The Prisoner’s Surprise

On the way, the other prisoners saw him this way, and just laughed at him. They had no pity or sympathy for him. One of them even taunted him, "Don't be scared kitty, they will only torture you if you're alive, kukuku." He said with a mocking laugh.

'What does that mean? Should I be dead to avoid the torture? My goodness! Would they even let me die? That's even worse!' Many things came to his mind, tormenting him. He had not even been tortured yet, but he was already suffering.

They climbed stairs after stairs, making him suspicious. 'Something's not right here.' He thought as his tension lowered slightly. He expected to go deeper into the prison, not higher. 'Where are they taking me?' He wondered.

He was led through a series of doors and hallways, and he noticed the changes in the walls as he passed by. The walls changed from dull gray concrete to bright white plaster. The walls changed from bare and dirty to decorated and clean. The walls changed from plain and boring to colorful and artistic.

He saw paintings and photographs on the walls, depicting scenes and people that he didn't recognize. He saw wallpapers and paints on the walls, creating patterns and designs that he didn't understand. He saw mirrors and frames on the walls, reflecting images and light that he didn't appreciate.

He felt overwhelmed by the contrast between his old and new surroundings. 'What are they up to?' He wondered, feeling confused and curious.

"Move it, scum." Moriarty was pushed by the soldier to enter a room.

When he entered the room, he gasped in awe and wonder. It was like stepping into a fairy tale. The walls were covered with paintings of angels and flowers, the floor was carpeted with soft rugs, and the ceiling was decorated with crystal chandeliers. The bed was huge and draped with velvet curtains, and the dresser was filled with jewels and perfumes. There were also books, musical instruments, and toys scattered around the room, showing the person's diverse interests and hobbies.

'I never had the chance to step inside an aristocrat's room before, I only cleaned the dark and damp basement and other places that sometimes had blood stains on them. Wait a minute. I thought this was supposed to be a fortress, do all fortresses have a luxury room like this one? Heh, I thought only grumpy and stern soldiers lived here.' He thought to himself, feeling amazed and envious at the same time.

Moriarty felt like he had entered a different world, one that he did not belong to at all. He suddenly felt nervous and out of place, as he bowed his head low before the lady who sat on a couch near the window. She was wearing a fancy dress and had a lot of jewelry on her.

She looked at him with a bored expression, and said to Moriarty in a cold and haughty voice, "Why are you in your underwear, where's your decency? Don't you have any manners?"

Moriarty was dumbfounded and speechless not knowing how to respond to that question, 'Right? Why am I in a noble's room almost naked? I want to know that too.' He thought, feeling embarrassed and confused by the situation.

"Anyway, someone wanted to meet you first." She said, changing the topic abruptly.

'Meet me? At a time like this? Can't it wait for later? I'm quite busy being a prisoner here. Wait, this could be my way out of this mess.' He pondered, feeling hopeful and curious about who wanted to see him.

As his tension subsided thinking he might be a prisoner but also a guest in this room, 'Why did I even feel anxious and scared then? I almost peed my underwear. But it is also true that after this they will proceed with my interrogation and torture.' He thought, feeling conflicted and uncertain about his fate. He considered taking this opportunity to come clean, and stay there until he was no longer marked as a prisoner. He even considered using his last resort, begging for mercy.

Moriarty was about to sit on a chair without even being given permission, 'It is fine to sit, right? I'm a guest after all. I don't want to dangle my whole naked body around standing.' But the lady interjected him, "Don't sit! Have you seen yourself? Stay standing."

Moriarty obeyed and stood still, feeling annoyed and humiliated by the situation. He thought to himself, 'Crap, I'm not a guest then.' Moriarty gauged that he couldn't take the guest route as he formed a new way out of this place, maybe jailbreak, maybe towards the window, calculating how high it was from the ground and if he could survive the fall.

The lady was reading a book, pretending not to observe Moriarty's movements. She was curious about him and his actions. 'Come, come tell me what kind are you.' she thought in her mind, hoping to get some clues from his behavior.

Minute after, a knock was heard on the door requesting for audience with the lady.

"Let him come in." said the lady in a bored tone.

A man in a white robe entered and greeted the lady respectfully, "Madam, I have come."

"Yeah, yeah, I notice you. Just do your thing already." She continued pretending to read her book, while observing the two men with interest, 'Now, show me something interesting, you two.'

The robe man removed his hood and introduced himself to Moriarty with a smile, "Name is Tud. I see you." He said in a cryptic way.

With a confused face, Moriarty greeted him back politely, "Oh… Ah, Moriarty. I… see?" Moriarty wondered at the weird introduction of the man not knowing how to reply it properly.

'Is he my visitor? Never seen him before. Debt collector? Didn't I pay them all already? Give me a break! I'm already in prison and you still want to squeeze me dry?' He thought annoyingly, feeling trapped and helpless.

But Moriarty suddenly noticed the number written on Tud's forehead, "45". He realized that he was a god's follower, a person who devoted his life to a certain god.