Eray's consciousness drifted between pain and exhaustion. Every breath sent sharp stabs through his broken ribs and into his lungs. Still, he forced his eyes to stay open. He needed to see where they were taking him, to look for any chance to escape.
The guards dragged him out of the filthy, blood-soaked tunnels of the arena and placed him onto a flying platform. The platform was a slab of blue crystal that defied gravity.
As it rose, the capital of spread out before him in all its splendor. Unlike the miserable slave districts below, this place looked like a paradise, filled with spiraling towers that reached toward the sky, floating water gardens, and glowing plants. But to Eray, it was nothing more than a more decorated prison.
"Enjoy the view, slave," the guard beside him said, forcing Eray's head up."You're experiencing the greatest blessing a human could ever see in a lifetime."
Eray did not answer, but inside he thought, When I escape this place, this view will become your hell.
The platform docked at the wide balcony of the tallest tower. This was the Imperial Palace. The walls were so smooth that Eray could see his own reflection, along with the dried blood on his face.
They dragged him inside. The corridors were more luxurious than anything Eray had ever seen. The floors were covered in a living moss so soft it felt almost sinful to step on.
They stopped in front of a large, pearl-inlaid door. The door opened on its own.
This was Princess Velira's private chamber.
The air inside was intoxicating. In the center of the room stood a massive, circular bed. But what caught Eray's attention was not the luxurious furniture. It was the "display area" in the corner of the room.
His eyes narrowed.
The MK-4 Exo-Suit chest armor, registered in the Raiders inventory, stood on a pedestal, melted and shattered like a ruined sculpture. Beside it hung the Lightning rifle. Not as a weapon, but as an exotic "metal club" mounted diagonally on the wall.
And just beneath it was Eray's Trench Knife, with its black leather grip.
"Are you looking at your belongings?"
The voice came from behind a screen at the far end of the room. Velira stepped out. She had removed her heavy ceremonial garments and wore only a thin, veil-like robe. She was drying her wet hair with a towel.
She walked toward Eray. The savage satisfaction from the arena was gone, replaced by the cold demeanor of a noble hostess.
"Those iron pieces," Velira said, glancing at the rifle with disgust."They ruin the aesthetic of my room, but my father insisted I keep them as 'primitive art.'"
She stopped in front of Eray. He was barely able to stand.
"You're still filthy," the Princess said, wrinkling her nose."And broken."
She placed her hand on Eray's chest, directly over his fractured ribs.
Eray flinched, but he could not move away.
"Do not move," Velira commanded.
A beam of green light flowed from her palm. It was nothing like the cooling medical gels used by Raiders doctors. Instead, it felt as if thousands of ants were crawling under his skin. Burning, itching, invasive.
Eray clenched his teeth, forcing himself not to groan. He could feel his bones being forced back into place.
After a few seconds, Velira pulled her hand away. The pain had lessened, but it had not disappeared. She had healed him just enough to keep him standing. No more. Pain was necessary to remind him of obedience.
"Why did you… heal me?" Eray asked, trying to maintain the role of a "poor, helpless human searching for his sister." His voice trembled.
Velira smiled and picked up a velvet box from the table.
"Because playing with a broken toy isn't fun," she said, opening it.
Inside was a metal collar made of pure gold, engraved with glowing red runes.
Eray's breath caught. This was not just an ornament. He could feel the magical energy radiating from it.
This was a shackle.
"This is a Soul Binder," Velira said, lifting the collar from the box."When you wear it, you will no longer think about that imaginary sister of yours, or the weak kingdom you came from. You will hear only my voice."
Eray tried to step back, but the guards grabbed his arms.
Velira stepped closer and placed the collar around his neck.
CLICK.
The moment the cold metal touched his skin, it felt as if lightning struck inside Eray's mind. The shadow energy within him recoiled, as if massive gates had slammed shut. He could no longer reach his power. The
"Ahhh!"
Eray collapsed to his knees, clawing at the collar. It felt fused to his skin.
Velira grabbed his chin and lifted his head. She stood above him like a goddess, while Eray knelt at her feet like a supplicant.
"Now listen, Eray," she said. For the first time, she spoke his name without mockery. Her tone was possessive."That raw, wild magic of yours is now under my control. You will not even breathe without my permission. You will not call upon that shadow unless I allow it."
She pointed toward the rifle hanging on the wall.
"Do you want your little walking stick? Or that scrap of skin you used to wear? Perhaps if you serve well enough, I might let you play with them."
With clouded eyes, Eray looked first at the Princess, then at his weapons on the wall.
Rage boiled inside him like a volcano. But he put the mask back on his face.
"As you command… my Princess," he said, lowering his head.
Velira smiled with satisfaction.
"Good," she said."Now go and sleep on the mat outside the door. Tomorrow will be a big day. I will introduce you to my other 'pets.'"
As Eray left the room, he cast one last look at his rifle.
For now, your collar may be around my neck, Velira, he thought. But that trigger still carries my fingerprints. And when it's pulled, no magic will save you. I will bring an army to your doorstep. An army that will destroy you and this realm.
When he curled up on the hard floor outside the door, Eray was no longer a soldier or a noble. Would his family be saddened if they saw him like this? He had joined the Raiders because he was tired of politics and betrayal.
Now, he had lost his honor and his pride.