The Hotel

"The Hotel" is a BOTGD 2 thread written on May 30, 2019. 
=== CONTENT WARNING: Blood/gore, torture, & body horror. Read at your own risk. ===
== Summary ==
== Full Text ==
=== Part 1 ===
Rhenco: The rag Rhenco placed over Sven’s mouth had made the boy’s world spin. After that, all he remembered was flashes of blurry imagery, snippets of sound, and smells.
He smelled must…
Blood…
Rot…
Dust…
Two blurry figures stood over him, talking to one another.
“So what do you want with this young thing?”
“I haven’t made up my mind…”
“Do you at least know if you’ll need me for it? You have plenty of other patients lined up for me.”
“………”
“Um…look I’ll just check in later.”
Sven could hear the creek of wood.
The sound of footsteps.
The sound of scratching.
And screams…
His eyes flew open. He was alone in a dim room, bound to a bed frame. A dirty, stained cloth hung like a curtain, separating him from another figure that lay on the other side, only its silloute visible. On the wall past the length of the bed, there was a door that likely led to a hallway, and off to the side, a door that was cracked open enough to reveal a bathroom.
Sven Felman: The Heir of Haligan Island looked around as he sat up slowly. He was scared…confused…all of the above.
“Where the Hel am I?” he asked himself even though there was no point since he seemed to be alone. “Dags, Kari…if this is some kind of joke, it’s not funny!”
Rhenco: A rattled gasp sounded from behind the curtain, and then a harsh ‘shhhh!’
“Dont speak…dont speak…dont speak…” The wavering voice said. “You just got here…no…no no you sound young…you have to get out of here…”
Sven Felman: Sven gasped and turned around facing the curtain stepping away. “Okay…you’re definitely not either of my sisters,” he said. “W-Why do I have to get out of here? Can you help me? I don’t know where I am!”
Rhenco: Sven felt himself stumble, and saw the rope that tied his feet to his bed, and saw that there was a coil around his hands as well.
“You got kidnapped boy…none of us know where we are. But you need to get out…I’ve never been in such an awful place…but I can hear the screams. They’re…so…loud…I know I’m getting lucky…I…I’m lucky! Im lucky compared to what goes on over my head!” The man took another gasp and hushed his voice.
“Quiet…quiet….quiet.. ”
Sven Felman: Before Sven could even question the ropes that binded him, he crouched down by the curtain where the man suddenly shushed him.
“Look, buddy,” Sven whispered to the figure. “My mother is a Chief, so if we can work together and get each other out of…whatever this is…I will make sure you are rewarded for it. Heck you can come live on our island.”
Rhenco: The man gave a long, strained groan. “Cheifs…kings…mage heads…warlords…it only makes it worse. No…its too late for me boy. Just run….”
Sven Felman: “B-But how?” Sven whispered. “I’m a little tied up here.” He began surveying the room again trying to find something to cut his ropes with.
Rhenco: There wasnt much in the room, but he did see a raggid notch in the wood of the bed frame.
“Then we’ll die… then we’ll die… if we’re lucky…. we’ll die next time…”
Sven Felman: “Sorry, buddy,” Sven said as he tiptoed over to the bed frame eying the ragged notch, “but I’m only 17. I’m not planning on dying just yet. I have a family to get home to.” It wasn’t a knife or Pyro’s teeth…or even Shadow’s teeth, but it was something. “Plus, I want to see my parents and Shadow kick this Rhenco guy’s ass.”
He rubbed the ropes up against the notch watching as the wood slowly cut through. He smiled to himself and kept going trying his best not to make too much noise. 
Rhenco: The man on the other side of the curtain began to shake. “That’s the name…that’s the name…he never stays away, he always comes back, even when you think hes gone for good!” 
The man jerked, beginning to thrash against his restraints. “I can hear him now! His feet are on the stairs! Hes coming now, Rhenco! Rhenco! Rehencooooaaaaarrgh! Noooo!”
By now the bed was practically bouncing on the wooden floors as the man howled. And that’s when Sven heard the footsteps…coming towards the room.
Sven Felman: The Heir of Haligan Island had no time to question the curtain man’s outburst before he heard the footsteps, and his heart began to pound. There was no telling what this man was going to do to him…now that he was alone…without his parents and dragon.
However, determination came flying back into his body as he continued to cut his ropes. He was going to fight his way out of here. He was Sven Felman…son of Chief Grey and Brandt Felman…Heir of Haligan Island. He was not going down without a fight. 
Rhenco: The ropes on his hands snapped loose, allowing him to untie his feet. 
The footsteps where getting closer to the door. The man was still howling.
He only had a few seconds to weigh his options, and act.
Sven Felman: “What do I do?” he thought to himself as he stood up free from his restraints. “What do I do? What would Mom do? What would Dad do?”
Should he take the man’s advice and run for it? But…what if Rhenco was out there like he said? Could he fight him off? Or should he just run? He looked down and saw that he was in his night clothes…no weapon…dammit! No…he couldn’t be afraid! If he was going to be Chief someday after Grey, then he needed to step up and face this man and try to escape. 
He took a deep breath remembering his mother’s soft voice telling him. “Those who are gone…are never really gone, sweetheart. They are with us…even if we can’t see them.”
 He thought about three people, who he knew would be looking out for him…right now. “Grandpa Sven…Uncle Greg…Uncle King Haddock…” he whispered to himself, “if any of you can hear me right now…please…don’t let me die yet, and if you can help my mom and dad get here, that would be great too.”
With that prayer in mind…he opened the door and ran out into the hall. 
Rhenco: The door hit Rhenco’s arm as Sven sped past. 
“Hello…” He crooned as if he didnt even notice the hit, and Sven could hear the brisk steps behind him as Rhenco began to walk after him.
Sven Felman: Sven refused to look at the man as he continued to run down the hall. He had to keep going! He had to find a way out of…wherever he was. He had to get home…to his mom…dad…his sisters…his dragon! He was not going to give up.
He looked at the various doors as he ran past them. One of these had to be a way out! But which one?
Rhenco: As he ran he could see he was on a upper balcony of a hotel like building of multiple stories. Doors lined the wall he ran past, eventually he rounded a corner, and stumbled into a door that had been left cracked open.
Inside were a series of bookshelves sectioning off the room into narrow alleyways. Bottles, books and cloth wrapped objects lined the shelving.
Sven Felman: Looks like a library, he thought to himself as he peeked through the door. He breathed quickly trying to figure out what to do: keep running or go into the library. Then an idea came to him. If this was a library, chances were that there was a map or blueprints of this…place. Perhaps, he could find a way out. There were maps and such in Haligan Island’s library. Why would this be any different?
The Heir of Haligan Island took a deep breath and quickly ducked into the library. 
Rhenco: Rhenco walked into the room behind him, and peered at him through a slot in one of the bookshelves. “Where are you going pet?” He asked cooly, beginning to work his way around towards him. 
Sven Felman: “I’m not your pet!” Sven shouted as he began to try to push the bookshelf down knocking some books off the shelves. “What do you want from me?! What did I ever do to you?!” 
Rhenco: “Oh but you are…” Rhenco smiled. “And I just want you…in any, way, I, can…” 
Rhenco then grabbed at the shelf to stabilize it, and then staggered when the boy nearly pushed it over. Several bottles of potent smelling alcohol fell on and around Rhenco’s head, soaking him and covering him in cuts.
The man didnt make a sound but the liquid and hits momentarily blinded him and he faltered in his step.
Sven Felman: “Last I checked,” Sven began smirking as he heard the objects falling on his captor, “I’m not. I’ve never met you before in my life until now. And you’re pretty ballsy going against someone like my Mom, who,” he ran behind the next shelf looking at the books, “is a Chief and was second-in-command to King Haddock. Kidnapping me is probably the biggest mistake you’ve made.”
Rhenco: Rhenco wiped the liquid from his eyes, and blinked a few times. He was surprised to see that the boy wasnt trying to hide. Of course, this almost meant he could find something he wasnt supposed to. That said thing, turned out to be a vial of vibrant red liquid, tucked between two books.
Rhenco began to walk towards him again. “Old hat…you aren’t the first child of a leader I’ve taken.”
=== Part 2 ===
Sven Felman: That made Sven freeze as he ducked into a corner hoping to hide.
“He’s done this before…?” he thought.  
He wasn’t sure what section he was in; the shelves weren’t marked as clearly as it was in the library back home.
Home… The Heir wasn’t sure how long he had been trapped in this place, but he already missed it. Their little island…his mom…his dad…his sisters…his aunts…his uncle…his cousins. He ached for them, especially his parents and sisters. His mom’s soft voice whenever she comforted him…the roughhousing he and his dad did. 
No…he shook his head. He couldn’t give up yet, he was just about to try to find another place to hide…until he felt something underneath his hand. A small vile…tucked between two books…
“What the-” he asked aloud.
Rhenco: Rhenco was suddenly leering over him.
“I wouldn’t touch that if I were you…” He chided, his hand reaching down towards him.
Sven Felman: “Oh yeah?” Sven chided in return as he quickly grabbed the vial. Then before Rhenco could respond, Sven immediately threw his body…into Rhenco’s stomach pushing the man to the floor. As soon as Rhenco was on the floor, Sven held the vial tight and ran off. 
Rhenco: Sven made it out of the library, and eventually found a stairwell. Every window he saw was boarded up or strung with razor wire. But through the cracks, he could see that the sun was setting. Soon everything would be dark in this horrid place. Everything on this floor was just dead end rooms. The stairs were the only place to go. But whether to go up or down had yet to be determined.
Sven Felman: The Heir of Haligan Island breathed heavily as he reached the staircase. Where could he go? Up or down? Down seemed like the most realistic option. Rhenco probably kept him on a high floor to keep him from escaping…unless it was some kind of trick into trapping him in another room. There was no room for error on this. There was no way he would be able to go back the other way if he messed up.
“What do I do?” he asked aloud. His heart began to pound yet again. “What would Mom do?”
Trust your gut… Grey’s voice echoed in his head.
Sven took a deep breath and placed his foot on the first step, and then on the next…to go down. 
Rhenco: “Oh be careful little eyes what you see…” 
“Oh be careful little eyes what you see…”
“For the goddess up above she is looking down in love so be careful little eyes what you see…”
Rhenco’s voice echoed in Sven’s ears as he crept down the stairs. Halfway down he realized he had also decided to go down the stairs. His footsteps were getting closer and Sven had to cling to the stairwell wall to keep from being seen. He knew he wasnt all the way to the ground floor yet. But Rhenco was going to catch up.
Sven knew he would either have to make a run for it, or go into one of the upper level doors to find another place to hide.
Sven Felman: Shivers ran down his spine as he listened to the song Rhenco sang, and the pounding of his heart grew louder in his chest. At least it felt like it was.
Gods…I wish you and Dad were here, Mom, he thought to himself. He hated admitting that to himself. It made him feel like a little kid again, and not in a good way. He clutched his hands into fists struggling to think of the possibilities, and that was when he felt the vial again.
He stared at it. Rhenco didn’t want him to touch this…but why? He could hear Rhenco’s steps coming toward him. There was no time to get a head start. He had to hide again, so he quickly ran back up and into the upper level door above him and ran inside. 
Rhenco: “Oh be careful little hands what you touch…”
 “Oh be careful little hands what you touch…“
“For the goddess up above she is looking down in love so be careful little hands who you touch…”
The sun dipped below the distance hillside, and the building was plunged into darkness. But Rhenco’s foot steps, mercifully, walked past the door Sven has slipped into, and continued down the stairs.
Sven Felman: Sven had no clue as to the sun setting other than the hallways suddenly growing dark, and he breathed a small sigh of relief when he heard Rhenco walking past the door. However, he knew it wasn’t going to last long. If Rhenco has done what he’s been doing to him to others, then he knew what he was doing, and he was on a severe time constraint. It wouldn’t be long before Rhenco realized he wasn’t going downstairs and his away.
The Heir eyed the vial again trying to figure out exactly why Rhenco didn’t want him to touch it. Perhaps, it was some kind of weakness…or poison. Although, it didn’t look like much. He checked the hall again trying to listen for Rhenco. Perhaps, if he can drop some of it on Rhenco, then he could increase his chances of getting away. He already hated the idea of coming face-to-face with his captor, but…what else was he going to do? He couldn’t stay in his hiding place forever. Not when his parents were probably planning to rescue him. So, he took a deep breath and stepped back out.
Rhenco: The stairwell was dark as Sven crept onward. He heard Rhenco open and close the first level door as he left the stairs, still murmuring his tune.
The decent was slow, it had to be in the darkness. Until there was the noise of another set of footsteps coming from above him. A lone figure holding a candle stick stepped out of the side door Sven had just come, and began to trot down the steps.
Sven Felman: Sven felt as if someone was behind him, and it made a shiver go down his spine. Was it Rhenco? No, Rhenco was going downstairs. It couldn’t have been him, and that was when his mind flashed to a moment before he woke up in that room. He thought he was dreaming, but what if that was real? What if there was another person in this place?
He wasted no time in wanting to find out and kept going with a little more speed hoping to put some distance between them.
Rhenco: “Rhenco?” A man’s voice called down the stairwell. “Is that you? I got that surgery done but I’m out of candles. Can you have one of the boys run some up to me?”
Sven Felman: “Surgery?” Sven said to himself. What kind of place was this? Who was this guy? And why was he doing surgeries for Rhenco?
He took another step…but missed. Suddenly, he screamed and tumbled down the stairs until he finally landed on the platform groaning in pain. That was definitely going to bruise tomorrow. 
“Dags and Kari will never let me hear the end of this…” he thought to himself as he tried to stand up.
Rhenco: The man upstairs gave a bark of surprise, and then backed away, running back where he had came from. “What the-?! You’re not-! Malak! Malak someone got out! Someone’s loose, Malak!”
The figure disappeared behind the door with slam. Down from the first floor, Sven heard an angry chorus of shouting, and footsteps headings toward the stairs.
Sven Felman: “Crap…” Sven struggled to rise to his feet and quickly made a dash down the stairs. He didn’t care that there was shouting. He was going to fight his way out of here, and with the vial in his hand…he knew he stood a shot at escaping and finding a way home. 
Malak: The door in front of Sven burst open and a spider half breed shoved himself through. “There!” He yelled, as eight long tendril like arms reached around from where they were attached to his back, and grabbed at the boy.
Sven Felman: Sven screamed as he immediately jumped back at the sight of the Spider half-breed. He quickly turned around and ran off again trying to find the door that could possibly be an exit.
Malak: “No! Come here!” The spider struggled to keep a hold of him, and reached out his human arms to grab his shoulders, and attempted to wrestle him down. “Rhenco! I need a cloth!”
Sven Felman: “NO! NO! STOP!” Sven shouted at the top of his lungs as he and the spider half-breed wrestled. He tried with all his might to get away…to use the moves he learned from his father, and it was getting harder. “LET ME GO!!” Tears formed in his eyes. “I DIDN’T DO ANYTHING TO YOU!! PLEASE! I JUST WANT TO GO HOME! MOM! DAD! HELP ME!!”
There was one other being who came to mind. As he wrestled with the half-breed, he closed his eyes tightly. “Aunt Nala! Aunt Nala, if you can hear my thoughts…please, help me!” he thought to himself hoping the former Warden could somehow hear him. “Aunt Nala, please! Get Mom and Dad!”
Then three other people came to mind… “Grandpa Sven, Uncle Greg, Uncle King Haddock, if you can hear me, please, help me!”
Malak: The spider cried out as one of his legs was wrenched painfully, and the boys elbow cracked him under the chin. He staggered back and stumbled a little on the stairs, his multiple legs scrambling to restore his balance.
Sven Felman: Sven was briefly surprised that that actually worked. He could not believe that he was able to elbow a spider half-breed in the chin. He didn’t even think that was going to work, and he realized that he had no time to react and quickly ran away from the half-breed as it staggered.
He couldn’t take this anymore already. He wanted to go home. He wanted his parents to rescue him and take him home.  
Malak: The spider recovered his footing and began to give chase. From above, the doctor opened up the door above him, this time armed with surgical blade. With an enemy running downstairs and one coming up from below, Sven’s options were limited.
He was forced to enter one of the stairwell doors, entering another long hallway. There were many more doors, some open, some closed, barely illuminated in dim shafts of moonlight through the accessible windows.
Sven Felman: Sven breathed heavily and once again looked at the vial in his hands. They didn’t seem to notice it in his hands, which could still give him an advantage. He had no time to think about it as he ran into one of the open doors and shut it behind him leaning against it breathing heavily. 
There was a part of him that wondered if he should just give up and surrender…let them take him. Maybe they would go easy on him if he just went peacefully. Then he quickly shook his head. No, he was Sven Felman, Heir of Haligan Island…Future Chief…Son of Chief Grey and Sir Brandt Felman. 
He sighed. “I can’t go down without a fight,” he said to himself.
Rhenco: *TRIGGER WARNING FOR GORE*
If that last moment of resolve wasnt enough to abandon the thought of surrender, the following moment of realization was.
The room sounded like it was…raining? Liquid dripped and trickled down on the wood flooring. Some droplets struck Sven’s head and face. The whole room smelled like iron.
And then he heard the sounds. Incoherent jitterings and babbel. Upon looking up, he saw that there was an almost clock like tower interior above him. Strung upside down by chains were four silhouetted forms.
It was too dark to see the true horror of what was happening, but Sven could discern enough as he foot hit a puddle of blood, four inches deep. These people were still alive, and bleeding far more than what should have been possible.
Sven Felman: *TRIGGER WARNING AS STATED ABOVE*
Sven stared at the absolute horror in front of him. He began to breathe heavily again, and he screamed not caring who heard him. He couldn’t see what was hanging from the ceilings, but…it was pretty clear as to what it was. He felt his stomach churning as he scrambled to get up and ran out the door back into the hallway. 
As soon as he got into the hall, he fell to his knees losing the contents of his stomach on the floor not caring who saw him. What was this hellhole? Where were his parents? Where was his aunt? 
Doctor: At the end of the hall, the doctor shoved himself through the door. Upon seeing the huddled form, he ran at him.
Unfortunately for the doctor, in the darkness he failed to see the vomit on the floor, and slipped on it, hitting the floor hard, the surgical knife flying from his hand, and sliding to a stop next to Sven.
=== Part 3 ===
Sven Felman: Sven perked up when he saw the surgical knife slide next to him, and then he looked up and saw the doctor lying on the floor. Then it was in that moment…that fight came back a little in his body as he stared at his reflection in the knife. Perhaps, this was his chance. It wasn’t a sword like his mother’s, but it was something.
His eyebrows furrowed in determination as he grabbed the knife and glared at the doctor. The Heir of Haligan Island stood up. 
“If you think you freaks are going to break me,” he said, “you’re dead wrong. I’m Sven Felman…son of Chief Grey and Sir Brandt…Heir of Haligan Island.” He grabbed the doctor’s shirt and held the knife to his throat. “Now…tell me…” His brown eyes glared at the doctor, “where am I? And how do I get out of here?”
Doctor: The doctor hissed, but he recognized the confident way the boy held the weapon. “You’re just another person Rhenco kidnapped, I don’t ask questions. Where you are is just a place. A building where he keeps people. There’s nothing else to it kid.” He winced at the feeling of the sharp steel.
From behind the spider also entered at the end of the hall, and the doctor glanced back. “Malak he has my knife!”
“Gods damnit.” The half breed growled. “Of all people…” He paused and then held out a hand as he peered at Sven’s sillouted form. “Okay kid you got the drop on him…now let him go…and we’ll give you a head start.”
Sven Felman: Sven glared at the doctor a few more moments after the spider half breed…Malak…spoke. They were giving him a head start? What if it was a trick?Then again, it sounded like they really needed this doctor. If something were to happen to him, they probably would’ve been screwed. If he could just get outside and figure out how far he was from home…then that was another small victory for him.
The Heir roughly shoved the doctor back to the ground before standing up…and then he gave a swift kick to his groin area. Sven chuckled as he began to run with the knife and the vial. “I needed that,” he said before running back in the direction he came in. 
Malak: Malak barked a short yell again, the multiple legs on his back hoisting his human feet off the ground as he ran after Sven. He grabbed the doctor with one of them as he passed, shoving him towards one of the side rooms. “Stay out of the way Jerod this isnt your forte! Let me handle him!” 
Sven Felman: Sven laughed as he ran back down the hall managing to dodge a few men with Malak on his tail. Although it didn’t last long as he saw more doors lining the hall. Right…he still needed to find the exit…the way to the outside world and the way back home. He saw the vial in his hand again, and he knew exactly what he could. He stopped at a door and turned to face the spider half-breed holding the vial out. 
“Stop right where you are, Spider Man,” Sven said glaring at Malak. “I got this vial here, and I know that this is important to Rhenco.”
Malak: “Fregga!” Malak practically fell backwards. The two young men that Sven had dodged by immediately gave a concerned glance at the spider. He reached a few limbs back to bid them away. “Go on…go to the kitchen I’ll handle this.”
As they left, Malak turned back to Sven. “Listen kid…that’s not something important to Rhenco…its just something he made and you do /not/ want to open it…” Malak paused, and then pointed a finger. “He probably said the same thing to you…for all the things Rhenco may be…he doesn’t…lie…”
Sven Felman: “Well, neither do I,” Sven said. “So, let’s strike a deal here. If you let me leave this place…alive right now, I will give this back to you and I will tell my Mom…the Chief herself to forget about attacking here because we both know that’s exactly what will happen if I don’t head home. If not, then I will drop this and let it shatter. If it’s that important to Rhenco, I would hate to see what he will do when he sees his work destroyed under your watch.”
He dangled the vial from his fingers. “Time’s almost up,” he said. “And I’m pretty sweaty from all this running.”
Malak: “Its not, important, to him!!” Malak thundered. “Its Red Card! It’s a disease! You drop it and you’re the first one that’ll suffer and your family will be next by your own hand!” Malak couldn’t help himself but take a step back. “That said…I’m not letting you go. I couldn’t risk doing that…”
However the spider realized the standstill, and his lip twitched. From behind he heard quiet footsteps. ‘Rheno…’ his lips mouthed, and turned back to look fearfully at the vial again. “Throw it to me…” He said.
Sven Felman: “How do I know you’re not lying?” Sven said as his heart pounded. He tried not to show the fear in his body right now, but it was pretty difficult. What if what Malak was saying was true? He didn’t care if he got sick. He did, but the thought of going home and causing his own family to suffer…his parents…his sisters…it made him sick to his stomach.
Malak: Malak was practically hissing now. “It doesn’t affect him, if he gets here he wont fear forcing your hand and we’ll all be fucked! I cant let you escape but you can throw me that vial and run, hide, I dont care. I’ll catch it, I’ll have too, and I’ll have to make sure it gets put away. I wont be able to chase you and Rhenco never runs. It’s the only option you have so throw, me, the Card!”
Sven Felman: Sven’s glare softened at the half-breed. He seemed like he was afraid of Rhenco…maybe even more afraid than he was. Given what he’s seen of the madman, he could honestly see him running this place with an iron fist, which paled in comparison to his mother’s tough but fair and compassionate authority. If this guy was offering him a chance to run, perhaps he could take it.
“Fine,” Sven said before he finally threw it to Malak. He didn’t even stick around to see if he caught it.
Malak: Malak gasped audibly as his multiple limbs reached out to catch the vial in the dark. He succeed, and clutched it to his chest, breathing hard. He watched as Sven ran, and then carefully turned around. As he walked back, Rhenco met him half way. The two men stopped in front of one another.
Rhenco tilted his head, and he reached a hand around to gently run his fingernails across Malak’s forehead and down his jawline. “Hello Malak…” he said and the spider couldn’t repress a shutter. “Where are your boys?”
“I sent them back with their mother…Jerod is upstairs. He’s fine. But the escapee, he has a knife. Jerod should go home before he gets hurt.”
Rhenco’s hand traveled down his left human arm and turned it so it was palm upward. He traced his thumb down a thick, almost rectangular scar running from Malak’s wrist to elbow, one that spoke of an injury that should have killed the man. Malak closed his eyes, as if bracing himself. “Hmm…okay…I’ll go find him.” Rhenco mummed, and then slipped past the half breed, and went to go look for Sven.
Sven Felman: Sven ran as fast as he could to put as much distance between him and Rhenco as possible. Malak said he wasn’t going to let him escape, but that didn’t mean he couldn’t try. He could only see more doors ahead of him, but he was hesitant to even go in one of them, especially after what he saw in the last one. Then again, he couldn’t keep running forever. Maybe if he kept his eyes…as he eyed one door at the end of the hallway on the right.
“I’m probably going to regret this,” he said to himself. He burst into the room and closed the door behind him. When he looked at the room, he gasped at what he saw. It wasn’t what he saw in that other room, but it was definitely something.
Rhenco: The room looked like a stone crafted bathroom, crudely made into a doctor’s office and operating room. There was a shelf with various jars, it was hard to see what was in them in the darkness, but Sven recognized some of the shapes. Organs, internal, external, severed parts, all lined on a dusty shelf, the outside of the glass often coated in grime. On the table in the middle of the room was a restrained person. Sven wasnt sure of they were alive or not.
Sven heard more footsteps and instinctively hid behind the shelf, the darkness concealing him as he clutched the surgical blade. They stopped outside of the door.
“Rhenco…”
“Hello Jarod…”
“I was just locking myself away until that escapee was caught.”
“Good…and if you manage to get a hold of him before I do…go ahead and…hmm…what parts do you have?”
“I got a set from a dog half breed.”
“Hmm…a runaway dog…okay…change him into that.”
“Sure…”
The office door opened and Jerod stepped inside and locked it behind him. He stepped over to a chair off to the side of the restrained person, and sank into it with a sigh.
Sven Felman: Sven felt his heart begin to pound again as he tried to stay absolutely still in his hiding place so the doctor would not hear him. He was thankful that it was still so dark, and that the doctor had yet to find him.
The conversation between the doctor and Rhenco echoed in his mind. They literally operated on people to turn them…into half-breeds. Was that what happened to Malak? That would explain why he seemed so afraid of Rhenco and why this doctor mentioned surgeries. And his heart dropped at another realization. They were talking about turning…him into a half-breed…a dog half-breed, and that was enough to make his stomach churn. Was this why Rhenco told Grey and Brandt to come get him in three days?
“I’ve got to get out of here!” Sven thought to himself. He eyed the doctor, who still had his back to him and then at the knife in his hands. He glared and then slowly moved trying not to make a sound.  
Jarod: Jarod stood up and for a second Sven thought he had been heard, but the man just stepped to the operating table and reached over with a small pair of scissors, snipping away a stitch of threads that held the man’s mouth closed.  
The victim gave a raggid yell and thrashed on the table. “No! No! Why are you doing this?!” 
Jarod didn’t react to the display, and merely started to check the man over. “In the thirty years I’ve worked with Rhenco I’ve seen a lot of things. Reasoning or motivation behind anything was never one of them. But it pays, really, really well…” He opened up a cloth with several more surgical blades wrapped in it. He picked one up to examine it. “Case in point today…he’s asked me to turn you into a girl. Or as well I can considering what I have to work with…”
Sven Felman: “A girl…seriously?” Sven thought to himself with a disgusted look on his face. He shook his head. That wasn’t the point right now. He needed to do something. No one deserves to be forced into this. “What the fire in Odin’s ass is this place? Why a girl though? No…NO! Got to focus! I have to save this guy!” He looked down at the knife in his hands, and his heart dropped to the ground. Was this something his mom or dad would consider? I mean his mother never tried to kill anyone, and his father deserted battle after killing his grandfather. That still sounded a little messed up.
However, what if he didn’t? He could get Rhenco to come here or even worse operate on him. This…might be the only option. His parents would probably hate him for this, but…he needed to save this man’s life. If he didn’t, who would?
While the doctor was distracted, he quietly crept behind the doctor, who miraculously did not see him. Then he lunged at the doctor and shoved the knife as hard as he could.  
Jerod: Jerod gave a hollow gasp of surprise as the knife sunk into his back to the hilt. He lurched against the table and rolled to the ground, the knife slipping from Sven’s hand and disappearing behind the doctors clothing.  
He scrambled back from the boy in surprise, grabbing at his wound. He continued to gasp quietly, as if he was unable to scream, and looked up at Sven in shock, as if he couldn’t believe that such a thing could have happened to him.
=== Part 4 ===
Sven Felman: Sven glared at the doctor as he breathed heavily from the adrenaline. He couldn’t believe what he just did, but it needed to be done. He had to save this man. Plus, no doctor…no surgeries on innocent people. He slowly grabbed another surgical tool in case he tried to get up and attack him.
“Looks like it’s over for you,” Sven whispered. He scoffed. “It’s amazing how people like you could be so cold. You’re hurting innocent people. My Uncle King Haddock was a better person than you.”
Jarod: Jarod continued to stare up at him, his mouth gaping open and closed like a fish out of water. His eyes continued to look around in bewilderment, until finally he seemingly dazed off in numb shock, blood pooling around his legs from where he sat against the wall.
“Get me out!” The man on the table hissed, working hard not to raise his voice. “Untie me! Please!”
Sven Felman: Sven was jolted out of his thoughts when he heard the man and quickly ran to the man on the table with the knife in his hand. 
“I’m sorry you had to see that,” Sven said quickly as he tried cutting through the restraints. “Also, thanks for not screaming.” Sven cut at the restraints completely forgetting about the body on the floor, and he smiled at the man. “My name is Sven, what’s yours?”
Boriss: “Boriss.” The man gasped as he rolled off the table. He ran to the door, and ensured it was locked. He turned back to Sven. “There’s no exit. There’s no doors, no windows that lead out. He…he brought me here in some sort of warping…thing…whatever it was. Either way, no one gets out of here unless Rhenco takes them.” He stammered wildly, his eyes rolled with fear. “But there has to be a way. We have to find a way…”
Sven Felman: “I agree,” Sven said nodding. Gods, it was actually relieving to talk to someone who wasn’t too affected by this place and the people in it. Boriss actually seemed like a good guy. Maybe they could get to know each other more after this whole mess was over. He paced back and forth. “Rhenco told my mother to wait three days until she can come for me, but I don’t know if she would wait that long. And Malak, the half-breed spider guy, seems like he’s too afraid of Rhenco. He even told me he couldn’t let me escape. Ugh…” He ran a hand through his sweaty brown hair. “There must be something I haven’t tried yet.”
Boriss: “Three days? That’s how long I’ve been here. But my stay is supposed to be for a week.” Boriss scratched his beard, his face raw and arms looking as though wide sections of skin had been removed. “This means come morning you’ll only have two days…” He shook his head. “But Rhenco he… he doesn’t loose this… this is…”
Tears of frustration and despair began to flow down his cheeks. “This is the second time he’s taken me!!! I can’t, I can’t let anyone I care about come here. I’ll die before I get caught or let my loved ones suffer by that man again. ”
He grabbed Sven’s shoulders. “And Malak… he is an evil man. And dangerous, he’ll kill anyone who tries to force themselves in here…” He licked his chapped lips. “The roof…we need rope, sheets… and then we need to get to the roof. ”
Sven Felman: Before Sven could even question what Boriss meant by “the second time,” he was suddenly grabbing him by the shoulders and reciting what they needed. He quickly nodded. “Well…” he looked around and saw a small closet and quickly ran over opening it, “we can use these sheets. Now we just need to find rope and get to the roof.” He gladly took them excited that there might be a chance to escape. “And trust me, you don’t know my mom. She’s a Chief, and she has a Night Fury at her side. Malak and…these nut jobs don’t stand a chance. Plus, she’s the bravest person I know…aside from my dad…and my uncle…and my aunts.”
Boriss: Boriss grabbed the key to the room from Jarod’s bloodstained coat, and shoved the man’s gripping hands away from him when the doctor reached out in response to the contact.
“Cheif…king…landlord…it matters little to Rhenco.” Boriss yanked down some curtains and snatched the sheet off the bed. “We need as much as we can get. This building is tall….”
Sven Felman: That’s what the other guy said…” Sven thought to himself. 
“Uhhh…how tall?” the Heir asked nervously. He believed they were still on the first floor, but…how far did they have to go? “Where exactly is this place compared to the continent of Aidorin? If we’re on an island, then we’re going to need a…a boat or…a-a dragon.”
Boriss: “This is the third floor…there are five.” Boriss panted. “We’ll have to hide until they relax and stop looking as hard. They wont think anyone will actually get out anyway. Then we start sneaking up. If the sun comes up before we get there we’ll have to hide until nightfall…we wont want to see what’s in here in daylight anyway…”
Sven Felman: He immediately thought about that one room, and Sven thanked the gods that he didn’t see that in the daytime.
“Okay, so that give us two more floors,” Sven said furrowing his eyebrows together. Then an idea came to him as he looked at the doctor. “That doctor said that he was going to hide here until I was caught, so nobody would suspect him leaving this room.”
Boriss: “So him disappearing is fine…until morning.” Boriss scratched at his face agitatedly again. “We need to move. Stuff the sheets in your pants…we crawl out of here on our bellies…lock the door, throw away the key…come on.”
Sven Felman: Sven nodded quickly and did exactly as Boriss said stuffing the sheets in his pants. Then he got low on the ground and crawled to the door. His heart began to pound again. Then he eyed the surgical tools again and quickly grabbed another knife. No harm in bringing weapon, right? 
“You really think this will work?” Sven asked nervously. As much as he couldn’t to get out of this building and back home, he was still nervous about Rhenco finding them. However, he smiled at the thought of surprising his parents and sisters once he would return home. 
Jarod: Jarod gave a few hitching gasps as he saw their retreat, reaching out a hand as he barely managed a whispering call. “No…no…don’t…”
The door closed softly, and the key crammed into a crack in the wall.
“No…I dont think for sure if this will work.” Boriss answered honestly. “But we have to try…” he eyes the blades. “I’m using one of those if they catch us…I wont go back…”
Sven Felman: Sven nodded. “Hey, I’m right there with you,” he replied. “I want to just get home as soon as possible and see my parents and sisters. I’m not going down without a fight.” He eyed the door. “So…what are we waiting for?”
Boriss: The crawl in the darkened hallway was terrifying. The thumps and cries of the other prisoners of the hotel could heard as they made their way to the upper floor.
“We cant use the stairs…they’ll be looking there…I think there’s a dumbwaiter.” Boriss whispered. “Its this way…” He lowered his head when he realized how many exact directions he was giving. “I tried to get out before….” He explained.
Sven Felman: “Seriously?” Sven asked as his eyes widened. Sven exhaled a big puff of air. “You said this was your second time here? Is that how you got out the first time? Where were you able to figure out where this place is or who Rhenco is?”
Boriss: “I didn’t escape…” Boriss replied grimly. “He let me go…but it nearly cost my friends sanity. We thought everything was fine, for months, and then…then he took me again.”
As they got to a far wall, he reached up and opened up a dumbwaiter shaft door, and motioned for Sven to start climbing up it. Down bellow they could hear Malak’s voice along with a few others. Everything still sounded calm, Jerod hadn’t been found yet.
“I don’t know who Rhenco is outside of that he shows up from no where, for no reasons, and commits unspeakable acts…”
Sven Felman: Hearing that, it made Sven think of something that Nala had said in the town plaza…just five days before he was kidnapped…before Rhenco came to Haligan Island. 
“Aunt Nala…said that,” he said as he continued to climb, “his thing is to go for people closest to those in charge. My mom is a Chief–I’m her Heir…and she worked with the King of the Wilderwest himself in the Grounded Dungeon Rebellion. Do you think he’s going to do the same to her? Let me go and then…take me again…or…take my sisters to mess with her and my dad?” He looked down at Boriss allowing him to see the fear in his eyes. The idea of seeing his family again only for Rhenco to snatch him away again…or even worse snatch his sisters as well. The very thought of Dagny and Kari in this place sent shivers down his spine. 
Boriss: “Yes…” Boriss breathed. “That’s exactly what he will do. Trust me boy, when you get you home, tell your family, that if this happens again to not wait for three days, or a week, or anything. Just try right away, without hessistion. Cause it would be better to die then come back here!”
They reached the bottom of the dumbwaiter and Boriss gritted his teeth. “Damn this is the top floor. It’s blocked. We’ll have to slide back down to the fourth floor and use the stairs to the fifth.”
Sven Felman: As soon as Boriss said that it was blocked, Sven was jolted out of his thoughts and looked back down. “What if Malak finds us?” the Heir asked. “Or…even worse…you-know-who?”
Boriss: Boriss bit his lip. “I wonder if you could open up the bottom of it with your knives…or something…” He looked down at the floor below them. “You’ll need a light…theres a lantern over here…hold on.”
The man crawled back down as quietly as he could, and lifted up the dumbwaiter door on the fourth floor, and very carefully pulled out a lantern that had been hooked to the wall next to it. “Here…take this. See if their is anything you can loosen so we can get inside.”
=== Part 5 ===
Sven Felman: Sven quickly took out one of his knives and placed it in his mouth before taking the lantern from Boriss. He studied the door above him and noticed a few loose nails, and the wood appeared to be weak. So he quickly switched the knife and the lantern in his hands and immediately began chipping at the nails. Soon enough, the small door fell apart and came loose.
“That ought to do it,” Sven said confidently looking at Boriss. 
Boriss: “Great, get in and…wait…wait what was that?” Boriss looked down, and then nearly fell from shock. 
The quiet, pat, pat, pat echoed up towards them as the shadowy imagine of Rhenco climbed up towards them from below. He wasnt saying anything, making any expressions, his pursuit was as silent and simple as it was terrifying.
Boriss forgot to be quiet. “No! No! Get up! Get up hurry dont let him get me!”
Sven Felman: Sven widened his brown eyes at the sight of Rhenco slowly coming up the shaft and hearing Boriss freak out over the sight of Rhenco. He blew their cover. He probably didn’t mean to, but there was no time to think about it as he quickly climbed through the shaft as fast as he could.
“Grandpa, Uncle Greg, Uncle King Haddock,” he whispered to himself, “please don’t let him catch us. Please…I just want to go home.”
Soon enough, Sven climbed out, and he found himself on the roof of the building. “Boriss,” he whispered as he climbed out,“we made it!”
Boriss: Boriss scrambled inside, the two of them pressed together in the confined space. He struggled with the door to get out, and began to hyperventilate when it stubbornly refused to budge.
He turned to Sven wide eyed. “Stop him!” He begged. “Stop him stop him please!”
Sven Felman: “B-But how?” Sven asked. “I-I…mean…” He looked down at his knife. Was that going to be enough?
Boriss: Completely freaking out now, Boriss slapped his hand against the door, his legs kicking out and he scrambled in a vain attempt to get away.
“Hello…” They heard Rhenco breathe, his gaze unwavering as he got closer, only a few meters away now.
Sven Felman: Sven glared at Rhenco’s figure before turning his attention back to the door. He took a couple steps back, and plowed himself against the door causing it to bust open. Thinking it must’ve been the adrenaline, he opened the door for Boriss. 
Boriss: Boriss crashed out like a madman, abandoning all reason and stealth as he bolted down the hall in a blind panic.
Rhenco’s hand shot up and snagged Sven’s ankle, his finger nails digging into his skin. He pulled on him and he craned his head up. “You’re not leaving…” he said. “I haven’t tried you yet.”
Sven Felman: Before Sven could even shout for Boriss to come back and help him out, he screamed as Rhenco suddenly grabbed his foot feeling the man’s fingernails digging into his ankle. He struggled to get out of the madman’s grip, but it was so difficult when he had…a lantern in his hand.
The Heir looked at the lantern in his hand and then back down at Rhenco glaring at him while still managing to maintain his grip. “Sorry, but that’s where you’re wrong,” he said. “You’re…not…trying…ANYTHING…on ME!” With such force, he brought the lantern down on Rhenco’s head…hard watching the glass casing shatter.
Rhenco: Rhenco grunted at the impact, and then his alcohol soaked robes caught aflame.
And for the first time…his face changed.
All of the sudden he appeared surprised, and then scared. “Fine- fine-” He gasped as fire coated his body. “I’m FIIIIIIIIIAAAAAEE!”
Rhenco thrashed around as he gripped at the edges of the dumbwaiter, and then slipped and went careening down the shaft, screaming the whole way down.
Sven Felman: Sven watched with his brown eyes widened breathing heavily as Rhenco fell down the dumbwaiter with his body completely aflame. He stared listening for any signs of Rhenco coming back up, but then he decided against it and quickly scrambled up the rest of the way up the dumbwaiter. He turned back once more though, but heard nothing. Sven breathed heavily again. He couldn’t believe it! He…might have actually defeated Rhenco! Rhenco was probably gone!
He smiled to himself as he felt a weight was being lifted off his shoulders, but then he realized that now was not a good time to celebrate. He still needed to get out of the building…and get back to Haligan Island…back home. He couldn’t wait to see the look on everybody’s faces when he came back.
Malak: Down in the basement, Malak scrambled over to Rhenco’s side, the man covered in third degree burns. He was gasping with wide eyes. “Rhenco…” Malak murmured.
Rhenco grabbed his shirt, his teeth clenched. “Forget…everything…they cant…know…this…you have to kill them…I…I dont like this…”
Malak took out a knife. “I’ll do it. I’ll do it, they wont get out.” He plunged the knife into Rhenco’s forehead and then turned to look up the shaft. With a growl he began to use his legs to scramble up the wall after Sven.
***
Sven saw Boriss, with another armful of sheets coming out of another side side. “Come on!” He yelled. “The roof! The roof!”
Sven Felman: Sven ran as fast as he could as he grabbed the sheets he was hiding. He couldn’t believe it! He was so close…so close to escaping. All they needed to do was get to the roof.
“I’m coming! I’m coming!” he shouted not caring who heard him at this point. Rhenco was dead. 
Boriss: They rushed up the last set of stairs and burst out onto the roof. Without wasting town, Boriss lashed the length of sheets around a pole and began to scale down the side of the building, not even waiting to see if it would support his weight. 
Looking around, Sven could see the Hotel was located in a barren more like landscape, nothing surrounding it for miles.
Sven Felman: “Boriss, where are we?” Sven shouted down to him as he slowly began to scale the building. He studied the landscape closely. There were no villages. No forests, which probably meant…no dragons. However, there were no oceans surrounding them, which meant…they weren’t on an island. So…it was possible they could be on the mainland of Aidorin…or somewhere completely different. 
Boriss: “I don’t know…some forsaken place.” Boriss answered. “Better to wander and wither away out their though then spend another minute in there.”
They had only reached halfway, when Malak appeared over head.
Sven Felman: Sven was just about to protest that statement when he heard something up above. His brown eyes widened as he gasped.
“Oh no…” the Heir said to himself. “Uhhh…Boriss…we got company!”
Malak: Malak growled and grabbed the sheet with one hand, and a knife with another, beginning to saw away the fabric.
Sven Felman: “Wait…wait!! Malak, STOP!!” Sven screamed at the top of his lungs. “You don’t want to do this!”
Boriss: “Yes he does!” Boriss yelled as he began to slid. “Slid down! And get ready to duck and roll cause this’ll hurt!”
Sven Felman: Sven nodded and slowly began to slide down the sheets praying that he survived the fall.
Little did he know…a certain Night Fury, a Chief, and her husband along with a few allies right behind them were closing in on the location of the building. 
“Milae said it was in this direction,” Brandt said as he scanned the ground from where he sat on Shadow with his wife leading the charge. “I still don’t see anything though.”
“Then we’ll need to keep flying,” Grey said as she patted Shadow on the neck telling her to go faster. 
Shadow crooned in response, and with one burst of energy, she bursted forward.
Malak: Malak paused momentarily to glance over his shoulder, and saw the approach of dragons in the distance. “Rhenco!” He bellowed over his shoulder. “Rhenco someone’s coming!” He gasped as his knife struck a section of metal.
Borris has slipped a chain he had found into the first sheet.
“Fuck!” Malak thundered and he tried to reach the second sheet and then did a double take at the approaching dragons. “Fuck!” He yelled again and ran back towards the interior. “Opie! Farris! Suit up we have off schedule invaders!”
Sven Felman: Sven looked up curiously at Malak hearing him shout something about invaders. He was on the wall of the building and was unable to see what Malak referred to as invaders. He didn’t even pay attention to the fact that he shouted for Rhenco. That didn’t matter at the moment. He was curious as to who these invaders were.
——-
“Looks like something’s happening on the roof,” Brandt said to his wife as he squinted trying to get a closer look.
“Yeah, but I can’t see,” Grey said. “Shadow, fire a warning shot…on my signal.”
Shadow crooned in response and opened mouth.
“Ready…ready…” Grey began as soon as they were close enough, “NOW!”
Shadow fired a plasma blast that flew right above Malak’s head allowing Sven to see it.
——-
“A plasma blast…” Sven said. A smile slowly made its way onto his face. “Boriss, I think we’re being rescued! I know that plasma blast anywhere!”
Malak: Malak flinched and ran off to get cover inside as Sven and Boriss safely reached the ground. He tore down the stairs and skidded to a stop at Jarod’s office door, which had been knocked open. “Rhenco we…”
He trailed off, seeing the man kneeling in front of Jarod’s body, the doctors eyes now dead and staring blankly ahead of him. Rhenco, dressed in fresh clothes stood to his feet. “He killed my friend…” he said simply, his voice once again neutral.
Malak’s face fell. “Rhenco…we…we have to…”
Rhenco walked past him. “Dont worry about. I’ll meet our guests.” With that he stepped to the far wall, sketched an alchemic sigil, and stepped through a portal to the outside.
=== Part 6 ===
Sven Felman: Once Sven reached the ground safely, he had a huge smile on his face. He knew that plasma blast belonged to the only Night Fury he knew, and if that was true, that meant that his parents weren’t too far behind. He looked up at the building waiting to hear the sounds of battle, but all he heard were footsteps and voices. He furrowed his eyebrows.
“What’s going on up there?” he asked himself. 
*****
Just the half-breed…spider led his men inside, Grey and Brandt landed with Shadow on the roof with their men and their dragons looking around waiting for any signs of an ambush. 
“They’ve gone inside, Chief,” one of the men said after a moment.
“Yes, but was it to retreat or to come back with back-up?” Grey said as she and Brandt dismounted Shadow. 
“Take a look at this,” another one of their men said directing their attention to a pole with a sheet rope tied around it. “Seems like someone was trying to escape.”
Grey would never know what got her to closely inspect that rope…whether it was curiosity or hope. She couldn’t help but walk over with Shadow in tow.
“Who knows how long it’s been here though?” Brandt said as he walked up to his wife. He knew what his wife was thinking, but he also didn’t want them to get their hopes up on the small chance their son was probably the escapee. Sven could’ve still been trapped inside.
Shadow suddenly came up closer and sniffed the rope. She perked when she caught a very familiar scent! 
“You smell something, girl?” Grey asked.
Shadow crooned as she continued to follow the scent over the ledge, where she looked down and saw…
***
Sven watched and listened for the voices, but couldn’t make them out. However…he suddenly saw a very familiar looking Night Fury, who froze upon seeing him and then crooned happily.
“SHADOW!” Sven shouted at the top of his lungs. “Shadow, I’m down here, girl!”
Shadow crooned happily in response upon seeing her sister’s hatchling alive and well.
“Shadow, what is it? What–” Grey said as she looked over the ledge and gasped when she saw what…or who the Night Fury saw. “SVEN!! Brandt, it’s Sven!”
“WHAT?!” Brandt asked as he joined them. As soon as he saw his boy, a smile made its way onto his face. “SVEN!”
“MOM!! DAD!!” Sven shouted as he jumped up and down with his arms reaching up for them. “I’m down here! I’m down here!”
Grey and Brandt wasted no time in mounting Shadow before she took off to fly them down to their son. Neither of the Felmans could believe it! They were so close to one big group hug!
Rhenco: From the wall of the building, the was that same dark, warping sensation, and Rhenco stepped through. He calmly walked a few paces towards Sven and Boriss, a red vial in his hand.
He glanced up at the intruders on his roof, and stopped his advance. There he waited, without saying a word.
Sven Felman: Sven felt tears brimming in his eyes. He was so focused on watching Shadow descend in front of him that he barely noticed Rhenco in the doorway ready to strike. He couldn’t believe it! His mother and father were here! His parents finally came for him! He should’ve know that they wouldn’t wait three days to come!
There was a part of him that wondered if this was all a dream that would end, and that he would wake up and be back in that Gods-forsaken building. He watched his parents quickly dismount Shadow and ran over to him, and he ran to them.
“Mom! Dad!” Sven said gleefully with tears running down his cheeks.
“Sven! My baby boy!” Grey reached him first wrapping her arms around him tightly.
“Hey, buddy!” Brandt said as he gathered his wife and son into arms. All three of them with tears down their cheeks. “Are you okay?”
“I’m okay,” he said through his sobs.
“Are you sure?” Grey asked running a hand through his brown
Sven sniffled and nodded feeling the warmth of his parents’ embrace. “Yeah…”
“It’s okay, Sven,” Brandt replied holding two of his favorite people close. “We got you. We got you.”
“We’re going to take you home,” Grey added through her own tears. “Everything’s going to be okay.”
Boriss: “His mom…a cheif…CHEIF GREY OF THE REBELLION?!”
Boriss felt himself break into a cold sweat at the realization. He looked between the reunited family, and then Rhenco. He slowly backed up, and then turned around to run.
Rhenco watched both displays, and then pulled an old crate that was up against the wall over and sat down as if to wait.
Grey Bergman: Before Sven could even pull away to introduce Boriss to the family, Shadow’s ear flaps perked at a strange sound behind her. She was so overjoyed at the sight of Grey and Brandt reuniting with his son, but once she heard something behind her, she turned to look and saw the man…the same man who took Sven. Shadow quickly got into a defensive stance next to the family growling at the man, and that was enough to get the family’s attention.
“Shadow, what’s—” Grey turned and looked in Shadow’s direction gasping. She and Brandt quickly stood up shielding their son behind them glaring at him. “You…”
“No…” Sven said looking from behind his parents. “No…its impossible! I—"
Rhenco: “Mm-mm…” Rhenco hummed as he put a finger to his lips, and quietly shook his head. He held up the vial briefly before closing his hand around it again and lowering it at his side.
He turned to Grey. “You’re early…”
Grey Bergman: “Yeah…you know, Rhenco,” Grey said coolly not even trying to hide her fury from the man, “that whole waiting three days…just didn’t work for us. I spent three years of my life trapped in a bunker. I’ve become pretty impatient, especially when it comes to my family being threatened.”
“Now, look, there doesn’t need to be any bloodshed here,” Brandt said taking a step closer to his wife and in front of their son. “We have our son, and…whatever it is…you do in here…we didn’t see. So, just let all three of us go home, and we’ll forget this whole thing.” He and Grey had agreed that Rhenco needed to die after what happened to Sven, but there was no harm in offering the man a chance to live.
Rhenco: “Good bye then…” Rhenco sighed, and then glanced at Sven, a questioning look in his eye. “Sven and I actually have an understanding now…something that’ll keep me away from his siblings and parents…dont we?”
Sven Felman: Sven widened his eyes in fear as his mind briefly flashed the memory of Rhenco falling down the dumbwaiter while he was burning. Was it wise to trust him to leave him and his family alone? What about what Boriss said about him coming back to torment his parents, especially his mom? His look of fear transformed into a glare at Rhenco.
“Only if you give me your word that you will never bother me and my family again,” the Heir said.
Grey and Brandt looked at each other in confusion. It was clear that Rhenco was threatening them and the girls so that Sven would keep quiet about something, but what?
Rhenco: “For as long as it remains unknown…I will do just that.” Rhenco assured as he stood to his feet. “You’re perhaps one of very few early arrivals that have resulted in my captured not dying. You must feel very-”
Rhenco suddenly faltered in his step, and then suddenly his knife was slashing across Sven’s throat. The area around him froze as the blood glided through the air, and then his knife came back, closing up the wound before he froze again with the knife arched over his head.
The knife slashed again, reset, and again, reset, and again. Over forty times.
Rhenco staggered as the images flashed in his mind, and he looked up at Grey, while she still stood by her son, protecting him. “How…” He stammered, looking confused. “How did you know to come…now?”
Images of a burnt forest, of quiet conversations, and blood soaked ash flashed in his mind, and a bead of blood ran out of his nose.
“Hello”
“Hello”
“Hello”
Again and again. The same conversations, ones he never had, so how did he know them? Rhenco gripped the side of his head, letting out a strained growl. “Who…are…you….?”
His mind raced, images and timelines and stretches of eternity ran behind his eyes and he began to shake.
“Equivalent exchange”
“Golden timeline…”
“Equivalent exchange”
“Always…” He said, a bit of blood running from the corner of his mouth. “That…” he gasped, and suddenly found himself lying cold in the snow, surrounded by blood, in pain, and the ethereal image of a demon standing over him.
“No…it can’t be…”
“I stopped this….”
“What will stop that…? Anything please!”
“Anything?”
“Anything!”
“You know the price….”
“…..YES!” Rhenco raised his head, now back standing before Grey and her family. His finger came down to sketch an alchemic sigil in the snow, and then he snapped his fingers, the circle flashing once.
For a moment his face was no longer veiled by his calm and his emptiness, and instead all his glee and all his manic insanity was clearly etched into his features. And then it was gone, and he was himself again.
“Ahh…I see…well in that case, you all can leave… just under one last condition. ”
Grey Bergman: Still trying to figure out what had happened, Grey and Brandt eyed Rhenco with great suspicion, but then Grey quickly raised on hand to tell her men waiting on the roof in case Rhenco dared to attack to stand down. Once the dragons slowly stepped back, Grey looked at Shadow, who still maintained her defensive stance.
“And…what might that be?” Grey asked…even though there was a chance she was going to regret asking.
Sven looked at his mother and then at Rhenco.
Rhenco: “One of you has to deliver….Milae...a message for me.” Rhenco sighed as he wiped the blood from his nose and mouth. “A message in which it’s accuracy is of the utmost importance for our deal…”
Sven Felman: “Mom, who’s—?” Sven tried to ask.
“Hold on, Sven,” Grey said as she kept her eyes on Rhenco trying to steady her pounding heart. “How did you—?”
Rhenco: “Know?” Rhenco asked, his eyes blinking a few times rapidly as if to shake of the exposure to eternity he had just witnessed. “I dont know…but he does…I’m sure…so who’s going to deliver my message to him?”
Grey Bergman: Grey glared at Rhenco again. The longer they were with this man, the more mysterious he became. She would never give this task to her son…not after what he went through while kidnapped. She hated the idea of Milae, their newest ally being found out, but it was just a message and it was the only way Rhenco would allow them to leave.
“I will,” Grey stated firmly. “What’s the message?”
“Mom…” Sven said with fear in his voice.
“It’s okay, son,” Brandt quickly interjected.
Rhenco: “Ah…” Rhenco huffed once, and then motioned her over with his index finger.
Grey Bergman: Grey glared even harder at Rhenco before taking a step forward only to have her son grab her arm.
“Mom…” Sven said pleadingly. He knew what was inside that building and what this man was capable. The last thing he wanted was for his own mother to suffer as he did.
Grey smiled at her boy. “It’s okay, sweetheart,” she said. “This won’t take long. Besides,” she walked toward Rhenco, “I have a Night Fury defending me and my family, right, girl?”
Shadow growled in affirmation as she stared at Rhenco with narrowed slits. “If you hurt her, it will be the last thing you do,” she growled.
Rhenco: “No it wont…” Rhenco sighed quietly as Grey stood to face him.
He studied her, and brought up his hand close to the side of her face as if he were going to touch her, but didnt. He seemed to think for a moment.
“Tell him…‘he knows.’” He tilted his head. “And if the demon is around, give her a kiss for me.” He added as one of his nails briefly curled around a strand of Grey’s hair.
Grey Bergman: As the Chief glared at the man, she quickly grabbed the hand that was in her hand and pushed it down.
“I’ll be sure to give him the message,” she said through clenched teeth, “but if you so much as hurt him or the Warden…”
Rhenco: Rhenco caught her hand in turn and met her eyes with his. “Then you’ll kill me…and then I’ll come back…and I’ll do something even worse…” He blinked once. “Is that what you were going to say?”
Grey Bergman: Grey’s glare faltered as a chill ran down her spine. “S-Something like that,” she said trying to hide the fear in her voice. “But like Brandt said, there’s no need for bloodshed.”
Rhenco: “Hm…no…” Rhenco hummed as his hand slipped away from hers, his finger nail brushing the veins on the underside of her arm. “Not anymore…not for now.”
He turned back towards the building, and took a moment to look back at Sven. “Jerod was my only friend.” He said simply, without any emotion. He turned back to Grey. “Your son wasnt my only guest from your Rebellion. I have a few more in my tower…I’ll send them out.”
=== Part 7 ===
Grey Bergman: Grey would’ve been even more frightened as Rhenco released her from his grip feeling his fingernails on her skin, but that was quickly pushed to the side when he mentioned that a few more of his…guests…from the Rebellion were currently in the tower. Her heart dropped at the sound of that.
“What? Who?” Grey asked. 
She quickly did a mental check. Warren was with her kids back on Haligan Island. Asha was there too with Ander, Siri, and Katryn. She hadn’t heard of anything from the mainland regarding Egil, Mera, and the rest of the Haddocks. Akkey’s nieces were supposed to be in Central. Although, she hadn’t heard from Stonegit, Akkey…or Blunt. She also hadn’t heard much from Tree, her kids, Vox, Clover, and so many others. She’s been keeping in touch with Seasick, and she knew that she or Ellidi would’ve come to her if one of the kids were to go missing. Two members…her brother, Greg, and King Haddock were…dead.
Rhenco: Rhenco stepped inside a Malak quickly came over to him. “Everything good?” He asked and then froze.
Rhenco…looked worried.
Malak felt his throat dry up. “I can still go out there…” He offered. “I can still kill him.”
Rhenco glanced back. “You wouldnt be able to best her.” He said grimly, his eyes darkened. “The boy knows Malak…and they have dragons…”
“You cant risk him spilling. Let me try.” The half breed frowned. “There’s something else…”
Rhenco placed a hand on the stairwell handrail. “Milae…”
“You found out about an enemy? Isnt that good for us?”
Rhenco wiped the corners of his mouth. “So it would seem to them…get your family…we’re moving.”
***
Rhenco stepped back out with four men from the Rebellion village, they were no one Grey knew personally. They looked terrible, and each had crimson stained bandages around their arms.
The wards around the hotel faded, and the clamor of people freeing themselves and running wild eched from inside. Rhenco heaved breath. “I’ll be here…” He told Grey.
Grey Bergman: “What do you mean?” Grey said as she tended to the rebels silently letting them know that whatever nightmare they endured was over. 
“What’s going on, Dad?” Sven asked his father as they watched the scene unfold in front of them.
“Apparently, you weren’t the only prisoner, who had something to do with the Rebellion trapped in here,” Brandt said. “Rhenco is releasing them…” He watched his wife tend to the former rebels. There was a part of him that wanted to ask Sven who Jerod was, but that wasn’t important right now. Instead, he waved for their men to come down with their dragons. “Seems like we have a few other guests, boys.”
Rhenco: “Waiting for Milae…” Rhenco said grimly. For once his eyes didnt hold their usual gleam. And with that, he turned and walked back around the building to go inside again
Grey Bergman: The Chief sighed and nodded. She didn’t like this one bit. She hated the idea of Milae coming here to face this monster, but all she had to do was deliver a message to him. Whether he chose to meet Rhenco was up to Milae. She still was very unsure of how Rhenco was treating this whole situation between letting them leave with Sven and the four rebels, but she didn’t dare question it. All she wanted to do was go home with her husband, her baby boy, their men, and the four rebels.
“Shadow, stand down,” Grey said while keeping her eyes on Rhenco. 
The Night Fury complied and relaxed.
“Brandt, you and Sven mount on Shadow,” she continued with her eyes still on Rhenco. “Men, help these former rebels get on your dragons. My mother can tend to them and Sven when we get home.”
“Yes, Chief,” the men said in unison and immediately helped the rebels onto their dragons. 
“What do we do about…?” one of the men asked gesturing to Rhenco.
“We’re leaving, we’re going home,” Grey said as she stepped toward Shadow. “That’s all we need to do.”
Category:BOTGD 2
Category:Act I
Category:Events
Category:Sven Felman
Category:Rhenco