Chapter 126: Interlude 16. Klaus Takes A Leap

Setting things up took a little bit more effort and time than Klaus might have wanted, but he could be patient, oh yes he could. He could not afford to flub this, after all. Lady Gillespie was a cunning and ruthless foe, and Klaus was very cognizant of the fact that a misstep would likely get him killed on the spot. However, he was well used to high stakes in his craft. Honestly speaking, if he was sure that his goal would be achieved, he would be entirely content to die in the process. After all, his next iteration would be able to simply pick up where he had left off. To ensure it would be so, he left extensive notes in his table. No more guessing just what in the name of all magical happened to his predecessor... Well, no. He still was wondering just what went on to get his previous instance decapitated and where was the rest of the cadaver. Unfortunately, the only person who likely knew wasn't interested in talking, and he currently had no leverage to ensure otherwise.

Tracing the hashishins paid off in spades. While the attempt with invisibility had regrettably failed entirely, his men reported that the plan B actually went off without a hitch. It was complicated and expensive, but he managed to lead hashishins around to the "abandoned" cache of poison and ensure the nullification crystal was "sold" to the right person. Doing so had cost him three men, as hashishins were naturally disinclined to leave behind any witnesses that might tip off the target of an impending assassination, but according to the last report, hashishin had successfully infiltrated the crowd and activated the nullification field. His agent unfortunately was not able to secure the direct observation point and was forced to rely on magical tools to detect the activation of crystal, but that was for the best, really. No chances of lady Gillespie tying the attempt to his men.

Now, all he had to do was wait. The note was sent to the aforementioned lady in the morning, notifying her that the only existing vial of antidote could be had in Kraut, provided some compliance. Given that the target was one of her wives, whom she seemed to genuinely love, Klaus had no doubt she would show up to see who had the antidote, at the very least. He was reasonably certain that he would be able to bargain for the cookie recipe with it. Just to be sure, the antidote was stashed securely in his office, which was very much NOT the place where the meeting would occur. Rather, he demanded attendance at the Ashenvale pass, near the proposed site for the tunnel entrance. So here he was, eyeing the lake of ash and waiting patiently for his quarry to show up. She would, he was certain of it. Lady Gillespie never made a secret out of the fact she mastered the instant travel magic oijans were so zealously guarding and improved upon it, given that she was known to definitely use it several times by now and did not expire as sultanate mages tended to.

"Klaus. Why am I not surprised?" - the question took him by surprise. He was sure there is no way to miss her arrival, yet...

"Ah, lady Gillespie." - he proffered glibly, turning around quickly to cover up his startlement - "I ask of you to hear me out first. Surely, the life of your wife deserves as much?"

"Mmhm. So... speak. Given that you mentioned antidote, I do believe you had some involvement in that last attempt on me and mine. I presume you want something from me for it, no? And, obviously, the actual antidote is stashed somewhere well away from here in a secure place, just in case I decide it's easier to kill you for it than give you whatever it is you want to bargain for, isn't it so?" - she drawled. Klaus had to admire the iron countenance. She seemed bemused. An impressive ability to cover up her actual feelings, all things said, given the bleak despair she must have really felt knowing that the only chance to save her wife lied in the hands of a cunning foe such as himself.

"Oh, nothing onerous, milady." - he proffered - "I do readily concede that we probably have gotten off the wrong foot in our previous interactions. Particularly so, in the first meeting, if the condition of me upon the conclusion of it was of any indication. If it is of any consolation, I do admit that I was excessively heavy-handed in my demands and paid the price for it. I also acknowledge the fact that a gifted alchemist such as yourself might put faith in her skills at concocting elixirs instead of bargaining, if I ask for too much right now."

He paused, forcing back the desire to rub his hands together gleefully - "So all I ask for is the recipe for the cookies."

"...Cookies?" - she repeated with confusion - "Seriously? You want some baking tips? Good grief, what is wrong with you? For that matter, why ask ME for cooking help? Don't you have any bakers in Berlinger?"

"No need to be coy, lady Gillespie." - he chided gently - "You and I both know what cookies I'm talking about. The secret ones that negate the need for sleeping, if you need it spelled out loud. Give me the recipe, and the antidote will be in your hands by the sunset, my word on it."

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"Cookies that negate the need for sleep?" - she repeated, scratching the back of her head - "What are you talking about? I never made anything like this."

Klaus clicked his tongue. "We have procured a sample and ascertained its effects." - he pressed on - "I admire your dedication to keeping such valuable knowledge secret, but surely the life of your wife is worth that much?"

"Klaus, read my lips." - she retorted irritably - "I never made anything, cookie-shaped or not, that would negate sleeping. I never would, for that matter, because sleep deprivation would destroy sanity, regardless of how invigorated a body feels. If you found a cookie that made you unable to sleep, you have my condolences, but I had no hand in making it. Steep some poppy pods in milk, that should get you asleep sufficiently well to counteract the negative effects of sleep deprivation."

He groaned, his good mood evaporating. "Really?" - he snarled - "Even though I have held the actual cookie in my hand, you insist on keeping this charade? Fine then. If you don't know anything about it, then I do not know a thing about the antidote."

He was not entirely unprepared for physical assault, but the fact that her hand morphed into a long tentacle to grab him by the throat was startling. Still, he grinned viciously.

"Kill me, and you'll never find the antidote!" - he rasped triumphantly.

"Klaus, you soggy moron..." - she proffered - "I don't NEED an antidote. Your assassin failed. I killed him before he could get a shot off."

His blood stilled for a moment. NO. Impossible. That had to be a bluff. He had no time to object though, as the grip tightened, lifting him off the ground. He clawed at the tentacle, eyes widening as her whole form melted. '...Oh gods, eyes... and teeth... oh godsohgodsohgodsOHGODSNOOOO!'

"Y̻̝͈̱͕̹̭̒O̭̲̞̦U̞̗̖̭̩-̲̗͕̭̯ͦͬ͡T̴̳͓̺͔͓̤̻Ḥ͎͚ͅỈͬṢ̖͉̘-̣͗ͬ̑S̍͝I̺̝̣͗̊͞M͍͉̠̂͒̍ͣ͗̐̅P̤̲̙̯̏̚L̹̱̗̻̓̐̆͊ͅE̢̹̫̪̭̺̳͛-̗͗͊͢Ḍ͗͂̂ͧȨͫ̔ͦ͗L̍ͬ̏͒͝Uͯ̓̉͊͑ͪ̚҉̱͈͍̫̫̩̼D͚̅ͬͭ̊ͥEͬ̀D̳̻͚̜͓̩̎ ͇̟̭̤͜T͈̻͓̫̩̀̇I̩̟̤ͣ́M̉ͥ̂E͕̗̊ͅ/̥͎̞̤͚̤̤͗̋̃̉͟M̿̂̀ͬ̉̒͏̗̠̭͚͚O̸̜͉̩̟̙̙ͮͫͤM̵̠̬̼͍̹̦͗̉̓ͧ̐ͤE̜̝̺̞̹̬͛̍̊̑̂N͉̲̻̰̔T̵̲̙͔̤̲͒͗/̵̝̗̝̯̭̤̤̃̅ͫO̫̘̙͉̙͂ͧ̍ͫ̈̀͌͠ͅP̾̓͟P̯̼̑ͧͪ̄͝O̩̥͇͉͖̤͑̓̀́̚ͅȒ̫̃͋̋ͯ͐͌Ț͛U͒͌̎̋̋ͣ̚͞N̨̥ͧͩͬ̃͌̈́I̶͍͚̼̳̦̣̝͌T̜̲̥̗̩̥Y͖͓̠͈̦͜ ͙̋̕T͉̀̅̇͋͆̍̎͝O̡͚̙̦͍͂̐̊ ̪̯̜̫͔F̵̘̮̩͇̭͙̥̄L̼͚̃ͤͤͭ̒̾Y̠̠̠̍̍̇ͦ͋/̠̲̺̲̐̉͌́A̷̮͓ͦ̿͂ͭ͑ͨS̮͙͇̠̝̥͐͠C̜̤͖ͥ͊̃͐Ḛ̹̒̔̄̃͡N̤͊̚D̺ͮͦ̾̅/̦̻̗̤̜̓ͪ̈́̔ͬ̈́̄͜A͔̼̖̝̖̲͌ͦ̔̿̀C̹̞͚ͩͭ͐̇̓́ͅC͙̱̈́̾́̒̈ͥE͍̱̱͍ͬͤ̎Ĺ͚̭̝̻̣̆̇̕ẺR̂̎Ą̏̀͋̄ͧ͌̋Ṭ̞̣͚͖̮̲̐E͂͑ͮ͝/͓̝̞̮͈̺́A̧̫̩̬ͤRͧ͝C̜̬͎̜͕͈̭͊͑̔̀.҉͔̥̙ "

- the horror in front of him uttered before lofting him into the caldera. Sinking into the ashes was strangely relieving.

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