Dark Faïz (Book 2) [Completed]

Chapters 5-6

Faïz

Still a prisoner, Faïz remained lying down, unable to break the ties which took away all his strength.

"Zoe!" he screamed in despair, staring at the water which was gradually becoming calm again.

Weakened, he spoke directly to Zerkô.

"Why are you doing this? You have no idea what brings us here."

"We know it very well!" replied a man standing beside Zerkô.

The latter, much thinner than the guide, but solidly built, leaned over Faïz.

"Don't hit him, Leni!" warned Zerkô, "your limbs could break. His strengths are beyond what we can imagine."

Faïz rolled his eyes, hatefully defying the stranger, whose face was only a few inches from his own, a demonic smile twisting his face.

"Drowning is not what we usually reserve for our victims," laughed Leni.

Faïz suddenly felt a blade pierce his skin, the pain instantly freezing him, and he began to scream under the torture. His executioner, excited by this macabre game, reveled in the scene. Leni pushed the blade into the victim's body again. The pain, unbearable, almost made him lose consciousness. The only thing that kept him going was the minimal chance he had of saving Zoe.

"Have you ever heard of the Twilight Brotherhood?" asked his executioner. "Our community is devoted body and soul to the service of our Queen. We worship her with the purest of offerings."

Faïz tried to push the man, still placed above him, without success. Blood was running down his body and he was having a hard time controlling his increasingly jerky breathing.

"What do you gain by capturing the Sylphids?"

"It is our duty, transmitted by hereditary status. Each member of the Brotherhood must swear loyalty to our leader and promise to honor our Queen. We offer her the souls of Sylphids. In exchange, she gives us her protection so that we can, once our death arrives, pass into the other world without any obstacle, and in our turn become venerated beings."

"I imagine that if we are here, it's because our souls interest her," declared Faïz in agony.

"Indeed, the sacrifice of a human life is a beautiful offering, even if she particularly appreciates the celestial creatures. Our Queen wishes a more precious sacrifice and asks for the ultimate offering, that is to say: the soul of a Goddess."

Hearing these words, Faïz gathered his last strength before adding in a barely audible whisper,

"There is one thing that you aren't taught in your Brotherhood."

Curious to know this secret, Leni put his ear close to the young man's lips in order to hear each word better. At that moment, Faïz tilted his head and gave a great blow to his opponent's head. The latter's skull split in a thud, and his body swiveled for a few moments before falling heavily on the ground. Without waiting, the young man tried to drag himself to the edge of the water.

"Shit! Leni! Leni!" Zerkô yelled, rushing towards the inert body of his accomplice.

Mad with rage, Zerkô grabbed his friend's blade and took a lighter from his pocket to heat his weapon.

"You asshole! I'm going to send you straight to hell!"