The walls of the cell felt closer than ever, the air thick and stagnant, each second stretching into an eternity. Nathan had barely finished steadying his breaths from Kael's last visit when the sound of heavy footsteps echoed down the hall. His spine tensed, the faint flicker of warmth he'd been nurturing instantly smothered by a pulse of dread.
Agent Kael strode into the room, his expression a portrait of twisted delight. "Back for another lesson, anomaly." His voice carried the same cold malice, but there was a sharper edge to it this time—something almost like eagerness.
Nathan clenched his fists, summoning whatever remnants of his fading defiance he could. "What? Couldn't stay away?" he muttered, the words tasting like ash even as he forced them out. "Thought I was... just a waste of time to you."
Kael's lips curled into a sneer, a cruel gleam in his eyes. "Oh, you're exactly that. But sometimes, even a waste of time needs a reminder of where he stands." He cracked his knuckles, the sound echoing ominously. "Consider this my personal brand of discipline."
Without warning, Kael's fist shot out, connecting with Nathan's ribs. Pain radiated outward, intense and unyielding, each blow landing with the precision of someone who knew exactly where to hit to inflict maximum damage.
"Did you think you were special, hmm?" Kael asked, his tone mocking as he drew back, his fists clenched, waiting for Nathan to try and rise. "That you could unlock a little power and suddenly be free?" He chuckled darkly, the sound low and chilling. "Every Blessed in here thought that once. And now? They're nothing. You're no different."
Nathan tried to summon his Heat Shield, focusing on the flicker of fire deep within. But it was weak, sputtering against the force of Kael's onslaught like a candle against a storm. Kael's next punch shattered through the shield instantly, and Nathan felt his defenses crumble both physically and mentally.
"Look at you," Kael sneered, leaning down to meet Nathan's gaze. "A pitiful little spark. And you thought that would be enough to defy us?"
He couldn't summon words, couldn't even bring himself to reply. Every inch of his body screamed in agony, each breath a struggle as Kael's words dug deeper, tearing at the fragile remnants of his resolve.
"You're nothing," Kael continued, his voice laced with disgust. "You think you're the only one who's ever tried? Dozens of Blessed like you have come through here, each one thinking they'd be the one to escape." He leaned in closer, his breath hot against Nathan's ear. "And every single one broke."
Nathan forced his eyes to meet Kael's, a glimmer of defiance lingering despite the pain. "Maybe... maybe I'll be the exception."
Kael's laughter was a harsh, bitter sound. "Exception?" He grabbed Nathan by the collar, hoisting him up just to slam him back against the wall. "There are no exceptions here. Only compliance or... well, let's just say the alternative is unpleasant."
Nathan's body slumped, his strength waning with every blow. The System was silent, no helpful notifications, no glimmer of hope—nothing but the unrelenting pain and Kael's mocking voice in his ears.
"It's time you learned your place," Kael hissed, releasing him so Nathan crumpled to the ground. He could feel blood trickling from his mouth, his vision blurring, and yet, even as his body betrayed him, that small ember within him refused to die.
Kael knelt beside him, a look of satisfaction crossing his face. "Maybe now you'll think twice about trying to play with fire," he said, his tone softer but no less venomous. "I'll make it simple for you. Use your powers again, and I'll make sure the next lesson is one you don't recover from."
As Kael rose to leave, Nathan managed to lift his head, spitting blood to the side. "You... can't stop me forever," he whispered, each word a strain. But Kael merely smirked, unaffected, as he left Nathan to wallow in the aftermath of his assault.
For what felt like hours, Nathan lay motionless on the cold floor, each breath a fresh surge of pain. The System remained silent, offering no guidance, no comforting words. The flicker of warmth he'd felt within himself was nearly gone, smothered by Kael's brutal reminder of his vulnerability. And as he lay there, Kael's words echoed in his mind, an insidious whisper of doubt.
Every single one broke.
A chilling sense of helplessness washed over him, stronger than any blow Kael had landed. He was just one Blessed among countless others, another name, another experiment in the eyes of the GRA. Kael was right, wasn't he? He was no different, no more powerful than any other Blessed who had come through here, each one stamped out under the unyielding weight of the GRA's control.
The familiar urge to summon the fire rose within him, but it was faint, almost imperceptible, as if even the fire had been stilled by the weight of his despair. It felt like a betrayal, the fire he'd thought was his one ally now little more than a flicker, barely enough to even register within him.
You thought you'd be the exception? The mocking echo of Kael's voice drilled deeper into his mind, feeding the seed of doubt that had begun to grow.
For the first time since his imprisonment, Nathan wondered if it was true—if he really was just another fool, clinging to false hope in the face of overwhelming odds.
But as he lay there, a faint warmth pulsed in his hand, a tiny ember sparking to life within his palm. It was almost insignificant, barely visible, but it was there—a reminder that the fire had not yet abandoned him. And as he watched that faint spark, he felt a surge of determination break through the despair that had gripped him.
Endure… the flames…
The words echoed through his mind, soft but steady, like a mantra reminding him of his purpose. Kael could beat him, mock him, try to strip him of every ounce of dignity, but he couldn't take that small ember within. It was his, a part of him, something the GRA could never fully understand, let alone destroy.
Nathan clenched his fist around the flickering warmth, feeling it pulse in response. It wasn't much, but it was a start. It was a reminder that no matter how many times Kael tried to break him, no matter how many times he fell, he would rise again.
Because even a small spark, nurtured long enough, could become a blaze.
As he lay on the cold floor, bruised and battered, Nathan made a silent vow to himself, a promise to that tiny ember that refused to die.
I'm not done yet. Not by a long shot.