Chapter 27 - The Interrogation

Leon looked at Ben while they were walking back towards the room. Just as they were about to enter, he pulled Ben back. "You go ahead, Martha. I want to have a stroll around the garden", said Ben. After leaving Martha, Leon quickly asked his question. "You must have a cut a deal. As a Beastman, I know how hard it is to keep Demon Tier Beast DNA under control. So what is the deal?", he asked with a serious face.

Ben nodded his head. He looked around before he whispered back to him. "I made a deal of co-existence with him. In exchange for living life as a human being, I wanted to use his powers. He agreed only after a severe fight over control. But now that I don't have 'that' anymore, it's only a matter of time before he rises again", he said.

"What if, I said I have a way to make you and the Emperor complete Beastmen? And merge both DNA's? It's only possible because of what you have experienced. After being with the DNA for such a long time, the Beast must have developed an attachment to its host. And where there is attachment, it is easy to make them merge together. We just have to make you both acknowledge each other, and you will be a complete Beastman. I do not want My King, and best friend to turn into a Blackguard. I can notify Brad about the process", said Leon.

Ben began to think about the benefits of the process. "To become a complete Beastman? There are advantages, but I must learn about this beast to gain a full understanding so that I can control this power better. And I do not want to become a Blackguard", he thought.

After their small talk, Ben went back to the room. he sat on the bed and began to think about the words Leon had told him. Just as he was about to conclude, there was a knock on the door. "Come in", said Ben. The door opened and in came a messenger. "Prince Arthur has requested that King Heart join him immediately", said the messenger.

Ben stood up and walked towards the messenger. "Lead the way", he said as he signaled Leon to follow behind. They both began to follow the messenger towards a door and the messenger turned around. "I am not authorized to lead you further. You may enter this door, but not one word of what you see is allowed to leak from here. Do you understand?', asked the messenger.

"I understand. May I know if the Emperor is inside?", he asked. The messenger nodded his head and gestured for him to enter. Ben entered and Leon followed from behind. The path in front of him was dark, but that wasn't an issue for Ben. He snapped his fingers and a fireball was seen floating above his head, illuminating the path in front of them.

The path was wide enough for two people side by side. The walls were a deep shade of purple, and Ben began to wonder where he had seen this familiar scene before. "I feel like I've seen these brocks before", he muttered as he touched the brick. Leon was following Ben's hand movement, and he saw something that Ben failed to see. "These aren't bricks. They're stones from the Time of Change. This place, is bursting with Mana", said Leon.

Leon was fascinated by the change in the environment and he was wondering if this was since this castle has been standing for a long time. Although it has been renovated several times, the structure of the building remained the same. And the underground structures weren't touched in any sense, making it a place where the Mana had mixed with the structure.

Ben was walking along when he heard a deep voice from the darkness. "You will tell me where you came from, whether you like it or not", came a voice. Ben and Leon recognized the voice. "It's Merlin. Seems like he called us to an interrogation", said Ben. Leon nodded his head and walked behind Ben. They began to run towards the sound, and their footsteps attracted Merlin's attention.

"It seems like our guests have arrived", he smiled. He then gestured for Ben to enter and Leon began to inspect the beast with curiosity. "Hmm. Although this is a Demon Tier Beast, the capability it is displaying is that of an Emperor Tier. This can only mean one thing, that this person, is not capable of bringing out the full capabilities of the bloodline. Or in your case, he hasn't merged completely with the bloodline", he said.

Ben and Merlin were taken aback by the information. "Then why isn't he turning back into a human? There should be a reason behind it right?", he asked. Leon began to investigate the Beastman in front of him. "It seems to be a forced manipulation. Someone is not allowing him or her to transform back into a human", he said.

Both of them were stunned. "This is weird. The person who experimented on us shouldn't be capable of doing all this. And if he is truly behind, think of him creating an army strong enough to take us down", said Merlin. "This is complicated", Ben thought. Just as they were contemplating on how to interrogate the beast, Leon asked them something that took them back.

"This Mad Scientist, when you fought him, what Beast did he turn into?", he asked. Ben and Merlin clearly remembered the type of beast he turned into. "It was not one beast. His limbs were that of a Mantis, and his legs were that of a cheetah. But the strength behind it was abnormally strong", said Ben. "That strength matched the same level of a Direwolf's", said Merlin.

"I see", he said as he scratched his chin. They didn't understand why he asked such a question. But if Leon was asking such a question, it means that there must be something in his mind. Leon then stopped his investigation and stepped aside, allowing Ben and Merlin to take over.

Merlin stepped back, as he was tired of interrogating the Beastman. Ben stepped up, and he looked at the beast in its eyes. "A truly fascinating creation, you beasts are. I wonder, what will happen if I take this interrogation up a notch?", said Ben. Leon's shoulders shuddered unconsciously. Only he knew what kind of an interrogation Ben did.

"Your Majesty, I think we should just wait outside", said Leon. But Merlin didn't move. "Don't worry. I know of his methods because I was the one that taught him those in the first place", said Merlin with a devilish smile plastered on his face. "Truly devils", thought Leon.

Leon knew what their enemies called Ben behind his back. "The Grim Reaper", that's what they called him. To the people he loved, he was the most caring and adorable person to walk the face of the Earth. But to anyone who was his enemies, hell rained upon them. He didn't know about Merlin, as he hadn't met him a lot. But Merlin too had a nickname amongst his enemies, "Hades, The Lord of the Underworld".

Ben looked to the side and saw tools on a silver tray. He picked up a pair of gloves, and he wore a surgical mask on his face. "Shall we begin?", he said with a smile underneath his mask. "This is something new. I hope this will give us new information on this 'Omega' group", thought Merlin.

Ben took a silver scalpel and slowly began to cut the nerves behind the right thigh. "Give me a name, and I will give you a swift death. And don't pretend you do not understand me. I know you do", said Ben as he slicked clean. Blood began to spurt out from the wound, and for the first time, the beast shrieked.

"SCRRREEEEEEECCCCHHH!". it screamed. Ben began to slice the left thigh, and it kept squealing. Blood was flowing down its thighs, but Ben didn't stop there. "What was that name? The one they gave me on the battlefield? Ah, yes", thought Ben. "I am The Grim Reaper, and I have come here to collect your soul. Surrender peacefully, so that you may not suffer in the depths of Hell", he said with a smile.

To Ben, he was just role-playing. But to the Beastman, it looked truly horrifying. His body shuddered. "Ready to talk?", asked Ben. The Beastman nodded his head. "Pl... Please spare me...", it said in a female voice.

"So, you're a woman. Let us start. What is your name, and what are you to The Omega? And finally, what is the name of your leader?", asked Ben in succession. The woman's face began to transform back into a human, but the body didn't. She was quite good-looking. She began to answer the questions.

"My name is Gina Williams. I am from The Village of Messengers, on the outskirts of the Empire. We were all kidnapped one night and ended up in The Omega. I do not know what I am to them. Maybe a disposable tool? Or someone they use to further their research? Or just a pawn in the grand scheme of things? I truly do not know. But what I do know is that I am nothing in their eyes", she paused wincing.

"Every moment that I have been living, I feel like I am in Hell. That man, the leader, I do not know his name. But what I do know is that he calls himself The Zookeeper. And we are his caged animals. But there is someone above him. I overheard him once talk to someone, but I do not know his name. I have one final request", she paused again. The light was fading from her eyes due to the loss of blood.

"Please kill me. Before The Zoo....", her words were paused as she saw a knife with the Omega symbol pierced in her heart. Ben and the others were taken aback. They quickly turned around to look at who it was. The man standing behind had a smile on his face after killing the woman.

"Hail Omega!", he said as he fell to the floor. Ben quickly walked towards the man. He was pointing his finger towards the woman as Ben neared him. "I love you, Gina....", he said as his final breath left his body.