Path Of The Broken

27. Lockdown-4

Kevin sat at his desk in his office. He had paperwork everywhere indicating he was working hard but it was an illusion. While he was relieved that the Grand Guild Master had decided to implement his suggestion, it was still playing at his nerves to wait. They were only humans, but some of them were stronger than he’d thought possible. He had learned a surprising amount about how to maximise the power that he had from how the healers worked with their limited power supply.

Kevin looked up as his door opened and smiled as Master Darius walked in. His assistant glanced at him, then closed the door quietly.

“My turn already, Darius?” Kevin stood in greeting and moved around his desk.

“Yes. You’re the last of the Masters who sit on Council to be checked. I don’t know what the king is thinking. I don’t believe any of us is compromised.” The old man was clearly grumpy that he had work to do rather than relaxing in his office or the gardens like he was more inclined to do these days.

“I agree, but he is the king so it’s best to humour him.” Kevin smiled at the old man.

“Let’s get this over with, shall we?”

Darius raised his hands at Kevin’s nod and went to place them on his temples, his own mind shields lowering so he could probe Kevin’s bonds. Before he could complete the action Kevin’s own hands shot up, grasping the old man’s head in a firm grip. The old man’s eyes widened in shock.

An unarticulated gurgle came out of his mouth as Kevin put niceties aside and sent his own mind probe piercing into his mind. He froze his victim’s vocal cords as he quickly took over, careful to scrub this moment from the other healer’s mind and put in its place a series of fleeting images he copied from the multiple times the old healer had performed this act on his fellow healers this day. Finally he constructed the memory of Darius finding nothing out of the ordinary in his mind. Finishing up, he removed his own hands, standing quietly in front of Darius. As he withdrew from the other’s mind, he shook his head, as if disconcerted by the other healer’s search of his mind.

Darius looked momentarily confused before he smiled. “Ah, I’m sorry, my boy, it’s always a little disconcerting, having another in your mind that way. Take a rest, and you are clear to vet your own people when you are recovered.”

Kevin smiled and complied as the old man courteously directed him to rest on one of his own lounges before leaving his office to return and report the all clear to the Grand Master Healer.

The smile dropped off Kevin’s face as the old man left, his eyes narrowing. It was such a shame he had to invade the old man’s mind cleanly and quickly. He much preferred to play with is victims; inflicting a little pain and torture on them always put him in a good mood.