Every dawn, the same routine.

A nudge.

A groan.

A whisper.

"Get up, Takeshi." She'd murmur.

My younger sister, Takako, always tried her best. For me. For us. Despite the dirt smeared across her face and the frailness of her body, she had a fire in her eyes. It was the only thing that kept me going in this hell.

We were chained to the stone wall of an unkempt cell; bruises and whip marks were carved onto our bodies and tattered clothes.

As the sun's feeble rays pierced through the grime-covered windows of our dingy quarters, I would slowly rise from the tattered mat we shared.

Without a trace, our parents vanished, leaving us with nothing but a feeling of abandonment. Three strong men broke into our house shortly after that and dragged us to this place.

And every morning, Takako's voice was my anchor, grounding me in brutal reality.

A cough.

"Water..." Takako rasped.

I didn't need to be told twice. Grabbing the rusty tin cup we'd been given, I scrambled over to the nearest water source.

It was more like a murky puddle than anything resembling fresh water, but it was all we had.

I hesitated for a moment; the water was so polluted, it'd only make her weaker. But I had no other choice.

The dingy room seemed to close in around us as I filled the cup. Takako's hand trembled as she reached out to take it.

Our fingers brushed, and I could feel the coldness in her touch, a stark reminder of how dire our situation had become.

"Thank you, Takeshi," she whispered, her voice barely audible over the distant sounds of labour and the cruel laughter of our overseers.

The clang of chains echoed.

Outside, footsteps grew louder. They approached our shed. We weren't alone.

"Takako," I whispered, clutching the cup tighter, "hide."

She tried to move, but her body didn't allow much. She settled into the shadows, breathing shallowly.

The door to the cell slammed open, revealing a large figure, his silhouette outlined by the morning light. His face was concealed under a hood, but I recognised the sinister aura around him.

"Master...?" I whispered, fearful of what was to come.

"Where's the girl?" He interrogated with narrow eyes; there was a thorny whip in his hand.

Breathing heavily, I stood between the imposing figure and the shadows where Takako hid. My eyes darted around, searching for any chance of escape.

"You won't touch her." I spat, defiance clear in my voice.

He didn't hesitate, and I was whipped relentlessly. Takako, not wanting to see me in this state, came out of her hiding spot.

"Stop! Please! I'm here!" She pleaded, tears streaking her dirt-smeared face.

The man paused, whip in mid-air, the sharp thorns glistening with my blood. He turned his attention to her, a wicked smile creeping on his face.

I struggled to regain my footing, using the wall as a support.

"Takako..." I whispered, the world seeming to blur around me.

My vision was fading, and I could only make out the scene where Takako was taken out of her chains and dragged away.

My vision soon faded. I lost consciousness.

The darkness swallowed me whole, and I couldn't tell how much time had passed. It could have been hours or days.

Pain coursed through my body, a relentless reminder of the merciless beating I had endured.

When consciousness finally returned, it was like emerging from the depths of a nightmare. I found myself in a small, damp cell, the walls coated in a sickly greenish mould.

The stench of decay hung in the air, and the faint sounds of distant suffering reached my ears.

"Takako...?" I croaked, the name a desperate prayer on my lips.

But there was no answer; there was silence, piercing silence. I tried calling out again, but there was nothing.

My breathing quickened, and I started looking around; she wasn't anywhere to be seen. Before I knew it, I was shouting her name.

The shouting was disrupted by the cell door opening. The figure, my master, was standing there again.

"Where's Takako?" I hissed.

He chuckled, a deep rumble that resonated with pure malice.

"She's been sold."

A cold fear gripped me. Sold? To whom? Where? Why?

I felt a surge of panic coursing through my veins as the realisation sank in. Takako, my only family, my only source of happiness, had been taken away from me against her will.

My mind raced with questions, desperate for answers that seemed out of reach. Who would dare lay claim to her? And for what purpose?

The unknown fate that awaited her gnawed at my every thought, fueling a growing determination within me to find her and bring her back to safety.

"You see, boy," he began, stepping into the dim cell, "she fetched a good price. Far more than you would have."

I couldn't respond. I just stared at my master with wide eyes, struggling to comprehend the reality of what he was saying.

Every piece of my soul screamed in rage. My only family, sold? After all they did to us?

My heart pounded. It felt as though it might tear through my chest at any second. I tried to lunge at the man, but my chains held me firmly in place.

"You monster!" My voice trembled with fury.

"Where did you send her?!" I demanded, and my eyes locked onto him with unwavering determination.

"To a faraway place, a land where she will serve a new master," he replied, his words dripping with sadistic delight, "And you? You'll remain here to rot."

His laugh echoed, cold and hollow, "Many have tried to escape this wretched place, boy. None have succeeded."

My heart raced. Every breath felt like a weight on my chest. The emptiness of the cell was now unbearable without Takako.

But now? Now, she was gone. My lifeline was severed.

"Go fuck yourself..." I screeched silently. The door shut, and I was left in lonesome darkness.

The darkness of the cell seemed to stretch on forever. I was alone, left with the haunting knowledge that Takako had been taken from me.

Sold like a piece of property, her fate was now a cruel mystery.

As the days turned into weeks, I endured the torment of my captivity. The overseers were merciless, their thorned whips leaving fresh scars on my battered body; they laboured me for days on end.

But the pain was nothing compared to the ache in my heart—the emptiness of not having Takako by my side.

I didn't realise it before, but I was silent. I ignored everything; even the pain from their thorny whips didn't affect me anymore.

"You'll pay for this." I whispered, venom dripping from every syllable.

The solitude of the cell began to weigh on me. The silence was maddening, interrupted only by the distant cries of other prisoners. But none of them were Takako.

I had to find her. The promise of our childhood, to always protect each other, echoed in my mind. I wouldn't let them break me. Not now. Not after everything.

It was during one such quiet moment that a mouse scurried across my cell, its tiny heart beating wildly as it evaded my grasp.

It had a rock on its back. I seized it, and it appeared to be an ordinary stone at first. But suddenly it glowed a cerulean colour, which quickly enveloped my body.

The warmth of the cerulean glow surrounded me, a stark contrast to the chilling void of the cell. The sensation was foreign and otherworldly.

I could feel my soul splitting; I felt a pull, and my body stretched in directions I never knew existed.

For a moment, the world around me became a blur. The stone's energy pulsed, consuming my senses.

Then, as suddenly as it began, the stone crumbled to dust. The glow faded, leaving me in near darkness once more.

It was no ordinary stone, and I was left with more questions than answers.