21 | Captured
The interrogation room was a bleak and dreary chamber, hidden away in the depths of a towering government edifice that loomed over the heart of Edares. Theodore sat across from Angelo, who sat rigidly in his chair, his hands clasped tightly in his lap.
"Father Angelo, it is quite a bold claim to accuse Sir Alzona of being among the leaders of Kalis," Theodore began, his voice low and calm, his gaze piercing the priest.
Angelo didn't flinch. "I assure you that he is."
Theodore leaned forward, his eyes narrowing. "How convenient. How about you? Are you free of faults? After all the evidence we have gathered against you?"
"What faults? What evidence? I've been blackmailed!" Angelo said and stood up, his voice rising. "I demand to see your evidence!"
Theodore did not respond, and Angelo sat back, a smug expression on his face – a broken face. If not for the medicine he was fed, the bishop wouldn't be alive. That Vincent... he's more cruel than he thought.
"I'm afraid that's impossible, Father Angelo," said Theodore as he leaned back.
Angelo shook his head in disbelief. "This is preposterous! You can't just accuse me of a crime and refuse to show me the evidence!"
Theodore lifted an eyebrow. "You're not in a position to make demands. You're here because of a crime punishable by death – treason. Now, I suggest you start cooperating."
Angelo glared at him. "I am already cooperating! I am innocent, I tell you!"
Theodore's expression hardened, knowing Angelo fully understood his position and was grasping at straws. He saw the desperation in the bishop's features
"I find that difficult to believe, Father. You are a man of the cloth, a trusted member of the community. And yet, here you are, accused of the most depraved of crimes. Do you not see how this reflects on the clergy as a whole?" asked Theodore. He referred to the push of integrating Alardice into Atharia, threatening the clergy's position of influence and power.
Angelo looked at him in shock and hung his head.
"Good. You may be able to fool the parishioners with your sermons and your piety, but not us," said Theodore and gestured for a nearby guard to approach, who provided him parchments of paper. He then began to read the letters, financial statements, and other documents proving Angelo's crimes of fraud and money laundering.
Angelo looked up, his eyes pleading. "Where did you get that? That should be with Alzona!"
"Excommunication of a priest, a bishop at that, is a far worse fate than death," Theodore said. "Now... tell me everything."
Angelo swallowed hard and told him everything he knew.
Prior to the Crestmores' assassination, Alzona blackmailed Angelo, forcing him to use his authority as bishop to hide Kalis forces within Edares.
"So, you already know Kalis existed before then?" asked Theodore, and Angelo nodded.
Then when the Crestmores died, Alzona gave Angelo false evidence to frame Isaac for the assassination. Angelo submitted them to the Imperial Court and influenced the clergy to push for Isaac's execution.
"You let yourself be played by Alzona just like that?" said Theodore.
"Played? No! If he thinks his revolution can succeed, then he is a fool. He can destroy those RMA bastards for all I care. Kalis and the RMA can destroy each other for all I care! Once the colonial government crushes them both, peace will come to Alardice!" Angelo said.
'What a fuckin' tool,' Theodore thought. 'He doesn't know that Alzona is with the RMA.' He then relaxed on his chair and lit a cigarette. "Peace? You mean the clergy will keep their wealth and power. Their control over Alardice," he said.
"Without the Church, Alardice will rise up in arms!"
"They already did," said Theodore as a matter of fact. Then he opted not to argue with the bishop anymore. He already knew Angelo aimed to reap the rewards and boost his influence and wealth under the assumption that the colonial government could easily crush Kalis and the RMA. "Anyway... who else of the clergy are involved like you. The Archbishop?"
Alzona's features turned red at the mention of the Archbishop. "That fool will be the end of Andel in Alardice. And even without me, the clergy would have demanded Isaac's death anyway. Alzona is the fool here. He gave us the means of making it easier."
"So, your crime is just providing Kalis forces with a hideout?" asked Theodore.
"Yes! Because of blackmail–" Angelo halted, realizing his slip, and Theodore only smiled.
"You will be imprisoned for treason, and you will remain in the dungeon until this is all over," said Theodore and stood up, noticing Angelo's paling features from his peripherals.
But he already knew of Alzona's involvement. He just needed to confirm the timeline.
'Alzona... so he's with Kalis. I hope Lucas and the others find the other leaders,' he thought as he opened the door, deaf to Angelo's screams. 'Ah... Isaac... why must you refuse to give up the names of the RMA even though you knew of your impending death?'
It was a foolish thought. Isaac never revealed the names of the other leaders of the RMA, even to Lucius, for fear of spies. But it backfired when the RMA itself put a target on his back. That was Isaac's biggest weakness. He refused to trust... but he also trusted too much.
⁂
In the dead of the night, the City of Edares plunged into chaos once more when Kalis launched another attack. This is the third night since the Battle of Edares began. But this time, the civil guards were met with a force they had not anticipated.
On one of the battlefields, Aaron smiled as he watched the chaos, his eyes glowing with an eerie green light. He raised his hands, and a gust of wind tore through the streets, knocking over carts and sending debris flying through the air.
From the other side of the city, a High Sorcerer appeared, his own eyes aglow with a fierce red fire. He stepped forward, his hand raised, and a ball of flame shot toward him.
Aaron deftly sidestepped the fireball, his movements graceful and fluid. He retaliated with a blast of pure aether, sending the enemy flying backwards with a resounding crash. "Colonel Lyrion," Aaron said with a grin. "Is that everything you have?"
"So, it's true. Kalis is truly with the RMA," said Lyrion as he shook off the impact and regained his footing. Aaron smiled as he saw his eyes blazing with determination
Lyrion then charged towards him, his sword flashing in the moonlight.
But Aaron was quick to counter, summoning a tornado that descended upon Lyrion, who stumbled and his movements hampered by the onslaught. But he managed to withstand the attack.
With a fierce cry, Lyrion charged forward again and cast a sea of flames – a Tier III fire spell.
Both civil guards and the Kalis who fought moved out of the way. On the other hand, Aaron summoned another tornado that swept the sea of flames, creating a tornado of fire that moved toward Lyrion.
Aaron smiled because Lyrion was too slow to dodge. But his expression turned grim when he noticed Lyrion was gone. 'Where is he?' he thought before sensing a presence atop the roof of a building.
He saw someone he did not recognize emerge from a pool of shadows with Lyrion in tow. Aaron remembered Victoria's words, 'Umbra,' he thought. Sorcerers who wield the darkness. Alongside the Lux, they are among the most potent classes of sorcerers.
The Umbra stood and watched him, bathed in the pale light of the moon that hung low in the sky.
'Wait... I know him. He's that interrogator at the prison,' Aaron realized. Including the Umbra and the other mysterious man who saved Isabella, the enemies, in fact, have seven Highs in total. 'He was hiding his soul core. But if he didn't join the battle before. Why did he show up only now?'
"I finally found you, spy. Or should I say... Aaron Tolosa with the RMA," said the Umbra as he leaped off the roof, seemingly so carefree despite the fighting around them.
"Who are you?" Aaron said and also wondered how he knew.
"Lucas Morgan with the AIS. A pleasure," said Lucas with a light bow.
"I've always wanted to fight an Umbra," Aaron smirked, but Lucas only tilted his head.
Lucas walked closer as the flames about him cast a shadow on his profile, eyes locked into his. "Analisa, is that your child?"
Sweat trickled down Aaron's cheeks as he felt his face go pale. His mind processed at such a high speed that upon the realization of it all, he felt rage overcome him. "You will not dare!"
A small smile played at the corners of Lucas' lips. "A year. That's how long it took to make you all slip."
"You Atharian scum!" Aaron yelled before gritting his teeth, not truly knowing what to say. All he could do was curse.
"That I am. And I'll take Analisa away from you too. But. First. Her limbs… piece by piece, you will hear her screams… Until there's nothing left for you to hear," said Lucas and paused. Aaron shivered at the thought.
"Then at the end of it all, her eyes shall be filled with loathing… loathing against a father who has given up all… even his only family… for something she will never know," said Lucas.
"No... No!" Aaron growled, tempted to cast a spell on Lucas. But he knew that would not be the best action to take. Thus, he swallowed his pride and begged. "Please, no!"
When he saw one of the Kalis attempt to attack Lucas, he shouted, "Don't touch him! Everyone! Retreat!
Lucas smiled as he also called for all the civil guards to retreat. "Everyone, retreat. You too, Lyrion."
Both forces then disengaged and made their retreat, leaving only him and Lucas within the vicinity.
"We both know what I want," said Lucas. "And we both know the Order of Kalis is done. It's only a matter of time. Perhaps, at the end of it all, you will be spared."
"I'll tell you everything I know. Just don't hurt her," he pleaded in defeat, remembering his only child. "She's only six."