Athenos

Chapter 8, Interrogation

"He was already dead before you slew him." The healer informed me. Ranchvoc's body was carried to the palace in a casket while Aurelius was carried hurriedly to quickly treat him. "What do you mean?" I ask. "So, before you slew him you told me that his eyes were blazing red" he said "Yes" I responded. "That is a mark of a complete magical possession, this man did fight, yes, but he lost against the control and was slain inside of his own mind. Which made it easier for the sorcerer or witch to control him." He told me. "Any idea who could have done this?" I ask him. He looks at the surroundings for some paranoid reason and whispers to me. "Aptos" He replied "Aptos? Who is Aptos?" I ask him. "Shh! Don't say his cursed name out loud!" He said in a hushed tone. "Who is Aptos?" I ask him in the same tone. "A very powerful sorcerer, I met him during my days of evil. Until your father, King Morovok, showed me the right path." He replied. "You think he is that powerful as to cause this?" I ask him, gesturing towards Ranchvoc's body. "Yes, his magic is extremely potent, best I ever saw in my day." He replied. "His magic was such, that even the most iron-willed lads fell short before him." He added. "And what of the king?" I ask him, worried about Aurelius' condition. "King Aurelius is steadily recovering, I expect him to gain consciousness in a few minutes now." The healer replied. My chest loosened and I could actually breathe. I look at Aurelius, the memory of him being stabbed flashes in my memory. His eyes remain closed, his chest showing steady signs of breathing. "Commander, you are requested in the dungeon." A soldier halts at my side and told me. "Very well, lead the way." I respond. I walk through the hallways, noblemen and soldiers salute at me to show their respect. We arrive at the dungeon, the soldier signals the guard to open the cell, he obliges. Inside I see the two assassins who had tried to assassin Aurelius almost a week ago. The guard enters the cell behind me and closes the door. I take out the gem from my armor, fully powered. Their eyes widen in shock, "Impossible!" One of them asked. The other slapped his thigh "Idiot!" He chastised him. "Why do you think it was impossible for me to obtain this gem?" I ask the assassin. They exchange looks and the one that earlier slapped his thigh nods in a 'no'. I swiftly close the gap between us and kick the chin of the disapproving one so hard his head hits the back of the wall with a thud. He shouts in pain, I grab his collar and pull him back to face me, my eyes locked with his. "You better tell me because whatever these guards did to you I will inflict it upon you tenfold, BOTH OF YOU!" I yell in his face. I head towards the other one, he shrinks into the wall to try and avoid me. But to no avail, I jab at his face with such power I hear his jaw cracking, he lets out a squeak. "TELL ME!" I yell again, "TELL ME AND IT WILL ALL STOP!" I add. I again kick the other one but this time square in his nose. "AHHH!" He yells in pain. I grab his collar to get him on his feet, I punch him in his stomach repeatedly, he screams as each punch brings him closer to his breaking point. I stop punching and the assassin drops to the ground in pain, conscious. I swiftly turn around to the other one. He whimpers in fear. "Tell me, and I will spare you pain worse than death." I warn him, he does not budge. I slap him across the face, blood exits his nose. I pick him up by the same way I picked up the other. "TELL ME!" I yell in his face. I kick him in his stomach, he drops to the ground wheezing. "All right, all right." He says in between the wheezes. "NO! DON'T TELL HIM! APTOS WILL DO MUCH WORSE TO US!" The other one blurts out in fear. I look at him, "I can save you from Aptos, but just tell me what I ask of you!" I respond to him in an angered tone. "No, you can save us from everything except Aptos." He replies. The guard intervenes, picking him up from the ground, "Tell him what he wants!" He yells in his face. "It's all right leave him." I tell the guard. He promptly lets go of him and goes back to where he was. "We should tell him!" The other one says "He might just be able to save us!" He adds. "Fine, but I won't" The other one replies.