A/N: OLAF! It's me, IFYOUCOULDFLY! So I just wanna say thanks for everything, you guys! Things may get pretty busy soon, but I hope to keep updating regularly! Alright, Alyss, will you do the honors? Alyss- Unbelievable. Me- What? Alyss- I'm NOT doing the disclaimer! Me- Why? C'mon! Just say that I don't own the story, John Flanagan does, and I will never own Ranger's Apprentice! Alyss- But you just said it. Me- Wait, what? Gaaah! Alyss- Right, well, I'm leaving… Me- OH, COME ON! RRRGH! You know the drill, guys, read it….

*Will's P.O.V.*

Will's heart skipped a beat. "But how-" he quickly shut his mouth, ashamed that he let himself show his shock. Morgarath's son snorted. "How could Morgarath have a child? How could the wonderful Rangers-"-He spat as if the word were diseased-"Let this slip by? Well, I've got news for you, Treaty, your little group of so-called legends doesn't know everything, AND IT'S HIGH TIME THEY LEARNED THAT!" The Wargals stepped towards Will, hearing their master's enraged outburst. Morgarath's son waved them back to their positions, eyes closed. He breathed heavily, then opened his eyes again, fully composed again.

"I plan to take what was rightfully my father's, before that wretched friend of yours took it away." He sat upright in his throne, glaring daggers at Will. "From now on, you shall address me as Lord Vasanistis, nothing else. I need information, and you, Will Treaty," Vasanistis leaned in once more. "Are going to give it to me. One way or another." Then, abruptly, everything went black again.

*Crowley's P.O.V*

Crowley slowly sipped his coffee, only half awake. His head was still pounding from last night. "I'm making a mental note not to watch the apprentices again." Many of the Rangers had agreed to leave their apprentices in Crowley's care for a short time so he could get some hands-on assessments with them. BIG mistake. "It's like a bunch of tiny Wills and Gilans!" He mumbled to himself. "A bunch of tiny whats?" A voice came from behind him. Crowley jumped, spilling coffee all over.

He turned around angrily. "GILAN!" He roared. The young Ranger was hanging upside-down on a tree branch behind him, grinning mischievously. "What? You're making it too easy." A bout of giggles came from behind the tree, where 5 young apprentices were watching in delight. Crowley rolled his eyes. "When I asked you to help, Gilan, I was figuring you were at least as mature as them." Gilan dropped out of the tree, a look of mock innocence on his face. "Oh, come ON, Crowley, lighten up."

"Hey, what's that?" One apprentice, a wiry red-headed boy, called, pointing to a figure galloping through the trees. Gilan smiled at the apprentices. "That," he said with a wink, "Is Ranger Halt." The group gasped. The previous night, Gilan had told them all stories of the eight-foot, bloodthirsty apprentice-killer Halt. Crowley squinted, ignoring Gilan's teasing and the apprentices' worried squabbling. "Something's not right…" he mumbled as Halt got closer.

The typically grim Ranger had an even grimmer expression. He seemed to have a glint of worry in his eye as well, which was very alarming. Even more alarming was the sight behind him. Tug was barreling along behind him, with no saddle, and even worse, no Will. Gilan appeared to have noticed as well, as he stopped his continuous taunting of the young boys and was staring at the figures approaching.

Halt halted (hehe) his horse abruptly, just a few yards ahead, and ran to meet them. "What's wrong?" Gilan asked quickly, all silliness aside. "I'm not sure," Halt replied quickly. "Tug here showed up on my doorstep last night, with no rider. He looks upset. I know for certain that Will is in trouble." Crowley glanced at the pony, who tossed his head in agreement. "Yes." He said. Halt looked at his quizzically. "Yes what?" Crowley rolled his eyes. "Yes, you can go after him. I'll stay here with the apprentices. Gilan, you can go with." He decided, seeing Gilan's eager expression. "I'll go get Blaze!" The young Ranger said, and was off in a flash.

"M-mister Halt?" A daring apprentice asked. The grizzled figure looked down. "Yes?" He asked impatiently. "Is-is it true that you-killed an apprentice one time?" The boy asked, avoiding Halt's stony gaze. Halt cracked a smile for the first time since Tug's sudden appearance. "Absolutely. And I'll get the lot of you if you don't scram!" The 5 companions yelped, then scurried away.

"Geez, Halt!" Gilan shouted. He had already tacked and mounted Blaze, and was trotting up behind them. "Why'd you do that? Scaring them off…you should be ashamed!" Halt glared at Gilan, who smiled sheepishly. "Let's get going." He said coldly, mounting Abelard as he went. "Tug, you lead the way!" Will's pony took off at a gallop in the direction of Will's capture, Blaze and Abelard at his heels.

Crowley watched them go, a dark thought brewing in his mind. "Something's not right," he thought, and across the clearing, the two riders were thinking the same thing.

*Will's P.O.V*

Will opened his eyes. The world was spinning around, and his head had a familiar foggy feeling. He squinted through the haze and realized he was in a cell. But not his cell. This was even worse.

All around him were racks with chains on them. Whips, daggers, and most of all, poisoned darts hung on the wall around him. Dried blood stained the brick floors below him. "A torture chamber." Will thought.

"My favorite room of the house. Don't you agree?" A pompous voice asked sarcastically. Will opened his mouth to reply as the effects of whatever drug he had been given wore off, but was cut off. "Oh, no time for small chat, Ranger, we have business to do." He gave that obnoxious smile. "Look over here, Treaty." Will followed Vasanistis's gaze to a large, muscular man beside him. He was holding a whip in his hands. "This," Vasanistis chattered, clearly enjoying himself, "is Brutus. He's here in case you decide to do something…Ranger-like." Will rolled his eyes. "Ranger-like?" He thought. Suddenly, he felt a sharp pain on his back, and he cried out in pain. Realization struck him: he was hanging in chains, and he had been whipped. Hard.

"Uh-uh-uh!" Vasanistis reprimanded in a babyish tone, wagging his finger. "Don't be rude, Treaty." He cackled. "Now, shall we start?" Will grunted, still in pain. "Good! Now, you Rangers seem to know every little nook and cranny of Castle Araluen, don't you?" Will nodded stiffly, he didn't like where this was going. "Well tell me, where could an assassin get a clear shot at King Duncan?" Will remained silent and shut his eyes, bracing for impact, and it came. The whip cracked down on his raw flesh, ripping open the skin. He let a cry of agony escape his lips, which brought a smile to his captor's face. "Now, Will, why don't you give me an answer?" Will winced, but managed to reply with a weak, "No…" the whip cracked against his skin once more, bringing tears of pain to his eyes, which he quickly blinked away.

For nearly five minutes it went on like this, the whip endlessly tearing at Will's skin. He was bleeding. Badly. Vasanistis knew that Will would soon pass out. "I'm asking one more time, Treaty. Cooperate, now." The solemn Ranger remained silent; it was to painful to reply or shake his head. The son of Morgarath let out a sigh. "Oh, well. What a bother you are. No matter. We will pick up where we left off tomorrow." Will suppressed a groan. "For now," Vasanistis continued, "It's bedtime for Rangers." With a nod of his head, the torturer set his whip to the side and picked up something that made Will's stomach flip. A knife.

"No…" He groaned, but the poisoned blade was already pushed through his shoulder, making Will gasp. Never before had anything hurt this bad. Ever. "Notice, Treaty, that you haven't blacked out right away. Just like in the forest where you were captured. That's due to certain amounts of dosage. I have to select wisely. Here, I want you to feel the pain. Lots of it. This is what happens when you don't cooperate. And in the forest," he smiled wickedly, "I wanted to give you enough time to lure your friends into the trap."

"No…" Will thought. "How could I? Now Halt will be in danger…not Halt…" tears threatened to surface as the world began to spin. "I'm sorry." He thought, as if sending a telepathic message to his friends. "I'm so sorry I've failed you." And then, just like before, the world went black.

A/N: bum-bum-bum! Haha…the things I do to poor Will… Will: Yeah, thanks for that… Me: No problem! Hehehe….but anyways thanks so much you guys (wow I say that a LOT)! Go ahead…review…follow me….favorite….(insert more shameless attempts to win you innocent readers over here). Well, next update tomorrow! For now, keep reading!-FLY