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[h3][i][color=dc143c]~Victoire Bordeaux~[/color][/i][/h3]
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The characteristic crack of a whip could be heard by anyone who dared approach the dungeon underneath Victoire's castle. She had been treating her prizes rather unkindly, befitting her sadistic persona. Bastion and Diana had been stripped of all of their belongings, dressed in a prisoner's garb (little more than a crude hemp sack with holes cut for their upper limb and head), stuffed in a cell, chained and generally abused to Victoire's amusement.

Even now, with the next large scale battle drawing near, Victoire continued her [i]'interrogation'[/i] with great pleasure, hopping that she would not be interrupted by a certain buffoon who called himself King of Hell, before she had her fill of fun. [color=dc143c]"Will you finally let out the secret you have that makes you so important for the Machina, or do I have to use more... forceful methods?"[/color] Victoire said, raising Bastion's chin with her whip's handle, forcing the kneeling girl to face Diana, who was even now tied up with chains, hanging from the ceiling by her tail and wearing a muzzle to prevent her breath attacks. [color=dc143c]"If you don't cooperate, I'll have to give your friend some more of my warm treattment."[/color] Victoire grinned wickedly as she direct Bastion's vision to the pit of burning embers directly bellow the bound Diana, who was being lowered ever so slowly by the vampire's servants.

Diana whose supple skin had been turned to a light brown from the successive attempts of this fiery torture, glared at Victoire with defiant eyes, before looking back at Bastion. The dragon girl would have none of it affect her, she would endure this undue and sadistic punishment as long as Bastion was safe, there was no need for the dark haired girl to betray any knowledge she might have.

Sure, help would come eventually, or best of all, Diana would find a way to slip both of them away from here. It was just a matter of waiting. Surely, Victoire couldn't keep them here forever, could she?
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[h3][i]* * *[/i][/h3]
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To everyone else who live, and died, in the Nexus, the grand news were that the next battle drew nearer, not so much of a pressing matter now, but enough for more reports from the front to arrive at each of the factions' lands.

Rumor was it that the battle would be for control of a large underwater ruin, entrenched near a tropical archipelago, on the southern coast of the famed Sea of Ruthria. The reports indicated that Intelligence gathering and Strategic would have a louder voice on the next battle's scenario. That is, unless the rumors about the yet mysterious ruins being the lair of the legendary sea serpent, Leviathan --The Serpent of the Abyss-- were proven to be untrue.

However, there was still time left for those who wished to enjoy their reprise. The drums of war thundered on the horizon, but the storm, had yet to arrive...
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[center][@TheWindel], [@Lonewolf685], [@Lucius Cypher], [@Flamelord], [@Shyla Nesthorn], [@Skyswimsky], [@Ryonara], [@Pyromania99], [@Unlucky0013], [@Awesomoman64], [@Mega Birb].[/center]