Now fully moved in to his new den and workspace, Azrael was once more operating at full capacity. Or, well, close to full capacity. He still had a ways to go gathering up all the ingredients he needed to mix his serums and poisons, but those would come in time. The Syndicate had done an excellent job procuring a stockpile of the basic fundamental herbs already, so he'd helped himself to a few choice plants to get his bases made and more simple concoctions brewing in his alchemical set.

But the crux of his work was still in development. Sitting in his quiet workspace that branched off from his own personal den, Azrael was busying himself crafting his preferred method of drug implementations—his stonefish spine injectors. Thanks to Mireia's assistance, the Saxe brute had managed to collect a small bag almost full to the brim with the sharp yet hollow spines. He had more than enough to keep himself in work and serving his Sultan for a long, long time. Which worked out great, since he had no intentions of making the return trip all the way back to Saffron any time soon—not when there was work here to be done.

The methodology of crafting the wicked devices was simplicity mixed with ingenuity. Az had already sterilized the spines by soaking them in an alcohol solution he'd derived from leftover bottles of vodka found in the old ruins scattering the world. After they were dried and stored away, he would shake out a couple of spines across the surface of his stone work table, making sure to not prick himself in the handling of them. Then he would seamlessly impale the spine through the thin cork top of the small glass vials that would contain his serums before sealing them back up and putting them with the small collection of finished injectors off to the side. It was slightly tedious work, but Azrael quite enjoyed it. He liked fantasizing of all the different ways he would get to use his tools in the near future. Oh, what fun he was going to have here!

"Azrael Saxe"

Caedes moved with purpose through the winding tunnels of the den, the soft glow of lanterns guiding his way. He had been intrigued by the whispers of Azrael's recent activities, the Saxe brute's name often mentioned in the same breath as ‘innovative’ and ‘dangerous.’ Even back in Saffron. Their mutual interests in the realms of medicine and methods of administration made this visit inevitable, seeing as he had never been allowed to by his grandmother in the past.

He paused just outside Azrael’s workspace, the rich scents of herbs and alcohol wafting through the air. The familiar smells brought a slight smile to his lips, reminding him of his own experiments and concoctions. Though worlds away from the expertise of the brute within. With a deep breath, he stepped into the room, his presence announced by the soft shuffle of his paws against the earthen floor.

“Azrael.” Caedes greeted, his voice low and smooth, like a whisper against the quiet hum of the workspace. “I hope I am not disturbing you.”

"speaking"

The sound of paws entering his workspace made the Saxe brute's ear flick backward to catch the sound coming closer. He didn't even need to turn around to recognize the weight behind the steps to know who it was. Caedes greeting did tip him off though, his velvety low greeting drawing an amused chuckle from the other brute as he finished applying another spine to a vial with deft paws. "Crying pups disturb me. Dishonesty disturbs me. Rotten apples with squishy insides you don't find until you take a bite disturb me. You do not, my friend." Az turned a charming smile over his shoulder to his guest and fellow medically inclined peer. "Welcome to my humble workshop of wonders, Caedes. Please, make yourself at home!"

Setting his most recently completed injector aside with the rest of the completed ones, Azrael abandoned his current task so he could focus all his attention on Cae instead. He could put together the rest of the injectors later. It would be rude to his guest if he ignored him to keep working. Turning on his haunches so he could face the massive dire brute, Az was all smiles to his cousin. Caedes also had a reputation himself around Saffron. An astute healer with an uncanny knowledge of every plant he came across and its uses. A talented medic with a bright future amongst the Saxes. "So what brings you to grace me with your presence today? Something I can help you with? Or maybe you're in the market for something special?" Azrael knew Caedes was more than capable of brewing his own potions and poisons, but there was a certain je ne sais quoi about getting an already expertly crafted pharmaceutical for your own purposes. Whatever Caedes needed, Az was sure he had.

"Azrael Saxe"

Caedes' lips curled into a subtle smile at Azrael's response, appreciating the wit his fellow Saxe exuded. The humor in Azrael's words was not lost on Caedes, who regarded Az with a meticulous gaze. His emeralds roved the brute, then his den, and his current work with a clinical eye. Drawing closer, the massive brute waited for his kin to find a good point to pause with… whatever he was working with. Curious.

“Your hospitality is much appreciated, Azrael.” Caedes replied, his voice maintaining that same low rumble. He took a moment to glance around the workshop again, taking in the carefully organized space that spoke volumes of Azrael's dedication and skill. The injectors caught his eye, of course.

“I must admit, curiosity led me here today,” He continued, meeting Azrael's gaze with a mix of intensity and camaraderie; or some semblance of it. “I have heard quite a bit about your innovations. The whispers of your work back in Saffron. And it seems you have been quite busy here as well.” Caedes took a step closer, his interest genuine, his emeralds alight with morbid curiosity. Afterall, he would not be a Saxe if he did not have an inclination for the unsavory parts of the medical field. “I have been working on a few projects myself, and I thought perhaps we could exchange some insights. There are certain compounds I have been experimenting with, but I believe your expertise could provide a fresh perspective. It is my understanding that your expertise is more so experimental than my own. And, of course, if you have anything new and remarkable to share, I would be more than eager to learn.” He paused, letting his words hang in the air for a moment before adding with a hint of a mischievous smirk, “Perhaps there is something I can procure that could benefit both of our endeavors.” The differing natures of their specific occupations, Caedes healed, Azrael interrogated. But Caedes could also kill with his poisons, and Azrael could also bring peace to the mind.

"speaking"

Caedes thanked him for his hospitality and began to look around his apothecary workshop. Azrael didn't mind; he quite liked when others admired his work and when he got the opportunity to share his expertise—especially with a kindred spirit like Caedes. Then the larger brute got to the point of his visit—the rumors of his and his father's work back in Saffron had spread. Ah, but of course they had! When there were wolves as sinister as the inquisitors amongst the mix, no one would feel safe daring to harbor any disloyalty or treason in their hearts. But to Azrael, it was a point of pride, and each of Caedes' words was a compliment that widened his smile. "Well, coming from a wolf as talented as yourself, I consider that quite the compliment," he replied with a dark chuckle. If only Sephiran would see his ingenuity for what it was...

Caedes came up closer to him and Azrael invited the other Saxe brute closer with a tip of his head. It was clear his colleague was interested in the injectors he was actively making, and Az encouraged the curiosity and discovery. Cae told him about the projects he had been working on in the Syndicate; compounds he was testing, though he needed more practical applications for his experiments. That piqued the inquisitor's interest. "My friend, you know I'd be more than happy to lend you whatever you need of me. Practical experiments for your compounds, methods of testing, opinions and insight, you name it." In the pursuit of bad medicine, Az was always willing to lend a helping paw.

The mention of something new earned the hulking brute a mischievous grin from the violet and ebony brute as he lifted up his most recently completed injector for Caedes to see. "This has been my latest and crowning achievement to date. A revolutionary new method for getting subjects to take the serums and drugs we want them to." Azrael placed one of the empty injectors into Caedes' massive paw to allow him to inspect it up close at his leisure. "So simple in function, yet so devastating in theory. The needles are stonefish spines. Thin, extremely sharp, and hollow. They allow the fish to pump their venom into anything that steps on them." Az moved to grab a piece of scrap leather from the workbench and an injector he had filled with water for testing purposes. He then demonstrated how as he stabbed the injector into the leather, the water inside the vial was immediately released through the spine, dripping down onto the table and emptying the vial in seconds. "The stonefish's spines are pressure activated, you see. So when they meet pressure or resistance, the tips of the spine stab and displace, allowing the liquid to flow through the hollow spine and into the subject's veins. No consent required."

It was horrifically sinister the implications of what Azrael had done. The Syndicate could effectively drug or poison whoever they wished without having to rely on getting the subject to willingly consume the poison. All it took was one accurate jab and the deed was done. "Do you think your mysterious compound might be effectively delivered like this?" he asked, then realized in a follow up, "What is this compound you're working on anyhow?"

"Azrael Saxe"