Beyond the Apocalypse

Vlad and Jormungandr quickly reached the dungeon of the Silent Wind Military Base, where they were received by the soldiers in charge. When the old veteran saw the Xaos King, he knew what they were after and marched with the rest of the guards to the isolation cells.

Vlad only nodded to the group and went with Jormungandr to the interrogation room, waiting there for a few minutes until the dungeon’s guards brought in a man who seemed to have gone through hell, with half of his body burned.

Despite the man’s wounds, he seemed to feel no pain. His lost gaze made it seem as if he felt nothing at all, the result of months of isolation and no contact with anyone. The wounds around his mouth made it clear he was force-fed, ensuring he would not die of starvation.

Of course, Vlad felt no mercy for these people who butchered women and children, and once the guards left, he glanced at the small yellow cat on his shoulder.

Jormungandr’s eyes began to glow as he channeled his energy and the power of his Flame of Falsehood Devil Bloodline before speaking with a voice that echoed across the room with the might of an explosion, "Answer our questions with honesty!"

Those words reached the deepest part of the man’s psyche, awakening him from the stupor of months of isolation. He looked at the duo with absolute focus, waiting for their questions like a loyal subject.

Vlad could not help but smile at the efficiency of Jormungandr’s mind-bending spells. Of course, he did not allow himself to get distracted and spoke with a voice full of coldness, "Name and position in the Azarin Empire."

"I am James Carton, captain of the third regiment of the Azarin Empire." The man answered immediately, his eyes full of focus, eager to respond.

Vlad’s eyes narrowed as he heard those words, realizing the man was a high-ranking detainee. "Why did your forces move into the Strong Hammer Military Base?"

Although Chief Councilor Aloz had already given Vlad an answer obtained by analyzing many reports, he wanted to hear it directly from the mouths of the soldiers from the Azarin Empire. Vlad trusted the old man’s skills but wanted to ensure no pieces of information were missing.

"We were marching to meet the angels who had taken control of the Strong Hammer Military Base on a diplomatic mission to form an alliance. Of course, that was all a lie, as the Azarin Empire could never meld with monkeys. Our mission was to kill everybody and take the fortress," James spoke calmly with a smile. He acted under Jormungandr’s spell, being honest, and clearly, he felt no conflict about the massacre.

Coldness arose in Vlad’s eyes as he heard the man’s words. He now knew Chief Aloz’s information was accurate and understood that from the start, they were prepared to massacre everybody. The loss of the angels only made it easier for them.