The warehouse was cold and dimly lit, the only light filtering in through cracks in the decrepit walls. Dust hung in the air, thick and stagnant. Char stood over Davin, whose hands were bound tightly to a rusted pillar, the remains of his golden light flickering weakly.
He could hear the faint hum of Elyan and Renna in the next room. Their voices, quiet at first, faded as they moved further away, leaving Char alone with the unconscious man who had been wreaking havoc just moments before. Char's heart was still pounding in his chest, but this time it wasn't from the battle. It was from what he had to do next.
He had never interrogated anyone before. Sure, he had dealt with his fair share of confrontations, faced off with people who had tried to harm him or his friends. But this… this was different. This wasn't just a fight—this was about breaking a man's resolve, digging into his psyche to get the answers they needed.
Char looked at the man, still unconscious. His breathing was shallow, but there was no mistaking that the fight was over. Char's fingers hovered over the hilt of his blade, the weight of it familiar but unsettling now. His mind raced with thoughts of how Lucien had handled him, how he had kept his composure and seemed to know exactly what to say, when to act menacing.
How would Lucien do this?
Char tried to mimic the calm composure he had seen in Lucien weeks ago—the way he stood, exuding authority. He drew in a breath, straightened his back, and walked up to Davin.
"Wake up." Char's voice was low, but there was a tremor of uncertainty behind the command. He hated how his own voice betrayed him. He tried again, this time sharper. "Wake. Up."
It took a few seconds before Davin groggily opened his eyes, squinting against the light. His pupils flickered with recognition as he realized he was tied up.
"Wha—" Davin's voice was hoarse, but he didn't try to move. His gaze was wary, calculating.
Char's voice dropped an octave. "You're in no position to ask questions."
Davin blinked, a smirk curling up at the edges of his lips. "So it's you then. The little hero." His voice dripped with venom. "I knew Rook's enemies had some muscle, but I didn't expect this."
Char's grip tightened around the hilt of his blade, but he forced himself to relax. He was trying too hard.
"I want answers," Char said, trying to sound more confident. "Where is the Syndicate rebuilding? Who else is involved?"
Davin chuckled weakly. "You think you can intimidate me? You're just a kid playing soldier."
Char growled under his breath, but he kept his temper in check. He wasn't about to let this man get the better of him. He took a step closer, leaned in just enough to make Davin feel his presence, the weight of his gaze pressing down on him.
"You don't get it," Char said quietly. "I'm not playing anything. You're going to tell me what I want to know, or I'll make you."
Davin met his eyes with a mocking look. "And what, you're gonna use that little magic trick of yours? Is that what you think will make you dangerous?"
Char exhaled sharply, resisting the urge to pull out Author's Note right here and now. No, he needed answers, not more violence. He could feel the heat of the blue flames building inside him, itching to be released, but he kept them in check.
Davin seemed to sense his internal struggle and took advantage of it. "I'm not the one who's afraid, kid. You really think you can win against the Syndicate with just a few tricks and some flashy armor?"
Char's expression remained unchanged, but his thoughts raced. How could I break him?
Before he could figure it out, Davin spoke again, the words a bit too easy, too smooth. "You want the Syndicate's new plans, don't you? What makes you think I'm gonna talk?"
Char exhaled sharply, frustration building. He wasn't good at this. Not like Lucien. Not like anyone else he'd ever known.
His thoughts strayed to the last time he had seen Lucien, back when they had fought. He had never seen Lucien lose his cool, always in control of the situation.
Taking another breath, Char stepped back, his voice becoming more measured. "You're the one who's lost, Davin. You were part of the Syndicate, but now you're just another pawn in their game. You're nothing to them anymore. You know that, don't you?"
Davin's eyes narrowed, but there was something in his expression now—doubt. Maybe fear, but it was hard to tell. Still, he refused to talk.
Damn it.
Char turned and paced a few steps, clenching his fists. "Fine," he muttered, "you want to be stubborn? Let's see how long that lasts."
Without warning, he unsheathed his blade, the cold steel glinting in the dim light. He held it up and let the weight of the weapon sink in. "You know what this is capable of."
Just then, a soft sound interrupted the tension—a creak of the door, the slight shuffle of feet. Char turned quickly, expecting to see Elyan or Renna, but instead he found himself standing before a very different scene.
In the next room, Elyan and Renna were no longer focused on their wounds, as Char had expected. Instead, the two women were wrapped up in each other, completely absorbed in a passionate kiss. Renna's hands were tangled in Elyan's hair, and Elyan's mouth was firmly pressed to hers, their bodies practically melted together in a way that made Char feel like he'd just walked into the most private moment of their lives.
Char's eyes widened, his face turning an unfortunate shade of red. He quickly turned back toward Davin, who was looking at him with a mix of amusement and pity.
"Looks like your little 'hero' moment got interrupted," Davin sneered.
Char didn't respond. He just couldn't look at the two of them anymore. It felt wrong. Like he had walked in on something too personal, too intimate. The thought of them—Elyan, the woman he admired, and Renna—was suddenly far too much to process all at once.
"Yeah, uh…" Char stammered, his mind struggling to reset. "I—I'll just be over here."
In a split second, he dashed out of the room, his heart pounding in his chest—not from the fight, but from the whirlwind of emotions that had just blindsided him.
He leaned against the doorframe, staring at the cold floor and trying to calm himself.
After a few moments, a faint voice drifted from the other room. Elyan called out, a playful tone in her voice.
"Char? Everything alright?"
Char's face burned even harder, and he quickly stood up straighter, trying to regain some semblance of composure.
"Yeah… yeah, just—uh—needed some air. Everything's fine!"
Davin snorted in the background, and Char couldn't even bring himself to shoot the man a scowl. He needed to get his head together. Now.
The silence in the warehouse felt deafening.
*
Char stood in the empty warehouse, still reeling from what he had just seen. He had always known Elyan was in a relationship, but seeing her and Renna like that had caught him so off guard that he was still struggling to process it. His face felt hot, and no matter how hard he tried to shake the thought, the image lingered in his mind.
He groaned, dragging a hand down his face. Why did I have to walk in at that exact moment?
From behind him, Davin let out a low chuckle. "Never seen two women kiss before, kid?"
Char stiffened and turned sharply. "Shut up," he muttered, his voice sharper than he intended.
Davin grinned, clearly enjoying Char's embarrassment. "Can't say I blame you for staring. Those two are something else."
Char's eye twitched. He's tied up. He's literally my prisoner. And he's mocking me.
Before he could retort, the door creaked open, and in walked Elyan and Renna. Char tensed immediately, his eyes darting anywhere but at them.
Renna stretched lazily, a smug smirk on her lips as she tossed her long, dark hair over her shoulder. "You alright there, Char?" she teased, eyes sparkling with amusement.
Char crossed his arms and cleared his throat, trying desperately to compose himself. "I'm fine."
Elyan, more composed than Renna, simply arched a brow as she leaned against the wall. "You sure? You bolted out of the room like a spooked deer."
"I did not bolt," Char snapped, then immediately regretted how defensive he sounded. He shifted his weight awkwardly, trying not to fidget under their amused stares.
Renna strolled closer, grinning. "So, you enjoyed the show, then?"
"I—" Char spluttered, feeling his face heat up even more. "That's not—I wasn't—I didn't—"
Renna cackled, elbowing Elyan. "He totally did."
Elyan sighed, shaking her head, though a small smile tugged at her lips. "Alright, Renna, leave him alone."
Renna pouted. "But he's so fun to mess with."
Davin watched the exchange with an amused smirk. "You all done? Or should I sit here a little longer while you tease the poor guy?"
Elyan's demeanor shifted immediately. Her playful amusement vanished, replaced by cold efficiency as she turned to their captive. "No, we're done wasting time," she said, stepping forward with a dangerous glint in her eyes. "Let's get to work."
Char hesitated, but Renna clapped him on the shoulder. "You can sit this one out, big guy. Elyan and I know how to get people talking."
Something about the way she said it sent a chill down Char's spine. He didn't know much about how Elyan worked as an informant, but he knew she had been deep inside the Syndicate for years. She had secrets—skills—he probably didn't want to know the details of.
He glanced at Davin, who, for the first time, looked mildly uneasy. Good.
Elyan rolled up her sleeves and crouched in front of him, her face unreadable. "Now, Davin, let's make this easy. Tell us what we want to know."
Davin snorted. "And if I don't?"
Renna stepped beside Elyan, her smirk turning razor-sharp. "Then we make you talk."
Char wasn't sure what he had expected, but he quickly realized that he had no business trying to interrogate someone when Elyan and Renna were around.
Where Char had struggled to intimidate Davin, they didn't falter once.
Renna was the first to get into his head, her voice deceptively light, almost sweet, as she spoke. "You see, Davin, the problem is, we already know most of what you're hiding. We just need you to confirm it."
Davin scoffed. "Nice try."
Elyan leaned in slightly, her voice smooth but laced with an underlying threat. "Let's start simple. We know Luthias Varrel is gathering forces. We know the Syndicate is trying to rebuild. What we don't know is where they're operating from now. So go on, make this easy for yourself."
Davin's lips twitched, but he said nothing.
Renna sighed dramatically. "Men," she muttered. "So stubborn." Then, with an abrupt movement, she stepped behind him and leaned down close to his ear. "You know, I really don't feel like playing nice tonight."
Char, standing a few feet away, shifted uncomfortably. He had no idea what she was about to do, but the way Davin's shoulders tensed told him it was effective.
Elyan rested her chin on her hand. "Davin, you're smarter than this," she said. "You know what the Syndicate does to people like you. You think Luthias will protect you if he finds out you've been caught?"
Davin's jaw clenched.
Elyan pressed on. "He'll cut his losses. He won't risk you talking, which means you better start talking before you become useless to everyone."
Renna chuckled darkly. "And trust me, you don't want to be useless to us."
A bead of sweat rolled down Davin's temple.
Char watched in morbid fascination. He hadn't expected them to be this good at interrogation.
Finally, after several moments of tense silence, Davin exhaled sharply. "Fine," he muttered.
Elyan smiled, but there was no warmth in it. "Good. Now, start from the beginning."
Davin swallowed hard before speaking. "Luthias has been moving his people into Keep Valcian," he admitted. "It's still in ruins, but they're rebuilding. They're trying to bring back the old structure—smugglers, assassins, spies. The works."
Elyan nodded, urging him to continue.
Davin sighed, looking frustrated. "There's more. They've made alliances. The Syndicate isn't just working alone anymore."
Renna tilted her head. "With who?"
Davin hesitated.
Renna pouted. "Come on, Davin, don't stop now."
Davin exhaled. "They brought in Holy Knights."
Char stiffened.
Elyan's expression darkened. "Holy Knights? Are you sure?"
Davin nodded. "Two of them. Alden and Zefaria. They left the Royal Church and joined Varrel."
Char shot a glance at Elyan, who looked uncharacteristically serious.
Renna hummed. "Well, that's interesting."
Elyan stood up, satisfied. "See? That wasn't so hard, was it?"
Davin scowled. "Go to hell."
Renna patted his shoulder mockingly. "Aw, don't be mad. You were very helpful."
Char exhaled. It was a lot to take in. The Syndicate rebuilding was already bad enough, but Holy Knights? That changed everything.
Elyan turned to him. "We should report back."
Renna stretched, grinning. "Tired already?"
Char shook his head. "I just want to get the hell out of here."
Renna smirked. "What, scared you'll walk in on us again?"
Char groaned, covering his face with his hands. "I hate you."
Elyan chuckled. "Come on, let's move."
As they left, Char shot one last glare at Davin, who merely smirked in return.
He really hated this job sometimes.