Straight up.

He was going to lie as much as he could.

Whatever they asked, whatever they suspected, he would deny everything.

He would twist the truth, fabricate every detail necessary to make himself seem as innocent and unremarkable as possible.

"I don't know what you want me to say," Nero said with a shrug, his voice hoarse from disuse,

"I'm really just a guard from Gor. I've been through a lot of crap on my way to Liedenstorm. I had to fight tooth, nails and balls just to get here alive. And even then, I just barely made it. Maybe it was the weird things I ate on the way here?" He muttered.

"A mere guard doesn't have what it takes to make it across miles of wilderness. And the oath from Gor is particularly testing, I have heard. And to survive all that without any signs of corruption. That seems too suspicious, wouldn't you agree?" Brother Callum said.

Nero shrugged again while cold sweat formed on his back,

"Like I said, I got really lucky. Or maybe it was the grace of the gods? After all, I am a very devout believer." Nero lied through his teeth.

"Hm." Brother Callum hummed.

Then all of a sudden, he asked,

"What about your spear? Where is it? From this report, it could be a relic. Such things are meant to be regulated by the Church." Brother Calluysaid, tapping the papers with the back of his hand.

Nero raised a brow.

Then his eyes widened, 'Crap!'

He regained his composure quickly,

"I lost it during the Purge. I found it on my travels in Malady's Garden. It was just lying there, so I took it."

Brother Callum's expression didn't change. "You found a Relic just lying in the dirt? Now that is rather hard to believe. And it was not recovered after the Purge. It went missing. That is also hard to believe. Tell me, do you have anything to do with that as well?"

Nero clicked his tongue internally,

'What in the seven Hells are these questions?! This guy is good.'

But Nero smirked. He had this in the bag.

After all, he was the one with the upper hand here.

Nero put on a tired expression as he flipped his hair,

"What do you want me to say to that? I can't exactly hide a spear in between my ass crack, can I?"

Brother Callum stared at him, unblinking.

Then he chuckled,

"That was humorous, I'll give you that."

Nero laughed nervously as well.

Was this going well? He couldn't tell.

Brother Callum turned and walked towards a smaller stone table against the wall that Nero hadn't noticed before. On it sat a collection of Blacksteel tools— all manner of knives, pliers, brands and saws.

The Inquisitor's instruments.

Nero's face paled,

'This damned bastard! He wants to carve me up!'

He gritted his teeth.

Had he given something away? No, that couldn't be it. The. The Inquisitor was just naturally distrustful? Perhaps that was it.

Brother Callum selected a thin blade and tested its edge against his thumb..

"Let me explain how this works," he said, still facing the table. "I ask you questions. You answer truthfully. If I believe you are lying, I use these tools to encourage honesty. This process continues until I am satisfied that I have heard the truth."

He turned back to face Nero, the blade held loosely in one hand.

"So I will ask you again. Where is the relic? Remember, you only get one chance. Do you have collaborators helping you? If you do, then perhaps they might have survived the Purge. I will need their names."

When Nero heated that, a coldness filled his chest and mind.

He couldn't afford to fold here.

If he gave anything away, then if they were still alive, Lucy, Aisha and Geor could be in trouble,

Nero met his gaze without flinching. "I don't. I have know what you're talking about."

Brother Callum sighed softly and stepped forward, raising the blade.

Then he stopped.

He studied Nero's face for a long moment, his expression thoughtful. Then he lowered the blade and set it back on the table.

"You might be lying," he said quietly.

"I completely suspect you. You have very dishonest eyes, Nero. But unfortunately, I cannot prove your lies, and the Commander has made it clear that you are not to be harmed without sufficient evidence of corruption or heresy."

He walked back to stand in front of Nero, his hands clasped behind his back once more.

"You are suspicious," he continued. "Everything about you is suspicious. Your story does not add up either. But suspicion is not evidence, and without evidence, I cannot act."

Brother Callum leaned in slightly, his calm eyes boring into Nero's.

"So I will let you go. For now at least. You will suffer a horrible fate regardless, but it will not be in my hands. That, I can assure you. But know this still... I will be watching you. If you slip, if you give me even the smallest reason to bring you back here, I will, even if you don the color of blood. I'll tear the crimson pauldrons off you and force you down onto my table. Then I will send you to the consumed by fire. Then, not even the scourge of the gods will be enough to save you."

The cold cruelty in the eyes of the man standing before him told Nero all he needed to know. Hence, he was completely unwilling to back down.

He raised his chin and narrowed his eyes coldly as well,

"Well then, until the time comes."

Brother Callum snorted.

Then he straightened and snapped his fingers,

"Take him back to his cell."

The doors to he room opened up and the Templars that had dragged him in moved forward and unlocked the manacles. They hauled Nero to his feet and dragged him out of the room.

Then they dragged him back down the corridor, back to the darkness and the cold of the straw-covered cell.

The rusting Blacksteel gate slammed shut behind him.

Nero lay in the center of the cell for a moment, his heart pounding in his chest, adrenaline still coursing through his veins.

Then he exhaled slowly and closed his eyes.

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