Resonance of the Abyss

"We have checked every alleyway and corner here, so the last thing which remains is…"

"Interrogating the people here."

He flashed me a smile after I completed his sentence. Maybe I can have some fun here, these people were already getting on my nerves.

We made our move toward the nearest pedestrian, he was startled by the fact that the people who were just observing suddenly approached him.

The only thing I could appreciate about them was their tenacity, the wounds they sustained proved they were warriors who gave their all to survive.

Something to be proud of, something to admire people about.

"Hello, My name is Azrael. I just wanted to ask a question, if you have time."

"I don't have time for upper level people, get lost you weaklings."

Not hiding their hostility at all, and about those weakling remarks. Just because they defeated some mortals they think they are hot stuff, Yup, I was right they are moronic.

Azrael grabbed his right shoulder, squeezed it before questioning again.

"Let me ask a question, Have you seen a tall girl with crimson eyes and obsidian black hair? She is from the upper level, you would have known seeing her."

The guy tried to ungrip himself but alas his struggles were futile, the more he struggled the more intensely Azrael squeezed his shoulders.

I thought I should take part in this event too but the guy yielded pretty fast.

"No, I haven't seen any girl like that. The only upper level people I saw are you too."

Maybe he didn't, they are moronic, so, it's not a surprise.

Azrael squeezed his shoulders even more, this time I heard a faint crack. He broke his shoulders!! Isn't he a ruthless one, what if he didn't know for sure. Hurting an innocent person are we, aren't you feeling guilty Azrael?

Looking at his deadpan expression, I guess he didn't.

"Ahhhhh!!!..... "

He tried to scream but his mouth was grabbed by Azrael, he looked straight in his eyes before giving him a last warning.

"If you try to lie, at least lie skillfully. It doesn't do anything if a person can read your face like a book. So, I will ask you one last time, if you still lie. You will die…."

Damn!! Comeon he was acting all high and mighty calling us weaklings, what happened now. Scared? Like a baby.

He was looking at me to rescue him, seriously how moronic you can be. Even so, the look of despair on his face was a sweet-sweet delicacy for me.

"Ok…Ok…please don't hurt me…I will tell…actually I really didn't see her…it was one of my friends who saw her."

"Ok then, take me to him."

Huffing, his eyes wandered around before continuing.

"But, I can't do that. He is somewhere isolated, someone like me has no permission to enter that place."

Bingo!! Hitting two birds with one stone. Good job! Azrael.

"Do you know where this 'isolated' place is? Just tell us the location. We will do what we can do there, of course if you want to live that is."

He was trying to retort but he choked on his saliva, listening to Azrael's threat. Not gonna lie, he can be scary sometimes.

After some deep thinking and contemplation, the boy finally answered.

"I will take you there, just don't tell anyone I did that please."

"You are in no position to demand anything, if you would have listened to me like a good boy. I might have left you, for now just show us the way."

Hitting where it hurts, are we. I really thought Azrael was enjoying it too but his expression said otherwise.

The boy was gritting his teeths, the only thing he could do right now.

"Hey Azrael, hush, listen to me. Next time let me do the interrogation, it doesn't feel good seeing you having fun, only."

"Fun? I was not having fun here, either way you can interrogate the next person if the chance occurs."

We followed the boy in an alleyway, he removed some stashed barrels in the corner of a hut.

Beneath the stashed barrels, was a trapdoor.

So, they have a secret hideout. The reason why we couldn't find any clues was because of this…they are underground.

This was kind of Anti-climatic. The boy looked at us with a pitiful gaze, asking for permission to go away. Which he was given, surprisingly, I had thought that Azrael would unalive this guy here for sure.

The boy didn't look back after that, with his limping shoulder he ran as fast as he could. Finally disappearing in a long dark alleyway.

I motioned Azrael to go first, he swatted my arms. Before I could say 'ladies first'. Damn he knew, better luck next time Kaltain.

Deep down was a cellar, the typical one you would see in a horror movie or game. Chains were attached to the ceilings, drooping around. The foul stench was even more potent here.

Still, we made our way deep into the cellar. There were wall mounted torches to light up the area.

Inside we found a room with blood stained surface, and big walls with random scribbles.

The room was connected with more doors leading to even more rooms, they made this place a puzzle intentionally. Now, I'm sure of it.

We were not trying to stay hidden, we didn't even try to hide. Just walked around like we owned the place.

At last we reached a room filled to brim with cradles, cradles seriously? What was happening here, the cradles were not empty either. There were babies inside many of those cradles.