"Kai? Kai?!" Ryan and Suzy soon noticed Kai's absence. At first, they thought it was a prank to make them worry until after a few minutes of searching from him.
"We need to tell Liothaire! Kai's missing!" Suzy pulled on Ryan's arm. "Keep looking, I'll go back and tell the others."
"No! We need to stick together. Maybe they just want to pick us one by one if we split up." Ryan stopped her before she could take off running.
"Fine, we need to hurry!" And so, the both of them took off running back to the training field they had just come from in order to alert the others.
Meanwhile...
With a swirl of black smoke, Kai and his mysterious kidnapper appeared in an underground cave of sorts.
"Here we are." The robed figure released his hold on Kai's arm. "Follow me." He took off down a narrow path that led deeper into the cave.
"Where are we going?" Kai was reluctant to follow, starting to regret his decision to follow his kidnapper.
"Are you going to follow, or would you rather I use force?" The robed figure stopped in his tracks, a palpable pressure emanating from his body. Kai's breath seized as he choked on his own saliva, stumbling to his knees. Just as he started clawing at his throat, the pressure retracted, giving him space to breathe. He continued walking ahead without sparing a glance back at Kai.
With sharp, unsteady gulps of air, Kai staggered to his feet, using the wall as support as he followed after his kidnapper. His vision swam as he thought of what he could do to escape, his mind travelling to the conversation he had with a certain ancient sorcerer roughly nine months ago.
'Since you won't let me take control of your body to achieve my goals, the least I could do to ensure your survival is brand you with my mark." The old sorcerer spoke from within the depths of his mind.
He could remember the burning pain that spread through his veins like liquid fire, branding his entire being as the possession of the old sorcerer.
'If the time ever arises where your life is in danger, call out to me...'
The memory faded from the forefront of his mind as he returned his focus to what was currently going on. Almost as if it was a curse, the exact words that he needed to call upon the old sorcerer were forever out of reach, until he actually needed them. First when he in danger during the journey to Fazzad, and now, the brand remained dull and inactive, as though saying he wasn't in enough danger to warrant the activation of the brand.
"What took you so long?" Walking around a bend, Kai caught up with the robed figure, seeing him waiting by a dead end. "Come here." He waved Kai over.
When Kai was close enough, he placed his hand against the wall, pushing a wave of power into the dark grey wall. Streaks of black light branched out from where his palm laid against the wall, spreading rapidly before a deep thrum shook the whole cave.
The dark grey wall where the robe figure's palm was pressed up against seemingly faded out of existence, giving way to a path that wasn't in sight a moment ago. He waved at Kai to enter through the passage before going in himself. As soon as he passed, the grey wall that was originally there reappeared, sealing off the passage back. Not that Kai had any intention of returning. What was before him was too mind grabbing for him to think of anything else.
A hub of life was all around him. Merchants selling wares, children running errands, adventurers carrying weapons on their backs. A whole bustling community was situated in this hidden area where the Imperial Army would never be able to sniff them out.
"Close your mouth, don't gawk, keep up." The robed figure walked up to Kai, pressing a hand against his back to keep him walking forward. "Also, don't think about crying out for help, it's no use. No one here will help you."
Kai bit his tongue when he heard that. He had pinned his hopes on getting the attention of the people, then bolting under the cover of whatever commotion might ensue after he exposed his kidnapper.
They made their way through the crowds, heading straight for the center of the town. At the center of the town, a huge black castle carved out of the very rocks that made up the underground city stood. It's peaks touched the top of the cavern, displaying just how large it was. From where he was, Kai could vaguely see several black shadows circling the highest peak of the castle.
Before long, they arrived at the front gates of the castle. The robed figure waved at the locked doors, eliciting a low clicking sound from within the stone doors. The doors swung open, revealing a swirling portal. The swirling colors within the portal pulsed, beckoning them to step into it.
"In we go, Inheritor." The robed figure gave Kai a firm pat, pushing him into its swirling depths.
A nauseating feeling washed over him as he fell through the portal. It took a few moments before he emerged from the other side, sprawled over the floor messily. He raised his eyes after the wave of nausea passed over, meeting two beady eyes staring down curiously at him.
"Ack-!" He jumped to his feet, a misty chill swirly around him. A deep blue array of patterns blinked into existence before his palm as he prepared a spell.
A small puppy with pitch black fur, black beady eyes and a row of spikes running down its spine. The puppy looked up at him with inquisitive eyes, brushing aside the threat of his spell as though it was nothing.
"You wouldn't be able to harm that pup even if you put in all you mana." A voice quipped behind him. Kai yelped and spun, letting his spell shoot out in an icy beam. The beam of ice shot forward, only to disappear into a pitch black hole in the middle of a palm.
Kai's eyes traced the arm, coming to up a face he had grown familiar to in the past two months.
"L-Liothaire?!"
"Sorry I had to kidnap you that way. I was pressed for time." Liothaire explained as he marched own the dimly lit hallways. Kai followed behind him, listening while the small black puppy trotted behind them, watching Kai with keen eyes. Kai's eyes darted the puppy every few seconds, his mind unable to settle in its presence.
"-listening Kai?!" Liothaire's voice cut through his thoughts like a hot knife through butter.
"What?" Kai turned his attention to Liothaire.
"I said, there's a lot of things you need to know. You're at the middle of a much bigger picture than you can imagine. I brought you here so you can be taught how important of a role you play in the game you've been forced into." Liothaire continued walking forward when he was sure that he had gotten Kai's attention. Kai followed meekly as they walked through the straight corridor, passing a few armored guards as they reached a more populated area.
Different thought ran through Kai's mind as he heard Liothaire's explanation. He ha a hunch as to who Liothaire was, but he wasn't all that sure.
"Okay, so, if you brought me here to explain, why haven't you still given me answers yet?" Kai cautiously probed.
"That's why we're here." Liothaire stopped before a large stone door. With a pulse of power from him, the door thrummed before splitting in the middle, giving way to a sight that took Kai's breath away.