The days that followed became an endless nightmare. Elias kept his promise and chose victims at random.
Sometimes he killed them quickly, which was merciful by his standards. At other times, he drew it out, using his dark blade to hurt people in ways that shouldn't be possible.
Kael was one of the people he liked to attack the most. Elias seemed to enjoy the ranger's defiant spirit, and he would slowly torture him for hours while the others had to watch.
There were barriers around Ryn's magic that she couldn't break. Denna's strength didn't matter in a cell that was too small to move.
Marina watched the whole time. She saw her friends go through pain.
She saw people she didn't know who had trusted her expedition die screaming. She watched Elias enjoy every second of pain he caused.
"Why?" she asked him once, when he was in a talkative mood and they had a short break. "Why do all of this cruel stuff to the innocents?!"
"What did any of us do to you?!"
