Stacy flew down the hallway and towards [Name]'s room. She rapped her knuckles gently on the door and whilst waiting for a response, she smoothed down her summer dress.
"[Name]? Are you up?" she waited for a few moments, "I will come in!"
She waited for a few more minutes, "[Name]? Are you in there?"
Twisting the doorknob, she entered the room tentatively at first. Then panic settled in. Throwing the door open she looked around the room, clothes were strewn over the floor and the bed was a mess, but apart from that there were no other signs of [Name]; a breeze blew through the room, chilling Stacy.
The window was wide open. The curtains fluttered as if mocking her.
Sprinting out of the room and ran downstairs and into the living room. Heavy breathing, face flushed.
Her sisters looked at her in concern, Briella was the first to speak up, "Is everything alright? Where's [Name]?"
"H-he's gone."
Stacy looked down at her hands, they were trembling violently.
Anna got out of her seat and helped Stacy to the sofa. Mala, Lucy and Anna went out to go and notify the guards that [Name] was missing whilst Lily and Bella looked after Stacy, calming her down and Briella had left to get a drink for her sister.
_______________________________________________________________________________________
The sound of a whip cracking against the skin, the crackling of a fire. It made for an ominous air in the cells. Dripping water from the ceiling and the smell of sweat and urine clogged one's senses.
Maniacal laughing came from [Name], Lucian had stopped his pain receptors from feeling pain, so he feels invincible. [Name] knows he's scaring the torturer.
"Come on! Is this really the best you can do?!"
The young man felt his heart pound in fear, it has only been a few hours and he still hasn't found the normally present vindictiveness that wraps its hand around his mind. But he is just struck with fear and there is hesitation something he never felt when torturing people.
[Name] had to applaud himself, he was having so much fun. But he knew it would be a bitch once he goes to rest. He did not want to tire Lucian out.
Another hour passed and he was slightly woozy from blood loss, and although he didn't feel the pain he can feel the effects of the wounds that have been inflicted upon him. As he was being unchained from the rack, two soldiers double-chained his hands and feet, and they had their swords trained on [Name] at all times. They heard his calls for more plain and were also fearful; they have only encountered a few that react like this.
They exchanged wary gazes as they watch the madman walk as if nothing happened, it was almost as if he wasn't just tortured but walking through a meadow. They threw him into his cell and departed as quickly as they could.
[Name] closed his eyes and tried to ignore the growing pain, his back and chest had deep whip cuts or branding, and for the first time, he could smell his own burnt flesh and it made him want to vomit. This is exactly what he did, he threw up in some hay that was in the corner of the cell.
Closing his eyes tightly, against the pain, he snorted, 'As if that was going to do anything to ease the pain'.
'Notice: Host has increased Character Complexity +5 points, keep up the good work Host!'
[Name] smiled, he started dozing off in one of the cleaner corners of his cell.
_______________________________________________________________________________________
"You believe he is not human?"
"Yes, sire. I believe he is, he has no fear when in the torture room and guards have reported hearing maniacal laughter and begging for more pain inflicted."
Castiel kept his head bowed, he did not want to provoke his sire. His sire is a man of short temper and great power. He is the Chief Shaman of the Shan Ze Bandits. Castiel tenses as he hears the other walk a few steps to the left, looking out of one of the windows. Shaman Alodar Szell was a man in his leat 50s and was a paedophile. He preyed on the young boys within the camp and killed many of them too. None of the boys there wanted to be there, they stayed out of fear as they all have a hawks eye tattooed on their left wrist because that tattoo acted as a tracker of sorts so they could never run away.
Castiel never truly knew who his parents were. He did not know to miss them.
"Do you think he is cooperative? We can use him if he is. So, what do you think?"
Castiel held back a shiver as he remembered the first conversation he had with the prisoner, [Name]? He remembered the eerie glow of [Eye Colour] eyes held and the sultry voice of the other, and his cynical ways of speech.
"I believe we can make him cooperate and if not, we shall just use him as other cattle."
"Good. I shall leave it up to you. Dismissed."
________
Castiel walked down towards the dungeons, and with keys towards the cells. He stopped when there was hauntingly beautiful singing echoed and there was no groans or whimpers of agony from the other prisoners.
"...we were separated, I could no longer hold your hand..."
As Castiel walked down into prison, the singing got louder. He was a bit put off, there would normally be either quiet groans or whimpers still, but as he walked he saw that most of the inmates were either huddled together and seemingly enjoying the singing.
The singing seemed so lonesome. Castiel had never heard this tune before.
When he got to the cell he saw [Name], making something, but his back was turned towards the bars.
"Hey! Prisoner [Name]."
The singing stopped, before something more ominous came from the other's lip, "The price of your greed is your son and your daughter. Bring the lambs to the slaughter."
"Silence! We are going to take you out of the cell so do not try anything funny."
[Name] stood up to his full height, swaying a bit. He smiled, all teeth, eyes wrinkled, but it unnerved Castiel as the other towered over him. He motioned for the guards to go and chain his hands and ankles.
When taking [Name], Castiel was very surprised at how docile the other was; although the guards kept a sharp eye on [Name] he still didn't try and fight anything, he did not struggle nor start shouting. He walked with his head high as if he was a noble in the comfort of his own home.
"So you guys work with the Shan Ze bandits?"
"..."
No one answered, [Name] huffed, then chuckled, "I will see to it that you all fall."
That wasn't a statement; it was a promise.
Castiel sneered, "And how are you going to that?"
"A good player at the table, never reveals his cards. You of all people should know that little one."
Castiel felt anger boil in his heart, "You- I am probably older than you-"
"So what of age, in terms of experience you still have nothing on me. You have not seen the battlefield as I have, you have never experience training as I have. Tell me. What drives you?"
Castiel went silent. What drives him?
"If there is no drive, you are but a puppet. One of which will be cast to the side quicker than you can say Hell."
Something twisted in his stomach and Castiel felt a burn in the back of his eyes, something he has not felt in years. Not since he was a babe.
He ignored the guards and Castiel, [Name] had decided that planting the seed of doubt was enough. Enjoyment; [Name] found enjoyment with toying these people.
It was not long before there were at the Blood Hall, where the Chief Shaman was standing and [Name] found it funny, before wrinkling his nose in disgust at the lust that was oozing off of him and the body odour, he could smell it, it was almost tangible which made it all the more repulsive. He observed that many of the other shamans looked at him with either intense curiosity or disdain.
The room was plain, but it had a stage of sorts in the middle and elevated seats all around the edge like a colosseum. He was being watched from all sides.
"Welcome! We are the Shan Ze Shamans and I am the Chief of the Shamans. We want to give you a chance, one would say," spoke the Chief.
[Name] rolled his eyes, smiling slightly as the other bristled at his slight, "What do you want?"
"We will give you your freedom if you beat our best soldiers."
"Anything else? Surely," [Name] watched with a grin, "You would not think so much of a fool, to think that I believe that is all. When in this situation, I would never be able to gain my freedom."
"You do not hold the same hope as others do."
[Name] rolled his shoulders back and stood tall, "You're right. I do not. But to me, it seems you want entertainment. Or to gauge how strong I am. Is that it?"
He watched all those present, whispered to each other. [Name] changed his smirk to a sneer, gaze sharpening.
"You are right. I want entertainment and to gauge how strong you are."
"There. That wasn't so hard, was it? To be straightforward?"
The Chief laughed, leaning forwards on the bannister and called to others to bring out the strongest soldiers.
"I quite like you."
"A shame, but the feeling is not mutual."
As they entered Castiel and his guards left the arena and [Name]'s shackles were taken off. [Name] smiled as the soldiers all came out with their signature weapons. A serrated whip, a longsword, a broadsword, a club and a mace.
"What punishment do they get if they lose?"
"Stripped of their title and demoted to the bottom."
"A bit harsh aren't you? How about, instead of giving me my freedom. Let them have no punishment and give them theirs. If you don't I will know."
The soldiers were surprised. Although they wanted to dwell on it, they could not.
"Alright, I will accede! Now commence!"
Castiel watched in awe as he watched [Name] fight, even with his numerous injuries, he still managed to fight with grace and practised ease. Even his blows seem soft but he would hear the fist against flesh and the slight cracking of bones. The soldiers all seemed to be in sync with each other as well, the crack of the whip, the screech of metal and the clang and thud of the mace and club.
Castiel winced when [Name] caught the whip in his hand, as it wrapped around his hand and making it bleed ferociously; he had caught the other off guard and took the whip for himself. He waved it around, creating a barrier between him and the other guard. The whistle of the whip got louder, Castiel couldn't even see the whip properly anymore.
The sound of wood splintering shocked him so much that Castiel flinched back. The soldier who wielded the club stumbled and fell in shock too. Everyone in the arena was shocked, Castiel examined the whip more closely now as it was stationary for a moment. It had a [Favourite Colour] glow to it.
[Name] was getting annoyed with playing around with the others, so he decided he should just finish the off. Wrapping the whip around the longsword he yanked it towards him, pulling the other off balance and flicking his wrist, it flew towards the one with the broadsword. Knocking it out of his hands and with another flick, the sword came towards [Name] so he whirled around on the one with the mace and knocked the mace out of the other's hands with a strike.
The soldiers just stared in shock. [Name] just smiled in disdain and glee as he watched the other shamans look at him in shock. He looked around the crowd before he sees a young man staring at him with great interest, body plated with armour, and hair so black it could rival a black hole and gaze so sharp it made [Name] smile with glee.
'Character notice: Demetri Ducharme. Vampire Lord and Great Commander of the Shan Ze bandits.'
'Thank you, Lucian.'