I never thought I'd find myself in this situation. Bound, helpless, with the thick cords cutting deep into my wrists and ankles, the cold steel of the chair beneath me sending chills through my body. Every breath I took tasted of blood, the metallic tang filling my mouth, as I tried to focus on anything other than the pain that radiated through every muscle. The dim light from the single bulb overhead flickered, casting long, shifting shadows across the concrete walls. It reeked of dampness and rot, the kind of place no one would think to look for me.
I strained against the ropes again, even though I knew it was pointless. The fibers dug into my skin, sending fresh waves of pain shooting through my arms. My vision blurred for a moment, and I blinked hard, forcing myself to focus.
"Hey," I croaked, my voice raw from hours of screaming and defiance. "Where's the artifact?"
She laughed. That cold, cruel laugh that I'd come to hate. I forced my head up, locking eyes with her. She was pacing back and forth in front of me, her leather boots clicking against the floor with each step. The sound was steady, rhythmic, as if she was savoring the moment, letting it sink into me. Her red lips twisted into a smirk, a wicked glint in her emerald eyes.
"Always about the artifact with you, isn't it?" She said, her voice smooth and mocking. "You never learn, Dragonir."
She stopped in front of me, leaning down so her face was inches from mine. I could smell her perfume—sickly sweet, mingling with the stench of blood and sweat. She grabbed my chin, forcing me to look at her. Her nails bit into my skin as she tilted my head, examining the fresh bruises she'd left behind.
"You know, for someone who claims to be so smart, you're incredibly stupid," she continued, her tone light, almost playful. "The artifact doesn't matter. It was never the point." She let go of my face, standing back up and crossing her arms over her chest. "It was there to throw you off the real trail. But you… you couldn't leave it alone, could you?"
I blinked, trying to clear the haze of confusion that settled over my mind. "Then what's this really about? Why go through all this trouble?"
Her eyes darkened, and something fierce flickered in them. "Why?" she hissed, stepping forward again, slamming her fist into the side of my face. I saw stars as my head snapped to the side, pain exploding through my jaw.
"You've always been in the way!" Her voice rose, raw with frustration now. "You could have walked away. You should have. But you kept pushing, kept chasing me, kept meddling in things you couldn't possibly understand!"
I spat blood onto the floor, my heart pounding against my ribs. "This isn't about the artifact, then? It's about you?"
Her silence was more damning than any words. I tried to smile, even though my lip was split, and every inch of my body screamed in agony. "You're scared. You've always been scared."
She snarled and backhanded me again, harder this time. My vision wavered, and for a moment, I thought I might black out. But no—she wouldn't let me. She wanted me to feel every second of this.
"You think you know me?" she sneered, bending down, her lips brushing my ear as she spoke. "You don't know a damn thing about me. You're just another fool who thinks he can play hero."
I shuddered as her breath ghosted over my neck. "Then why are you so afraid to tell me the truth?"
She stepped back, her boots echoing against the cold, concrete floor, her expression twisting into something dark, almost inhuman. "You want the truth?" she asked, her voice low, almost seductive. "You can't handle the truth, Dragon. You're not strong enough."
I glared at her, pushing through the fog of pain clouding my thoughts. "Try me."
Her eyes flickered, narrowing in amusement, though there was an underlying rage boiling beneath the surface. Without warning, she grabbed a knife from the table beside her. I hadn't even noticed it before, too distracted by the throbbing pain in my skull and the blood dripping down my chin.
She twirled the blade between her fingers, almost lazily, as if it was a toy. She pressed the cold metal against my cheek, trailing it down slowly, teasing the skin without breaking it. My heart pounded, a cold sweat breaking out along my spine.
"Here's the truth," she whispered, pressing the knife harder now, just enough for a thin line of blood to appear. "I never cared about the artifact. It was always about me. You think you can stop me? You think you can save Seraphina? You're nothing, Dragon. Less than nothing."
The blade trailed down, slipping lower, cutting into the flesh of my chest through the torn fabric of my shirt. I bit down on my lip, refusing to give her the satisfaction of hearing me scream. I wouldn't let her win. Not like this.
"I don't need to stop you," I rasped, struggling to keep my voice steady. "You're doing that all by yourself."
Her eyes flashed dangerously, and before I could react, she plunged the knife deeper, twisting it just below my ribs. A scream tore from my throat before I could stop it, the agony searing through every nerve in my body. I gasped for breath, my vision swimming.
Eleri leaned in close again, her lips brushing my ear. "You've always been weak," she whispered, her voice soft, almost tender. "Always chasing after things you don't understand. But this… this is what happens when you cross me."
I could barely hear her over the sound of my own heartbeat, pounding in my ears like a war drum. My body screamed in protest, every nerve alight with agony. But I wouldn't let her break me. Not yet.
"Seraphina," I gasped. "Where... where is she?"
The woman smiled, cruel and wicked. "You still don't get it, do you? She's gone, Dragonir. Gone, just like you soon will be."
My vision blurred again, darkness creeping in at the edges. But I forced myself to stay conscious, to fight through the pain, to keep her talking. "I'm not dead yet," I muttered, blood trickling down my chin. "You still haven't won."
Her smile faded, replaced by a look of pure rage. "No, but I will," she hissed. "And when I do, you'll wish I'd killed you sooner."
She yanked the knife from my side, and I cried out, unable to stop the sound this time. The pain was unbearable, like fire burning through my veins.
She stepped back, breathing heavily, her eyes wild. "Tell me," she demanded. "Why do you keep getting in the way? Why can't you just leave me?"
I struggled to breathe, each inhale sending fresh waves of agony through my body. I looked up at her, blood dripping down my face, and smiled weakly.
"Because," I whispered, "I won't let you win."
Her face contorted with fury, and for a moment, I thought she might kill me right then and there. But instead, she let out a sharp laugh, shaking her head.
"You think you're so noble," she muttered, wiping the blood from her hands. "But in the end, you're just another pawn. And soon, you'll be nothing at all."
I watched as she turned away, the shadows swallowing her whole. My vision dimmed, the pain finally overwhelming me, but even in that moment, I held on to one thought.
This wasn't over.
Not yet.