Extraction of Information [Sakura/Closed]

[Battler Myrddin]

Holding a now limp body in his grasp, Battler restrained himself from going further. Why? Because the last words she pushed out got on his nerves. Why did she say that? Why did she do what she did? There was too many unknown factors, too much knowledge he was lacking. And his only lead for the meantime was the person in front of him. Cradling the unconscious body, he started walking to an isolated area just slightly away from Adonis where no stray people would wander. He needed isolation. Finding an old run down building, he entered it and lay his prisoner down.

It was unerringly similar to the one he first used as a base or home in the demon world. The amount of coincidences happening was astounding. Or perhaps this was how it was suppose to be? The thing called fate. Still, it wouldn't change what was about to be done. Leaving his passive conversion in the small room, the mana in the surroundings began to drain and be replaced with his own demonic energy byproduct. By doing so, the room started to feel somewhat like death; suffocating, cold, unnerving. This is the environment he had to live in and absorbed to the point it modified his body.

Leaning against the wall staring at the girl and waiting for her to wake up, Battler thought back on his time in the demon world. Because mages from Earthland produced magic in their own bodies, he was safe from being infected with demon energy. Which was the reason why Riley was still completely fine. However, because he dabbled too much in stuff he shouldn't, his own mana supply, his body and soul itself, was tainted. Returning his appearance back to human, he crossed his arms and began resting. It may take a while for the person in front of him to wake up.

---

Erosion Level | 13/100

[Noire Strife]

There was nothing. There were no dreams, no feelings, no consciousness. Sakura's body lay limp in Battler's arms. Her head and legs draped over his arms, laying limply in the air. No shadow tendrils emerged from her body. She was not dead, apparent in the rise and fall of her chest, but there was a certain coldness to her body, colder than the air around them. It was almost as if she had fallen asleep in a cradle of snow. She did not shiver. "You didn't kill me." Sakura did not know if she sounded disappointed or relieved. She was so cold that she could not move. It took her a while to warm up her body again. She sat up, clutching her hand to her navel in pain. "I don't really think that was necessary." she spoke again, still unsure if she was talking about the fact that Battler had knocked her out or the fact that he did not kill her. She looked at him in anticipation. "What, you took it easy on me because we used to be family?" She scoffed, clutching her chest harder as it shook racks of pain through her body. "No, that's not it. You just want information." she looked down at the ground. A sudden thought occurred to her. Why was she so cold? She looked down at her hands. She thought maybe Battler had somehow cooler her temperature. She let the thought slip from her mind, lifting her head in determination. "I've gone through worse than this. While you left me to Shark fang, Ender showed no mercy. He considered me an object, a toy. Maybe I'm the same to you now." she hissed.

" "

[Battler Myrddin]

Battler simply stood there the entire time, leaning against the rickety wall, not moving but keeping his gaze locked onto the person in front of him should he need to act. The cold air that struck Sakura was just the early feeling of what demonic energy is. As he continued to siphon mana from the air in the room, it would begin to feel heavy, and somewhat thin at the same time. Sickening, perhaps. But to Battler, he was feeling comfortable the more he did this.

As his prisoner (maybe) woke up, Battler just watched. Didn't act, didn't react, didn't speak, nothing. He just watched. His means of gathering information was different from using brute force. He preferred the psychological torture, similar to what the demons could do with their illusions. Being a previous confidant for the girl, he was in the best position to enact this now. So all he had to do was wait. Let her break down on her own, and provide incentive here and there if he had to.

So far, the information he was getting just sounded like rambling, nothing useful, just things that Sakura had gone through and was voicing in order to fill the silence. How much longer will it take? A day? Two days? Maybe a whole week. His demonic energy which his body lives on is more than enough to survive indefinitely. Eating and drinking simply sped up and provided extra energy once it was broken down. That said, it also meant he had no water or food for the one in front of him. Three days, starvation would set in. Would it take that long? Would he have to move locations before then?

And so his glowing red eyes continued to glare at Sakura, not a sound otherwise. His face stoic and impossible to read.

---

Erosion Level | 12/100

[Noire Strife]

Sakura fell silent, waiting for her captor to speak. He simply sat there, staring back at her. She studied his cold, calculating gaze with equal emotion. Battler was up to something. She knew that. But he was not using force against her like Ender always did. This was new ground for Sakura. Just what was he up to? Sakura rose staggered to her feet, wobbling side to side before she managed to regain her balance. She stood hunched over, her right hand still pressed over her chest, where Battler had struck her earlier. It hurt, but she was still able to function normally. The young girl kept her piercing purple gaze level with his the entire time, making sure not to take her attention off of Battler. She knew he could move at any moment. Shadow tendrils began to grow from her back again, seemingly without her control. She moved her left hand back, slowly petting the snake-like shadows. "Return me to where you found, or I will use force." she said strongly, lifting her head in defiance.

" "

[Battler Myrddin]

Seeing the girl in front of him stand up, Battler continued to watch while thinking of different things he could use. One method was to strip the girl to humiliate her, but immediately perished the thought. Why? Because given their previous relationship, it would do nothing more than aggravate her. Taking a deep breath in, he enjoyed the taste of the demonic air in his throat. As the tendrils appeared again, Battler simply walked forward to approach her, not caring if he was struck.

He had a few reason to not fear for his life, but yet again that previous relationship of theirs was the main one. If it wasn't for that, there would be so much more he could do. Without resulting to violence, Battler just approached the girl. And then, when close enough, ignoring any attack that may hit him, simply grab the girl into a bear hug and trip her legs to floor her again, where he would just lay on her, not once breaking eye contact, speaking, or doing anything else. Just a cold, piercing glare.

---

Erosion Level | 11/100

[Noire Strife]

"S-Stop!" Sakura struggled to maintain her defiant tone, taking a step back with each step Battler took forward. Her gaze broke with his and flitted about the room, looking for some way out of this dungeon. She studied the smooth cement walls, suddenly aware of the similarities it shared with the blank rooms Ender used to leave her in. Fear gripped her, its long fingers freezing her in place. Her newly formed shadow tendrils fell to the ground and dispersed, returning to its element. "No..." She said, her voice little more than a small squeak. She looked desperately around the room, searching for something to help her, something to help her escape. But she knew that Ender placed nothing in his rooms. Yes, that was right. This was a room that Ender placed her in. There was nothing here. Nothing ever was here. Nothing would ever be here. What had she been doing again? Oh yes, Ender was there. Sakura took another step back, her back bumping against the wall behind her. Tears filled her eyes. She avoided eye contact with Ender, instead watching the black room swirl around his feet. Her hands rose to the cement behind her. She only pressed against it at first, but soon she turned around and pounded on it with closed fists. "No! NO!" Her voice rose from a plea to a scream. She gave up, turning back around to face her captor. "Daddy please..." She whimpered. She could see his scraggly green hair, his looming figure, the red and black makeup smeared across his face. "Ender." His name came out little more than a whisper. "You kept me for three years already! How... I left! How..." Her breathing quickened. She was soaked in sweat. But it was too late. He was already there. He was already in front of her. He was going to hurt her again. He was going to torture both her mind and body. He leaned forward and... hugged her? Sakura froze with fear as she was placed on the ground. Ender would never do something like this. In three years, he had never done anything like this. Was he testing her? She gazed up at him. Battler lay above her. Battler? Battler was here? Had he finally come to save her? Sakura grabbed his shirt in her hands. "Oniichan..." She cried in relief, pressing her face up to his chest.

" "

[Battler Myrddin]

In the start, Battler merely meant to restrain the girl. However, after approaching her, it didn't turn out like he expected. Those barely audible words which, without his new body and experiences, would have been lost to the past. The fear he was seeing on her face wasn't something he had instilled, but something that was already there. PTSD most likely. If he wasn't careful, this could very well be him instead of the girl in front of him.

Three years is a long time. For the person in front of him, who was so energetic, to be reduced to this bag of nerves and fears, it was enough to cause even Battler to feel a tinge of anger against who could cause such a thing. But that brought up another question. Given the response he was receiving, could this girl be involved with the fall of Griffin Wing? Possible, but to fall apart like this would mean she wasn't active in it. It didn't change the fact she still had vital information, though.

Sighing as he felt the hands grabbing his shirt and sobbing on his chest, Battler rolled over so he wasn't pinning her down, rubbing her head like he used to while staring at the ceiling. His other hand just rubbed her back for now as his thoughts softened. The old Battler wasn't gone yet. After all, it was the foundation for who he is now. Seriously, this girl... Make up your mind... this sister of mine...
"Yeah... I'm back, Sakura..."

---

Erosion Level | 10/100

[Noire Strife]

Sakura's chest jumped up and down sporadically, her entire body shaking with every sob. She clung to Battler as he moved, determined to not allow him to let go of her. She was scared, inconsolably terrified at the mere notion of Ender. But now she felt safe. This was Battler. Yes, this was him. There was no one else that this could be. She clung to him like a child that clings to a stuffed animal in a lightning storm. He was her teddy bear, something to cuddle with when she was scared. He comforted her, even if he was the one that indirectly caused her distress. "I missed you." Sakura's crying had quieted down. She buried her head into his chest again, finally realizing that Ender had not actually been there. That she was not actually in her torture room. Battler had actually been aggressive towards her. No, Battler had actually attacked her. And yet, she felt no resentment towards him. Her words were completely genuine. "So, you actually have horns now?" She wiped the tears from her face and reached up to touch the top of his head. She was confused for a moment. There were no horns. "Oh. Sorry, I must have hallucinated that too." She looked past him, towards the ground. She looked almost sad, sad that Battler did not share her non-human qualities. She knew none of that mattered. A small smile struggled to make it on her face. "My cat ears are still there." She sat up on him, straddling his waist. She popped her ears up. "I know you attacked me. I know I did not imagine that much." She said suddenly. "What do you want to know?"

" "

[Battler Myrddin]

After Sakura calmed down, Battler leaned his back against a wall while cradling his little sister. She had mellowed out quite a bit after letting out her tears. Objectively, this was great since he could now get on with gathering the information he needed. Personally, he was relieved that someone he previously knew was still alive somewhat. Feeling a hand reach up to his head, he realized she was searching for his horns. Was she doubting her memories? That was probably a side effect of the previous revelations.

"The horns are real. I just haven't materialized them."
Petting Sakura's cat ears which he hadn't felt in a long time, he thought about what to do from now on. Though his little sister seemed to have another idea. As she straddled him, she began questioning his actions.
"Yeah, I attacked you. It's been three years, and you told me that 'you', the Sakura I knew, was dead. So why should I brood over the past? Three years is a long time, and I've changed my methods of doing things. Which means, no vulgar stuff."

Saying that, he flicked the girl's nose as he lifted her off and put her beside him instead. What did he want to know? There was a lot of stuff.
"There's a lot of things I want to know. Who is Phantom Cloak, who are their core members, which ones were responsible for the attack on Griffin Wing, Why didn't the Magic Council intervene, what happened to the rest of the members, how long do I have left to live, what am I suppose to do from now on... There's a lot. But how about, we start with what's happened with you."

Of course, he completely glossed over an important detail in those questions.

---

Erosion Level | 9/100

[Noire Strife]

Sakura remained silent for a long time after Battler placed her beside him. She reached over and held his hand. For someone like him to change so much... Sakura did not want to think what could have happened to him over the past three years. Judging by the fact that he had an entirely new magic, it had to be significant. He even had horns now. "Start with me, huh...." she squeezed Battler's hand. "I'm sixteen now." she paused for a while after that. Sixteen. It had been a long time, especially for a young teenager like her. Three years was an enternity for someone who had lived for such a short time. It was a long time for anyone, really. "When I was thirteen it was as if I was an entirely different person." she shrugged. "Maybe I was. Everything I see is so different now. People aren't as friendly as I thought them to once be. The world is fast and cruel. I've learned that now. As for the specifications of what happened, I think you can guess from my breakdown. I was kept by a man named Ender and was tortured for three years. " She looked to the ground as she spoke of Ender. It clearly was not a topic she wanted to talk about. "Even though we were both technically members of Phantom Cloak, we did not do much with them. I spent most of my time with Ender. Despite his... unconventional methods, he helped me learn some very powerful magic. For example, your spells have little to no effect on me now. That is, because I can direct your magic towards my mouth and more or less consume it. I've never tried to live without food, but I suppose I could if I had darkness to eat. " "As for your previous questions..." she sighed. "There is not a lot I can answer. I did not assist or really even know of the attack on Griffin Wing. However, I was a member of Phantom Cloak -or I guess it was called Shark Fang back then- around that time. I heard that the members were going to attack a guild, but it did not concern me. Shark Fang attacked many guilds at that time. It was not something new. " Sakura took her hand away from Battler's. She knew what he intended to do. She knew why he wanted this information. She felt uneasy. "When I finish telling you all I know, what-- " she stopped. She already knew what he wanted to do. There was no point in asking. Sakura did not want to think about that subject. "--will you leave me again?"

" "

[Battler Myrddin]

Listening to what she has been up to, Battler couldn't help but feel a tinge of regret, and a tad guilty that the one he took in as his little sister was subjected to so much in his absence, without him to care for her or guide her. Hearing about her new magic, he couldn't help but have a wry smile. Though not blood related, they sure grew up the same way in the last three years.
"I would not recommend eating my magic. Or rather, my demon energy. Too much, and it will eat you from the inside out like it has done to me."

As he heard the information about Shark Fang/Phantom Cloak, he held back on gritting his teeth. He never did have a good relationship with them, and to find out they were part of Griffin Wing's downfall was enough to make his blood run hot. But he knew from the given information that there was a lot to do which he didn't have enough power for now. The other thing about Sakura being part of them guild, be it coerced or not, was enough to earn her a cold glare from Battler for a few seconds.

And she had guessed correctly on his motives. He would bring them down, as well as that corrupt Magic Council. Was he delusional? Perhaps. But he had seen enough darkness everywhere to know that everything, be it guilds or the Magic Council itself to the people in it, they carried darkness. So he would flush it out. Over time, to be thorough. Changing things too quickly causes people to revolt and protest against it.

Hearing the final words of his sister, he didn't look at her, but straight ahead with his head against the wall, looking into the distance.
"The person named Battler has already left you. Gone. The one in front of you is simply someone who looks the same with the same memories, but his own aspirations and goals. He wasn't strong enough, and changed. But... if you still want to tag along, know that things will only get worse from now on. The people your older brother is chasing are more powerful than either of us can handle."

---

Erosion Level | 8/100

[Noire Strife]

Sakura let the room stand still with silence after Battler had finished speaking. She pondered on his words, turning them over and over in her mind. She decided he was warning her, warning her that he was different now. But he, himself, was not gone, despite the fact that he kept insisting that he was. Battler proved that much, at least, by firstly, not killing her, and secondly, by comforting her when she was scared. ""You said 'your older brother'." Sakura pointed out. "If I'm more than just a toy to you, if you won't leave me to the enemy or abandon me, if you'll share your burdens with me... then that is enough. I understand that you've changed. I have too." She let her words sink in for awhile, following Battler's gaze to stare at the wall in front of them. It was very dark, but Sakura was able to see in the fading light. There was nothing of interest. "They're more powerful than us, huh." She rose to her feet, turning to face the red-haired mage still seated on the ground. "Well, we're just going to have to train twice as hard as anyone who stands in our way." With a small smile, Sakura held her outstretched hand towards him. "Let's go, Oniichan."

" "