Arthur felt as if his body was submerged in water, but he was the one coming from the bottom. It was dark and cold, but he could breathe in the abyss he found himself inside.
Ironically, the real Light Prison had no light inside. Instead, it looked like a giant barren wasteland with nothing but darkness and hills. Arthur stood between the five mountains before deciding to visit one of them.
As he reached the summit, Arthur found a man chained atop the mountain. His chains dug into the mountain, and at a glance, he knew they sealed his mana. Hearing his footsteps, the man raised his head.
It was a tall, lanky man with blonde hair on one side. His eyes were wide, but his pupils were tiny, giving him a beast-like appearance. As he saw Arthur, the man grinned.
"This is the first person that someone visited the great I," said the man with a grin that covered his face. "Are you the executioner or the anarchist?"
"I would choose the latter," said Arthur with a smile as he stared at the man. "You are an Astra-ranker, right? What crime have you committed?"
"I was the right-hand man to Zonas Mantra before he arrested me for false charges. He threw me into this prison because, as he said, it befitted a vile creature like me."
"Zonas Mantra is an honest man, so you are lying. There is no point in trying to lie about this," said Arthur as he stared at the chains, as black as night. "I can free you from this prison after judging whether you can be redeemed or not."
"The taste of freedom I am promised is indeed alluring," said the man with a grin as he tugged on the chains. "Then, what am I supposed to say to taste it?"
"The truth, because I would know if you say otherwise," said Arthur with his golden eyes leaving an eerie trace in the darkness. The man paused and realized that this man was more than he could see.
"I killed, tortured, and raped without the empire knowing or them ignoring it. The man who knew nothing was the man who arrested me, and the empire had to choose between us," said the man with a grin. "And I would do it again!"
Arthur looked at him with pity before deciding to move to the next one. First, however, he realized that he wanted to see what Zonas meant. So, he asked, "Why did you do it?"
"I saw the truth," said the man after a slight pause. "Fear rules better than compassion. No one would dare go against the empire if the people feared it. Look at things now, rebels and chaos!"
Arthur stared at the former knight with a different kind of pity. He didn't empathize with him or even understand his motives but merely pitied him for not having a conscience and a mind of his own. His life was dedicated to the empire, and he never saw the fault in his actions.
After that, Arthur left as the man shouted for him. His voice disappeared once Arthur was at the foot of the mountain, ready to climb another. Since there were five mountains, Arthur expected five prisoners of the Astra rank.
The next prisoner was a child, but Arthur couldn't communicate with him. He only screamed when Arthur talked to it and struggled to break the chains. Even more, he was blindfolded, unlike the one before him. So, Arthur decided to ask the next prisoner.
"That child has been raised by monsters and kills whoever he sees," said the scholar man in the third mountain. "He was arrested a long time ago, but he doesn't seem to age."
"And how do you know this?"
"I was the personal assistant of Grandmaster Ravin, who created all the major arrays in the capital before his death. Thus, my knowledge of this empire is superb. Release me, and I will work for you!"𝒇𝘳eℯ𝚠𝙚𝑏𝓃𝑜ѵ𝑒𝑙.com
"I don't need a runemaster, sadly," said Arthur while glaring at the scholar man. The top of his head was bald except for a few thin strands. He wore glasses that didn't conceal the dangerous glean in his eyes. "What have you been arrested for?"
"Ah, I was discarded by the emperor after he no longer needed me, keke," laughed the man. "Take me out, and I will bring his empire down."
"Then, is the emperor the one to arrest you?"
"It was the Knights Commander, Zonas Mantra," said the scholar with a hateful face. "If not for that foolish man, my research would have been complete."
"What research?"
"Ah, as I figured, keke," said the scholar as he adjusted himself, but the chains prevented him from standing. "You are here for the fruit of my labor, just like that emperor. I found ways to strengthen the emperor enough to make him a god!"
"…you are the first person to research the absorption arrays that the emperor has created," said Arthur with a dangerous glint that the scholar failed to notice. "I read about your research before."
"It seems that dog emperor succeeded in recreating my research after Zonas Mantra destroyed the data. However, everything is in my head, and no one can take it away! You want it, right? I can create it and make you the most powerful man in the world!"
"I don't need that, either," Arthur said as he glared at the scholar, then calmed down. "I want to know, what did you do that got you arrested?"
"I made a mistake and kidnapped the children of that Zonas Mantra for my experiments, which led to my arrest. The children died, and I was imprisoned. After that, the emperor forsook me after he realized that Zonas had already destroyed the data he needed."
"…what made you do it?"
"…what made me do it?" asked the bald scholar with confusion before he started laughing. "If something is to be discovered, someone has to discover it. If we sacrifice a few children to make humanity stand a chance against greater terrors, then we are good people! There is a necessary evil!"
Arthur was silent as he stared at them. Lyle and Zonas, and even Layla, mentioned the orphanage that Zonas Mantra had. This man caused the death of his children, yet, he didn't kill them. Instead, he imprisoned him here.
"I guess even the forgiving Zonas Mantra knew that a quick death is too merciful for someone like you," said Arthur as he took a step forward. "Let me show you the true terror."
A golden aura exploded from his body, illuminating the mountain and the abyss beside it. Arthur raised his hand toward the scholar, making a rune appear between them. The bald man stared at the shape in front of him and realized what it was.
"This… it cannot be… an artificial rune? No, this is a true rune without an attachment to anything but existence. You are… the creator!"
"Let's see if your knowledge can free you from the nightmares ahead," said Arthur as the black rune surrounded the man's head. "Live through the things you fear the most, scum."
[Nightmare.]
"AAAAAAAAH!"
The scholar screamed as soon as the rune activated, making his howls reverberate through the mountain. Arthur stared at him, rolling back his eyes and foams leaving his mouth, but his screams never ceased.
Although he wished to make him experience hell forever, this rune would cease working after an hour. After all, he had no right to take revenge on this man. It belonged to those hurt by his actions.
As he descended the mountain, Arthur could still hear his screams. The abyss seemed a little different after he used a rune inside it. It seemed… unstable. However, Arthur marched toward the fourth mountain, where he found a naked woman.
"Are you the one who tortured the scholar?" the woman seemed weak, with a face paler than paper. "The things that you made him see… are too cruel."
"His actions are far crueler," said Arthur toward the woman, whose long black hair covered her chest. However, it didn't hide the scars all over her body. "How did you know what I did?"
"I am the witch of hearts," said the pale woman with fear. "And I can see what resides in your heart, too. How are you… still alive?" she asked while backing away from him.
"Eating and breathing, I guess?" answered Arthur with a smile as he took a step back. "What can you see, witch of hearts? What makes you so afraid?"
"Your heart is full of… wrath and destruction," answered the woman as she fell on her knees. "What are you here for, Arthur Silvera?"
"I have yet to make myself known."
"I know about people more than they know about themselves," said the woman as she took a deep breath. "I know you will bring destruction to this world, not peace as you believe. You are as much of a villain as everyone here."
Arthur was silent as he stopped moving. The woman didn't seem to lie, which might be why Zonas said what he said. She was the person he was supposed to meet in this abyss.