"HAH…hah…HAH….hah" "I….I don't know where they are hiding….What should I say to make you believe me."
His breathing rate had increased and his heart beat became fast. He looked tired and was unable to speak. The torture was not something he was expecting from Dani, he wanted to be alive hence he had no choice but to talk to them. As he couldn't afford the future plans to be spoilt by his death.
No one present there was happy with his answers, their patience had hit the limits.
Casper couldn't control his self anymore, he grabbed his collar and threatened him,
" Do you think you can go easy on us. You are wrong, you are just alive because we don't want you to die yet. You are at our mercy."
He pushed him back by releasing his collar and as a result he collided with the chair.
"Co..ug..h…Co…ughh…." Blood spilled from his mouth as a result of this violent exchange. He wiped the blood from his face and thought to himself that he wouldn't forget this humiliation and swore upon himself that he would pay it back hundred times. But for now, he chose to remain silent and continued with his act.
"Casper, you remember that during the banquet, you said some hurtful words to me. I had decided that time , I would take my revenge."
"You think I am fool deux, it was not me but Rica who said those things to you and now that I think about it she might have purposely told those things to you as a part of your plan. You must have joined hands from before, so tell us when did you plan all this."
By saying that deux put the axe on his own foot..
"Deux, Stop going around in circles.. , you are testing my patience".
"See, the cruelmancers and I really have no connection. So i can't help you with that.
You want to know why I killed Melania right?
This so called kingdoms which were united together after the war forming Memoria, was actually made under a false pretence as the imperial family and our kingdom, Azeth was never happy with this unification. We just purposely signed the unity agreement because we wanted to make today's great plan successful. We surely waited for a long time, but being patient really did do us a favour, you know, being hasty wouldn't have make this possible."
Dani rolled her eyes in disbelief...
"So you are saying you started planning this all after the great war, four months ago?
"Do you realise how many people we lost during the war and right now we could not have afforded another massacre."
Casper was annoyed and said "but you still haven't told why you killed the empress and her family because you could have simply rejected to sign the unity agreement."
"You are a smart guy Casper, surely our main goal was something else. These elves think of themselves as someone on the top, geniuses, untouchables, they are arrogant and I would say this arrogance led to their downfall.
Sarah couldn't bear this, she snatched the sword from Casper and was going to pierce Deux's chest, but Casper changed the trajectory and the sword that then hit Deux's right shoulder.
"I will not allow my masters humiliation, you deserve to die the same way she died DEUX...."
She pierced the sword more strongly against his shoulder blade in anger
"Sarah stop it, that's enough..." I will handle it.
"Deux why don't you just admit you were jealous of Melania, by her achievements , you were afraid that now there was someone more powerful than you and someone who wielded more authority than you. You did not want to work under anyone, isn't?
Melania, our empress was the most kindest person, even though those elves rarely mingled with us, we are thankful to them and we should be.
Don't you dare forget that WE ARE ALIVE, YOU AND ME, BECAUSE OF THEM, they came to save us out of this misery. So don't keep on giving those stupid excuses.
And what do you mean you don't have any connection to those cruelmancers, that skeleton Lord in the sky, was a result of necromancy as I could detect subtle necromancy magic from it.
Beware deux, if you miss even the slightest detail from now on, you can go to hell and I will ensure this."
He then gulped down in fear and took a deep breath before telling them,
"The skeleton lord was just an illusion created by my curse, you know how effective curses are, and Dani you are right by detecting necromancy, as it was duplicated and created by none other than your best friend, Rica, she made our work more easier. If you want to know more about this then go and ask your friend as I don't know anything apart from this."
Friend, I don't have any friend now, Ahh I should just kill him, he is testing my patience.
Dani was not convinced by his answer, he was definitely hiding something as there really were intruders from the broken protective barrier and her power to detect such things could never go wrong.
I guess I have no choice to go and enquire that captured mage about the barrier incident as it would be a waste to ask deux anything, torturing him and healing him would be a hassle as we are really running short of time, those cruelmancers could attack anytime, she thought.
Also the knight who died during that mysterious encounter, I couldn't detect any dark magic or necromancy from it.
I guess I have no choice to ask her about this. It's not that I am scared to go near her, but I cannot confront her and don't want to go near her.
"And what about the sword with which you killed my master, how did you get it as my master had entrusted it with Lady….No, I mean Rica."
"That plan was just an impromptu , as none of us was knowing that Danver would gift such a precious gift to Melania. Also now I am going to tell you something after which I hope you trust me that I was saying the truth all along."
He said with a grin on his face, "Our original plan was to kill Melania the same way we killed her family….."
"Shut up Deux, how can you say something so cruel."
"I know you were her disciple, But what I told you was the truth."
Dani, Casper and Sarah couldn't even imagine Melania dying such a brutal death.
These people have to pay for their crimes, they have crossed the line now, especially her, who we thought to be our ally.
Such similar thoughts came in all of their minds.
"Sarah, put him back on the no talk spell and Casper tie the blindfold around his eyes."
"Let's head out to our next destination, you two are coming along with me."
"What about deux then who will ensure he will not run away?"
Dani stepped forward and whispered into Sarah's ear.
"Don't worry about that Sarah, I have mastered a great spell, The cuff made from divine blessings, the holy cuffs, it will ensure that he can't escape and for extra security I will station some of the priests and knights outside this chamber."
She then tied both his hands with the cuffs and stationed the priests and knights outside the chamber and exited.
They then walked towards the castle dark prison where Rica was imprisoned.
"Casper," Dani called out to him softly. It was a though that her childlike personality had returned. She continued, "I don't think I will be able to confront Rica. I will leave her to your hands."
"But Lady Dani, I think you are doing your job perfectly as entrusted by the empress. And so I see no harm in you questing Rica. You can lead the investigation."
Dani listened to Casper's words and was dejected thinking that he didn't understand her emotions.
They reached the entrance of the prison.
It was the first time for Casper and Sarah here, they were walking behind Dani.
Suddenly Dani stopped, turned to her left and told Casper, take your sword hit it gently where I tell you too.
Both of them were curious.
Dani touched the bricks removed the first layer to make a shape of star. And in between she told Casper to touch his sword.
He did what Dani told her and to their surprise, a lock emerged out of the brick.
Dani removed one of the keys from her key holder and opened the lock.
Inside it was a small chamber made of orinium.
A spherical object with white radiance was inside it.
Dani grabbed the orb which acted like a navigation system, it was the same device that Danver had left.
She put the closed the lock and put the bricks in their original places.
"Casper, Sarah....this orb is quite magical and wonderful. Without it even us three would find it difficult to come out as it deactivates those heinous traps as well. I guess Danver did do his job and she is in that prison.
See on the orb you can find the red dot, which are the prisoners inside the cell and these three blue dots are the three of us.
It was not quite faraway, this orb will help us to reach farther."
It was quite dark inside even with the orbs.
Thud….thud…inside one of the cell, the prisoner could hear something getting louder and closer.
"Ah, You came Dani, I was waiting for you."