The Long Road to Ruin Ch. 22

For Caron.

O.O

Days passed before Shiloh emerged from the sewer turned torture chamber with Caron slung over her shoulders and the decapitated heads of the Dhorn she held by their blood soaked hair in her equally blood soaked hands.

As she crested the stairs into the dwarf's apartment, she dropped her burden to the floor and pulled her swords. The dwarf charged at her with his axe in hand. "Murderer!" he bellowed.

Shiloh met him head on. The dwarf had to know that the Dhorn had been using his cellar as their entrance into the sewers and she intended to find out everything. Her swords clashed with his axe, causing sparks to fly. She snarled at him, her white teeth shining bright upon the canvas of blood red skin.

She slashed her blades at him, nicking his flesh with shallow cuts, cuts meant to slow him. She watched as his eyes glazed and he staggered. His body shook as the poison coursed through him. He went down on one knee before her, laying his axe at her feet.

"I surrender," he muttered as sweat mingled with blood, coursing down his short, stocky body.

"You'll tell me what I want to know and you'll do it quickly. Do not test me, dwarf," she replied with a voice so cold it sent icicles down his spine.

"I don't know anything," he stammered.

"A friend of mine died down there, disemboweled by two Dhorn! And the only entrance is your cellar! Do you really want me to believe that you've never noticed anybody?! Your life hangs in the balance and I'll feel no remorse for removing your head from your shoulders!"

The dwarf paled visibly as he looked past her to Caron's body and the gruesome heads of the two Dhorn lying on the floor near the entrance to his cellar. "They pay me."

Shiloh glared at him menacingly. "And what of the people they meet with? Who are they?"

"I don't know. They come with their faces hidden," he lowered his gaze to the floor.

"You'd better tell me a little more, or I'll be forced to come back with people who know how to get answers."

His eyes snapped up to meet hers. She could see the fear in them, could smell it coming off him. It hit her in waves. "I swear. I know nothing."

Shiloh extended her hand and slapped him with all the strength she could muster. "That's not good enough, dwarf. We'll see how happy you are after I've sliced open your gut, pulled out your intestines, and threaded them through your nose and out through your ears. Or perhaps I'll ram my swords through your belly button, pull out your intestines through there, and then use them to hang you. Talk! Now!"

"Oh, no, please, I really don't know anything!" He pleaded with her as he gazed wistfully at the door. Thoughts of escape weighed heavy in his mind.

"Pity," she sneered as she advanced on him. "We'll find that out shortly enough."

Shiloh drew back her weapons as she flashed him an evil grin. The dwarf let out a whine and threw his arms up in the air. "No! Wait! Maybe something. I once noticed a strong smell on one. He smelled of oil!"

"Oil, you say?" She halted. "Tell me more."

"Yes. Oil and sweat. It was not very pleasant. I have no idea why anybody would coat himself with oil," he stammered.

"Hmmm, I see."

"Please, Mistress, don't kill me! I'll leave the city. I swear. I'll never return," he begged her.

Shiloh let loose an evil chuckle. "Do you think I'll let you get away that easily. You have helped my sworn enemy. That makes you no better than they are," she advanced on him, gripping her blades. She quickly slammed both of them deep into his chest and watched as he fell to the floor.

With a laugh, she searched him and the rest of his apartment, grinning as she found another heavy bag of gold. Stowing it in her haversack, she picked Caron's body and the heads of the two Dhorn up again. As she made her way around the corner, she was met by screams of shock and revulsion.

Her skin, her clothes, her hands were covered in the blood of her enemies. The gruesome visage she presented caused many to flee from her path. Shiloh sneered at them and entered the Bear Pit.

More screams accompanied by the sounds of fierce retching met her inside the restaurant. She ignored them and made her way up to Master Nathan's office. He had to know what had happened.

A shocked voice met her as she stepped through the door. "Shiloh, what is the meaning of this?" Nathan bellowed as he took in the bloody sight before him.

She laid Caron's body at his feet and held up her gory trophies. "I found the secret spot in the sewers where I had heard that Dhorn solider talking to the other man. It can be accessed through the cellar of a dwarf... I found Caron there. These two had tortured him for information. I don't believe they found out anything, though. I overheard this one," she held up the head of the blond one, "bemoan to this one that he wished they would have found out more."

"Shiloh, how did he die?"

She dropped the heads to the floor and opened Caron's armor, showing him what had happened to Caron. "The Dhorn disemboweled him."

"And the Dhorn?"

"This one died quickly," she kicked the head of the blond one. "This one felt my wrath. An eye of an eye. I made him suffer as they made Caron suffer."

Nathan nodded calmly, though Shiloh's brutality shocked him in ways that surprised him. She was becoming too much like Vico. He let out a small sigh. "I'll have to take a couple of precautions... Did you find out anything else?"

"I questioned the dwarf who owns the house through which the secret meeting spot can be entered. And he admitted to taking money from the Dhorn for letting them use his cellar. He also told me that once he noticed a very strong smell of oil and sweat on one of the masked people the Dhorn met with. The dwarf won't be talking, though. I took care of him. He was a liability we can't afford."

Nathan shook his head as he rubbed his chin. "Oil, you say? Hm. There are no oil traders in the city. But a lot of people use oils for personal hygiene. Maybe somebody who does personal hygiene professionally might tell us more. I want you to check out the Palace of Beauty and the bathhouse."

Shiloh sank down in front of Caron. "It's all my fault. Caron is dead because of me. We had a fight over my relationship with Vico. He told me I could do better. I threw it in his face. Can we not call on Father Derthur? Can he bring Caron back to life?"

Nathan shook his head. "Father Derthur was found dead two days ago, Shiloh. The Dhorn...."

"What about Rhys? Is he dead as well?" Shiloh blurted out, cutting Nathan off.

"We have Rhys. He is fully healed and is working for me now. Though I dare say that you won't recognize him."

Shiloh let out a sigh of relief. "And what of Nicca? Is there any chance of her escaping the city like planned?"

"Not at the moment, Shiloh. She will be safe here."

Shiloh nodded, looking over Caron. "I couldn't leave him in the sewers. I couldn't let the rats get him. I wanted him to have a proper funeral. Please tell me you will make that happen."

"Rest assured that it will, Shiloh. I'll take care of the arrangements and I'll let you know. You should get some sleep, Shiloh." He motioned for his bodyguards to remove Caron's body and the heads of the Dhorn. "We are counting on you, Shiloh."

She inclined her head. "One last thing, Master Nathan. Where is Vico? I need him."

Nathan shook his head. "I can't tell you that, Shiloh. Vico is out on a job."

She dropped a curtsy before him and left the Bear Pit behind. She stood in the rain, letting it drench her to the core, washing away the blood that had dried on her skin.

Her tears coursed down her cheeks.

Vico, my love, I need you.

Where are you?

Come to me.

Come.

To.

Me!