Time gradually passed within the prison cell, three days had gone by, and the food brought by the aged soldier each time was monopolized by a man sitting in the shadows. This man named Sok, despite having lost both legs and his hands being tightly bound by iron chains, was like a tyrant in this space.
Hunger is an unbearable torment for a young man, let alone for Elwin who had not eaten for three days. Elwin started to plead verbally, hoping to share some of the food, but Sok's response was always a cold refusal.
Desperate, Elwin eventually lunged at Sok in a frenzy after another failed request, attempting to snatch the food from his hands. However, despite being disabled, Sok clearly possessed unexpected strength. He skillfully repelled Elwin's attack, pushed him away, and let him fall heavily onto the stone floor.
Banished, Elwin could only run to the iron gate and call for the guard. Hearing his cries, the guard callously entered and unleashed a brutal whipping on Elwin with the whip in his hand.
Pain left Elwin unable to stand. He fell to the ground, looking wide-eyed at Sok, hoping to find a shred of pity in his gaze. However, Sok only coldly said, "You guys are really making an effort this time, even resorting to a misery ploy."
Under the heavy weight of pain, Elwin passed out, teetering on the brink of life and death, lying on the cold stone floor, his silence articulating his helplessness and suffering.
Teetering on the edge of unconsciousness, Elwin seemed to return to his past. He saw the faces of his parents, that familiar and warm smile, their words flowing like a river through time, echoing in his ears.
"Elwin, we both love you very much," said his father's robust voice, those bright eyes illuminating his world like stars.
"Elwin, you're the bravest child," said his mother's gentle words, her tender eyes providing a comforting harbor for him.
His heart trembled, that was his grandmother, Margaret. Margaret's kindly face, always beaming, her silver curls, her eyes always full of love. She sat in her rocking chair, softly calling him, "Elwin, come here, let me tell you a story."
These warm scenes repeatedly stirred Elwin, moistening the corners of his eyes with his endless longing and sorrow. He wanted to go back to the past, back to a world where they all existed, a world without pain, distress, or hunger. But reality was cruel. He knew he could never return, that world had forever disappeared the moment his parents passed away.
Elwin felt as if his fingertips were about to touch his parents' hands, that familiar feeling, that nostalgia, filled his heart with warmth. Suddenly, a soft yellow light shone down, this warmth continuously radiating towards him, seemingly calling him back to reality.
The light flickered before his eyes, like the sun in the early dawn, filled with vitality and hope. His vision went from blurry to clear, and as he slowly opened his eyes, he saw Sok sitting beside him, and the warm light was emanating from him.
"You... you're saving me?" Elwin asked incoherently, a wave of fatigue making it nearly impossible for him to speak. He was exceptionally surprised because, in his eyes, Sok was an indifferent man, and he thought he would die alone in this cold prison cell.
Sok didn't respond, there were no emotional fluctuations in his gaze, he just continued to apply that soft yellow healing light to Elwin. His eyes seemed to hide deep melancholy and fatigue.
However, this seemingly cold and ruthless Sok was saving him at this moment. He couldn't understand or accept it, but he knew he owed Sok his life, which also reignited his hope for life, letting him know that he was not alone in this dark world.
"Why... why are you saving me?" Elwin struggled to sit up from the floor, his eyes filled with confusion and bewilderment. "Do you know? My parents are dead, my grandmother is missing, and I am confined in this hellish place. I would rather be with them than survive here alone." His voice carried a grating sob, which was despair at his fate and fear of the unknown.
Sok remained silent, his gaze fixed intently on Elwin, as if sizing him up. He seemed to be thinking about something and didn't speak for a long time. Finally, he sighed, speaking with a gentleness that seemed to have never been seen in him before, "I understand what you're feeling, I know what you're going through, your despair, your pain. I've had them too."
"I... was once like you, had a family, had friends, but I lost them, lost everything." Sok's voice was deep and aged, as if he had experienced endless pain and torment. "I preserved your life, not to let you continue suffering here, but in hopes that you could find a way out, find hope, find a new beginning. You have your mission, you must survive, not for me, not for yourself, but for those in your heart."
Elwin stared at the man in front of him, and asked a little confusedly, "Can you tell me your name?"
The man gave a faint smile, as if reminiscing about something, and softly replied, "I am Sok Thorsson."