Ghost Rage, Episode 5 – Vote Now!

You decide to play along for now.

Cenorix guides you into the common room, and the militiamen move to block the door. Korthion walks around a table, the hem of his ornate black robes whispering against the floor.

“She is the one?” says Korthion. He has a deep, languid voice, and speaks High Nighmarian fluently.

“Aye,” says Cenorix, still behind you. “The Countess sent her.” He sighs. “I assume you’ll be interrogating her?”

Korthion snorts. “That is hardly necessary.”

He lifts his hand, points at your head, and mutters an incantation. You skin crawls with the sudden electric presence of sorcerous power, and then you feel Korthion’s mind pressing against yours, his will trying to batter its way into your thoughts.

It’s like an invisible hand is digging around inside of your head, trying to grip your mind.

But you’ve had experience fighting off these mental attacks before, and you summon a wall of rage, building a fortress out of fury. Korthion blinks, and staggers back a step.

You hope he has a headache.

“Well?” said Cenorix, his voice tight with strain. “Where is she supposed to meet the Countess?”

Interesting. They think that you are one of your own agents.

“I don’t know,” says Korthion. “I can’t tell. Her mind is too strong. I can’t break into it.”

“Then beat it out of her,” says Cenorix, lowering his voice. “Or kill her. If the Countess finds out that I betrayed the Ghosts, it’s my head. She’ll probably kill me herself, if the stories are true.”

“Inconsequential,” says Korthion. “You said you could deliver Countess Caina Amalas to me, and that was our deal. And if you failed, well…that is no problem of mine.”

“Then make her suffer until she talks,” says Cenorix.

An idea comes to you.

“Wait!” you say. “If you want the Countess dead, I’ll help you.”

Cenorix scowls. “She’s lying.”

“I hate the Countess,” you say, putting just the right amount of quaver into your voice. “My husband…he is a soldier in the Eighteenth Legion. The Countess says that if I do not spy for her, if I do not do her errands, she will have her Ghosts in the Legion kill him. If you can free me from her, I will help you.” You give a look of fearful awe at Korthion, wringing your hands (but not too much). “And…and I saw what you did to poor Lord Julian. I don’t want you to do the same to me.”

Korthion snorts. “I neither know nor care who killed Lord Julian Trimogena. I have other concerns. Specifically, the death of Countess Caina. You have an arranged meeting with the Countess, I assume, to report your findings here?”

You give a timid nod.

“Good,” says Korthion. “You will take us there, and when the Countess arrives, we will kill her, and you will be rid of her. Should you lead us true, you will have the gratitude of the Magisterium…no small thing, I assure you.”

“You’re going to trust her?” says Cenorix, incredulous. “She might be lying to us.”

Korthion smiles. “Indeed. But if she is lying to us…”

“You’ll kill her?” says Cenorix.

“Of course not,” says Korthion. “We’ll take her back to the Magisterium chapterhouse. Some of the magi require live subjects for their…experimentations.” Cenorix flinches. “She’ll wish that she had died here, before they are done with her.” His calm smile turns to you. “But I hope we can avoid all such unpleasantness, my dear. Now…where are you meeting the Countess?”

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