Unknown Karma

Torment

In the dimly lit chamber, Malachi stood over Kira, his gaze cold and calculating as he surveyed the burn marks that now covered most of Kira's body, leaving only his face and neck untouched. The sinister device, still emitting a faint glow, lay discarded nearby, its malevolent purpose fulfilled.

"See what your defiance has brought upon you, Kira," Malachi intoned, his voice echoing with a mix of triumph and malice. "These marks are the physical manifestation of your futile resistance. Will you continue to defy me, or will you finally submit?"

Kira, his body wracked with pain, managed to lift his head to meet Malachi's gaze with defiance burning in his crimson eyes. "I'll never submit to you, Malachi. No amount of pain or torment will break my spirit."

Malachi's lip curled into a cruel smile as he knelt beside Kira, his fingers tracing the charred skin with a sickening fascination. "Your resolve is commendable, Kira, but it is also your downfall. Your stubbornness only prolongs your suffering."

With a flick of his wrist, Malachi summoned a small vial filled with a shimmering liquid. "This elixir will alleviate your pain, Kira, but only if you agree to serve me willingly. Your choice is simple: embrace obedience and find relief, or cling to your defiance and endure endless agony."

Kira recoiled from the vial, his eyes narrowing with suspicion. "I'll never betray my principles for your false promises, Malachi. You may have broken my body, but my spirit remains unyielding."

Malachi's expression darkened, his patience wearing thin. "Stubborn fool," he muttered under his breath before turning his attention to the device once more. With a swift motion, he activated it once more, causing Kira to convulse in renewed agony.

As the pain threatened to overwhelm him, Kira gritted his teeth and summoned every ounce of his willpower to resist. Through the haze of torment, his thoughts turned to Aries, the admiral who had shown him kindness and compassion, and he drew strength from the memory of their encounters.

Malachi observed Kira's struggle with a mixture of frustration and fascination. "You're a resilient one, I'll give you that," he remarked, his tone tinged with begrudging admiration. "But even the strongest will can be broken with the right incentive."

With a gesture, Malachi signaled for the torment to cease, allowing Kira a brief respite from the excruciating pain. "Think on your choices, Kira," he said, his voice a sinister whisper. "The longer you resist, the more you will suffer. But if you choose obedience, I can offer you power beyond your wildest dreams."

Kira remained silent, his jaw clenched in determination as he braced himself for whatever horrors Malachi had in store. Though his body bore the scars of his defiance, his spirit remained unbroken, fueled by the flicker of hope that burned within him.

Malachi held something aloft, a glint of malevolence dancing in his eyes as he watched Kira's reaction. Kira's eyes widened with a mixture of curiosity and apprehension, his muscles tensing as he instinctively reached out to grasp whatever it was that Malachi held.

But Malachi, ever the manipulator, kept the object just out of Kira's reach, a taunting smirk playing at the corners of his lips. "What's the matter, Kira? Don't you want to know what this is?" he teased, his voice dripping with malicious intent.

Kira's frustration mounted as he attempted to seize the object, his fingers clawing at the air in a futile attempt to snatch it from Malachi's grasp. "What are you hiding from me, Malachi?" he demanded, his voice tinged with a mixture of anger and desperation.

Malachi's smirk widened into a full-fledged grin as he observed Kira's futile struggles. "All in good time, my dear Kira," he replied cryptically, his tone oozing with sinister amusement. "But first, I think we need to have a little chat about obedience."