Before the knights could fully storm the room, the boy sprang sharply to his feet, gripping the sword in his right hand. He threw a venomous glance at the girl, then snapped his gaze towards the door, leveling the weapon at the entrance.
Alice tried to say something, but meeting his furious glare, she lowered her eyes.
At that very moment, the door was ripped from its hinges with a crash, and four knights in intricate metal armor burst into the room, blocking all possible escape routes.
Surrounding the boy and ensuring he had nowhere to run, they raised their shields and prepared for combat. Almost immediately, light, nearly silent footsteps sounded behind them.
"Lady Alice, surely you didn't intend to claim such a valuable catch for yourself?" came a voice dripping with sarcasm and barely concealed mockery.
Hearing these words, the boy tightened his grip on the sword hilt, ready to charge forward, but at that same instant, something struck the back of his head with force.
He lost his balance, and the sword slipped from his fingers. As soon as the youth sank to his knees, clutching his head, the knights parted, and someone's shadow fell over him.
"Ah, dear sister, you've spoiled all the fun," a man said disappointedly.
"You would have just started torturing him, brother," Alice replied coldly and firmly, her face impassive. "What do you want here?"
The man stepped forward, his eyes quickly sweeping the room, then spoke with a crooked smirk:
"I'm here for valuable personnel. This ragged urchin was part of that expedition." He approached the boy and, wrinkling his nose in disgust, picked up the blade from the floor with two fingers.
After quickly examining the weapon and activating a spell upon it, the man with long, well-groomed hair, dressed in the light clothing of the Old World, began to wave the sword idly, as if amusing himself with it.
"I've already questioned him. He knows nothing about that particle. You're wasting your time," Alice stated calmly.
Twirling the blade in his hands a little longer, he cast a contemptuous glance at his sister, then at the youth, who remained on one knee, still clutching the back of his head. After a brief pause, the man drove the sword into the floor and issued an order:
"Clap the boy in irons and take him to a cell." All trace of his earlier playfulness was gone from his voice.
"Stop!" Alice stepped sharply forward, placing herself between the knights and the boy. "He said he knows nothing! I questioned him myself!"
"Then you questioned him poorly, sister... Now it's my turn." He moved closer, locking eyes with her, and smirked with cruel mockery. "Or would you dare obstruct someone above you in rank?" His gaze pierced through her, seeming to look directly into her soul.
Alice trembled almost imperceptibly, feeling an icy touch against her consciousness. Cursing herself inwardly, she stepped aside, allowing the knights to seize the boy. He offered almost no resistance, as if plunged into a stupor.
After securing heavy steel manacles onto the youth, one of the knights yanked the chains and dragged him towards the exit, paying no heed to his condition.
"And for heaven's sake, wash that filthy mongrel – he stinks," the man called after him disdainfully.
The boy's consciousness faded completely.
***
*"My head is splitting..."* was the boy's first thought as he tried to move, immediately realizing he was completely immobilized. He lay face down on something hard and uneven that kept jolting beneath him.
When he opened his eyes, stone paving slabs slowly drifted past below. Only a moment later did he realize he was lying on his back across a horse, moving slowly through the streets.
Looking around, he noticed a small contingent of knights led by a figure in heavy plate armor that completely concealed his form. This man, apparently, was in command of the group.
Gathering his thoughts, the boy jerked, trying to break free from his bonds, but was instantly struck by a whip across his back. Pain lanced through his body like a red-hot knife.
"A-a-a!" escaped his lips involuntarily.
"Stop squirming, pup!" roared the knight controlling the horse.
*I'll remember this, bastard...* flashed through the youth's mind, but he continued to survey his surroundings, assessing the situation. *How long was I out?*
The jolting ride didn't seem overly long, so he guessed they hadn't gone far – likely still within the same city.
The city looked strangely uniform: all buildings were constructed from large stone blocks, as if from a single template, and none stood taller than three or four stories.
Trying to find an escape route, he spotted a dark figure in an alleyway, watching the procession intently. In the next passage stood two more. Then, from a third alley, a metal bolt flew.
The shot was accurate – the bolt embedded itself in the neck of the knight transporting the prisoner, finding the gap between helmet and armor.
The knight gurgled, choking on blood, and crashed to the ground. The frightened horse reared, throwing the boy onto the cobblestones.
He landed face down, instinctively pulling his manacled hands up to protect his head.
"Ambush! Form up!" shouted one of the knights.
But it was too late – all of them lay dead.