A Glimpse of Terror
The life Khael lived was nothing but a series of pain and suffering. The never-ending hardships never fruited favorable outcomes for him. He did not wish for another chance at life, only to experience another hell. Unfortunately, that hell is now in front of him again.
The metallic door, with its once silvery hue, is now dyed in a thick liquid of red. He can’t believe what he just saw. Khael’s jaw was hanging at the sight of a person unconscious, with a pool of blood dripping from his guts.
“G-Grant h-help… someone please,” said Khael, his dreary voice traced with fear.
“Why was this lesser interrupting me? I told him repeatedly that this was an order from the Monarch,” said a tall figure wearing a black hood with a deep, sustaining voice.
Khael raised his head further to see the figure talking in front of them. He then met the creature’s eyes, looking down at them like insects. The strange creature far resembled a human. Its pale golden eyes hold much dominance. A tall figure surpasses the Sergeant, with its long thin reach and limbs, and its ribs were jutting out from its dull skin.
“What happened here?! Who-”
The Sergeant had arrived. Khael saw his angry expression suddenly turn into dread when he took sight of the back of the creature. Agitatedly, he asked again in pure fear and confusion. “Wha-what is happening here?!”
The creature turns on his back to face Baron. “Oh, you must be the Sergeant. Do you remember me? Gunto?” said the strange creature.
Baron hurriedly made his way to his unconscious and bleeding companion. “How long he’s in this state, Khael?!”
Khael’s nonplussed. It was only then that he finally answered—still stuttering his words. “I-It w-was a few minutes ago.”
Khael groans in frustration and fear. Not just from the fear of witnessing someone harmed gruesomely by some strange-looking creature. The atmosphere tells him that anyone’s life is in danger just by being around such a monster (if he would describe it).
“You lowlifes are amusing. Don’t worry. I only scratched his belly a little,” the strange creature laughed at his amusement. Not even a pang of slight guilt has shown on its face. “Though, considering how bloated his belly was, the moment I poked it, the blood-”
Baron abruptly stood as he faced the menacing creature. Khael can determine how infuriated the Sergeant is by looking through his back. But then another person arrives.
“Gunto! What have you done?!” said the person who had just arrived.
The strange creature reluctantly kneels as if showing its respect unwillingly.
The man wore a long white sleeve with loose ends too wide for his arms. There’s a strange pattern in his upper garment, extended on his long black underskirt. His face almost looks feminine, with blonde hair and a pale complexion.
“Forgive me for what my attendant had done, Baron,” he said as he gestured something to one of his associates as they took action hurriedly. “Let them treat your companion. And I assure you they can save him.”
“W-What was the meaning of this, Hector?!” Baron said with a sharp and enraged tone.
“How dare you address the Monarch in such-”
The man named Hector raised his hand to cut off his displeased associate. “Don’t,” as he turned his gaze back to Baron. “It was foolish of me to entrust an important errand to this stupid attendant of mine,” said Hector solemnly, giving Gunto a piercing gaze.
“I did not expect him to do such a horrible thing. Don’t fret. I pledge by the name of my root that this creature will be punished duly. Again, pardon us for all the trouble,” said Hector as he bowed his head lightly.
“Make sure to save Grant,” Baron said firmly but seemed to restrain his anger as he made a slight bow as a sign of respect to Hector. “May I ask… what does the Monarch of Ubec intend to do here?”
“I was here because someone had told me,” Hector looks around him as he walks, then focuses on anyone as if looking for someone. “Someone might be related to ‘her’ in this place.”
“Who-who told you… that?” asked Baron.
“It doesn’t matter. Now that you know why I’m here. Would you lend me a hand and be done with my purpose?”
As the chaotic events happened, Khael purposely listened to their discussion. He knew he might be the person they spoke about. Despite that, he wasn’t aware of the exact reasons and only knew that he might be in indefinite danger—based on the commotion it had caused.
“What you had heard was nothing but a fallacy. There’s no someone like that in this place,” Baron stated patently.
“Baron, what would you gain by hiding something from me?” Hector’s piercing stare was unswerving as he questioned the Sergeant. “Tell me, where is this person I’m looking for?”
Baron lowered his head. “My deepest apologies. It was just a mere misunderstanding. In fact, we have already resolved that matter. This was solely about a victim of some tragic incident,” the Sergeant’s voice withers as he continues. “That unfortunate person was this kid who had his memories stolen by the Mnemonic Beings.”
Baron hesitantly gestured his hand from where Khael was.
“Are you telling me the truth, Baron? We’d known each other for so long. I’m expecting you to be honest with me. Nonetheless, I’m still taking that person with me. You have no problem with that, right?”
“B-But someone’s already taking care of that kid.”
“And who might this be? I’d like to know-”
“There’s no need for that. The-they are not important,” Baron indignantly answered. “I will just tell them myself.”
The intimidating appearance of Baron Gelfand was now in contrast with what his face showed. And now… Khael was dazed. He was having a handful number of the worst scenario in his head. Should he attempt to escape? There’s no telling what might have happened to him if they had taken him.
“— thank you for your cooperation, Sergeant.”
I should definitely escape now. But would I be able to run away from here?
This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it
“— I grab the brat now, my lord?”
There’s no time for me to think… I should think of a way to escape from-
“Whrrp grrr.”
Suddenly, darkness surrounded his sight. He can feel the insane grip on his head with something massive, sharp, and firm. It seems the menacing creature grabbed his head with its bare hand. His whole body hangs as if he was an object it was holding, not even minding if it crushed his skull.
“Gunto, don’t hurt the kid. Don’t disgrace me even further, would you?” Hector warned in a threatening tone, yet the strange creature didn’t seem fazed.
Gunto whispers in his ears. The strange creature’s irritatingly hot and unpleasant breath touches the side of his face. “What a lucky insect you are. If he were not here, I would have indulged myself in playing a bit more among you lowlifes.”
As time passed, the grip tightened. Khael felt his strength leaving his body until he was almost out of breath and his consciousness slowly faded.
*****
Baron stood in naught, clenching his fist as he let Gunto grab the kid by his head. Khael’s body and arms fought back at first while it hung in the air until he gave in and lost consciousness helplessly.
He knows he was nothing compared to an influential person like Hector Adhilla, the Monarch of the Ubec Kingdom. And aside from him were few in number but refined elite sorcerers. Not even counting the strange creature he believes is the attendant of the Monarch. Baron also knew how dangerous Gunto was. Its unpleasant physical appearance made it obvious, an undeniably forsaken-blooded being.
“Please don’t hurt the kid… I beg you.” Baron pleads.
“Don’t worry, baldy… I just made him rest a bit since it’ll be an extensive tour. I don’t want this kid to get bored on our way to my liege’s abode,” said Gunto. It spun and swung Khael’s body intentionally and placed him recklessly above his shoulder like a rice sack.
Baron felt guilty as he watched them leave. He knew his responsibility was to take care of him until Dessia Adhilla returned to get him. But he was too scared to do anything—afraid that he might have humiliated the most powerful person in the Kingdom if he did.
“Baron,” Hector turned around, giving the Sergeant an earnest gaze. “Please tell lady Dessia to avoid standing out or doing something unnecessary.”
*****
Khael felt extreme pain all over his body when he woke up. Slowly, he opened his eyes; it was the third time he had met an unfamiliar ceiling. He then shifted his gaze to see a cramped room with few people staring at him in wonder.
There are six of them, and all have severe expressions; moreover, it seems they had it worse than him. But Khael then realized they were more likely looking at him in pity.
“I thought you wouldn’t have woken up immediately. I was about to leave and come back later,” said an unknown voice not coming from the group of men in front of him. “Now, I want to ask… do you guys know each other?”
“Who are you..?” said Khael in a ragged voice as he looked at where the voice came from. And it feels like he lets out a spike of thorns with every word he mutters. “Why-why am I here? What… are you going to do to me?”
The unfamiliar person ignored him. “So I assumed he was a part of your cult. Wasn’t he?”
Only silence had been heard and the exchange of confused glances between them.
“Come on, answer me.” the asking voice added.
“H-he wasn’t! We don’t know this young man,” said one of the men.
“Ha, what a pain. Was this kid not really belong to your cult? Well, whatever. He will join you until he confesses what he knows.”
“Rennar,” said another voice from where the door was. “Lord Hector wants to see you.”
“Sure,” said Rennar. He then rose from his feet, giving Khael and the rest an uncanny look. “Well, you guys should try to convince this kid to talk before I return. If he does… you will probably be pardoned for your transgression, but if he did not… we’ll have all night long with you singing suffering.”
…..
Khael’s moment of rest wasn’t enough to make himself stable, even from just sitting straight on the ground. He ignored the few persons with him in the cramped room for a few minutes to focus on his recovery. It seems they were considerate of him when they were not bothering him or if something else was behind it.
Finally, one of them spoke. “Are you fine there, young man?” It was an old man with a skinny complexion and a thin stature. He had a grim expression that told how much he had suffered, just like the few men with him.
“Ah yes, I am fine,” Khael answered. He was glad that one of them decided to talk to him. But he was worried that some of them still give him a distasteful gaze.
“You look… too young. How old are you? And… why are you here?” asked the old man.
“I don’t know… I wasn’t even aware why I was being taken and imprisoned here.”
“What do you mean?” the old man asked curiously. “The only reason they would lump you with us is that you are being treated as a heretic.”
“What? I don’t even know anything about that!”
Khael was already at his wits’ end. The fact that everything has turned worse than before. It made him lose all hope as if there was no way out of this. It was like he was being punished for no reason.
“So… you’re telling us that you are not here for the same reason as us, right?” said another man, leaning toward Khael. “Where are you from? Did you come from Naloan as well?”
“...Pardon me, but… I don’t know,” Khael answered helplessly.
“What do you mean you don’t know?”
“Hold it, Roldan,” said the old man. “Let me talk to him.”
“I am Gadorias. You can just call me Gado or elder Gado, whichever you want,” then, the old man gave him an earnest gaze. “If it’s fine with you, may we know what happened to you before you came here?”
…..
Their conversation lasted only a few moments as Khael told them about his condition and how he was taken and brought there. They told him their circumstances as well. They were suspected of being a group of religious cults forbidden in the country.
Despite having an awful condition, the old man is still well-composed and thoroughly careful with his words.
“Roldan here is just the same as you. He miserably blended with us and was deemed by a false accusation.”
“I hope this was fine to ask, but… is that true that you are a part of a religious cult?” asked Khael.
“We are,” the old man closed his eyes as he continued. “We are worshiping nature itself and its desires as well. But they saw us as….”
“Enough,” one of them impeded. “Could you believe someone suddenly appeared before us and told us his memories had been lost? What if he was sent by them to gain our trust? So we can just blabber casually with him about what they want to know because their crappy torture doesn’t work!?”
“Enough with his bullshit, and just kill us already! No matter what you do, you can’t make us admit something you want to hear from us! We’re just firm believers of our beliefs, and nothing was wrong with that!” the enraged man added.
The room then was surrounded by silence. No one realized except Khael that someone was on the other side of the door, just waiting and listening to them. He hurriedly turned his gaze there, and the rest of them followed.
The door opened, revealing Rennar and a tall man wearing eyeglasses with him.
“Oh, forgive me for eavesdropping. Though I was moved by how you stated your own resolved,” said Rennar. “What a shame we don’t need that firm resolved to our session today. It would be different and interesting than before if you asked me.”
“Don’t mess with us! You dammed bastard!” said the same man who accused Khael.
“Don’t, Elgardo! We shouldn’t-“
“I don’t care, elder Gado! We’re just living peacefully on our own! We are not a part of the cult that worships Astelta and the damn forsakens! We already told you that, but you never believe us!!” Elgardo said furiously as he laughed in distress. “Besides, we are all forsaken ourselves, aren’t we? So what’s wrong-“
“Elgardo…” Gado’s voice withers in fear when Elgardo suddenly collapses on the ground.
Rennar, expressionless, walks past Gado and the rest to get close to the squirming man in pain. He then held Elgardo’s chin recklessly and pulled him closer. “The forsakens terrorized the entire continent of Hibran for 600 years. Those monsters forced our ancestors to bear their offspring until our Lord Hibris freed us from hell. ‘We are all forsakens ourselves,’ you said, huh?”
“W-we got it! Please don’t… don’t make us suffer anymore! I am begging you… Isn’t this enough already?!” said Gado as he pleaded.
“Not gonna happen. You see… these collars you wear were connected to your mana veins as it continuously harvests ambient mana in the surroundings,” said Rennar. His face was void of expression. “You’ll continue to suffer if you don’t start to talk.”
“Now then, should we start this already? For as long as this boy didn’t confess what he knows about Astelta,” he shifted his gaze to Khael and then gazed back at them. “This collar will continue to make you suffer from overloaded negative mana in your body. And while we’re on that… for every ten minutes, this old man confessed nothing. This boy will lose one of his fingers.”