The King was severely disappointed in Viva. She had let such brutally important information slip from her grasp.
But he decided not to get angry as they had captured the leader of the branded elves themselves. Blake was unconscious, but he was brought back as water was sprinkled on his face, causing him to wake up to reality.
His mana had been sucked out from his body. His body was covered in a gel which blocked mana pores, thus limiting his mana absorption.
The King took a good look at Blake's face.
King:
Blake, leader of the branded elves. You came here to sabotage us. And now you find yourself captured.
Blake responded.
Blake:
You haven't changed old man. So tell me, how did you manage to brainwash him?
King:
I didn't. Jay Garrick is my disciple alongside McElroy. And they both joined my faction of their own free will.
Blake spat on the ground in defiance.
Blake:
You think I shall believe you? The one whom you tried to kill. Why would he join hands with you? I even know that you have fooled my ancestors for too long with your propaganda.
Blake further continued.
Blake:
Even now, you are keeping your people under your control instead of telling them the truth of what you have done to these lands. Your sins are washed away whenever a generation dies. But I am a true elf. I have seen everything with my own eyes.
Before the Skeleton War there were many times when the King and the other heads had plotted massacres across the lands.
A hundred years ago there was a massacre conducted by the troops of Ikaros upon the lands.
Before that, the King himself slaughtered countless people with lightning speed, leaving only twenty percent alive within every community so that they could rebuild.
Even before that Maria Von Lopez sent many of her clones to destroy everything made by humans.
Before her, Ikaros used the Demons and Asura to massacre everyone.
And the King used androids to wipe out human kingdoms and empires.
Blake, who had lived for many long years, wanted to stop their inhuman behavior. He alongside the elves who had witnessed slaughter after slaughter across generations were now fed up. And for raising his voice he was awarded with the Mark of Banishment and exiled from elven territory.
The people within the capital were oblivious to the massacres.
But not the ones who lived outside the capital.
Roy slapped Blake across the face. For additional effect he added a minute electric current to his hand and when the slap connected Blake felt the shock surge throughout his body alongside the impact.
Roy:
Silence. You only tell us what we need to know. How did you get past the defenses?
Blake remained adamant and demanded answers instead.
Blake:
You think I shall talk? Even if I die, I shall never sell out my secrets.
Blake opened his mouth to bite down on a hidden poison capsule concealed within it. But before he could crush it and consume the poison, Roy once again intervened with lightning fast speed. He grabbed Blake's jaw with both hands and pulled out the capsule which had been conveniently fitted inside one of his teeth.
Roy looked at the capsule.
Roy:
If you have any more tricks up your sleeve I would like to see them. And if you stall even for a few seconds, let's just say you won't like what happens next.
Blake stared directly into Roy's eyes with his deepest resolve.
Blake:
Do your worst.
Roy firmly placed his hand on Blake's shoulder and delivered a controlled electric shock. Instantly Blake's muscles began contracting on their own as pain surged through his body.
Roy stopped for a moment.
And then, for seemingly no reason at all, shocked him once again.
Everyone else simply watched like bystanders. No one intervened.
Blake loudly shrieked.
"WHYYY!"
After a few more seconds Roy finally stopped.
Roy:
I hope you are compliant now. Tell us, how did you get past the security?
Blake:
Maybe you didn't hear me correctly. I am here to die for my cause.
This time the King intervened.
King:
Name your price. You want answers, and we want information. I am generously giving you a chance to die fulfilled. This is your best deal before I resort to drastic measures.
Blake:
I want to know how you managed to get him onto your side.
King:
We ask the questions first. How did you get past our security?
Blake looked directly into the King's eyes. A deep sense of fear dwelling within him slowly surfaced.
Blake:
It was simple. We attacked from all sides. We just threw stones at whatever stuck. We memorized whatever traps we were taught about by you people and finally succeeded.
Everyone looked toward the King as he rapidly compiled every possibility in his mind regarding the methods and tools that had been used.
Phoenix:
That should not be possible. Elves are not involved in weapons manufacturing.
King:
No Phoenix, think simpler. For them to know the traps there are only two possibilities. One, you captured some of the trap masters or soldiers who planted the traps in the vicinity or...
Before continuing his thought, the King carefully observed Blake for any reaction. Any natural sign would practically confirm the answer.
King:
There is a traitor amongst us. What is it Blake?
The King applied immense pressure on Blake. He even used gravity magic to make him physically feel the crushing force.
Blake:
Is this your worst? My, you people are painfully soft. How did you even manage to conduct massacres? The cold blooded genocide expert is now afraid?
The King took those words personally. He immediately ordered Phoenix and Roy to do their worst.
Phoenix left with Jay and brought back Truth Serum v6.4.2.
While they were heading there Phoenix questioned Jay.
Phoenix :
When did you meet Blake.
Phoenix politely asked Jay.
Jay :
Well just before you had me captured and then almost tortured and then taking my belongings and throwing me into the rainforest for God's sake.
Phoenix :
I had orders you know. Had you took my hand then and there. Things wouldn't become like that.
Jay :
Let's just leave it. It's in the past now. So where is this truth serum. In which section.
Phoenix correctly guided Jay and then took the equipments the serum and quickly returned to the tent.
How the truth serum works is that.
Essentially, it reduced a person's ability to lie. The serum was mixed with nanobots that entered the bloodstream and manipulated the nerves related to lying and thought processing, making the target biologically incapable of lying.
Blake tried to resist, but every single attempt only reminded him of his reality and the consequences of his choices.
He was administered drugs that reduced critical thinking activity within the brain, increasing the effectiveness of the serum.
Blake could do nothing to resist.
His arms and legs were tightly restrained and even moving his head accomplished nothing.
Soon the drugs took effect.
His mind became clouded with induced brain fog. He tried to think but nothing came to him. He felt only silence.
Then they began asking baseline questions to confirm that the medicine had worked.
King:
Who are you?
Blake sincerely answered.
Blake:
I am the leader of the branded elves.
King:
How did you enter here?
Blake:
I was given a device which scans areas for traps. Thus me and my squads were able to avoid them. Although it is sad that some of them were nothing but fools.
King:
What was your objective here?
Blake:
To cause as much damage and destruction as possible so that tomorrow we would gain the advantage.
King:
Is there anyone else besides you and your men?
Blake:
No. We are the only ones willing to do this work in the name of God. Dirty our hands for that woman.
Blake's eyes suddenly shifted toward Jay.
Blake:
Oh hey Jay, long time no see. So you also got captured huh? Don't worry. I've got a plan to get us out of here. The Spirit Forest is nearby. Just like before we shall both escape these monsters. Because it overwrote some territory of the Regional God, he is pissed. Come, we must leave now.
Blake tried to move but found himself restrained. He couldn't even understand where he was anymore.
Yet without realizing it, he had revealed something crucial.
Blake suddenly started laughing loudly.
Blake:
That old geezer doesn't even know what is going to hit him tomorrow. Once I take Jay back with me, he will rain hellfire tomorrow.
Jay silently watched Blake in his drugged state. Blake was now only repeating Jay's name over and over.
Meanwhile the King contacted Vania's unit.
King:
Vania, get the mages ready. Assemble a fire mage squad and burn the Spirit Forest to the ground. I WANT IT COMPLETELY OBLITERATED. WIPED FROM THE FACE OF THESE LANDS.
Vania, who remained completely calm on the other side, simply responded with a single word.
Vania:
OK. Send the coordinates.
The King once again entered the tent and confronted Jay, who was clearly connected with Blake.
With intense rage he stared directly into Jay's eyes.
King:
Jay Garrick. Prove that you belong with us and not with the branded scum of these lands. Decimate the Spirit Forest. And if you refuse, then never show your face here ever again.
This was possibly the first time anyone had seen the King in such fury.
Even Jay, who was accustomed to resisting such pressure, felt overwhelmed by the King's anger.
Even Phoenix, who was not the target of the statement, felt as though those words had been directed toward him.
King:
Phoenix and Roy, prepare a plan for the counterattack. Use the minimum resources possible and deliver the maximum blow. And the anomalies are off limits.
The King finally sat down upon his chair and began taking deep breaths.
Within minutes he cooled down enough to think rationally again.
And then he fully realized what he had just ordered.
He had ordered the destruction of the Spirit Forest.
A place where countless spirits lived peacefully and harmoniously.
A biological and cultural miracle.
A sentient forest capable of teleporting itself, temporarily overriding the existence of the places where it appeared. And once it moved elsewhere, the original land would return to normal.
But now he had ordered its destruction simply because the constantly moving forest had temporarily encroached upon his territory while trying to escape the Wall of Abyss.
The King held his head in frustration over what he had ordered.
And if he took back the order now, he would lose face.