Chapter 113: Abduction

The dim, eerie room was suddenly filled with the sound of a creaking door, causing everyone to tense up even further.

The sound of slow, deliberate footsteps echoed off the stone walls, each step increasing the weight of the silence that had fallen over the group. An old woman, her form bent and frail, entered the room.

She was supported by a twisted, gnarled wooden stick that looked as ancient as she did. Her face was etched with deep lines, and her eyes, though clouded with age, held a sharp, piercing gaze that made it clear she was not to be underestimated.

Following closely behind her was a middle-aged man in a black coat, his expression cold and stern, and finally, Anna Sayy herself.

The sight of Anna caused a jolt of recognition in Ruchir, and his suspicions were immediately confirmed—this was no random abduction. They were here because of something Sayy wanted. But what was so important about that chest?

The old lady's presence filled the room with a sense of foreboding. Even Flippy, who had been uncharacteristically calm until now, seemed to sense the shift in the atmosphere.

The air was thick with tension, and the dim light from the lamps cast ominous shadows that danced across the walls, making the torture instruments appear even more sinister.

The old woman slowly made her way to the center of the room, her eyes scanning each of them with a cold, calculating gaze.

When she spoke, her voice was raspy, yet carried an undeniable authority.

"Remove the gags," she commanded with a wave of her hand.

The man in the black coat immediately stepped forward and pulled the cloths from their mouths, allowing them to speak.

The room fell into an even deeper silence, the weight of the old lady's presence making every breath seem louder.

She didn't speak for a long moment, letting the tension build until it was nearly unbearable.

Then, with a voice as cold as the air in the room, she asked, "Where is the chest?"

Her words hung in the air like a death sentence. Ruchir's heart pounded in his chest. The chest? He didn't have a clue what chest she was referring to. He exchanged quick glances with Garret, Alice, and Flippy, but their expressions mirrored his own confusion and anxiety.

"I—I don't know what you're talking about," Ruchir finally stammered, trying to keep his voice steady. "We don't have any chest."

The old woman's eyes narrowed, and she leaned forward slightly, her gaze boring into Ruchir as if she could see right through him. "Don't lie to me, boy. We know you took the chest from Blackwood Forest. Where is it now?"

Ruchir felt a cold sweat break out on his forehead. Blackwood Forest? The mention of the place brought back a flood of memories, but what sort of reply they should give."

"His mind raced, trying to piece together what answer she could possibly be satisfied by.

"We didn't take any chest," Ruchir said, his voice growing firmer. "We were in Blackwood Forest, yes, but we didn't find anything like that."

Anna Sayy stepped forward, her face twisted with anger.

"Don't play games with us! We know you have it! Just tell us where it is, and maybe we'll let you walk out of here alive."

Garret, who had been silent up until now, couldn't contain his anxiety. "Listen, we really don't know what you're talking about! We didn't take any chest! There's been a mistake!"

The old woman's eyes flicked toward Garret, and a thin, cruel smile crossed her lips.

"A mistake, you say? I don't think so. I think you're trying to be clever. But let me make something very clear to you all." She paused, letting her words sink in.

"I have no patience for deceit. We can do this the easy way, where you tell us what we want to know, or we can do this the hard way. Trust me, the hard way won't be pleasant for any of you."

Alice, her voice trembling but still defiant, spoke up.

"We're not lying! We have nothing to tell you because we don't have what you're looking for!"

The old lady's smile faded, replaced by a look of cold determination.

"Perhaps you need more incentive to tell the truth. You might not know the pain I can inflict, but let me assure you, it's something you won't soon forget."

With a wave of her hand, the man in the black coat stepped forward, his expression cold and merciless as he approached Garret, who was visibly paling.

"Wait!" Ruchir called out, his mind racing.

"We're telling the truth! We don't know anything about a chest! Maybe... maybe someone else took it, or maybe it was lost! But it wasn't us!"

The old woman's gaze remained fixed on Ruchir, searching his eyes for any hint of deception.

"You expect me to believe that you know nothing of the chest? How convenient," she said with a bitter edge in her voice.

"You think I haven't dealt with liars before? I've broken men much stronger than you."

Ruchir swallowed hard, feeling the weight of her words. He could sense that this was a woman who had lived a life of cruelty, someone who wouldn't hesitate to follow through on her threats.

Flippy, still unbothered, suddenly chimed in with a carefree tone, "You know, we really don't have any chest. Maybe you're looking for it in the wrong place. Have you tried under your bed? Sometimes things get lost there."

The old lady's eyes flicked to Flippy, narrowing in anger at his flippant remark.

"You think this is a joke?" she hissed. "I could end you right here, and no one would ever find your body."

Flippy just smiled innocently, his eyes wide as he looked at her.

"Well, if I don't have a body, at least I won't have to worry about being tied up anymore."

Ruchir felt a surge of frustration.

Flippy's lighthearted attitude was only making things worse, but at the same time, he realized they were in a dire situation.

"Please," Ruchir said, trying to keep the conversation focused. "We really don't know anything. If we did, we'd tell you."

The old woman leaned back, her eyes cold and calculating. "Then you're either the best liars I've ever met... or you're completely useless to me."

She paused, letting her words hang in the air. "And if you're useless, then I have no reason to keep you alive."

Ruchir's heart sank. He could see no way out of this, no way to convince them of the truth. 

Garret, trying to defuse the tension with a mix of bravado and humor, starts spinning a wildly exaggerated tale. "You see," he begins, his voice shaking a little but still attempting to sound confident, "the chest was actually a gift for the Emperor's pet turtle. A magical turtle, mind you, that—"

Anna Sayy cuts him off, her voice sharp with irritation. "Enough of your nonsense!" she snaps, her eyes narrowing at Garret. "Do you think we're fools? This isn't a game!"

Ruchir, sensing the situation escalating, tries to interject. "Wait, we really don't know anything about this chest. We're not lying—"

But before he can finish, the old lady's expression darkens. Her aura, thick with menace, begins to seep into the room.

The air becomes frigid, and the temperature plummets, causing a thin layer of frost to form on the surfaces around them.

The sheer intensity of her power bears down on them, filling the room with an almost palpable fear.

Garret's earlier bravado vanishes as he feels the icy grip of terror take hold. Alice, too, is visibly shaken, her eyes wide with alarm.

Even Flippy, usually carefree, is silent, sensing the gravity of the situation.

Ruchir can feel his heart pounding in his chest, every instinct screaming at him to flee, but there's nowhere to go.

The old lady's cold, piercing gaze settles on them, her anger unmistakable.

The room falls into a suffocating silence, the weight of their predicament pressing down on them as they face the terrifying wrath of their captor.