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[Thugren]

WHat do you know about torturing or killing Aella...Really."

 

Melinko says with a better laugh, pulling a chair up and sitting away from the both of you.

 

"What did obrieg even have you do huh? Torture some crack heads and broken prisoners?"

 

The way melinko looks at you makes you feel small, as if he was pulling your flesh apart with his eyes, and what was even worse, his words where correct. Bar your classmate, you had never really worked on anyone that had fought back, and Melinko knew he was right.

 

"What do you think we are Aella....At the very core, waht is a headtaker."

[Oce]

Aella chuckled, her fingers tightening on Caitlyn just enough to hurt. A large part of her was angry; they went through the hell of Obrieg only to be called children. There was a difference between lacking firsthand experience and not knowing.. Her logic was shattered, even in her own mind. "Aren't you supposed to be teaching us?"

She returned the glare, anger heating her blood. Aside from her voice being closer to a growl, she didn't seem like she was about to lurch out of her chair and start a fight. "I get it already. Drop it."

[Thugren]

No.."

 

caitlyn says , squeezing aellas hand and regaining her voice

 

"Listen to waht hes saying...hes choosing his words carefully.... YOure right melinko"

 

she says, removing her veil.

 

'If you want to treach us.. tell us the difference,...What is a headtaker."

 

Melinko looks at caitlyn, smiling tenderly.

 

"A head taker is not just a killer...We are shock troops...We are the tip of the lance.. Silencers are the long arm, we are the ones who put the prey in their sights. To do that, we lose ourself to the dance. The rythmic beat of battle or song.. So our minds are hard wired to the beat and we react stronger to adrenaline.... TOrture is one of our tools.... Its not one of our fetishes..it is a tyool. That is waht obrieg was wrong about. He wants an army of sadists he can leave someplace and come back to it in chaos...A headtaker is more than that....They have to be."

[Oce]

Aella sighed as her anger melted away, lowering her challenging gaze as she mulled over this information. "Essentially restraint and honor over living like children in the streets. That makes sense," she muttered the last part, partially ashamed of how quick she allowed the anger to build, directed at an ally.

[Thugren]

"He raised you to be able to do just enough that if you where left there, your job wouyld be complete..YOure tamed savages. Thats what seperates you from us.

 

"Melinko jerkes his finger over his shoulder toward the hall.

 

"Like this savage brute here...The princesses brother.... Hes a perfect example... Without you or his sister directing him..What is he good for?"

 

Caitlyn winces but nods.

 

"Be honest aella..."

[Oce]

Aella gritted her teeth as she reluctantly nodded at Melinko. He was right; they were trained to create chaos, and by extension, were undisciplined. Incapable of more instructions than "go here and kill everyone". They were useless and dependent on one another, no better than a hoard of rabid animals. Thrask takes orders from both her and Caitlyn. And they were meant to be given vague directions from Obrieg. 

 

She released Caitlyn, unwrapping her arms from the woman's waist as she sat stiffly. In order to work with a unit smoothly, she would have to be able to understand herself as an individual. Which meant that she couldn't afford to hide behind her lover. "I understand. Teach us then, Melinko. So we aren't mere canonfodder."

[Thugren]

"Yuko."

 

Melinko says, and a second later, the sharp eyed woman comes in.

 

"Yes sir."

 

she says , knowing the headtaker dominus knows she had been listening.

 

"I want you to be the one Caitlyn dances with... You can toilerate her song well if needed."

 

Yko goes to protest but is stopped by melinko who shakes his head.

 

"Caitlyn is invaluable.... SIngers are eextremely hard to train...SHe just needs to learn restraint."

 

a visible wince registers on the womans face and she looks at Aella squarely.

 

"YOull be training her?"

 

he nods tiredly.

 

"Out of all of them, she has the best chance at being a dominus.... She has the potential, but just needs some refining."

 

Yuko smiles a bit and leaves as melinko leans forward, placing a hand on both girls hands.

 

"This isn't obriegs camp...This is black company... Everyone here is an asset and on a team.... lets sharpen that bloodluest you have into a fine toothed blade."

[Oce]

Aella flinched, yanking her hand back as soon as Melinko touched her, instead pressing the flat of her palm against Caitlyn's back, hiding it. Caitlyn and Yuko would likely have a couple spats, but ultimately the former would benefit greatly. Caitlyn would be much less of a wild card. Meanwhile, Aella guessed that she would be more of a challenge to kill after her time with Melinko.


It seemed like Yuko was cross with them both, while Melinko was making quite the effort to be friendly. After being more than half dead just earlier that day. But Aella wasn't going to start a onesided fight over nothing, so she simply nodded as if she hadn't just recoiled.

"I'm assuming that we'll begin after taking care of that Pyromancer?"

[Thugren]

"Ill take care of that pyromancer.... YOu all will just slow me down...Caitlynand yuko are going to hit another point...Theyll be gone by dawn."

 

caitlyn tenses and stands, going to grab his hand as melinko shakes his head.

 

"YOu guys are skilled....But whild dogs cant just be thrown to wolves....Aella will come with me, and learn waht it takes to really be a dominus..."

 

He leaves without a word and caitlyn sits back on aellas lap.

 

 

"What..the hell.."

[Oce]

Aella grimaced at the plan, but she didn't object. She rewrapped her arms around Caitlyn's waist out of reaction, since she too distracted to do it actively. Yuko and Caitlyn? Alone? That was going to be rough. Even if Yuko wasn't pissed at Cait.

Meanwhile, Aella would be without her squad. Hell, even Jeckel would be preferred to a near stranger. Trust was a fickle thing, after all. He hadn't gotten them killed so far, but alone, what would prevent him from stabbing her in the back.


"Try.. Not to get killed?"

[Thugren]

i wont.. i promise."

caitlyn says as she slides a hand into yours.

 

"promise me youll try....We need his power..We have to be better than what obrieg made us to be."

 

she stands and removes her veil, standing at the door.

 

"Im going to be better...I have to be be."

[Oce]

Aella squeezed her lover's hand, unable to keep the wince out of her expression. "I will do my best, but I make no promises." And she meant it. She wanted to be strong enough to protect herself, and what was hers. She realized that she wasn't strong at all, just bare bones when compared to Melinko. It was infuriating and she loathed that fact, but she would do her best to learn from him. She refused to be the mindless beast that Obrieg wanted them to be. 

[Thugren]

the night passes without things happening, but after 5 am you are shook awake.

 

At first, you start,before you is a humanoid figure, a head taker in armour that is covered in bones and frayed skin. The arms from some of the men are tied together in a  mimicry of the hhindu god aasura, the being of rage, the figure leans closer and shhhhshes and yo usee him remove his helmet to show melinkos face.

 

"Come..Get ready...and get clothes on."
 

he tips his head at cait and turns away, grabbing his weapons from the door

[Oce]

Aella growled as was roused, the sound low and throaty. She hated mornings. She hated everything. Needless to say, after hissing at Melinko and waiting for him to leave, she buried her face between Caitlyn's shoulder blades for several seconds, falling silent and savoring the warmth while she mustered the will to get up. And with a heavy sigh, Aella placed a kiss on her lover's neck before slowly climbing to her feet and searching the dark room for her armor.

 

She emerged from the room about three minutes after Melinko left, the sleepiness already rubbed from her eyes. She nodded at the male rather than speaking, a hand already resting on one of her machetes.

[Thugren]

Melinko is standing besides jekyl who is making some soup.

“ good morning sunshine .”

He says with a smirk as he holds out the piping hot broth .

“ good luck today.”

Melinko takes the brother and downs it in one shot , obviously steeped for the coming day.

“ are you sure you are ready for this .”

[Oce]

Aella didn't bother sneering at Melinko, hardly even shooting him a glare as she accepted the broth. She savored it more than the male, but still was aware of his impatience so didn't linger, nodding her silent appreciation to Jekyl before double checking her equipment. She didn't want to leave something behind and regret it later, it was bad enough that she was being separated from her squad, but being unprepared item wise would just make her a burden. 

 

Finally losing the edge of her hostility, she nodded at him. "Let's go."

[Thugren]

Jekyl, please tell yuko she’s in charge .”

Melinko says as he leads you out of the facility and into the darkness, keeping low to the ground.

“ he moves like a wraith from shadow to shadow , keeping out of direct sunlight until the next outpost comes into view . Several men pound around in chairs, one of them, a man in a heavy black trench coat that looks like burias. He is hurling flame at some charred corpses, making the others around him laugh as melinko sighs.

“ found the pyro.”

[Oce]

Aella mimics Melinko's stance, taking a moment to adjust and ensuring that she was at least somewhat efficient at quieting her steps. When they get to the spot overlooking the pyromancer, she presses low to the ground, an unamused frown tugging at her lips. "I can smell the burnt flesh from here... He probably can't smell a damn thing anymore."

[Thugren]

none of them do anymore."

 

Melinko says as he drags his blades along his forearms, opening fresh wounds with a sharp intake of breath.

 

"his head is mine.... I want you to handle his friends... If we hit fast enough we can hit them before they arm up...Are you ready for this?"

[Oce]

The fresh stench of Melinko's blood was easily covered up by the burning flesh, but the quiet sound, barely audible, still sent a shiver up Aella's spine. 'Enticing' one another always felt completely different than self inflicting. Nevertheless, Aella assumed the intoxication was essentially the same. Her body tensed at Melinko's words, tearing her gaze away from his arms. She didn't verbally reply, just a tense nod as she prepared to launch herself down the hill.