Marco's gaze lifted, fixed on an unseen point high on the wall to his right, a flicker of distant memory clouding his eyes. His voice, now barely a breathy rasp, began to articulate the unimaginable.
"The cage built for him... it wasn't just made of metal," he whispered, a tremble running through the words. "It was sealed with every power they could conjure."
He inhaled sharply, fighting back the resurfacing trauma. "I remember..." He paused, "I remember eavesdropping on Father and Mother. The seals— are all enchanted with the Elves, the magic of the Fairies, the willpower of the Vikings. Even the holy power of the Nuns and the Holy Knights was called upon... A-and..."
His jaw muscles jumped, a spasm of pure pain clenching his teeth. The tears he's been holding back finally betrayed him, tracing down his cheeks.
"The cage... it was designed to self-destruct if the prisoner inside ever forced his way out to escape."
