Holy Templar Sanctum (Aincrad)

[Apollymi]

While Astolfo was having his head crammed between the large breasts of Olivier, the man she was currently using as a chair was given a fate beyond what was supposed to be the level of his punishment if only by happenstance. He would soon know the truth of the rather effeminate man who was obviously very close to the woman who he would accept as his mistress and dominator. Perhaps she had a fondness for men who were more like girls, but if that was the case, why was this man's erection now rubbing against his face. Sure the boy was small, but wasn't his head still a bit too far down for this to be taking place? A simple gaze upwards caused a gasp, a yelp and tears to stream down that mans face as he tried, even to the point of choking himself to hang his head in shame. In a moment like this and once she let go of Astolfo, Olivier took notice and sighed. "Woopsie, forgot he was down there... probably just ruined his whole life, that wasn't really my intention though..." she mused as she released the man's chain so he could hang his head more easily. Poor man, finding out something as cute as Astolfo was packing some gargantuan meat between his legs was probably more demoralizing than anything else Olivier would have done to him today.

Still the sound of happy laughter from Astolfo warmed the hearts of his female companions, while only further demoralizing the man on the ground. Not only did he get to experience the happiness of being squeezed between Olivier's bosom, now the fanged Executioner was paying him attention too?! What kind of being was the man called Astolfo? And what did he have to do to find himself in these women's good graces? Too bad for this man on the ground, he'd never truly learn the truth. Astolfo was a bit of an enigma. The sort who could bond easily with all sorts of people not just women... it just so happened that only women were present in the current moments. "That's ages! You were gone so long and immediately went back out on another mission, you didn't even stop by to visit!" was the pouty words of Janessa. But to Olivier she had something different so say. "And no Livie, you aren't chopped liver, more like a nice cold mixed drink~" she said with chipper happiness. Ah, but that wasn't really the case, there were a lot of things to potentially discuss. "So, you finally stopped by for a visit then?" she asked seeming to want to know how long she could expect to keep Astolfo occupied on their floor.

[Bloodedge]

Astolfo could feel himself rubbing against that man's face. Of course, he had already disregarded the other male's existence as nothing more than a walking corpse. If Olivier had her hands on him now, he was most likely a few confessions away from Janessa's clutches. Luckily for the breathing corpse, he was allowed some reprieve by the inquisitor. Sadly for Astolfo, he had also been given a bit of leeway... though he would be making his way back eventually. "You sure? Or are you just not admitting that you're willing to use poor, innocent Astolfo as a torture tool? I thought I'd get the torture at this point. Actually, that wouldn't be so bad anymore─" he mused almost mindlessly.

Apparently, the questionable amount of time he'd been gone was enough to be considered 'ages' regardless. To Astolfo, the passage of time was of little consequence. He'd seen some things, he'd done some stuff... he'd been flogged, drawn, molested and so-on. Basically, he'd just lived the longest Tuesday of his life! There was no visiting upon his initial return, however, and that was probably his fault. "Ah! Right... Well, I forgot to check in with everyone! It's hard keeping track of things, and I was excited to be moving around again! So, I followed my king right out the front door, wahaha!" Ever so casually did Astolfo admit to his own negligence. He laughed as if it were a matter of triumph, and maybe it was such a thing in his head somewhere. Janessa went on to ask if he was here to visit. Was he? "Of course I'm here to visit! Wait... no. That's not why I'm here. Oh! I came to tell both of you to pack your stuff and get off this floor!" he mentioned finally. Perhaps there was a better way to put that, but one shouldn't have left such things to Astolfo if they wanted them done properly.

[Apollymi]

There were some strange things afoot in this particular torture chamber. Any random passerby might not actually think any real torture was taking place, that being said the poor chair that Olivier found herself sitting upon would beg to differ. Between finding out that the most feminine looking man he'd ever seen had more meat than him, he was also being forced to listen to a happy reunion between friends. He didn't have that any more. Yes, he'd betrayed his comrades, and sold them off to the enemy. So it was technically his own fault he had no friends to come home and chat with. But he'd thought that given her torture just maybe the Grand Inquisitor had taken a liking to him. But of course she never would. There was no point in struggling further. The Executioner really was all he could expect and even she, didn't really seem to care about what was going on with him either. She really was a kind of small lass though... huh. His head freed, hung in shame and he wept his tears falling to the floor. He needed to confess, he wanted to confess.

Whatever the case, Olivier found herself rebuking Astolfo's assumption and the rather careless way he mentioned not caring too much about being torture. "Hey, I'd never use a friend as a tool just to frighten someone. Have a little more faith in me than that!" she said with a scoff. "And you are way too calm about potentially having been tortured. You're probably one of the people least deserving of what it really is..." she said seeming to show a bit of concern if only for a moment or two. Whatever the case, she'd pulled him back into a hug, of a more normal nature, placing a comforting and empty hand on the back of his head. "We can plot your revenge if you like. Anyone who would torture you deserves the absolute worse treatment," she said this with a certain amount of assurance. Janessa seemed to be nodding along as well. Astolfo was a good individual and she knew this to be fact having partaken of his blood on more than a few occasions. Still after moving on to explain his absence he seemed to be a pretty good humor, only to reveal some strange things. They were to be packing up and moving? Janessa's brow rose, and Olivier found herself staring blankly for a second. "Like are we leaving Aincrad or just moving to a different floor?" asked Janessa, knowing there were only a few reasons for movement within the fortress.

[Bloodedge]

Olivier insisted that she wouldn't use a friend as a torture device. That may have been reassuring to most, but Astolfo almost seemed disappointed. Somewhere in that irrational little head of his, the idea of being used as a tool by his comrade was simply being relied upon for support. Alas, he wouldn't say a thing about that. "Hmm," was all he murmured. Soon after, the pink-haired male was being pulled toward Olivier once more. This time was no aggressive approach like the previous one, but instead a more normal embrace one would expect of companions. Of course, the result was still Astolfo burying himself in the woman's bosom─ he did truly plan to return there earlier.

Revenge. Astolfo had no need of such things. As easily as he escaped torture, he left it in the past where it belonged. "Meh. It's not that big a deal. Besides, Roland probably had the worst of it," he declared. As always, he was very quick to move from one matter to another. After squeezing his way into Olivier's chest one, two, even three times, he gave consideration to Janessa's question. Oh... right. He hadn't been very specific when telling them to pack up, had he? "We're going to Floor 98. Our king is going to be a real king... or... emperor. Yeah, that's it! Emperor of the Holy Empire! So we all get better living conditions!"

[Apollymi]

The lack of logic in Astolfo's brain wasn't something truly understood by anyone. Even so, they accepted the lad as he was. Truly Olivier wasn't pleased by the idea of using friends in a negative way. Though she understood the desire to be relied upon, which is why she offered to help the lad attain revenge. Of course, he would turn down such a thing, and make it seem like he truly didn't care. She noted his burying of his face in her bosom and she didn't seem to care about it at all. If it was possible that seat she had supporting her, sank a little bit, not physically, but emotionally. Whatever, she was content to hear he was mostly fine and he claimed that Roland had it worse. "Ah, well... Roland is always a bit complicated. As one of a handful of women who can talk to him without potentially stirring him to madness, maybe I'll give him headpats later," she said of her good friend.

Beyond this there was the matter of them actually moving and it seemed they were going to floor 98. That was a strange place, but it was empty. "Whoa, whoa, whoa... he's doing what? With who? Don't you think this requires more explanation?" exclaimed Janessa. Who seemed to have become worked up over the potential move and upward social mobility. "One has to wonder why he sent you... knowing you never give enough information for anything to make sense," she asked chuckling the entire time. Doing this sort of thing, made Janessa whine just a little. "We are missing so many details, I don't like change!" Janessa claimed. Of course, she couldn't know one particular truth, which was a certain individual she was always interested in would soon be sharing quarters with the rest of them. How interesting her personal life was becoming. Strangely, Astolfo also seemed pretty relaxed about things, perhaps he'd taken the news of the clearing out of floor 98 a bit better than anyone could have expected.

[Bloodedge]

"Headpats for Roland? Sounds like a surefire way to become just like all the others. Or, maybe not. I dunno how that thing of his works; I just know how to deal with it!" Astolfo rambled. He wasn't sure what the specifics were on his cousin's curse, but it didn't matter to him so long as it could be overcome when necessary. Naturally, Astolfo would always make an effort to bring the maddened Roland back to his senses... whenever he finished laughing at the other male.

His mention of their ascent to the 98th floor was met with questions. Mostly, Janessa thought more of an explanation was necessary. Why? Astolfo didn't think they needed to know anything more than that. Charlemagne was going to be an emperor, and the whole of his Party was to live on the 98th floor as a result. Details weren't that important, right? Astolfo seemed beyond confused at the idea of mentioning more─ especially since he could hardly remember what he told them in the first place. "What? Why? We're getting an upgrade! We're in the first Holy Emperor's Party! Go, go! Get all your stuff and go upstairs, it's going to be great!" he insisted. As for why he was so insistent upon the greatness of this situation, well... upgrades were always nice, right? "Don't make me use Astolfo Hypnotism to make you get a move on!"

[Apollymi]

According to Astolfo headpats for Roland would land Olivier in the same situation as other women. The thought of that made the blue eyed lass laugh, almost hysterically. "Hahaha~ I doubt it. We grew up together, and I have no problem chaining him up or making him furniture," said Olivier. She was all about keeping everyone under control, her best friend Roland included. She might have found it strange that his supposed curse never had him fawning all over her, but she figured she wasn't really his type, not that he actually appeared to have much of a type to start with...

Astolfo seemed not to understand the reservations in the minds of these two young women. A quick shifting of eyes occurred between the pair of them as they came to a certain conclusion. Strangely, given the situation, neither wanted to be the one to bring up the particulars here and now. "Upgrades are good yes, it just seems a bit out of nowhere, ya' know?" asked Janessa. Even so, she would prepare, because like the others she'd follow Charlemagne wherever he wished to go, apparently it was currently floor 98. Olivier could only laugh at the potential threat of the use of Astolfo hypnotism. "Well that is all fine and dandy but obviously I am still working right now," she said with a gentle gesture towards her sunken chair. She hadn't heard nor assessed his confession yet, so she couldn't up and leave either. Janessa for her part in this seemed to follow along enough to not think about it too much. "The only thing Astolfo Hypnotism will get you is bitten~" she claimed with her nose turned up in the air. She wasn't a blood lust filled vampire or anything. She had decency and restraint, so long as there were no outside influences. Astolfo was definitely an outside influence. "So give us a few minutes to work and then we'll pack up and go up with you, how about it?" asked Olivier who was reaching over to remove the gag from the mouth of her victim. Surely he had something to say by now. "I did it. I sold my party in to slavery while we were out and returned with a made up story. I didn't think anyone would find out... " that confession was rather quick and Olivier looked down at the man who had spilled his guts so easily. Maybe Astolfo could actually be used as part of torture. "Just kill me. I know you don't want me. I know what I did was wrong. I confess to everything!" the man was so exasperated but he was being truthful, this was a matter of certainty for Olivier. "That wasn't so hard now was it?" she asked him as she finally stood up seeming to have given up her chair for a reason. She gave a gentle nod to Janessa. "Hm, with Astolfo here, I am not actually inclined to drink such a downgrade... do you mind if I do it the quick way?" she asked. "Executioner's choice." Ah what a strange scene this was morphing into... All the while that poor man basically flatted himself into the floor. Even the vampire didn't think him worth a drink. Obviously he was scum.

[Bloodedge]

When Olivier spoke of chaining Roland and using him as furniture, Astolfo's head tilted. She so easily admitted to something that would make many grown men run if they knew her capacity... though many more grown men would throw themselves into the opportunity. "Hmm yeah, not helping! He'd love it eventually, even if he isn't throwing himself at you from the start. And why does Astolfo not get chained and objectified?! Hmm?! All I got was a headlock and a noogie! You hate me, don't you?!" The lad seemed outraged─ at least, his tone did. Visually, he hadn't changed a bit. Such was always Astolfo, sauntering about with no concerns and... maybe half a brain on a good day. Today was a good day.

The women's reactions to their apparent relocation were strange. Astolfo couldn't fathom why they weren't both over the moon about the upgrade. Maybe they were both mentally tapped for the day or something. Either way, he was not beyond using whatever 'Astolfo Hypnotism' was to get them moving. Olivier's work didn't have to take very long at all, and Janessa... "And? Isn't that what happens anyway?" the lad questioned.

Lo and behold, the "few minutes" they needed to get ready wasn't even a single minute, at least not of Olivier's torture. Once she removed the gag from her victim, he nearly told his life story. "That didn't even take a few minutes! He just spilled every bean in France; kill him and let's go!" he exclaimed.

[Apollymi]

Astolfo's lack of logic was showing in a moment like this. He claimed that Roland would eventually come to like the kind of treatment that Olivier typically gave criminals and those who misbehaved. And he seemed to be upset that in his own words he wasn't being 'chained' and 'objectified'. A look of surprise crossed the face of the blue eyed woman as she scoffed at his accusation. "Firstly, you don't need discipline nor are you in need of being humbled, so obviously I wouldn't. Such kind behavior from me is a sign that you are good not that I don't like you," she said with her nose turned up in the air. The nerve of him to want the kind of punishment she typically dished out to the masses. He should appreciate that she spoiled him the way she did, perhaps he'd end up punished for being an ingrate? Ah whatever it didn't really matter.

She'd abandoned her chair and it seemed that Janessa was content enough to kill the man quickly. A magical cross appeared before him and planted itself in the ground and he was lifted, via blood magic onto it. Multple small incisions nailed him with blood to the object while little whimpers and screams escaped him and then Janessa's hands began tracing up his ribs. This was not remotely sexual she was counting. "Make your peace," she said in this moment. The man took a deep breath and before he could even speak her narrow little hand slid between his fourth and fifth ribs, the six inches of her palm traveled straight to his heart and shredded it. His death was mostly painless and instanteous which is more than could be said for the victims he sold into slavery. He bleed out into a drain and then just as quickly as everything else had happened the cross disappeared and his body was left arms crossed over his chest on the floor with a sheet being placed over him. "Alright. Alright... All done. Let's pack it up," mentioned Janessa.

Olivier also began walking towards the door. "Alright alright to the 98th floor," she said seeming a bit less enthusiastic than one might be. She was still sharing those casual glances with Janessa, wondering what all Astolfo hadn't been told. If Olivier remembered correctly, she'd last seen him when Jeanne d'Arc went off in search of the missing Albion. That meant that it'd likely been more than a thousand years, he couldn't know of the changes which happened shortly after that. Whatever the case, they'd begin packing but what else was going on with the Peers of Charlemagne?

[Bloodedge]

Astolfo didn't need discipline or humbling. He wasn't a villain, he wasn't a criminal, and he wasn't a sinner. None of that made a single difference. "Blah! Well you're not doing me any favors by leaving me out of the loop! How do you know I don't need to be tortured, huh? I haven't been made to confess for all my wrongdoing!" Astolfo was very insistent upon there being some sort of reason for his punishment. Obviously, it was in Olivier's best interest to acquiesce at some point, for whatever reason she had in the end.

That poor, broken man in the middle of an execution at least knew some pleasantries before his final moments. Maybe that did include having Astolfo's monstrous crotch rubbed against his face to ruin the whole experience, but he was a criminal! Clearly a non-criminal like Astolfo himself was entitled to the same treatment without the random cock to the face... and perhaps without the crucifixion and immediate heart-destruction from Janessa. In seeing that, Astolfo probably should have been concerned... but was he? No. "Yay! He's dead, now let's go already!" the male shouted while skipping his way toward the exit. A great deal of things were ahead of the group. For Astolfo alone, perhaps that list included being Olivier's practice dummy and... Janessa's dinner? Yeah, that sounded about right.

What else was going on with the group of peers? On the 75th floor, aptly named "Collinia", there were at least four members of the Party. One was a tall, red-haired male in ornate armor. He wielded a massive, burning flamberge against a man of more average height. The second male was platinum blonde, fully clad in more normal armor, and wielded a sword that somehow held off the massive blade of his opponent. Meanwhile, one man taller than the others by more than a full head observed their struggle from the edge of a colosseum they all inhabited. The third male was an elf with armor that exposed his shoulders. His hair was sleek, silver with natural purple highlights. "They don't seem to be making much progress at all. How many days have they been at it now?" he asked another comrade. The elf had only recently returned to the colosseum. As long as these two had been fighting, he wasn't going to sit around and watch for eternity.