The Masked Butler: The Pit and the Pendulum

Pit of Pandemonium

Nico let out a soft whimper as he slowly opened his eyes. There was a sliver of light coming through two holes at the front. He slowed down his breathing. The iron maiden could not harm him, not yet, anyways. Whoever thought of this contraption was either an evil genius or just downright stupid. Or both, easily could be both. Being in it was definitely terrifying, but he just had to position himself in such a way that the spikes wouldn't touch him. The holes were large enough for him to see out of, and he pressed his forehead against the cold, hard metal, the spikes at the top just combing through his hair. Elizabeth and Dr. Leon had paused by Nicholas's body. Elizabeth knelt down and cupped Nicholas's chin. Nico bit into his gag. He wanted to shadow travel out and push her away from him, the monster.

"Elizabeth, there isn't time for this!"

"I've waited months for this moment, there has to be time!" She pushed her husband's head to face her. "And now I've got you right where I want you, completely helpless." Nico growled, but no good came of that as no one paid him any attention. "Isn't it ironic, oh my husband? Your wife, an adultress, your mother an adultress? Your uncle an adulterer, your best friend an adulterer?" A wave of pity crashed into Nico's heart. The two most important people in Nicholas Medina's life, the two people he thought he could trust, the two he loved the most, had betrayed him and devised a plot behind his back to destroy him. What a horrible experience, and a terrifying thought. "Do you not find that amusing, dear Nicholas?"

"Yes." Nicholas chuckled. "Yes."

Elizabeth quickly stood and the doctor grabbed her. "What's happening to him?"

"Happening? What should be happening, Isabella?"

Elizabeth glanced at the doctor. "Isabella?"

"Bartolome, my brother, how do you like my little workshop?" Nico's eyes widened. Nicholas was assuming the persona of his father!

"Dear God!" Dr. Leon pushed Elizabeth to the side as he took a big step back.

"What ails you, my brother? And you, my dear, why, you're so pale! Why, does this place disturb you?" He chuckled. "I thought the two of you would enjoy the novelty of it. Come, let me show you around." The doctor and Elizabeth took a step back. Nicholas leveled his hands at them and shouted, "Where are you going, Isabella, Bartolome?" They paused, watching him closely. "Are you leaving me? Don't you want to see my -" Dr. Leon turned and rushed towards the stairs. Nicholas hissed and lunged at him. He yanked Dr. Leon off the stairs and rammed him a couple of times against a pole until the doctor fell to the floor, unconscious. Elizabeth tried to make it up the stairs, but Nicholas grabbed her and pushed her onto a stone bench. He stepped forward and pulled her up into a tight embrace. "I'm going to tortue you, Isabella. I'm going to make you suffer for your faithlessness to me. Before this day is out, you will be begging me to kill you, to relieve you of the agony of hell into which your husband is about to plunge you." He kissed her. Nico winced when Nicholas shouted the obscene word. "You will die in agony! Die!" Nicholas dragged her towards the iron maiden as she screamed. Taking a loose piece of cloth from Elizabeth's dress, he gagged her before opening the iron maiden. There was a deafening moment of silence as Nicholas and Elizabeth stared at Nico. Nico let out a soft whimper of relief.

"Nicholas?" said Nicholas. Nico blinked. Well, that would make sense, but from what he gathered, Nicholas Medina was much younger than Nico when he witnessed the torture and murder of his mother and uncle. "What are you doing in there?" Nico looked at Elizabeth. Nicholas turned to her. "You were going to kill our son. No, not our son, my son!" With a quick movement, Nicholas pulled Nico out of the iron maiden and pushed Elizabeth in. He quickly shut the doors and locked them. He turned to Nico and pulled him close. "Oh my son, what a horrible experience for you! Let me get you out of -" A growl emanated from Nicholas's throat as he looked past Nico. Nico turned. Dr. Leon had gotten up and had started for the stairs again. "Stay here," said Nicholas before dashing after the doctor. Nico rolled his eyes before scanning the room, glimpses of Nicholas grabbing the doctor before he could open the door to the torture chamber and the quick little scuffle at the top were caught by Nico's peripheral vision. But his focus was on finding something sharp to cut his bonds with. Sure, Nicholas Medina wouldn't harm him, right now, anyways, provided Nico said and did nothing to incur his wrath. But the thoughts of the dread Catherine mentioned at their father catching them in the torture chamber concerned Nico. He did not want to find out what the punishment was for entering the forbidden chamber.