The Commander closed his eyes, walking over to Thomar with disappointment.
"I see. So that is how is it, D102?"
"That is how it is, Commander. However, I do not go by D102. My name is Thomar."
The Commander flinched at this comment.
"Your punishment will be greater if you continue making blasphemous comments like that. I truly believed you were a loyal servant of the provider, D102."
"Did you really? And my punishment is already great as it is. There is no escape for myself, so what more will a few comments do?"
The Commander turned his back on the soldier, walking forward with his hands folded behind him, without so much as looking back.
"Fine then. Take this man away. He will be sentenced to life in the camps for his dissidence to the goodwill and graciousness of the provider. He has hidden an unregistered child from our eyes, and as such must be punished. Of course, the same goes for the child."
The men saluted and took the two away, and another man rushed up to the Commander shortly after.
"Sir! We have located and surrounded four humans, and require your presence."
The Commander nodded.
"Lead the way, soldier."
----
Thomar and Pliara were taken to the camp and led underground into the jail, where they were frisked of their possessions.
"What is this?"
As one of the guards was patting Pliara down, they took the flag out of her pocket.
"This is.... if I remember correctly.... the same symbol that was drawn on that memo which the woman brought to us last night....."
"The symbol of the antiheroes..... or at least, that's what it was claimed to be...."
"Girl!! Are you working with outsiders as well!?!"
One of the guards pressed the young child to the wall for information as Thomar's eyes were filled with fury, but another guard held out his hand.
"Stop. Now is not the time for that. We can question her all we want later, but right now we need to get back to our positions."
The guard who was pressing the girl to the wall nodded, and the two were thrown into a cell together after their possessions were taken from them, their basic clothes aside.
"Heh. You two can rot together in there.", one of the guards joked. "We'll make you both regret ever going against the provider."
And with that, the guards walked off, leaving the two alone in the cell.
Thomar looked over to Pliara, who was pouting as she looked at him with sad eyes.
"Are you alright? What's wrong? Did they hurt you?", he asked.
Pliara crawled over to him and snuggled into his arms.
"You weren't supposed to come here with me, soldier.... I was supposed to pay you back for everything you did for me...."
Thomar hugged the girl tightly with a smile.
"And you weren't supposed to save me like that. If anything, I was the one who was supposed to save you.... but I failed."
"Soldier.... let's die together....."
The soldier looked down on the girl, hugging her even tighter as he began to cry himself.
His hands quivered as he held the girl, knowing that their fates were already set in stone. They would either live lives as slaves or commit blasphemy so grave that they would be slain immediately as an example.
His voice quivered as he spoke.
"I guess that's the only option now, isn't it?"
The girl nodded, burying her face into his chest.
"Then we'll die together. I won't hope for a miracle. But at least we can have this."
----
Melody was now walking through the hallways of the jail cell, her pupils dilated far beyond what a normal person would be able to reach.
On reaching the door at the end of the hallway, she could smell the thick stench of blood and death which oozed from this room, just beyond the metal door in front of her.
"We're taking you in here, woman.", the Commander stated. "I'm going to make you spill every last one of the plans you have in mind, and every detail about those you are working for."
Her red hair was frazzled from the guards rough treatment of her and her body appeared to be a bruised mess from them pushing her forward, hitting her and pulling her hair.
She felt no pain however.
"Aren't you even a little bit scared, woman? It's ok to just spill everything before we start.", the Commander said while grabbing the door handle and slowly opening the door.
After opening the door, he looked back to see the face of the woman they had taken in.
"Hey..... are you scared of a parasite eating away at your brain?"
The woman was looking down, however her voice was quivering with delight as she spoke these words.
"Are you scared of an infection spreading throughout your city, corrupting each and every last one of your people?"
The woman slowly lifted her head, her eyes meeting with the Commander.
"Are you so afraid of disease that you bathe yourself in acid to kill off all the germs?"
What he saw at this moment was something which shook him to the very core.
Despite having opened the door which led to a bloody mess- a room filled with tools of torture and bloodied tables, the woman was looking up at him with a face which was so crazed with madness that the Commander found himself stumbling backwards.
'Monster.....'
'This woman is a monster....'
Her eyes were completely bloodshot, and an evil grin drew itself across the face of this woman as she failed to so much as shiver before the sight in front of her.
"Are you scared that even the slightest wound will become infected, spreading the disease to the entire body and killing off the host?"
The woman began to giggle horrendously.
"You don't seem to understand at all, 'Commander.' I am a parasite. You can kill me off, but the infection has already been spread. There are a thousand others just like me..... parasites who cling to our hosts, serving their purposes... spreading the disease which will one day infect the entire world....."
Even the guards around her reeled back in fear towards the insanity of the woman in front of them.
"W-we need to get this woman strapped down and question her, C-Commander...."
"Y-yes... that's right..... men, grab onto her....."
The men were terrified yet they each grabbed one of her limbs to make sure she couldn't struggle, yet the woman did no such thing.
"Ah, you want me to lay down on that table there? Go ahead. Place me there. Do what you want. After all, I suppose your doctors will want to try and treat the disease. Hehehe...."
The men carried Melody onto the table, where she was strapped down as she looked around with crazed eyes.
"Do you really think your provider is so great a leader? Do you really believe that he is worth serving so loyally?"
The door was closed and the Commander was left with four guards, all standing around Melody.
"Why are you so obsessed with the people you serve, woman? Just what is it that makes you so undoubtedly loyal? I must know, for that is the secret to keeping the peace and eliminating dissent within this town."
Melody looked up at the Commander with a fanatic grin.
"What is the secret, you ask? It's simple. If you wish for someone to follow you with utmost loyalty, all you have to do is become a leader who is worthy of such service. That is all. Your provider has done a good job at eliminating dissent..... but he hasn't been able to blotch out the last bit of the infection, has he? My own masters.... their excellencies.... they have been able to eliminate even the slightest bit of dissidence towards them."
The high pitched laughter of the woman who was strapped to the table disturbed all who witnessed the scenario of madness.
"Does your leader claim to be a hero, and not a dictator? That is perhaps correct. For a true hero will be hated by some. But a true Dictator cannot be hated by any."
----
This comment was met with a whack to the face from the baton of the Commander.
"You speak such blasphemy that it is repulsive to even witness it, woman.", the Commander said with a grim face. "Are you truly working for the antiheroes? For what reason would a human like you be doing so? Money? Power? Why would a human serve the very enemies of humanity with such faith!?!?"
Melody laughed dementedly as the Commander asked this. Her face was left with a bruise at being whacked with the baton, however this was merely an illusion produced by the ring which she wore.
"I wouldn't serve them for something as simple as money.... it is because of their magnificence... of their greatness.... it is for exactly this reason why I serve them. They are the true rulers of this world, and I am merely assisting in that goal. Let me ask you as well, why do you serve your own false ruler? Is he not merely a tyrant who forces rules upon you as you obey unquestioningly? For what reason do you respect him? His strength? His charisma? Or perhaps you've merely made him into an idol which you cannot retract. You've turned him into a figure which all your people rally around without knowing why. You claim that he can produce food and provide sustenance for your people, but isn't that just a lie spread so that the people will not rebel against him?"
Whack! Whack! Whack!
As Melody spoke the Commander became furious and began beating her.
The skin of Melody began to bruise to the point where it was bleeding, yet her expression denied every last bit of injury.
"Didn't hurt at all, dear Commander. Why don't you bring out the big guns? Or are you afraid of killing me in your anger?"
"Why you...."
The Commander walked over to the wall and grabbed something which looked like a strange sawblade.
"Fine then.... if that's what you want, let's see how you react to this!!!"
The man turned on the blade and sparks flew as it spinned around with a whirring sound.
It was a chainsaw.
He brought it over to Melody's hand, placing it above it and threatening to cut off her finger.
"Enough of the disrespect, woman. Just continue answering my questions and you will get to keep your fingers. I am the one in control here, not you. Why then do you act like nothing is wrong? Why are you acting like you're not the one in danger here!?!? Stop this madness!! What plans do you have for this city? Do you wish to disrupt our peace and spread seeds of discord to the people who are so loyal to the provider!?"
"Spread seeds of discord to the people? Those will come after. I merely wish to show them that there is another option. The leadership of this town was once a monopoly. There was only one brand which everyone was forced to buy into. But now, a competitor has arisen. One which far surpasses the shitty quality of leadership which your 'provider' was selling."
"That's it, woman!!"
The Commander brought down the sawblade onto her fingers, which were cut off in a spray of flesh and blood.
Despite this gory scene, however, the mad woman stayed smiling and laughing.
"AHAHAHAHAH!!!! Do you think something like that would make me beg for your help or praise your leader!?! He is nothing more than a mere fool who doesn't understand anything about leadership!!!! We will show your people just how low quality his product truly is!!!!!"
'This woman.... does she not feel pain!?!?! How can she laugh like this after her fingers were just cut off!?!?!'
The Commander walked around to the other side of Melody and brought the saw onto her other hand.
"Cease your comments!!!!! Surely you are merely masking your own pain!!!! So your masters intend on taking over as the leaders of this village!?!? In that case, we must make sure that you all are made a good example of!!!! We will show your leaders what happens to their subordinates when they dare to challenge the provider!!!!!"
With this, the Commander sliced off the fingers on Melody's other hand, yet she continued laughing.
"AS IF!!!! AHAHAHA!!!!!!"
"You and your three companions will be sacrificed publicly tomorrow!!!! That decision is final!!!! Men, take this woman away from me!! I don't wish to see her face any more!!!"
The men saluted, though they were quite shaken after seeing Melody's bout of insanity.
They unstrapped her cautiously and she got up without a peep of resistance, calming her own insane expression in an instant without even the slightest hint of being in pain.
She was led out of the room, and the Commander watched as she was forced out the door.
However, just as she was about to leave, she turned her head around a full 180 degrees, looking back at him with the eyes of a lunatic, her hair draping as she stroked it with her bloodied and fingerless hands.
"Your leader is nothing more than a coward who hides behind walls..... if he is not, then he will show himself during our execution..... then and there, it will be decided..... which one of our leaders are true leaders."
"Is that a threat to our great provider!?!", the Commander shouted.
"Take it as you will. However, let me tell you this. Even if he is to run, he will not be able to escape the dominion of their excellencies."
----
As the guards led Melody back to her cell, she could see that they were clearly shivering in terror just being next to her.
She was unarmed.
She was a human, and supposedly weak.
There was nothing which they should have feared.
And yet, they still shook in terror.
This terror was caused by her display of absolute devotion to her masters, and her complete ignoring of the pain of losing all 10 of her fingers.
Of course, Melody had not actually been injured.
Everything which had been witnessed by those men was merely an advanced illusion created by the ring.
This illusion was one in which would not only act on ones sight, but also on their perception of touch, therefore the Commander truly did feel as if he had cut off the fingers of Melody.
The blood which dripped on the floor and covered her hair would feel like a liquid to anyone who touched it.
Everything would look and feel as if it were real, aside from the pain which Melody should have experienced- which was nonexistent.
'This ring is astounding.... to be able to disturb these guards to that extent... it has served a great use....'
Melody brushed her hair back and her eyes returned to their normal, serious state.
She put on her usual cold face as she walked back to the cell, unwilling to show this hidden side of herself to the three who awaited her.
'They do not need to see that side of me just yet..... the only ones who need to know are their excellencies....'
The guards opened the cell door and Melody walked inside to see the faces of her three comrades.
"Melody!!!"
"Your hands!!!!"
"What did they do to you!?!? Are you alright!?!?!"
They were clearly concerned for her, yet she merely nodded with a blank stare.
"Everything is fine."
The guards shivered at hearing the cold tone in her voice which she so suddenly took, and slithered away in fear.
"That woman...."
"It will be better once she has been executed....."
"How dare she make such comments about the provider...."
When Melody confirmed that the guards had walked away, she took off the ring, revealing that her hands were perfectly fine and in tact.
"Oh.... thank goodness.... it was just the illusion....", Lance said with a sigh of relief.
"You had me worried there, Melody!!!! I thought it was the ring, but I also thought 'What if it isn't an illusion!!'", Charlotte exclaimed.
"Those rings sure do create a realistic effect. It really deceived me there.", Pierre admitted.
Melody checked once more to confirm that the guards were gone, and then spoke up to the three.
"We will be executed later today, hopefully in the presence of their leader. It is then that we will expose him as a false leader, and present their excellencies as true rulers."
The three became serious as Melody explained this and nodded.
"Got it.", they all said.
Melody then sat down next to the three, and they all began to simply wait in their cells for their own time of execution.
"It will likely be tonight after the workday is over, so we have some time to kill."
Pierre looked at Melody with a serious face and put his hand on her shoulder.
"Then you rest up this time. We'll watch out in case anything happens, and wake you when it does."
The other two nodded and Charlotte put up her fists as if to say 'we'll fight too!'
Melody smiled at the three, closing her eyes.
"Looks like I have no choice then. I'll be counting on you three."
----
Inside a fancy room, a black cobra with green eyes laid in bed with two beauties on his side.
Neither of them spoke, and their heads were bowed with their eyes closed.
"Are neither of you going to say anything? I will become bored just sitting here like this.", the cobra stated.
The women were frozen stiff at this statement, unsure as to what they should say. Clearly the provider wanted them to say something, however if they said something which caused him the slightest discomfort then they would be deemed as incompetent and thrown aside.
"Is there something you wish to discuss, my Fuhrer?", one of the women asked hesitantly as she kept her head bowed in respect.
"Why didn't you look me in the eyes when you addressed me? Guard. Take this one away. She holds no respect for me.", the cobra stated with the flick of his head.
The woman was filled with complete terror and disdain on hearing the words of the cobra who so blatantly rejected her.
'No..... no.... I've made a mistake.... I should have looked up..... I thought that I should have kept my head down while speaking to him, but I shouldn't have!!! I've made a horrible error in judgement.....'
The woman was taken away, leaving the other.
"Well? Will you say something then?", the cobra asked her.
The woman lightly lifted her head, abashed as she looked into his eyes and softly spoke.
"Has there been anything troubling you recently, my Fuhrer? If you wish to vent your worries, I will gladly listen."
The cobra looked this woman in the eyes before squinting.
"Your face is pretty but you dare to look me directly in the eyes when you speak? Know your place. Guard. This one is useless as well. Take her away."
The second woman too was filled with a sense of internal loathing, knowing that she was unable to please the greatest man in this village- the very hero and savior which she had a one time opportunity to please.
'I've failed..... I should have kept my head down and humbly bowed before him.... how could I get so arrogant so as to look him in the eyes!?!?!'
After the woman was taken away, a knock was heard at the door.
"Enter."
Inside the entrance walked a snakeman wearing a black uniform, bearing the four pointed star in the center of his hat.
It was the Commander.
"My Fuhrer, I bear news regarding the capture of the outsiders, as well as the arrest of those who hold dissidence towards your rule. Permission to report this information?"
"Granted. Proceed with the report."