CHAPTER 143: CHAPTER 143: ESCAPE

The blows fell like rain. The torture didn’t stop for a moment as Algheron approached William, insisting repeatedly:

"Call Aurus; if you beg him, I’m sure he’ll come rescue you."

The insistence was so strong that it was obvious this was all just bait to lure his master. Agis had sold him out to his enemies to make him plead with Aurus for his life, but even if it meant death, William wouldn’t do something as pathetic as implore for help.

"I’d rather die! If this is all you have, then kill me now before I die of boredom!"

The mages torturing him grew angry, and several knights began to cut parts of his body, trying to tear off his skin.

Seeing that William no longer screamed and merely seemed to lie there, dead, one of the knights yelled: "Tie him up! Let’s see if he screams when his bones start to burn!"—as he whipped him with a lash full of spikes.

William lay on the ground like a walking corpse. His body was a map of cuts, broken bones, and torn muscles. His breath came unevenly, and every movement was a stab of pain. Amidst laughter and taunts, branches and wood began to be piled under his body. They were preparing a living pyre.

"Don’t worry," Algheron whispered, with the chilling calm of a man convinced of his power. "In a few minutes, you’ll be just ashes. Just like your master will be soon."

The laughter continued while William lay motionless. Everyone believed he was dead, so they set the wood on fire. But before the fire could spread, a silver light emerged from William’s open palm. Everyone recoiled instinctively, expecting an explosion.

But what emerged was something else. A tearing howl echoed through the night.

From the shimmering circle, a gigantic, crystalline blue wolf surged forth like an arrow. Without hesitation, the wolf lunged at William, gently gripped him with its snout, and shot off into the trees.

"What the hell is that?!" one yelled.

"Stop it! Now!"

The apprentices didn’t even have time to react. Only Algheron, a true Level 2 mage, was able to channel quickly. His spell rose into the air like a net of fire, but the wolf zigzagged, climbed a hillside, and vanished among the trees.

Several mages began the pursuit, but the terrain was unfavorable. The beast was too fast; its body slipped between trees and stones as if the forest knew it by heart.

Within minutes, it left them behind.

Deep in the forest, hidden among giant roots, the wolf laid William on a bed of leaves. Barely conscious, William activated the Eye of Agimenes. He detected no nearby presences.

He knew he couldn’t hold anything with his shattered hands, so he linked his consciousness to the collar mentally.

"Lia... Don’t worry about me. I’ll be fine. You must survive..."

With a thought, he sent the message and mentally tossed the collar, making it land meters behind him. Then, he whispered to the wolf:

"Run... farther."

Obeying, the creature disappeared back into the undergrowth. Moments later, several masked mages appeared, one of them holding the collar William had discarded, as he checked the logs within it.

"Lord Agis, he was here," one said with a distorted voice. "He threw the tracker. He only sent a farewell message to his partner. There was no further communication."

"Should we bring the girl in? Perhaps if we use her..."

"It’s not necessary," Agis growled, walking among them. "He’s not the target. Issue an arrest warrant. An open bounty on his head. Dead or alive. Furthermore, issue an order for his girlfriend and his friends, banishing them from the Alliance. I want to see how the hell they survive with the nobles hunting them. Perhaps, by some stroke of luck, Aurus will help them, and we can catch him."

Another mage approached with a crystal tablet.

"There was a message he received just as he exited the portal. It says: ’Flee and forget Blackwater.’ It’s a code. Despite being sent from an encrypted account, we can confirm that Aurus sent it."

Agis clenched his fists tightly.

"Then he won’t come for him... Damn it! It seems we were completely wrong; the old man has no heart. Send him the torture video and tell him that if he wants him alive, he should come rescue him. No one knows he escaped; let’s use that to our advantage."

"Deploy. Erase all traces and tell that idiot Algheron to spread the word that he still has William in custody and will torture him every day until Aurus appears. Let’s see if he truly has no heart."

Nightmare World

While the hunters vanished into the darkness, William was in another place.

He had recited the incantation softly, through gritted teeth, just before losing consciousness. Now he was inside the mansion, but since Anubis wasn’t there last time, he had transported himself from the training grounds. Now he regretted it, as he dragged himself with difficulty, his body utterly ruined, trying to reach the castle.

Figures saw him: two female jackals in dark robes and silver collars. They looked at each other, then ran towards him.

"The Supreme! He’s returned wounded!"

Swiftly, they lifted him with a mix of reverence and urgency. They carried him to a chamber carved from black rock. They bathed him, stitched him, bandaged him. They gave him a spiritual ointment and laid him on a bed of black feathers.

Hours later, with the fever subsiding and his body almost immobile, William stared silently at the ceiling with open eyes.

His lips barely moved.

"Agis... Algheron... Committee..." He took a deep breath. "...The world wants war. I’ll give it to them, you damned traitors. Just wait. If you touch a single hair on my master, I will make sure not a single one of your members survives."

While everyone thought the threat was over, they didn’t know that in the heart of the Nightmares, a bloodthirsty monster was planning its revenge.