Chapter XX: Singing bird

Seated in the interrogation room, which usually bore witness to horrors within its walls, Flokk observed how Gino's face seemed to speak despite his silent mouth, which merely opened and closed as he appeared to come to terms with the reality of what was happening.

Beside him sat Khalor Judimer, who was barely holding back the urge to kick and hit Gino himself, only restraining himself due to the knowledge that justice and retribution would come once he verified with his own eyes that the person before him was indeed the same one the cogitator screen had displayed just two hours prior.

The woman who had brought Gino in soon approached Flokk with almost imperceptible steps; only the sound of the ornaments she carried resonated in the room. She whispered in his ear, just loud enough for him to hear, "My lord, he… he seems special, so I recommend keeping him alive no matter what." The tone in which she spoke, along with the serious and surprised look in her eyes, was enough for Flokk to regard her with a hint of astonishment before nodding and watching her exit the room.

Guards stood beside Gino, weapons at the ready, as Flokk began to speak. "You know, Gino, what really annoys me is that you've tarnished the reputation of The Guild. After all, if you're going to rob someone while employed by us, the least we expect is for you to be efficient in your task and leave no traces behind."

As Gino listened to Flokk's words, he turned his gaze to Khalor, piecing together what was happening while his mouth attempted to form words, only for Flokk's deep tone and slow cadence to silence him.

"Save your words and spit for later, lad, because trust me, you'll need both in abundance." Rising from his seat, Flokk began to walk towards Gino, an ornate and expensive-looking pistol in hand. "The very fine gentleman to my right is affiliated with one of our clients and supporters here in Vandalor. Khalor, owner of a shop on a level—specifically, level 61…"

The words and tone Flokk used sent a shiver down Gino's spine, causing every hair on his body to stand on end. His breath began to quicken as he gradually understood just how screwed he truly was.

"…has come to us bearing an intriguing piece of visual material along with an explicit request." Flokk pulled a holopad from the inner pocket of his jacket, soon illuminating Gino's face in a green light, causing his dilated pupils to observe a series of surveillance videos apparently taken from a high vantage point. There, amidst various cuts and passersby moving through the dark streets of Vandalor, he could make out his own silhouette.

There, he watched as his disguised figure made its way through various cuts towards 'Capricorn's Warehouse.'

Fixing his cold gaze on Gino, Flokk began to narrate, "You see, this bloke had a mix of gall and utter stupidity when he decided to rob and insult the honour of the esteemed House Gaetan, who are responsible for protecting that level, as well as Khalor's associates here present. If that chap had even an ounce of understanding, brains, or wisdom, he'd know that the effort he put into moving between levels for the subsequent hours is utterly foolish and pointless."

His voice echoed like a hammer in Gino's mind as he watched all his movements across the various levels flash before him. It then settled on an image of himself from days earlier, wandering those levels, checking prices for materials.

"Tell me, Gino, do you think people are stupid?" Flokk began, crouching beside Gino, the holopad now on the floor, fixed on Gino's image.

"You're the only fool who dares to lurk in the vicinity where a crime will be committed and hasn't even the decency or brains to conceal his appearance. The worst part is you think no one will recognise the lanky bloke who fits your description perfectly…"

Using the barrel of his pistol to move Gino's pale face, which seemed incapable of uttering a word as he was frozen in pure anxiety, with his breath coming in rapid gasps, Flokk spoke in a hostile and chilling tone, "If there's one thing we despise in The Guild, it's incompetent and incapable people. Two traits you've demonstrated abundantly after filling me with hope for your advancement in our ranks."

Overwhelmed by the irrefutable evidence before him and stunned by everything happening at such a rapid pace, Gino was unable to form even a single sentence. Rather than make himself look worse by stammering and making excuses, he simply chose to remain silent and ask about the one person who truly mattered to him now.

'If they wanted to kill me, they would have done it already.' He quickly discerned from the situation.

BAM!

"Kuuugh!" However, his thoughts were violently interrupted as he received a blow to the face from the butt of the gun, nearly knocking him out. The force of the strike was several times greater than anything he had ever experienced on Earth.

BAM!

Before he had time to react, further blows began to rain down on his body—his shoulders, ribs, and legs were struck in that order by the guards, while Flokk held Gino by his hair, slapping him repeatedly as Gino spat saliva onto his mask, gasping for air.

PLA

"Do you have any idea, you piece of idiot, why no one dares to rob in the upper levels? Do you have a basic understanding of how order is maintained in a city like Vandalor?" Flokk's insensitive and cold voice penetrated Gino's dazed mind, while Khalor Judimer watched the unfolding events with a faint smirk of satisfaction.

"We've given you a roof over your head, food, and a job, and all you can think about is screwing us over by insulting House Gaetan?" Flokk didn't roar, yet his voice boomed like a raging storm with his cold tone.

BAM!

THUD!

Receiving a direct punch to his left jaw, along with a blow to his cheek that shattered his mask, causing pieces to embed and cut into him, Gino finally collapsed to the ground, breathless and unable to discern where he was.

With his ears ringing and his sense of balance completely gone, his mind struggling to process anything, he felt a foot press against his neck while his body moved instinctively, trying to dislodge the boot that was choking him and crushing his Adam's apple. It was futile, with both his hands bound.

Casting a glance at Khalor, Flokk asked him, "How much did you say this brainless rat stole from you?"

The merchant, relishing the sight of blood oozing from Gino's open wounds, pulled out a datapad and pretended to search for information as he said without a hint of shame, "The total amount of materials he's stolen is close to a thousand tonnes, with a total value of 105,980,200 credits."

Flokk didn't even flinch at the merchant's words. He simply nodded and increased the pressure of his boot on Gino's neck, slowly saying, "Did you hear that, you piece of idiot? You owe this fine gentleman here over a hundred million credits."

PLA!

Delivering another brutal kick to Gino's face, he bent down to grab his dishevelled hair, pulling Gino's semi-conscious face closer to him.

"Tell me, you piece of shit, how do you plan to pay back everything you owe? Because you and I both know that with your previous work ethic, you won't be able to manage it." As Flokk's deep, cold voice stated this, he dragged Gino by his hair and forced him to face Khalor.

Knowing that Gino was incapable of responding, his jaw nearly shattered from the beating, and that Gino might not even be able to hear him, Flokk turned to Khalor and said, "We'll make sure to cover what this rat owes you, and let Mr. Leon know that we will make an example out of Gino to ensure nothing like this ever happens again."

Khalor, who didn't for a moment avert his gaze from Gino's battered face and body, replied to Flokk without hesitation, "As far as I'm concerned, I'm more than satisfied. However, we both know that House Gaetan will not see any punishment you hand out to this scum as sufficient."

"What do you have in mind?" Flokk responded, aware that the noble house would not accept any mere proof that their will had been carried out.

Allowing a malicious smile to creep across his face, Khalor finally lifted his gaze from Gino to look at the supervisor of The Guild as he answered, "Ah~ I can think of several options, from turning him into a servitor, to enslaving him, or even crucifying him for 60 days and nights on each of the levels, so there's no doubt about what happens if you mess with House Gaetan."

Upon hearing Khalor's desires, Flokk began shaking his head from side to side as he quickly and simply replied, "None of those options seem feasible to me."

"Do you really think this trash doesn't deserve at least that!?" Khalor growled, his furious eyes clashing with Flokk's cold, indifferent gaze.

"In any other situation, I would agree with you, but I'm afraid this rat has his own value for The Guild, so I won't accept any of those options." The tone in which he spoke made it clear to Khalor that Flokk would be inflexible in his decision.

As the supervisor thought to himself, 'Gino's servitude is in the hands of The Guild; we won't let another potential witch slip away due to the whims of a few nobles.' To him, Gino's slavery was a foregone conclusion, with his ultimate masters being The Guild. Asking to dispose of their assets went against everything The Guild represented, especially when he could become a valuable piece as a psyker in the future.

Seeing that Flokk would not budge, Khalor finally spat in the near-unconscious face of Gino before saying, "Fine, but I at least want both of the rat's hands as physical proof that something will be done, to present to Mr. Leon." Aware that some might even see losing both hands as a mercy of sorts, Khalor preferred to settle the matter quickly. After all, his aim to extract interests from that theft had already been fulfilled.

Flokk merely looked at Gino's hands, contemplating internally whether it was advantageous to go through with such an action.

While Gino lingered in a state that hovered between unconsciousness and barely being awake, he remained oblivious to the fact that his fate was being treated as a transaction in the hands of Flokk and Khalor. The near future looked bleak, yet Gino had no inkling of what was about to unfold.

"Very well, I suppose some implants will certainly have their advantages over his natural hands. We'll take his fingers and hands once we've applied our corrective measures." Hearing Flokk's words, Khalor let out a smile, nodding his head as he turned to leave the room, replying simply, "Perfect."

As the merchant finally exited the chamber, Flokk released Gino's hair, allowing him to drop face-down onto the floor while gesturing to the guards, "Lower the hooks and prepare my instruments. It's time to make this little bird sing."

The guards then began to lower chains from the ceiling of the room while retrieving a metal box filled with various torture implements. Flokk, in turn, started inscribing words and figures in the air around where Gino's body would hang from the hooks. Candles, salt, and other items were carefully positioned as the guards placed Gino between the sharp hooks, pinning him between his pectorals and the junction of his shoulder.

"GAHHHRRR, AAAAAAAAAAAARRRGGGH!" A gut-wrenching scream of pure agony erupted from Gino's throat as he struggled to open his eyes wide, his dazed and semi-conscious mind registering the pain in his muscles straining not to tear apart under the weight of his nearly ninety kilograms. Helplessly, he hung in the air.

As Gino's senses were overwhelmed by waves of pain, his mind began to operate subconsciously in a state of survival, while adrenaline surged through his bloodstream, pumping oxygen into his brain in a desperate attempt to fully awaken him.

However, a phenomenon soon began to unfold, drawing the attention of both the guards and Flokk toward the table where the torture instruments began to vibrate, along with other objects scattered around the room.

The guards almost instantly aimed their weapons at Gino, while Flokk merely narrowed his eyes and murmured, "...So, you still haven't awakened your abilities... I suppose this will be more complicated than it initially seemed..." With those words, he completed a ward inscribed in High Gothic. At that very moment, the vibrations ceased entirely.

Seeing that this was working, Flokk did not stop there and continued with his preparations, thinking to himself, If he reacted to the hooks like that, I'll need to be more cautious with the protections if I don't want something worse to happen once I begin. He was well aware that psychic abilities were something one could never be too careful about; they were always welcome and necessary in the face of any eventuality.

The following minutes felt eternal as the guards never lowered their rifles, their eyes fixed on Gino's seemingly unconscious form, which writhed from time to time.

When Flokk finished, he walked deliberately and calmly toward the table laden with various metal torture instruments, pondering where to start. Once he settled on one, he turned with the tool in hand and leaned down to force Gino to inhale a liquid he held between his fingers.

As some clarity returned to Gino's bloodshot red eyes, Flokk concealed a smile beneath his mask and said in a chillingly terrifying tone, "Welcome to the world of the living, Gino. I think it's time you started talking, don't you think?"

When Gino's lost eyes finally regained clarity and registered Flokk's words, they began to tremble as his body moved with great difficulty, trying to break free, which only intensified the pain from the hooks piercing the muscles of his chest. Choked screams of agony struggled to escape his throat as Gino soon began to silently plead in his mind for the nightmare to end.

However, this was merely the beginning.

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