"Search the dungeon."
Several men marched the void-enshrouded dungeon. Their footsteps reverberating through the hall.
The thickness of the void have now receded, revealing the miserable state of the dungeon. The rails have all rusted while some parts have crumbled due to its frailty. Prisoners who got stuck in the dungeon lay in their bed, their flesh rotten and bones exposed from their decayed bodies. Their faces wore either a shocked expression or an expression that's desperately gasping for air.
The captain, Andrail, frowned throughout his whole search in the dungeon. He clicked his tongue several times, grimacing from the gore and putrid smell that permeates the air.
"Sir, I found the captain!" A man called out from the deepest part of the dungeon, his shout echoed with urgency.
Andrail quickened his pace and followed the man. His eyes wandered around, noticing how the darkness thickened as they went deeper in the dungeon.
Each step left a thud as Andrail went closer to the center of the commotion. There he saw Fleur laying unconsciously, her body covered in wounds and bruises. Beside her was a man who's unexpectedly unharmed and clean, his hand was gripping on a ragged cloth covered in pus and rotten flesh.
Just as the captain saw this scene, he quickly gestured for his men to stop on their tracks and not get any closer to it. His eyes wandered around the cell, searching for any traps. After confirming that it was safe to go, he slowly walked towards the captain and the man beside her.
He reached his hand towards Fleur to feel her pulse. With a sigh, his head turned to his men.
"Take the captain to the royal infirmary and transfer the prisoner to another cell for inspection."
With his instruction, everyone followed his orders immediately. The soldiers all worked frantically, unwilling to rest and slack. The dungeon was heavily protected by several enchantments and spells, preventing any forces to infiltrate. Everyone did not expect this incident to happen right after the princess' death so everyone didn't dare to let their guard down and worked diligently.
"Argh!"
The deafening silence inside the dungeon soon turned into chaos. The soldier who was tending to the prisoner let out a loud grunt, his body turning black as Lucas grips his neck. Lucas' arm had long blackened as if his body had became the void itself. His eyes were shot open, unfocused and dazed.
"C-cap...tain,"
The soldier called for help, his voice trembling. His eyes had already turned white from choking while the shadows from Lucas' arm had rapidly traveled to the man's neck.
...
"Hear ye! Fresh news from the royal court!"
The crowd in the market were bustling and loud. Different topics filled the humid air in the afternoon. Everyone was busy with their own errands and jobs while some were busy gossiping and chatting with others about several rumors and hearsays from the royal court and noble families.
"Make way! The show is about to begin."
A band of performers circled the town. Bards sang gleefully with their lyre and drums while several dancers swayed their long skirts, dancing with enthusiasm and complex expressions. Their clothes and hair were adorned with golden accessories and their faces wore bright makeups.
"Is this true boy?" A certain news from the tabloid had caught the eyes of a lady, earning several curious looks from the other passersby.
"Certainly! This was from a reliable source!" The boy explained with exaggeration before rummaging for coins to give the madame's change. Soon, several onlookers rushed to the lady's side to see the news before giving exaggerated reactions.
The boy walked away with a huge grin plastered on his face, his hand still holding several tabloids. But before he could completely walk away, a boy had run up to him and knocked him down causing him to stumble forward.
"Serves you right fool!"
"Hey!"
The boy lost his grip on the tabloids, causing it to fly everywhere and scatter on the ground. The boy grunted as he turned around in annoyance but he could only pick up his tabloids in irritation. The papers were scattered all around that several passersby had already stepped on it. The boy complained and shouted at them several times but nobody cared and listened. He desperately picked up the papers one after another and only did he stopped from picking up his papers when he noticed someone standing in front of him.
Slowly, he looked up at the person. The stranger was wearing a red velvet cloak laced with silver patterns on its hem. The person's face was covered with a hood and mask. The boy could only take a hint of the person's eyes before the person knelt and helped him pick up the tabloids.
The person held a tabloid on her hand, looking deeply at its contents.
"Hey! You know you should pay for it." The boy said with attitude, urging the stranger to buy the paper but the person gave no reaction.
"Interesting story."
The kid was stunned as he heard the person speak. She's a woman. Her voice was deep and cold, opposite to what he had expected.
As the lady got up, she tossed a gold ring with a ruby to the kid as her payment for the tabloid.
"Hey! This is-"
The boy turned around to complain but the lady was already gone.
Rustle...
The strange lady in a cloak crumpled the paper on her hand. Its contents were the death of the princess and the rising opposition of the nobles against the Black corps.
"Captain, Lucas will be transferred soon," a voice rang out from the darkness, her voice muffled and laced with worry.
...
Three days have passed since Fleur was found unconscious. Different doctors have visited to tend and check her but there were no signs of her waking up. The maidservants were all busy with their own jobs, cleaning the lady's room, changing her clothes, and guarding her.
The windows were also left open in the morning to let the sunlight enter her bedroom. The birds were always singing gleefully while the leaves danced along with the soft and warm breeze of the air.
"When will the lady wake up?"
Just as the maids were chatting in muffled voices, their lady slowly opened her eyes. Adjusting from the brightness, she weakly lifted her hands to slightly cover her eyes and called for the maids.
"Water," her weak voice immediately caught the attention of the servants. They quickly went to bring her a water and call for a doctor. While, the man sitting beside her have jolted awake. The man took the water from the servant and helped Fleur drink.
Azrael's mind was chaotic, filled with many questions. Right after she finished drinking, she turned to look at the man beside her. The man exudes an inexplicable aura, his shoulder-length hair was messily tied in a half bun while his deep red eyes were scrutinizing Fleur.
Azrael recognized him. He was Fleur's vice captain, Augustus Montgomery. Azrael coughed violently before she could open her mouth to speak. The servants have refilled the glass with water two times before Azrael stopped coughing. She was breathing heavily but still managed to speak.
"What happened?"
"You were unconscious for three-"
"I meant the case and that guy in the dungeon," before the vice could finish his words, Azrael quickly clarified what she wanted to hear.
Noticing the troubled expression of the vice captain and his unwillingness to speak. Azrael ordered him with a stern and serious voice.
"Bring me a detailed report of the case. I want to know everything that happened from beginning to end."