The One after my Heart

The light in the dark hall flickered and grew dim as one of the remaining two torches on the wall extinguished.

Brianna stood there with a grim and worried expression as she spoke out," I'd always thought these stragglers were no different from bandits or mercenaries trying to get rich. But something here doesn't seem right. I hope it's just me over-thinking things."

Aiden remained silent and then after a pause with a thoughtful expression he replied, "No, you're right. It's a pity we don't have a spirit witch around or we could have made these two spill out whatever they're hiding. Something tells me that there's more to this mark than what meets the eye."

'Isn't that right, Thorny?" said Aiden as he looked at the man in his left grip who had his hand look like a branch wrapped in thorns.

The wheatish skinned man in torn tunic robes hatefully glared out and sneered, saying nothing.

"Y-you don't...reali..se...what you ha-have done! The Raegan.. will..not let ...you walk away freely scot-free fr-from..thisss", spluttered the young woman in Aiden's hand, struggling to gasp for air as her face grew redder and redder. Her eyes looked fanatic when she mentioned the word Raegan.

"Raegan", repeated Brianna, who stood at the sides with a puzzled expression on her face.

"It must be their superior or someone who's giving out the orders and they report to. Like a commander. Which means you're more like lieutenants for this coven or group you're working for. And if I'm right the stragglers are nothing more than soldiers or local henchmen", said Aiden as he put forward his theory.

"There must be more than just one of those what you call Raegans around if I'm guessing right. It should probably be a designation like a commander or something for you all.", inferred Aiden thoughtfully as he carefully looked at expressions of the two in his grip.

Both the young man and the woman's eyes changed when they heard this. This man was far more intuitive than they'd expected.

"Hmmph, don't expect us to reveal anything. Even torturing us won't do you any good. We'll gladly sacrifice our lives before you get anything out of us!" spoke the wheatish man who was silent all this while as he chuckled like a mad man.

Aiden's eyes narrowed coldly, and he tightened his grip," Oh I doubt about the torture part you're speaking about. But, I respect your devotion and passion. It's a pity I'm on a schedule here, hence I can't play with you two anymore. You might as well as be on your way then."

At once, both of the people's faces in Aiden's grip turned red and slowly purple as they suffocated and choked.

Brianna looked at the two struggling figures with no mercy in her eyes. She especially noticed the sly sneer from the young man who was a warlock but mingled among the dark coven. She couldn't help but feel anger rise within her.

Especially when they had committed atrocities and grave crimes on the innocent as well as their own kind. She wouldn't feel any mercy towards these scums who destroyed her family.

Soon, both the bodies in Aiden's hands gave a violent jerk and then, after a pause, went still. He didn't let go of the corpses and stood in the same position as he was before.

"So, how did thing's go on your end?" Aiden questioned Brianna without turning towards her.

"Well it was worth it then. This mark and this unknown secretive group backing these stragglers and dark witches has piqued my curiosity after all.", replied Aiden with a hmm.

"I'd initially thought that the Dark coven was backing these stragglers. But now I feel there's someone else.", continued Brianna with a thoughtful expression on her face.

Soon in no time, the two bodies in Aiden's hands started to wither as though they were being decayed from within. The red mist covering the two was no different from sand that absorbed water as the bodies were sapped dry.

The young lord nodded as he felt the last of the life ebb away from two people and then dropped them to the ground.

After a moment's pause, he spoke to Brianna and ordered," I earlier sensed few lives apart from these people. Go take a look among the other rooms and the dungeons and report back in a few minutes. We're done here. So hurry up soon."

Brianna was startled as she'd totally forgotten about checking if there were any more people. A stronghold such as this would definitely have captives. She nodded as she ran to the hall's exit.

---

Fifteen minutes later, Brianna appeared in the hall once again. She found Aiden standing on the same raised platform, but he seemed to be speaking to someone.

"Yes…..yes, I'll be there shortly. I understand." Aiden nodded as he faced the dark wall in front of him.

Bree's eyes went wide as she looked around and found nobody apart from them and the dead bodies in the hall.

'Who is he talking to?', she thought to herself.

As though he noticed her presence, Aiden turned around and looked at Brianna, who had a furious look on her attractive dusky face.

Brianna gritted her teeth, her eyes in fury as she reported, "I found sixteen prisoners in there. Out of which thirteen were women, among whom nine are just young girls barely in their teens! The rest are two young boys and an one old man. Most of them seem to have minor injuries or signs of previous wounds on them, though nothing looks serious enough. The old man seemed to have been physically tortured."

Bree clenched her teeth with anger in her eyed before continuing, "Some of these are ordinary women who have trafficked, while some seem to be potential witches who have been kidnapped at the behest of the dark cult perhaps.

And then there are a few who seem to even have been sold by their own families for gold. The young boys seem to be abducted from the neighbouring domain. As for the old man, I couldn't get anything out of him."

Bree felt anger and indignance as she reported everything.

"There were two stragglers who remained there as a guards. I took them out and managed to free the witches and warlock who were kept bound by raithen shackles to prevent them from escaping."

Aiden finally turned around and looked at Bree, who noticed his pupils that'd turned blood-red staring at her. Under that red stare, she felt the blood in her body thrum and figure paralysed to even move.

Aiden nodded at her. "You did good. We were lucky there wasn't a Raegan here and there were just these four lieutenants present or we'd definitely encounter a bit of trouble and hassle. Let's go, we're done here."

"Young lord, what about the prisoners? We can't leave them here!?', asked Bree in a concerned tone after a pause. "Should we take them-?"

The young lord's eyes turned cold, and in a flash, before she could react, he was next to her as he grabbed Bree by the neck, choking her.

It was only now that she'd managed to see there was a bloodthirsty expression on his face. And that expression was no different from a beast about to attack. The way he looked at her seemed no different from a wild beast that hadn't had its fill.

'Monster', Brianna thought as she felt the tiny hairs on her arms stand up.

Aiden raised her into the air as he hissed in a low voice," And how is that my problem, woman? Do not test my patience and generosity with these noble whims of yours, for I do not have the time to entertain them! It's time for you to keep your end of the deal now."

Bree's eyes gave out a bitter look as she choked for air and managed to force out a nod.

'That's right, They had a deal and he'd already fulfilled his part of the bargain. What was she expecting from him?'

As he held her by the neck, she noticed his blood-red eyes slowly recede back to their usual gorgeous ice-blue ones. He dropped her to the ground, where she fell to her knees, taking deep breaths as her lungs gasped for air. He looked at her athletic lean figure, struggling to catch up on her breath and turned his back towards her once again.

"It's time we took care of the rest who are here. I don't need any more problems. Gather and bring in the captives over here to me. I want this over with soon as possible", Aiden commanded harshly. "Now!"

Bree's eyes went wide, and her body froze up as she heard his words and looked at his expression.

'Don't tell me, he plans to kill them as well!?'