Ravishing it yet

"You've got to be kidding me!" Tomas spat, "Get your hands off me! I'm not going anywhere! Let go of me!!"

He was dragged from the dank cell by a host of figures whose faces were mysteriously disguised by shadows. On the other side of the bars, Michael was standing impatiently with his arms crossed. Tomas was thrust in front of Michael with his hands still bound in chains. Michael dangled the key in front of his face. Tomas glared at him uncomprehendingly.

"Now, let's discuss some ground rules," Michael waved the guards away.

"Why don't you tell me what you want from me first?" Tomas exhaled through gritted teeth.

"I need your protection," Michael began unconvincingly.

"Bullshit!" Tomas snapped angrily.

"Okay, I need your great sense of loyalty," Micahel grinned.

"You must be having a mid-life crisis," Tomas scoffed, "Loyalty? Are you out of your mind?!"

"Fine," Michael shrugged, "Give me your help or else...I mean, that's what you want to hear right?"

"Or else what?" Tomas' face drew up in contempt.

"I was getting to that," Michael smirked, "Follow me,"

He turned with a theatric gesture down the hall of the scarcely lit dungeon. Tomas stared at him for a moment, considering whether he ought to throw his chained arms around Michael's neck and make a break for it. Michael glanced back with a knowing smile.

"Don't bother," he chuckled, "You couldn't beat me with magic, never mind without. You're a school kid and I'm a seasoned soldier. Use your brain. Try anything I'll probably have to break something,"

"I am not a school kid!" Tomas rebuked ferociously, "I am a mage and I don't have to go anywhere with you,"

"Your chains seem to suggest otherwise," Michael sighed, "but I'm not in the mood to drag you myself. Carrot instead of the stick, it is. Do you want to see your lover? I'm about to take you to her,"

"My lover?" Tomas's brow furrowed. Then a sudden understanding caused his eyes to widen and he inhaled sharply, "Yona? Where is she? Take me to her!"

"I'm trying to," Michael replied patronisingly.

He started again after Michael, this time with an enthusiasm to almost overtake him, "Can't you go any faster?!"

"I don't run unless it's life or death and even then, I would still be reluctant," Michael stated with annoyance. He grabbed hold of Tomas' arm and shoved him in front. Tomas stumbled forward with agitation. He was about to give a sharp rejoinder when his eyes fell to the cell by his side.

It was dark inside. Yet Tomas faintly noticed a shape lying against the sandstone bricks. He went anxiously to the bars searching within with a sense of trepidation. Just within, he found Yona lying with her eyes closed. Her pale skin and hair seemed to make her stillness even eerier. Tomas took a stifled breath as a sense of dread took hold.

"Is she.." he could hardly finish the sentence.

"No," Michael said reaching the cell, "she's under a spell,"

"A spell?" Tomas turned to Michael sharply, "What spell?"

"Just a sleeping spell," Michael dismissed, "she won't wake until I break it,"

A small gasp escaped Tomas' lips, "You BAstard!!"

"I could have killed her," Michael's eyes narrowed, "Still could,"

Tomas stepped back fearfully, "What are you...Why did you bring me here? You're going to blackmail me, aren't you?"

"You make it sound so nefarious," Michael chuckled, "I'm simply asking you to help me out. And in return, if you choose, I will release the spell on your girl,"

"That's blackmail!" Tomas exclaimed breathlessly.

"Ah, so it is," Michael shrugged, "Now, since I already know your answer. Let's skip your shock, horror, etc etc and move onto how you can make yourself useful,"

Tomas' jaw clenched with rage, but he listened without another word.

"We're going to the West. You're coming with me. I don't want to hear any questions. Don't bother with a guilt trip either. Just come along. Do as I ask and you'll get what I've promised," Michael explained.

"Until you betray me," Tomas scoffed.

"Here's the thing," Michael tapped the bars drawing Tomas' attention to Yona once more, "Yes, I could betray you, but what exactly could I do to make your situation any worse than it already is? Worst-case scenario, you end up back in your cell empty-handed, and best case, your friend recovers. What do you have to lose?"

"My life," Tomas returned quietly, "You could kill me,"

Michael sighed. He pulled out the key once more and removed Tomas' shackled, "If I wanted to kill you, you would already be dead,"

Tomas stared down dubiously for a moment before his eyes came back to meet Michael, "What do you need me for? What is it that you can't do yourself?"

"Ah," Michael held up a finger in warning, "No pointless questions, remember?"

Tomas stared down for a moment in grave contemplation. What should he do? What would Ace or Veretta do? His heart was racing and a cold chill ran down his spine. That decisive moment he had been running from his whole life had finally caught up with him.

"Okay, I'll go," Tomas answered soberly.

"Then I will give you a moment to say your goodbye," Michael spun around, "then we're leaving,"

"Right now?!" Tomas entreated.

"Right," Michael waved without looking back, "You have 5 minutes,"

Tomas knelt down beside Yona's cell with pained exhaled. He felt afraid...

"So, I'm going with Michael," he said aloud, "I know you don't like him. Frankly, at this point, I'm not exactly fond of him either...I think he might kill me, Yona. But if I don't go then you..." he inhaled sharply, "I'm going. I've decided. All I can do is try. If I don't come back, then I want you to know...I chose you, Yona,"

Tomas rose quietly and started down the hall. Michael was waiting by the door, "That was quick,"

"Let's just get this over with," Tomas replied with a hardened expression.

Michael grinned as he led the way. They reached a grand hallway. There were staircases leading to the high-ceiling upper chambers. It gave the impression of being an audience chamber rather than a hall. A long navy carpet leads the way through a series of black pillars. As they walked briskly through this corridor, Tomas could make out more than a dozen cloaked figures standing like ominous statues covered in shadow.

A streaming coloured light hit Tomas' eyes. He stared up in surprise at a large coloured glass window. It was casting flames of red and fiery orange upon the steps leading up to a completely black metal throne.

Tomas' body stiffened uncomfortably as there upon the throne, he found Silthus sitting back with a cold stare. The difference from the meeting in Ace's manor to this moment felt like worlds apart. He saw the fierceness that had conquered half the continent and the darkness that was ravishing it yet.

"Michael," Silthus greeted him with a smile, "Are you ready?"

"Yes," Michael replied with half a bow.

"Very well," Silthus gestured and Cora appeared from the darkness.

She smiled widely surveying both Michael and Bird. In her hands, there was a silver vessel. As she drew nearer, Tomas' eyes widened in horror. Inside was a thick red liquid -blood! Tomas turned to Michael apprehensively. However, he seemed utterly unmoved.

Cora dipped two fingers into the blood and brought them to Michael's forehead. His eyes remained rigidly planted ahead as if he had no intention of acknowledging the act at all. Nevertheless, Cora began to draw ruin upon his brow. The blood cascaded over the bridge of his nose and dribbled down his cheek like red tears. Cora uttered some incomprehensible words and the red markings disappeared completely.

"You have one week," she smiled casting a glance to Tomas.

He turned his gaze from her repulsed. He had never seen such magic before, but even he could sense at a primordial level the malevolence of her magic. It was uncanny to feel a manifestation of evil so concretely. Tomas dreaded to think what other acts of tyranny she had committed to have been endowed with such an aura.

"I look forward to your success," Silthus declared with a grin.

"And you shall have it," Michael returned. He swiftly started down the length of the hallway. Tomas followed anxious to escape that woman's gaze. The tall arched door flew open on their black spiralling hinges. On the other side, there were more cloaked ones chanting.

A large black miasma began to form. Tomas recognised it at once. It was a magic portal. The phantom-like magic spread into a large circular window. The black page centre shuddered ominously. Tomas stared at it with bated breath. His whole body told him to run. Nevertheless, he stood frozen before it as Michael too looked within its dark centre with a look of resolution.

Without hesitation, Michael stepped through, pulling Tomas through with him.