That scream reverberated over and over like a cacophony of terrible ghosts inside of Mitch’s head. He was growing faint as his heart failed him. The jolting sense of renewed energy instilled inside of his shallow, but now deep-breathing gasps gave him new resolve in a pit of despair. He motioned to open his jaw but was stricken with waves of fear, but he knew that he had to act quickly, the screams of Erick and his twisting face were too much to bear.

“Now it’s time to break the other hand.” General Hickory walked over to Erick’s other side, revealing Erick’s mangled hand was splintered with blood and bone. His eyes rolled into the back of his head as he nearly passed out from the pain.

“What’s it going to be Aldweck? We made it to five. Are you proud now? Are you happy that I’ve had to resort to this level of violence? If you had told me everything, this would not be an issue, now would it?”

A moment of silence passed as General Hickory made passionate eye contact with Aldweck. Both of their chests rising from the adrenaline.

“I see. You intend to let him die then…” General Hickory turned around and slowly raised the hammer.

“No! Wait!” Aldweck buckled against the chair and let out a death scream that resounded throughout the room. “I’ll tell you everything. Just don’t hurt him any more than you already have.”

“Why should I believe you’ll tell the truth?”

“This isn’t some game! Give me a chance, if you don’t hear me out then you’ll torture someone for no reason. Do you really want that?”

“My Lordship is in danger here. I wouldn’t regret killing both of you if it meant protecting him!”

“Then kill us! See that nothing has changed and your actions were meaningless because you refused to listen!”

General Hickory turned around and grabbed Aldweck’s low-hanging head by his hair to force eye contact with him.

“Tell me everything Aldweck, all of this can end here. So tell me, what the hell did you do it for? I already know the answer, you just have to speak it.”

Aldweck took a deep breath, “I conspired against Lord Warner…”

“We know. Tell me why!” He slapped Aldweck, leaving a harsh red mark across his face before snatching him up by the hair again.

“I was...ordered to…”

“Who ordered you!? Speak up so I can hear you.” He pulled him higher up.

“K-King...The King did. He knew that Lord Warner was going to align with the Harbrights so he assigned me to end the Lord of Cariequey once and for all.”

“You’re lying once again!” He rose to full height and picked up the hammer, slamming it down on Erick’s other hand. He let out a yelp as his body straightened out against the pain. The general’s movements were flush and without hesitation.

“I’m not lying! Stop hurting him!” Aldweck was making the straps around him bend and complain in a noisy fashion. His teeth drew blood from his mouth as his eyes were locked onto the general.

General Hickory paused as if it took a minute to register, “How did you know he was going to align with the Harbrights? I wasn't even aware of this information and I’m one of his top brass!”

Hickory cupped his neck and pushed him back against the chair before looking deeply into his eyes.

“Are you feeding me bullshit right now? Do you expect me to believe this poorly fabricated tale? Well, here’s the truth. I’m not buying it Aldweck. Which means our business with the boy isn’t finished either is it?”

“No! Don’t touch him, you bastard!” Aldweck struggled against his choking hand and snapped his teeth at the general.

“Don’t worry. A liar such as yourself doesn’t have to be concerned with others. You’re too preoccupied with your true motives. It’s a shame really.” General Hickory walked over to a hot burning furnace and grabbed out a metal pike. The end of the metal rod was hot and shaped into an insignia.

“I will mark this boy as property of Cariquey and he will serve as a slave for the rest of his days. This is his fate because you decided to defend the truth of the matter.”

He ripped Erick’s shirt down and pushed the hot metal into his chest, jolting him awake into a screaming banshee. He shook and tumbled in his restraints as Aldweck screamed at the top of his lungs for Hickory to stop this madness.

Amidst all this, two men in black buccaneer hats and rose-colored uniforms burst through the door and grabbed hold of General Hickory.

“What the hell are you doing?! I’m busy trying to get information can’t you see?” He pushed them off himself, “I told you not to disturb me unless it was urgent.”

“General! Apologies, but this matter is of extreme urgency!”

“And what could that be?”

“Master Jasper has reported a huge water leak at the hull of the ship! He believes we’ve hit an iceberg and without Lord Warner being conscious the hole hasn’t been sealed with magic!”

“How bad is the hole? I can still patch it with my magic.” He turned around and put the stake back into the furnace before looking back at the two guards who were as pale as death. They gulped before rising to speak.

“S-Sir, Master Jasper says that the ship will sink. We’re taking on many gallons of water as we speak. It’s best to prepare for evacuation.”

“W-What?! Prepare the emergency ship for Lord Warner and our esteemed guests. We should have plenty of room for everyone aboard the ship to safely depart. Let us do this at once!”

He motioned with his hand.

“Yes sir!” They saluted before sloppily rushing out the door and into the hallway, followed by the General who had left Erick and Aldweck strapped into the chairs.

Mitch was cursing himself silly inside. He buckled against the restraints as Erick regained his strength from being burnt. His skin was slick with sweat and his breathing unsteady.

“Hey, hey! This isn’t fucking 1912. Let me out of here before I lose my god damn shit!”

Erick was in too much pain to give any attention to his master's weird dialect and instead focused on healing his broken fist. It slowly regenerated because of his reduced magic capacity in the room.

Mitch felt hopeless. He was going to drown in a torture chair. He slid deeper into the chair and sighed, trying to think of all the possibilities. If he died would he come back to life in his old world? That sounded nice, but the proposition of death wasn’t an easy pill to swallow. His anxiety was through the roof.

He felt terrible about what had happened to Erick. If only he were actually Aldweck he could have put a stop to this madness. He was an embarrassment and he had let Erick down. Mitch was afraid of how Erick might feel about Aldweck if they ever got out of the ship. Maybe it was better to drown and cleanse oneself, he thought silently.

It was at that moment that a red-headed boy busted through the door with a flurry of anxiety on his face.

“Oh man, oh man! I can’t believe I just did that.”

He stumbled and grabbed onto Aldweck’s chair and started undoing the straps. “Don’t worry Mr. Aldweck, I’m getting you out of here.”

“W-Who are you!?” Aldweck asked.

“I’m nobody sir, I’m a simple servant of Duke Fourgon. He told me to come and save you because the ship was sinking!”

“And how did you know where to find us?” Aldweck replied.

“News of what you did has spread all across the ship. You don’t have to explain yourself, sir, I’m only here to help on behalf of Duke Fourgon’s orders. Anyways, come with me.” The boy started to turn toward the door.

“Wait, help him too. I’m not leaving without him.” Aldweck pointed at Erick who was sitting there helplessly.

“Yes sir, I will undo his shackles as well. We must hurry, the clock is ticking.” Ronnie scrambled back to undo Erick’s shackles, a trickle of sweat dripping off his chin.

Erick was released and he fell to his knees to catch his breath before healing the rest of his hand. He looked up with a newfound resolution at Aldweck before turning to the red-haired boy.

“What’s your name kid?” Erick asked, though Mitch found it weird for Erick to call the boy kid seeing as they were similar ages. He didn’t care enough to worry about it.

“I’m Ronnie. Ronnie Baggins. Let’s go before the guards catch up with us. I had to dodge like four squads of those funny hat guys to even get here.”

Ronnie dashed through the metal door and into the luxurious cruise hallway. Soldiers were shouting and running down the corridor with their weapons. Some of them were motioning for the guests to move in an orderly line. Some of the ladies had hiked up their dresses and sped down past Ronnie and the others.

Aldweck looked at Ronnie, “What’s the best course of action? If they see Erick or I, they will recognize us with little struggle.”

“Let’s head in the direction everyone is running from. We’re less likely to get caught and we might find a way up before the whole damn ship sinks into the ocean.”

Erick nodded, “Sounds like a plan. Let’s head through the main hall and up the stairs toward the rooming. I’m sure we can find a way up to the top from there.”

Mitch followed the two boys who ran with vigor in their step. The Mariot Cruise was beginning to tilt just a hair slightly in their favor as fewer and fewer people were seen the further they went. It was clear that the area had been almost completely evacuated already, which was a relieving sight but left worry in Mitch’s heart.

A surge of water came through the hallway and was pouring in when a group of soldiers raised their blades at the group.

“Stop right there! You aren’t permitted to leave--”

They were swept away by the large swaths of water that was filling the room. One of them clung to a column while the other was washed away as his neck snapped under the raging waves. Aldweck gritted his teeth, narrowly dodging the wave as they lept up onto the staircase.

They made their way to the top of the stairs and were left at a dead end. No one was in sight, but in one of the rooms, Erick could hear the sound of a crying baby as the ship took on more water.

“There’s a child still here! We have to take them.” Erick said.

Ronnie looked at Erick and nodded, “Fine with me.”

Aldweck’s heart sank as the water was creeping up the steps. The ship was finally starting to submerge from the leak. He gritted his teeth and busted through the door to find a blonde woman holding her baby in her arms, crying in distress. Mascara ran down her cheeks as she looked at the three men who entered her room.

“Come on miss, we’re taking you up!” Erick reached his hand out to her and the child.

“I--I can’t.” The lady looked down at her broken and mangled foot.

“I broke it trying to fight the crowd to get to Sylvia.” She looked at her baby and held her tightly to her chest as Sylvia cried.

“Please take her with you. I don’t want to be a burden, but please save my child.”

“That’s enough wasting time. Erick take the child.”

“But master!”

“Take the child, Erick!”

Erick looked at Aldweck in disbelief at his readiness to abandon the woman. He grabbed Sylvia with reluctance and looked at the woman who had grimly accepted her fate.

Just as Erick was about to burst into tears, Aldweck scooped up the woman and threw her over his back. He gritted his teeth and looked at Erick with resolute eyes, “You think too little of me lately, let’s get a grip and a move on. Lead the way Ronnie.”

Ronnie nodded and headed out through the door. They were able to scour along the upper stairs until they met the same dead end. Aldweck looked around while Erick held Sylvia right behind him.

A group of soldiers blocked their path and raised their blades. “Halt! Knight Aldweck, you are under suspicion of conspiring against our lord. We will not let you pass!” Their voices were resolute, but the rising waters made them lose their edge.

“What’s your name miss?” Erick asked the woman who was watching Sylvia earnestly.

“You can call me Yara if we can make it out of this mess.”

“You know you want to let us through. You stay here and keep us here then you get to drown as well. Do you want to feel your life give out as you struggle for your last breath? While you suffocate in the dark and cold depths of these waters? Want to see your families again? Don’t tell me you don’t?” Aldweck said.

The soldiers looked at them before looking at each other and then looking down at the water that was now washing their shoes. The sound of the creaking boat and screaming waters made them tremble.

“Let’s get out of here!” The first one caved, and then two more. They all eventually fled up a ladder. As soon as Aldweck put his hand on the ladder, they yanked it up and took it from them.

“Shit!” Aldweck fell back, holding Yara close to him so she didn’t get hurt.

“A-Are you okay?” Yara sounded apologetic.

“Fine, no need for you to worry.”

“Hey, I hate to interrupt but I think I found our ticket out.” Ronnie pointed at the glass that led out to the ocean.

“If we can break through this glass we can walk the edge and find a ladder or rope that leads up. Once we’re up, Duke Fourgon will be waiting for us.”

“It’s up to you Ronnie. We’ve got our hands full as it is.” Aldweck managed to say, his breathing becoming unsteady. Mitch cursed his mental strength for being so low, wasn’t Aldweck’s body considered to be extremely fit? He felt healthier, but he guessed carrying anyone for an extended period of time must be taxing regardless of how fit one is.

Ronnie groaned, “I hate breaking glass you know, I have kind of a bad experience with it.”

“Yeah, you can tell us about it after you break the glass. How about that?” Aldweck said.

“Fair enough.” Ronnie lit a fireball in his hand and pressed it against the glass until it cracked and shattered into pieces.

“Let’s go. We’re sure to find a rope or ladder.”

They walked through and were on the ledge of the sinking Mariot. Aldweck looked up and saw a massive rope dangling down from the top, but it was an impossible climb even for himself. Let alone, a woman on his back.

He gulped, as he stared into the reverse abyss. “So…now what?” Aldweck said.