Dive slowly woke up to what felt like iron pellets falling on his head. The clear liquid dripping over his face and onto his beak told him otherwise.
As he slowly came to, he also realized that he was tied to an iron platform, upper body stripped of all clothing. The platform was tilted upward. Steel clamps held his wrists to the iron bed. Another one was around his neck, preventing him from being able to move out from under the dripping water.
Dive let out a growl as he clenched his eyes.
A moment later, the dripping stopped.
Dive opened his eyes in time to see a cascade of water coming down at his face.
He sputtered, his tongue tasting a bit of salt.
His hair and feathers were soaked.
His heart's pace quickened as he spotted both General Canard and Iron Wing standing before him.
Canard held an empty bucket in his hands, a small smile on his face.
"So... my slave's doppelganger has awaken."
Dive glared at him.
Canard set the bucket down. "You are going to tell us everything. Who you are, where you came from, you came with you, and who and where is the Resistance."
"In your wildest fucked-up dreams," said Dive, as sweetly as possible.
General Canard's face turned deadly. He snapped his fingers.
Iron Wing stepped forward, two metal rods attached to wires in his hands.
"The one fun thing about sodium chloride and water..." said Canard, as Iron Wing touched the edges of the rods to Dive's ribs. "...Is that it provides a great conduct for electricity."
Iron Wing pressed a button, and a hot searing pain surged through every nerve in Dive's body.
Dive screamed.
X
ND was in a blissful state of sleep when the body next to him jerked. ND's eyes flew open and he sat up.
"Nosedive?" he heard Wildwing say, in a slurred speech.
"Right here," responded ND, confused. He observed with a heavy heart at the crestfallen look on Wildwing's face.
He very well knew that Wildwing had been asking for his real brother. Yet, he couldn't help but wish that Wildwing would have been content enough to know that he was safe.
Wildwing went back to sleep with a heavy sigh, the worry still evident on his face.
ND settled back own, very much awake. His eyes stared up at the ceiling. Somewhere in the depths of Iron Wing's dungeon was Dive, most likely suffering a cruel fate at the hands of Puckworld's most infamous torturer.
He slightly trembled. Would his look-a-like survive? Or would he break?
For one brief and horrible moment, he hoped so. The next second, he was appalled of his selfish thinking. Yes. . . he was jealous. And a small part of him hated Dive for what he had. A living brother who cared for him.
ND closed his eyes in anguish. If only there was something he could do. . .
X
Iron Wing certainly knew what he was doing.
Dive tried to stand up, his vision swimming. His whole body ached.
The best he was able to do was get up on his knees. He carefully began checking his body's injuries. He had a couple of burn marks on his ribs from the electrical rods. His wrists were raw from the metal that had cuffed him and intensified the charge. Several pink spots coated his chest where Iron Wing had mercilessly plucked random feathers before dousing his body with alcohol.
It was a cruel twist of irony in that something that cause him so much pain also kept him from getting infections.
Half an hour later, Dive managed to get on his feet, despite the fact his back was up against the wall.
He had managed to keep both the Resistance and his "true" name a secret. And he feigned ignorance about the other portal that had showed up after his.
He mentally shuddered when he thought about how close he came to breaking.
He only hoped that someone would come to rescue him. And soon.
His breath caught in his throat when the door to his cell opened.
A female figure stood in the light.
"Come on, Little One," she said with malicious glee. "Let's see what the little duckie is going to tell momma."
Dive felt his resolve dwindling. For some reason, he feared this female more so than Iron Wing.
X
ND watched how dejectedly everyone was moving after their initial sleep. Nightbloom and Freefall had yet to return from Dragaunus's castle, and he was torn between speaking and remaining silent.
Watching Canard and Wildwing talking helped make his mind.
Dive had risked everything to make sure he stayed safe.
He should do the same.
ND slowly walked over to the two.
He waited for them to finish speaking.
"Yes?" asked Wildwing, his voice low and filled with sorrow.
"I. . . I think I can lead you to where they're keeping Dive."
To be continued . . .