The dungeon of Hellbringer's fortress was a labyrinth of stone, dimly lit by sconces along the walls.
Each hallway echoed with the soft patter of footsteps, accompanied by the periodic metallic creaks from the heavy iron doors that lined the corridors. A chill hung in the air, making each breath visible as a small cloud.
Isola moved gracefully beside Asher, her delicate features illuminated by the faint torchlight, "Are you certain about this?" she whispered, casting a glance towards the formidable cell doors.
Asher glanced at her, his face inscrutable, "I don't know," he confessed, pausing before a particular door, "That's why I need your help."
She nodded, her silver eyes filled with determination. "I'll do my best, but it'll work flawlessly only if she's willing or doesn't resist. It won't be easy."
"I guess we can only find out."
Asher grabbed the heavy iron handle of the cell door and pulled. The door emitted a loud, protesting creak as it swung open, revealing a small, dimly lit chamber.
The chamber housed a lone woman, her armor lying around in broken fragments, her clothes slightly dirty and her long chestnut hair flowing down her back with a disheveled appearance.
Amelia sat in the corner, her back pressed against the cold stone wall.
The cell's only source of light was a tiny window near the ceiling, casting a sliver of illumination onto her pale face.
She looked up, her caramel-brown eyes piercing through the darkness, filled with hard emotions.
Recognizing her visitors, her gaze turned icy, the weight of her contempt palpable.
She didn't say anything but kept staring at them with defiance.
Asher sighed, stepping into the cell, "Amelia, why do you refuse to eat? You've been here for over a week. If you continue this way, you will die."
Her eyes never wavered from his, "Perhaps…I'd prefer that to being your toy," she responded with a weak yet defiant tone while glaring at the Umbralfiend Princess, who sat beside her and gently placed a hand on her shoulder, making her wonder what this demoness was planning to do.
However, Isola didn't say anything but simply leaned back while humming a soft, beautiful tune.
Amelia's eyes widened as by now she realized this demoness could use her charming voice to manipulate her mind.
"Ugh!" But the moment she tried to cover her ears, Isola easily bound her arms behind her back and said in a low voice, "Stop resisting. I am not trying to hurt you," Saying so, Isola slowly let go of her hands.
Amelia still had her brows furrowed, her expression skeptical, though the look in this demoness' eyes made her feel as if she was telling the truth. Even if she wasn't, her situation was hopeless.
The cool dampness of the cell only accentuated the tension as Asher crouched to Amelia's eye level, distracting her from Isola's humming, "There is no point in being angry at me. It wasn't my doing," he began, his voice heavy, "that your childhood friend attempted to take your life just because she thought you were going to ruin her prestige. It's funny she only had so little faith in you, or maybe she cared about her face more than your life. She is also happily eating and drinking 2 times a day despite being in the same situation."
Amelia's gaze wavered momentarily. She bit her lip, her resolve seemingly shaken for a split second before she steeled herself again, "Don't…" she murmured, her voice strained.
Asher persisted, "I warned you, Amelia. I told you Rachel wasn't the paragon of virtue she seemed. And her father? He's even worse. I wouldn't be surprised if her mother also is no better."
Tears threatened to spill from Amelia's eyes as she shut them tight, her voice trembling with anger, "Enough! I don't want to hear any more from a demon like you."
That memory of Rachel stabbing her was playing in her mind over and over again ever since and just when she was trying to get a moment of peace from it, this demon just had to remind her about it.
Seeing her distress, Asher subtly smiled, "If you don't want to listen to me, would you rather listen to Golden Prince?"
Amelia's eyes snapped open, staring intensely at him, "What are you blabbering about now?"
Asher leaned in, lowering his voice, "The rumors are true. I've met the spirit of the Golden Prince. He's still around."
Amelia chuckled bitterly, "You expect me to believe such drivel? How dumb do you think I am?"
Unfazed, Asher continued, "I don't. He saved us. That Elite Hunter named Boden and an entire legion of Hunters, including those Demon Rippers, had us cornered. But he intervened and saved my people."
Amelia's defiance cracked for a moment, her brow creasing in thought.
She remembered the inexplicable defeat of Boden and his troops, something that had puzzled her.
If anybody could take out all of them, it could only be Golden Prince.
But she then shook her head with a contemptuous gaze and said, "If you really knew him, then he would have helped you forge the Deviar. But even if it's true, I couldn't care less..." Amelia's voice turned bitter slightly as she added, "...especially if he helped demons like you. Such a Golden Prince who helps evil people is not someone I would like to listen to as well," She added in a barely discernable murmur, "It wouldn't even be him..."
Asher curved his lips and said, "Is that so? He also told me some interesting things about you."
Amelia's eyes briefly shifted, but she kept staring at the cold floor as if ignoring him.
Asher continued, "Golden Prince told me that you were the first junior he took in as his disciple and that he chose you because he felt you were truly different from the rest of the Elite students."
Amelia's lips began to slowly press together, but she still remained silent as Asher continued with a sigh, "He was proud to call you his disciple. He trusted you. And it shattered him to see you amongst those who so easily turned against him."
"No!" Amelia suddenly cried out as she stared at Hellbringer and said, her voice a choked whisper, "I didn't turn against him! I believed in him with everything...more than anyone else," Her eyes began to glisten as she added with her head lowered, "B-But...I don't know what happened...He can never do something like that...It can't be the Golden Prince I know...But I am helpless to do anything to find out..."
Asher narrowed his eyes and glanced at Isola, who was still humming, but her humming intensified.
But it was pierced by Amelia's sharp intake of breath as she felt some force trying to scour through her mind and clutched her head, her eyes widened in panic, "What... What are you doing? Stop it!"
Asher's hand snapped out, gripping her by the nape, pulling her close. His voice was a fierce whisper, the undercurrent of anger evident, "You are no different than Rachel, simply giving excuses. When the time came, you abandoned your mentor who gave his everything to help you just to save your own skin. Don't you even have the least bit of shame or guilt?" Where's your honor? Your loyalty?"
Tears streamed down Amelia's face, pain and regret evident in her eyes, "I…I'm sorry," she sobbed, her voice raw, "I-I wanted to stand by him, and I tried…But my family…I can't let them take the fall because of me…They already almost got in danger because of me and…I am too powerless to change anything…"
As she spoke, Isola's mysterious humming ceased. Her penetrating gaze met Asher's, and with a subtle nod, she confirmed something.
Asher's grip loosened, and he took a step back, taking in the broken figure of Amelia before him, sniffling heavily, her face lowered.
The weighty atmosphere in the cell grew even more intense.
Asher exchanged a brief look with Isola, her sapphire blue eyes shimmering with something unspoken.
Gently, Isola placed her hand over Asher's, and the two then reached out, Isola's long, slender fingers wrapping around Amelia's trembling hand.
Amelia was a tempest of emotions, her chest heaving as sobs wracked her body. But then the sensation of the touch brought her to a sudden stillness, her eyes glazing over.
Memories flooded in – warm sunlight, the shining beacon that was Cedric, always just out of reach.
That soft smile of his always seemed to captivate her, especially when he saved her, and that was when she met him for the first time.
She then remembered the kindness and the radiance of his angelic golden eyes and the flutter in her heart she felt when he chose her to be his disciple.
He was the only hero she looked up to most and the only one who never bent his back to the corrupt.
He had become her world. And she relived every precious moment - the training sessions, the casual talks, his stories that always seemed to transport her to another realm.
Despite knowing he was out of her reach, she always tried to remain by his side, even if it hurt.
But then another set of memories flowed in, dark and unfamiliar.
It was the day the Demon King invaded, and a circle had formed around Cedric, faces she had once admired now contorted with hostility and killing intent.
Cedric was surrounded by people everyone hailed as heroes around the world.
Even including his girlfriend; all of them betraying him and attacking him together, trying to slaughter him like a dog.
How could they??! Some of these people were ones she respected, and to see them show such ugly, cowardly sides threw her off.
The last person she thought would backstab Cedric was Aira. Those tears…how could she even pretend to care even after all that?
Each stab, each blow, felt like a knife through her own heart. The raw betrayal, the agony, the despair. Amelia could feel it all, a cacophony of emotions that threatened to drown her.
Never before had she felt her heart constricting like this. All these emotions were choking her, and every second, she was wishing she could somehow intervene and help him.
However, a glimmer of hope sprouted within upon seeing him shockingly kill off so many of them despite being alone and injured, a feat nobody in history could have done.
But then she saw him falter, his will weakening and enduring underhanded attacks from every side until he fell on his knees.
And then the final blow, the one that she felt would tear her apart. The man she once thought of as a second father, raised his weapon against Cedric, sealing his fate.
"NO!!!! Cedric!!" Her voice, a heart-wrenching scream, echoed in her mind.
The onslaught of memories began to fade, and the following scenes only made her eyes widen to their extremities.
Gulping in a ragged breath, Amelia's gaze slowly met Asher's, a myriad of emotions playing out on her face.
Her voice, shaky but carrying hope, was a mere whisper, and her eyes trembling with untold emotions, "C-Cedric? Is that...really you?"
