Braedon's calm voice cut through the tension. "Alice, please let our guest speak and not fry their brain with questions they clearly can't understand." he began, then turned to Elena, a gentle smile softening his features. "And Elena, thank you for protecting things while we were away, I can tell it hasn't been easy." Elena responded with an even tighter embrace, while Alice let out a dramatic pout muttering how John wouldn't have shown such favoritism.
The captive stammered, their voice shaky despite an attempt to inject a masculine edge as they tried to put on a brave and confident front. "I-I have permission to be here. I paid tribute to the Chaos Marauders for my pass allowing me to raid for supplies in this area! If you doubt me, you can ask your boss!" Their gaze, however, remained fixed on the ground, unwilling to meet anyone's eyes. The bravado dissolving as they realized each word was drawing everyone's attention fully onto them.
"Who the fuck are these Chaos Marauders?" Alice asked before scoffing and poking the captive with the blunt end of 'Mister Stabby Stick.' "Sounds like something straight out of a 'Mad Max' flick! I didn't ask who let you here either! I asked why you're here and more importantly, if you brought cookies!"
The captive's voice grew more frantic. "They're the ones who control this entire area, the dominant power around here? How could you not know that? Even though there just a subordinate group under Warlord's Dominion they still have their own reputation and are notoriously bloodthirsty, rarely permitting outsiders into there territory. I got lucky and my tribute managed to buy me a few hours here. So please, I need to find what I'm looking for and leave before my permitted time runs out." There gaze a mix of exhaustion and terror. Braedon watched, a slow, grim shake of his head betraying his concern.
"Barely five minutes back and chaos has already found us, no pun intended." Braedon's expression hardened, his lighthearted demeanor replaced by a serious intensity. "Tell me," He began to press, "Everything that has change since two years ago, territories and everything else that's happened and changed." Both Alice and the captive exchanged confused glances.
"So, it really wasn't a few hours and really was two…" Alice started, her brow furrowed in genuine bewilderment as she stopped talking.
The captive's voice was flat and devoid of emotion yet clearly confused. "Honestly, I had far more pressing concerns like surviving than taking stock of everything that didn't involve various safe camps and scavenger places. I'm also not some fanatic member of that insane 'Chronicler of the New Dawn' cult obsessed with death and the various gods." Alice's jaw dropped in shock, while Braedon's frown deepened, feeling he should have realized such things would have cropped up.
Elena's voice trembled, her earlier joy replaced by a surge of raw emotion. "Master, I'm just so relieved to have you back. Where did you go though? It felt like an eternity." Her gaze fell, swimming with unshed tears again, lightly gripping his arm as if scared he would vanish again. "I keep sending some of the little ones out to try and find you, but none could trace you or find any clues on where you had disappeared to. We spent every moment waiting, trying to grow stronger for you though, doing what we could to secure your home but…" A look of deep regret etched itself onto her features as she seemed to fidget nervously. "We're ashamed to admit it Master but a few days after you disappeared raiders came. They disturbed the area and ransacked your home. We tried to protect it but we weren't strong enough causing us to have to hide inside the greenhouse where we were strongest in order to grow, often we would capture and use those who trespassed as sustenance to help grow even stronger and grow the space within greenhouse, expanding it further we made our preparations and created more little ones to head out and both search and spread out, If this vermin hadn't dared to enter the greenhouse and use some strange object to disrupt the entire foundation and collapse most of the area within we would have kept it that way till we felt ready to expand outward and reclaim as much land as we could for you. We are so, so sorry Master."
"It's alright Elena. You did your best and the survival of all of you paramount." Braedon's voice was soft, laced with genuine warmth as he held her gently, his fingers tenderly brushing through her hair, a soothing gesture to calm her distress. "And you have indeed grown remarkably stronger. I'm sorry for being gone so long, but I promise we will try not to let it happen again." From nearby, Alice watched, a fierce, jealous glare and a prominent pout twisting her features only kept back by telling herself repeatedly that it wasn't John so these actions weren't his.
"Look, I'm truly sorry, but please, I need you to be freed!" The captive's plea, laced with renewed urgency shattered the tender moment. "I need something from inside there and I'll gladly trade whatever you want if you help me get it! Please!" Alice's face brightened, pleased by the interruption and how it shattered the mood while Elena shot the captive a look of pure, unadulterated fury.
Braedon gently released Elena, his attention shifting to the bound figure, slowly approaching them as he sizing them up properly. The captive was undeniably clad like a knight from some ancient tale, gleaming silver armor though scuffed and marred by countless battles; a silver broadsword with intricate gold etchings lay just beyond their reach and a pointed helmet, its grid faceplate obscuring their features. Braedon reached out, his hand firm as he unlatched and removed the helmet to get a good look at them. Dark hair tumbled free, cascading around a young woman's face. Her eyes, wide with sheer panic as she stared up at him, fear contorting her features as she thrashed desperately against the vine's relentless grip.
"Don't touch me!" she shrieked, her voice raw with terror. "I swear, I'll bite my tongue off if you try anything bastard!"
"Jeez, dramatic much?" Alice piped up, bouncing closer with an unimpressed. She gave the girl a quick, dismissive once-over. "Knowing this lug, even well he isn't himself, he wouldn't even think of doing anything like that to a gorilla like you. Besides," she added with an impish grin, "he prefers blondes." Elena shot Alice a withering glare clearly jealous.
Braedon's voice was deceptively calm yet carried a steel edge beneath it. "What were you looking for in my greenhouse? And who even are you?" He fixed her with an unwavering stare, his gaze piercing and searching for the slightest flicker of deceit. "I'll tell you what I told the last trespasser I was around for: be honest and things will go smoothly. Lie and I promise you will have a truly unpleasant experience." He warned.
When the girl remained stubbornly silent, Elena subtly flicked her wrist. The vines binding the young woman's limbs pull taut causing her to bite her lip in a desperate attempt to stifle a cry, but the sickening pop of something giving way, followed by a searing jolt of pain ripped a scream from her throat and finally forcing words forth.
"Stop! Oh, please, stop! I'll tell you!" she gasped, her voice raw with agony. "I heard there was a special plant here, the Elysium's Vitalis Herb. My name is Rebecca, my class is radiant knight so please stop!" she added, a whimpering whisper at the end. The vines, in response, immediately loosened their crushing grip though still not fully releasing her.
Braedon glanced at Elena, who offered a confused shrug, then turned his attention back to Rebecca. "I won't bother asking for details of your class, rather what exactly is this herb you came looking for?" he asked, his gaze drifting to the ravaged structure behind them, what was once a vibrant greenhouse. "It must be something truly extraordinary to make you destroy that domain and fight Elena and the others in... well, what used to be my greenhouse." The remnants were a testament to a fierce struggle.
Rebecca's eyes, still wide with terror as they darted between Braedon and the slackened vines. Fearing another agonizing pull that would no doubt cause even more pain and dislocation she spoke quickly and desperately. "According to rumors the Elysium's Vitalis Herb can heal any wound and cure any status ailment! If prepared by a skilled Alchemist it can even create a potion capable of bringing the recently deceased back to life." Her voice broke, thick with emotion. "I... I need it for someone very special to me! Given the sheer quantity of unique plants here and the rumors about it this place, I thought, I hoped, I might find it. I spent everything I could on the item I used to collapse the dungeon in hopes of forcing it out." Her gaze falling onto Elena. "Instead, I brought out its possible guardian but you seem to be able to control her so please! Have her give it to me! I desperately need it! I'll give you anything and everything I can! I, I'll do anything, anything at all! Just... please, I need the Elysium's Vitalis Herb!" By the end she was openly sobbing, her pleas dissolving into desperate whimpers.
Braedon considered her plea, a slow nod indicating deep thought. He then walked over to the broadsword, a hefty weapon that required considerable effort to lift along with the use of his chains. He managed a small, awkward swing before losing his balance for a fleeting moment before walking over to Rebecca. With a deliberate slowness and vast amounts of effort, he raised the formidable blade high above his head. Rebecca's eyes flew open as terror consumed her as she saw her own end coming by her own sword. She shook her head frantically, a guttural plea catching in her throat.
"No! Please! No!" Rebecca screamed, her voice a raw, agonizing crescendo. "Don't kill me! I need to help her! I can't die here! Please, please! I Just... I need to save her first!" She thrashed violently against the unforgiving roots, panic setting in as the blinding terror from the looming shadow of death washed over her, constant jolts of extreme pain shooting through her semi-dislocated arm with each desperate movement.
With a sudden, swift motion, Braedon brought the broadsword down, plunging it into the earth with a thud a few inches from Rebecca's head causing her to freeze, utterly paralyzed as tears and mucus streamed down her contorted face as she stared at him, her eyes wide with a unadulterated, primal fear.
"Elena, kindly release her." Braedon's voice was now sharp, cold as ice, cutting through the silence. "As for you, Rebecca: I'll have Elena search what's left my greenhouse for any herb matching your description as the name you used isn't one she recognizes. You were honest and clearly you're doing this for someone else. I can respect that at the very least." His gaze was unwavering. "For now you will stay with us. Tomorrow, we will go to your friend and bring them here as well. But for destroying my greenhouse and this measure of help you will tell us anything and everything you know about this area, the various powers that have established footholds and anything else we want to know no matter how asinine it may seem. Am I clear?" As he spoke the vines rapidly retracted, freeing Rebecca.
Rebecca nodded frantically, a barely audible "Yes, sir" escaping her lips. She scrambled to her feet, her face flushing crimson with a potent mix of embarrassment and shame. The dampness between her legs and puddle on the floor confirmed a humiliating truth: she had pissed herself in terror when she believed her life was about to end. With trembling hands, she hesitantly retrieved her broadsword and secured it to her back.
"Honestly, I figured a badass woman like you, who made it this far and lived this long would have been a little more... fearless," Alice chirped, her voice dripping with sing-song mockery. "I mean, you pissed yourself for crying out loud! If you were prepared to give everything shouldn't you have already been prepared to accept death?" The words, light as they were carried a mocking undertone and all seemed to landed like a heavy blows, deepening Rebecca's humiliation and shame.