That day, Joe made his final decision—a choice he could never take back. He chose slavery, the shackle that would strip him of a free life in exchange for survival.
As soon as he uttered his final words, the leader of the room left, and moments later, another man entered—a man with a blue-marked forehead, laughing maniacally.
He approached Joe, leaning in until their faces were nearly touching, then whispered in a chilling voice:
"To be a slave without a mark, we must give you one."
He raised his hand, revealing long, dagger-like nails. With a swift motion, he carved a straight line beneath Joe's right eye. A burning pain shot through his face, and blood trickled down his cheek. But Joe did not scream. He simply stared back at the man with eyes filled with rage and silent defiance.
---
Humiliation in the Arena
The next day marked the beginning of his new hell.
Joe was sent to the archery training grounds—not as a fighter, but as a slave tasked with cleaning up dirt and waste left behind by the trainees. Everyone looked at him with disgust, as if his current status was lower than it had ever been before.
But that was not the worst part…
Without warning, a man with a purple mark entered the arena. Instantly, silence fell, and all eyes turned to him. He was no ordinary man—he held power and status. And while everyone watched in anticipation…
Joe found himself on the ground.
The purple-marked man approached and extended a hand, his expression unreadable. Then, in a calm voice, he asked:
"Who did this to you?"
Joe hesitated. If he spoke the truth, perhaps he could finally get revenge. But he knew that hope in this place was a dangerous illusion. Even so, he muttered:
"No one."
The man narrowed his eyes and spoke in a deceivingly gentle tone:
"Don't be afraid… I'm with you."
Joe hesitated for a moment, then pointed at the one who had attacked him. For the first time, he felt that justice might actually be served.
But what happened next… was beyond his worst expectations.
The purple-marked man smiled… then turned and, without warning, delivered a brutal kick to Joe's face!
Joe crashed to the ground, blood spilling from his mouth as laughter erupted from the trainees around him. The man crouched beside him and whispered:
"Did you really think I'd punish a noble heir for you?"
Then he spat on him before walking away, leaving Joe drowning in pain and humiliation.
---
Tears and Darkness
That night, it wasn't the pain in his body that hurt the most—it was the betrayal.
He lay on a tattered mat, letting his silent tears fall. This wasn't the cry of weakness. It was a mix of rage, despair, and something deeper… something that could either destroy a man or reshape him entirely.
But Joe didn't know that this night… would truly change him.
Because in his dreams, a figure appeared.
It had no face, no real form. It was entirely black, like a living shadow emerging from the void. Its voice wasn't quite a whisper, nor a scream—it was something in between.
"I want to show you the world… Free me, and we will rule it together."
Joe stepped back cautiously and asked, "Who are you?"
The shadow let out a low, chilling laugh and said:
"I am you… and you are me. Free me, and I will show you your true power."
But Joe wasn't a fool. He knew that power always came at a price.
In a low voice, he asked: "And what is the cost?"
The shadow moved closer, its presence suffocating, and then whispered something that sent shivers down Joe's spine:
"Your right eye."
Joe's eyes widened in shock. But before he could respond, the shadow continued:
"In exchange… you will gain power. You will crush those who humiliated you. You will take revenge. And you… will rule."
Joe hesitated. He knew this was a path from which there was no return. But deep inside… he had already made his choice.
Slowly, he lifted his head, locked eyes with the shadow, and in a steady voice, said:
"Deal."
At that moment, Joe awoke, gasping for air… but his right eye was no longer the same.
It had changed… transformed into something else entirely.