Seo-Yun's breath came in shallow, uneven gasps as the cold stone pressed against his back. The chains bit mercilessly into his wrists, suspended high above his head, muscles aching from the unnatural strain. The chill of the dungeon seeped into his bones, but it was the heavy weight of captivity that crushed his spirit most profoundly.
The day had begun like so many others—dragged from the miserable cell by the guards, beaten, punished, broken piece by piece. Yet this time, the cruelty was different. Kaelith's voice had carried an edge, a chilling promise that what Seo-Yun had endured so far was merely a prelude to a deeper torment.
"You've learned nothing but pain," Kaelith's voice cut through the silence like a sharpened blade. "Pain alone will not break you. So I will strip away everything you cling to—the pride, the hope, the will. You belong to us, Seo-Yun. Body, mind, and soul."
The collar around Seo-Yun's neck flared sharply, sending a jolt of agony rippling down his spine. His heart thundered in his chest, wild and desperate, but he could only hang there, suspended and helpless.
The guards fastened the thick iron chain to the wall, their grip cold and unyielding. Every second that passed was a reminder of his utter powerlessness. The skin beneath the shackles was raw and tender, each movement a fresh wound.
Hours dragged on like an eternity. Kaelith paced before him, issuing commands in clipped, merciless tones.
"Lower your gaze."
"Speak only when spoken to."
"Remember who holds your life in their hands."
Each order was enforced with brutal precision. When Seo-Yun's eyes flicked upward for a fleeting moment, a whip cracked sharply against his side, tearing through flesh and nerve. When his body jerked in reflex, a boot slammed into his ribs with bone-breaking force. The collar punished him with searing pulses of electricity whenever his mind dared to drift beyond the confines of his cage.
Despite the relentless torture, Seo-Yun's mind refused to shatter. Deep within, a stubborn ember of resistance burned bright. Memories of a life before this nightmare—faces, laughter, freedom—fueled his silent rebellion.
As the night deepened, Kaelith returned. His dark eyes gleamed with a mixture of cruelty and curiosity as he studied Seo-Yun's battered form.
"You resist with your mind," Kaelith murmured, voice low and dangerous. "But your body belongs to me. The soul… that will come in time."
He reached out, his hand cold and commanding, pressing against Seo-Yun's bruised cheek with possessive force.
"You will bend," Kaelith promised, voice like iron wrapped in velvet, "one way or another."
And with that, he turned and disappeared into the shadows, leaving Seo-Yun alone with the cold, the chains, and the relentless ache of captivity.
But Seo-Yun hung there, battered but unbroken—a prisoner in body, but a warrior still in heart.