Night Raid 3

Alphonse looked at his captor with wide eyes.

'They can't hear me? That's impossible! There's no such spell! Even if there was, it'd take a master mage to be able to make a spell that complex!'

"Why would I tell you anything asshole? Just kill me already!" He said, spitting in Saivas's direction

'Oh right, they can do that' Saivas inwardly cursed

Sure he knew a couple torture techniques, people on earth were really good at that after all. Even something simple probably would be considered mind boggling to this underdeveloped world.

Still, most the ones Saivas knew of were the worst of the worst, and violated quite a few of the Geneva Conventions.

'From a kid, to killer, to a war criminal all in one day? I sure am overachieving' He cursed

'Look on the bright side, they probably don't have a "Geneva Conventions" here yet' Jason offered

Saivas scoffed 'Yeah thanks, THAT was my problem with inhumane torture. The LEGAL system'

Killing was already a line he didn't like crossing, but making somebody wish they were dead was a different thing entirely.

Well, at least this guy most likely wasn't innocent. Still, he would try a more subtle approach first. There was still a chance they were wrong.

"Don't worry, I don't plan to ask anything too confidential or personal. I just have a few curiosities, that's all" He soothed

"OH BULL SHIT!" Alphonse seethed "You expect me to believe you tied me up in the middle of the night and killed one of my bunk mates to ask me what my favorite color was or something?"

Putting on the softest voice his distortion could muster, Saivas replied

"Well, I figured you all wouldn't take too kindly to intruders. Best case I just get thrown out right away, no? Unfortunately I didn't have a lot of confidence simply restraining your friend like I did you. I'd like to avoid unnecessary kill if possible."

Alphonse looked dumbfounded for a moment before muttering

"Holy hell, you really are just a kid..."

Even though he was still enraged over being restrained and watching his friend die, he couldn't help but wonder...

'What kind of hell have you been through to bring you here? I can't even imagine'

Vowing not to disclose anything that could put him or his brothers at risk, he conceded.

"You may ask your questions, just understand something. If I decline to speak, no amount of torture will get you the answers you're looking for. At that point, you'd be better of killing me"

Deciding he'd get as much information as possible before resorting to such measures, Saivas began his questions. He opted to ease into the interrogation with some non-threatening niceties he already knew.

"How long have you been in the village guard?" He began

"7 years as of 3 months ago" Alphonse answered casually

"Current rank?"

"Corporal"

"Number of men under your command?"

"Classified"

"Greater or less than 10?"

"Classified"

Not getting anywhere, Saivas decided to change tactics

"I've noticed your superiors see you as something of a troublemaker, why is that?"

Alphonse smirked

"Well you could call me something of a maverick. I suppose my sense of justice is just a bit stronger than the average guard's" He replied proudly

"How so?" Saivas pursued

Putting on an air of a wise mian teaching a youth, he happily replied.

"Well you see kid, the law is important. Without it we are nothing more than animals" He began

"That being said, it is also exclusively created by our king. Even with his magnanimous wisdom, there are occasionally a few oversights"

He paused for a moment and asked the young man in front of him.

"As a man of justice, should I ignore an atrocity just because it is not technically illegal?"

Deciding to play dumb, Saivas answered his question with a question of his own.

"Can I have an example?" He cocked his head to the side to feign confusion

Beginning to pity this child for his lack of education, Alphonse thought for a moment.

"Well... for example, I'm sure you know slavery is bad, correct?"

Saivas just nodded

Accepting his acknowledgment, Alphonse continued.

"Well, let's just say that instead of slavery, a young woman was forced to work for a noble due to certain conditions. She is paid, she is technically there willingly, but she is paid next to nothing."

"To make matters worse, part of her contract includes a term of employment for no less than 3 years, as well as a confidentiality clause"

Remembering the one he was talking to was a child, he explained

"Confidentiality means no tattle tales by the way. Anyways, after the first few months, she starts being mistreated in several different manners. She wants to leave, but she is bound by the contract to stay. If she left anyways, she'd be punished by no less than 10 years in prison. If she decided to tell the guards of her master's misconduct, she'd be in violation of her confidentiality clause"

Alphonse paused yet again, allowing this information to be processed by the child in front of him.

"Now in the eyes of the law, if she were to escape her situation, she'd be the one in the wrong. Technically nothing the master had done could be considered illegal. But don't you think that's unfair? Being forced to work for somebody without escape? Isn't that basically slavery?"

Saivas thought for a moment then nodded. What the man was saying made sense after all.

Smiling at his recognition, Alphonse concluded

"Alas my dear boy, the laws of this country are rigid. Even if they are not right, those who defy them are punished." He said sadly

"My greatest sin, I'm afraid, is that I cannot just sit idly by and watch such injustices continue to persist. And so, at great cost to myself, I ensure true justice is enforced!" He said proudly

"If such a situation were to happen before my eyes, I would ensure that noble's head rolls! Even if it cost me my freedom, or my life for that matter!"

Saivas stayed silent for a while, the man's logic was sound after all, however...

"Let me ask you, are you the only one here who has such a mentality?" He spoke quietly

"Of course not my dear boy! While a large portion of our men delude themselves thinking the king's law is perfect, there are a small handful of us who strive for true justice!"

Playing the part of an enamored child, Saivas continued

"Wow! So there really were such good men looking after our village! May I know the names of our true heroes sir?"

Alphonse chuckled

"I love your enthusiasm kid, but they might get in trouble if word gets out, so I'll have to decline"

Saivas's eyebrow twitched, but pressed on

"So you all fight for the weak?" He questioned

"Exactly!" Alphonse replied

"Punish those the law has been too lenient on?"

"Correct!"

"Men like traitors and deserters?" he pressed

"Especially traitors and deserters!" He replied with a satisfied nod

"Men like Stuart Anthera?" He pushed

"Of course! How could the king have let such a monster roam freely? We've been working on righting that wrong for quite a while now" Alphonse seethed at the thought of that traitorous wretch

"Is that right..."

At that moment, Saivas's mask of an awestruck child melted away, slowly replaced by an indescribable rage. Simultaneously, his stone mask formed cracks before shattering completely.

All that could be seen was a child's face that was contorted in fury.

Saivas's mind had gone blank with rage.

In fact, if it weren't for Jason taking over the magic sustaining the bonds of their captive, and soundproofing the room, their cover would have been blown immediately.

"So, YOU'RE the reason me and my family can't eat!"

Without the mental fortitude to sustain his air magic, his voice had returned to his own.

Truly the sweet sound of a toddler's voice did not suite the killing intent it carried.

Seeing the face of the young man in front of him, Alphonse paled. Of course he recognized him immediately.

How could he not know the child of one of his hated enemies? Him and his men had been watching their house almost daily after all.

He realized he had made a mistake. Momentarily, he had stopped treating this child as an intruder and murderer.

He pitied the child's position and resolve, and in trying to guide this youth, he had said too much.

"Y-You're..." He stammered

Saivas lunged forward and wrapped his hands around Alphonse's neck, stopping the words from escaping his throat.

"Oh you recognize me? I'm flattered! How rude of me, I seem to have forgotten my manners, allow me to introduce myself" He seethed

"I am Saivas Anthera, son of Stuart Anthera. You know, the family you tormented without knowing a damn thing?!"

Hoisting Alphonse up by the neck, he looked him dead in the eyes.

"And you? Well you are going to tell me everything I want to know. Including, but not limited to, the names of every single person who has attacked my father while he was trying to hunt for his family!"

Saivas thought of all the times his mother had been stressing about not being able to pay their bills. He thought about all the times his father had gone hungry just so Saivas and his mother could eat their fill.

He thought of the rumbling in his stomach most every single morning. He thought of his unborn sibling, who surely would grow up scared and malnourished.

All thanks to the man in front of him and his cronies.

Screw niceties, screw being "Humane", they weren't human to Saivas anymore.

If they didn't want to talk? Fine.

It was time to show them just how proficient earthlings were at MAKING people talk.