A Painful Awakening
Alex slowly regained consciousness, feeling the cold ground beneath him and the tight bindings around his wrists and ankles. His stomach churned, and he retched, vomiting onto the floor. The pungent smell of his own bile filled his nostrils as he lay there, disoriented and weak.
"Is he up yet?" a woman's voice called out, authoritative and impatient.
"Yes, Mrs. President," a man replied.
Alex struggled to focus, trying to make sense of his surroundings. Rough hands grabbed him, lifting him off the ground and forcing him to stand. He squinted against the harsh light, trying to see who was speaking.
"Get up," the woman's voice commanded.
A man brought Alex to his feet, and he looked around, his vision still blurry. "Where am I? Where are my friends?" he demanded, his voice hoarse.
A Shocking Revelation
"They are safe, but you, my friend, I must ask you something," the woman said, stepping into view. She was tall, with sharp features and an air of authority. "Are you from Earth?"
Alex's heart pounded in his chest. "Yes, how do you know that?"
The woman smiled coldly. "My name is President Abigail Crawford, and this is Trevor," she said, gesturing to a man standing beside her. "Around 12 years ago, we were involved with scientists experimenting with realm travel. A year later, you, Alex, showed up here."
Alex's mind raced. "So you're the president of the USA? I heard you went missing; it was all over the news."
"Yes," President Crawford replied. "And this is where we ended up. We've been trying to find a way out and back home ever since. There's a certain artifact down south in the Forgotten Lands, and what's in your blood might be the key to using it without technology but with magic."
A Dark Plan
Alex's blood ran cold. "What do you mean, what's in my blood?"
President Crawford's eyes gleamed with malice. "We are going to torture you until you give us the location of the artifact. Once you do, we will kill you and extract your blood. The evil god Shona can then use it to take this world and your planet straight to hell. And your friends will be murdered as well."
Alex's heart pounded in his chest. "No! You can't do that, you bitch!"
President Crawford smirked. "Alright, boys, lock him up."
Alex struggled violently as he was dragged away, screaming, "No! No!"
They threw him into a dark, damp cell, the door slamming shut behind him. He lay on the cold stone floor, his mind racing with fear and anger. He had to find a way to save himself and his friends.
Despair in Darkness
Alex lay in the darkness, his mind racing. The cold stone floor sapped his strength, and the heavy silence pressed in on him from all sides. He could feel the dampness seeping through his clothes, chilling him to the bone.
He replayed the president's words in his mind, the gravity of the situation weighing heavily on him. His blood, his very existence, was the key to a horrific plan that threatened both this world and his home. He couldn't let that happen.
But how could he stop them? Bound and imprisoned, he felt helpless and vulnerable. The thought of his friends, Thrain, Lila, and Yuki, kept him going. He couldn't let them suffer because of him.
A Moment of Clarity
As the minutes turned into hours, Alex forced himself to calm down. Panic wouldn't help him now. He needed to think clearly and find a way out of this mess. He remembered his training, the skills he had honed over his adventures. He had faced impossible odds before and survived. He could do it again.
He took a deep breath, focusing his mind. He began to test the bindings on his wrists, searching for any weakness. The ropes were tight, but if he could just find a way to loosen them…
The Determination to Fight
Alex gritted his teeth, working methodically on the knots. His fingers were numb, and the rough rope cut into his skin, but he didn't stop. He couldn't stop. He had to get free. He had to warn his friends and find a way to stop President Crawford and her insane plan.
Every second counted. He knew that the longer he was imprisoned, the more danger his friends were in. He had to find a way to escape and save them before it was too late.
With a renewed sense of determination, Alex continued to work on the bindings, refusing to give up hope. He knew that somewhere out there, Thrain, Lila, and Yuki were counting on him. And he would not let them down.
This concludes Chapter Twenty-Nine.