John woke up suspended by heavy iron chains, his wrists and ankles screaming in pain. In that darkness, he did nothing but pray for a swift death. The guard—a massive, brutish man with a face carved from cruelty—dragged him to the torture chamber. They wanted a confession. They wanted him to break.
Suddenly, the brute entered, a whip coiled in his hand like a serpent. "Well, you little bastard, it seems you want to play. I love playing with the young ones... but I am merciful. Tell me where the map is, and I'll let you live."
John remained silent, his lips sealed by a defiance the guard couldn't understand.
"Fine," the guard spat. The whip cracked.
When the session finally ended, John hovered on the razor's edge between life and death. He watched through blurred vision as the guard took a break, feasting on grilled fish. The smell... it triggered a flood of fragmented memories. Images of his past began to flicker like a dying candle...
Five Years Earlier...
A loud pounding on the door jolted John awake. He glanced at his mother; she looked paler, her breath shallow. He rushed to the door and swung it open. Standing there was Vlad, a man the villagers called "The Captain." He was an old man, his face a roadmap of scars, including a jagged "ice scar" that ran down his cheek.
"Get ready, John," Vlad barked. "We have important work today. Today, we hunt the Ice Blade Fish. It's mating season."
John felt a shiver of dread. "How many are coming with us?"
"Just the two of us," Vlad replied, his eyes narrowing. "The smaller the crew, the bigger the reward. Don't you want the elixir for your mother? She looks like she's at death's door."
The mention of his mother snapped John into focus. "When do we sail?"
"That's the spirit," the Captain smirked.
They set out on a boat made of Redwood, a rare timber that retained heat even in the heart of a blizzard. It was 5:00 AM. The sun was a pale ghost rising over the frozen horizon.
"Drop the stones, John!" Vlad commanded. John heaved the heavy stones into the freezing depths.
They waited in a silence so thick it felt heavy. Hours passed. Then, the boat lurched.
"Get ready, John! They're coming!" Vlad shouted.
In the distance, a pod of giant creatures breached the surface. They looked like dolphins from a nightmare—hideous, with long, serrated ice-beaks used to impale prey. A single touch from those beaks could freeze a man's blood instantly.
"3... 2... 1... Light it!"
An explosion rocked the lake. The fish were sent soaring into the air. John and Vlad scrambled, dodging the lethal, razor-sharp beaks as the creatures rained down. With a desperate effort, they managed to secure one.
"We did it! We caught one!" Vlad cheered, his face lit with greed.
But his joy died in his throat. He looked down at the dark, freezing water. Massive shadows—far larger than any fish—were swirling beneath the boat. Vlad's face went pale.
To be continued...