The entire city suddenly fell silent, as if the very air had stopped. From between the towering buildings, the owner of the city appeared. Tall, cloaked in black that draped like the shadows of night, his eyes struck straight into the heart like invisible knives, and his smile was half allure, half threat.
The group looked at me, whispering:
— "He is of the Ethim blood… he must die."
The owner smiled slowly, his voice low but cutting like thunder:
— "Oh… good, very good. I liked your escape, little red dwarf from Earth. It seems you know how to hide, how to twist around traps. But… every road ends with me."
He approached me, and I could barely move, when suddenly I felt a heavy touch on my neck. A metallic collar, black and gleaming coldly, closed around my throat as if devouring a piece of my soul.
He laughed, saying:
— "This is the Collar of Pleasure… there, in my arena, you will find what suits you. Try to escape once… and I will destroy everything inside you, killing both your body and your soul. There will be no second chance."
I looked at him, our eyes locking, my consciousness mixing with anger and cunning. I felt both power and weakness in the same moment, painfully aware: any wrong step, any act of defiance… would cost me my life.
I smiled—a deadly, manipulative smile:
— "Fine… it seems this game has not even begun, yet I will turn every threat into opportunity. The collar may bind my body, but it will never bind my mind… and no one will know what I will do before I do it."
Then he gave the order to the group, smiling with absolute dominance:
— "Take him to the arena, and let him see… my pleasure begins here, and there will be no escape."
I was taken to the city's arena of dark pleasures, where everything looked magnificent but concealed deadly intent, the feeling of total surveillance making my heart pound with rage, and the planning for the coming battle igniting in my mind.