Guardian's Redemption

Chapter Twenty Five

It stood in the middle of the Sanctum of Haven, the tallest structure for all the citizens to see. A white marble beacon of light that was showering the city with its holy presence. This tower was the pride and joy of the church. It was a representation of humanity's unity, peace for all those to come and to remember that Heaven sits above all. But with all light there must be a darkness no matter how small.

Far beneath the tower's hand painted bottom floor was a spiraling hidden staircases that went straight to the massive dungeon below. It was here, far beneath the tower, that the most cruel and powerful criminals were held and guarded. Some suggesting death a better solution than to house these beings. As it turns out leave a man in a hole long enough and the mind begins to crack to torment itself.

Hands and feet were chained together for all inmates, using special cuffs that sealed the prisoner's mana not allowing them to utilize it. For it was a material, lead and silicone based, that did not allow an prisoner to use their mana. This stopping the flow of soul power throughout the body and out into the world. These cuffs were deadly and if left on for too long, it was hypothesized that your mana would be drained. The most traitorous naturalists were held here, down in the dark caverns of this prison.

It was here inside a large cell hung rusted chains connected to the stone wall with mana stopping cuffs around fresh wrists and ankles. Lashes were covering the body of the new prisoner. The city only rumoring about this hole in the earth, but the Highlords had done a pretty good job of keeping it hidden. No priest being down here except, occasionally, the High Priest. The cell illuminated by torches from the hallway to show how dirty and pitiful the prisoner truly was. The third command of the Fire District,  'Scar' Stepahn Tillus wept from the pain and his own curiosity that had led him here.

Each of the Highlords had come to interrogate him. Their council came to a vote that the man be stripped of his title and imprisoned for years to come. In the long future they deemed it necessary to revisit his case, but Scar knew they were just throwing him into a hole. Scar was furious when he heard his sentence, striking out at the guards then paying the price with those painful lashes. He was really angry at himself for being so lax as to get caught in the warehouse where his Highlord had ended up knocking him out.

Scar was sharing the cell with another, an elderly man that kept to his corner in a curl. His chamber mate never spoke a word and didn't even move except when the guards brought food and water. Scar could care less about the old man, his thoughts were on escape in the beginning. The many days passing by broke his thoughts of escape and that hope became a distant dream. There were constant patrols and once a day a priest would walk the halls while reciting verse after verse from the holy tome. Scar would now occasionally struggle against his bindings but they never gave. He could feel weakness devouring him.

Highlord Tyrael had came to visit Scar twice since his incarceration to see if Scar would tell the truth that they were wanting to hear. Even though the man told his Highlord he was only curious, the council never accepted his story and thought that Scar was a spy. Of course he wasn't; he had come to the Sanctum of Haven to rid the land of Hell's minions. He wanted to be the hero that brought peace to the world. None of that mattered now, he was trapped here with no way out. Maybe Ben was right about this place, he thought. They care only for themselves and not the people.

Scar threw that thought away. He had seen too many good things as a soldier for this city. There was such potential for greatness here. He just needed to find a way out of this harsh predicament. The hours slowly passing and his mind descended into negativity.

The man didn't move his head as he heard the cell door rattle and squeak open on its rusted hinges. The man hardly even caring anymore; there was nothing more the Sanctum could do to him now. Whoever it was didn't speak as the door shut except to give a sigh. Scar slowly looking up and then looked away as his eyes caught Sonya standing there with a face full of concern. He did not want her or anyone else's pity.