A lone figure could be seen, lying in a prison cell. Chuckling to himself, those near him... the guards, were slightly disturbed by the behavior. Of course this lone figure was cursing himself to think that everything would be smooth sailing once he had reached civilization.
Ash sat there, staring at the bleak, poorly lit room. Small, narrow windows with thick, iron bars, allowed only a minimal amount of light to filter in. This lack of natural light contributed to the overall gloomy and oppressive atmosphere inside the cell. The cell itself was more of an isolation chamber, hidden underground, an array inscribed into the cell itself had restricted an flow of mana, preventing any forms of escape...not that Ash wanted to.
'An actual bed... I'm safe, I can rest and not do anything... This is the life, I can't believe that people can actually not have to do anything.'
Ash was ecstatic, the idea of just staying in and practically being forced to rest was a wonderful dream; in fact Ash make have been viewing the prison cell with rose-tinted glasses, but there was no one to shatter this reality of his. As he laid down, he closed his eyes to enjoy the luxurious hard wooden bench as a bed.
---
Helena stood by the cell... to see a grown man curled up in the fetal position laying down on the wooden bench of the prison cell.
'Unbelievable... How did he even knock me down.'
Helena shook her head in embarrassment. It's been days since the stranger had been locked up; whats worse is that the stranger has been unresponsive to any attempts of communication. The man has literally been sleeping the whole time!
Helene gritted her teeth in frustration, she had wanted to question him, maybe even get the guards to allow him out for a 'very light' sparring session- to no avail, he hasn't woken up. Medics and priests were stationed nearby, apparently the King wanted to transport him to better conditions, but since he was pleasantly sleep, he ordered them on standby to check his condition. It irked Helena to no end.
'Why has the King changed his mind? This lazy oaf attacked me and was too close to the children...now he wants to make sure he sleeps well?'
Helena shook her head, there was no point arguing with the King, his words were final. She glanced at the stranger one last time before leaving the underground tunnel.
Had she stayed longer, she would have felt mana fluctuations within the cell of the sleeping stranger...
---
Days turned into nights, and Ash remained in a deep slumber within the confines of the underground cell. Unbeknownst to those watching over him, a transformation was taking place within his subconscious mind. Memories long buried and emotions suppressed were slowly resurfacing.
Faint images of his life in Nomar... Training....Gemma...
As the minutes stretched into hours, Ash's eyes fluttered open. He lay on the hard wooden bench, disoriented and groggy, as if emerging from a dream within a dream. His surroundings were dimly lit, and the oppressive aura of the cell weighed heavily on his senses.
Sitting up, Ash rubbed his eyes and attempted to clear the fog from his mind. He couldn't quite recall how he had ended up in this place, but he knew he had to regain his bearings quickly. Memories began to flood back into his consciousness—a journey across treacherous seas, the enigmatic skull, and a run-in with Anatolia's royal guards.
His thoughts were interrupted when he heard the clinking of keys approaching his cell. The heavy door creaked open, and a guard entered, accompanied by another man dressed in the robes of a wizard. The mage's staff crackled with arcane energy, and his eyes bore an intense curiosity.
The guard pointed at Ash and spoke, his voice barely audible due to the absence of mana in the cell. The mage nodded in understanding and turned his gaze toward Ash.
"You're the one who silenced the king's hall, aren't you?" the mage asked, his voice carrying a strange resonance that seemed unaffected by the mana-nullifying properties of the dungeon.
Ash nodded in response. He wasn't sure what this wizard wanted, but he sensed that this man might hold some answers.
The mage continued, "I am Magistar Thane, an arcane scholar and investigator. I have been sent here from the Federation to examine and determine your true nature. You are not the average traveler, and your arrival has raised many questions."
"First, let me free you from this mana-nullifying field," Magister Thane said, raising his staff and channeling mana through it. The dull, oppressive feeling in the cell began to lift, and Ash could once again feel the presence of mana.
"Thank you," Ash said, stretching his limbs as if he felt the mana flow back into him.
Thane looked at guard, who wasn't hesitant to leave the mage. The guard retreated, locking the cell as he left.
"Now, Ash," Thane began, his gaze intense and probing, "we have much to discuss. You possess abilities that go beyond what one would expect of a mere traveler. I sense something unique about you, and the incident in the king's hall only raises more questions."
Ash met Thane's gaze, his own cobalt eyes unwavering. "You could say that I'm no ordinary traveler, that much is true. But before we proceed, I have questions of my own. What happened to the skull I carried with me?"
Thane nodded, understanding the need for clarity. "Your arrival in Anatolia Castle was unorthodox, to say the least. You were discovered by the king's children by the Silent Sea. When you encountered Guardian Helena, more famously known as Helena of Thrax...you displayed extraordinary proficiency in combat and a unique form of model manipulation that silenced the entire hall. This, understandably, raised alarms."
Ash's brow furrowed as he pieced together the events leading to his confinement. "I meant no harm to the royal family or anyone else. My intentions were peaceful."
Thane regarded Ash thoughtfully. "I believe you, Ash. However, your actions have ignited a curiosity in both the king and the Federation. As for the skull you carried, it too is a matter of great interest. It seems to hold some form of energy, and we intend to investigate its origins."
Ash's mind raced, considering the implications of their conversation. "I'm willing to cooperate and answer your questions to the best of my ability. But I have inquiries of my own."
Thane's expression remained enigmatic, a mask of composure. "After the incident, you were brought here to this cell. King Draymond initially had intentions of questioning you himself, but he has since been preoccupied with other matters. As for your uninterrupted rest, you happened to be in a very deep slumber that no one could wake you up from, so the king decided to leave you alone."
Ash nodded, his thoughts settling. "Very well, Magistar Thane. I will cooperate fully. But there is one more matter I would like to address—a request, if you will."
Thane raised an eyebrow, intrigued by Ash's words. "A request? Go on."
"I would like to know what happened to Blackhaven... the aftermath. "
Magistar Thane considered the request carefully before nodding in agreement. "Very well, Ash. I'll bring a incident report detailing Blackhaven and its citizens."
Ash nodded, with that settled, he knew that his path was now intricately tied to the enigmatic events unfolding within the castle's walls. As he prepared to face the line of testing, he couldn't shake the feeling that his journey had taken a profound turn—one that would reveal not only his own secrets but also the fall of the Demon lord...