"I can't believe that fat bastard!" raising my head I look at Ren as he hung on the wall across from me. My eyelids heavy as I float suspended in the air. Closing my eyes, I picture the look on Leo's face, heat and regret bubble in the pit of my stomach. The question of why he did it didn't matter to me, for I could already guess the answer. He was spineless and a coward, yet I didn't expect him to betray us and tell Wickum of our intentions.

After being stabbed by Wickum the beast-men subdued us and dragged us through the east end of the mine, away from all the destruction we had caused. Celeste said they only keep rare and troublesome slaves in this part of the mine, her voice sounded fearful and by the look on her face, I knew it wasn't good.

The room was pitch black absent of any light or sound, when the beast-men hung us up they unleashed a savage beating. The snaps of bone resounded throughout the room leaving all of us silent. Baltor had attempted to break free from his restraints roaring furiously leaping at Wickum, and was met by a blade through the chest. His lifeless body dropped to the ground leaving us all stunned, I still can't believe he's gone.

I can still picture the small grin that formed on his face as he walked towards the exit. After his death, none of us resisted and surrendered ourselves to the torture. No matter how many beatings I received the empty feeling that's been growing in my chest didn't disappear and as the days dragged by my hope of escaping this place vanished.

The constant screams of agony keep me awake, the skorpioners have come up with different ways of torture causing us to scream through the night. Yet, each night I looked forward to those screams, it verified I wasn't alone and we were still alive. Having not eaten in days, I often can't tell the difference between the pain from reality and from my dreams. leading to an endless cycle of viciousness I couldn't escape from.

None of us could look Celeste in the eye, what they had done to her and how was the cause of my many nightmares. Her bloody thighs forever burned in my mind, her eye's void of the light they once had when we first met. My body still covered in the bile I released at the sight of it, the beast-men simply laughing in enjoyment, my ears burned with rage at the sight.

The only thing keeping me sane is the image of my sister, and even that is starting to fade. I try to picture her faces, and the face of my family but, a silhouette in place where her face once was. That faceless figure calls to me every night asking me why I haven't found her. What am I doing in a place like this and not searching for her? And when I wake up my face is covered in tears and I have no answer for her. For I too don't know what crimes I committed in my world to endure such pain.

The door creaks open as the beast-men wander in, conversing with themselves. The smell of raw beef floating through the air as they walked into the room carrying handfuls of raw meat. Me and Zefire being the only ones awake, saliva slides down my dry throat slowly as I take in the sight. Snickering to themselves they approach Zefire, his bones exposed through his skin and his blonde hair covered in dirt. He watched them through hollow eyes as they waved the meat in his face before dropping it on the ground.

He simply stared at the raw meat before they unchained him. Crawling on the floor he began devouring it, hardly chewing simply swallowing the meat whole. Laughing the beast-men began kicking at him driving their heels in his boney ribs, but he ignored the pain, ignored the laughs and simply swallowed his meal before vomiting all over the floor. And it went on like that for hours, eat, kick, vomit.

I turned my eyes away, not in disgust or pity, but out of jealousy of him having such a meal. I guess the laughter stirred Ren awake because he began to mumble to the beast-men. " Get your hits in now, because when I get out of here, I'm going to return the favor." His voice was silent, hardly audible, but a firm declaration and his eyes shimmered with a ferocity I thought he lost days ago. "Zefire, you gonna hog all of that or are you gonna share? Greedy bastard."

The beast-men paused the assault and looked at Ren with confusion, not understanding the insult before another figure wandered through the door speaking in the skorpioners tongue. Looking at the man the beast-men freeze in place. Wickums presence dominating the room, with a voice full of fury, the beast-men began to babble only to be cut short with a slap to the face. Scurrying out of the room they fled leaving Zefire kneeling on the ground and Wickum in the room.

He simply glanced at Zefire forming a frown on his face before snatching him up and attaching him to the wall. In a slow stride, he approaches me, a small grin on his face before murmuring, "You're not looking too good Finn, Leo's getting worried about you down here in the dark." Pulling my downcast head up by my hair his face mere inches from mine. "His will wasn't as strong as you, see all I had to do was break a finger and he squealed like a pig, he told me everything I wanted to know except one thing."

Maybe a few days ago I would have felt something, back before we tried to escape. Now I just felt glad Leo had suffered in some way for what I had to endure. If it was evident on my face I didn't know. I peeked into his eye's filled with madness before he lets go, my head dropping to my chest. "What is this design from.... your friend doesn't even know where you got it." Grasping the necklace, he snatches it from around my neck.

"Give... it back." I uttered raising my head. The weightlessness causing a strange sickness to swirl from within. I haven't taken it off since It was given to me all those years ago, it was all I had left of my grandfather. His words still solid, strong and firm in my mind, "protect our family." It was the crest of our noble bloodline handed down through generations, presented only at the coming of age ceremony at the age of five.

"Oh, so you do have some fight left in you," tossing the necklace on the table he leans in close whispering in my ear. "By the time I'm done with you, your spirit will be broken. So, resist as much as you like it makes it all the more entertaining to watch. Don't worry we'll be sure to find your sister for you." Gathering the little moisture, I had in my mouth I spit in his face causing him to proceed with an enraged beating before storming out of the room.

"Did he just kiss you? Who knew he was into guys" Ren mutters silently chuckling to himself. "Is now really the time to be laughing Ren, we're going to die down here you know." Her voice was hoarse and low, not hearing her voice in days, it felt distant. Lifting her head Celeste stares at the food that lay scattered on the ground.

"Ah, what I would give for a nice meal, why'd Zefire get so lucky?" Babbling to himself Zefire stared off into space, his body covered in vomit and bruises before he began to shout aloud. "No more, please no more! Kill me! Lord Meme, hear my prayers and end my suffering now!" Laughing loudly to himself tears flood down his face as his mind drifts further and further into madness.

"Why the fuck did he have to be next to me?" Ren groans aloud while yelling for Zefire to shut up. "It's not his fault..." Celeste says, "they most likely drugged his food with frost, just leave him be."

"What's frost?" I mutter looking at Celeste, "Frost is an illusionary drug given to troublesome slaves, it's also highly lethal. Introducing it to a single person has ruined countless villages first, they succumb to madness. Then it's rage and an insatiable appetite, and finally.... there's death."

Shuddering I can't help but feel sorrow for the inevitable death of Zefire. Yet, slight envy probed my heart wishing for such a fate to be rid of the nightmares that come to me in my sleep.

I couldn't help but feel this was it and wished my death be swift and painless whenever the time came.