Hey guys! Here I am with a brand new chapter for you guys to read. I hope you will enjoy it, anyway, have a great read everyone, bye.
A Shattered Life
Chapter 20: Lovers Reunited
Burning torches in iron scones line the walls of this dungeon, lighting it brilliantly. At the dungeon's center lies a squat stone altar, its top is covered with recently spilled blood. A channel in the altar funnels the blood down its side to the floor where it fills grooves in the floor that trace some kind of pattern or symbol around the stone altar. A huge iron cage lies on the side of the room, and it's rusted gate is fully opened. There's a broken chain that lies under the door, and inside the horrible cage is a rotting corpse that looks to be a Faunus female, another corpse lies a short distance away from the cage, and it lacks a head.
Geo who was chained to the wall had his eyes closed has he was trying to get some rest before Cinder and Solomon came back to continue with their torture. "...The water smells fresh." A crack in the ceiling above the middle of the north wall allows a trickle of water to flow down to the ground. The water pools near the base of the wall, and a rivulet runs along the wall an out into the hall. "My body hurts all over, I-I don't know how much more I can take this." He whispered to himself while blood was dripping from his forehead.
Rats inside the room shrieked when they heard the door slam open with great ferocity, then they ran in all directions from a putrid corpse lying in the center of the floor. As these creatures crowd around the edges of the room, seeking to crawl through a hole in the corner, they fight each other. "Time to wake up you little runt!" Yelled the new Lord of Gwain has he approached the prisoner. "You better tell me where you have hidden that fucking relic or I swear I will break every bone in your body!" He threatened.
"I have no idea what you are talking about old man." Replied the young Lord has he reopened his purple eyes.
Solomon clenched his fist in anger. "I'm getting real tired of this shit, now where is it?!" He slammed his fist against Geo's stomach, making some spit to fly from his mouth. Solomon then grabbed the prisoner by the hair and made him stare into his raged filled eyes. "This punishment will only stop when I have the relic in my hands, you can avoid the pain to come, all you have to do is give me the artifact that the Maidens left your family." He waited for an answer, but Geo just looked the other way.
"Miserable boy!" With the force he applied to his hand, he bashed Geo's head against the stone wall behind him. "What's the matter you little shit?!" Solomon bashed the boy's head once again. "Don't you want to live?!" Another punch was delivered to his figure.
Geo coughed blood and stained the man's armor. "...Is that the best you got?" His expression showed defiance while blood was running down his mouth. Solomon didn't liked that and so he began to punch his prisoner's face repeatedly with great anger, but after a couple of seconds he decided to stop. "...A-Are you t-tired old man? C-Come on, impress me." Geo smiled weakly.
Lord Solomon grit his teeth. "Such insolence!" He wrapped his fingers around the boy's throat and started to squeeze with all his strength. "You will suffer the same fate has your bastard father." Said Solomon with a psychotic smile has he was enjoying this moment.
"That's enough you idiot!" Shouted Cinder has she entered the room. "He wants you to kill him." She removed the Lord's hands from Geo's throat. "Salem said she needs him alive in order to open the relic and we must obey her orders, otherwise we both shall die a very painful death and you know that." Cinder placed the bucket of water she was carrying on the floor and took a good look at her pet. "Leave, I wish to speak with him in private."
"Has you desire." Solomon left the dungeon and went upstairs with two of his bodyguards accompanying him.
Cinder closed the door and returned to her Prince, with a wet piece of cloth in hand she cleaned the young man's face which was covered with blood. "Have you lost your will to live my love? Because from what I saw it seems you are eager to die."
"My father is dead, many of my friends are dead, my Ruby...is gone, you have taken everything dear from me." Replied Geo with a sad tone like he was about to burst into tears. "If by any chance I survive this, I promise you that I will have my vengeance, in this life or the next." Pure hatred was all he could feel now.
"Hahaha! How wonderful." She laughed. "That look suits you well, I love when you get angry." Cinder caressed his cheek. "But if you are searching for vengeance, you should start with your weak father, Lord Aiden. He was the one who made an arrangement with Salem and failed to deliver is part of the deal."
"What are you on about?"
"How interesting." Cinder was quite surprised, she honestly thought Geo knew. "Well, from what I've heard your father wanted to increase Gwain's strength, he wished to build a nation that could rival the power of the four kingdoms but he realized he couldn't do it without having someone backing him up with money and technology." She said. "So in one faithful day, Salem approached him with a sweet deal. She would give him everything he needed in exchange for a certain favor that only he could accomplish."
"You LIE!" Yelled Geo. "My father was a good man, he would have never done such a deal, specially with that evil woman."
"That's where you are wrong. Aiden accepted the arrangement with Salem and years after Gwain's economy grew expeditiously and it's military power grew as well, everything was going according to plan." Cinder replied. "But then at the end, he decided to go back on his word and stole what was precious to my Mistress. From what I learned her rage knew no boundaries that day."
"I don't believe a single word." The boy said quite angrily.
"Oh my sweet Geo, it doesn't matter if you believe me or not, I frankly don't care. All you need to understand is that you belong to me now." She kissed him on the cheek. "Although, I'm a bit disappointed with your lack of interest, don't you want to at least know what Aiden was supposed to give her?"
"...Fine." He said. "What did my father do?"
Cinder grinned and replied. "Lord Aiden was the head of the Casterwill family and from what I saw in some pictures here in the castle, he was an extremely handsome man in his time. I thinks that's one of the reasons why Salem picked him for the job, he could give what she had been looking for so long and that is..." She was interrupted by her Scroll as it vibrated in her pocket. "Dammit, I guess I will have to tell you another time my Prince." Cinder walked to the exit. "See you soon." She walked away.
"Crazy woman, all she says doesn't make any sense." Whispered Geo. "My father is a hero, he fought for this land and his family, I refuse to believe he had some sort of alliance with that woman called Salem."
Suddenly, the door was opened again and a hooded figure entered the room with her weapon at hand. Geo tilted his head and their eyes met, purple with silver. "Geo." She pulled her hood down, revealing her beautiful face with a big smile on her lips. "I knew you were alive." Her eyes became teary.
"Ruby." Geo couldn't stop smiling. "I...I thought you were dead." His heart was filled with joy once again, then with a single swing the chains that kept him tied to the wall were cut.
Finally free, he immediately hugged his girlfriend like there was no tomorrow. Ruby's eyes gaze into Geo's, her sweet lips glimmered under the burning light of the torches. Geo slowly closed his eyes, he felt the warmth of her gentle lips growing close to his own. Then, just then, the young man felt her lips slowly pressing up against his. They were so soft and gentle. They lingered in one position for a moment, then suddenly they spread, and Geo found his own lips spreading over hers, as if they belonged there.
Geo raised his hands from the sides and wrapped his arms around her waist pulling her closer to him. Geo lifted the corner of her girlfriend's lips and touched his forehead with hers. Ruby kissed harder has she smiled with pleasure, Geo returned the smile, but soon after they broke away from the kiss. "I love you Ruby, you have no idea how much I missed you."
Those words were the only ones she wanted to hear in the whole world. 'I love you' was the message of bells that rang in her ears. "I love you too, I'm just glad you are alive and in my arms once again." She was overwhelmed with happiness. "I wish we could stay like this for the rest of the day, but we must get out of here before Solomon or Cinder arrives."
"Right." He nodded.
"Also, about your dad...I'm really sorry."
"...Thanks, he didn't deserved to die the way he did. Solomon will pay one day for everything he has done that I can assure you." The young Lord replied. "I have to ask, do you have a plan on how we can escape from Gwain?" He asked.
"Actually, I do." Said Ruby with her sweet tone. "Avala and Sunny have taken the Galeon back from Solomon's forces, we can use it to escape with the other survivors."
"General Avala and Sunny are alive? That's great! What about your sister, Yang?"
"Don't worry about her, Yang is alright and she's waiting for us outside the castle, so we should get moving as quickly as possible." Answered Ruby. "I have to tell you that many Grimm creatures have managed to enter Gwain during the battle, the entire settlement is in chaos, there's fighting everywhere."
"God dammit." Geo said. "That Solomon is going to destroy everything my father and my ancestors have worked so hard to achieve. Not to mention, the number of deaths his causing with his mad quest for power."
"I understand how you feel, I want to stop him too but we can't fight him at least not now. First we must find a place to hide and rest for a while." She said. "Do you know someone that might be able to help us?"
"I think our best bet would be Headmaster Ozpin, he was a friend of my father for a long time." Replied Geo. "I'm sure he will help us if we ask."
"Then it's settled, we go to Beacon." Said Ruby. "Let's go, we shouldn't stay here any longer this place gives me the creeps." She grabbed her boyfriend's hand and started to run. "I hope we don't run in to some guards in our path, I want to avoid fights if we can."
"I agree, so let's try to be careful with our movements."