Being Chapter the Twenty-Fifth.
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Tyler and his band of guards led the prisoners down the familiar halls of Roarden's castle. He felt Reid's harsh glare on his back, as the faint throb of guilt bore into him. Going against his best friend? It seemed a bit extreme, but Tyler had convinced himself that his way was just. He had made his choice of who to side with, and he wasn't about to turn back now just because his friend chose a different stand.
Tyler pushed open the large black wood doors, entering the torture room, where Ro was promptly stirred from sleep at the sound of the door closing behind them.
"Reid!"
His face was the first thing she saw through the crowd, but her tone was more worried than relieved to see him alive.
"Ro, thank God," Reid said, rushing to embrace her. Tyler signaled for the guards to let him. Reid held her tightly for a moment, then pulled her at arm's length to look in her eyes seriously. "You're good? You're alright?"
"I'm fine," she replied, then noticed Lysander and Dahlia as well, and her anxiety only grew. "You brought them with you on your stupid little rescue mission? Honestly, Reid…"
"What'd you expect me to do? Sit around on my hands?"
"That probably would have been wisest… for you and your Guild," Roarden said as he stepped down the stairs on the far end of the room. "But by having you prisoner, I have now won my war."
"Oh, yeah?" Reid challenged. "And how's that?"
"Watch closely," Roarden said, then he walked over to Reid slowly, holding out a single hand to him. Ever so smoothly grabbed the chain between his two handcuffs, and yanked. The force was so strong Reid fell to the ground.
"Hey, what're you doing?!" Reid said with fear. "Get off me-- what're you doing?!"
Roarden dragged Reid like a rag doll, whistling like a jolly worker all the while. Reid's legs skidded across the floor as Roarden dragged him with a pure force. Everyone watched in terrified silence. When they reached the table, Roarden leaned down and grabbed Reid by the neck, and practically threw him onto the granite torture table, face down. He pressed Reid's face against the smooth stone, lifting his cloak off, then slicing a fingernail through his shirt, ripping it clear off to get at his bare back.
Ro gasped, watching it all in horror.
"No, you can't!" she protested, knowing quite well what was coming next.
Roarden smiled, showing his teeth, and twitched his head giddily.
"Oh… I think I can…"
Tyler's eyes grew wide, having seen this procedure once before. He kept his mouth shut until he witnessed further. He didn't want to speak out and look foolish like last time. Maybe they were just trying to scare Ro, like they had done using Rems…
Roarden snapped his face down by Reid's ear.
"I do miss… doing this personally…" he hissed at him as he put his hand on Reid's back, letting his nails trail on his skin tauntingly. "I have waited an eternity… to hear what the scream of a Chosen One sounds like…"
Lysander was frowning with deep wrinkles in his fair skin. Dahlia's face was stoic, but her violet eyes were filled with pity. Ro's cheeks were already stained with tears.
But Reid's eyes were fixed on his best friend. Though Tyler seemed disturbed by what he was seeing, he still remained silent, even as Roarden lifted his hand to make the first blow. Roarden stabbed his long nails in-between Reid's shoulder blades, then slowly and firmly carved downward.
"AaaaaHHHH!!" Reid's screams echoed through the large torture hall louder than anything they had heard before. Four deep lines bled from his back now, as Reid caught his breath and heaved through the pain. When he pried open his eyes again, the same look was on his face. That betrayed glare was cutting a hole deep into Tyler's chest, but still he kept his mouth closed. Ro was bawling openly, begging for Roarden to stop, but Roarden just replied that her agreement was the only way to end Reid's suffering. Ro was torn between saving the Guild, and the man she loved, who happened to be a Chosen One.
Roarden lifted his hand to go again.
"Sir!" Tyler said quickly, stepping forward. Roarden halted and looked at Tyler impatiently.
"Sir," Tyler went on timidly. "Why don't we just make Lysander or Dahlia get us into the Guild? They're Guardians too…"
"Great idea, Tyler!" Roarden approved. "You can go right ahead… It'll be like… a race…"
Tyler furrowed his brow and didn't move. Reid's death glare was still on him, making him shift under it.
"Ready for another go?" Roarden asked Reid.
Ro didn't know what to do. Her eyes were so full of tears she could barely see. She had taken a vow to protect this Chosen One's life, but at the cost of the entire Guild?
She turned her gaze away just as Roarden stabbed his already bloody fingernails once more into Reid's back, and carved deeper into his tissue. Reid could feel the grinding shudder of Roarden's nails screeching against his spinal column.
"AHHHHHHHHH!" Reid's piercing scream echoed through the halls, his eyes involuntarily dripping tears from his exertions. His hands were clutching the stone with white knuckles. It was more pain than he imagined possible.
"Please, no more…" Ro begged, then turned to another. "Tyler… please… he's your best friend…"
"No, he's not," Reid panted. "I'm not friends with traitors."
Roarden lifted his hand for another strike. Tyler's mind raced with thought, feeling for his friend, but not wanting to go against his new superior.
"Roarden," Tyler began, but his words fell on deaf ears as Roarden hammered his smiting hand back onto Reid's back. Tyler winced in empathy to his pain. Reid's yells were starting to go weaker. He stared at Reid bleeding profusely on the stone table. His eyes welled with guilt and pity for his friend. Tyler felt directly responsible.
"No more," Tyler said, softly at first, but only growing louder. "Stop! Sir, you'll kill him!"
Roarden seemed genuinely surprised that Tyler would dare intervene again.
"One less Chosen One to worry for…" Roarden replied, then lifted his hand to stab Reid again.
"NO!" Tyler yelled, in his raging vigor forming a small blast that shoved Roarden to the floor.
Everyone froze. Tyler was wide-eyed at his actions, and fearful of his consequences. He stared at what he had done, as Roarden slowly arose from the floor with a calm look on his face.
"You betray the Guild…" Roarden said with confusion. "And you betray me… You are running out of sides, Simms."
"I can't take this, I'm sorry," Tyler shook his head. "You can put my curse back on, I don't care. Just don't expect me to sit here and watch you torture my friend any more."
"Simms," Roarden laughed. "Your curse was never taken off to begin with. I only put another on you, don't you see? By the end of this week, it will to overtake your free will. You're already mine."
Tyler fumed, his fists clenching in anger.
"You lying bastard!"
"Yes, well…" Roarden shrugged and snickered. "I've heard worse. Guards, since dear Mr. Simms is no longer a willing member of our little club, go make him stand in the corner to think about what he has done. How he has betrayed everyone, and that there is no one left that cares about what happens to him, and how his mind will soon be a slave to me. Then take the Vampiress to my chambers and behead the Elf in the morning."
Tyler seemed quite ready to leave the tense room, looking greatly disturbed.
Dahlia said nothing as they herded her towards the stairs, but she seemed worried only for Lysander, who was being led in the other direction.
"No!" Lysander shouted, desperately trying to free himself from the firm grasp of many guards. "Dahlia!"
She said nothing, just looked at the Elf with swelling pity.
"Dahlia!" Lysander shouted again, trying to fight the guards long enough to speak final words. "I am sorry! I am sorry for my prejudice!"
Dahlia nodded at him once in assurance, just before they were both taken beyond sight. Dominic took Ro away from the room, tugging at her leash. Roarden raised his hand to strike Reid again.
"No!" Ro screamed. "I'll do anything you ask, please!"
Roarden halted his threatening hand in mid-flight. A smile grew on his face, having finally gotten what he had been waiting for. He headed for the stairs to his chambers.
"You heard her," Roarden said over his shoulder. "Gather the Hoods."
Roarden seemed to change his mind, deciding to linger. Reid spat on the floor, in too much pain to think. Roarden had dug his fingernails too deep. Reid's eyes were black in an attempt at saving his own life, keeping his lungs going, and trying not to lose so much blood.
"Don't you want a pretty suit like Tyler's?" Roarden asked as he paced thoughtfully around the room. Reid glared up at Roarden as if he couldn't believe he'd have the gall to ask.
"I'm not much of a joiner," Reid huffed.
"Not even if I lifted your curse? Gave you freedom?"
"Oh, like you did for Tyler?" Reid retorted, his wheezing quite loud.
"Then would you serve me to save your life?" Roarden asked, now circling Reid's table like a hovering vulture waiting for its prey to take it's final breath.
"No," Reid refused.
"Then," Roarden when on. "Would you do it to save Rowena's life?"
Reid paused, and looked up at Roarden with a harsh glare, neither accepting nor denying that one.
"Getting warmer?" Roarden assumed. "Alright… then would you do it to save Rowina's life… and the life of your child?"
Reid chuckled, his harsh stomach movements paining him, but he didn't care anymore.
"Idiot," Reid laughed. "I don't have a--"
Reid stopped himself, his eyes widening as he began to comprehend, as Roarden grew an amused smile. Reid suddenly sensed a drastic change to the game.
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Signed,
--RedRogue