Chapter 32: Chapter 32
His vision slowly became clear as he gradually came out of unconsciousness, his head spinning. A dull throb pulsed behind his eyes, a phantom echo of the chaos.
"Ah, what a dream,"
Eric said to himself, a dry, raspy whisper. He blinked a few times, trying to focus, and then the full, jarring reality of his situation kicked in.
He was tied to a thick pole in a large, dimly lit room. The whole of his body, from his shoulders down, was covered in thick, woven strings that dug into his skin.
Beside him, tied to another pole, was Yelena, who had been awake the whole time, her face a mask of detached calm.
Across from her, also bound, was Jimmy, still deeply unconscious. In the center of the triangle they formed, Brygo sat perched on a chair, the seat facing away from the backrest, a sinister smile plastered across his scarred face.
"Bloody hell,"
Eric muttered, his mind racing to process the absurdity.
"Rise and shine, Eric Blackmoor,"
Brygo said, his smile stretching wider.
"Brilliant. Another bloody weirdo obsessed with me. Who the hell are you, then?"
Eric replied, a serious and frustrated look on his face.
"Badged soldier from four six ago,"
Yelena spoke up, her voice calm and her face expressionless. She looked at Eric, her gaze unwavering.
Her reply instantly stunned Eric. He had been out for almost two days.
"Damn, that’s a shit ton of time wasted,"
Eric whispered to himself in realization, rolling his eyes away from Yelena’s gaze.
Yelena had been awake for hours, but she couldn’t break free. Her body, though seemingly fine, felt like a dead weight. The unknown gas still had a strong effect on her, and, worse, her abilities seemed to be completely shut down.
It was truly disturbing, a fundamental betrayal of her own being. She pondered silently, watching the scene unfold, her mind working furiously to find a way out.
"Alright, scarface. You watched us, gave us the third degree, then knocked us out cold. What’s your bloody game?"
Eric said, facing Brygo with a serious and disgusted look on his face.
"For someone so smart, you’re quite slow to truly grasp the situation,"
Brygo said, standing up and beginning to walk toward Eric, his movements slow and deliberate.
"If this is about the mess in the city, there are easier ways to have a chat, like not knocking us out and stringing us up in some godforsaken hell hole. Where the hell is even this dump"
Eric said loudly, his frustration evident. He strained against the ropes, trying to see if he could break free.
Meanwhile, Brygo walked boldly, his arms behind his back, a twisted smile on his face.
"Do you believe in God, Eric? Because God is whom I serve,"
Brygo said, finally getting face to face with Eric, his smile unwavering.
Brygo’s breath was sour, and Eric recoiled. He was repulsed by both the man’s face and the words coming out of his mouth.
"Look, I’ve got no freaking clue what you’re on about. If you need help, spit it out and stop dancing around it."
Eric replied, slightly tilting his head away from Brygo.
"He’s the Monarch’s Herald,"
Yelena said calmly, cutting straight to the chase. She was growing bored and tired of the unnecessary small talk.
Her words instantly stunned Eric. His eyes widened as the pieces clicked into place. He slowly turned his head to Brygo. Now it all made sense.
"So, you’re the bum we’re after,"
Eric said with a serious look on his face.
His sudden realization placed a bigger smile on Brygo’s face.
"I can confidently say the same applies to you, Black...moor,"
Brygo teased, moving away from Eric with a mocking gesture.
"It seems that good for nothing Kaldala didn’t have the balls to carry out a simple task in the end, and now I have to do things myself. How expected."
Brygo said as he walked away, his smile vanishing as he wore a more serious look.
"Well, At least he’s free from whatever the bloody hell is going on here,"
Eric said with annoyance as he watched Brygo move away.
His response caused Brygo to stop in his tracks and slowly turn to Eric, shoulders first.
"Yes, free, free indeed. Death is the ultimate freedom. An inevitable fate for all things that live and breathe,"
Brygo replied, his scarred face twisted into a knowing sneer.
His words completely stunned Eric, and a wave of confusion washed over him. Brygo’s words were nonsensical, the ramblings of a psychopath.
"It’s my pleasure to announce to you that the bastard is now....dead"
Brygo said calmy, locking eye contact with eric.
"How do you know that? How does he know that?"
Eric said loudly, his gaze darting between Brygo and Yelena.
"I know all that is needed to be known. I knew you’d come if and when Kaldala fails, which was truly expected, and so, I waited. And now, here we are,"
Brygo said calmly, a serious look on his face, his arms behind his back as he approached Eric.
"Of course, this whole crap about knowing things before they happen,"
Eric replied, rolling his eyes in frustration. His mind replaying the conversation he had with kaldala.
"Truly divine, isn’t it? As expected of the High Monarch. Magnificent,"
Brygo responded, stretching both his arms out as he walked back to take a seat.
Seeing him walk away, Eric turned his face to Yelena. He was truly confused. Why hadn’t she done anything yet? She was the most powerful person he knew. Why was she just standing there quietly, accepting being tied up? Something was definitely wrong.
"So, where’s this so called High Monarch?"
Eric said to Brygo with a serious look on his face as he watched Brygo sit down in an inverted position on the chair.
"Have a little respect for his name,"
Brygo responded, his facial expression very serious, and his tone sharp and authoritative.
"Even if I knew, you won’t be hearing it from me."
"Both you and your Monarch are labeled as wanted criminals, in case you’ve been in a cave for so long,"
Yelena chipped in, her voice cold and direct.
"Trust me, I’ll be taking your head once your poison wears off."
Her response made Eric realize why she hadn’t set herself free. Brygo and his men had done something to her to make her unable to fight back. At the same time, her response caused a huge laugh to erupt from Brygo.
"My death will only pave an extra way for the greater good to come,"
Brygo spoke, his laughter dying down as a sinister smirk returned to his face.