“Quincy, Nerva, I’m going to get drastic with Bartrem. I don’t want you two to be here for this. Go ahead and take Adam and go find Will’s party. Head back to the airship.” Warren instructs as he takes out one of his knives.

I would go but I feel like I just went through way too much just to leave now. Bartrem stabbed me in the freaking leg. I need to see how all this ends. Turns out Nerva feels the same way.

“Nah fuck that. This asshole broke my hand, stabbed me in the fucking shoulder, and was about to kill me. I’m helping you torture this asshole.” Nerva says with a wicked smile on her face as she cracks her knuckles.

“Yeah this guy stabbed me in the leg. I’m definitely getting some punches in.” I concur cracking my knuckles as well.

“None of you are doing a thing. I already planned it all out. If I let you two do anything you might kill him by accident. I can’t take that risk.” Warren explains.

“Fine but I still want to be here for this. After all we've been through I at least want to know what information he has straight from the source.” I relent.

“Ughghgh can’t I at least burn the side of his shit?” Nerva asks, pointing at the side of his head.

“No,” Warren quickly answered.

“Ughghghgh fine. I guess I’ll stay back here and look threatening.” Nerva says getting behind Warren but aligning to his left so that Bartrem will see her.

If I’m not going to punch Bartrem then I’m done standing. I go over to a nearby tree stump and sit down on it. Not as comfy as a chair but it will do. I can see everything clearly as the tree stump is only about 4 feet from the tree Bartrem’s at.

“Then I shall take the fair maiden back to the airship and nurse her back to health.” Luther informs us as he picks up Adam princess style once again. As he was about to leave he walked over to me.

“My friend. Remember what I said, your friend is in pain. You are about to see what such pain manifests.” Luther tells me.

“What do you mean by that?” I ask.

The next thing I know he has disappeared in a flash. Wait how does he even know where the airship is? Weren’t we dropped off? Eh forget it, Luther is Luther, he does not follow logic or any semblance of common sense. That’s what makes him great. He is above this world. I was about to think about Luther some more when a scream snapped me back to reality. I look at Warren and he has violently plunged one of his knives into Bartrem’s left knee. The pain must have woken Bartrem up.

“AHHHHHH!” Bartrem exclaims.

His eyes quickly dart all over the place but his eyes eventually settle on Warren. He must’ve forgot where he was for a moment.

“Well it looks like I’m in a Charlie Foxtrot ain’t I?” Bartrem says.

Warren doesn’t respond but just plunges another knife into his other knee.

“AHHHHHHH!” Bartrem yells again.

“That’s so you can’t run away. Now I’m going to tell you what’s about to happen. I’m going to ask you questions. You’re going to answer them. If the answers are not satisfactory then I’m going to hurt you again. Now the first question. Where do the rebels keep the slaves?” Warren asks.

“Heheheheh you’re a real fugazi you know that? I’m not betraying my C.O. I’m not betraying the Man of Stone. I’m not betraying my country. So you can just go and Alpha Charlie.” Bartrem says.

“That reminds me. One more thing, speak English'' Warren orders as he kicks Bartrem’s head making it slam against the tree he’s tied to.

That was a brutal hit. A lot of blood is coming out of Bartrem’s nose now. But he doesn’t look fazed by it.

“You think this is going to hurt me? I was a P.O.W. for three years. The elves did everything they could to break me! Day in, day out. They beat me, they starved me, they even ripped off all of my fingernails and teeth one by one! None of it worked! You come nowhere close to them, you burn bag!” Bartrem insults I think.

I read about the war with the Elves. Bartrem isn’t lying. The stuff they did to prisoners was truly horrible. If nothing they did could break Bartrem then I have no idea how Warren is going to make this guy talk.

“Well at least we get to skip a few steps now.” Warren says reaching into the sleeve on his left arm and taking out his butterfly knife.

“Hah! What are you going to do with that small thing?” Bartrem calls out.

Warren doesn’t say anything but just takes the butterfly knife and with it cuts off Bartrem’s upper left eyelid. I couldn’t stand to watch the whole thing, I had to turn away.

“AHHHHHHHHHHHHH! YOU MOTHER FUCKIN BITCHIN BETTY!” Batrem curses.

I looked at Nerva and even she couldn’t look at it. She had to momentarily turn away as well. I guess Nerva has her limits too. I turn back to Bartrem and there’s surprisingly not a lot of blood spilling out. His left eye just looks like it’s wide open, at least from the top.

“Now there’s a time limit. Without the eyelid your eye can’t blink, your eye is going to dry and change shape. In time you will go partially blind, lose the ability to focus, and then you will be completely blind. But it won’t stop there. Your eye will continue to shrivel until it becomes as small as a raisin. Now tell me, where does the rebellion keep the slaves? Or am I going to have to cut the other eye?” Warren informs.

“Holy fuck” Nerva mutters under her breath.

“Ah shit this hurts! Not bad! The elves never did this to me! But I’m still not turning traitor!” Bartrem states.

Warren nonchalantly cuts off Bartrem's other upper eyelid. Nerva and I had to turn away again.

“AHHHHHHHHHHHH! YOU DISGUSTING TRENCH MONKEY!” Bartrem insults.

Man maybe Warren was right, Nerva and I should have just went to find Will and get back on the airship. This is getting really nasty.

“You ready to talk now?” Warren asks, wiping the blood off his knife.

“....Out of all the things you could’ve asked me, why slaves? Who sent you?” Bartrem asks.

“You’re not interrogating me, I’m interrogating you. Now answer the question.”

“Ah fuck my eyes burn! Look sergeant I don’t know about that! That’s far above my rank.”

Why did he call Warren sergeant? Is that an honorific? Sounds like one.

“You’re one of the Man of Stone’s lieutenants, you have to know something.”

“Hah! Sergeant, you must have forgotten military hierarchy. The general doesn’t waste his time with the low level officers. I went through hell for the general and I’ve never been promoted to the position where I would know. All I know are the slaves I’ve been receiving. They make good target practice for my men.”

“Then you better hope you remember the slaves’ faces. Any of them look like adventurer types to you? Did you hear them call each other by their names?”

“Heh everyone looks the same once they become a slave. All look like the embodiment of death, like a P.O.W. We didn’t allow them to use their names, we gave them numbers.”

That must have angered Warren because he gave Bartrem another kick to the head for saying that.

“Then you better tell me where I can find the Man of Stone. Where’s his base?”

“I wouldn’t tell you that in a million years, sergeant. I won’t betray my country”

Warren inhales very heavily with his eyes closed. He exhales and opens them. I think he just mentally prepared himself to do something. He puts away the butterfly knife and takes out the biggest knife he has, the bowie looking knife. He crouches down so that he’s right in front of Bartrem and while maintaining eye contact with Bartrem’s unblinking eyes, starts to cut Bartrem’s stomach open. As I looked I threw up in a nearby puddle of water. Nerva covers her eyes with her hands so that she couldn’t see. I look back and see Warren start to hang Batrem’s intestines in the tree’s branches. Bartrem lets out a scream that doesn’t even sound human. So loud it was it sounded more like a horse wailing.

“AHHHHHH GODS AND GODDESSES TANGO FOXTROT ZULU ALPHA CHARLIE!” Bartrem finally says after he finished screaming.

His eyes must have been burning like crazy and now this happens. The amount of pain must be unbearable.

“You now have about 15 minutes left to live. Make them count. Because I can make things a lot worse.” Warren threatens.

“OK OK! It’s in the southern part of Ayana! Exact coordinates I don’t know, I’ve never been, not high enough rank. But they say the main base is somewhere near a demon shrine. I don’t know which one. The general rucks between them so that the government can’t pin him down. I heard he’s preparing for a ritual. That’s all I know! None of it matters though, you won’t get anywhere near him, not if the Reapers have anything to say about it. They’ll hunt you down long before you get close.” Bartrem reveals.

“Who’re the reapers?” Warren questions.

“They’re half spec ops, half bodyguards. They’re the general’s handpicked soldiers. They only answer to the general himself. If I had to guess one of them is in charge of the slaves. I don’t know which one. If they aren’t in charge, then they should know where they are”

“How many are there?”

“There’s five of them. But each one is worth a thousand men. None of us ground troops have ever seen them personally. Only the results. Stuff you wouldn’t believe. After this you’ll be on their radar. You better be prepared you self propelled sandbag.”

“I’ll keep that in mind. Now where are the slaves under your care?”

“I got orders to return them to command a few days back. I don’t know what for, I just followed orders. That’s all I know.”

I look at Warren to see if he’s satisfied with what he’s learned. He didn’t get the information he wanted yet he’s slightly closer. To him this must be the continuation of a journey he wants to end as soon as possible. His facial expression hasn’t changed.

“You know, I thought I’d die a soldier’s death. On the battlefield, taking out the enemy. You work your whole life defending your country, and this is how it ends” Bartrem laments.

This guy’s constant talk about defending his country and such nonsense is starting to piss me off.

“I wouldn’t call committing war crimes against innocent people defending your country” I chime in for the first time since Warren started doing his thing.

“Everything I did, everything the general did, was of necessity. You gotta defeat the enemy. I’m a soldier, not a boxer. I fight dirty. If it weren’t for the general we wouldn’t have won that war. You all would have been bowing to the elves if it weren’t for us.” Bartrem argues.

“You’re no soldier Bartrem. Soldiers don’t kill innocent civilians. I read about your unit in a book. You oversaw the rape and pillage of a elven village. You’re the last thing that comes to mind when people think of war heroes.” I point out.

“You heard of the saying winning hearts and minds? That phrase is false. You win wars by breaking hearts and by making people lose their minds.” Bartrem pronounces.

Now I want to kill this guy. I would have but Warren beat me to it. Warren unceremoniously takes out his machete and with it cuts his head off in one clean swoop. I guess that’s the end of that. I would have preferred him going on trial for his war crimes but this will have to do. I now hear a bunch of footsteps come up from behind us. We all turn around and see Will’s party looking horrified. Azura, Lilith, and Remi look like they’re about to throw up. Azura and Remi keep it down but Lilith actually does it. Ryder and Will just look horrified with their mouths agape. The only person who looks unfazed by what they’re seeing is Nazuko. She must have seen things to not be suprised by this.

“W-what is this?” Will asks, very concerned.

“What you think happened is what happened. That’s all there is to it” Warren says uncaringly.

“What is wrong with you guys!? You didn’t have to do any of this! T-this is sick.” Will admonishes.

“Don’t blame them. It was all me. I didn’t want them to be here in the first place.” Warren corrects.

“Warren I know you’re angry and homeless. But I didn’t think you were insane.”

“Hey I wouldn’t go that far. Brutal? Yes. But insane? No. Things had to be done, it was the only way to make Bartrem talk.” I interject still sitting on my tree stump.

“Oh yeah because taking a guy’s guts out is definitely a normal interrogation technique. Quincy, how can you justify this bloodshed?” Will asks.

“I dunno, maybe because I live in reality and not have my head up my ass, like you. Oh what, you thought no one was going to die or get hurt through all this?” I retort getting up from my tree stump.

“I’m not stupid Quincy. I expect things to get rough but this? This is insane. There had to be another way. Did you guys even try?”

“Will, I didn’t have time to find another way even if there was one. I’m trying to save my friends, every moment I waste not trying to find them, including right now, decreases the chances of me finding them alive.” Warren argues.

“I understand that but that doesn’t give you a free pass to be a maniac. I’m just saying the moment you take a guy’s guts out is the moment you need to step back and reflect on what you’re doing.”

“Will I know exactly what I’m doing.If you lost Ryder, Azura, Nazuko, Remi, and Lilith, you’d do the same thing.”

“...No I wouldn’t. I’d find another way.”

“That won’t ever happen. Will doesn’t have to concern himself about what he’d do because we’ll never leave his side” Lilith chimes in.

“I hope not. But just because we say things won’t happen isn’t a guarantee. Will, if it were up to me you’d never have to feel pain again for the rest of your life. But we both know that it’s inevitable. I pray to the gods and goddesses you won’t have to feel what I feel. Now can I head back to the airship?” Warren asks.

Will doesn’t respond but just opens a portal leading to the airship. Warren is the first to go through it. Everyone else follows one by one until it’s just Will and I.

“..Quincy I can’t believe you didn’t try to stop him.” Will says to me.

“Why would I do that? Warren’s justified in his actions. Just because you’re squeamish doesn’t mean anything.” I respond.

“You can really justify any atrocity once you become a murderer huh?”

How did Will find out I killed? I didn’t tell him. I guess the cat’s out of the bag now. Oh wait did he just insult me? Oh hell no Will messed up now.

“Yeah I killed. So? Ever since I came to this damn world most of the people I met have been assholes trying to kill me. You damn right I killed. You think I care what you think? You’re an asshole Will. You have no right to look down on me with your rejected power ranger looking ass.” I angrily state.

The angrier I get the blacker I get, it’s like a switch. I can’t help it.

“How am I an asshole? For not wanting us to go around killing/torturing everywhere we go?”

“Oh ok we can blow up people’s houses and beat them so badly they become hospitalized because that’s what heroes do in your eyes. See why you have no right to look down on me? You’re a hypocritical sarcastic asshole. You don’t give a shit about people man. You only like those who are riding your dick. You can’t take lives but you sure love ruining them. You’re worse than me. I only kill bad guys, you just make everyone’s lives worse. So next time you want to go around yelling at people for being immoral, just do yourself a favor and look in the damn mirror.”

“..I’m not having sex with anyone.” Will responds.

“It’s a figure of speech dumbass” I say as I go through the portal.

I’m back on the airship now and the first thing I do is go straight to my room to read. I stay there for the next few hours. I skipped dinner because all of that has made me lose my appetite. As I read I heard footsteps walking down the hallway but for the most part, the place has been pretty quiet. The only major thing was that I heard Will and that ghost knight having a conversation but I didn’t really hear anything they said. It’s night time now and I just started a new book when I heard a knock at my door.

“Quincy it’s Warren. Can I come in?” the voice calls.

“Yeah sure come in” I answer not taking my eyes off my book.

Warren comes in with a glass of wine in his hand and sits in the chair across from me.

“So what’s up?” I ask as I flip a page.

“Quincy I know you wanted to defend my actions today but you need to know that Will’s right. Nothing I did today was good.” Warren begins.

“What are you talking about? You defended yourself earlier.” I question.

“That I did. Everything I said about wanting to find my friends is true. I also believe that Will would do the same if he were in my shoes, but that’s not a good thing. Just because I’m justified, doesn’t mean I’m in the right. I did a horrible thing today, another thing to add to the list of atrocities I’ve done. Don’t think of me as a good guy, because I’m not.”

“Warren now you’re confusing me. If you know that everything you do is wrong, then why do it?”

“Hate. I do half the things I do out of hate. When I was in Colonus I did things I didn’t have to do. Finding my friends didn’t require me to take out slavers, gang members, and drug pushers. I did it anyway. Because I hate them. I get angry that they get to harm people without any repercussions so I killed them. Not for justice, not to find my friends, but because I hate them. Next time I get yelled out for doing something to a scumbag, don’t try to defend me because there’s nothing to defend. That goes for you too Nerva.” Warren calls out.

“God damn it! Adam you gave us away” I hear on the other side of my door.

“W-what? No I didn’t. I barely breathed this whole time. Actually my lungs hurt, can I breathe normally now?” I hear Adam argue.

“No shut the fuck up. Maybe he hasn’t heard us. Warren could have just said that to himself.” Nerva shoots back.

“No it was to you. I can hear you” Warren clarifies.

“Fuck.” Nerva curses.

“You two might as well come in.” I tell them.

Nerva and Adam unceremoniously enter the room and sit on my bed next to each other since I only have two chairs.

“Um Warren is what you did today the reason I got knocked out?” Adam asks.

“That’s right Adam. Sorry for doing that.” Warren replies.

“..So it wasn’t Luther trying to abduct me? Because I woke up earlier and it was just me and Luther and it was the scariest thing I’ve ever experienced. My life flashed before my eyes...so many times.” Adam informs.

“Adam this isn’t about you shut up” I interject.

“Warren I get that you did some hardcore shit today. Like real intense shit. But you can’t put yourself down like that. Some motherfuckers just gotta get tortured.” Nerva points out.

“Oh no just how bad was it? Is Bartrem at least still alive?” Adam questions

“No” Warren, Nerva, and I all answer at once.

“Oh…” Adam says dejectedly.

“Listen you two. I did a bad thing. It had to be done but it was bad nonetheless. Now Quincy, go make up with Will.” Warren orders.

“Nah I’m good. I may feel bad for what I said but it’s true.” I reply.

“Perhaps but the insults you said were unnecessary. We all heard you two argue through the portal. Don’t lose a friend over this.” Warren reveals.

Dang it everyone heard me through the portal. Oh well it’s too late now.

“Will’s still an asshole who has no right to look down on others Warren. He got enough people sucking him off. I’m not going to bow down to make him feel better.” I claim.

“Hmm guess it’s time to go to plan B. Luther!” Warren yells.

“HIYYAAAAAA!” Luther exclaims busting my door down.

Oh no I know exactly what’s happening right now.

“My friend! A true gentleman does not ruin friendships over the most petty of quarrels. I cannot let this stand! Your friend Warren told me everything that’s happened. You will make up with the first hero this instant.” Luther commands.

I should mention that as soon as Luther burst into the room Adam immediately hid under my bed. It has nothing to do with anything but that’s just a fun detail I noticed.

“Luther, Will probably doesn’t even want to talk to me right now.” I state.

“That is where you’re wrong my friend. Elisa has given him a good talking to. He is ready to make up. Now come with!” Luther orders.

Dang it, I have no choice in the matter. No one can deny Luther. This is a fact of the universe. I shrug my shoulders and let Luther lead me to the common area. As I was leaving my room I could hear Warren and Nerva try to get Adam to come out from under my bed. I think I heard Nerva threatened to burn the bed. She better not. As I entered the common area I see Will and Elisa.

“Oho? You’re approaching me?” Will asks, doing his best Dio voice.

Dang it Will. You know I can’t ignore a Jojo reference.

“Of course. I can’t make up with you unless I get closer.” I respond

“Oho then come as close as you like” Will says posing.

Will and I then just burst out laughing as we sat on a couch. Yeah, we’re going to make up in no time.