Click.
The sound of the lock turning woke me.
My head turned toward it—
And a foot met my face.
Bam.
"Agghh!"
The kick snapped my head back, twisting my body and throwing me against the wall.
Thud.
My broken arms scraped across the floor, pain flaring as my ribs screamed. Warm blood spilled from my nose again, the taste of iron flooding my mouth.
A voice laughed above me.
"Hahah. Look how he flies."
Another answered.
"He lies there like a pile of trash. Hahah."
A third followed, colder.
"That's where you belong, noble boy."
I lay on the ground, their voices dimming beneath the pain.
My thoughts raced, confused and overwhelmed by everything around me.
'How much time had passed..?'
Clang.
"Argh."
The shackles tightened as someone yanked me up. Metal biting into skin, tears welled in my eyes.
The one holding my chains spoke.
"He doesn't look like he'll last long. Let's start light and see how many he can take."
Clang.
He pulled again, forcing my body forward.
I barely had time to groan before a fist slammed into my face.
Smash.
"Aghh!"
His voice followed immediately, steady and calm.
"One."
My vision swam.
Tears blurred everything before he raised his arm again, fist clenched and ready to strike.
But—
He stopped.
I couldn't see his face clearly through the blood, but I felt his gaze on me.
Then he spoke, annoyed.
"Counting gets really irritating."
Another voice answered, confused.
"Huh? What do you mean?"
"Just count?"
He shook his head.
"No."
Slowly, his fist reached for me, but not to strike. Instead, fingers tangled in my hair.
Then—
He pulled.
"Argh!"
Pain exploded as he yanked my head upward until I was looking at him.
His eyes were cold.
"Slave," he said quietly. "You will count from now on."
Another voice chimed in.
"Oh, that's a good idea."
Then another.
"Yeah. Let him do it."
The guard didn't listen to them and only continued to stare down at me as if he was waiting for an answer.
I didn't.
I had barely enough air to breathe.
And even if I could—
His grip loosened.
The pressure on my skull vanished.
Then—
Smash.
"Aghh!"
It felt like my jaw dislocated at the impact as pain exploded.
His other hand kept a tight grip on the chains, holding me up.
He paused again, staring at me.
Waiting.
Then, coldly.
"Count."
I didn't.
Another fist came.
Smash.
"Gha—!"
The collar tightened instantly, crushing my throat. My scream died into a broken gasp.
"Didn't I tell you to count?"
His voice was calm.
He placed a hand on my head, turning it left, then right, testing.
Pain shot through my neck at the movement, making me wince.
"Hey," he said. "I said count."
I stayed silent.
He looked at me a breath longer before a low chuckle left him.
"Haha."
A sound that terrified me more than the punches.
"Guess you only learn the hard way."
He hadn't finished his sentence when—
Smash.
Another fist descended.
Clang.
My head snapped back before being pulled forward again.
"Count."
His voice rose each time he spoke.
Another punch followed—harder.
Smash.
"Count!"
"Gh—!"
Blood poured down my face, warm and sticky. Pain spread from my aching skull to the rest of my body, each punch a little more.
He spoke again, annoyed.
"It'll only get worse if you don't start soon."
Smash.
Pain blurred my senses.
My eyes seemed to almost close every time he paused and shot wide open as another wave of pain descended.
His voice snapped, anger bleeding through.
"Fucking piece of shit!"
Smash.
"COUNT!"
Each hit came harder than the last.
Smash.
"I said, COUNT!"
My vision split—half red, half black.
I saw his fist rise again through the haze.
But another guard grabbed his arm, stopping him.
"Wait. You'll kill him. Let's switch."
Silence.
Then—
Pfui.
Something wet fell on my head.
"Son of a bitch."
Clang.
The chains went loose.
Thud.
My body fell to the ground a second later, head smashing against stone.
But—
There was no pain.
At least none I didn't already feel.
The other guard grabbed the chains a breath later, pulling me upward.
"Sure. Hahah. I'll get him counting in a moment."
He yanked me upright.
Then—
Crack.
The impact was heavier than before. I heard something crack, but didn't know where. My vision flickered, turning white and black.
A voice barked.
"Hey! Idiot—lighter."
It felt close and also far away at the same time.
"Hahah."
Someone laughed, and I was pulled upright again.
"That was just the greeting."
Another voice.
"Come on. Make him count."
A moment passed.
Then—
Smash.
Everything turned dark.
***
I don't know how much time had passed.
Days.
Weeks.
Or just a few hours.
Smash.
Someone asked.
"The count?"
"..Eight."
The one who answered was me.
My voice.
My lips.
But it didn't feel like me anymore.
Blood flowed down my face, trailing along my arms before falling to the floor.
Drip.
Drip.
The chains held me up.
My limbs hung uselessly in the air, numb and heavy. The collar around my neck was tight enough to choke me—but loose enough to keep me counting.
The shackles cut into my skin, warm blood soaking my wrists and ankles.
My vision was half-covered by a swollen eye, the rest drowned in red.
Every second was pain.
Every breath was a fight.
I felt like dying—but death wouldn't come.
The numbness didn't dull anything.
I felt everything.
A voice cut through the haze.
"That's enough."
Clang.
He let go of the chains, making me fall to the floor.
Bam.
A kick followed, slamming into my stomach and sending me crashing against the wall.
Thud.
My broken bones stabbed as I rolled across the floor.
But it hurt less than before.
Because it was over.
At least for now.
The guard who kicked me spoke as he stepped away.
"Eight, was it? And he's still awake?"
Another voice laughed.
"A new record. Hahah."
Click.
The door opened.
"A round of cards before we eat?"
Thud.
The door closed behind them.
Step.
"How much is the stake?"
Their voices faded as they walked away.
Silence settled over the cell.
And then—
Darkness took me.