When Magic is All We Have

Chapter XVI

"Liar," Arthur growled. "You don't have Lukas. Last night was a trap."

"You'd be surprised what came in the night," Scott said absentmindedly, picking at a fingernail. "Burst into the castle, demanding where you were. Quite messy, but we were able to apprehend it."

Arthur wanted to believe that this was all a lie, just another nightmare, but somehow, he knew that behind his oily words, Scott wasn't lying.

"Let me see him." Arthur's voice quavered slightly.

"Him?" Scott sneered. "You've become rather attached to your pet, haven't you, Arthur? Calling a druid a 'him'? Ha!"

"He's not my pet," Arthur retorted. "He's my friend. Now let me see him!"

Scott chuckled in amusement. "Very well, very well. You always were foolish, Arthur. But then again, every little boy wants his bitch, doesn't he? Come along, Arthur. Henry, behave yourself now."

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Scott led Arthur down a series of corridors he'd never seen before. He asked twice where they were going, but Scott only grinned and said, "Patience, Arthur."

Finally, the trio descended a flight of stone stairs into an underground dungeon. Arthur lifted the collar of his shirt over his mouth and nose to try and mask the foul stench of human wastes and various things rotting. 

Scott lit some torches on the wall with a wave of his hand. Arthur gasped.

In the stone room were multiple horrific machines, all made to hurt and kill. Most of them, Arthur did not know their names, nor did he care to learn. Racks of weapons and torture devices hung from the walls, and some cages were piled in a corner alongside a tattered bed. Chains hung from the ceiling and walls. Dried blood, dark and rust-coloured, seemed to stain every inch of this infernal place. Arthur retched and vomited on the floor.

"Not enjoying yourself much, Arthur?" Scott said, feigning sympathy. "It'll get better in a moment." He nodded to Henry, who telekinetically lowered a large cage from the ceiling. Inside was a motionless, bloody heap. It took Arthur nearly a full minute to realize that this was Lukas.

His face was beaten beyond recognition, deep cuts scoring over one eye. His hair was matted and tangled, the cross clip gone. His naked body was littered with bruises and cuts and even some burns. His arms and legs were bound heavily with chains, and he wore a metal collar had spikes that pierced his neck. Henry undid the lock and lifted Lukas out, setting him on the floor.

Scott pressed his hand to Lukas' forehead and whispered, "Evigilare faciatis."

Lukas' eyes shot open with a start, and he cried out in pain. His normally bright lilac eyes were glassy and dull, bloodshot and tearstained. He saw Arthur and made a noise of recognition, attempting to reach out for him.

Arthur held his friend's bloodied hand. "Lukas . . . ." Tears started spilling from his eyes again. Damn it, why was he crying so much?

Lukas groaned something that sounded like "Arthur". He made several choking noises in an attempt to speak, but they were all unintelligible and guttural.

"Like an animal," Scott hissed. He grabbed a handful of Lukas' hair and roughly yanked his head up. "Aren't you, you filthy little shit?"

"Stop it!" Arthur screamed as Lukas' face contorted in pain. "Scott, please, let him go! Stop it, please!"

Out of nowhere, Arthur's body spasmed and a navy blue beam burst from his chest at Scott. Scott absorbed the blow with his palms, crudely dropping Lukas in the process.

"Temper, temper," Scott snarled. "Well then. Henry, string the druid up and take the collar off. I'm going to teach our imprtinent little brother here a lesson."

Henry obeyed, magically rearranging the chains so that Lukas was dangling from the ceiling by his wrists. He telekinetically removed the collar, and Lukas gasped and choked for air.

Scott restrained Arthur, chaining his ankles to the wall so that he had full view of Lukas' next torture. Arthur fought to escape, screaming and sobbing, but it was no use.

Scott removed his jacket and took a whip from a rack. After experimentally running it up and down Lukas' torso, he cracked it on Lukas' back. Lukas let out a hoarse yell, spitting blood as the whip came down again. Again. Again. Again. 

"Scott please stop no please Lukas stop please I'll do anything Scott please stop no Henry please do something Lukas please Scott stop it please Lukas Lukas Lukas -" The torrent of begging poured out of Arthur's mouth, his screams intermingling with Lukas' as he threw himself to the floor.

Henry turned his head away from Arthur. Scott made no inclination that he heard Arthur's pleas and moved on to whipping Lukas' front. 

"NONONONONONO PLEASESCOTT PLEASESTOPIT SCOTT PLEASE STOP PLEASE NO NO NO LUKAS I'MSOSORRY SCOTT PLEASESTOPIT ---"

At this, Scott threw down the whip and began unlacing his trousers. Arthur realized, with dread and horror, what was going to happen next. He buried his face in his arms, unable to watch his brother rape his best friend. He heard it all, though, and he blamed himself for being so weak.