21. Reaghan

The Astur courtyard bustled with life, a chaotic symphony of supernatural energy. People of every race, their presence an unspoken agreement to set aside differences, at least for a fleeting moment. Stalls adorned with mystical trinkets and artifacts lined the pathway.

As I navigated through the market, the air was thick with scents of enchanting herbs, exotic spices, and the occasional whiff of incense. Ryatt stood tall amidst the vibrant chaos, his demeanor commanding respect. Red eyes surveyed the surroundings with a predator"s attention. His tall frame and predatory grace marked him as a formidable presence, a fact not lost on the other supernaturals who respectfully made way for him.

Approaching him, I noted the distinct air of elegance that clung to him. "Ryatt," I greeted, the tension from our recent council meeting still lingering in the air between us.

"Reaghan," he responded, a nod of acknowledgment as he continued to survey the market. "I"m glad you caught me here. I'd love to hear your thoughts on the little revelation of last night,"

I matched his pace, my gaze scanning the market as we strolled. "I'm not sure I would call it little. Significant and worrisome, more like it."

Ryatt"s eyes narrowed slightly; his attention focused. "Dark magic is a force to be reckoned with, and its resurgence is concerning."

I sighed, the weight of the matter settling on my shoulders. "Remina"s revelation could throw Astur into even more chaos. Dark magic is feared for a reason, especially after the Dark Fae"s banishment. We can"t ignore the potential repercussions of her powers."

Ryatt"s gaze remained steady, his expression unreadable. "Do you think she can be trusted? To wield such power? She wasn't very forthcoming yesterday other than to offer us the bare minimum of information. Where did she come from? Are there others that were missed? We assumed the Dark Mages were all gone."

I pondered his question, the marketplace bustling around us. "Trust is a delicate matter, especially now. Remina has been a valuable asset so far, but she plays her cards close to the chest. It would be naive to see her as anything other than a threat."

Ryatt"s jaw tightened, his unease apparent. "I agree, but if we can use her to find our missing then I think we need to do so. We use her to our advantage and then once we have everyone home and safe, we send her on her way."

I nodded in agreement, acknowledging the truth in his words. "We tread carefully, Ryatt. We must ensure that Remina"s powers don"t ignite a blaze that consumes us all."

"Agreed," he replied, eyes still fixed on the crystals. "We"ve got a lead on the missing supes. Remina plans to interrogate for more information today."

I absorbed his words, the importance of the situation settling like a heavy cloak around us. "Interrogate? What kind of lead do we have?"

Ryatt turned to face me, his expression hard to read. "She's interrogating the human witches we came across yesterday. They"re in holding now, awaiting questioning. She believes they have information about the disappearances of supernatural beings. They were accessing powers I had assumed only dark mages or fae possessed."

The realization of Remina utilizing her dark magic for interrogation both intrigued and unnerved me. "I assume she used her powers yesterday and you forced her confession? What were her powers like?" I inquired; curiosity laced with a subtle hint of concern.

Ryatt"s eyes flickered, recounting the events of the previous day. "She summoned shadows and darkness with the flick of her wrist. It was a display of powerful magic; one I haven"t seen in years. She was efficient and ruthless."

The vivid imagery of Remina harnessing the shadows resonated within my mind.

"I"ll catch up with her and oversee the interrogations," I declared, a sense of responsibility urging me to keep an eye on her. The Astur courtyard, with its kaleidoscope of supernatural scents and mystical wares, bustled behind us as we spoke.

Ryatt nodded in agreement, acknowledging the need to monitor the witch. "Be cautious, Reaghan. This situation is delicate, and Remina is prickly at best."

I nodded in acknowledgment and left Ryatt to his own devices. It was time to find the Spitfire. My senses, honed by years of supernatural existence, absorbed the subtle vibrations of the courtyard, each step carrying me further away from the life of the market.

Failing to locate Remina in the crown, I decided to start with the most obvious place. Ryatt had said she would be interrogating the witches today. The ambient light shifted as I approached the holding cells, the transition from the vibrant courtyard to the subdued corridor accentuating the grim reality of the situation. The echo of my footsteps reverberated against the stone walls, underscoring the anticipation that lay ahead.

As I reached the holding cells, the air took on a different quality—an amalgamation of musty confinement and residual magic. The scent of damp stone permeated the atmosphere, a stark difference from the fragrant chaos of the courtyard market. The muted lighting flickered.

The holding cells loomed ahead; their entrance was guarded by a formidable enchantment. I sensed a palpable shift in the air as I approached. I entered through the enchantment, The spell automatically recognized my council status, and I headed down the corridor.

The holding cells came into view, their sturdy bars reaching from floor to ceiling. A few sparse furnishings, bolted securely to the floor, provided minimal comfort. My heightened senses caught the faint murmur of hushed voices emanating from within. Remina had commenced the interrogation.

As I entered the last cell at the end of the chamber, the scene unfolded before me. Remina, shrouded in shadows, stood facing the human witches. Her back was turned to me as she confronted them, her silhouette etched against the dim light. The room seemed to hold its breath. The witches, ensnared within the confines of the cell, shifted uncomfortably under Remina"s penetrating gaze.

The holding cells exuded a sense of stifled anticipation as I observed the little Spitfire. The air within the confined space felt constricting, and the lighting cast elongated shadows across the damp stone walls.

Remina, in her leathers with curves to die for, had a steely resolve in her eyes as she began her interrogation. It was a curious sight—a dark mage relying on mundane techniques to extract information. She would have been more than capable of using her magic to extract it in more painful ways.

"As I"m sure you"re aware," Remina began, her voice cutting through the silence like a well-sharpened blade, "we have ways of making people talk. Now, you can choose to make this easier for yourselves, or we can do it the hard way. Your call."

The witches, their faces etched with trepidation, exchanged uneasy glances. Remina"s questions were precise, and each word was carefully chosen to elicit the desired response. "Start talking. Who"s behind the disappearances of supernatural beings in Astur? Is it just this compound or all of Lysoria?"

One of the witches, a defiant smirk playing on her lips, replied, "You think a few chains and a dark room will make us spill our secrets? You"re in for a disappointment, lady."

Remina"s eyes narrowed, her patience unwavering. "We can do this dance all night, but eventually, you"ll tell us what we need to know. Might as well save yourselves some trouble."

The room seemed to contract with each inquiry, the echoes of her questions bouncing off the cold walls. The human witches, ensnared in the gravitational pull of Remina"s determination, shifted uncomfortably in their shackles. The only sounds that permeated the chamber were the measured cadence of Remina"s inquiries and the subtle shuffling of the imprisoned witches.

"Where are they? Give me a name, a location, anything," Remina pressed, her eyes gleaming with an intensity that mirrored the latent power within her.

Another witch, her resolve faltering, muttered, "We don"t know where they are. We were just following orders. We didn"t sign up for anything like this."

"Who"s behind the disappearances? Who is pulling the strings?" As Remina posed her pointed question, the atmosphere shifted. A shadowy wisp, born from the very essence of dark magic, coiled upward from the stone floor, transforming into an ominous serpent. The serpentine entity, a manifestation of dark magic, encircled the human witches. As soon as it touched them, they convulsed in spasms of agony.

I emerged from the shadows; my voice raised in a frantic warning. "Remina, stop! What are you doing?"

She spun toward me, her eyes wide with shock, and vehemently denied responsibility. "It"s not me! I"m not doing this!"

The room pulsated with dark energy as I stepped forward, my gaze locked on the writhing witches ensnared by the dark serpent"s grip. Remina, too, took a defensive stance, her magic flaring to life in a desperate attempt to counter the encroaching spell.

The metallic tang of fear and desperation filled the cell. Despite Remina"s efforts to counteract the dark magic, the smokey snake tightened its grip on the human witches. The room reverberated with their agonized cries. I could feel the temperature dropping. Remina"s voice rose above the screams of the witches.

"I can"t stop it!" she yelled; frustration etched across her features. Her dark magic clashed with the serpent. The walls of the holding cells seemed to close in as the human witches" convulsions reached a fever pitch, their cries echoing through the prison.

In a desperate bid to thwart the encroaching darkness, I summoned my magical abilities, a surge of energy that radiated from my core. But it was too late. The spell achieved its purpose. The convulsions ceased, leaving a chilling stillness in their wake. The human witches were left slumped in their chairs. Dead.

Remina, her eyes reflecting her disbelief, lowered her outstretched hands. The dark serpent, having accomplished its task, dissipated.

I turned to her; my voice edged with urgency. "What the fuck was that?" My gaze bore into hers, searching for answers within the depths of her troubled lilac eyes.

She exhaled, her breath shaky with a mixture of adrenaline and disbelief. "Someone had laid a dormant spell to take their lives if they revealed information. The spell had been reinforced several times so there was nothing I could do in time to save them."

"Who the hell can perform spells like that?" I demanded, my voice echoing off the cold stone walls.

Remina held my eyes, her posture rigid. "Only a Dark Mage."

A shiver traced its way down my spine. More Dark Mages? Fucking hell. We had believed that Remina was the last of her kind. The revelation sent ripples through the carefully constructed framework of our understanding, leaving only uncertainty in its wake. I ran a hand through my hair, the strands coarse beneath my touch.

"How can there be other Dark Mages?" I asked, my disbelief evident. "We thought you were the last one."

Remina"s eyes betrayed a flicker of vulnerability, a hint of fear that she quickly masked. "I don"t know how this is possible. I thought I was the only one left."

As I observed Remina, her silhouette framed by the cold, muted light of the holding cells, a sense of foreboding settled over me. The air seemed to thicken, and I couldn"t shake the feeling that the game had evolved into something far more complex.

Remina"s gaze remained fixed on the floor, her mind undoubtedly racing to make sense of the newest revelation.

"We need to figure out who the fuck these other dark mages are and what they want," I declared, my tone resolute despite the unsettling uncertainty that now surrounded us.

Remina nodded, her expression grave. "I agree. But we have to be careful. We don"t know what we"re dealing with."

The revelation of other Dark Mages, a once-thought-extinct lineage, introduced a complex layer to our investigation. The room, with its stone walls and iron bars, seemed to close in as the revelation pressed upon us.

The subtle sounds of the supernatural world outside filtered through the thick walls, a stark reminder that while the holding cells remained isolated, the challenges we faced extended far beyond their confines.