The Hero of Vengeance

Chapter 24: The Trap

I awoke the next morning with an odd feeling in my mind. I felt excited, yet also worried about going to the castle again. Something in me was absolutely terrified for some reason.

Going to the castle would mean being near Cassandra again and I didn't like that at all.

And the thought of that made my skin crawl all over, for some reason.

Isabella swore that her sister wasn't all bad, but I couldn't see it no matter how hard I looked. Cassandra's heart was as black as sin. I saw no good in her at all.

I slowly got up and nervously got ready.

I couldn't shake the feeling that something was going to happen to me...

Cassandra said some pretty worrying things, after all.

I got my armor on and affixed Vengence to my hip as I always did. I thought about putting it in my inventory, but decided not to because it seemed like a good deterrent.

Then I looked out the window of my room and saw the castle in the distance. I felt my heart racing at the thought of seeing my beloved again.

I went to the door and reached for the handle. As I did, I stopped.

My hand was shaking uncontrollably.

"Why am I so afraid? Isabella won't let anything bad happen to me, will she?" I said to myself.

I took a deep breath and sighed.

The feeling didn't go away, however. I was terrified for some reason. Something about this felt far too familiar and all I wanted to do was hide.

But...I promised Isabella I would meet with her.

I opened the door and went out, ignoring my fear.

I raced down the stairs and before leaving, I heard Jorgan call out to me.

"Hey, Mizik! Good morning!" He said happily.

"Good morning, Jorgan. How are you today?" I asked with a smile.

"Everything is well. Are you heading out? Where are you off to today?"

"Oh, you know... I'm going to visit Isabella. I can't stand being away every night, so I need to go see her."

"You're a lucky man, Mizik. She seems to really love you. Make sure you treat her right, okay? That girl is a treasure to the kingdom."

"Of course! I wouldn't dream of mistreating her," I said. I turned to leave and remembered something important. "By the way, Aria says she loves you from the letter she sent."

"Haha! Maul raised a good girl. Well, Mizik, I'll see you later. Stay safe out there!"

With a nod to Jorgan, I went outside. Clouds were gathering overhead and I felt a raindrop.

"Strange, I didn't think it was supposed to rain today..." I mumbled.

I shook my head and made my way towards the castle in a hurry.

It was still cold outside, but warm enough to rain. I assumed I should expect more of it soon.

On my way to the castle, one of the knights waved me down and approached me.

"Hello. Can I help you?" I asked him.

This particular knight was wearing full heavy armor and had a visor covering his face.

"Yes sir Mizik, Princess Isabella has sent me with a request for you today," he said.

"Okay...lead the way, I guess."

That's strange, wouldn't she normally tell me in person?

"Her Majesty requests that you meet her in her room immediately upon entering the castle. She said she has something she wishes to show you. I know nothing more than that."

Her...room?

I had been to the castle many times but had never actually gone to her room. It felt like something deeply personal that I shouldn't approach while we were yet to be married.

I wasn't even sure where it was, to be honest.

Usually, if the weather was bad, I would meet up with her in one of the castle lounges. But today...

"Very well, can you take me there?" I asked the knight. He nodded and we made our way to the castle as the rain began falling harder.

Seriously, someone should invent something to stay dry out in the rain.

By the time we got to the castle, I was soaked underneath my armor.

I figured I would have plenty of time to get dried off after meeting with Isabella, so I followed the knight to her room.

Once we arrived, the knight gave me a salute and opened the door for me. I smiled at him and went inside.

The door shut behind me as I looked forward.

I could see Isabella standing near the window with her back facing me.

"Isabella?" I said to her.

At once, she seemed to perk up and turned around.

Isabella gave me a warm smile as she held her hands together.

"Mizik! It's so good to see you again!" She said.

After a moment, I noticed that she was wearing something a tad out of character.

She was wearing a long evening gown. As if she had just woken up a few minutes ago and hadn't changed yet.

I felt a bit embarrassed to see her like this right now, but tried not to focus on it.

This was difficult since she was showing quite a bit of cleavage. Her figure was nearly visible in the light as well.

Nonetheless, I kept my eyes on her face. Isabella was more to me than just her body and I wanted that to be clear.

"I heard you called me here for something important...?" I said to her.

"Yes, I just wanted to share a romantic moment with you today, my darling," she said with a loving smile.

Something felt off here, for some reason.

As far as I could tell, it was definitely Isabella. Cassandra looked just like her, but this girl had the mole under her left eye. I didn't think too much of it.

And what did she mean by romantic moment..?

As I thought about these things, Isabella motioned to her dresser where two glasses of red liquid and a tall bottle sat on a platter.

I don't like where this is going. I was instructed not to touch her.

"Umm...is that wine? So early?" I asked.

"Of course it is, darling. I merely wanted to share a drink with you before we start our day. Won't you join me?" She said as she gracefully stepped over to the dresser and picked up a glass.

She took a sip and smiled at me.

"Isabella, I don't mind having a drink with you, but here in your room so early in the morning seems kind of..."

"It's fine, Mizik. It's only a drink. I don't plan on doing anything else, I promise! I must maintain my purity, after all. I'm sorry if my outfit is...enticing you... I'll be sure to get changed in a moment," she said.

I felt more comfortable hearing her say that. I walked over and picked up the remaining glass.

The red liquid sloshed around in the glass and I took a long sip of it.

I had drank wine in the past that my father would sometimes have. That wine was good, but this wine was delicious.

It was sweet with a strong secondary flavor that I couldn't quite place.

"What's with this wine? It's amazing!" I said as I looked over at Isabella.

At that moment I felt my blood run cold.

Isabella's normally sweet expression twisted into a sadistic smile. The mole under her eye faded away.

"Wh-what? What's going on here?" I said suddenly as I felt a chill in the air. "C-Cassandra...? Why are you...?" I stammered.

I heard a click on the for at that moment.

No... No no no no! Why!? Why now of all times!?

Cassandra took a step forward and I backed away.

"H-hey, C-cassandra? Can we talk about this please? We can be civil, right?" I said fearfully.

She paused for a moment as her smile grew wider.

"Talk? How adorable. We're well past the point of talking, don't you agree?"

I shook my head.

"It doesn't have to be this way. We don't have to be enemies!" I said.

She thought for a moment and shook her head.

"It's too late, Mizik. You're already mine."

Damn it all! Sorry, King Ronald and sorry Isabella! I have to defend myself!

I reached down to my side and grabbed the hilt of Vengeance.

Before I could pull it out, I felt an impact on my chest and I was thrown to the floor by an invisible force. The wine glass flew out of my hand and spilled all over the carpet, but Cassandra gracefully caught it before it could shatter. She gently placed it back on the platter.

Something had hit me. I never even saw Cassandra move!

"My my, this was far easier than I thought it would be. You're so naive for someone on their way to the throne, little Mizik... Although your willpower against my body is something to be admired. Most men would have tried to have their way with me in this outfit..." She said as she stepped forward.

I scrambled to get up and fell flat on my face.

For some reason, my arms wouldn't move. My legs became jelly and my vision was getting blurry.

No! Did she drug me!? What's going on here!?

I'd never felt so helpless in my life.

Cassandra reached down and grabbed me by the neck. She picked me up and stared deeply into my eyes with her twisted expression.

"That's the fear I wanted to see. You're so adorable like this!" She said.

"P....please...let me go...." I managed to whisper.

"Haah...you're such a cute and handsome boy! I really mean that. Doesn't it make you happy hearing that from a beautiful Princess?"

The drug in the wine was rapidly taking over my body. I barely had the strength to speak.

Cassandra laughed and threw me towards the door.

I landed hard and tried to pick myself up.

"If you want to leave, you're free to do so. If you can open the door, that is..."

I looked up and suddenly the doorknob seemed so far away from me.

I tried with all my might to sit up and reach it, but my body felt too heavy. Crippling fear began to overwhelm me. I started to feel dizzy. I had been deceived by the most terrifying woman I'd ever met.

I was sure a horrible fate awaited me if I couldn't open the door...

At that moment, I heard a voice nearby.

"Mizik? Where are you? I heard that you arrived but I can't find you! Mizik! You mustn't be alone in the castle!" Isabella called.

I felt tears of desperation as I tried to punch the door as hard as I could.

I only managed a quiet knock.

"Isa....bella....I'm....in danger.... Please.........save me.....!" I could only get out a whisper.

My tears turned to waterfalls as I heard her grow farther away.

"Ohhh! How adorable!" Cassandra said as I felt her grab me by the collar and yank me away from the door. She leaned close to me and whispered quietly in my ear. "I warned you, didn't I?"

My consciousness began to fade and I was dragged across her room over to one of her wardrobes.

She opened it, clicked a switch, and a false panel opened in the back revealing a staircase that led into a dark abyss.

She picked me up and threw me down the stairs.

I bounced several times and landed hard on the stone floor. I slowly moved my hand to Vengeance and touched it. I made sure to quickly transfer it to my inventory. That sword was all I had left now. I couldn't afford to lose it. After it was done, my muscles gave out completely.

As I lay motionless on the ground, my heavy eyelids slowly fell. My consciousness faded and I blacked out.

* * *

A terrible pain filled my entire body as I slowly opened my eyes. I could hardly see anything at all and my arms hurt. I realized that they were in shackles chained to a wall above my head.

My armor and most of my clothes seemed to be missing. I was in my underwear. I could feel the cold stone scraping my knees and legs.

I looked around the dimly lit room and saw the bars of a prison cell ahead of me.

"Wh-what...what's going on? Where am I!?" I said aloud.

"Ah, you're finally awake. Welcome to my personal torture chamber, Mizik," a familiar sadistic voice said nearby.

T-torture...!?

Overwhelming terror began to creep over me as Cassandra stepped forward pushing a trolley that held an assortment of vicious-looking tools.

"The previous person to come here lasted a week. It was quite the record if I do say so myself. I wonder how long you'll last..."

"Wait! I'm so sorry that I offended you, Cassandra...er...Princess Cassandra! Your Majesty! But please...I promise not to tell Isabella if you let me go free!" I said fearfully.

She tilted her head in confusion and looked at me curiously.

"But if I don't let you go free, you can't tell her at all, right?" She said.

No...please no!

"Why...why are you like this? What did I ever do to you!? Did I ever hurt you!?" I said as I felt my heart race faster and faster.

Cassandra smiled at me. Not in a twisted way, but a sweet sort of way.

"I said it before, right? When we met. I said you were cute. I wanted to make you into my pet, but for some reason, when you put your arms around me, it did something to my head. I can't stop thinking about it and it makes me angry. To think that my mind would be sullied by a filthy commoner! Because of that, I want to make you scream and beg for mercy. I want to see your face twisted in fear and agony as you bleed and cry for me!" She said sweetly.

How insane is this witch!?!?

"You're nothing but a disgusting, low-born, filthy commoner. How is it that I, a beautiful Princess of the highest caliber, could find you so cute? I hate it. So I'm going to erase you from this world in the most agonizing way possible."

I could only look on in horror and confusion as her sweet smile turned into one that made me feel pure terror.

Cassandra hummed as she picked out a tool to use and settled on a long, curved dagger.

She brought it close to my tear-soaked face and used the blade to gently caress my cheek.

"Isabella has a mole under her eye, right? It's what allows people to see the difference between us. Such a small and subtle difference... You were lured here by that pretty little beauty mark," Cassandra said playfully.

"What...are you...?" I barely managed.

"I want to give you a mark on your cheek as well. That way, you'll match! Let's begin, shall we?" She said.

Before I could protest, she turned the blade and slowly stabbed me in the cheek just below my left eye and dragged it down at an angle.

I screamed in pain as she moved the blade ever so slowly downward.

Eventually, she pulled the blade out and licked the blood from it.

My cheek stung horribly and I began to wonder how much more terrifying my life was about to become.

I thought of Isabella. I tried to remember her warm loving embrace. My tears gushed out as Cassandra laughed at me.

"This is priceless. I'm going to carve you up until you're nothing but a bloody mess!!!" She shouted. She held her hand to her cheek as she lost herself in a violent fit of maniacal laughter.

The next several hours were easily the most painful I had ever experienced.

In between bouts of stabbing and cutting me, Cassandra would use her monstrous strength to beat me repeatedly.

She would also kick me in the crotch so hard that I could feel my eyes rolling back into my head.

She left horribly painful deep wounds all over my body using the many tools she had at her disposal. Occasionally she would stop to step out. She was a 'Princess' after all and supposedly had things to do.

The short periods where she had left were spent crying and whimpering. I screamed for Isabella to come and free me but she never arrived.

Cassandra would always come back ready for more bloodshed.

I clenched my teeth and forced my mind to think about the loving embrace of my dear Isabella.

But the pain became so unbearable that I could hardly think.

Eventually, Cassandra yawned and without a word retired from the cell making her way upstairs back into her room.

I hung as bloody mess by my wrists from the wall and whimpered.

Eventually, I passed out from the pain.

* * *

I had no idea at the how long I remained in that dungeon.

While I was here, I kept hearing a a strange voice.

{Kill them all.

      Burn it down.}

But I didn't have time to think about that.

I couldn't think of anything but the horrible pain and agony.

And, of course, Isabella. I wanted her to save me, but...

On several occasions, I had seen her come down here to save me.

The first few times she even fooled me into thinking I was truly saved. Cassandra turned out to be a level 100 Illusion Master. A person that was far stronger than I, currently.

I had no chance at fighting her. She was far too powerful...

If I could use my magic, I would be free, right?

Maybe...but I would never know. The shackles on my arms were made of a runed steel. It completely suppressed all of my strength. I couldn't resist Cassandra at all.

I was so perfectly caught that I could never escape. Every day she would come as surely as she did the last to torture me for hours on end.

I nearly went mad from the pain several times.

My arms hurt so bad that I couldn't feel them anymore.

Cassandra would occasionally dump filthy water and old food into my mouth until I choked on it. As badly as I wanted to die to make the pain end, she wouldn't let me.

Whenever I felt close, she would stop and heal me. She could use the Grand Heal spell to stop me from bleeding out.

As far as she was concerned, I was her plaything. And she didn't want to break her favorite toy.

The thoughts and hope that Isabella would rescue me eventually began to fade. I had already seen her 'rescue' me so many times, that I no longer believed it when I saw her.

Cassandra, of course, found this terribly boring.

At one point, I heard the voice of a man as well.

I looked up and saw a familiar figure in the dim light.

It was Arvild.

Likely he came to laugh at me and join in on the torture.

I stared at him through bruised and swollen eyelids and he simply laughed at me.

"The wielder of Vengeance, everyone! Brought so low by a simple Princess! How delightful!" He said loudly.

"It was so easy, too. All I had to do was pretend to be little Isabella. He did everything I said without hesitation!" Cassandra said with a cruel smile.

"I suppose it would be harsh of me to inform him of my current arrangement, then?" Arvild said.

"Certainly not. He won't be around much longer, anyways. You may as well be talking to a wounded dog at this point. He can barely even bark anymore."

Arvild turned to me and smiled cruelly.

"Isabella has given up on finding you, Mizik. She only wishes to be comforted at this point and has allowed me into her arms. We will be engaged soon," he said.

You're lying to me. She would never abandon me... Never...I know she's still searching...

"....a.....Is......la....."

I could barely manage a sound after being tortured for days on end. My voice had left me from all the painful screams I'd released.

"Oh dear, how the mighty have fallen! Cassandra, where is that sword of his?" Arvild asked.

Cassandra placed a hand on her chin as she pondered for a moment.

"Hmm...I took his armor and clothes... Even his shield and that filthy ring. But I never found the sword. Perhaps he placed it in his inventory?" She said.

"Unfortunate. I'll have to wait until he dies to get it, then. Please save it for me, your Majesty. I will be in touch..." Arvild turned to leave and spoke one last time to Cassandra. "Make sure to give him an extra bit of pain for humiliating me as well if it pleases you. I would be most grateful if you could do that."

Cassandra gave another twisted smile as she looked at me.

"Of course I can! I would love to!" She said.

No...please...make it stop... Please just kill me...

Cassandra pulled the trolley up to me and began picking out a tool to use.

She held up a rusted scalpel as she began to cackle with laughter again.

I'm going to die here...and no one will ever find out...

{Kill them all.

      Burn it down.}

The dungeon was once again filled with screams as Cassandra got back to work.