Episode 2

Akkeen approaches in close at Uburatu and shouts.

"You are going to pay for this, Uburatu! Worse than death - I swear to you!"

The shirtless tattooed man's voice is filled with hatred and his eyes are wide with fury, perhaps madness. He clutches his mace and seems on the brink of attack, though held back barely by whatever thin line of control is in play, whether it is fear of Uburatu or a grudging acceptance of the surrender.

Elam puts an arm out, sword diverted away carefully, to nudge his younger brother back.

Then Iasu's call of danger rings out.

Kray eyes stayed fixed on Ubaratu's as Iasu's warning registered. Hounds. His memory flickered back to the night battle in the forest, prior to their arrival in the city. Hounds exploding into fireballs of flame, flashes in the dark. Defeating the hounds came with explosively dangerous potential, and the battle was already hard fought.

And won.

He had seen Thorn and Bryn chase after a foe into the darkness of the north corridor. However, given the risk in unknown enemy territory, especially given the potential for an ambush or more traps, in that brief moment's time Kray considered the Why. It was a poor tactical choice, unless there was something he was unaware of.

He called out, shifting to a more militaristic style of communication, a reflex polished over years of battlefield experience that began in early childhood. He could still remember watching battles from the command section with grandfather Devil Hade, his Uncle Rison often present as well, a mentor to Kray. The first time he had barely been six years old.

"Thorn! Bryn! Report!" In general, Kray trusted their judgement in battle, especially Thorn, who he had. At the same time, he knew that a life and death struggle, played out with instruments of killing, could pull even the most experienced of combatants into a bloodlust of sorts, a need to finish what began. Lethally.

His eyes remained fixed on Ubaratu, a high value captive. He could almost feel the hate emanating from Trece and Akeen. Instinct nudged Kray to support Thorn and Bryn, but it was cold logic that held him as he didn't trust Akeen or Trece enough to let Ubaratu live. Not to mention there was still only one source of light, not a tactical consideration to overlook.

Kray's Heshaban was rough as he spoke sideways to Akeen, stoic and evenly measured, Judgement relaxed in his grip, coiled like a serpent revered by its Otessite makers. "Bring that torch and light another." The tone conveyed the importance of illumination, matter of fact. His gaze on Ubaratu still fixed, Kray spoke, his expression communicating more than his words:

I am not to be fucked with.

"Call your dogs off! Now!" Serpent's Judgement slithered closer to Ubaratu, almost imperceptibly, the threat ever so slightly more present now, shield gesturing toward the north corridor, facilitating the message. "If they die, you die."

Others had tested Kray's word in the past.

His eyes narrowed, clearly showing Ubaratu was to be measured and weighed. Imminently.

If Ubaratu had any doubts as to his conviction...

It will be the last lesson you learn.

Still against the wall, Uburatu's eyes shift constantly. To Akkeen. To Kray. To Elam. To Kray. To Trece. To Kray.

Always back to Kray Mercon, the only man he is speaking with.

"I cannot call them off, Mercon," he says, now with eyes steady set on Kray. "They are my brother Naram's beasts. They heel to no one but him and Suter-Set who is gone mad now."

He heaves heavy breath and winces from pain in his leg. "I can help you kill them though. Deal with me. Get these thieves away from me. You are being deceived. You approach a site that you DO NOT understand."

"You fucking liar!" Akkeen burst out, again crowding in to come face to face with Uburatu. He is poised taunt, mace out to the side at the ready, vessels in his head and neck bulging as he shouts.

"Elam, kill him!" he backs up a step, shouting louder. "We need to kill him now! The hounds are coming!"

Akkeen's eyes are shifting back and forth between Kray and Uburatu.

"Kray Mercon, stand ready! He is trying to stall. He'll kill you. KILL HIM NOW!"

Akkeen is reaching into his bag and backing away. He is tight as a pressed coil.

Trece keeps the spoon pressed against Uburatu's neck, even as he pulls away His eyes flick briefly to Kray before finding there way back to Uburatu; he calls out to the militaristic leader in broken heshbaan "Akkeen talk from hate but truth still on tongue. Uburatu scared, he look way out; brother hounds good way out, hounds not go for Uburatu." His eyes slowly leave off of Uburatu and stay strictly on Kray "Give **reason** for Uburatu's air or see it stop."

Kray's eyes met Trece's for a moment, acknowledging his words.

Fair enough. Let's see what Ubaratu's value is.

Kray's voice was flat, emotionless. Detached and cold. A moment's pause and he again spoke to Ubaratu. "If you have no value to me, you will die." The hint of a feint smile. "Of course, these men will have the pleasure."