Dusk neared and time ticked away.
"Release the summoner, she has suffered enough." Requiem relaxed on the throne with both legs crossed and placed on the left armrest, while he held his hands behind his head, leaning over the last armrest. He watched the other unlock the cage with amusement in his eyes.
He glared at her dangling lower jaw, his lips twisting as Requiem chuckled. He tilted his head and shifted his gaze from the trembling woman to one of Yver's followers. The follower had announced a blessing of Yver that allowed her to heal the wounded, and he was interested.
Beside her was the pointed eared woman from earliest — when they were at the gates, not after — who had stood with a bow and arrows. Under Requiem's command, the slaves pounced on her in an instant, restraining her movements as the woman approached.
In contrast to the ragged dress the summoner wore, her presumed healer donned a long green dress she dragged across the ground. As her guard followed, she approached the woman and knelt to maintain eye contact. She reached out a hand, and touched her shattered jaw.
"I am sorry for breaking your face like that. Alas, I would break it a thousand times more, but it is great you understand that in life, there is a revolution of change." Requiem relaxed calmly, and he felt a memory flashing in his head — it was distant, and unclear. A multitude gathering before him…
His life as a prince? His life as a shepherd? Requiem could not figure it out. He continued with his grand speech, grinning as the woman threw a hateful look in his direction, "So, to compensate your broken face, I asked this kind healer to be with us today…"
Everyone watched in silence as a soft green glow enveloped the lower half of the summoner's face, some jaws dropping to the ground and others' eyes widening. It was a stunning sight for them, watching as the summoner's face was healed in a few moments.
"It's done…" the woman stepped up, her voice hoarse and silver hair bobbing as she turned to Requiem and bowed. He waved his hands, and she stepped back with he regard following her. After she had stepped back, she watched as Requiem snapped his fingers.
They let the summoner go in an instant, and she sat there in shock. She rubbed her face, feeling around for any discrepancies, but frighteningly enough, there was none! Her pupils dilated, and she lifted her gaze to Requiem whose expression had turned grim.
"Now that you can speak, let's start rambling on the movements of other slavery groups in this area. If you fail to cooperate with us…" Requiem snapped a finger, and one of the slaves pulled out his sword, its edge gleaming, "I will have you test the limits of regenerative healing."
"Y—you…" she trembled fiercely, struggling with proper articulation as the slave with a pulled sword stepped forward, calmly relaxing the blade on her neck and drawing it back in an arc. Fear consumed her, and she shook without knowing what step she could take.
"You have committed many crimes against me in the little time we have spent together. From the framing of an innocent to manipulate me into killing them, to attacking me when I tried to discuss the nature of our current relationship with a lost sibling and finally summoning a beast against us."
Requiem grinned — it was lifeless and laced with killing intent, "I have every reason to kill you."
She staggered back, her eyes widening and chest heaving. Requiem observed her calmly, like the predator who had set his gaze upon his prey. There was no where she could run to now, and he was ready to inflict a great pressure upon her until she cracked.
The thought of that made his cold grin grow further.
"I will tell you everything I know!" she threw her hands up in the air, vibrating and tearing up. It developed her pitiful front, and it affected the hearts of the slaves standing around. They found that killing her in this state would be nothing but dishonourable for their name.
Requiem was unmoved by this front, snapping a finger. The slave heard the snap, hesitated for only a second then cleaved down with his blade, severing the summoner's leg. She screamed out in pain, bursting into tears as she watched her leg separated from her body.
The healer stepped forward calmly, reached out her hand and healed the severed leg. Requiem was surprised to see the leg grow back, his eyes widening in shock as the healer stood to her feet, stepping away from the victimised target.
Staring at her severed leg, and ignoring the fact that the wound had already healed, she felt the world crumble around her. Bawling her heart out, she began to narrate every involved member of the slave trade business that moved in the city, Frozen Jades and Mani's Fort.
Requiem snapped his finger when she was done and her eyes widened, the blade swerved in a vicious arc, but before it reached the summoner, someone staggered into the throne room, her back soaked in perspiration. It was one of the slaves… Requiem frowned.
"Sir! The castle is under siege by a horde of demons!" she announced, gasping for breath as she struggled to rise, crawling to Requiem's position on all fours. He stared at her quietly, then lifted his hand, ordering the activities to be put on hold and the woman to stop in her advance.
"Demons? They should not exist in the part of the world." He frowned. The demons, creatures of the darkness, did not mingle well in human territory. This situation was strange for many reasons he could not put his finger on, but he clenched his fists, "Stand alert, and await orders."
He cast a glance at the shivering summoner, "What is your name?"
"Ryelir…" she answered, crossing her arms before her face in fright as his expression twisted. He turned to a slave as she tensed, preparing herself for the pain. Before she could scream a few harsh notes, she felt cold chains clasp around her hands and neck, and her gaze froze.
The slaves chained her arms, legs and neck. She watched in a stunned silence as Requiem turned around as they picked her up after him, dragging her feet across the ground. He grabbed the blade by the door, ripping his robes off to reveal the armour underneath.
"The demons are all summoned beasts…" Requiem announced, swaggering down the hall as they followed, running into Gerald who was rushing in his direction, "No need. I know. Arrange a defence around the castle walls. I will attempt to flank their forces from the secret path in the basement."
Gerald who had paused in shock to see Requiem, nodded fiercely as the child spoke to him. Only after nodding did his brain begin to register all that was said, and by the time he had processed it all, Requiem was already halfway down the stairs, leaving him to think.
"The basements could be compromised, but I can use that to my advantage." Requiem lead all of the few he had with him, ordering the others to gather around the castle and defend it. He would be the pincer and they would be the shell. It was not like he liked it… 'But, I need the divine points!'