[Arc] Inception

Blitz smirked slightly as Leo replied to the man. Getting to the point while refusing to confirm or deny what someone seemed to know....certainly seems like Leo's style, he thought with amusement, despite the situation.

Despite trying to remain subtle about it, however, he broke his own facade when he glanced up sharply at the sound of an electrified baton hitting his companion. Oddly enough, he seemed to want information from Leo and Eris, which confused Blitz at first. Didn't he have to bail and flee to the hills for stealing information in the first place? Blitz pondered. Though given how long Leo and Eris might have been around, it's possible he wants information on something that wouldn't be kept on a file or tucked away in a drawer someplace. What Leo spat in response, however, was also surprising - not that the man was a traitor, as that much had been made clear by the 'learn the info and we might have to kill you' comment from earlier, but just the actual defensive passion in his voice. Blitz didn't know much about Leo and Eris, but he knew them enough to realize that they didn't seem to get invested in much, so seeing them get riled up about IMG loyalty was a curious sight. Now I'm wondering just how much information IMG has on them, if stealing that info causes this much spite for our captor, Blitz thought.

Blitz watched as Leo realized he had more or less admitted to being the one who might talk, if only in spiteful replies, and the man went to gag Eris, seeming convinced that she wouldn't be sharing anything. Didn't gag me, either, Blitz thought, but then again, if he's after information from the duo, I would just be an extra in this situation, kept aside more to keep out of the way than for any real purpose. Blitz glanced at his mechanical arm. The magic in it was still shut off by the damned manacles, but it still had a few non-magic functions. Nothing combat-useful, strictly-speaking, but there was at least one that would help here, but he couldn't afford to spring it just yet, as there were still too many automatons around, along with the big bad himself.

The pretense of his facade dropped, and thus was the thing he tried so hard to mask every day revealed in its fullest capacity. Blitz thought he had seen a glimpse of it - of his aged gaze, the accentuation of features not entirely done in a natural fashion - yet the absence of any expression whatsoever truly betrayed the countless generations Leonidas had seen rise and fall. It was his stare that tore open reality, almost vacant yet with a glimmer of sentiment he had previously expressed callously with his words, a wrath much more cold, calculating, measuring every distance and possibility in a desperate hope to untangle the knot they had tied themselves to.

"Oh yes, before we get started, would it make any difference to have your blue-haired friend out of the room? I don't believe he's one of your fellow associates, after all, or at least he's not on the list."

Nothing. His outward reaction was null, not even a blink as Tolokonsky paused in his gait, turning back to Leo expectantly. The man then frowned. "I suppose it means no difference, then, I'll just have to kill him after you divulge," he answered himself, then looking down upon Eris. "Now, milady, I do really hate screams, so keep it to a minimum, will you?" With nothing but a glare from her end did he shove the gag into her mouth, tying it around her head with several strands of her hair being caught in the bind. With a smirk did he trace a finger along her jaw, eliciting a chin up from her before, as he took a step closer, she ground her heel into his shoe.

A small yelp could be heard emanating from his throat, a sound which so hilariously contrasted the demeanor he was attempting to pose. Yet like a viper's recoil did he draw a knife, slamming it into her thigh with a stab that lingered even as her face displayed visible pain, one second, two, and then it was gone. As he retracted the weapon did plum ichor drip from its blade, it being what evoked the most reaction from Eris, a moment of disgust before it her expressions fell again. Then, from across the room did Viktor glance back at Leo, flourishing the silver.

"What else would you have me do?" His eyes did not even bother to fall upon the man, instead Leo and Eris exchanged a long stare, and despite her restraints he could hear the plea that would have undoubtedly echoed from her voice were it able. They had been in this sort of situation before, they had found themselves on both ends of the knife. It was neither honor nor pride that pushed them to silence, however, it never was. Such things only existed in the mind of society, concepts enacted in order to better humanity although they often only wreathed wars and crimes in justice. No, there was a deeper root, one unsuspecting of most as they were all too often assumed to be uncaring individuals, simply riding out on the waves of the galaxy until eventually beached they would be. There were some things they held close to their hearts, however, besides each other, and somehow, someway, the Intergalactic Mercenary Guild had made it onto that small list. Barring death or permanent injury, of which the latter was impossible, they would fend guard its secrets, it was simply the fact that few had ever bothered to pick up on.

Blitz was still musing over his predicament as Leo was being interrogated, though he did shoot the captor a brief glance at the 'kill him later' line when he was brought up. Good luck with that, Blitz thought. I plan to be free by the time you get around to addressing me.

Blitz did smother a chuckle as Eris stomped on his foot, but it quickly turned to a scowl as the man whipped out a dagger and stabbed her in the leg. To her credit and Leo's neither of them gave way to the pressure the man was putting on them with with that knife.

Blitz, however, was having none of it. I would have preferred to do this after he left, but that scumbag ain't leavin' me alot of options, Blitz thought, sizing up the automaton near his side of things, before whispering "....Shoop."

At his word, his hat suddenly curled so the top was pointing at Blitz's left manacle, Shoop using a brief blast of energy from his top to break the manacle, and Blitz then used a similar burst from his now-free left arm to free his right one. By then, of course, the automaton had noticed and was rushing over with a baton in hand, preparing to knock Blitz out again, but Blitz, not wanting to take chances, unleashed more laser blasts into the automaton's frame, blasting it backward, where it landed with a metallic screech on the stones to the side of everyone else, before Blitz raised his hand and blasted a third shot off at the man standing by Eris as he rushed towards the man, intent on freeing the duo, or at least forcing the man to back off.

Focused on Eris, he didn't see Blitz's attempt at an escape until it was too late. Several loud blasts sounded from the other side of the room, which immediately drew Leo's attention as he turned his head. Yet even as the metal mage demolished the automaton that had attempted to subdue him did Tolokonsky pull out a small hand-held device, toggling a single button as Blitz charged at him. From the walls and ceiling did an electrical lattice spring up, blocking off the section of the room he had been previously chained to. Upon contact with the barrier did the fired laser beam simply dissipate into steam, in which their captor let out a chuckle.

"Oh my, you sure are uncooperative. Know your place, you're of no interest to me." Issuing another command from his remote did an arc of electricity fly down from above, drawn toward Blitz's arm in particular. While it was not enough force to be lethal, at least not to anyone of his build, it would certainly send Viktor's point across. Still, within a few moments he turned back to Leo and Eris, unconcerned for the strength of his defenses. At first the two had prepared to spring into action as Blitz had attempted his breakout, yet as failure struck so too did they resume their previous poses of vacancy. There was one slightly positive outcome of the endeavor, however, Tolokonsky had been too distracted to witness their momentary shift in expression.

Still, the interlude soon came to an end, and with it did Viktor grin at Leo. "I'm surprised you would bring along such a brash companion, it doesn't particularly suit your reputation," he said. Leo bit his tongue, stifling the snarky comment that had begun to form in his mind. And as no response came did the man's smile morph into a frown. "Oh, how boring. I know what'll liven you up!" His gaze fell upon Eris once more, the slight twitch of irritation in one of her eyes being found. Palming his knife once more did Tolokonsky catch the threads of her shirt, ripping it open at the collar to reveal her upper chest. Upon her skin did he begin to carve an M, and as her eyes shut, mouth clamping down on the gag did he continue, unrelenting. Her hand opened and closed for a moment, attempting to muster forth any sort of magic, yet there was only a complete absence.

His lip began to quiver, not in fear or terror, no, those were reactions that could only be onset by a scant few subjects, none of which were currently being addressed or discussed. It was rather anger, as the man moved onto an I he already knew what Tolokonsky's methods were, to incite irrationality and then slowly tear down barriers from there. It was a useful tactic against those who had a sharp tongue, Leo had employed it himself many times, yet a lack of speech undermined it entirely. Still, he could see Eris's averted gaze even as she restored her own vision. He knew what he would see in her eyes, she knew it as well. Yet the lack of the actual image did not help in any way, as his delusions ran wild.

Blitz managed to knock out the guard and fire off the blasts after removing the manacles, but another automated system came up and dissipated his laser blast in mid-air, and a moment later, Blitz was greeted by another bout of electricity, the metal mage dropping to one knee with a grimace as he let the pain subside from his system. This place was in the middle of a farming field, where's he even getting the juice needed to power this many devices and gadgets? he thought after a moment.

After a moment, however, was about the same length of time the bad guy needed to decide to start carving letters into Eris, which Blitz was having none of, even less so than the stabbing - however, his laser blasts wouldn't work on the grid, that much he'd seen, and he'd likely get another shock to avoid more interruptions, but he couldn't just sit here as they got tortured. Blitz stood up and walked over to the automaton, pulling the baton aside before transforming just one leg into his Double Knuckle form for the briefest of moments, just long enough to swing it back and give the fallen automaton at his feet a hearty kick to launch it into the air towards the grid that had dissipated his laser blast earlier, figuring one of two things would happen - either it would get through the grid and interfere with the big bad's vices involving knives, or it would dissipate as well, and he could at least confirm that it worked on physical objects while also removing the guard from his temporary quarters.

If nothing else, he hoped it would annoy his would-be captor enough to make him stop carving letters into his comrades, if only for a few moments.

Even as Blitz searched for a way out did Leo shake his head, knowing that Tolokonsky wouldn't have made such a careless mistake as to make the field easily passed by physical objects. Indeed, the automaton's body did not surpass it, instead the electricity seared the steel, leaving scorch marks that would have likely been third degree burns had it consisted of flesh instead. His attempt to break free did not even catch the attention of Viktor this time, however, as the man completed his work with an N and an E. MINE, with that did he rip away Eris's gag, tearing out strands of her hair in the process. Her clenched jaw continued even after the action, deep violet blood contrasting her pale skin in an almost strikingly beautiful way, or at least he would have thought so had it been anyone else.

"How do you fancy my art, Doctor? Perhaps embers will hue it a better tone?" He wanted to lunge out at Tolokonsky that very moment, carve the very same characters into the man's throat, yet there was no way to accomplish such, as he stood lording over what had once been a party intended to bring down the menace to society once and for all. Bright red was what Leo wanted to see, not any darker shades and certainly not hers. It was impossible though, they were utterly, completely, helpless, with nothing but their wits about them. And as Blitz had demonstrated, a clever strategy or two was not enough to break away from the spy's grasp, not when he held them all in a choke hold.

Still, crimson dripped into his gaze, eyes shifting from what had once been a more passive although certainly not unaffected vermilion to a blacker hue, identical to his own sanguine although that had yet to be spilt. From Tolokonsky's own visage was a far more concerning expression displayed, however, Leo could see the manic playing out on his features as he opened his mouth yet again. "Answer me!" he yelled, a sudden bout of indignation spewing forth. "Why the silence? Oh, what would it take to slip just a little, you monsters intent on witnessing the pain and bearing it? Your sins won't even be revealed until you're six feet under, so what does it matter to you?"

There it was, the insanity that had pushed him to seek out the truth in the first place. And so too was it revealed that he could not handle what laid beneath knowing that which what always meant to be kept a secret, for the good of not only the Intergalactic Mercenary Guild but all those touched by it. Eris again met his gaze, and he could trace the anguish within it. Neither of them dared utter a word, however. Not until the bitter end. And thus did Viktor's tone fall, though his face split open into a wicked grin.

"Over a thousand years, hmm? If one of you were dead, would it really matter so much as to spill it all before you perish as well? I am certain there are no secrets you keep from each other, after all, not after that long," he spoke, drawn out into a soliloquy. "She... has already lost a lot of that revolting liquid. It certainly won't take much more."

Blitz cursed as the automaton struck the grid and stopped, searing as the electricity fried the automaton and stopped it cold, the searing pile of shrapnel collapsing to the ground with a loud clatter as faint lines of steam rolled off it from where the grid had struck it.

His would-be captor didn't even pause what he was doing that time, simply continuing his work of carving words into the girl's skin, which pissed Blitz off to no end. However, things took a bit of an odd turn from there - the one who lost their cool wasn't Leo or even Eris, but the captor himself, apparently furious that they weren't divulging some kind of information they had, going on about 'sins' this and 'reveal' that, to which they still remained silent. However, he did do something useful - he did confirm that they were, indeed, over a thousand years old, as Blitz had suspected, but never had any solid proof on. "While I appreciate you confirming that they're both, in fact, old enough to drink," Blitz said as he snatched the fallen baton that he'd knocked away from the automaton earlier, "You seeming to know them to some extent, judging by the titles you keep taunting them with, but as someone who's known them for apparently far less time, you should be damn well aware that they're not the type to reveal information that easily." he said with a slight grin. "You've got as much chance at making them crack as your automaton did at passing your grid-barrier."

Blitz flicked the baton from off to on with a press of the button, and jammed just the electrified part against the grid, not fully done trying to escape - magic and plain metal wouldn't do much against the barrier, that much had been proven, but what about material that was already designed to be fully sheathed in electricity?

Revolting. His pulse quickened, one beat after another as his focused snapped to the man and his threats, once empty but now far from it. In her eyes he could trace the self-loathing, undoubtedly already present in her psyche but further pronounced by Tolokonsky's speech. As he flourished his blade once more did Leo experience a sharp, wrenching sensation, not that of corporeal exposure but something far more abstract, instinctual. His head throbbed, much to his dismay as it had been doing so frequently as of late. There was no outside force to warrant such, other than the man in front of him, taunting, driving with that glint of steel that could so quickly morph into so much more.

Despite Blitz's reassurance, in fact, the man was having some impact on Leo at least. It was not that of fear, not what Tolokonsky wanted, but despite his passive facade something stirred beneath it, a something few ever truly witnessed. Yet the man simply laughed off Blitz's comments, and as he swung out with the baton - the weapon glancing off the field although not being destroyed like the metal previous - did Tolokonsky press the same button he did before, sending down another arc of electricity. "You're in no position to speak so boldly," he proclaimed with an air of pretentious pomp and circumstance, then clearing his throat.

"And you two, for all of your extensive feats you really aren't much to be bothered with. Where's the daring escape now, the steady loosening of your restraints until a single blind eye and all turns to chaos? I must admit, even your friend's rash actions have been slightly more effective," Tolokonsky began. "Even dead, you must realize what that would mean to Lancelot, don't you? You would only be the first names on my list of vengeance. So, as they like to say, speak now, or forever hold your peace." He winced, not because of Viktor's words but again that aching sensation that was starting to become less than so, increasing in intensity every time he stole a glance at the man, and then back at Eris. Neither spoke still, however, and thus did he saunter up to her, wiping his blade on his shirt for a brief moment before his arm wound up in a lunge, closer and closer, milliseconds stretching into hours as the distance to her heart was imminent.

Never would he allow that to happen, not until he breathed his last breath.

From his hand there grasped a blade, broken and battered as it were yet still cleaving through the ropes as if they had been banished to the void. Black sprang up from its ragged edge, wielded with such certainty that it would appear to be far from the first time he had done anything similar in a thousand years, although that was undoubtedly the case. Within the blink of an eye did Leonidas close the gap between himself and his single target, leaving the traces of shadow behind; with a single sweeping motion was the man disarmed, quite literally. A kick slammed Tolokonsky against the wall nearby, followed by fingers clenching around his throat. "Was this the chaos you were searching for?" he growled, the malice deeply embedded in his tone. Even as the remaining automatons charged forward did Leo flick Calamitas back, the metal being torn asunder as darkness unfolded from it. The same was true for Eris's chains, and immediately upon her release did she stand up and summon forth two swords, the bewilderment clearly displayed on her visage.

"Oh no...." she muttered quietly, glancing back at Blitz for a brief moment before picking up the remote Tolokonsky had dropped, right by his now missing hand as things would have it, and tried the largest button. It was a lucky guess, for the barrier confining him was dropped, yet swiftly did Eris move toward him. "We need to get out of here," she offered in a low tone, before stumbling although she caught her fall on the wall, cursing. "More blood than I thought... can I use you for a second? I can't heal myself more than usual without someone else to draw on, and... he's going to hurt me if I try that. Unintentionally, but still."

From the other side of the room, almost a corner if it weren't for the area's geometry, was Tolokonsky stammering, gasping for air. "Mon...ster...." he stuttered, in which Leo bared his teeth, tightening his grip on the man's windpipe.

"Who else did you... enlighten with your knowledge?" The man offered no response, his fingers moving up to Leo's grasp, desperately trying to break it although it was to no effect. He knew that mortified stare all too well, deserved it probably, and at that moment he unreservedly relished in it, a sinister grin spreading across his features. "Fine, then. I suppose I'll prove your claim."