Ludwig

In the hushed depths of the sprawling forest in the southeastern expanse of Etherealis, Ludwig's commanding voice reverberated, cutting through the tranquil stillness.

"I'm asking you," he growled through clenched teeth. "So you must answer me." He fisted his hands. "Or else."

The fragile-looking creature, fear evident on his weathered face, was kneeling before Ludwig's towering physique. He had identified himself as Adolf the Chameleon. Despite the lengthy interrogation, Adolf's loyalty appeared unyielding. Driven by frustration, Ludwig firmly grasped the creature's slender arm and repeated his question.

"Where's Amelia? Where is she?" Ludwig's anger nearly burst from his mouth, his veiny neck pulsing rapidly.

For the third and possibly final time, Adolf stayed silent.

Ludwig had been exceedingly impatient. He detested being ignored, challenged, or mocked. Thus, Liam, standing resolutely beside him, didn't even blink when Ludwig snapped Adolf's arm like an old piece of wood.

Adolf cried out in agony, begging for mercy and pleading for his life. However, Ludwig paid no attention and proceeded to break his other arm. Adolf screamed once more, tears streaming from his eyes.

Although Ludwig had initially contemplated severe consequences for Adolf, killing him for one, the urgency of locating Amelia took precedence. Despite his frustration with Adolf's loyalty to unknown parties, Ludwig asked now calmly, "Tell us, where's Amelia?"

Adolf, groaning in anguish, remained tight-lipped, his lips trembling with fear.

Ludwig's steely gaze darkened as he raised his hand toward Adolf's neck, but before he could make contact, Adolf vanished like a passing breeze.

"Sorcery," Ludwig muttered through gritted teeth as he clenched his fists. His enraged expression swept the surroundings, searching for any sign of Adolf's vanishing act. "He can't escape. No one has ever eluded my grasp."

Without hesitation, Ludwig pursued the windswept trail, determined to track down Adolf. If he succeeded in capturing him again, Ludwig vowed that Adolf's absence would be eternal, accompanied by demons in the underworld.

For a moment, the silence enveloped the verdant landscape. It was only broken when Alexa, who had been seated against a nearby tree, rose and approached Liam.

She crossed her arms over her chest. "Black sorcery?" she inquired of Liam.

Liam nodded subtly, his thoughts absorbed in contemplation. Without a doubt, Adolf had wielded dark magic.

"Should we follow him?" Alexa asked once more.

Liam cast a lazy glance at Alexa, who had already forged ahead of him, navigating the wilderness of the great forest while casually munching on food.

"What? Are you just going to stay there?" Alexa turned back to Liam, her expression incredulous. "Aren't we going to stop Adolf?" She paused, then reconsidered her words. "Aren't we going to stop… Ludwig?"

Liam closed his eyes and pretended not to hear, unable to withstand Alexa's relentless chatter.

"As if we could stop him anyway," Liam whispered, embracing the ink-dark cloak as he sought much-needed rest. Just as he was about to drift into a deep slumber, Alexa seized his arm.

"We should at least try, Liam," Alexa called out, her annoyance evident. She sighed impatiently. "Why are you so lazy? Come on, help me follow Ludwig. Who knows, he might lose control and go insane. You know very well that his mind isn't that..."

Liam exhaled heavily and flickered his eyes open. "Fine, fine," he grumbled. "Goodness, Alexa. You're as annoying as hell."

"It serves its purpose, I suppose," Alexa replied, grinning at Liam.

With silent grace, Liam rose from the ground, his breath deepening with wonder and awe as he beheld the forest stretching upward towards the vast blue skies. He knew he would never grow accustomed to the beauty, the sublime, of Etherealis.

After a while of searching, they arrived at a mysterious seashore. Despite being certain they were still kilometers away, it was apparent that the Primotheus Capital lay on the other side of the Argean Sea. 

Doom loomed ominously as Alexa halted mid-flight, gazing out over the sweeping waters. "Should we really proceed? We haven't yet obtained permission from the King—"

But Liam remained resolute. His dark eyes were unwavering. "We must follow Ludwig," he declared, cutting through Alexa's ambivalence.

Liam understood that their presence would likely cause chaos, especially without permission to enter the realm. However, he couldn't care less. Following Ludwig was imperative, regardless of the consequences, even if it meant risking their lives.

Alexa, too, recognized that she had no other options left. With a flick of her slender fingers, she produced a gold-covered book, filled with strange texts and various drawings. After a moment of preparation and incantation, she conjured a spherical portal leading towards the Primotheus Capital, the lands of wild beasts and unearthly creatures. The exact destination, however, remained uncertain. It would take a considerable amount of time, and it would be conspicuous if they chose to fly. They might not be able to catch up with Ludwig if they did.

Once they entered Primotheus, they easily outwitted and disguised themselves to deceive the heavy-armored guards manning the walled entrance. With meditative concentration, Liam sharpened his awakened senses and surveyed the surrounding area. There was a crucial reason why they were not allowed to stay, and they also lacked permission from the Ministry of Interkingdom Affairs.

As they ascended above the heavy clouds of the starless night, they beheld a massive structure illuminated with bright lights, nestled at the center of the leafless forest. Despite the deepening darkness outside, within the structure, there was bustling activity and cheerful ambiance.

"Ludwig," Alexa said softly.

Liam gave her an inquisitive look.

"I could feel his essence from here," she added, her voice trembling with fear. "It's overwhelming. It seems he's angry again."

"He's always angry, Alexa," Liam noted. "Always has been."

They silently descended to the muddy ground, observing the area for a bit longer. When no one seemed to notice their presence, they prepared to proceed inside. However, just as they were about to move, Alexa pulled at the hem of Liam's clothes. Liam looked at her.

"We can't afford to be careless," said Alexa in a hushed tone. "I could sense the terrifying presence of a Ravager."

Liam furrowed his brow in disbelief. It would take crossing three mountains and two seas from Collosus, the habitat of Ravagers, just to reach the shores of Primotheus. It seemed unlikely to sense their presence here. They typically remained within their territory, not venturing out to conquer or visit, but to protect. So, how could this be?

"How many?" Liam asked curiously, his pale-green eyes scanning the surroundings. The moonlight was unusually strong tonight, thankfully.

Alexa squinted her eyes, biting her lip as she focused her energy on interacting with the other energies around them. There was a sense of relief in her expression as she shook her head gently. "No," she answered. "It's alone, but…"

"It's lost, perhaps," Liam guessed.

Alexa suddenly looked shocked. Her lips parted. "I could feel the presence of… of…"

"What?" Liam asked impatiently.

"A human," Alexa finally said, rooted in her spot.

"That can't be," muttered Liam. "No way."

Alexa affirmed, "I'm sure." There was no hint of jest in her voice. She truly wasn't kidding.

Liam attempted to sense the surroundings as Alexa had done, but he couldn't discern any presence clearly. In his heightened vision, everything appeared blurry. It could only be interference, or worse, a trap. As a noble Fae, pinpointing essence wasn't one of their capabilities or talents, unlike Alexa, who was a Witch.

To calm herself, Alexa retrieved a piece of bread and took a bite. "It is weak, which is why I'm certain she's not from this world."

"She?" Liam asked, taken aback.

"Unfortunately, yes," Alexa replied, averting her eyes from Liam's perplexed reaction.

"Impossible!" shouted Liam. Plainly impossible. For one, no human being lived in the world of Quailsham. Second, it had been ages since the Transcendence was destroyed, the only transportation connecting this world to the mortal realm. Finally, she surely wouldn't last for long here, not before daybreak.

A loud whimper caught their attention.

"Shit," Alexa cursed softly as she hurried inside, the gated entrance destroyed by her destructive spell.

"Alexa," Liam called after her, concerned about their stealth. They should not be careless. Surely, the inhabitants of Primotheus would be aware of their presence despite the muted destruction within the walls of the mighty structure.

But Alexa was determined. Once they reached inside, they witnessed Ludwig's trembling with anger. They were fully aware that he was struggling with all his might to control his temper, teetering on the edge of explosion at any moment, but doing so miserably.

"Oh no," Alexa mumbled.

Liam reached her, panting loudly.

"We should've been the ones to interrogate that bastard. I should've trusted my instinct. I knew this could happen, very likely, and you didn't pay heed to me, Liam."

Amidst the ruins, they cautiously approached Ludwig. Liam, with his enhanced strength, attempted to pull Ludwig away from Adolf's battered body, but he couldn't be swayed. His arms were rigid with unrelenting anger, his eyes fixated solely on the helpless figure lying on the ground.

"This is your last chance," Ludwig began with a chilling voice that carried on the fleeting wind. "Where's your filthy Queen?"

It seemed the residents had finally noticed the intruders' presence, as they could already hear the rumbling of the ground growing louder and nearer.

"We can't be captured, no way," said Alexa. "Or we would make the chaos escalate." She glanced around frantically with her weary eyes. At that very moment, Ludwig continued to beat Adolf's weakened body relentlessly.

"That's enough," Liam gently called. "Ludwig, please."

Despite the countless strikes, Adolf was still conscious, his roaring laughter echoing through the expansive silence of the space. Between laughter and agony, Adolf managed to speak. "Y-you'll never…"

He couldn't speak further. He had sustained numerous injuries all over his body. Perhaps Ludwig had grown bored with the trivial interrogation, which was why he delivered his final blow to Adolf's exposed chest. 

Ludwig had initially been moderating the power of his punches to avoid killing Adolf, but not anymore. His judgment was clouded by revenge, and he could no longer be restrained. It was a pity to see him like this, in this state, unaware of the consequences of his hasty and stupid actions.

"Tell me," Ludwig demanded.

Alexa and Liam could do nothing but watch as Ludwig wreaked havoc. They knew that at this point, they couldn't interfere anymore, as it would only make things worse for all of them.

"S-she's g-gone," Adolf finally spoke, tears and blood rolling down his torn cheeks. "O-our Q-queen's gone." He allowed himself to accept all of Ludwig's blows, seemingly indifferent to whether this was his death. "No one else could remove your curse. You devil. Demon. Fucking Ascen—" Adolf didn't proceed any further because Ludwig, with a swift strike of his powerful leg, crushed his skull like a fragile glass without much effort.

Ludwig's fists were dripping with blood, the crimson liquid spreading down along his shins.