Hetalia – The Cold of War
Chapter 5! Woo so not only another chapter but also a prequel! Hetalia - Origins will be the prequel and a sort of companion guide to this series, it'll explain the lore and myth of how everything came to be. Unlike this main series, I plan to keep Origins relatively short. Not to mention I'm so planning my own murder mystery so update times may vary from now on. Worry not though! I will strive to deliver! Any who, enough about me. Onto the chapter!
Enjoy!
The Capital, The Winter Palace's Highest Security Dungeon, The Entrance Corridor
Roderick Edelstein strode down the echoing corridor as he had done oh-so-many times before. The loud thumping sound of his booted footsteps hitting the concrete stone floors bounced back off the matching walls. The hollow corridor was lit by evenly spaced bare light bulbs and at either end, a industrial strength enforced steel door stood both maned by two elite guards. As Roderick neared the entrance to the prison levels, the two heavily armoured guards stepped aside and saluted as he passed them. Their concealed eyes behind their helmeted heads followed as he descended further into the lower depths of the dungeon levels.
The dungeons that Roderick was now walking into had not always been part of the Palace's underground structure. It had been constructed when Ivan had seized control of the throne and began his purge when he discovered that sorcerers required more then iron bars to be contained. It was found ironically, only magic could seal magic. And so after Ivan had broken his captives, he had forced them to carve layers upon layers of sealing runes into each manacle and every corner of every cell. The runes sapped the sorcerers of their strength and will, leaving them barely capable thought. Transformed into malleable living dolls, this was the fate of the cooperative sorcerers. Those who stubbornly held and retained their mental barriers against the reconditioning treatments were forced into what could be considered, solitary confinement.
The sorcerers who were subjected to this cruel punishment, were forced to stand at the centre of an imprisoning magic circle. When the circle was activated the victim would be levitated and cryogenically frozen inside a solid block of crystal. The crystal had life sustaining properties that kept its victim alive and conscious, but could be outwardly influenced to induce its captive with intense hallucinations designed to cause the mind to yield. The duration of the treatment was administrated in short but repetitive doses, for prolonged exposure had led past prisoners to irreversible madness. The Empire had learnt gravely from that mistake, Roderick thought to himself as he strode past the rows of barred cells. Each contained its own glassy eyed inmate that no longer had the prowess to even whimper as the man who had put them behind bars didn't spare a glance their way.
"Their ancestors must be rolling in their graves at the sorry state their race has fallen to" Roderick quietly mused as he finally came to the end corridor crossroad and turned left, to where the corridor opened up to his favourite place in the dungeon. The Reconditioning chamber.
The chamber was by far the largest room and was shaped like the inside of a dome. There were large cabinets displaying small vials of intoxicating drugs and sickly syringes. Opposite the cabinets there were a mixture of torture instruments laid out on a long table for intimation purposes. An electric generator stood directly behind the torture chair at the centre of the room, its thin electric wires connected to a poor unfortunate soul.
Roderick allowed a smirk to play onto his lips as he entered the chamber and saw who was already strapped down by leather cuffs at his waists and ankles in the chair.
Vlad Popescu clamped his jaws together to suppress his building agonised scream as he felt the horribly familiar burning sensation vibrate from the padded attached wires on his bare chest. The pain caused involuntary spasms that raked across Vlad's body as he tried to ride out the waves of electric current. There was an inaudible voice and with a short click the electricity was stopped, Vlad slumped forward as he released his jaw and panted heavy breaths to regain precious oxygen. Sweat clung to his brow and his thin rib cage heaved in and out as Vlad slowly raised his heavy head and cracked his blood shot eyes open.
"Hello Vladimir, it has been quite a time since we last spoke has it not?" Roderick asked as though they were sitting down having pleasant tea, not deep underground in a torture chamber. Vlad wetted his dry lips and swallowed in an attempt to soothe his raw throat, the past few hours of screaming had really done a number on it.
"Not long…enough" Vlad wheezed as he rested his head back against the high backed 'throne' and wearily watched Roderick examine him like a specimen under a microscope.
"Ah, but you wound me Vladimir. I thought we shared the unbreakable bond of companionship, you and I," Roderick replied as he clutched his heart in an exaggerated manner, pretending Vlad's words had actually landed a blow, "We're always worked as partners. Do you not remember seven years back during the Emperor's purge, when we were the perfect team. Capturing dangerous and unpredictable sorcerers like yourself and putting them safely away from harm. Weren't those the days?"
Vlad cringed as he remembered the gut wrenching memory of being forced to hunt down his own kind. Standing helpless as he saw his kin being dragged away in chains, crying and cursing at him for assisting in their capture. That memory was a favourite in solitary, replayed over and over again until Vlad felt emotionally numb and empty. Roderick was now finally getting to his point.
"Yes, yes those were the days. One particular mission stood out to me, you know. I'm sure you remember it quite clearly Vladimir. The mission to capture the noble Kirklands," Vlad's eyes snapped wide open as he stared at Commander Roderick with pending dread. Please, oh please do not let it be what he thought it was. "And I'm sure that you remember we only managed to successfully capture one Kirkland, correct? Well Vladimir I do believe a momentous opportunity has dropped into your lap. Be honoured, for I am in need of your tracking abilities once more"
Vlad shook his head in hopeless denial. He could see where this was going. He could see what Commander Roderick was building to. "I can't. I can't, I can't go through that again. I just can't" he whimpered as he thought of the crushing guilt he had felt upon looking down at Seamus Kirkland's corpse. They had never even spoken, and yet the act of betraying them had felt so much worse then the other sorcerers. The Kirklands had been respected, they had been admired for their vast knowledge and great power in the arts. They had never been directly involved in the Community, preferring to stick to themselves. But they had always offered their help to those who needed it, no matter how begrudgingly. It had been worse then sin to be the cause of their demise. Vlad cried out in shock as he felt his head snap left from the brutal backhand Roderick gave him. The right side of his face throbbed as Roderick took his hand away and stared him down.
"Do not make the unforgivable mistake of thinking you have a say in these proceedings Vladimir. You opinion counts for less then nothing in my eyes. Before I was rudely interrupted by your pathetic snivelling, I was explaining your target. One going by the name of Arthur Kirkland" Roderick stated, inwardly smiling as Vlad's pupils constricted with fear. Vlad began to shake his head more insistently as his breathing became shallower, borderlining hyperventilation.
"No, no. I can't. I did it once. I did it once. I can't. I cannot do it again! Don't make me do it again!" Vlad shrieked hysterically gaining him another slap, silencing him with another slap. Roderick closed the distance between them and wrapped his gloved hand around Vlad's quivering throat.
"Now listen here, you piece of filth. You. Do. Not. Have. A. Say. In. This. You are not even a person. Your mind and your body belongs to the Emperor and he will continue to use you like the good tools you are to win this war. You will serve under The Emperor's right hand. You will track down and acquire Arthur Kirkland in one piece. And you will present him before His Grace and pray with all your minimal worth that he approves enough to see you live another day," Roderick spat in acidic tones as he gripped Vlad's throat with crushing force before releasing him and pausing just before he left the chamber. "Commander Arlovskaya will come for you at midnight. The slightest show of resistance will lead to severe punishment"
Vlad watched traumatised as Roderick left the chamber, unable to completely process what he was going to be forced to do. Vlad tried to calm himself and think about the information he had been presented with. At least he would of, if the the electricity hadn't been turned back on. Fresh screams rippled throughout that bloody chamber.
Oh ho ho, Roderick. How can you be so loving in one scene and so brutal in the other? So yeah, some details on how the sorcereres are being contained. The inspiration of the solitary confinement came from watching an episode of the anime 'Blue Exorcist' (Which is a must read manga), I liked the idea of how they were completely frozen and I added the touch of the mental harassment because you know. Who doesn't like mental torture?
It's a shame that we are reintroduced to Vlad under painful circumstances. But you know what they say. Once the pain train starts rolling, it don't pull into the station (choo choo. Mothertruckeer). I'm really excited for upcoming chapters, I'm hyped for the action and drama to kickoff ;)
Thank you for reading and I hope you enjoyed this chapter. If you are enjoying this story then please take the time to leave a review to tell me your thoughts, opinions and questions. Once again thank you for reading!
Until nex time!