Audio can still be heard as the Erlking sits up, kicking the slave away from his feet.
"I thought you said it would just make him drowsy?" Mary's voice can be heard. The medic can be heard shuffling in the background.
"I guess he was more exhausted then he realized, he was probably high on adrenaline, making him seem more alert than he should have been."
"Do you think I can take him to our room? I'll make sure he eats when he wakes up." Mary asks the medic.
"Well... normally I would say no, but since you were a nurse.... I suppose you can. Yes, go ahead and take him." The medic adds, "Please inform me if his condition changes though."
"Will do, thank you doctor." Mary thanks him and the map screen beeps showing that my clones location has changed.
"No!" I cry out, making it seem like she's really accepted that it's me and I let my tears flow, more in relief than anguish.
The Erlking just laughs at me, thinking he's acquired the upper hand. Internally I'm laughing because according to the map, he's now locked up in our prisoners area.
I can always count on my Mary to be smarter than the average person.
...Sins POV.....
After securing this imposter in the cells with enchanted walls and bed, making sure he will be unable to escape, I take the scanner and scan him.
The machine screen lights up showing he's bugged in both ears and his eyes as well.
We will just have to fix that, now won't we?
I close the cell doors and go to get a scrambler activated. Placing it outside of the cell on the door it's range is large enough to handle the cell and not interfere with our other equipment.
I just pray that this doesn't end up harming my John.
I walk away feeling defeated, but snap to B's cavern to inform him of my actions.
"You did the right thing Sin. I'm sorry, I didn't want to be right for your sake." Bavarthos pats my shoulder but I shrug his touch off.
"Thanks but I need to know how much longer will this take? I don't know if John is alive or dead. I don't know if he has time or we're already too late. All I do know, is if he is still alive, that my actions here with the imposter are going to result in some form of punishment for him. So the sooner we finish these suits the better."
Rakara steps forward, with her stiff and proper posture, placing her hand on Bavarthos arm. "Is there anything that I may be able to help with?"
I shake my head, "I don't think so. Unless you are a psychic or have a crystal ball."
Bavarthos frowns with his lips pursed in annoyance, "Sin..." He draws out as Rakara cuts him off.
"I can flame scry. If there is a flame nearby him, I can see him and hear what's going on."
Bavarthos does a double take, from me to her, shock evident in his wide eyes as the rest of his face remains blank. He calmly inquires, " You can? When did you learn to do that?"
She smirks coyly at him, batting her eyelashes, "I learned a trick or two while we were apart."
"I don't care about how or when you learned it! Let's give it a shot!" I exclaim, taking her other arm and begin taking her to the workroom, feeling the corners of the walls for the right marks.
Rakara looks back to Bavarthos, gazing at him as if she was lost as I tug her along with me. Bavarthos follows after us quickly, but not before Rakara takes notice of the way I'm getting around feeling the corners and parts next to the doors.
"Bavarthos Fairchild! Did you learn a trick or two from me?" She laughs when he's caught up and now leading the way, taking Rakara's other arm.
"I thought it was an ingenious idea darling. It works well by the way, I used the same concept but no one has to memorize the map view just the markings and what they mean."
"Oh so this was your idea?" I ask Rakara, surprised.
She smiles awkwardly, "I'm afraid I am incapable of accepting credit for this concept. I merely informed Bav how organizations on Jakesha used it to help keep their secrets. I am happy to know that bit of information was found to be useful."
Arriving at the workroom, I grab a bunsen burner and light it. "Alright Rakara, let's see what happens." I urge her to use it, my eyes pleading for a miracle from her.
....
My shoulder screams from being thrown against the wall just seconds ago as I hear the Erlking command the guard to stop.
"We've lost the signal to the chips in your double. So.... I'll ask again. Do you know why?" The Erlking asks calmly.
I cry out as the guard grabs my hurt shoulder and sets me sitting up to look at the Erlking. I don't see why I can't say something.
"The areas that we consider to be important tend to have signal blockers. He's probably near one." I grumble, clutching my shoulder as it slowly starts to heal.
"You have one near your sleeping quarters?" The Erlking questions, scoffing in disbelief.
"I guess so. I don't know where all of them are." I pant as my shoulder finishes healing.
"Let's see if you can remember where they are... Bring it in." The Erlking gestures as two slaves move a heavy padded chair for the king to sit in, while a few others bring in a covered cart and a large black pot.
The shaking slaves keep their eyes down, except for the last one who set down the black pot. It's brief, but their is fear and pity as he looks at me for a second. I notice their is large burns, welts and scars on their arms and legs as they walk out of the room.
Fear starts building inside of me as the guard fills the pot with charcoal and kindling before he lights it on fire.
We sit there in silence as the fire grows in the pot and after a few minutes the cover on the cart is pulled back to show the tools underneath it.
I start to shake, unable to control my reactions to the numerous different brands, knives and other torture equipment that is available.
Available to be used on me.
"No..no...no..." I whisper under my breath and cover my head with my hands.
"What was that?" The Erlking asks a wicked smile on his face as he leans forward to hear me better.
"I really don't know... " I tell him the truth, not that it will do me any good.
"We shall see. Begin." The Erlking waves his hand to the guard who sticks a few different items into the flames and I'm forced up, limbs spread, and attached to two poles that suddenly appear.
"Normally, I would demand that you remain quiet as long as possible... but," The Erlking stands and walks closer to me, a malicious and insidious grin on his face. "You may scream all you like, as long as you continue to tell me what I want to know."
He throws his head back and laughs as the guard approaches me, a red hot brand in his hand, while I struggle against the clinking and rattling chains that hold me there.
....
"Alright, you must remain quiet while I am scrying. We will be able to see and hear and so will they if we are not quiet." Rakara stresses as Bavarthos and I nod, agreeing to be silent.
The flames from the Bunsen burner go out and suddenly Rakara opens her hands and spreads them up against the ceiling. The flames spread out as she did this, concentrating on the flames as thousands of images began to form and shape, showing different areas all over the world. She shakes her head and closes her eyes pushing her hands back together taking the flames back into her palms.
"I require assistance. Mrs. Lacroix, please lay your hand on my shoulder and focus on your husband. The harder you focus the easier I'll be able to find the closest flame near him."
I am placing both my hands on her shoulders before she even finishes her second sentence, already focusing on John. She pulls the flame back up and out, this time, the images are only a handful compared to the last ones. I scan them and focus when I see Johns face as he struggles for breath.
The flames make that the only image to be focused on and Rakara does something with her hands and we can hear him talking.
"...told you. I don't know! There's a a couple hundred reasons why he might be located near the scrambler!" John vents in frustration, as something moves into our view of him and then exits, showing a red hot iron being waved around John.
"NO! I DON'T KNOW!" John struggles against the chains as what seems to be the guard walks over to him and rolls the poker up and down his sides making him scream in agony.
I can't help the sob that escapes my lips seeing him like this and being powerless to help him. Rakara tenses but keeps the flames up.
"You know John, I'm starting to believe you. We shall see what happens in another hour or so.... or until the feed comes back on though... Continue." The guard grabs a new, hot poker and beats Johns legs with it as he screams in terror and struggles to get away from the pain. I grip Rakara's shoulder blades harder, wishing I could step through and personally break the Erlking's neck.
He's torturing him because the fake they sent is near the scrambler I placed. They can't get any information that is why they're torturing him!