Arthur stood there for a moment, taking everything in, trying to wrap his head around it. He was truly speechless. Divinity Online had finally shown him a very ugly side to the Divine Realm. This world that looked heavenly on the outside hid such a horrifying truth in its darkness.
The fact that this world looked that beautiful and yet had these extremely horrifying sights felt quite ironic. However, at the same time, Arthur quickly understood that all of this was not really something new.
Even in the real world, such an ugly side existed and was very much prominent everywhere. The Divine Realm simply took that and amplified it to another degree and then served it in the form of a game.
Reaching that realization, Arthur shook his head as he tried to regain his composure. ‘This… This is evil… This is the work of a devil…’
Arthur pursed his lips as he started walking again. Now, he was even more angry than before. He realized that he wasn’t dealing with a mere criminal but a truly twisted person. He was even more determined to find Sora, Finlay, and Serko.
‘If you do anything to them… Anything… I will make you taste hell.’ He tightened his fists as he looked through the cells, one by one, calling for his friends’ names while ignoring the howls of agony coming from the people around him.
He checked every single cell, calling for his friends in hopes of hearing their voices. At this point, Arthur desperately wished that they were at least alive. All his confidence that they might be well was slowly vanishing with each passing second.
From wishing to find them in a good state, to wishing to just find them alive, Arthur hurried his steps even more.
‘Please…’ His face was sweating. ‘Not here. Not here either! Where are they?!’
His eyes wandered everywhere and his senses frantically scanned the area again and again. It was extremely hard to find three people amongst potentially more than a hundred prisoners inside this place.
Even as messages were ringing in his head, Arthur was so focused on his task that he didn’t bother checking them.
Eventually, Arthur arrived at the last cell. His heart was beating wildly, almost too quickly. He heaved up and down audibly as he stepped forward and peeked inside. There, he saw her. In a small, dark corner of the empty cell, he saw a small silhouette sitting silently with their arms wrapped around their legs.
Arthur’s eyes slowly widened as he instantly recognized that person. “Sora!” He exclaimed as hope flashed in his eyes. Then, without hesitation, he charged his hand with mana before he delivered a powerful strike to the door.
However, the punch wasn’t strong enough to break it with ease.
“Wait there, Sora! I’m about to get you out!” He exclaimed as he rained down punches on the metal door. Each punch was stronger and more devastating than the last tone. With all the excitement and adrenaline, he didn’t care about the fact that his hand might start bleeding.
But, those punches also dealt enormous damage to the door’s lock, breaking it gradually till eventually.
*Snap*
He heard the crisp crack as the door finally pushed wide open. Arthur quickly rushed inside and approached Sora as he crouched down. The girl didn’t seem to have heard him at all. However, Arthur could feel her weak aura from a distance which put him at ease. She was alive!
However, upon seeing the girl’s condition from up close, his smile vanished and was replaced with a deep frown. Her small body was completely bloodied and tattered with numerous injuries covering her. She looked as if she was on the brink of death.
Arthur’s heart twisted with pain at such a horrible sight. The poor girl didn’t deserve any of that at all.
“Sora! Sora! Can you hear me?!” He shook her gently.
“Hnng…” The girl groaned slightly as she lifted her head up and opened her eyes slowly. She seemed completely out of it as if she had been in a deep slumber.
She stared at Arthur, unable to recognize him for a few seconds. However, once it settled in her mind.
“… A-Arthur?” She muttered under her breath.
“Yes, it’s me. I’m sorry for being late, I will get you out of here.”
“… Arthur…”
Hearing his voice, the girl seemingly was shaken out of the drunk state she was in. “Arthur…”
Then, tears slowly rolled out of her eyes. “Arthur…” She stretched her hand forward and grabbed into his clothes. “Arthur…”
She muttered his name as if it was the only word she knew. Each time she said it, Arthur could feel the immense pain, agony, and fear she had gone through. It might’ve been only a few hours for Arthur, but it was hell all over again for Sora. She had experienced everything she thought she had escaped all over again.
The boy didn’t know what to say as he simply stared at her. He truly had nothing to say at that moment. Instead, he simply scooped her up and hugged her gently.
“I’m sorry… I’m really sorry…” He apologized. “I’m sorry for being late. I’m sorry for leaving these bastards to get you again. I have promised to keep you safe with us. But…”
Arthur truly felt immense guilt for not being able to be there and help the girl. It might’ve been something completely out of his control. But, that by no means excused him. He had broken his promise mere hours after making it. Arthur felt as guilty as the bastards that did that to her if not more.
“No…” The girl wept in his arms. “No… You did… nothing wrong… They…”
“I have truly been a horrible friend.” He replied with a pained look filled with anger.
“No… Thank you… For saving me… But… But…”
“But what?” Arthur felt as if Sora was trying to say something to him amidst her sobs.
“They… They took Finlay and Serko!”
“…” The boy’s eyes widened as he realized what she meant. The two dwarves were not inside the cell. He was about to ask her if she had seen them, but the information came sooner. “Where? Where did they take them?”
“That man… I heard them… He wants to bring them back… Where they came from!”
“Who is he?”
At that moment, Arthur received a new notification added to the pile of unread messages he ignored so far. However, this time, Arthur opened the message as he realized that his team was trying to contact him.
However, the very first thing he saw was.
Isla: “Arthur! Where are you?! If you can hear me! Leave the building now! The place is being surrounded by guards! I’m coming toward you!”
He read the urgent message from Isla and immediately, a cold feeling washed over his heart.
‘Shit! They already realized the plan!’ He clenched his teeth as he looked at Sora.
“We need to get out of here! I will fetch Finlay and Serko wherever they are!” Picking up Sora, he put her on his shoulder. “Grab on tight! I’m going to make a run for it.”
Making Sora wrap her arms around his neck, he finally took off out of the cell, heading toward the exit.
However, he suddenly stopped again.
A//N: Don’t forget to give the book some golden tickets for good luck! :3