The Value of a Heartbeat

I never said I'd let you live

“What are you gonna do with him?” Garrin crossed his arms and raised an eyebrow as he looked down at the shorter man. Reilyn’s foot was firmly pressed on the leader’s head, digging the man’s nose more and more into the dirt. 

Reilyn raised his casting hand. “Kyortus’ku uet ribedio’eu.” |Rise and obey me.| The Eyll called out, disdain laced his tone. One of the fallen kidnappers stood, body bloody and burnt. The corpse trudged towards Reilyn, each movement looked more painful than the last. “Kyptur pebo kiwvir.” |Restrain this man.| As the undead approached, Reilyn took his foot off the man’s head and kicked it in the side. The corpse grabbed, pulled up and restrained its former leader. The man had no time to react. 

“Unhand me! Fucking rodents!” The enemy leader shouted and struggled. 

Reilyn made eye contact with Garrin. “I’m going to find out who hired this lot.” He acted as if he didn’t notice the angry captive’s bellowing. 

“That’s not what we were hired for.” Garrin sighed. 

“You said, yourself, you suspect this is something bigger. I won’t stand idly by.” 

“I’m not fighting with you.” Garrin shook his head and looked at the locked up girls. “We’ll attend to them. Don’t waste too much time with this lowlife. You still have a job to finish.” Garrin put his axe on his back and rested his hand on his hip. 

“I won’t be long.” Reilyn led the undead out of the clearing, into the trees. The undead dragged the kicking and screaming child trafficker with him. Reilyn stopped when he was sure they were out of hearing range from the group. “Kyptur’illel gwentra pebo wybor.” |Hold him against this tree.| Reilyn pointed to a large tree a few feet in front of himself. 

The charred undead responded with a grunt, and obeyed. It pushed the enemy leader against the tree, holding him up by his armpits. The man cussed and struggled, grimacing as the undead’s sharp, bony fingers dug into his flesh. “Like I’m gonna tell you anything, blue faced bastard!” His brown eyes glared at Reilyn through his shaggy auburn hair. He spat towards the Elf, missing by a longshot. Reilyn frowned and took a step away from where the man’s saliva landed. 

Reilyn sighed. “I’m not asking.” He raised his casting hand. “Cawellus re kygnissis!” |Cage of flames!| Towering flames encircled Reilyn and his captive. “You won’t have a choice.” The man stared at Reilyn, unblinking, defiantly. “Emissum’rilles quont hawsus.” |Break his nose.| Reilyn motioned his hand toward the undead, ordering it. The burnt corpse headbutted the captive man’s face, an audible crack echoed in the flames. The man made a muffled cry at the impact. “Who are you working for?” Reilyn crossed his arms, asking assertively. 

“I’m not talking.” The man sneered, blood ran down his mangled face. “Damn merc.” 

Reilyn shook his head. “I’m no mercenary.” 

The man laughed boisterously. “Oh. so you’re doing this out of the good of your heart? They’re just kids. People fuck and make too many of the whelps as it is.” 

Reilyn bit back a curse. He walked quickly up to the restrained man and pulled his own dagger from it’s sheath. Before the man could respond, Reilyn grabbed his wrist and brought the dagger down upon his pinkie finger. The blade came at such velocity the finger was severed. The short finger dropped to the ground and blood spurted from the stump it left behind. The man cried out in shock and agony. “Tell me.” Reilyn pressed the dagger into the man’s index finger. “Who the fuck you’re working for.” 

“Fuck you!” The man whimpered. 

The Eyll rolled his eyes and pressed his blade further into the man’s index finger. Slowly and deliberately, severing it. The captive’s anguished cries vexed him, causing his anger to boil violently. “You’re alone. Your comrades are dead because of your pathetic leadership. And-” The index finger finally fell to the ground, from barely hanging on. Tears began to well in the restrained man’s eyes. “-I’ll sever every fucking finger and every fucking toe if you don’t talk.”