23
In the blink of an eye, Gabriel, Alex, and Ryan found themselves surrounded by soldiers clad in black and red armor. The soldiers' arrows, with their eerie, curved tips, were trained directly at the trio's heads, leaving no room for hesitation. Before they could even process what was happening, the soldiers sprang into action, swiftly handcuffing the three friends. Cold metal closed around their wrists, restricting their movements. Tags were then clamped onto their legs, tightening with a menacing click.
The trio exchanged fearful glances as they were led away, their movements restricted and controlled. They were herded towards the dungeons, treated more like animals than humans. The soldiers' grip was firm, their faces hidden behind masks, adding to the sense of unease. As they were dragged deeper into the unknown, Gabriel, Alex, and Ryan couldn't help but wonder what fate had in store for them. Would they ever escape, or would they be trapped forever in this labyrinthine prison? The darkness of the dungeons swallowed them whole, leaving only the echoes of their footsteps and the clinking of their restraints.
The tunnel's darkness seemed to amplify the cruelty that awaited Gabriel, Alex, and Ryan. Norbert, flanked by his formidable forces, reveled in their misery. As they were dragged deeper into the dungeons, the sound of cruel laughter echoed off the cold stone walls, making it impossible to escape the feeling of utter hopelessness.
When Norbert finally appeared, his armor and breastplate seemed to gleam with malevolence. Seated in front of the bars, he watched with an unyielding gaze as the soldiers restrained the trio. The soldiers' grip was like a vice, holding Gabriel, Alex, and Ryan's arms and legs in place. The spearhook-shaped torture instruments came down, striking with precision and cruelty. The sound of the instruments tearing into flesh was almost deafening.
Blood began to ooze from the trio's battered bodies as they were hung by strings in the dungeon, their limbs twisted in unnatural positions. Norbert's eyes never left theirs, his gaze piercing through the darkness. His voice dripped with malice as he spoke, "Bloody spies of Malakhai." The maniacal laughter that followed sent shivers down their spines, a chilling reminder of the torment that lay ahead.
"You're spies, aren't you?" Norbert sneered, his eyes gleaming with malice as he sat in front of the bars. Gabriel, Alex, and Ryan shook their heads frantically, pleading for mercy.
"No, we're not spies! We're just travelers," Gabriel protested, but the soldiers just laughed, their grip on the trio's arms and legs tightening.
"Don't lie to me," Norbert spat, his voice dripping with venom. "Malakhai's men wouldn't send anyone but spies into my territory." The soldiers raised their spearhook-shaped torture instruments, and Alex cried out in fear.
"Please, we're telling the truth! We don't know anyone named Malakhai!" Ryan shouted, but Norbert just smiled, his face twisted in cruelty.
"We'll see about that," he said, leaning back in his chair. The soldiers struck, their instruments tearing into the trio's flesh. As they hung battered and bloody in the dungeon, Norbert's voice echoed through the darkness. "This is what I give to spies." His maniacal laughter sent shivers down their spines.
Time lost all meaning as the days blurred together in a haze of pain and suffering. Gabriel, Alex, and Ryan's world narrowed to the agony of their battered bodies. Each new day brought fresh torment, their minds consumed by the relentless pain. Blood seeped from their wounds, a constant reminder of their mortality. The only thought that echoed in their minds was the desperate hope that the bleeding would stop, that the pain would cease. But it didn't. The torture continued, and all they could think of was the blood flowing out of their bodies, taking their strength, their will, and their hope with it.