After reading the note, he sprints out through a gate that lead to the garden in front of the collapsing manor. He looked back at the manor that collapsed, a tomb for the Azure family, he was still clinging onto the note left by the only people who cared about him, and a new sword that his younger brother, Abel, delivered although he was unfortunately killed.
He turned around, and saw a knight, a knight that he remembered, one of the two knights that were constantly next to Lorenna, his mother, or more specific, one of the 2 knights that burned down the village that Elias was secretly helping. Ludwig quickly drew his sword and prepared to fight, but the knight calmly assured him.
"I am not here to fight." The knight spoke, "Even after you slain Lorenna Azure, nor killing the current head," his words were spoken in a calm manner, but something was slightly off about him, there was the same exact insignia as the butlers, maids, Azure relatives, and most notably, Bernhard.
"Where is that insignia from." Ludwig demanded, although he appeared to be mere minutes away from collapsing from the wounds from his battle with Bernhard. "I don't know," the knight shrugged, his face and intentions masked under the steel helmet.
"What does Satoya have to do with this?" He said in a confused tone, but he noticed how there was some blood dripping down the hand of the knight. "You ask too many questions for a supposed prodigy." The knight mocked, then attempted to draw his sword, but Ludwig in a swift fashion, sliced the knight's head off, or more so "ripped" due to the "purposely dull blade."
"One of the two knights that "protected" moth-no Lorenna, yet none of them were even near her before she died, I figured they would've come to avenge her death, but I never saw them during my fight with Bernhard, why is that.." Ludwig pondered.
"And speaking of Satoya, where has he gone off to?" He thought deeply, "the last time I saw him he was in the 3rd capital, but I never received words from the 4th capital that Satoya arrived." He wondered.
Satoya's Location.
Satoya slowly opened his eyes, and found himself in a bright laboratory experiment chamber, with walls painted in white, and a large rectangular one way mirror, there was also a steel door that also had the one way mirror. His arms were also chained up against the wall facing the mirror. "What the hell?" Satoya thought. The one way mirror was slightly darkened, he would also notice how badly the chamber, or laboratory reeked of blood, and corpses.
The last thing he remembered was the battle against Sage Hasegawa, along with 2 elite ranks, Thorin, and Ragnar, the aftermath, in which he only remembered briefly, which was the devastated ruins of the commercial district.
"Seems like you've been sedated then kidnapped to a laboratory.." Rius spoke, Rius was the voice that Satoya kept hearing, that always went dead silent due to him being "busy". "Well no duh, but I have a feeling we are being watched." Satoya responded to the obvious insight.
"Hello?!" He shouted, his voice echoing throughout the chamber. Then he saw the door opening, shrieks, blood curdling screams then 2 people walked through, with the steel door closing in a loud creaking manner.
One of the 2 people who entered the chambers was holding a pencil, and clipboard. She had round glasses, eyes that looked exhausted, long auburn hair, and a lab coat. There were also blood stains on the lab coat and hair. The other was a man who wore a smile so sinister and malicious that Satoya felt a shiver down his spine. This man had blonde hair, green eyes, and most notable, his hair was completely stained in blood, with him wearing a modified lab coat that had syringes, closed vials, and a name tag on his coat. Another detail was that both lab coats had a strange insignia, specifically, the same exact insignia Ludwig kept finding on the people in the Azure manor, with Bernhard and the knight.
"Roland Saeonius."
"He's alive?" Rius said in a distorted voice before a deep silence filled Satoya's mind. "Rius? Hello?" Satoya called in his head, but silence was left. Roland then put his hand on Satoya's shoulder, his hands were covered in blood, the blood wasn't dried up, which Satoya figured was from a fresh kill of sorts.
"Hello..Satoya.." Roland spoke, his voice was in a positive, yet cryptic, full of ill intent tone. "Yurina~ I'll go retrieve some vials, you can stay here if you'd like.." Roland said, looking at the girl behind him holding the clipboard. Roland then calmly walked to the steel door, then opened to leave. Again, the blood curdling cries of pain, shrieks of agony were heard coming through the door, which caused Satoya to look at the closing door in concern.
The girl who Roland referred to as "Yurina." Kneeled in front of him while getting something out of her pocket. "I'll put these earplugs in your ears, you aren't meant to die here, I need your help, but I don't have time to say the whole thing, you are a VHC member right? I assume you are a semi-elite rank," She spoke frantically, her voice sounded tired, but also urgent. "I'm giving you these so you can retain your sanity for a little longer, so please, don't lose your mind…" She begged as she put the earplugs into his ears.