Lies among the Truth (Xenova)

[Gillar]

Krillor walked with Xenova to his side as they traveled the narrow paths that wove through the docks of Ravok. People of all stations in life could be seen going about their respective business. Peddlers peddled their wares, dock workers loaded various kinds of ships with cargo of all types. Whores advertised their offerings while slaves toiled for their masters in a variety of ways. The smells of the docks were a myriad of flavor complete with scents that would both offend as well as entice. While Krillor had mentioned his warehouse was not far from the tavern, it still took some time to get there. Throughout it all, Krillor did not speak much. His comrade too was quiet although kept busy with diverting unwanted individuals who approached Krillor hoping to sell something to him or distract him in some way. Finally, the trio arrived at what appeared to be their destination. To Xenova, the warehouse appeared much like any of the other buildings nearby. Worn gray stone and wood, it was of a modest size with darkened glass windows on the front, a large, dark wood door with a sign next to it with a stylized symbol on it; the same symbol worn by Krillor on a small medallion around his neck. It was apparently a symbol of his business. Krillor's comrade opened the door and stepped inside while Krillor offered for Xenova to step in first. Once inside, Xenova saw that it looked much like what one would expect from a warehouse. Muted light shown through a few windows that lined each wall. Crates were stacked all about as were a couple of carts and a wagon for transport. "Now, let me show you what we do here." Krillor said as he closed the door behind them. He motioned for Xenova to follow as he led her to the back of the warehouse where stood a closed door. There were strange, muffled sounds coming from behind it that Xenova could not make out. Krillor nodded to her as if telling her to open it.

[Xenova Prillar]

Xenova followed Krillor and his "associate" out of the Tavern and down along the docks, she drifted near his side still keeping up her pretenses at being sensual for Krillor and watching for any way in which she could still fulfill her mission. she was also observing the activity along the docks as they walked. She had never actually looked at the docks except for her short sojourns there on her way to the Silver.

Her silver eyes took in the sights of the area, she watched the various workers unloading and loading the various ships as the passed, few of them taking any notice of this small trio as they passed by. The peddlers doing what they did, selling whatever, Krillor was kept clear of them by his "associate" and it seemed more to her that this guy was just a slave minded individual doing what he was born to do rather than a freed person serving out of loyalty. She also noted the smells, ranging from the enticing to the revolting.

The whole time they walked Krillor seemed to be non talkative so she did not attempt to engage him in any conversation. Finally the trio arrived at their destination, a warehouse that looked like any other warehouse on the docks except for the sign with the symbol on it, the same one that Krillor wore around his neck. She studied it subtle as she was always the suspicious type and though it was probably the symbol of his business she wanted to make sure.

Krillor's "associate" opened the door to the building first and she was motioned in first by Krillor. The scene inside did not belay any unusual characteristics, it was an ordinary warehouse with crates lining the walls and dim lights and small windows and a few carts and a wagon. She wasn't sure what Krillor was going to show her so she followed with some caution as they headed for the back of the place.

There she was led to a door, behind which was some strange, muted sounds that she could not make out. Krillor indicated that she should open the door. Now she knew that if they were planning to ambush her this would be the place, she also knew that there was not much she could do about it if they did, so she opened the door to take a look inside

[Gillar]

The door opened with a soft creaking sound. On the other side was another room with a large set of double outer doors. In the center of the room was a wagon of the type commonly used to transport cargo. There were a couple of horses tethered to it with three men working to load barrels onto it. There were half-a-dozen barrels laid out near the wagon with a handful of wooden crates, bales of hey and a variety of other odds and ends nearby. The three men looked up to see Xenova flanked by Krillor and the merchant's still unnamed companion. With a nod from Krillor, the men continued their work as Xenova was ushered into the room and the door closed behind. "This is part of a greater operation that I would like to reveal to you." Krillor walked over to one of the barrels, tapped the lid twice with his hand then opened it. He motioned for Xenova to look inside. Huddled in the barrel and looking up to those looking down was a young woman dressed in common cloths. Krillor smiled to her, nodded and replaced the lid as two of the other men loaded it onto the wagon. "I am shipping escaped slaves from Ravok to the mainland. Their lives are better spent elsewhere." While Krillor's voice was calm, there was something unnerving about the entire situation that Xenova could not ignore. There she stood in a secluded room in a warehouse set in the middle of dozens of others just like it. Five men filled the room with her; at least one blocking either exit. A man she knew little to nothing of just shared a secret with her that could get him killed or worse if anyone of note ever found out. Could it all be in her mind? Could Krillor really be that foolish, that trusting? His voice broke through the strangeness, "So, what do you think?

[Xenova Prillar]

Xenova had a bad feeling when the door creaked open, it was seeming that Krillor was too eager to have her see his business. She felt she was being led into a trap and that cornered feeling would not go away. They passed through a set of double doors and she looked at what appeared to be a typical cart loaded with barrels and hitched to a pair of horses. There were various crates and boxes and odds and ends as well as hay for the horses nearby. She just felt that things weren't what they seemed. The workers seemed concerned when they saw her and then a nod from Krillor put them at ease and back to work they went.

She noted that he had said this was part of a greater operation and he was about to show her what it was. He tapped twice on the top of one of the barrels and opened the barrel. She looked inside as he indicated and to her shock the cargo inside was living! There was a young woman huddled inside! Krillor had the lid replaced and the barrel loaded. Xenova was pretty sure what he was going to say next but she let him say it.

So he was shipping escaped slaves to the Mainland! She had a feeling this was what was going on given the man's leanings toward slavery. It however did not make any sense that Krillor was confiding in her, after all she was a clear proponent of slavery. Why would he want her to know a secret that would get him killed or worse if the right people found out. He then asked her what she thought.

She continued to exude the sensuality that she had set up in the tavern and spoke in her most sensuous voice she could summon with the suspicions running in her head.
Milord Krillor, this is a most clever operation you have here in that the guard have not caught on. But my only question would be...why tell me? You know my views. Why would you share this with me knowing I would not agree with what you are doing?

[Gillar]

Krillor raised an eyebrow at Xenova's questioning but then a small grin spread across his face; it was not pleasant looking. "That is an easy question to answer my dear. You see, while I am honest in my desire to help the slaves here in Ravok, it is not profitable by any sense of the word. In order to fund such an operation, I must do things that my modest mercantile ventures simply manage not to do." At that moment, the door they had entered from opened and another man entered. With him was a woman dressed in the finer clothing of a more well-to-do citizen. They were whispering to each other and giggling as they walked into the room. That all ended however when the woman saw everyone else. She began questioning what was going on and who everyone was. It was then that the man grabbed the woman and pushed her against the wall. One of the other men in the room moved to assist and the two gagged and bound the woman in a matter of seconds. Krillor, grin still on his face, never turned his gaze from Xenova. "The easy answer to your question is that while I truly wish to help the slaves of Ravok, it is more expensive than I can afford. So, I and my men lure full citizen's, all women, to warehouses such as this where we package them up and ship them to the mainland as well. There we sell them to the highest bidder. You my dear, along with this other one, will fetch quite a price." Krillor's unnamed companion grabbed Xenova by the arm. Xenova felt something strange in her hand; the one with the missing finger. Where the Druvin had forcibly removed her finger, it felt as though something cold and wet was leaking from the stitched wound and actually crawling to the palm of her hand. A nonchalant glance at her palm would reveal a silver trail of liquid beginning to pool in her palm before slowly growing and taking the form of a very small knife of solid silver.

[Xenova Prillar]

Xenova noted the small grin crossing Krillor's face and the fact that it wasn't pleasant, this did not bode well for her and she was already on the alert though unsure what she could do against an well armed man like Krillor's companion. He went on to explain that he was honest in his desire to free the slaves in Ravok, that and his operation made him a dangerous man but she listened. He spoke of the cost of his operation and that his modest income simply could not fund it all.

The sense of dread began to overtake her as she saw the couple enter the warehouse. The woman was dressed as one of the well to do's and the man seemed to be amusing her and engaging her in chatter. When she noticed everyone else she stopped and began to demand to know what was going on. This led to her being pinioned and bound very quickly. The rest of Krillor's statement was already obvious to her before he said it.

So then in order to free the slaves you make slaves of the slavers? Very interesting Milord Krillor. I suppose that since its those who agree with slavery then its justified? So you really do support slavery, you just justify your support by being choosy about who you enslave?

At that time she was aware of the fact that she too had been lured to this place for the purpose of selling her. She felt the unnamed man grab her arm and nos she was truly discomforted. Then she felt the leaking from her wound on her hand, it was cold and wet whatever it was and the wound was not leaking a moment ago. She looked casually down at her hand to see the pool of silver liquid gathering and becoming a small,silver knife which she manipulated so that she could use it. Once again she attempted to convince Krillor that he really was in favor of slavery at the same time she was ready to plunge the knife into whatever she had to to get free.

I see that your friends and associates have become what they probably hated in order to defeat the hated? I repeat that you are exactly that which you hate...someone who approves of slavery. Why don't you face it? you are a Master Krillor and that is all there is to it?


If she were not freed she would wait till she had an opportune target to plunge the knife into on the man beside her and harm him with the knife any way she could to get free.

[Gillar]

Krillor shook his head in disgust at Xenova's words; words he saw as just another desperate attempt to convince him to let her go. He had heard it all in his time. They either begged him to let them go or offered him great wealth to free them. Often he would simply take the offer and sell them into slavery anyway. "Lady, you still don't get it do you. This is a business. Do I approve of slavery in my home city? No. It has made us all lazy and thus less likely to survive if anything were to happen to our blessed home. The slaves here would do much better if they had a choice in their lives. They would learn their own methods of survival in the absence of slavery. That said though, I still need to make money and myself, survive. If I have to sell a few bitches here and there to make a miza or two, I will. Does it make my men and I any better than those we claim to oppose? Maybe not but I am not in this to look better, I am in it to survive." Krillor nodded to his men who set to carrying the bound, struggling woman to a nearby crate where they started to stuff her into it. The man holding Xenova leaned in and smelled her. In a deep, threatening voice, he spoke for the first time and asked Krillor, "Can I have a shot at dis one before we ship her out? I will give up my cut dis time round to pay for it... Krillor looked thoughtful for a moment and then nodded to his unnamed companion who drug Xenova out the door they had initially entered. With great force, he threw her against a pile of crates and quickly stepped in, pulling her to him. "I'm gonna make you feel this like you never felt anything before." It was at that moment that Xenova found her opening. The small silver dagger in hand, she thrust it into the man's side. As the cold silver blade sunk into the man's flesh and entered his body, he stumbled backwards; dagger embedded in him. His body began to shiver violently though stopped but a moment later. Standing perfectly still but a few feet from Xenova, the man raised his head to look at her. His eyes were completely void of color; solid white like that of the man who had sent her on the mission to begin with. The man spoke yet his voice was that of the durvin, Silvas. "You've discovered the truth of what's been going on with Krillor. You have learned one of the first lessons taught by the Black Sun; nobody is pure as not a single being goes untouched by Rhysol's hand. While our lord looks favorably on Krillor's duality, he is displeased with with the man's failure in allowing you to escape. You must bring our lord's wrath upon those who fail Him." The man seemingly controlled by Silvas looked over to a nearby keg; a key that smelled heavily of strong alcohol. He then reached into a pouch at his side and produced a bit of flint, steel and an old rag. Handing it to Xenova he said, "This should help you. When you are finished here, track down the merchant vessel, Marus' Vine. There you will find the next and last part of your mission." With that, the man's eyes closed and the body fell to the floor in a growing pool of blood.

[Xenova Prillar]

Xenova noted the pure disgust with which Krillor looked at her. It amused her that he probably thought this was a bid to let her go, it was the furthest thing from her mind actually though if she could finish her mission with him, it would be a side benefit. She laughed a haughty laugh, he was not going to get the pleasure of hearing her beg or be broken, if she failed then this was her fate. She spoke again this time with contempt in her voice

Oh i get it all right Javent Krillor, the sad part is that you don't, perhaps that is the true irony here. Perhaps I will be sold into slavery, but I will forever amuse myself by knowing it was at the hands of a man who has fooled his own self. Knowing that you think that calling it survival makes you better than those who call it what it is. Enjoy your delusions *Master*.

She would have spat on the man but that would have gotten her a sound beating. She had failed Rhysol and this was to be her fate, she knew herself to be lucky that her body was the only part of her so far that would pay the price. It never occurred to her that Rhysol would set her up even though he was the king of betrayal.

She did not flinch as the unknown man smelled her, leaning in close to her. She still did not have the chance she was looking for and then she smiled when she heard his request for now he would die. She felt herself dragged into the room they came from and thrown violently against some crates. The man..if he could call himself that again threatened her with violence essentially and she did not flinch in fact she struggled to stand as she was pulled to him.

Once she got close to him she smiled that same inviting smile she used on Krillor at first, she actually pulled herself in closer to him, rubbing seductively against his body with hers. Her sensual, enthralling alto voice spoke to him huskily

Ooooh, you are such a powerful man,you excite me. Please oh please take me, make me fee it like I have never before and never will again. it excites me so to be treated like this

All the while she was arranging the small dagger in her hand so that she could strike when he was off guard. He seemed enthralled by her and probably confused by her seeming enjoyment of his treatment of her and threat of violence. The hand with the dagger pulled back while she kept his vision locked on her silver eyes. She envisioned the place in the man's side she would plunge it into and then her hand plunged, burying the dagger deep in his side.He of course stumbled back as she knew he would and she stepped back, her hand dropping to the dagger at her belt, the one she always carried on her, unfortunately she was not carrying one today otherwise she would prepare to impale him again.

It did not seem to be necessary though as his body began to tremble and shake violently and then a moment later he stood before her still and silent, his eyes devoid of color like Silvas' eyes. And then he spoke but it was Silvas' voice that spoke through hi. he informed her that she had learned the first lesson the Black Sun taught which was no being was ever completely free of Rhysol's touch. Rhysol was not displeased with the man's duality, he was displeased that she had escaped.

The thought that Rhysol had set her up in the first place disquieted her and caused her to wonder a bit about serving him, but when one served the god of betrayal one expected to be betrayed. She was then directed to a keg full of something that smelled like alcohol and given a flint and steel and a rag and told to exact Rhysol's punishment upon Krillor for failure. She was also instructed to fine the merchant vessel Marius Vine for the last part of her mission. Then the man collapsed in a pool of blood.

If the dagger were still in the man she would rip it free of him making sure she damaged the body as much as she could while doing so. How dare he touch her like that! She then placed the rag in the barrel and struck the flint and steel till it caught and ran as fast and far as she could from the warehouse hoping that Krillor would still be inside when the thing went up.

Once she was certain that the warehouse was engulfed she would go to the berths and start asking about the Marius Vine till she found it. She also thought about Krillor and what he had almost done to her and what he had done to fine upstanding citizens of Ravok. If Rhysol approved, she would seek no retribution except for her own self. She wondered what he had in mind for her now