In the cold, unclean and contaminated basement, where walls have splatter, Raja looked Tales like a predator while tapping his left foot on the floor as if he's analyzing something. The sound of his foot tapping echoing off the walls. Tales stood chained, wrists and ankles cuffed, his gaze is agitated but powerless. The faint bruises on his face are throbbing but he couldn't care less and it only fuel his defiance.
"So," Raja began, voice full of disdain, ,"are you going to keep your mouth shut forever, hm?"
Tales smirked, his face seems like taunting him and even if he knows how stupid his idea was,he still don't want to give in. "I'm not going to grovel if that's what you're after. Just get it over with."
Raja's eyebrows met, a cruel smile appeared on his lips. "Still so proud. I'll enjoy breaking that out of you." He then walk towards the right side of the wall pulling the lever, to tighten the chains holding Tales, forcing him to stand on his toes, straining under the weight.
Tales grunted, eyes shut and bit down his lips on the pain, "Arghhh!!" Tales groaned loudly. But after gathering his self to breathe, he smirk. "You think you can scare me? I've been through a lot Raja. Right now, never mind the pain. I just want to kill you."
Raja snicker, not affected by the taunt. He leaned close, their faces mere inches apart, he whispered in a low and menacing way. "Feisty huh? Is that your style? I really admire bravery but if it became too much, it's just stupidity. And I don't like stupid things. Maybe after tonight, you'll learn your place."
'How dare you consider me a thing?'
He walked to a table against the wall, picking up a cloth and a small vial. He unleashed the liquid in the vial, letting the sharp, irritating and unpleasant scent fill the air. "See, I don't need to hurt you to make my point," he said, soaking the cloth. "But this—this will make it hard for you to even think straight."
Tales eyes widen and struggled, but Raja held the cloth, covering his mouth, forcing him to breathe in the fumes. Tales' eyes watered, his aggressiveness dawdle as he felt the room spinning, his eyes watered and his head clouding. His breath grew heavy and difficult, panic flickering across his face as the strength he'd clung to slowly drained away.
Raja took a step back, watching as Tales slumped forward, the pupils in his eyes had no color anymore and consciousness but he's there. Still standing wobbly. "That's better. Now, maybe you'll consider your next words more carefully."
Tales gritted his teeth, barely able to stay upright. Despite everything, he forced himself to look up at Raja, a whisper escaping his lips, "I'll never bow to you. Dream on, asshole."
Raja's smile widened as if being thrilled. "Oh, you will," he said in a soft tone like he's so sure of it. "And by the time I'm through, you'll beg for the chance."
Raja stood back with a smirk plaster on his face, letting Tales struggle with the fog clouding his mind. His breaths came ragged, his vision swimming, but the defiance in his gaze is still there.
"Stubborn, aren't you?" Raja remarked, sounding impressed. He leaned against the wall, watching Tales struggle, filled with anticipation and excitement on how Tales will surprise him even more, like a scientist studying his experiment. "But let's see how long that lasts."
Without warning, Raja pulled a chain connected to the wall, and the cuffs holding Tales' wrists and ankles spread farther apart.
"Arghhh" Tales shouted hestirically.
Tales' muscles strained painfully as he tried to keep his balance, but every moment made the pain worse.
"Ready to behave now?" Raja asked casually, as if they were discussing something unimportant. Tales gasped but managed to spit in Raja's direction, his words barely a whisper. "You… can't… break me…"
Raja's expression change. His eyebrows met and he gritted his teeth. He stepped up, grabbing Tales by the chin, forcing him to look him in the eyes. "Then I'll just have to keep trying, won't I?"
He moved back to his table of torture tools, picking up a small, sharp knife. Raja held it up to the dim light, the blade gleaming. "Now, I don't want to hurt you," he said, though his tone suggested otherwise, "but I'm not afraid to leave a mark to remind you of your place."
Tales closed his eyes, bracing himself, his breath shallow. Raja drew the knife across his shoulder, deep enough to cause serious harm, blood gushed out and dripedl.
"Arghhh! Mmph!" Tales grunted, his body tense, but he refused to cry out. He bit his lips as he felt the overwhelming pain of his skin and tissues being ripped apart. His lips bleed.
"Asshole! Fucktard!"
"Still not submitting? Impressive." Raja stepped back, his voice dripping with condescension. "But even you must have a limit, Tales. What would it take, I wonder?"
Hours seemed to pass as Raja employed every method he had—tightening the chains until Tales could barely breathe, taunting him with words, cutting the restraints only to force Tales to crawl, broken, back to his feet.
Raja leaned in close, too close, his warm breath brushes against Tales' ear. The smell of fear and desperation which Tales tried to conceal but failed to do so, only seemed to feed Raja's twisted pleasure as he traced a finger along Tales' cheek, savoring the discomfort in Tales' eyes.
"See, you can't hide it from me," Raja whispered, his tone disturbingly in arrogance. "All that pride, that defiance—it's nothing. You're mine now, Tales. You just don't want to admit it."
Tales immediately jerk his head away, but Raja only chuckled, tightening his grip on his chin, fingers digging in painfully on his skin. "You can fight all you want," Raja murmured, lowering his grip onto his throat, "but in the end, you're just my little plaything, aren't you?"
Tales clenched his jaw, his body rigid, every parylt of his body screaming to pull away, to fight back. "You're sick," he managed through gritted teeth, his voice trembling with anger and disgust. "I'll never be what you want, Raja."
But Raja merely smirked, not affected by the statement. "Oh, you will, eventually. Everyone breaks, and you're no different." he stated, then move backwards. "You see , I have this favorite puppy. Father gave it to me. But that puppy got a temper and it always bit me even though I tried every method to tame it. What a pity!" Raja glanced at Tales while playing with a dagger on his hand. He then throw it towards Tales, enough not to hit him directly but on the side, the blade slightly hit his left ear which flinches Tales. "Too bad! If he's just a good boy, I wouldn't have kill it. Ahh, poor him!" Raja stated as if he's truly sorry but god knows how sick he is. Raja's side of the lips lift towards the left side. "What do you think of my story?"
Tales knees wobble. If Raja wanted to kill him , he could've done so. He can smell and feel the bloodthirst of the man. When he'll die, there will be no more future that will await him. He felt his resolve crumbling, the horror of the situation setting in deeper with every passing second. What could be the use of defiance if he'll die?
'Should I just submit to him?'
'No! Stop wavering Tales. You're better than this.'
If I'll play my cards right , I might win. Come-on think!
Raja moved back, his eyes beamer with dark satisfaction. "You'll stay here, bound and helpless, until you finally come to understand your place. Until you beg me to take you in. Until then, you'll suffer." He let his gaze linger, watching Tales' expression shift from rage to an unsettling dread with an emotionless expression. Gone the playful and arrogant kind of Raja as he closed the basement door.
Days had passed in the dark, suffocating and smelly basement. Tales' stomach rumble with hunger that grew sharper with each hour. The thirst was even worse; his lips were cracked and dry, his throat feels like a burning desert. Every breath was agony, he's in need of food and water.
Raja watched him from the shadows, arms folded, a smug and authoritative look is on his face as he observed the slow breakdown of his Tales strength. Tales' once-defiant gaze is gone, his body slumped as he leaned heavily against the wall, chained, barely able to hold himself up.
"Hungry?" Raja's voice cut through the silence, smooth and mocking. He held a tray in one hand, deliberately letting the aroma waft toward Tales. It was a simple meal—a piece of bread, some water, —but to Tales, it looked like a feast.
Tales' eyes followed the tray, but he forced himself to look away, biting down on his desperation. He knew better than to give Raja the satisfaction of begging. But how far will he last?
"Oh, come on," Raja drawled, stepping closer, holding the tray just out of reach. "All you have to do is say the word. Just ask me nicely, and this could be yours."
Tales clenched his fists, anger and hunger battling within him. "Go to hell," he rasped, his voice barely more than a whisper. The act of speaking drained him, but he refused to submit. He needs to have energy but the thought of begging hurts his pride and ego.
Raja chuckled. "Still stubborn, even now? Impressive." He placed the tray on the floor, close enough for Tales to see but far enough that he couldn't reach it. "You could end all of this if you just admit what you really are—my obedient little pet."
Tales glared, his face pale and gaunt, his body trembling from the effort. But he didn't say any word.
Raja's smile didn't falter. "Suit yourself." He picked up the water, took a slow, deliberate sip, then set it back down, just out of reach. "I can wait. Let's see how long you last."
And as if Raja is taunting him, it accompany him in the basement having lavish meals sent by the guards while he struggles and fight for his dear life. He's close to dying!
Days blurred together in the basement, each moment heavier than the last. Tales' will began to crack, exhaustion and hunger dragging him into a haze. Finally, after what felt like an eternity, he forced himself to look at Raja, his voice a whisper.
"Please… just… a little water…"
Raja's eyes gleamed with satisfaction as he stood beside him, tilting the water close to Tales' lips but stopping midway. "What was that?" he whispered, taunting him. "I didn't hear you."
Tales swallowed his pride, barely able to speak. "Please… give me… water."
Satisfied, Raja let a few drops fall onto Tales' parched lips, but only just enough to keep him alive. As he pulled the glass away, he patted Tales' cheek, grinning. "Good boy. Maybe soon, you'll learn to obey without question."
As Tales lay there, broken and defeated, he knew that he'd lost more than just the fight—he'd lost a piece of himself. And that, perhaps, was Raja's true victory.
Raja uncuffed Tales and shoved the tray with food. Bread, sandwiches , and fruits. With trembling hands, Tales pick up a food.
As Tales chewed, he forced himself to look lifeless, though his mind was anything but.
"Alright, fine. I'll play along. I'll give you exactly what you want, Raja. You'll think you've won." He glanced at Raja through lowered lashes, as he tried to hold back his rage and tears.
"But I'm not going to give up. And if this is what it takes to get out of here, then I'll pretend. I'll beg, I'll play the part. And when the time comes, I'll be the one to place a hole in your head."
A small, almost unseen smirk tugged at the corner of his mouth as he looked away, hiding it as best he could.
"One day, you'll be the one who's helpless. One day, this act is going to pay off. And when it does… we'll see who's really in control."