The Chrysalis Mark

Chapter 2-The Man Clad in Chains

After spending a year of enslavement in Stormvault mountain, Haizen Rorik had grown accustomed to the constant vitiator around his neck and wrists. The vermilion bands were something that every prisoner who could wield were forced to wear. The regular folk who were imprisoned here didnt last long, in just a year, Haizen had seen over a hundred new faces who didnt even last a month.
 Haizen had grown to see the bands as a measure of time and of course a measure of danger. So far in his time here, he had only ever counted eight others who also sported those bands. He made it a point to stay far away from them as power meeting power only ends with someone dead and he wasnt in the mood to silence anyone.
However when a group of guards came and grabbed someone with the bands on, they were not seen in Stormvault again. What happened after they left, Haizen could only assume two things, either they died or they became a turncoat. Out of the two options, death was much more preferable. He had expected them to come for him eventually but what he didnt except was to see the maroon uniform of a Kelra officer standing at the door to his cell when they did.
The officer wasnt sporting the normal onyx uniform that every other guard here wore and the officer certainly was much more intimidating then the others, but if he was intimidated, Haizen wouldn't show it. If it wasnt for the infuriating bands, Haizen could kill her where she stood without even moving a muscle. She didn't wait for him to ask what she was doing there, instead she pointed  at him and then outside his cell and shouted in a language he didn't understand
Haizen just looked at her in response, what kind of victim did she take him for? Was this Kelra's ploy to trick himself into believing he had freedom?No that couldnt be the case, Kelra would want to see him suffer before they gave him the freedom of death. His knees started to buckle as he thought about the stories he'd heard while in his time here. Breaking bones and stripping flesh, that was just the begining of the officers cruelty, others had faced much worse then that.
The maroon officer shouted at him again, this time placing her hand on the club hanging on her hip. Begrudgingly Haizen walked to the door until he was face to face with the woman. The way the womans smile curved at the edges set his hands shaking no matter how hard he tried to hide it.
She grabbed him by the collar and threw him to the ground in front of her. He hit the ground. Hard. The blood on his lip was a familiar taste. He heard the shout again as he got to his feet and started walking. This was just one of their tactics meant to intimidate him into submission. He looked at the ground, attempting to make himself look small and frail. When this guard underestimates him, it will be the last mistake she makes.
They walked for what seemed like hours, going down hallway after halfway, up and down every other set of stairs, until they came upon a metal door with the sovereigns symbol on them. His heart started to beat fast, is this where they took the others? No, he had to get out of here, this damn mountain will not be his tomb.
"Let me go" growled Haizen as he met his captors eyes.
A dry laugh was her response "Now why on Loyria would I do that?" She looked at him again and scoffed "Lucky for you, youve been selected for a very special treatment. Now me personally, I wouldnt mind gutting you right here and letting your blood spill down the cavern but alas its not up to me."
"Then who exactly is it up to? Its clear to me that your just a lapdog"
"Ouch that really hurt" Said the woman as a false sense of sadness overtook her face. She leaned in close until he could feel the heat of her breath on his ear. "You may want to mind your tongue, not all of us have to wear those lovely bands." She nipped his ear and pushed him through the door, letting it shut behind him.
Haizen's heart dropped as he registered what the woman had said, she was like him. He looked back at her as the door shut and met his own eyes staring back at him. That only confirmed what she spoke of, the Kelraion army had those who could wield working for them. But why? No self respecting wielder would willingly work for Kelra unless. Unless they were raised in Kelra from birth.
          Kelra was employing wielders, there's no other way to describe it. Had she been raised here? Brainwashed? Was she being bribed? A dozen questions raced through Haizens mind with each question leaving him more confused than the last.
          Haizen felt the blood in his attacker's arm before he felt the tip of a sword resting at his neck. The attackers blood was pulsing in excitement, it was clear that this was not the first time they've held a blade. Haizens blood roared in response, desperate to take this blood and turn it against its host but the infernal vermilion bands suffocated that thirst before it could be quenched.

 "Quiet your bloodlust, I can feel the roar hiding beneath your skin. Quiet it Notari or else you shall not get a chance like this again," said the voice behind Haizen.

The voice was gruff yet carried with a regalness that wasn't often found in Kelra. Haizen assumed that his enemy had to be in his twenties, and with almost two gallons of blood in his system, meaning that this man was toned far beyond people his age. Haizen couldn't beat him in this state and his assailant knew this. Damn it. Damn, these vermilion bands straight to Viunur. "Fine," was all he said as he turned to put a face to this voice.