『Byzan Fortress, Underground Prison.』
Archibald's back arched slightly as he positioned himself in a sword stance, holding his sword, <
He closed his eyes and focused, gathering energy.
Mana began to pulse from his sword.
Lamperogue watched with bated breath, waiting for Archibald's next move.
Suddenly, Archibald charged forward and swung his sword with precision, slicing the cell in half diagonally.
The iron bars collapsed, forming a path for them to move forward.
Lamperogue looked at Archibald.
"Your [Sword Saint Art] it's decent.." (Lamperogue)
"(Decent? I'd like to see you do that)" (Archibald)
Archibald smiled forcibly, "Thanks, it's one of my favorite techniques."
The technique itself was one of the basics in the [Sword Saint Arts].
As such, it wasn't given a name.
The only thing one could use and identify it as [Sword Saint Arts] was the discipline with which a sword was swung.
"We have to move fast before the guards wake up." (Lamperogue)
They moved quickly and silently through the prison grounds, making sure to step lightly and avoid any sources of noise.
As they passed by a guard post, they saw two guards sleeping soundly.
Archibald whispered, "They're still asleep, but we can't take any chances."
Lamperogue nodded and took a deep breath, steadying his nerves.
"I'll take them out quietly," he said, drawing his shortsword.
He crept up behind the guards and struck them both with the hilt of his shortsword, knocking them out cold.
Archibald watched in amazement and relief as Lamperogue turned back to him.
"We have to keep moving," he said, the urgency in his voice clear.
They continued on their way, the tension in the air palpable.
Every step felt like a risk, but they pushed forward, determined to rescue the water spirit.
- - - - - - - - - - -
The Byzan Fortress was an imposing structure.
Rising up from the ground with its towering walls and its grand entrance archway.
The fortress was split into several levels, with winding staircases leading up to each floor.
The second floor was heavily fortified, with thick walls and fortified towers.
This was the home of the general and his trusted team of fighters.
They had personal quarters, a meeting room, and training grounds for their soldiers.
The most well-guarded room on this floor was where a great water spirit was held captive.
As the door to the secured room opened with a creak, Undine tried her best to brace herself.
Her arms were held up by chains, her ankles shackled, and she was unable to use her full power.
All she could hope for now was to withstand whatever torture was to come.
General Vorkalth, the ruthless leader of the Byzan Army, walked in holding the Aquos Chronicles in his right hand.
A tall, muscular man with harsh features.
He had short, black hair and piercing blue eyes.
He wore a black leather armor adorned with spikes and carried a silver sword at his side.
The book held all of Undine's powers.
A surge of fear washed over her as he approached.
"You look so weak, Undine," Vorkalth sneered, his eyes glinting with malice. "Have you finally realized your place in this world?"
Undine refused to give him the satisfaction of a response.
She glared at him with all the strength she could muster.
But even that was fading.
Vorkalth circled around her, the chains rattling as he moved.
He stopped in front of her, smiling wickedly.
"You know, all your suffering would end if you just give me access to the Aquos Chronicles. It's that simple." (Vorkalth)
Undine took a deep breath before speaking up.
"I will never betray my duty as a water spirit," she said firmly.
Vorkalth's smile faded, replaced with a look of anger.
He stepped closer to her.
His left hand under her chin as he lifted her face to his.
"You're making a huge mistake. I can give you everything you've ever wanted. Even your freedom again. All you have to do is give me what I want." (Vorkalth)
Undine's eyes narrowed.
"You'll destroy my source the moment you get your hands on the Aquos Chronicles. I refuse to aid in your evil plans." (Undine)
Infuriated by her words, Vorkalth lashed out and slapped her hard across the face.
Blood trickled from her mouth.
Yet, Undine remained steadfast.
She had endured far worse in her long life.
"You'll regret crossing me, Undine," Vorkalth spat, his fists clenched in anger.
Undine remained silent.
Her blue hair fading as she focused on conserving her energy.
She knew things were about to get worse than they already were.
Still and all, she would not give in to Vorkalth's demands.
She would rather die than betray her duty.
Vorkalth stood seething with anger, his arms crossed in front of him, watching Undine writhe on the ground in agony.
He needed her to give him access to the Aquos Chronicles, and he was growing impatient.
"Come on, Undine," he spat.
"Give me access to the Chronicles. It's that simple." (Vorkalth)
Undine shook her head weakly, her blue hair falling around her face.
"I can't do that, Vorkalth. The power of the Chronicles is too great for any one individual to wield. It must remain in balance." (Undine)
Vorkalth snarled and lashed out, slapping Undine hard across the face.
She let out a cry of pain and clutched her cheek, but remained silent.
Vorkalth's eyes widened with rage.
"So, you think you're smart, huh?" (Vorkalth)
He growled.
"You think you can outsmart me?" (Vorkalth)
Undine closed her eyes, bracing herself for what was to come.
Suddenly, the Aquos Chronicles began to glow with a brilliant blue light.
Both Vorkalth and Undine stared at it in awe as the light grew brighter and brighter.
Then, just as suddenly, the light faded.
Undine slowly opened her eyes and gasped.
She felt a surge of energy flowing through her, and knew that she had somehow managed to tap into the power of the Chronicles.
Vorkalth turned to her, his face twisted with fury.
"What did you do?" he demanded.
Undine smiled weakly. "I harvested some power from the book," she said.
"It's allowed me to extend my lifespan a bit longer." (Undine)
Vorkalth shook his head in disbelief.
He had never heard of her being able to do that before.
In a fit of rage, he punched her hard in the gut.
Undine doubled over in pain, gasping for air.
"You're going to tell me everything," Vorkalth snarled.
The sight was a gruesome one.
Vorkalth, a ruthless man indeed.
"You're going to show me how to access the power of the Aquos Chronicles, or I'll beat it out of you." (Vorkalth)
He struck her again and again, beating her to a pulp.
Undine could feel her consciousness slipping away, but she refused to give in.
She knew that if she did, the power of the Aquos Chronicles would fall into the wrong hands.
She would endure this torture for as long as she could, until either Vorkalth relented or she died.
Vorkalth paced back and forth, his mind racing.
He knew that Undine was a great spirit, and killing her would have disastrous consequences.
The only option left was to keep her alive but cut her off from her source of power.
He couldn't risk leaving her alone, with a chance of her accessing the Chronicle's power and gaining strength.
Undine lay on the ground, weak and helpless.
She couldn't move, her entire body wracked with pain.
The beating she had endured left her battered and bruised, and her once beautiful blue hair matted and stained with blood.
Vorkalth's plan to starve Undine of power was working, and he knew it.
He had been doing this for some time now.
Since the day he stormed their village and captured her.
He kept her here all through.
Days turned into weeks, and weeks turned into months.
Vorkalth kept Undine imprisoned, deep within these chambers, far away from the Aquos Chronicles.
The only thing he gave her was enough food and water to keep her alive.
But not once did he grant her sustenance for her source.
Undine grew weaker by the day, but she refused to give in.
Despite her desperate situation, Undine remained resolute.
She knew that she couldn't let Vorkalth access the power of the Aquos Chronicles.
She had to endure the torture and suffering if it meant keeping the balance of power intact.
But as the weeks turned into months, even her resilience began to fade.
The pain, loneliness, and fear wore her down.
Her hope dwindled.
Occasionally, her thoughts turned to the idea of giving in to Vorkalth's demands.