Darkness pressed in on me, the rough wooden walls of the box constricting every breath I took. I twisted and turned, trying to glimpse anything beyond the suffocating confines, but it was futile. My mind raced, torn between my own thoughts and the overwhelming remnants of Agon's memories. Was it me searching for Celia, or was it him?
I kicked at the box, the chains on my ankles clanking uselessly against the wood. My efforts were met with silence, broken only by the low, guttural voices outside. Their language was alien, each syllable sharp and guttural, like the growl of a beast.
What were they planning?
My chest tightened as panic threatened to consume me. I wanted to scream, to thrash, to do anything, but I forced myself to stay calm. Screaming wouldn't help. Not here. I steadied my breathing, inhaling the stale, musty air of the box.
Then the box shifted.
It tilted suddenly, as if lifted by enormous hands. The jerking motion sent me sprawling against its wooden walls. My breath hitched as I felt myself being carried, the rhythmic thuds of footsteps echoing through the wooden frame.
Where are they taking me?
Minutes turned into hours, each passing moment draining my strength. The box was a prison, and its cramped confines made every breath shallow, every movement labored. My limbs ached, and my mind teetered on the edge of exhaustion.
Suddenly, the motion stopped.
A deafening thud rattled the box as it was dropped unceremoniously to the ground. Pain shot through my body as I collided with the hard wooden floor. I barely had time to recover before the lid creaked open, flooding the box with blinding sunlight.
I squinted, my eyes burning as they adjusted to the sudden brightness. Before I could react, a massive hand reached in and grabbed me. It yanked me out effortlessly, chains clinking against my wrists and ankles as I stumbled onto the dusty ground.
The figure towering over me was… impossibly large. A giant.
He loomed above, easily twice the height of a man, it's skin ashen dark, with muscles that rippled beneath his coarse, ragged clothing. His face was obscured by a crude iron helmet, its surface etched with deep scratches and dents. I froze, my body paralyzed with fear as his piercing gaze seemed to bore into me from behind the metal visor.
Without a word, he shoved me forward. His push was surprisingly gentle, but the sheer size of him sent me sprawling. I hit the ground hard, skidding to a stop near a cluster of others who were bound in chains.
Coughing, I propped myself up on my elbows and glanced around. There were at least a dozen of us, men and women of all ages. Their faces were hollow, eyes sunken with fear and exhaustion. Some were bruised, others bloodied.
I scanned the crowd desperately, my heart sinking with every face that wasn't Celia's.
Where is she?
The giants continued to bring more prisoners, dragging them out of boxes and adding them to our pitiful group. Each thud of a box hitting the ground sent a fresh wave of anxiety through me.
Finally, I saw her.
Celia emerged from one of the last boxes, her silver-white hair matted with dirt but her eyes alert. The moment she was free, she scanned the crowd, her gaze frantic.
I lifted my bound hands, waving slightly.
Her eyes locked onto mine, and I saw the relief flood her face. She pushed past the other prisoners, her movements quick despite the chains, and dropped to the ground beside me.
"You came late," I said, forcing a weak smile. "Were they buying candy for you?"
She grinned, the corners of her mouth lifting in a way that momentarily softened the weight of the world around us. "No, they treated me to a full course of pork roast and wine," she replied with a soft laugh.
Her laughter was a fragile thing, like glass that could shatter at any moment. But for that brief second, it felt real. I laughed with her, the sound almost foreign to my ears.
The moment passed quickly.
I turned to her, my voice lowering. "Are you okay? Did they hurt you?"
She shook her head. "I'm fine. I just woke up inside the box. They didn't do anything to me."
I nodded, exhaling slowly. At least she wasn't harmed. But the unease in my chest refused to fade.
The ground trembled slightly, drawing our attention. One of the giants approached, his enormous feet crunching against the dry earth. He was taller than the rest, his skin was sunken red, his armor more intricate, with jagged spikes protruding from his shoulders. A massive helmet with a glowing blue light sitting at the top, covered his face entirely, leaving only darkness where his eyes should have been.
He stopped a few feet from us, his booming voice reverberating through the air.
"It's time."
The two words hung in the air, heavy and final.
I swallowed hard, my hands instinctively tightening into fists.
Celia glanced at me, her expression unreadable.
Time for what? I thought, dread curling in my stomach like a coiled snake.
The giant turned, his massive hand gesturing toward a distant structure.... a towering black spire that pierced the sky. Its surface shimmered faintly, as if alive, and ominous clouds swirled above it.
"Move!", His voice thundered, sending shivers down my spine..