The dungeon beneath the grand Shax estate was a place used to horror.
The stone walls were damp, the air thick with the mingling stench of blood, sweat, and decay. Shackles lined the walls, pristine yet well-used, various torturous implements holding a place of honor.
And at the center of it all, stood Lord Aldovar Shax, his face contorted in rage.
His physique was lean and wiry, yet still powerful. He was dressed in deep red toga threaded with gold, the fabric spilling over his frame, hiding specks of blood. His silver hair cascaded past his shoulders, perfectly kept, his aristocratic features marred only by the sheer cruelty that twisted them as he paced the room, every step deliberate, measured.
His peerage was gathered before him, kneeling in terrified silence. At least those who weren't so shattered that they could not even feel anything anymore.
None dared to move. The dungeon had seen too many screams, too many broken souls for anyone to doubt what awaited them should they step out of line.
But tonight, one among them would bear the brunt of their master's displeasure.
Manfred Von Richthofen knelt at the front, shaking, his sharp features slick with sweat. The former Red Baron, the once-proud warrior of the skies, now reduced to a trembling pawn beneath his master's heel. His blonde hair, usually pristine, clung to his forehead in damp strands, his usual composure shattered.
Shax's voice lashed out like a whip.
"You worthless, miserable failure!"
The words echoed off the stone walls, venom dripping from every syllable.
Manfred flinched, his hands balling into fists where they rested on the cold ground.
Shax took a slow step forward, his gaze burning into his trembling subordinate. "You had one job, Manfred. One fucking job." His voice dropped into something deceptively smooth, almost pleasant. "Tell me… How long was my pet gone before you noticed?"
Manfred swallowed thickly, his Adam's apple bobbing. "M-Master, I -"
A sharp crack filled the air as Shax's cane, an ornate, twisted thing of obsidian, slammed against his face, fracturing a cheekbone.
Manfred did not move one inch.
"How. Long?" The question hissed out.
Manfred's breathing hitched. "A d-day, Master. A full day…" His voice barely more than a whisper.
Shax smiled. And it was the kind of smile that promised only pain.
"A day," He echoed, his tone mocking. "A full day. My dear, dear Manfred…" He crouched, bringing himself eye level with his trembling servant, his fingers gripping the blonde's chin in a bruising hold. "Tell me… How exactly did it escape your notice that our favorite little pet had run off, hmm?"
Manfred opened his mouth, scrambling for an answer, but he knew there was none.
Nothing would save him. No matter the excuse.
Shax chuckled, a deep, rolling sound, before his grip tightened with cruel force. "Because of your failure, Manfred… One of the Satans servants came sniffing around my estate." He pulled the Red Baron closer, his lips mere inches from the man's ear. "Because of your incompetence, Grafiya Lucifuge herself questioned ME!"
A sharp breath came from Manfred, but he dared not move.
Shax let out a slow, dangerous sigh. "And what's worse?" His grip loosened, then suddenly yanked away, tossing Manfred to the ground like trash. "Now I have to go through the tedious effort of tracking down my favorite toy!"
The room was silent.
The other members of the peerage didn't dare breathe too loudly, lest they draw his attention.
Shax tilted his head, rubbing his chin, feigning deep contemplation. "What do you think, everyone?" He gestured broadly, voice dripping with mock concern. "Should I forgive dear Manfred?"
The silence remained unbroken.
They all knew better.
Shax chuckled again. "Oh, Manfred…" His tone softened, almost affectionate. "You understand that I simply must punish you for this, don't you?" His hand gently caressing his cheek.
Manfred's breath came in ragged gasps, his heart hammering in his chest. "Master, please -"
Shax laughed delightedly.
It was a wicked sound, echoing through the dungeon like a melody from Hell.
"Oh, you beg so prettily." He snapped his fingers, and the ground rumbled.
Behind him, the Iron Maiden creaked open.
The heavy, rusted metal doors groaned as they spread apart, revealing the gleaming spikes within, each one sharpened to perfection, hungry for flesh.
Manfred's eyes widened in sheer horror.
The scent of old blood, rust, and death filled the air.
Shax turned back to him, the cruel amusement never leaving his face. "Since dear young Levi is gone… Someone must take his place, don't you think?" His grin widened, as he shoved Manfred toward the open Maiden.
The Red Baron scrambled, hands clawing at the stone floor as he was pushed closer. "MASTER, NO -"
The iron doors snapped shut.
A wet, sickening crunch followed.
A choked scream.
Blood seeped from the seams of the Maiden, dripping down in slow, viscous trails.
Shax sighed in satisfaction, placing a single hand against the rusted surface. "Now…" He purred. "You will wait here until we find our little runaway to take your place."
The peerage remained deathly silent, even as the Red Baron cried out in pain, the Iron Maiden crafted specifically to only pierce non lethal areas. Ingenuity in its creation allowing most of the lost blood to return to the body, ensuring one could remain within for a very long time.
Shax turned to face his peerage, his smile sharp. "And the rest of you…" His crimson eyes gleamed, daring them to displease him. "Will do everything in your power to make sure I do not remain… Inconvenienced for long."
A pause.
Then - "Find him. Bring him back." His voice dropped into something cold, something terrifying. "And if you fail me again…"
He glanced back at the Iron Maiden.
The steady drip, drip, drip of blood was the only sound that followed.
The message was clear.
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