Demon Controller (1)

"You still don't want to say anything, Axelle?"

Axelle narrowed his eyes, trying to feel the rest of his consciousness and senses. Right in front of him, His Majesty King Rexton V stood towering with an expression wanting to strangle him to death. By his side, two masked knights were watching him.

"I repeat once again." The King brought his face closer to Axelle. He hissed, "Where did you hide the Whitley brat?"

"I'm not going to answer that," Axelle replied, the same as before.

Upon receiving this unsatisfactory answer, the masked knight immediately buried Axelle's head in a large basin of water. Each time it's always longer than before and also rougher.

Axelle had not yet breathed a sigh of relief when his head was lifted, but then he was drowned again. The nerves in his startled head accidentally inhaled the water, and it made his nose and throat feel burning. His head is dizzy. His eyes are hot.

Obviously Axelle was never prepared to feel any of this.

"You've always been a good obedient boy." Axelle faintly heard the King say something. The shadow of the King drew nearer. In the next second, he had already jerked Axelle's chin up to look up at him. "But why are you behaving like this now?"

"I… just wanted to help her out from that place," he said with difficulty.

The King snorted mockingly. "Is that so? How dramatic the children of the royal traitors help each other."

Axelle narrowed his eyes sharply. He didn't like what the real traitor had just said.

"Hmm? Why are you looking at me like that, Prince Axelle?" hissed the King furiously. He gestured to the masked knight to sink Axelle's head again. When he finished, he said, "As good as a person is, there is still hatred in his heart, isn't it? Isn't that right, Prince Axelle?" The King smiled mockingly. "You hate me."

Does Axelle hate this person in front of him? His own uncle?

Yes.

For the death of his parents. For the death of his brother. For the deaths of King Rexton IV's men. For the unfortunate fate of those who are still surviving somewhere. For Rheannon's plight.

For his own situation right now.

"But even if you hate me, you can't say it," continued the King. "You know why, Axelle? Because you have no proof."

But instead of hating the uncle who had usurped the throne and all this, Axelle hated himself more for being unable to do this.

Whereas Axelle could clearly see the demonic figure hanging over King Rexton V; proof that he is a contract binder.

"Let's end the interrogation. This Outcast Prince won't say anything – at least to me." The King waved his hand in the air. "Keep him in the special cell at the corner. Don't let any light in."

Axelle gasped. His eyes rounded. His body automatically trembled. "No..." he said. The two masked knights pulled him away. "No! Please anywhere I can see something!"

Despite trying to rebel, Axelle's efforts were in vain. The knights then threw him into the cell, pushing him violently until Axelle fell.

"Don't lock me up here!" Axelle shouted.

The cell door slammed shut.

Complete darkness enveloped him.

Silent.

Axelle couldn't hear anything, not even his own screams.

***

The story is simple.

"Well, you and Luciell are hiding, I'll look for both of you later. I'll count to 100, okay?"

5-year-old Axelle is playing with her older brother, Prince Hiero, at Luciell's estate on a routine family visit. It was Axelle's first day out of the Palace grounds for the first time; something he look forward since a long time ago.

"Let's find a place to hide, Axelle!" asked Luciell while holding his hand away.

And also the first time playing something called "hide and seek".

Axelle was happy that day. He can go out and even play with his brother who is always busy, also visit the uncle that his father always mentions.

Or at least, that's how it started.

"We'd better hide in a different place," said Luciell. His older cousin smiled. "I'm at this door, you over there. Don't come out until you're found, okay?"

Axelle just nodded obediently when Luciell then put him into a very dark room.

Very dark and cold. And scary. Even more so than the stormy night that little Axelle feared.

But hiding in that room should scare anyone, that's what Axelle thought as he started wanting to get out of the room. The dark and cold of the room was very inhuman. Axelle couldn't see or feel anything. His feet didn't seem to touch the floor. The sound of his breathing and heartbeat was also not heard.

It was an eerie silence. Rather than hiding, Axelle felt like he was being locked up.

Unable to stand it, Axelle decided to leave.

But the door wasn't there.

Axelle's heart skipped a beat. His eyes started to watery. He shouted, calling out to Hiero, his father, and his mother, but his voice wouldn't come out–or he couldn't hear his voice.

So Axelle ran. Strangely, no matter how far he ran, he didn't reach anything.

It was like being alone, with nothing, no purpose.

"Brother!" called Axelle with all her might while crying. "Mother, Father!"

Little Axelle kept running. At one point, he could no longer run. So in the darkness of solitude he continued to cry and scream.

Just like now.

***

The Palace dungeon was a dark and cold place. Definitely not a comfortable place. Hadrian himself was familiar with the place during his visits to escort prisoners and conduct interrogations. It was just that he wasn't sure that the inmates and former inmates of this prison would be able to get used to this place. Especially someone like Axelle.

It was hard to believe that His Majesty King Rexton V had the heart to keep a prince in this prison.

"The interrogation didn't go well?" Hadrian asked Theseus who had joined beside Ichabod.

"Yes," he answered. "The Prince is quite stubborn. Even though at that time His Majesty the King himself asked."

"Is that true?" Hadrian was surprised to hear that. "That's very strange." Perhaps this was the first time Axelle had really insisted on doing something.

Did he really want to take over the throne? thought Hadrian.

"Does Your Grace Marquess Hadrian need privacy while interrogating the Prince?"

"Only if allowed."

"No problem, Your Grace." Theseus handed over a key. "The cell is at the very end."

Hadrian stared far into the dimly lit hallway. He faintly heard a hit on something.

"I'll give you time until the sun rises," Theseus added. "Good luck to you both."

Theseus left Hadrian and Ichabod.

They both exchanged glances. But then decided to continue their journey.

The sound of the hit grew louder; the sound of someone hitting the metal door. Every now and then a scratching sound was heard which instantly made Hadrian ache. He could imagine what was behind the voice.

Arriving at the door, Hadrian asked Ichabod to back off.

Hadrian opened Axelle's cell door slowly, which was immediately greeted with a hug on the leg.

"I can't say it!" Axelle's screams sounded so loud, as if he himself was trying to hear his own screams. "Please don't lock me in there again! I beg you!"

"Prince Axelle!" Hadrian hurriedly knelt down, trying to calm Axelle down.

Axelle kept screaming and crying hysterically. He was terrified, the shaking in his arms saying it.

"Don't lock me up in that dark place again! You can do anything to me, but don't lock me in there!" please Axelle. "Just kill me all!"

"By God, Prince Axelle," Ichabod muttered in shock.

"Calm down, Prince Axelle," Hadrian said with difficulty amid Axelle's hysteria. "Please calm down..."

With Axelle in this state, it was impossible to conduct an interrogation.

Not. Hadrian's conscience couldn't even bear to leave Axelle alone now.

"Sir Ichabod, please," Hadrian begged.

Ichabod looked unconvinced. But in a matter of seconds, he had knocked Axelle unconscious in Hadrian's arms.

"I'm sorry," Hadrian muttered.

"No, I should be the one apologizing, Your Grace." Ichabod looked at Axelle with pity.

Hadrian leaned Axelle against one side of the wall. He watched the prince who finally calmed down. For some reason his head and the top of his shirt were wet. His face looked tired and his eyes were puffy and red. His palms were bruised here and there and his nails were even bleeding.

How long had Prince Axelle been trying to get out of his cell? Hadrian thought painfully.

Instinctively he tried to treat Axelle's wounds.

"Where are the people from the Prince's castle?" asked Hadrian.

"In a separate cell," replied Ichabod.

This is not a good thing, Hadrian thought as he returned Axelle to his holding cell with pity.

Even though Axelle's people are currently in prison, Axelle's supporters outside the palace must have heard this news. It's just a matter of time until chaos occurs. Especially if anyone knows how the Prince is now.

"I really have no idea," Hadrian mumbled.

Ichabod looked at his master doubtfully. "Your Grace is on the His Majesty Prince Axelle's side?"

Yes and no. King Rexton V trusted him to keep an eye on Axelle since he was officially under house arrest. Hadrian has been doing his job well for almost ten years. He reported all irregularities, all activities he observed through the people who had specially placed Hadrian in the Palace.

At least, until his last visit.

Hadrian also wondered why he had hidden one fact from the King – for the first time in his life. Guilt? Feelings of doubt towards the King?

"I killed Axelle's parents."

"You didn't, Your Grace! How many times have I told you that the–"

Ichabod's severed voice and a soft thud on the ground made Hadrian gasp. When he turned his head, Ichabod had already passed out. Then not far from him stood a small figure with a dark hood.

Hadrian put up a position ready to attack. His hand was ready to draw his sword.

The figure raised its hand, asking Hadrian to calm down. Then the figure lowered its hood, revealing its face.

Red hair and golden eyes.

"Rheannon… Whitley?"

The figure nodded slightly.