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.
No matter how much Vlad wanted to rip the man’s throat, he remained calm and continued his interrogation. "Are there any more military advances into the Constantine Country?"
"This incursion involved half of the current military forces of the empire. We were meant to control the Strong Hammer Military Base and then expand our control over the entire Inkmetal City. I am not aware of any other incursion," James gave a quick response, divulging all the information he had access to.
Vlad relaxed for a moment as he heard that. It seemed he wouldn’t have to worry about another incursion in the near future. Still, since the Azarin Empire was not above making soldiers of anyone with a weapon, he was sure it would take them only a short time to increase their numbers.
"I have learned that the Emperor of the Azarin Empire can make all sorts of weapons. Do you have any idea how that is possible?" One of the reasons behind the power of the Azarin Empire was their weaponry, and Vlad needed to know how they did it.
Luckily for Vlad, James had the answer he needed. "Emperor Dimitry can channel energy and use it to create artifacts."
Vlad obtained his answer, but his face grew darker. The man who called himself Emperor Dimitry had a very powerful Gift and would become a significant threat in the future.
At first, the Emperor was only able to make some weak armor and wands, but in less than a few months, Vlad saw magic weapons that could fire massive fireballs. The Emperor’s ability was advancing at a shocking rate.
Vlad took a few moments to analyze that information before asking a new question. While he hid it, his eyes burned with hatred at the mere thought. "Who was the man in purple clothes?"
"That is His Holiness Jerom, the pope of the Goddess..." James had been answering all the questions honestly, but the moment the name of the Goddess was mentioned, his eyes widened as a sense of crazed, fanatic devotion appeared on his face.
The man’s heartbeat began to rise as his expression of panic increased, and he began to look around, seemingly searching for an exit. Upon not finding one, he put his tongue between his teeth.
Vlad’s eyes widened as he saw that and remembered very well the lengths to which the members of the Azarin Empire would go to avoid revealing anything about the Goddess. However, before he could move, Jormungandr’s energy exploded, and his bloodline force surged.
Jormungandr’s black eyes began to glow as dark flames emerged from them. After months of acclimating to his new devil bloodline and rising to the Champion Tier, the small yellow cat finally awakened his Bloodline Ability.
James, who seemed ready to bite his tongue off, saw with shock as the room faded, and what appeared before him was a calm pond. The man was confused and felt in great danger, but all that went to the back of his mind as he saw a figure covered in golden radiance walking toward him.