Lord Faun was heading into a remote part of the castle she had never stepped foot in. She made sure to keep a long distance away as they reached a particularly eerie part of the Casadez. The hallways were deserted here, and lights did nothing to dispel the dark aura of the place. Lord Faun ambled along as if he was walking through a field of daisies, but Kashara couldn't suppress a shudder once in a while, when she thought she heard something, or felt something.

They turned a corridor, and suddenly, Kashara felt claustrophobic. The walls of this alleyway were extreme close, and she couldn't even raise her arms without hitting them. The walls began to get progressively closer, the more they proceeded into the passage and she noticed Lord Faun's shoulders began to brush against the walls slightly. Just when it seemed like this was going to be a vain journey, they reached a flowing glass door.

It was in the middle of the hallway, covering the entire wall. It gleamed strangely black and shimmered unlike other doors. As Lord Faun walked through it, the door seemed to start to harden, and froze altogether once he entered it. Kashara swore and made her way to the door. It was almost opaque now, and she couldn't really see anything.

She could make out some kind of divisions in the dark room inside, partitions or something, and shadowy figures moving around vaguely. As she focused more, she realised the place reminded her of a grimy dark dungeon. It struck her then that the partitions looked a lot like cells. She pressed her face again against the door, trying to make out as much as possible.

She could hear vaguely, voices talking. A low voice, the very tone of it threatening and dangerous and a weak voice. She wondered if one of them was Lord Faun. Before she could concentrate on what she was hearing, she heard something that chilled her to the bone.

Somebody was walking down the hallway. She could hear the stomping of their feet from far away. With such a narrow hallway that offered to space to hide, it was only a matter of time before they quite literally bumped into her. She maybe cloaked invisible but even invisibility could not guarantee safety from discovery when someone walks into your face literally and knows something is there.

She could try dyiporting but she suspected she didn't have enough magic for that. Nevertheless, she tried it frantically, as the footsteps grew closer still. 'thud. thud. thud.' The thumping of the footfalls were echoed by the anxious palpitations of her heart as she gathered her magic. She had to let the magic build up momentum, and when she let it lose, it would seep through her carrying her with it into non-matter.

The Goshalt theory of Dyiporting suggested that actually dyiporting was not a transportation spell but rather a highly advanced level invisibility spell that erased all presence of the caster - even matter. When in non-matter, it is natural ( as natural as a state of non being can be) that the consciousness tended to drift along with the currents of Lae forces, and it this tendency that is exploited by mages to travel to a certain location. A greater ability and will power is required to anchor the consciousness to the same spot, till one wished to appear. This was where the difficulty of the spell came from according to Goshalt. This was all speculation of course, and such a theory was never properly proved.

Of course Kashara had read all this in the Institution, but she had never given it much thought, partly because she had a previous indifference to magical theory and also because her attention had been captivated by more important events; namely being kidnapped to another planet. Now it so happened that the particular spot Kashara was the entrance of the prison, and like all prisons, the Demitytan one had barricades to prevent breach and escape. Being a very ancient magical castle, one of these protections was a very strong Lae concentration around the prison that prevented a crossing of the barrier from either side.

As Kashara felt the fizz of dyiporting, she was momentarily shocked as she knew with certainty she could not have enough magic to cast it. She was right. Lae forces were, like all darker forms of magic, ravenous. As soon as the huge concentration of Lae felt the weak fizzle of her magic, it pulled it into itself - into non-matter - with a power that dragged Kashara along as well.

If you have ever seen a person sit on a soft surface like a bed or sofa, with small things on them; hairclip, ball, you'll notice the things gravitate towards the person. Of course you would know that if you've read Albert Einstein too. Similarly, Kashara, was swept along due to the pull of Lae forces, into the heart of the prison itself. It might seem peculiar that a barricade actually brought an intruder inside. However Kashara's brand of magic was Erth based and Demitytes was not quite made to defend against it.

That was how Kashara found, to her amazement, that she was standing in the middle of the cell of singular interest to her, facing a cowering Lord Faun and a furious Fallon Eagus.

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Muhahahaha:)

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Fallon was sitting on a levitating stool, looming over Lord Faun who looked like he had aged a thousand days since she last saw him just half an hour ago. Lord Faun's face which had merely looked old earlier on, now seemed to be coated with an undefinable sense of agedness, the lack of which had granted him a very youthful look in the Arcarage. His eyes appeared dull and weary, and did not have their previous shine.

While Kashara was examining all this ( still invisible), Fallon had gestured to a small man lining the walls. This man now moved forward with measured slowness and leisure towards Lord Faun. His face was nothing remarkable, but it gave Kashara such a feeling of discomfort and unease, she edged away from him and closer to Fallon.

The man took out a small sharp blade and Lord Faun shrank away in horror, trying to make himself smaller. This was when Kashara noticed, the many long incision marks on his skin, as if made by a tiny blade and left open, and the heavy smell of burnt flesh that hung in the air.

Fallon leaned back on his stool, which immediately produced a backrest for him as if to enjoy the show. It was as if Kashara's brain was swimming through a swamp. She could see what was happening, but her brain was in some sort of haze, her cogs slowly turning. It was as if she was in a drowsy fever, trying to understand which hand was right and left. She slowly thought, connecting the dots, and finally something clicked. "torture." Her mind told her, still reeling in shock and unable to process what was happening.

Kashara watched with an odd sense of detachment as the man produced a fire on the blade. Elemental magic is strongest with fire, as it is said they descended primarily from the Fire Dragons. Her mind said, but Kashara couldn't understand anything but Lord Faun's screams of pain as the small blade sliced and burned through his upper arms. Her eyes flicked over to Fallon, and she almost wished she hadn't.

Fallon was watching the proceeding with a cool air of indifference. As if it made no difference to him whether the man was screaming in pain. Kashara thought with a shock. She couldn't understand what was happening. Why in the world was Fallon torturing Lord Faun? If Faun is Fallon's enemy of sorts, why send Faun to retrieve my magic, or even let him free in the castle?.

As she took another glance at Fallon, something about his indifference angered her. However she couldn't risk revealing her presence, or that would be her on the floor too. Fallon held up his hand, and the torturer stopped.

Fallon now leaned over Lord Faun, his voice a soft caress that made you want to give up all your secrets, made you feel safe. "Come now, Fawier, do you see how foolish, how futile this is? Is not surrender simpler? What can the rebellion aspire to achieve than a convoluted race for power? What can you hope to gain by holding back answers that you despair to lose by giving them?"

At this Lord Faun, though Kashara realised Fallon had called him Fawier, raised his torso up and replied coldly. "The peace of Demitytes, for which the price can never be too high."

"Strange kind of peace, that your masters are after, that has to be brought about by war." Fallon was now gazing with cold amusement upon Fawier.

"The kind of peace that will create no masters. And if we must fight for that, we will. When the devil calls for war, even angels must stain their hands red."

"And I suppose, I am the Devil, and you are angels. Therein lies the truth. It is in the very nature of humanity to desire subjugation. You are content to serve, to be angels under service, and serve you will, but no one dares to reign in Hell but me. Does it really matter whom you serve?"

"We serve no one! All are equal amongst us!" Fawier said slightly angrier.

"Equality, How quaint, I'm afraid my dear friend, you are a man out of time in this era. Such a plebeian notion, I suppose, should be expected amongst power hungry social climbers like the rebels." Fallon still hadn't lost his amused tone.

"Our fight is not for power, though it would be for naught without. We fight for the freedom of the oppressed. You are the one who is out of time Fallon, for we will crush you unequivocally and then there goes your reign."

"Ah yes, my reign in hell...Your rebellion is nothing but a child's tantrum with its father. A plague that has seized the population. Though it saddens me, a rotting limb of a tree must be disposed off. It is inevitable that you rebels surrender when your leaders satisfy their power trip and they will join you in your fate." Fallon spoke harsher now, as if he had given up on coaxing answers out of Fawier.

"The only one on a power trip is you. You are the plague that has seized the planet. You must be purged. You will be pur-"

Fawier's shout dissolved into a cry of pain, as Fallon raised his hand immediately engulfing his wounded hand in a fiery ball.

"I've heard that fire is a wonderful antiseptic and cauteriser for wounds. Will it purge the plague out of you?" Fallon asked with sick amusement. Fawier cried and thrashed in pain, till his hand was black and charred, all feeling gone. It was purged.

Fallon surveyed the broken man in front of him, and suddenly, called out, "You can come out now darling. I know you are there."

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Kashara was leaning against the wall. She wanted to hurl, or faint, however she knew she would never forgive herself, if she did either like some stupid pansy. She steeled her nerves and watched. She felt like she was a coward, watching when she could help the man being burned alive, but she knew practically, there was nothing she could do.

Fallon overpowered her almost comically. She only hoped she could perhaps heal the man or break him out when Fallon left. She knew nothing much of rebels, however she wished she had read up on them in the Arcarage. She knew not if Lord Faun or Fawier was good or bad, but no human deserved torture. She could not condone it, and she resolved to at least heal him after Fallon left.

That was when she realised she was screwed. Fallon called out, with that smug voice, "You can come out now darling. I know you are there.". She froze, hoping, for one absurd moment, that Fallon was talking to someone else, anyone else. Though in hindsight, that was probably a moment of insanity, for firstly Fallon would rather be boiled alive than call someone that - he only did it because it annoyed her, he was a possessive egomaniac. Secondly, the only other person who he could have addressed was the torturer, and that man looked like he would jump into an erupting volcano than accept that.

A wild moment of epiphany struck her as she had a sudden vision of Fallon and the torturer running of into the sunset together and she was seized with the desire to giggle. Looking at their hobbies, they would probably get along well. They might bond over their eyeball collection or something, Kashara thought. However the seriousness of the situation quelled her errant humour sense, and her heart began thump wildly.

Fallon was now looking at the place she was at exactly, and she decided it was too late for pretences. She reversed her invisibility and glared back defiantly at Fallon.

"Wonderful, I see you got your magic back." Kashara was rather taken aback. That was the last thing she expected. She schooled her features into a sneer and replied. " And I see you are have regressed into a monster."

He gave her a wolfish grin at that. "Oh no, I've always been a monster. Did you forget the ball darling?"

Her breath caught in that telling way. His grin widened. " Oh you had, hadn't you? The wonders of human suppression...It's amazing how much we are willing to fool ourselves with, isn't it. We will clutch at any semblance of hope, in order to escape the reality that is set in stone. How much are you willing to lie to your own mind, Kashara? How much did you lie?"

Fallon had got up now and advanced towards her. She was petrified, unmoving, though trying to erect a feeble shield that Fallon didn't even bother to take down.

"Did you deceive yourself about the goodness of my character? That I was...salvageable, reparable? How deluded you must be. I know your interfering nature could result in no good. However you have gotten under my foot once too many times. If that is so your desire, so be it. Your place is always under me."

Kashara made an odd jerking movement as if she wanted to run away. This was disastrous. What had brought this on. She closed her eyes trying to contain the wave of horror she had felt for Fallon after the ball. Long suppressed emotions, memories re-flooded her mind. She couldn't stop her legs from quaking with this infinitesimal tremor as she looked him in the eyes, couldn't stop herself from recalling the cold fury that had surrounded him then just like now.

She was scared of him. She had been brave, tried to be brave, but she was scared. Of what he could do, of what he had done. She had tried so hard to quell her fears, but here, caught in his mercy alone, she was aware of how much he terrified her.

It had been all right to throw snarky retorts at him with courtiers and guards surrounding. Here, in his private torture chamber, she was just reminded of how sadistic and depraved he could be. She tried to square her shoulders and level a glare at him, however it wasn't just fear that plagued her, it was also grief and helplessness she had felt at the ball that haunted her again. She shuddered as she felt him bend low toward her.

"In the end, you will always kneel." He whispered close to her ear, his hand a heavy weight on her shoulders as he pushed her down. Kashara sank down without resistance. She felt like she had no fight in her. She felt so alone, so lost, seized as she was with fear and exhaustion.

She felt like she was in hell on Demitytes.

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Woah, so how was that. A very intense chapter i hope. I had to take breaks to clear my mind between it. Whewww. Fallon can be too hot to handle some times. Hope you guys liked this extra long chappie

I did warn you guys darker themes are coming. :) My inspiration for Fallon's speech came from Loki's speech in Avengers.

Loki: It's the unspoken truth of humanity, that you crave subjugation. The bright lure of freedom diminishes your life's joy in a mad scramble for power, for identity. You were made to be ruled. In the end, you will always kneel.

Ink: Err... well umm nice speech. Probably won't win any prizes on Earth though.

Tom: We'll kneel all right. We'll kneel at your grave, and offer you our condolences.

Loki: what was that? Oh I'm sorry, I couldn't hear you over my immortality.

Tom: I am immortal too you puny ice cube!

Loki: Knock Knock!

Tom: sigh.... who's there?

Loki: The Mistress

Tom: The Mistress who?

Loki: The Mistress of Death. Aha! And she's knocking on your doorstep.

Tom: Oh god...

Loki: Um, yes you called?

Tom: You don't even know how to tell a knock knock joke, you stupid icicle! How are you a god?

Loki: You don't even know how to kill a baby. How are you a villain? And remind me again, how many times did your own curse kill you?

Ink: I think he ran off to kill some bunnies.

Loki: Hmm...I can think of things more productive to do when someone mentions bunnies. *winks at ink*

Ink: Really? I thought you only got it on for horses. Now you've moved on to bunnies as well!

Loki: You need to silence your tongue.

Ink attempts to say something that becomes suspicious muffled.

hope you enjoyed this! Till next time!

Love

Inkonparchment