Back Inside the Drunkie's Bar…
Riven had no time for bar distractions. He approached Jackson. Their conversation was brief, silent, but whatever Riven said made Jackson's expression shift. His usual laid-back demeanor hardened into determined, as if he was ready to do whatever it took.
A minute later, Riven turned to Mira and gave her a subtle nod. Their eyes flicked toward the corner of the bar, where two blue-skinned men sat, their presence an unspoken warning to the rest of the patrons.
A smirk appeared on Riven's lips. He had a quick, perfect plan. Thought, while thinking he didn't expect, the men to leave so soon, especially not after he had just solidified his approach. But that hardly mattered now. He needed information on Sarah's whereabouts, and with Jackson's help, he had a lead.
The moment the two blue skin men stood up and exited the bar, the tension in the room lifted. The other patrons relaxed, returning to their drinks and hushed conversations.
Exodites inside didn't want to approach nor be approached by the men knowing the amount of destruction, there already did in the city.
Without hesitation, Riven and Mira slipped out after them.
Outside, the desert wind howled, grains of sand slicing through the air like tiny daggers. The two blue-skinned men moved forward unsettled, like their bodies were unaffected by the storm. Their movements were robotic, unnaturally steady.
Most Exodites couldn't take more than a few steps into a strong sand breeze without protective clothing the elements would eat away at them in minutes.
Riven narrowed his eyes, through his half lowered lids. Even with my durable skin, this wind is brutal…At least it's still nighttime if this were midday, it'd be unbearable.
Then, in the middle of the swirling sand, a sudden energy sphere flickered to life around the two men.
Before they could react, their bodies locked in place. Their knees buckled, and they dropped to the ground as if crushed by an unseen force.
In that moment, Riven followed by Mira tried knocking out the men as they couldn't move, no going unconscious they tied them up carried them back the bar.
…
Inside a dark room, there were multiple flicker candle less sounds of the loud sand breeze around it had multiple wooden barrels of what could guess is beer.
It cast long shadows across the two restrained blue skin men. They sat motionless, bound to steel chairs bolted into the floor.
Riven paced before them, his jaw clenched so tightly it ached. Now he had some of people that, possiblly knew the where Sarah was. He wasn't leaving this room without answers.
Mira stood beside him, her arms crossed, eyes kept scanning the blue skin men.
Letting, Riven get his off first before…I find the way get it out of them but I also have figure out what are they really. Why are Exodites in this zone suddenly fear them.
Jonas lingered near the door, his hands curled into fists. His gaze darted between Riven and the blue skin men.
What's really about to happen…I know Riven alway has a plan but from his demeanor seem of anger and reckless.
His gaze traveled on Riven who stood infront of the two men, staring down at them.
"Do you know who Sarah is?"
"…"
The men didn't move. Their black, empty eyes bore into him, unreadable. But again, their skin rippled shivering unnaturally.
"Do you think silence will save you? No. It only makes things worse. Now talk."
Again, the blue men didn't say anything just they skin shivered again.
"Damn it," Jonas muttered, running his hand through his hair. "They're not saying a damn thing. This is pointless. "
He wasn't wrong. Most people in the city had accepted that these men the blue-skinned didn't talk. They moved like humans, acted like humans, even entered bars to drink and eat. Also when they attacked like what happened to Sarah it was swift, brutal, and without warning. No one knew if they could even be defeated..
"Fine…Then we make them talk," Riven said, voice like steel. He stepped forward, looming over one of the blue men. "Sarah. Do you know her?"
Silence.
His patience was already stretched thin. He gritted his teeth, leaning in, his face mere inches from the mens. "Where did you take her?"
Nothing. Not even a blink.
His blood began boiled. "Why did you take her?"
Still, the blue men remained silent, unflinching, their eerie black eyes staring through him.
Beside being important to Riven, and Jonas she was very important to the city, from the use of her skills.
'She dedicated her life to curing every sickness… She did so much for this city. But now she's gone. Who will take her place?' He wondered
Something inside Riven snapped. With a snarl, he threw his fist down, striking the man knee, the air was filled with a sickening crunch.
The blue man bone broke under the force, that it shattered inside his leg and punctured through, blood slowly leaking out.
Jonas flinched, Mira had no reaction, but the men… just sat there. No cry, no wince. Blood dripped from they shattered knee.
Riven stepped back, breathing hard. "What the hell are they?" he muttered.
Jonas took a step toward the door. "That is pointless. They don't feel pain…i thought you going use a better way to get information. "
Mira turned to him, her voice quiet but firm. "Your sister was taken, Jonas. Are you just going to walk away?"
Jonas stiffened.
"She's out there, suffering," Mira continued, her expression unreadable so no one know if it come from goodness. "You owe it to her to stay. To see justice served."
'Responsible, huh…? Will the first people in my life ever take responsibility? Will I even get to see them punished?' She wondered
Riven eyed Mira, there is always something beneath her detached words something softer. He knew she masked it well.
'She didn't know Sarah like Riven did, but she still cared enough to say that. Maybe she's right. Maybe I owe it to Sarah to make up for standing by when she needed me.' Jonas thought.
Jonas exhaled, his hands still clenched. Then, slowly, he stepped back toward them.
Mira turned back to the me . She had been watching them, assessing, calculating. She noticed things Riven missed. And now, she had found something.
As alway Riven barely can see the battle that are right infront him…like the wrists.
She noticed, that there had small, involuntary reactions. Tiny shifts in their bodies when they moved. A subtle, almost imperceptible flinch.
She stepped forward, grabbing one of the blue men hands, then twisting its wrist with a sharp jerk.
A muffled sound, barely audible, escaped the blue men lips. A flicker of something in its hollow black eyes.
Pain.
Mira's lips curled into a slight, knowing smirk. "So you do feel something."
Riven caught on immediately, stepping to the second man and yanking its arm forward. "Let's see how much you can take."
Mira snapped the blue man wrist, with easy. This time, thought they let out a low, guttural hiss. Not much, but enough.
Jonas watched, his face unreadable, but his hands relaxed slightly at his sides.
Riven crouched in front of his captive. "Start talking, or we break the other one."
The blue man fingers twitched. Its breathing quickened slightly. But still, no words.
Mira exhaled. "Fine." With a swift movement, she twisted again, snapping the other wrist.
A sharper hiss of pain, but no answers.
"Stubborn bastards." Riven muttered.
They continued questions, threats, more pain but no matter what they did, the blue men remained silent. Their bodies reacted, but their lips stayed sealed.
Jonas let out a slow breath. "This isn't working."
Mira studied the men for a long moment, her face hardened. "They're not going to talk."
Riven's fists tightened. He had hoped, foolishly, that this would be enough. That breaking them down would bring Sarah back. But these things whatever they were weren't normal specters.
He locked eyes with Mira. No words were needed.
They snapped the men necks swiftly. The bodies slumped, forward.
Jonas exhaled, he started to calm down he knew this was going to be the norm of Exodites, but he wasn't ready.
Riven turned away, fists still trembling. "They were never going to talk."
Mira nodded, Jonas looked down at the bodies, his expression conflicted. Then, without a word, he walked out of the room. But he also thought how were they able to kill them just so usually no one in the zone can.
Mira and Riven stayed behind, staring at the blue skin men. The silence was deafening.
"We're back to square one." Riven spoke up.
Mira glanced at him. "Not necessarily. They took Sarah somewhere. And I know someone who can tell."
Riven clenched his jaw, the fire in his eyes rekindling. He wasn't giving up. Not now.
Mira hand hesitated above Riven shoulder before going back down."Alright let's try your plan this time."