"The swine you asked for is here."

A loud voice rumbled along with a profound aura and Kaden shivered awake, his eyes snapping open in horror. It looked like it was his turn again and he already knew what was awaiting him. 

But as his vision cleared up and his senses somewhat stabilized, he realized that everything was off. He was not in the urine stench filled prison cell anymore. He was somewhere else. He looked around craning his head, only to have a bucket of freezing cold water splashed on his head. 

Kaden sputtered as the icy water shocked his system, jolting him fully awake. Blinking rapidly, he tried to take in his surroundings. Instead of the grimy walls of his prison cell, he found himself kneeling on a cold, marble floor. The room was expansive, lit by torches that cast flickering shadows on ornate pillars adorned with intricate carvings.

"The swine's finally awake," the gruff voice spoke again.

Looking up, Kaden saw a towering figure clad in armor, a stern expression etched on his face. Behind the armored man stood others—guards by the looks of them—all eyeing Kaden with a mixture of disdain and curiosity.

"Where am I?" Kaden managed to croak out, his throat dry and voice hoarse.

The next second, a heavy foot landed on the side of his head, sending him sprawling onto the cold stone floor. Pain shot through his skull, but he bit back a cry. The metallic taste of blood filled his mouth as he tried to push himself up.

"Who said you could talk?" the guard snarled, his eyes cold beneath the shadow of his helmet.

Kaden clenched his fists, forcing himself to remain calm. Anger wouldn't help him now. It hadn't helped him in the last several years. Was it ten years now? He had already lost count of the days. He looked up to see the towering figure glaring down at him, flanked by several other guards who watched with disdain.

"Get him on his feet," another guard ordered.

Two sets of hands grabbed Kaden roughly, hauling him upright. His vision blurred for a moment before focusing on his surroundings. He was in a grand hall with high ceilings and marble columns—nothing like the dingy prison cell he had been in moments before.

"Move," the first guard barked, pushing him forward.

As they marched him down the long aisle, Kaden's mind raced. What new hell was waiting for him today?

His fists clenched tightly as he was forced down the long aisle, the cold marble beneath his feet echoing with each reluctant step. The grandeur of the hall did nothing to mask the dread settling in his stomach. Soon he could see an ornate throne in the distance, seated upon which a man in a luxurious robe.

Kaden's body involuntarily trembled at the sight of the mad grandmaster. He had seen this man only once before, but that encounter had left an indelible mark on his soul. The mad grandmaster—the architect of his decade-long torment—sat regally upon the throne, a facade of calm masking the malevolence that lurked beneath.

Memories surged: a decade of suffering, being chained to prison walls like an animal, subjected to relentless experiments and tormenting poisons. The weight of those years pressed down on him. His blood boiled in anger and resentment.

As he was forced to his knees before the dais, the mad grandmaster's cold eyes met his own. "What's so special about you?" he sneered, his voice echoing through the grand hall. The next second an invisible force yanked him off the floor and immense pressure assaulted him.

Kaden's breath caught as the invisible force lifted him off the floor, crushing down on his chest and limbs with unbearable pressure. He felt as if he were being squeezed by a giant fist, every muscle straining, his lungs struggling for air. The mad grandmaster's eyes gleamed with malicious curiosity as he observed Kaden suspended in mid-air.

"Well?" the grandmaster sneered. "What makes you so special that a God is interested in you?"

Kaden gritted his teeth, pain searing through his body. The grandmaster's lips curled into a cold smile. "There's something different about you, and I will uncover it." He intensified the pressure, and Kaden felt as though his bones might shatter. The agony was overwhelming, and the grandmaster showed no signs of relenting. 

The only mercy was that he lost his consciousness. When he stirred awake again, he was slumped on the ground with runes lighting up all around him. "This is…" Kaden blurted out at the familiar sight of the circular pattern. 

"A teleportation circle?" His voice trailed off as he tried to comprehend his situation. The glowing runes beneath him pulsed with energy, and before he could react, the circle activated. A brilliant light enveloped him, and the world around him dissolved into a swirl of colors.

When the light faded, Kaden found himself standing in a serene meadow bathed in warm sunlight. Gentle hills rolled into the distance, dotted with wildflowers that swayed in a soft breeze. The oppressive atmosphere of the grand hall was replaced by a tranquil calm. "Where am I now?" he whispered to himself, bewildered.

"You're safe here," a gentle voice answered from behind.

Kaden spun around to see an old man with kind eyes and silver hair approaching him. He wore simple robes and carried a staff adorned with a single large crystal. "Who are you?" he asked cautiously.

The old man smiled warmly. "Do you believe in second chances?"

Kaden was confused. Instead of answering him, the old man continued, "You have endured much hardship, more than anyone should bear. Do you wish to endure it all once again? Do you want to go back to the beginning?"

Kaden stared blankly. His drug-addled brain couldn't make sense of anything. Second chance? Beginning? What was this guy talking about?

The old man laughed and this time he did not wait for a response. A lamp appeared on his hand and with a flick of his hand, the small ember inside the lamp fizzled out. The next second, Kaden's vision darkened. 

Unimaginable pain surged through Kaden's body, a searing agony that felt as if his very soul was being torn apart. "Karma has been sowed." A voice rang in his ears. He wanted to scream, but no sound escaped his lips. Just when he thought he could endure no more, the pain abruptly ceased. He gasped for breath, his heart pounding in his chest. 

As his vision slowly returned, he realized he was no longer in the meadow. Instead, he found himself lying on a simple bed in a modest room. Sunlight streamed through a small window, casting warm rays across his face.

Kaden sat up abruptly, his mind reeling. He recognized this place—his old room in his family's condo. But how? This was impossible.

Footsteps approached the door. It swung open, and a young woman peeked inside. "Kaden? You're finally awake!" she exclaimed, her eyes lighting up with relief.