Chapter 47: Chains of Defiance: Unveiling Shadows
Slowly making his way over to the prison building Braedon kept the chains at the ready, having one wrap around his left arm as a way to be able to move and use the arm, his eyes growing cold and hard as he focused on the place ahead, he had confidence that the other two would be able to handle things but knew he would need to have them help if the boss came. Having a chain shoot out and wrap around the throat of the two guards Braedon quickly and smoothly ended them, the chains around there necks tightening impeccably fast and with a soft cracking noise the pair fell lifeless to the ground, there end quick and swift, walking closer Braedon proceeded check the bodies and liberate them of a set of keys, after finding the right one for the door and unlocking it he was assaulted by a foul stench strong enough cause him to step back and need to take a few deep breaths of clean air, his eyes wide in shock, slowly he entered the room and from the faint light of a few torches burning in the room he found it to be filled with cages, inside some to the left where the forms of many young women, some in torn cloths and others in nothing, a few looked up at him before looking back down, the glimpse he could catch of their eyes showed resignation and defeat, there wills broken, a few though stared hard at him, there eyes filled with a hardness and defiance, to the right where cages containing men of various ages, the youngest seemingly in his late teens and the oldest a bald old man, his face full of wrinkles and skin rough like leather, some of the men seemed to have broken or missing limbs, possibly from struggling or trying to fight back.
As for the room itself, it seemed like it wasn't cleaned at in a long time, the back of some cages having foul smelling puddles and masses of filth, even what appeared to be a few dead bodies where visible in a small pile at the back of the room. Upon noticing Braedon many of them began to rattle their cages, screaming obscenities or begging for their lives, pleading to be released growing louder and louder as if each one wanted to be heard of the others.
"BE QUIET!" Braedon shouted over them, trying to make them be quiet but no one seemed to listen, there voices instead growing louder, with a growl Braedon yelled. "I SAID BE QUITE ELSE I WON'T LET ANY OF YOU OUT AND WILL JUST KILL YOU ALL INSTEAD!" His tone taking a much darker tone to it, his anger at them lacing every word as he raised his dagger in the air to make his point along with the chains floating and rattling menacingly as if they were a pack of vipers ready to strike. Finally, most of them shut up, looking at him in fear but a few kept yelling, behaving like animals wanting to be free before turning silent, there eyes holding fear as they seemed to try and force themselves to the back of their cages and appear as small as possible.
"Sigh, the boss is right behind me now, aren't they? Either the boss or someone who tortures you into submission but it's probably the boss since that is how it always goes." He couldn't help but say in a sombre tone as he turned around to find a person behind him looking at him with an amused glint in their green eyes. Her figure was modest, long legs hugged by a pair of shorts, open toe slip shoes, a smooth toned stomach with a belly ring and a sleeveless tank top holding her modest bust, her face was soft and gentle almost to the level of a model, in front of her though, sticking into the ground was what one could call a mockery of a sword, its size was tall enough that her hands where straight as she held the curved handle that warped around her hands as if they where some kind of knuckle dusters, slowly going down the blade itself was just as twisted seemingly made up of many other blades fused together, its edge though resembled sharp jagged teeth with a deep red glint, darker spots on the blade itself could faintly be made out to be dried blood.
"So, you're the big boss called Blade? No offense but I didn't expect it to be a young woman." He couldn't help but say, confusing and surprise visible on his face and in his tone earning a thunderous laugh in response. "Hahaha, oh gods, That's your reaction! I mean I'm glad you recognize me as the boss here, but I expected more of a 'who are you' or 'how can you do this to other humans' or anything along those lines, hell even fear would be a good response instead your calm and everything, I like that and thanks, I really haven't laughed so hard in a long time." She says, slowly wiping a tear from her eye, a wide grin on her face clearly enjoying being the cat in this cat and mouse situation, Braedon new he had to be careful here, he knew nothing of what this women was capable of and that sword gave off a rather troubling feeling, the space he had in the prison room was also limited, so well he didn't care much if there where casualties in a battle between them he was worried about getting trapped.
"Aww, what's wrong? Cat got your tongue? Well let's not waste so much time then, you have some big brass balls to break into my place like this and come right to my merchandise. Tell me, why are you here, are you alone and what part of you would you like me to cut off fist? It's a pity though, if you were a pretty boy, I'd probably leave you intact and keep you as a pet for a few days, but instead you're a tubby, how unfortunate, but maybe I can cut some of that fat off you." She tells him, slowly lifting the blade out the ground and holding it up in front of her, her grin stretching wider as he taunted and teased trying to get under Braedon's skin as he tried to figure out a way around her, once out in the open courtyard with the bonfire he would have a much easier time in dodging and could get Alice and Rebecca's attention to come help.
"Well, I got lost, I was wondering around and saw this camp, there was no one outside and I wondered in, when I saw this room, I got curious, I didn't know the place was owned by anyone." He said to her, trying to buy some time to either think of a way to escape or for Alice to come and save him but knowing the chances of that where slim, and as strong as plot armour can be that would be pushing its limits.
"Uhuh, I don't believe that, with how you spoke to the merchandise its clear you came for them with some kind of plan, how naughty of you to lie, well I guess I'll need to make you a quadriplegic and then get my answers from you." She says with a fake sadness in her tone before giggling rushing forward, her sword swinging from the side, raising his arm and using the chains Braedon manages to take the blow, jumping lightly in the direction of the swing and smashing into a few cages along with their captives straight into the wall behind them, a few of the chains that helped take the blow having shattered, spitting out some
blood he knew that the blow had done damage and aggravated previous injuries that where still healing.
"Good, you're not dead yet, I'm glad. Can't have my new toy break so easily now, can I?" She asks in a sing song tone, clearly not having tried her best so far and instead toying with him as she slowly approached. Slowly forcing himself up from the moaning bodies Braedon glared at her. "That was really one hell of a blow, I don't suppose you would accept my surrender?" He couldn't help but ask, wiping the remnants of blood from his lips and trying to figure some way to get out this room, disable her or take her out entirely.
"Hmm nope, I think I'd rather hurt you much more and then get my answers out of you." She replied, her smile practically feral getting a sigh from Braedon who only sighed before tilting his head and nodding slightly as if he was listening to someone. "Just, don't go over bored or too far, I'm only allowing it because we have no other choice." He whispers softly, visibly annoyed and frustrated.
"Aww are you going crazy from just one hit? Or are you talking to some friends around here? Tell them to come out and ill maybe end them not so painfully, but if you are going crazy ill beat you right again." She tells him well looking around, swinging the sword and cutting some cages and people alike as she slowly approaches.
"I have a question, just one before you continue to beat the shit out of me, how many bodies are laying around in this room? I saw a few back there but do you know how many there are or how many resentful spirits and the like are lingering?" Braedon asks, looking her dead in the eyes as his own seem to black as he fell forward, the chains stabbing into the ground to hold him up and keep him from falling face first onto the floor as the markings on all the armour started to change and dull, the chains taking on a slightly rusted appearance and decreasing in numbers, disappearing into soft motes of light leaving only two still wrapped around him and coming over his shoulders to support him, the various images on the arm gauntlets seemed to change as well, the left becoming pictures of a forest of bones, from their branches hung ropes hanging ropes with nooses. The right became filled with various monstrosities, from what appeared to be creatures sticked together to skeletal beings of humans and monsters alike, the entire colour of the right armour turning a deep earthy brown almost to the point of black but the skeletal images a stark contrast of pristine white. Even the cloak itself seemed to change slightly forming a hood that fell over his face down head.