Vicross sees nothing but darkness right now. He slashes and flicks the whip with a nail embedded in it. Cale drenched in his blood made his blood boil. He continued to whip the father and son until his whip cracked or broke. He made a small pool of blood, drenching him and bathing him in murderous thirst.
He intended to kill them.
*crack*
The dungeons were filled with the stench of rotting flesh. The walls were splattered with blood. Cries are nothing more than moans from bloodied, ripped mouths.
*crack*
*swish*
Vicross clenched his teeth at the thought of the snipped things. He tosses the whip aside and takes the dull knife from the table.
He smirked with a devilish grin. He approaches the father and son, writhing in agony. He didn't bother undressing them because their clothes were ripped..
The younger one begged, "plow....eyes," but Vicross is not a forgiving man.
"Did you stop when he begged?" he asked. He grinned at the poor father and son before swinging his hand up with the dull blade, cutting that thing men are always proud of. Let good people sow his goodness.
"hah..." he laughs maniacally, "I am not even a good man... how ironic." He grabs 'that' thing and pulls it, "how laughable," and cuts 'it' slowly and painfully with the blunt knife. The thin, dull blade dug slowly into the raw flesh. The hands of the marquis and his heir were tied behind their backs, and a long cord was wrapped around their wrists. Vicross pulled the cord via pully, and slowly hoisted the marquis into the air, where it looked like he was slicing himself with the knife. Vicross used the pulley to slowly hoist the marquis into the air, where he appeared to be slicing himself with the knife. When 'that' thing was about to be severed, he abruptly came to a halt and drew the knife away..
He then put some weight on the pair's feet to make them suffer even more..
"This is nothing compared to the agony and humiliation he endured..." he growled, enjoying the gruesome torture he's inflicting.
And licks the blood from his hands. "I'm not finished... playing with you yet."
His declaration was met with horrified screams.
**
"are you going to appear in front of the old master like that?" Ron asked his bloodied son. Vicross is worried, he knows that, as he is worried too. Vicross has always been out of it since that day. He even killed many people during the siege, severing countless heads from the bodies with just a whip. "Wash the blood and come here after... look after him... I need to change the bandages first."
"All right," Vicross said, reluctantly moving and cleaning himself. He was always tense when they returned from the villa.
Ron sighed and walked into the Count's chamber.
"Lord... I will be changing his bandages for the time being," Ron said respectfully.
"I will... call me if anything changes, Ron," Deruth said with a nod.
Ron nodded and removed the bandages from Cale's wounds with care. His face was bruised, and his body was riddled with whip slashes. His limbs were fractured. Ron gritted his teeth. He's been changing these bandages, but he still can't get rid of his rage. When he saw Vicross torturing the pair like a madman, he resisted the urge to laugh and used his knives to cut their necks. Ron declared himself to be the son of a bitch who found happiness watching these writhing mongrels by the whip when he saw them with flesh dangling, visible bones, and blood oozing continuously.
He wiped the blood from the Cale slowly and precisely. His face was calm, but his blood was boiling.
Cale changed his clothes and held his Young Master's hand after being patched up. He slowly placed his brow over Cale's hands, which he was holding with his hand. "Take your time, my Lord, and wake up when you're ready... everything will be fine then."
**
At the palace...
"We can't have this stain the Noble lineage, Your Majesty! The Stan Family has always been one of the Kingdom's pillars! Removing their nobility would reflect poorly on you, Your Majesty!"
Deruth snorted at the ridiculous noble motion. It would be a stain on the kingdom if a great house could not be punished because it was one of the kingdom's pillars. Ridiculous!
"What can you say, Lord Henituse... You are the father of the child who was kidnapped and harmed; I'd like to know your thoughts on this."
Deruth spoke softly, "the Marquisate must be punished, both the head and the son," with no room for argument.
"Are you thinking of asking for compensation?"
"Do you think a measly Marquis' wealth can compensate for my son's life?" Deruth asked. "My wealth couldn't even cure him completely; do you think dirty money can cure my son completely?"
His response had silenced everyone. Deruth fixed his gaze on the nobles inside the hall.
"Count... I am asking you a question... you should answer."
However, the nobles raising their displeasure couldn't give the answer he wants.
"Compared to your son... the marquisate has done more for generations... don't you think you're being too petty?" a noble interjected.
"Then... how much would you sell your son for?" Deruth inquired. The noble was even more deafeningly silent. "You can't even sell your son... but you're willing to bargain for the marquisate? How foolish." Deruth stood up from his seat and took out all the files from corruption to trafficking, to every single black trade the Stan Marquis was involved in. "While this person can sell you, his son, at a high price... he can also sell you, his faction, his people, to death."
The House of Commons expressed their displeasure. The nobles were unable to speak about the documents and simply bowed their heads in shame.
"If it were me... I'd kill him right here, right now." but Deruth cannot.
Zed Crossman sighed heavily and declared, "Marquis Stan will be stripped of his title... for treason, he will be sent to jail and put on trial along with the second master of the Stan Family. Also, the Marquis Stan Family will not be stripped of its title considering the family's reputation since the establishment of the Kingdom. However, all of the Stan family assets, except for the Stan Castle, will be taken and granted to the Henituse Family as compensation for damages and
A title without power or wealth.
Deruth was concerned that the Young Stan would be angry with him, but when he explained the situation to Taylor, the young lord only smiled and thanked him for sparing their lives, despite the fact that they are still being tortured by Vicross.
"I, Zed Crossman, also declares that the Henituse House will be exempted on paying taxes for three years for their exemplary deed during the flood and the pandemic" Zed Crossman looked at the princes, "Also, with the incidents from the economic crisis, the national emergencies, and the trafficking issues, I hereby recognize, Alver Crossman's, the first Princes exemplary performance along with Young Lord Cale Henituse, Young Lord Taylor Stan and Young Lord Antonio Gyerre. The firstborn, Taylor Stan, will succeed the Marquisate, however, with the recent issue with the Marquisate, he will be banned from all political affairs until he comes of age. Young Lord Antonio Gyerre will be recognized as the Duchess Gyerre's sole heir and will be awarded livestock, grains, and other necessities. Likewise, the Duchy will be exempted from paying taxes for two years."
"The young lord, who led the medics in creating the cure to the plague and the discovery of trafficking, will be granted the title Lord Henituse, with rights and privileges of Household Heads. He will be granted the fief right beside the Henituse's Rain City, Carthenon. There will be no awarding, for the young Lord hated formalities so much. The title and the deed will be received by Count Henituse." Zed Crossman finally looked at Alver, "with these acts and solutions led by the First Prince; he was able to stop child trafficking by the Former Marquis Stan; he was also able to provide large assistance after Young Lord Henituse mobilize his people, and was able to create medicines from the original cure provided. Also, his exemplary leadership and withs in directing the knights to save the young lord and put an end to the trafficking problem, I, Zed Crossman, recognize this feat. Henceforth! with the power vested to me as King of Rowoon, I hereby declare, First Prince Alver Crossman, as Crown Prince of Rowoon Kingdom! The coronation ceremony will be simultaneously celebrated at his coming-of-age Ceremony in four months!"
Deruth was aware of Alver's dissatisfaction.
But it wasn't because the king was disappointed in anything...
His dissatisfaction was with himself.
The crown prince has the look of someone who is thirsty for proof - proof that no one can question or deny.
**
You are a shitty brat!
"Stop! Please! Stop!"
Cale moved silently away from the small black-haired child curling in front of the bat.
A useless brat! You should die!
Kahahhahaha! A brand-new toy has arrived!
Blood. There was blood everywhere. During his fall, Cale - no - Kim Rok Soo's ears were filled with screams of anguish and agony.
kekekeke! Nobody will accept such a useless moron as you!
Shadows began tying him and using the batter to break and crush his bone. They screamed in his ears and dug deep into his flesh, forcing him to cry as they began to touch him. Every second he, please, the darkness embraced him, crushing his heart.
"Do not bow down... Do not give them what they want.""
"Argghhh!" exclaimed Cale.
'surrender! Surrender! Hate! Hate! Cry! No one will save you!'
The voice continued to scream at him.
The bone-shattering pain.
The endless torture of the darkness.
You are nothing, Kim Rok Soo.
Sane... Remain sane, Kim Rok Soo!
"Get lost! Get away from me!" Cale shouted.
Taking a right down the narrow dark path, looking for a place to hide while running in circles, unsure of where to go.
'Will I be able to get out of this? ' dragging his now useless body. Nobody is there to help me.
The pouring blood rain was never his ally because he knew it wouldn't protect him from the darkness.
He continues to run barefoot on the road littered with skulls and bones.
Cale, wake up... Dad is waiting for you.
Running for his life in an attempt to escape this hell.
"Get off! Get lost!" The darkness pierced him once more.
He trembled in fear as he heard voices calling his name. It immediately freezes his hand.
He enters, oblivious to the taunting voice.
His eyes were filled with rage.
He gasped and bit his lower lip.
As he approaches, he takes instinctive steps.
He raised his hand.
Lost...
Controlled.
Being broken to pieces for days.
'Don't run away.'
He can feel the burn on his cheeks, keeping his eyes down.
The voices unleashed at hum, voices echoing with anger inside his head.
He forced open his eyes upon hearing the laughter.
The image of demons flashed before his eyes.
*bleurgh!"
The image of a child running on the corridors of Henituse County.
He sat there dumbfoundedly.
"on..."
The gentle pats and wary gaze.
"RON!"
They continued to strike him with the whip until he was reduced to nothing.
"TAKE THIS FROM ME, RON!"
He opened his eyes and hesitantly touched the painful areas.
It hurts so much...
He'll get more bruises to go along with the ones he already has.
It can hurt for days at a time, and the pain prevents me from sleeping..
'Will I ever be able to get out of this? '
The darkness bloomed beautifully as it prepared for the next torture for him.
"come on... you can do it..."
The red material wrapped its cold resentment around him.
"TAKE IT AWAY..."
They held him captive, hugging him and telling him there was no way out.
"DISGUSTING... DISGUSTING..."
'I refuse,' he grumbled. They will never again be able to harm me.
No, not yet...
"GET THAT THING OUT OF MY MOUTH!"
He screamed, both hands on his cheeks, scratching his skin near his mouth until his nails dug in.
"IT'S DISGUSTING, RON! GET IT OFF MY - BLEURGH!""
Never again...
They'll never touch me again...
"RON!"
The poor maid, who came upon hearing his call, was confused about what to do. Her master was destroying everything on the side. His nails were digging into his skin, and he continued to vomit while calling for Ron. The maid tried to comfort him, but the vase flew past her head.
"RON! WHERE ARE YOU, RON? GET THIS THING OUT OF MY MOUTH! DISGUSTING!"
.
.
The maid nodded nervously and ran as fast as she could.
"Ron! Mr. Ron! The young master! The young master!" she yelled down the halls, summoning the butler.
Ron Molran, "what?" two hands grabbed her.
"... the young master... is awake... he's looking for you... and asking... asking you to take that... t...thing out of his mouth."
Hearing the made, Ron ran as fast as he could and saw the young Cale with scratches on his cheeks. He was bleeding again from the reopened wounds. Cale vomited incessantly, hysterically ordering him to take a 'thing' out..
"Young Master..." Ron approached Cale and was about to pat his back when Cale flinched back and looked at him fearfully.
Ron, perplexed by these actions, attempted to approach Cale again, but Cale slapped his hand away.
"g... get lost," Cale snarled. His eyes were lifeless. It was as if he was seeing something else. His actions enraged Cale's guard to the point where he yelled, "GET LOST!""
"Ron... Ron... where are you, Ron?" Ron stood there dumbfounded. He was right there in front of him, but Cale didn't recognize him. "Take this thing off, Ron... it's disgusting, and I am disgusting."
He had never seen his master so frail and vulnerable in his entire life. Cale maintained this strong demeanor while asking for help, even when he was crying or coughing blood. However, Cale in front of him is so frail, afraid, and weak that he appears even smaller.
The maids and servants all turned to look at Ron. The elderly assassin took the large blanket and wrapped it around his young master. "I am here, Young Master," he said as loudly as he could, "what do you want me to take off?"
Trembling hands held him down, crumpling his uniform.
The cries were shattered, and the white blanket was soaked in blood.
Cale's cries echoed as memories of his first and second lives played back in his mind..
His family vanishes before his eyes.
His thoughts went blank. Anger got the better of him.
Blood dripped.
Drip. Drip.
"I'm disgusting, Ron," Cale whimpered as Ron wrapped his gentle arms around his back."
"Don't worry, Young Master... you are not..." Ron felt a surge of crushing rage well up inside him. The child he lifted at the time of his breaking plate is bigger and heavier than before. He did, however, have enough strength to cradle him in his arms.
Don't worry. He wanted to say. You are important... you are precious...
Yet, he can't say it with anger right now that thischild is trembling and scared.
He knows the need to serve, but his instincts are calling otherwise. He failed to keep his smiles and laughter from disappearing.
"Ron already cleaned you, my lord..."
"really?"
"yes... so... don't cry... no one will hurt you anymore; Ron is here, my Lord."
His heart was screaming in pain and rage.
How dare they... He'll kill them and make it painful for them!
TBC