Chapter 14: The Secret of the Dungeon

No one had heard from Koaru in eight weeks, and the spirits were low as Serena's 14th birthday rounded the corner. Amy had been putting on a strong front, but she was very unstable and would burst into tears at the slightest mention of Koaru. Greg had organized several search parties and tried to find him, but they couldn't even find his tracks. Artemis ordered that Koaru only be listed as MIA (missing in action), not KIA (killed in action), because the last time he did, Koaru came back and kicked his ass. Greg was promoted by King Mercury from Squire to Knight, and was given many jobs, mainly capturing criminals. It was this job that led him to a dark discovery.

"Let me go! I didn't attack the man, he threw his knife at me!" Greg listened as the old man he was escorting to the dungeon yelled and complained. "Save it, will you?" he said as the guard opened the door and they entered the dungeon. It was Greg's first time entering it, and he wanted to leave as soon as possible. It was dark, musky, and smelled of human waste and sickness. There were cells full of younger, stronger criminals along one wall, and the other had a bench with older and weaker criminals chained to it. Greg led the man over to this bench and chained him to it, then turned to leave when he heard a loud scream of agony come from a closed door. An older man shook his head sadly. "There they go, torturing that man again." Greg looked at the old guy and asked "What did he do?" One of the younger prisoners in a cell yelled over in a cruel voice, "He was arrested for learning forbidden magic and stalking the princess, and also being an accomplice of King Soul." Greg looked at the man, then crept over to the door as another cry of pain echoed through it. He opened the door very slightly, and the sight that met his eyes was unimaginable.

The younger prisoner watched as Greg stumbled backwards, smiling. "Never thought that torture could be that bad, eh? Well, come to think of it, torture is no allowed anymore, so the King will be screwed if you tell anyone." Greg ran out of the dungeon, up the stairs, and skidded to a halt. The site before him hade his heart stop.

"Well, tell me. Was your trip to the dungeon...enlightening?" King Mercury asked Greg as his face flushed. King Mercury looked at a general behind him. "General, arrest this man for the crime of treachery." Greg looked at him with shock. "Treachery? How?" King Mercury looked at him with a sour look. "For teaching the princess, which you know is a crime. Women should stay in the house and kitchen, not work in the world, they are men's most prized possessions!" Greg knew then that King Mercury didn't know that the Crystal Moon Academy also taught education, or Amy wouldn't be there. "Take him away." King Mercury ordered, and Greg was relieved of his sword and taken to the dungeon.

Three days later Artemis was reading the list of latest arrests, as was part of his job, and drinking some hard beer. His eyes paused on the Mercury list, then he spit out his mouthful of booze. He ran to the stable, where he grabbed a horse and took off to the Academy.

Sailor Mercury and Mars were practicing a new combo move when Artemis rode up beside them. "Amy!" he shouted, and Sailor Mercury walked over to him, puzzled. "Greg, Greg was arrested. Your discovered that he was teaching you." Amy instantly left for home. When she arrived, King Mercury was waiting for her. "Why did you arrest Greg?" she demanded. "SILENCE!" King Mercury roared at her, and she flinched. "How dare you talk to me with that tone, girl. He was arrested for breaking the law." Amy interrupted him, "For breaking your security! You fear the thought of women being equal to men! You-" her words were cut short by King Mercury striking her in the face, knocking her to the floor. "How dare you..." he said, with venom running through his voice. "Get out of my site." Amy left the room, and went straight to the dungeon.

"I'm sorry princess, but I can't let you past." the guard told Amy as she begged him to let her past. Amy thought for a moment, then remembered what Raye told her; "Us girls have an advantage over guys, hee hee, it's all about how you act around them. Act right, and they are clay for you to mold." Amy, knowing that this would decrease her self respect, put on a look of desperation and weakness, and asked again, "Please, please let me through..." The guard wavered, but still shook his head. Amy had no other choice, she started to lift her skirt, revealing her legs, when the guard snapped. "Alright, alright! Go! But if you get caught, I had nothing to do with it." Amy nodded her thanks, and entered.

Inside, Amy was surrounded by the strong smell of sweaty men, many of whom were giving her wolf whistles, and saying very unpleasant things. As she walked around, she asked if any of them knew where Greg was. One of the men in a cell called to her, "You lookin for the pretty boy?" She looked over and approached the cell. "Yes, where is he?" The man reached out through the bars and pointed to the right. Amy looked over and saw Greg, but as she started to walk to him, the man grabbed her arms and pulled her into the bars and, with one hand, 'felt her up'. She screamed and many of the others laughed and cheered, but then a food tray flew at the man, hit him square in the face, and he released her, blood dripping from the wound. Amy looked around, but saw no one, so she ran over to Greg, who was very pale.

"Are you ok?" he asked as she approached. She nodded, then checked him. He was unhurt, but severely under nourished. "Amy," he said, "The corner cell, go. But, be careful." Amy was very confused, but she got to her feet, and walked over to the corner cell, which was very dark. She found and lit a torch, let the light illuminate the cell, and gasped. In the cell was a young man, strapped to the wall by his ankles, upside down. He wore only filthy shorts, and his long black hair was greasy and tangled. His body was covered in scars, and many cuts were still bleeding. But it was his shoulder that shocked her; the inverted pentagram with the red demon eye in the center.