Pain flows through his body. Pain with no visible source, that will leave no marks.

“Just tell me where to find him and stop wasting time for both of us.”

I give him a few seconds to consider, maybe catch his breath so he can answer. He won’t; they never do.

Instead, he spits on my boot.

Once more, pain flows from my fingers into his mind and body. As the pain wears away his concentration, I attempt to dive into his consciousness. His mental walls hold, but only just. Unfortunately, feeling the intrusion gives him a goal and lets him withstand the pain that much better.

I’m fed up with this. As I told him earlier, he’s wasting my time. I stop the pain abruptly while simultaneously renewing my mental assault.

The sudden loss of sensation throws him off balance and I’m in. The information I need is in here somewhere, so I just take all of it. It’s faster that way, though a bit messier. I rip out his memories wholesale, transferring them to the crystal around my neck.

I walk away from the drooling half-man I’ve left in the cell. I close and lock the door and don’t look back again.