The morning sun barely pierced through the thick mist as Rael was led out of the dungeon. His wrists were bound in enchanted cuffs, pulsing with faint runes that suppressed his abyssal energy. The hunger clawing inside him had dulled but not disappeared. It lingered—a constant whisper in the back of his mind.
A group of armored knights surrounded him, their hands resting on their weapons. At the front, mounted on a sleek black stallion, was Lady Selene Drakos. She glanced at him briefly before signaling the group forward.
They were heading to Velrath, the capital of Varenthia.
The journey was long and silent, the only sounds being the clatter of hooves and the rustling of leaves. Rael kept his head low, observing the knights. Their expressions were tense, eyes wary. He was an outsider, a monster in their midst.
Hours passed before the silence was broken.
"You reek of the abyss," one of the knights muttered, gripping his sword. "You should've been executed like the rest of your kind."
Rael smirked. "And yet, here I am. Must be frustrating."
The knight stepped forward, but Selene shot him a glare. "Enough. If he steps out of line, I'll be the one to put him down."
Rael chuckled but said nothing more.
By nightfall, they set up camp in a dense forest. The fire crackled, casting eerie shadows across the clearing. The knights kept their distance from him, while Selene remained by the fire, sharpening her blade.
Rael sat against a tree, his hunger gnawing at him. He exhaled sharply.
"You're holding back," Selene said without looking up.
Rael glanced at her. "And?"
She met his gaze. "How long until you break?"
He smirked. "I don't plan to."
Selene studied him for a moment before tossing him a small leather pouch. Rael caught it, opening it to find dried meat and bread.
"You'll need strength," she said simply.
Rael hesitated before taking a bite. It did little to quell his hunger, but it was something.
As the fire flickered between them, Rael knew one thing—this was only the beginning.
And soon, the abyss would demand its due.