untouchable does not sound good.''
''It basicly... it's a status for dishonerable people.'' Eathen said and walked to the broken cuffs and chains that held Oblirin for so long. ''Others may wonder where father is though if he does not come back with the research. He was sent to pack all the parchment. I was merely along because he did not want to carry it all by himself. But would indeed he not restore the honor he has casted into the pit for something as simple as wealth... I will not have a really enjoyable life.''
''I do not understand though why you would be punished like that for his mistakes.'' Oblirin said.
Eathen looked at Oblirin. ''No need to understand. It is the way it is.'' he said simply before looking at his old man whom had his lips covered in blood.
''Do not worry the fungus will remain in his lungs and die with him when he dies. It is not contagious either but I will remove it if Zea wishes me to do so.''
Once Zea had compacted the pile as best she could, she tied knots between the corners on the left and right side to create a carrying bag. Maybe Eathen could get the rest, since it seemed like Oblirin had taken charge of old man blood merchant.
"I actually had worried about contagion so thank you for clarifying. Since it's not likely to spread I think we should leave him a little weakened until we can get him to any half-decent Khan."
Hopefully then Eathen and Zea could guilt dear old dad into seeing himself out of the world. Few people would want to be associated with his recent activities then, lest their own children find themselves in Eathen's position. Zea wanted this affair stained as badly as possible, and she wanted to be seen on the right side doing it.
She looped her arms through the straps she'd knotted into her cloth and adjusted it to make sure nothing would fall out the bottom.
"I guess we'll see soon enough. I'm good to go. Everybody else?"
Oblirin nodded. The old man was silent. But really pale and shivering. ''Don't be a sissy. The fungus is in your lungs, not your bones. Walk like a man.'' Oblirin said as he pulled the man up and looked around once more. Two years. He stayed here for two damn years. Surely not long compared to his life spam but it were certainly the longest years in his life.
I think it is not needed to put the cover back up?'' Oblirin said once they were outside, refering to the wooden floordoor and stones that had covered it before.
''Actually would be better if we would. If any of the others come here they will not be tipped off just yet.'' Eathen suggested.
''Good point.The research is done so they would think your father had simply packed everything up according to plan.'' Oblirin replied.
''I imagined dragons were smarter...'' Eathen started in a bit of a jestery tone.
''Superstition lad. Some dragons can barely say babaa or seperate a rock from a rabbit'' Oblirin said as he waited for Zea to exit too.
Zea watched Oblirin, and Papa Dickhead, to see what Oblirin thought of a particularly masculine walk. She didn't consider Oblirin to have an overly macho gait, but maybe he'd invested a lot of effort into studying paragons of biped masculinity and ensuring that he could only ever be mistaken for the beefiest and most rugged.
She headed out with the boys, making little adjustments to her pack as she climbed the steps. She helped cover the trapdoor with a layer of camouflage comparable to its prior one.
"All right then. Let's unload this pigdog and then we'll see about everybody else he knows and cares about." She added, "Present company excepted, naturally. ....Probably."
Oblirin gave the handle of the whip that held the old man to Eathen so he could close the hole back up.
''Lady priestess. I am sure if we put him in front of the Khan they would want the research as well for evidence.'' He ignored his fathers pleads to release him so they could run away together. Clearly his old man got more frightened by the minute. Although the thought crossed him it was amusing going to see his old man fail miserably at outrunning a dragon.
So much for not trusting Eathen. Then again... if he released Pa Crazy, where would they even go? How far would they get?
"We'll see," Zea said. "If they're willing to make a decision based on victim testimony and that of a priestess in good standing who knows a thing or two about legitimate medical research, I'm just going to let them do that. The fewer people familiar with this dead end, the better."
If it were any kind of sustainable improvement to Zea's species, of course she'd distribute it. But this? This was just a few merchant laymen with delusions of expertise. Just so much profitable rubbish.
''There we go..'' Oblirin said after finishing covering up the hole put the stones back on and took back the 'reigns' from Eathen.
''Oh... question to you.'' he said. ''What were those things you guys put so closely or even against my spine. I noticed Silver is not really my best friend but those inscriptions were a bit odd to me.''
''Release me and we will talk.'' the man hissed. Oblirin shrugged. ''Then I won't know.'' Oblirin said simply on a tone as if he did not care. ''I suggest to start walking oldie. I would not want to grow fire moss in your feet.''
This at the least got the man up again and made him walk.
"Actually," Zea said. "Technically."
This was always a combination of words she liked to follow with a breath or two of silence, because as far as encouraging conversational segues... this ranked quite far down the list.
"Funny thing about spirits. Once people die, a lot of them get so desperate for a little connection with the living, a little touch of being an individual who matters, that they will do just about anything for a little bit of focus and attention from the living. Now naturally we don't let this happen to ancestors or neighbors or other members of the community who deserve our love and care. That would be callous."
Would Pa Crazy have anyone willing to care for him?
"But I'm just saying it's a theoretical possibility that there's more than one kind of release that'd persuade you. Since you brought it up."
Eathen chuckled a little at Zea's words. Oblirin at the other hand did not completely get it on which Eathen explained what Zea meant; Oblirin had a lot to learn considering Zea's manner of speaking.
''I would not mind driving my sword really, really slowly and for the first few hours not fataly through your body. It most likely will make you talk when I promise to then kill you swiftly and I am a dragon of my word. But somehow you would get off way to easy. I do suppose I need to compliment you guys for one thing and that was keeping the wounds from festering for such a long time.''
Oblirin sure did talk a big vengeance game. Maybe he'd be okay. If he'd been a nice person before, for his own sake Zea rather hoped she was right and he wasn't one now. Good. If she'd wanted to responsible for anybody's wellbeing she'd have had a half dozen kids by now.
"Most people will say whatever they think you want to hear during torture," Zea retorted. "You can get anybody to confess to anything if you hurt them enough, especially if you hurt them the right way so that you break them. Then they're yours for pretty much anything."
A beat.
"Not that I'm recommending it, mind you. Just saying. If you wanna torment someone, it should be for the joy of it. It's probably not going to get you much of anything else. Anyway." Zea pointed in the general direction they were walking. "Onward?"