Chronicles of the Regressor - Chapter 12

Chapter 12 - A Costly Escape

The air in the interrogation chamber was thick with tension, a palpable weight that pressed down on Kaelen and his team. General Varkos stood over Borin, his dark blade resting lightly on Borin's throat, a cruel smile twisting his lips. Borin, bruised and battered but defiant, met Kaelen's gaze with a silent plea for help.

"Well, well, well," Varkos sneered, his dark Aura flaring, his gaze fixed on Kaelen. "The little phantom returns. And you brought friends. How… predictable. Your sentimental weakness is your undoing, Valerius. I knew you would come. He's a valuable source of information, and a perfect bait." He pressed the blade slightly, and a thin line of blood appeared on Borin's neck. "One step closer, and his life ends."

Kaelen's heart pounded, not just from the searing pain in his side, but from the raw, consuming hatred that flared within him. Varkos. The man who had destroyed his family, who had marked him, who now held his friend captive. Every instinct screamed at him to charge, to rip Varkos apart, but the blade at Borin's throat held him frozen.

Seraphina raised her hands, mana crackling, a furious storm brewing in her eyes, but hesitated, seeing the blade. Lyra Whisperwind's bow was drawn, an arrow nocked, but her aim was uncertain with Borin so close to Varkos. The room was small, the angles difficult.

"What do you want, Varkos?" Kaelen growled, his voice low and dangerous, his Aura, with its dark taint, surging, making the air around him crackle with suppressed power. He focused on keeping his breathing steady, on hiding the agony from his wound.

Varkos chuckled, a chilling sound that scraped against Kaelen's nerves. "Information, Valerius. About your King's plans. About your Aura Knights. And about you. Your uncanny foresight. Your… unusual abilities." He leaned closer to Borin. "Tell me, Stonebear. What makes your leader so special? Why does he know our movements before we make them?"

Borin, despite his injuries, spat defiance. "Go to hell, dog! I'll tell you nothing!"

Varkos's smile widened. "Stubborn. I like that. Makes the breaking more satisfying." He twisted the blade slightly, and Borin grunted in pain.

"Stop it!" Seraphina yelled, a small fireball sparking in her hand, but Varkos merely glanced at her, his dark Aura flaring, a silent warning.

Kaelen's mind raced. He had walked into another trap, one Varkos had meticulously laid. His foresight, his knowledge, had led them directly into the enemy's hands. He was hurt, his team was vulnerable, and Borin's life hung by a thread. He couldn't risk Borin. He had to think.

"You won't get anything from him," Kaelen stated, his voice calm despite the internal turmoil. "He knows nothing of my… insights. They are my own. Release him, and I will tell you what you want."

Seraphina and Lyra Whisperwind gasped. "Kaelen, no!" Seraphina cried.

Varkos's eyes narrowed, a flicker of interest in their depths. "Oh? A trade? The boy for your secrets? A tempting offer, Valerius. But I'm not a fool. How do I know you won't lie?"

"You don't," Kaelen replied, a grim smile touching his lips. "But you have nothing to lose. If I lie, you kill him anyway. If I tell you the truth, you gain invaluable knowledge. And I gain… nothing but his life." He was betting everything on Varkos's arrogance, his desire for information.

Varkos considered this, his gaze piercing. "Very well. A fair gamble. But I'll take precautions." He snapped his fingers. Two more Vorlag knights, heavily armored, entered the room, taking up positions behind Kaelen's team. "Drop your weapons, all of you. Slowly. Any sudden moves, and the bear dies."

Kaelen met Seraphina's furious gaze, then Lyra Whisperwind's worried one. He gave them a subtle nod. They reluctantly lowered their weapons, their eyes never leaving Borin.

"Now," Varkos said, his dark blade still at Borin's throat. "Begin, Valerius. Tell me your secrets. How do you know what is to come?"

Kaelen took a deep breath. He couldn't reveal the full truth of his regression. It was too fantastical, too dangerous. But he could twist it, make it plausible, feed Varkos a half-truth that would satisfy his curiosity without revealing his true power.

"I have… visions," Kaelen began, his voice low, almost a confession. "Flashes of possible futures. They are fragmented, often unclear, but they show me paths, possibilities. They are a burden, Varkos, not a gift. They torment me with what could happen, what I must prevent." He focused on making his voice sound weary, haunted, playing into the image of a tormented prophet. "The northern circles, Oakhaven… I saw the devastation. I acted to change it."

Varkos listened intently, his head tilted. "Visions? A seer, then. A rare talent. But you are also a formidable fighter. How does a seer fight like a veteran?"

"The visions also show me combat," Kaelen continued, weaving his lie with threads of truth. "They show me the most efficient movements, the weaknesses, the flow of battle. It is not skill I was born with, but skill I have seen, countless times, in my mind." He subtly shifted his weight, preparing.

Varkos chuckled, a dry, satisfied sound. "Fascinating. A tormented prophet. A puppet of fate. And you thought you could change it? Foolish. Fate is immutable. You merely walk the path laid out for you." He pressed the blade into Borin's throat again, a gesture of power. "Tell me of the King's plans. Of Eldoria's weaknesses."

Kaelen felt a surge of cold fury. Varkos's arrogance, his belief in immutable fate, was a weakness he could exploit. "I will tell you nothing more until Borin is free. Unchained. And outside this room."

Varkos laughed, a harsh, mocking sound. "Bold, boy. Very bold. But you are in no position to bargain."

"Perhaps not," Kaelen replied, his eyes fixed on Varkos, a subtle shift in his Aura, the dark taint flaring, unnoticed by the commander. "But you are in no position to ignore me. I am Eldoria's only 'seer.' If I die, your source of unique intelligence dies with me. If you break Borin, he will tell you nothing that I haven't already seen. You need me alive, Varkos. And you need me willing to talk."

Varkos paused, his eyes narrowing. He considered Kaelen's words, the logic, the undeniable truth in them. He was a pragmatist, despite his cruelty. He wanted information.

"Very well," Varkos finally conceded, a grudging respect in his voice. "A step. Release the bear, but keep him chained. And bring him to the corridor outside. You, Valerius, will remain here. Your friends will stay with him. We will talk."

The two guards unchained Borin, who stumbled, weakened but still defiant. They dragged him out of the room, Seraphina and Lyra Whisperwind following, their eyes filled with worry as they left Kaelen alone with Varkos. The heavy door clanged shut, leaving Kaelen isolated.

"Now, Valerius," Varkos said, turning his full attention to Kaelen, his dark Aura pressing down on him. "Tell me everything. And do not lie. I will know."

Kaelen felt a wave of dizziness, his wound throbbing. The dark magic from Varkos's previous attack was still gnawing at his Aura, making him feel weak. He had to be careful. He had to play this perfectly.

He began to speak, weaving a tapestry of half-truths and carefully chosen lies. He spoke of Eldoria's troop movements, but exaggerated their numbers in certain sectors. He spoke of their supply lines, but hinted at decoy convoys. He spoke of his own "visions," but painted them as chaotic, unreliable glimpses, requiring immense effort to decipher. He fed Varkos just enough truth to be believable, enough misinformation to sow doubt and misdirection. He even hinted at a "vision" of a large Eldorian counter-attack on Vorlag's southern flank, a complete fabrication designed to draw Varkos's attention away from the eastern front.

Varkos listened, his expression unreadable, occasionally interrupting with sharp, probing questions. Kaelen answered, his mind a whirlwind of calculation, trying to anticipate Varkos's thoughts, to feed him what he wanted to hear, without truly betraying Eldoria. The pain in his side was a constant distraction, but he pushed through it, his focus absolute.

Hours passed. Kaelen felt his strength waning, his Aura flickering. The dark taint within him pulsed, making him nauseous. He knew he couldn't keep this up much longer. He had to create an opportunity, a way out.

"And what of the King's personal guard?" Varkos asked, leaning forward, his voice suddenly sharp. "Are they truly as loyal as they appear? Or do your visions show… dissent?"

Kaelen paused. This was a dangerous question. He had to risk it. "My visions show… a growing unease. A fear of the war's cost. But no dissent. Not yet." He met Varkos's gaze, then subtly, almost imperceptibly, shifted his own Aura, allowing a small, controlled burst of the dark taint to seep out, a fleeting resonance with Varkos's own malevolent energy. It was a gamble, a desperate attempt to create a false sense of connection, of understanding.

Varkos stiffened, his eyes widening slightly. He felt the dark Aura, recognized its signature, and a look of profound, chilling understanding crossed his face. "Ah," he murmured, a slow, predatory smile spreading across his lips. "So that's it. The dark magic. It didn't just wound you, did it, Valerius? It changed you. You are becoming… like me. A vessel of true power. A survivor." He chuckled, a low, satisfied sound. "Perhaps fate isn't so immutable after all. Perhaps you are destined to become something greater than a mere Eldorian knight."

Kaelen felt a cold dread. Varkos had seen it. He had understood. His gamble had paid off, but at what cost? Varkos now believed Kaelen was being corrupted, becoming an ally, or at least a tool. This was a dangerous misconception, but one Kaelen could exploit.

"My path is my own," Kaelen stated, his voice firm, though he felt a wave of nausea. "And my purpose remains. Eldoria will not fall."

"We shall see," Varkos replied, his smile widening. "But for now… I believe we have concluded our discussion. You have proven… interesting, Valerius. More interesting than I anticipated." He snapped his fingers. "Guards! Return the prisoner to his cell. And escort Valerius back to his friends. He is… a guest, for now."

Kaelen felt a surge of relief, quickly replaced by a cold calculation. A "guest." Not a prisoner. This was his chance.

As the guards re-entered, Kaelen swayed, feigning weakness, clutching his side. "My wound… it's reopened. I need… immediate medical attention."

The guards, seeing the blood, hesitated. Varkos, still smiling, waved a dismissive hand. "Tend to him. He is valuable. But do not let him out of your sight."

As Kaelen was being led out, he caught a glimpse of Borin being dragged back to his cell, his face still defiant. Their eyes met, a silent promise passing between them.

He was reunited with Seraphina and Lyra Whisperwind in the corridor. Seraphina immediately rushed to him, her eyes wide with concern. "Kaelen! Your side! What did he do to you?"

"He tested me," Kaelen gasped, leaning heavily on her. "And he believes my Aura is… tainted. He thinks I'm becoming like him. It's our opportunity."

"An opportunity for what?" Lyra Whisperwind asked, her eyes narrowed, sensing the deeper game Kaelen was playing.

"To escape," Kaelen replied, his voice low and urgent. "And to get Borin. He's in the deepest cells, but Varkos thinks I'm too weak to try anything. He thinks I'm a guest. He's underestimated me again. And he won't expect us to move now."

He quickly outlined his plan. They would feign recovery, resting for a few hours under guard. Then, in the dead of night, they would strike. Kaelen would use his tainted Aura to bypass the dark wards of the dungeon, while Seraphina would create a subtle, localized distraction. Lyra Whisperwind would disable any remaining guards with her silent arrows. It was risky, but it was their only chance.

Hours later, in the dead of night, the plan was put into motion. Kaelen, his wound throbbing, moved with a grim determination. His Aura, dark and resonant, allowed him to slip past the fortress's internal wards like a shadow. Seraphina created a series of small, almost imperceptible illusions and minor magical disturbances in a distant part of the fortress, drawing away patrols. Lyra Whisperwind, a silent hunter, neutralized the remaining guards outside Borin's cell with her poisoned arrows.

They reached Borin's cell. He was still chained, but his eyes lit up with fierce hope when he saw them.

"Borin!" Seraphina cried, rushing to him.

"You fools! You actually came!" Borin grinned, a bloody but defiant smile. "I knew you wouldn't leave me!"

Kaelen quickly shattered the chains with a precise, Aura-infused strike. "No time for reunions. We're getting out of here. Borin, can you move?"

"Like a charging rhino!" Borin declared, though he swayed slightly as he stood.

Their escape was a desperate, harrowing flight. The fortress was now fully alerted. Alarms blared. Vorlag soldiers swarmed the corridors. Kaelen, despite his injury, moved with a terrifying efficiency, his Aura, with its dark taint, allowing him to anticipate attacks, to parry blows with unnatural speed. Seraphina unleashed bursts of destructive magic, clearing paths. Lyra Whisperwind's arrows sang, silencing pursuers. Borin, though weakened, became their unbreakable shield once more, his massive frame deflecting blows, his axe a blur.

They fought their way back through the treacherous tunnel they had entered, pursued by enraged Vorlag forces. Kaelen felt the dark magic within him surge, amplifying his strength, but also draining him, pushing him to his limits. He was bleeding heavily, his vision blurring, but he pushed on, driven by a single, burning purpose: to get his friends to safety.

As they emerged from the fissure into the cold night air, the sounds of pursuit still echoed from within the fortress. They made a desperate dash for their horses, hidden in a secluded grove.

Suddenly, a powerful dark energy blast slammed into the grove, incinerating trees, forcing them to scatter. Varkos. He had found them.

"You will not escape, Valerius!" Varkos's voice boomed, amplified by magic, closer this time. "You will not defy fate!"

Kaelen turned, his sword raised, ready to face him. But Seraphina, her face grim, unleashed a powerful, blinding light spell, momentarily disorienting Varkos.

"Go, Kaelen! We'll cover you!" Seraphina yelled.

"Get to the horses!" Lyra Whisperwind added, loosing a volley of arrows at Varkos's approaching guards.

Kaelen hesitated for a fraction of a second, then nodded. He knew he couldn't fight Varkos here, not in his current state. He had to get Borin to safety.

They mounted their horses, Borin struggling but determined. Kaelen, bleeding heavily, felt the world sway, but he clung to his saddle. They galloped into the night, leaving Drakon's Maw behind, a dark, ominous silhouette against the moonlit sky.

They had escaped. Borin was free. But the cost had been immense. Kaelen was severely wounded, his Aura permanently scarred. Borin was weakened, traumatized. The mission had been a success, but it was a victory etched in pain and sacrifice. The war was far from over, and Kaelen knew, with chilling certainty, that the path ahead would only grow darker.