The faint light of dawn crept into Seo-Yun's cell, casting long, cold shadows across the cold stone floor. His body was a canvas of pain—bruises darkened his skin, his ribs ached with every breath, and his wrists throbbed where the chains had cut into tender flesh. Yet, despite the overwhelming physical agony, his eyes burned with a fierce, unyielding fire.
The days had bled into one another—an unrelenting cycle of pain, obedience, and cruelty. But Seo-Yun's spirit clung stubbornly to the edges of hope, refusing to surrender entirely.
Kaelith's words echoed in his mind, sharp and cruel: "You will bend, one way or another." But Seo-Yun refused to believe that breaking him was inevitable.
When the heavy iron door opened with a grinding groan, Seo-Yun was dragged once more into the merciless light of the training chamber. The cold air bit at his exposed skin as Kaelith's eyes locked onto him, dark and merciless.
"Today, your will breaks," Kaelith said, voice as cold as ice.
Seo-Yun's heart pounded, but he met Kaelith's gaze without flinching. He was battered, bruised, but not defeated.
The commands came swift and merciless: "Kneel! Speak! Obey!"
Each mistake was punished with whip lashes that burned into his flesh, fists that hammered his ribs, and boots that crushed without hesitation. The collar pulsed sharply with every heartbeat, a constant reminder of his captivity and submission.
Hours passed in a blur of pain and obedience. Seo-Yun's body trembled, muscles trembling from exhaustion, but his mind remained a fortress of defiance.
In a fleeting moment when Kaelith's attention faltered, Seo-Yun whispered a vow in his heart: I will not break. Not now. Not ever.
But Kaelith was relentless. With a cold sneer, he struck Seo-Yun's face, a harsh reminder of who wielded power here.
"You are nothing but a tool," Kaelith spat. "Tools serve. Tools obey. And tools are discarded when broken."
Seo-Yun tasted blood but refused to cry out. Beneath the sting and bruises, his resolve only hardened.
When the cruel session ended and Seo-Yun was thrown back into the darkness of his cell, he curled into himself, every bone aching, but his spirit still flickering with stubborn light.
The battle for his soul was far from over.