Rena scowled as she scrawled furiously in a notebook. Voices from inside the interrogation room continued to drone on and she barely was able to keep pace.

The Lycan, who had been chained to the wall, struggled against his bonds. He was stripped bare and his werewolf form took shape. His muscles and bones restructured themselves until he was a massive hulk of a man. The figure towered over Gavilis, who sat calmly in front of him.

The Grandmaster's placid demeanor further infuriated him. Foam splattered against his uniform as he spoke in his guttural tone.

Again, Rena attempted in vain to discern his words. They were much more hardy than Dwarvish and slightly less elegant than Elvish. She took notes of the difference in his dialect but her grasp on the language was feeble at best.

Her quill slipped from her grasp and tumbled to the ground.

“Damn it all...” She bit her lip and cast a quick spell. Magic forced the quill to raise onto the paper and scribble without her input. Hastily it recorded their words without her input. Each page flipped by with ease.

I should brush up on my Lycan after today... She thought begrudgingly. The area she was situated had been occupied by many others before her. Nearby were counters aligned with various tools, most of them unused or broken. Several desks were littered with immense rolls of parchment and writing utensils which ranged from charcoal to quills.

Instead of fuming in her usual silent manner, she ventured to the one way mirror. She took mental measurements of the distance between Gavilis and the Lycan.

“I told you—I knew nothing of those illegal shipments.” He cried in his guttural tongue, his eyes flashing with anger.

“As you say, but I have heard from much different from your friends.” Gavilis replied in his common tongue and stood upright. He took a few steps closer to the werewolf, who tried to grasp him in his arms. The chains tightened as Gavilis's visage neared the being before him and he continued. “I have other ways to ensure you talk freely. Most of them are unpleasant, as you are well aware. One of them I will use if you continue to defy me. All I need is the information regarding the illegal shipments sent from the Southern District. They are grown there and sold in the black market here in the Market District, are they not?”

“T-They are! I did not know what I was carrying. I was told to bring them to the center of the Market and have it inspected. I never ask what I am tasked with shipping!” He begged, his wrists bleeding from the pressure of his bonds against his body. Gavilis was barely a foot away, the bonds exerting immense force which would break a normal humanoid. However, he narrowly exerted enough strength to resist his bones from shattering.

Rena shook her head as she bore witness to more of the interrogation. The Grandmaster then catechized the Lycan in his own language and took a few steps away from him. To anyone else, he would seem in the wrong for allowing the man to walk free, but Rena saw through his ruse. As Gavilis turned away, he gently pricked the arm of the werewolf with a small device which wormed its way into his body.

Mixing technology with traditional methods. She observed and turned her attention to her superior as he exited the interrogation room. A pair of Justicar entered from another door to the rear of the werewolf and they apprehended the captive. With a quick injection of a strange liquid into his shoulder, he regained his human form and they dragged him away.

“Grandmaster, is there anything else you need from me today?” She asked as she retrieved several notebooks filled to the brim. He strode to the stack of books and flipped through several of them.

“You are rather thorough. I would hate to be the one who had to read all of this.” Rena raised an eyebrow at his joke.

“A-Aye...” She brushed it off.

“I have nothing else for you today. You are free to go.” After a quick nod to him, she scampered away.

The corridors in the lower segments of the Citadel were unnaturally empty. She shook her head as thoughts of being attacked crossed her mind and she pulled on the lever.

Her usual walk to the dormitory was uneventful. Justicar were allowed quarters near the level reserved for the Sanguine Overlord. Many took residence there, but none of them for long. As they were sent from mission to mission, whether for intelligence gathering or sabotage of some sort, the Justicar quarters were nearly empty most of the time.

Immaculate bedding and other assortment of goods aligned the desks. From writing utensils, to weapons were stored in the massive chamber which was filled with desks. A chest was laid to rest for each bed and a single Justicar could claim it for their own. Several fires were kept lit by personnel.

As Rena opened the metallic doors, several individuals turned to her. They merely nodded and continued on their work. Two women, including Rena, and three men were accounted for.

“Hey there, Rena. How was your last mission?” The girl latched onto her for comfort and struck conversation. Her blonde hair reached her shoulders, her stature rivaled the males in the room. She bore a scar on her right cheek and several on her delicate hands. Her body encompassed the Blessed Star of Sanctuary, much like all the others in the chamber, and she was garbed in black robes, similar to the magical armor. The clothes appeared to be tailored to her figure.

“E-Er...it went well. I had finished it quickly.”

“Hmm...say, where is that Gelehrter fellow?” One of the other men asked. “He agreed to play cards tonight.”

“I'm afraid I have no idea.” She laughed and opened one of the chests. Without further delay she stowed away her sword and satchel.

“Say, why not come play in his stead? He was a terrible player anyhow.” Another man asked. They seemed to welcome the sight of Rena, who wore white clothing similar to the blonde woman's and had been purchased randomly instead of it being tailored to her form.

“I-I...I'm sorry, I must decline.” She waved them off.

“Don't know how to play?”

“What's the matter?”

“C'mon, you have to play!” The girl insisted.

Saying no will not sate them. Rena griped.

“Duel me...and if you win, I will play.” Defiantly she retrieved her sword. One of the men nodded and took the challenge.

“If I win...you also must come on one date with me.” He offered and she flushed in embarrassment. Her resolve held, however and she drew her weapon.

The center of the chamber was clear. They took their places and crossed their arms.

Both Rena and the man before her activated their Blessed Star. They were enveloped by the protective dark armor which stitched itself around their frame.

She took a balanced stance. Her opponent lunged forward with his blade and the strength behind the blow dropped her to one knee.

Her fortitude held and she heaved him backward. The weapon in her hands shifted and she ducked to avoid a swipe aimed for her shoulder. A slap of her blade met his abdomen and he crumpled forward.

He hastily regained his footing and his fist erupted into flame. They danced about as he unleashed a flurry of blows. She guided him masterfully across the expanse and avoided the flash of steel.

Rena felt the hiss of heat brush past her cheek as she closed the gap with her shoulder and caught him in the chest. He grunted and took the initial force easily. A quick murmuring of a spell and he was sent spiraling away into the wall.

“You play dirty, Rena.”

“I play to win.” She corrected him and steadied herself.

A moment replayed in her mind as she watched him leap toward her.

Gelehrter's image replaced the man before her. His inexperienced form, the power rising from his sword arm and the tip of his blade scratching against the stone floor, reminded her of her young ward.

Without effort, the flat of her weapon swept him from his feet. He toppled and his blade leaped from his hand.

Rena caught his sword and held the tip to his temple. The barrier surrounding him flickered as it reached dangerously close to his skull.