Chapter 103 - I promise.
"More than most," Ava admitted. "But even I don't know its full potential. That's why I protect it. That's why I can't let it fall into the wrong hands."
8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgWzexszxz1
Cillian studied her face, searching for any sign of deception. "So what now? You expect me to just hand it over and walk away?"
8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡla3OmeSMQI
Ava's eyes met his, unflinching. "No. I expect you to make a choice. Join me, help me protect it. Or try to take it for yourself and face the consequences."
8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡifJVn4EQzE
Cillian felt the weight of the moment pressing down on him. Everything he'd been raised to believe, everything he thought he knew about the war and his family's place in it, seemed to hang in the balance. He took a deep breath, steadying himself.
8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoyAsL9TEG8
"I need to know more," he said finally. "Before I make any decisions."
8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡujQZVAlfvA
Ava nodded, a hint of approval in her eyes. "Smart boy. But we don't have much time. Your family, the Alizahs - they'll be looking for us soon."
8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDsvRnEXFOS
As if on cue, the sound of footsteps echoed down the corridor. Cillian tensed, his sword at the ready. Ava's hand shot out, gripping his arm.
8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0WxaX1G6Sv
"Last chance, Cillian," she hissed. "Are you in, or out?"
8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIrJbvOISix
Cillian hesitated for a split second, then nodded. "I'm in. But this better not be a trick."
8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeV1qdgo57K
Ava's grin was fierce. "Oh, it's no trick. But you might wish it was before this is over."
8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡecMOH1GLQQ
With that, she pulled him towards a hidden panel in the wall. As they slipped through, Cillian couldn't shake the feeling that he'd just stepped off the edge of a cliff. Whatever came next, there was no going back now.
As Ava pulled Cillian through the hidden panel, a blinding light engulfed them.
When Cillian's vision cleared, he found himself standing in the grand hall of the Fortress of Ossa. The abrupt transition left him momentarily disoriented.
8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUanBTqfcrS
Before him stood three figures: Richard, Roxana, and Medea.
8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAD4TkvJdc8
Suddenly, Ava's hand shot towards Cillian's mouth, a bottle of purple liquid clutched in her grip. Before he could react, she forced the contents down his throat. The purple liquid burned as it slid down, causing his body to jolt violently.
8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHq3Imhbyry
Azone knights sprang into action, throwing chains around Cillian. He struggled against their hold, but the potion's effects were immediate. His strength waned, his powers destabilized - the same concoction that had been used on Luxana. Cillian's very sense of self began to slip away, dissolving into a haze of confusion and weakness.
8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ67d1QM3snr
With a final, desperate attempt to break free, Cillian's legs gave out. He collapsed to the floor, consciousness fading rapidly.
8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡs8M6d3vZRd
Roxana stepped forward, a cold smile on her face as she tapped Ava's shoulder. "Excellent work," she said, her voice laced with satisfaction.
8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBruzku3CoK
Medea approached next, her eyes fixed on the artifact. "Hand over the jewel now," she demanded.
8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡn5CUGpa4VN
Ava complied, though her teeth were gritted as she reluctantly passed over the powerful object.
8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡakcIvlS5WU
Richard moved last, bending down to scoop up Cillian's unconscious form with the chains. Without a word, he turned and walked away, carrying the boy deeper into the fortress.
8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡid1EQ0Mglg
The grand hall of Ossa fell silent, the betrayal complete, leaving only the echo of Richard's footsteps as he disappeared with Cillian.
-Alizahs; Romanian Imperial Palace's Discussion Room-
As news of the missing Artifact of Lirania spread through the Alizah ranks, panic and fury erupted.
8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡs8Xa63nUmI
"How could we let this slip through our fingers?" Rudbeckia snarled, slamming her fist on the war room table. "That jewel was our key to victory!"
8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQ1BDDD1YYz
Her advisors exchanged nervous glances. One brave soul spoke up: "My lady, our spies report the Azones now have possession of the artifact. It seems the Valentine boy was involved somehow."
8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡef8ffGFVQ7
Rudbeckia's eyes flashed dangerously. "MY SON? Cillian De Valentine? That pompous little duke? How did he outmaneuver us?"
8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmhTto4FipC
"We're not certain, but there are whispers of a girl with pink hair who may have been working with him," another advisor added cautiously.
8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGe18q6KQ3J
She paced the room, her mind racing. "This changes everything. Without the artifact, our plans for the ruins of Kior are useless. We need to adapt, and quickly."
8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡboHwiIr2yo
She turned to her assembled officers, her voice cold and determined. "Double our efforts to infiltrate Azone territory. I want eyes and ears everywhere. And put a bounty on the Valentine boy's head - dead or alive. He's made himself a priority target now."
8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKhc8cIJ4kg
As her subordinates scrambled to carry out her orders, Rudbeckia stared out the window at the war-torn landscape. The loss of the jewel was a devastating blow, but she was far from defeated.
-11:45 PM, Fortress of Ossa; Main Hall-
8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOOksEjOQl0
Luxana stumbled through the grand doors of the Fortress of Ossa, exhaustion etched into every line of her body. Her mission attire was torn and stained, evidence of the dangerous espionage she had just completed. As she entered the main hall, her eyes darted around, searching for a familiar face or a sign that she could finally rest.
8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzetK0dhFwL
Instead, she found Medea and her mother, Roxana, waiting for her with stern expressions.
8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡw1tQVCtIqs
"Luxana," Medea's voice cut through the air like a knife. "Your mission report can wait. Follow us. Now."
8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSLKMK5jNdJ
Confusion flickered across Luxana's face, but she knew better than to question orders. Silently, she fell into step behind the two women, her tired muscles protesting with every movement.
8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwBMZfhAftV
They led her through winding corridors, descending deeper into the fortress. The air grew colder, the stone walls pressing in around them. Finally, they reached a heavy iron door that Medea pushed open with a creak that echoed ominously.
8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdzd72ZVJTA
A dimly lit staircase spiraled down into darkness. Luxana hesitated for a moment, a chill running down her spine that had nothing to do with the temperature.
8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡN7bHGUjoMO
"Move," Roxana commanded, her voice devoid of maternal warmth.
8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPJrserHPkF
Swallowing hard, Luxana obeyed, following them down into the depths of the fortress. With each step, the weight of dread in her stomach grew heavier. She had heard whispers of what lay beneath the fortress, but had never been permitted to see it herself.
-12 AM, Fortress of Ossa; Underground Dungeons-
8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7PsJXsuzZk
The heavy iron door creaked open, revealing a dimly lit staircase that spiraled down into the depths of the Fortress of Ossa. Luxana, her orange hair dulled by the flickering torchlight, followed silently behind Medea and Roxana. The air grew colder and damper with each step, the stone walls seeming to close in around them.
8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmcMSWRcZ9P
As they descended, the sounds of their footsteps echoed ominously, mixing with distant, muffled cries that sent shivers down Luxana's spine. The stench of mold, sweat, and something far more sinister assaulted her nostrils, growing stronger as they neared the bottom.
8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpZHC2Nx1m0
Finally, they reached the dungeon hall - a long, cavernous space lined with iron-barred cells. Shadows danced on the walls, cast by sputtering torches that did little to dispel the oppressive darkness. Water dripped somewhere in the distance, a steady rhythm that seemed to count down to some unknown, dreaded moment.
8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEJHnhnqjx6
Medea's voice cut through the silence, sharp and cold. "Luxana, tell me. Why are we fighting this war?"
8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMNCLyoeB78
Luxana's voice wavered slightly as she responded, her eyes fixed on the damp stone floor. "To achieve victory over the Alizahs, who have clashed with the Azones for centuries. To determine who is strongest and to re-establish the Empire of Kior."
8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkalsajK5iv
Medea's lips curled into a sneer. "Correct, but your answer lacks... depth. Let me enlighten you." She paused, her eyes glinting in the torchlight. "I'm doing all this to get revenge for my beloved sister."
8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJoFa3tvsw5
At these words, Roxana flinched almost imperceptibly, but remained silent. Luxana, noticing the tension, simply murmured, "Understood."
8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk8kOGjuCnn
They approached a specific cell, guarded by a stoic soldier who unlocked the heavy door at Medea's nod. The hinges groaned in protest as it swung open, revealing the cell's dark interior.
8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFl2Z0Ska2v
Medea entered first, her movements graceful despite the uneven floor. She settled into a chair beside the cell's lone occupant - a figure slumped against the far wall, held upright only by thick chains attached to the ceiling.
8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtT9u2trXto
With a lazy flick of her wand, Medea lifted the prisoner's chin. As Roxana stepped aside, allowing Luxana a clear view, the young woman's breath caught in her throat.
8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWfjq7OwEdy
Before her was a man, or what remained of one. His torso was bare, revealing a canvas of bruises, cuts, and burns that left little unmarred skin visible. His black pants, once fine, were now tattered and stained with blood and grime. The chains bit cruelly into his wrists, which were raw and bleeding from his struggles.
8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjAYx5m99Xg
His face, once handsome, was now a mask of dried blood and fresh bruises. One eye was swollen shut, while the other - a startling aquamarine - stared vacantly ahead. His white hair, matted with blood and sweat, hung in limp strands around his face.
8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2gkSFtYrBj
Despite the obvious abuse, there was still a defiant set to his jaw, a spark of resistance that hadn't been fully extinguished.
8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzwh7MEGMUS
Tears welled up in Luxana's eyes, spilling over before she could stop them. Her heart ached for this stranger, this man she didn't know but felt inexplicably drawn to.
8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡU23ltjynPR
Medea's voice cut through Luxana's shock. "Do you know who this is, Luxana?"
8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpr6WqEfYOA
Luxana's voice trembled as she responded, "N-no. I don't know him." The words felt like a lie, though she couldn't understand why.
8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNd23Ha4eH5
A cruel smile played on Medea's lips. "Is that so?" She gestured to a soldier standing nearby. "Perhaps we need to jog your memory."
8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLWeaFNMhmm
The soldier stepped forward, uncoiling a whip that glowed with an unnatural heat. Without warning, he brought it down across the prisoner's exposed chest.
8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyp8a7iVsBa
The crack of the whip was deafening in the confined space. The prisoner's body jerked violently, a hoarse scream tearing from his throat. The smell of burning flesh filled the air as an angry red welt appeared on his skin.
8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmHKzc1yZoA
Again and again, the whip fell. Each lash left a new line of fire across the man's torso. His screams grew weaker, but his body continued to convulse with each strike. Blood began to trickle from the deeper cuts, creating macabre patterns on his pale skin.
8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ82IcVVLUB9
Luxana watched in horror, unable to look away. Her legs trembled, threatening to give out beneath her. She wanted to scream, to beg them to stop, but her voice seemed trapped in her throat.
8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡq8uwYjOozL
The prisoner's head lolled forward, consciousness finally fleeing. But still, the whip fell. The soldier's face remained impassive, as if he were simply performing a mundane task rather than inflicting unimaginable pain.
8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdxyr2yu5d0
Medea watched the scene with cold satisfaction, her eyes flicking between the prisoner and Luxana. Roxana stood silently, her face a mask of indifference that didn't quite reach her eyes.
Luxana's heart pounded in her chest as she watched the soldier's whip descend again and again on the prisoner's already battered body. Each crack of the whip, each muffled cry of pain, sent shockwaves through her. Suddenly, unable to bear it any longer, she sprang into action.
8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5PAw81vIAU
"Stop!" Luxana cried out, her voice raw with emotion. She lunged forward, grabbing the soldier's arm mid-swing with both hands. "Please, I beg you, no more!"
8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2qhwld2miS
The soldier, startled by her intervention, tried to shake her off. "My lady, I have my orders-"
8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡn5ck6y0K2M
"I don't care about your orders!" Luxana shouted, her eyes wild with a mixture of fear and determination. She positioned herself between the soldier and the prisoner, arms outstretched. "This is barbaric! He's already unconscious, for heaven's sake!"
8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnmjKkWPkD4
Tears streamed down Luxana's face as she continued to plead. "Haven't you done enough? Look at him! How can you stand there and continue this... this torture?"
8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzhIrJOdYBg
The soldier's face remained impassive, but his arm holding the whip lowered slightly. "Step aside, Lady Luxana. This doesn't concern you."
8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡw2kJHVQzcY
"It does concern me!" Luxana retorted, her voice rising. "I won't let you hurt him anymore. I'll...I'll take the lashes myself if I have to!"
8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxRY4HJ23rg
This outburst caught everyone off guard. Medea's eyebrows rose in surprise, while Roxana's face paled slightly.
8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMhNyrV4TY2
Medea's cold voice cut through the tension. "My, my. Is this rebellion I see, Luxana? How...unexpected."
8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZniL3ogi75
Luxana turned to face Medea, her chest heaving with emotion. "Aunt Medea, please. Enough is enough. What could this possibly achieve?"
8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDtRiQ7d87o
For a moment, the dungeon was silent save for the ragged breathing of the unconscious prisoner and Luxana's quiet sobs. Then, Medea waved her hand dismissively.
8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNrAvogP7rl
"Fine. This is enough for today. Your...compassion has bought him a reprieve, Luxana. I hope you're satisfied."
8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5bK5uPK7Jq
With that, Medea turned and strode out of the cell, Roxana following silently behind her. The soldier hesitated for a moment, looking between Luxana and the prisoner, before finally exiting as well, taking up position outside the cell door.
8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡch5xUukpfe
Luxana stood there, trembling, her mind reeling from her own actions. She had never defied her aunt or mother like this before. The implications of what she had done, the potential consequences, loomed large in her mind.
But as she turned to look at the battered man hanging from the chains, left alone with the unconscious prisoner, Luxana felt overwhelmed by emotions she couldn't understand. Why was she crying for a stranger? The feeling was visceral, nauseating in its intensity.
With the soldier and her family members gone, Luxana found herself alone with the unconscious prisoner. Her heart still raced from the intensity of her outburst, but a new urgency took hold as she looked at the man's battered form.
8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡA4ypadkp0Y
Hesitantly, she approached him. Up close, the extent of his injuries was even more horrifying. Without thinking, she reached out, her fingers hovering just above a particularly nasty gash on his chest.
8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡv9dhFTDSBM
"I'm so sorry," she whispered, her voice barely audible. "I don't know who you are, but no one deserves this."
8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDWRHcxXoTj
As her hand made contact with his skin, something extraordinary happened. A warm, fiery red light light began to emanate from her palm, spreading across the prisoner's body. Luxana gasped, instinctively trying to pull away, but found she couldn't break the connection.
8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnkFzJHvNy5
Before her eyes, the man's wounds began to heal. Cuts sealed themselves, bruises faded, and the angry welts from the whip disappeared. Within moments, his body was restored, unmarred as if the torture had never happened.
8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8wMV9bJlHF
As the light faded, Luxana staggered back, staring at her hands in disbelief. "What...what did I just do?"
8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6hHgbDVCEe
The prisoner stirred, his eyes fluttering open. For a moment, aquamarine met zircon as their gazes locked. A jolt of recognition passed through Luxana, though she still couldn't place why this man seemed so familiar.
8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrT6vv6y7Tw
"Who are you?" she asked, her voice trembling.
8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvQH5gwPjFS
Before he could answer, the sound of approaching footsteps echoed down the corridor. Panic seized Luxana as she realized she couldn't be found here, not after what had just happened.
8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeDm3pqKQN1
"I'll come back," she promised hurriedly, backing towards the cell door. "I'll find a way to help you, I promise."
8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡflGZ1JO9CD
With one last look at the bewildered prisoner, Luxana slipped out of the cell.
To be Continued...
ns216.73.216.103da2
