"Why do you complicate things, release the minerals and I promise to give you a somewhat proper burial" ...The patriarch said with disdain and disgust in his voice. I have been used to this emotion, as that was all people felt towards me.

All through my life I have been used, exploited and deceived, and now I have reached my end. What more was there to worry about? Death? I was familiar with it. That ironically peaceful but sudden burn in my chest. Torture? My life had been torture. I was ridiculed and spat at for something as little as the shade of my flesh. Since nothing mattered at this point, and my words were of little meaning, I rekindled the little embers of hope that still flared within my soul and cursed at him. I had lived with so much resent towards him that it was as natural as breathing.

"You're a failed patriarch who depends on a rogue clan, you piece of $***"!!!

"Why must I do this? Not only are you a disgraceful leader, you are also a terrible excuse for a father, a weakling who bows at the feet of people who take his children!!!!"

I should have been carried off by now, but I could tell that awe and pure curiosity had kept the guards from immediately handling me.

"You....after all I've done for you:" He finally turned to face me from his balcony. He usually didn't do this as per his saying, 'He's an eyesore'. He kicked down his stool, and threw his cup, still full of wine right at me. The cup, made of pure silver hit me in the left eye, blinding it. I screamed in pain as guards regained sense, barged in and dragged me out, whilst keeping the Family head under control as he has been drinking that night. The Furcifer clan had taken his daughter as per protocol, and earlier agreed protection contracts. Just that the Family head, being in his usual dramatic state had decided to drink himself to stupor, claiming that they stole his child. Well none of that mattered to me right now. I was about to die. I was thrown in a stone cell 10 feet underground, with enough feed to last for about 3 days. Usually the stone barriers would be no problem to even a novice ranked martial artist, but unfortunately l was unable to gather any energy due to a strange sickness as a child that caused Qi gathering and manipulation to be impossible for me. I took a look around and quickly realized something. The food, the space, the poorly lit cell and the human bones littered on the ground, right next to the same pattern basket with remains of rotten food, of which I was certain was the same they gave me. They had left me to die. I reflected on my life. I spent 10 years mining in the Gar cave, slaving my life away, to end up dying like a dog in a cage.

On the third day, my food supply had started declining. I was certain that it was three days because I had three baskets with three parts of food and water in each one, and the guards came to check on me every 12 hours. They've come for the sixth time now. I just sat back ready to die. "These heartless fools" I thought. "I'm dying here and can't even see the sky" I laughed a little and closed my eyes, certain this was it.

My eyes opened and I was no longer in the cell. I was in what seemed to be a deep ocean, beautiful, yet dark and overwhelming. I was consumed in shock and just then realized that I was 'underwater'. I held my breath and squirmed around to escape, in a futile effort. No matter how farther I got to the top I was pulled back down, right to where I started. I lost my breath or at least it seemed so. I could breathe. Since I could not go upward, I tried going downward, but the pressure was too high. Just when I gave up hope I heard a voice.

"Hey over here!!" a soothing voice rang out.