Shattered Sanity

After rounding up the prisoners, Randy, Batista and Flair leaned against one another for support just to keep standing, as although they had finished the job, it was clear from their exhausted expressions that the fight had taken almost everything they had.

”Man, do I wanna curl up in my bed and just sleep this pain away.

Fuck me!

If I were back at my own castle right now, I’d ask my maidservant to prepare a medicinal bath and just lie in there for the rest of the day. Academy sucks, man. I can’t wait to go back home.”

Flair muttered longingly, as the other two nodded in agreement.

Compared to the luxurious lives they had been living back home, academy life was truly difficult.

”Alright, let’s not talk about home, or none of us are going to have the motivation to finish the job at hand.

We’ve chained these idiots up, but we still need to figure out whether there are more Aureate students coming our way and where the rest of their group went...”

Randy reminded, as the three finally separated from one another and turned towards their prisoners.

”Alright, listen to me, you Gold House pricks. Start talking. How many of you entered this forest, and where did the others go?

Tell me everything you know, because trust me, when I activate [Iron Skin] around my fist and clobber you across the face with it, you’re going to wish that you’d cooperated earlier.”

Batista threatened, as he cracked his knuckles while waiting for someone to answer.

”Suck my balls, Batista. You may have captured us, but you’re never going to turn us into your informants.

Do whatever the fuck you want, because none of us are telling you how many people came into this forest or where they went.”

One of the Aureate students replied, as he stared defiantly back at him.

Batista remained silent for several seconds, seemingly more offended by the first four words than everything that had followed them.

”Did you seriously just tell me to suck your balls after I threatened to clobber you with an Iron Skin-covered fist?

Are you a masochist or something?

Or are you just really really into men?”

Batista replied, as he crouched closer to the prisoner and stared directly into his eyes.

”Ewww No!

It’s just a figure of speech.

GOSH! STAY AWAY FROM ME!

You have the intelligence of a rodent, and your breath smells like that of a donkey.”

The Aureate student replied, as several of his companions chuckled behind him.

Batista’s expression immediately darkened, although before he could respond, Randy placed one hand against his shoulder and pulled him backwards.

”Stop letting him rile you up. He’s deliberately wasting our time, and you’re making it incredibly easy for him,” Randy said, as he stepped forward and looked across the prisoners.

”Listen carefully here lads.

Most of your friends have been most definitely captured by Lord Riven and the others.

There’s no question in my mind about it.

For if the few of us could take you idiots down, then Lord Riven would have easily taken down the rest.

So.... If you’re hoping someone will come rescue you. You’re all dead wrong.

However, what can still happen is that, if you co-operate with us here and answer a few simple questions, we might let your house purchase your freedom for a few less merit points.

And we may release you a tad bit quicker.

However... if you don’t, we might just keep you captive for seven days.

And then, everyone back at Aureate will know that you lot are a useless bunch.”

Randy threatened, as his words made several Aureate students gulp nervously.

Most of them had decided to push forward regardless of the risk, precisely because they wanted to make a name for themselves, which was why the threat of being labelled as ’useless’, hit that much harder.

However, before any of them could answer, Jona cut them off.

”Randy, you really think we’re going to sell out our own House because you asked more politely than the idiot standing beside you?

You three got lucky, and congratulations for that, but Black Week has barely started.

If there are more Aureate students inside this forest, then I hope they find you before you make it back to Argent.”

”Why the fuck am I the idiot in his example?” Batista demanded, as he immediately looked towards Randy instead of the prisoner.

”Because you just are.....

And before you protest, I would suggest that you shut up, because if you say a word, I swear I’ll remember how you disregarded the plan and jumped early from our hiding spot.....”

Randy warned, as Batista immediately closed his mouth as though he was never going to say anything in the first place.

”This is your last chance to cooperate, lads. You know it ain’t nothing personal. We’re all going to be nobles of the Empire someday, and we’ll probably look back at this event and laugh about it like it were the good old days.

You know we don’t hate you, truly. Hell, I swear that if the roles were reversed, I’d give you that information. I think you would’ve earned it after a fight so fair and tough,” Flair muttered, as he gave Batista a subtle wink, prompting the latter to chuckle.

”So just be easy for once. Tell us what we want to know, and I promise we’ll treat you well in return.

We’ll give you pillows and mattresses to sleep on, food to fill your bellies tonight, and we won’t mistreat you while you’re our prisoners.

Hell, I’ll even make sure you’re released the first time someone from Aureate offers to pay your ransom. You can be back out during Black Week and trying to capture us again within a couple of days,” Flair continued, as he smiled warmly at the seven prisoners.

For several seconds, nobody responded.

However, the promise of an early release appeared considerably more tempting than Batista’s threats, as one of the Aureate students eventually glanced towards his companions before lowering his head.

”Well... the seven of us were the only ones who decided to push farther into the forest after Dawnriver and you.....

I think five decided to turn back and get reinforcements, while there were also a few who were injured by the traps and wanted to stay behind to recover before deciding where to go.

That’s just off the top of my head, though. I’m not sure about the exact numbers because there were a lot of us who wanted revenge on Dawnriver and you folks, and everyone started splitting apart once the chase went to shit.

But as far as my memory serves me, that’s what I know,” one of the Aureate students finally revealed, as every other prisoner immediately turned towards him with betrayal clearly visible in their eyes.

”What the fuck, Henry? You spineless bastard! They threaten you a little and promise you a fucking mattress, and that’s all it takes for you to start selling out your own House?” Jona asked, as he stared at his companion in disbelief.

”Shut up! I don’t want to spend seven fucking days sitting inside Argent Castle because none of you idiots know when we’ve lost.

They already know there are others in the forest anyway. I’m barely telling them anything, and if cooperating gets me released early enough to actually participate in the rest of Black Week, then I’m taking the fucking deal,” Henry defended, as several of his companions immediately began cursing underneath their breaths.

”Well, thank you, fine gentleman. You shall receive every privilege I just promised you.

As for the rest of you stubborn bastards, I suppose you’ll get the opportunity to discover what cold, hard Argent hospitality looks like,” Flair declared, as Randy and Batista immediately began chuckling beside him.

The three tightened the ropes around their prisoners’ wrists before preparing to move, as Batista clapped his hands together and looked over the seven exhausted Aureate students.

”Well, on your feet, you lazy bums! We’re going back to House Argent Castle now!” Batista shouted, as several of the prisoners groaned before reluctantly beginning to rise.