Castling Deceit

𝙲𝚑𝚊𝚙𝚝𝚎𝚛 𝟷𝟷: 𝚂𝚒𝚐𝚗𝚜

•AZIEL ARZHEL'S POV•

~I woke up enveloped in darkness, the air thick with the stench of dried blood and something far more grotesque-a restroom smell that clung to my senses like a nightmare. Panic clawed at my chest as I realized I couldn't move; my wrists were chained to the wall, cold metal biting into my skin. The chill seeped into my bones, but it was the echoes of agonizing screams from above that truly made me shiver, a visceral reminder of how very alone I was.

"Dad! Heloix!" I called out, my voice a hoarse whisper against the oppressive silence. Each syllable felt like a desperate plea, ricocheting off the concrete walls, but there was no response. Just the distant cries of torment that twisted my stomach and gnawed at my sanity. Fear surged through me-what was happening? Where was I?

I tried to shift my body, to find some semblance of comfort or escape, but the chains held me firmly in place, a cruel reminder of my vulnerability. I felt exposed, stripped of any sense of safety. What would they do to me next? My mind raced with horrifying possibilities.

Then I heard it-thunderous footsteps approaching, heavy and deliberate. My heart raced, each beat a drumroll heralding something terrible. The door to the room burst open, flooding the room with a harsh light that stung my eyes. I squinted against it, and through the glare, I saw him.

A burly, short man entered, a sinister grin stretched across his face, knife glinting in his hand. The malevolence radiating from him sent a jolt of pure terror through me. I recoiled instinctively, trying to press my back against the cold wall, as if that could somehow shield me from the impending doom.

"What have we here?" he said, his voice oily and mocking, sending chills crawling down my spine. I clenched my jaw, swallowing the bile that rose in my throat.

"Get away from me!" I shouted, trying to summon any ounce of defiance. But deep down, I knew I was trapped, chained in this nightmare, at the mercy of a monster. All I could do was wait and hope-hope that somehow, someone would come to save me before it was too late~

I woke up with a jolt, the remnants of the nightmare clinging to my mind like a shroud. My heart raced, pounding against my ribcage as if trying to escape the suffocating darkness of the dream. I gasped for breath, the sheets tangled around my legs, a tangle of fabric that felt like the last vestiges of a world I couldn't fully escape.

The room was dim, shadows pooling in every corner, and the familiar shapes felt foreign, twisted by the lingering fear. I blinked, trying to shake off the tendrils of the dream-the faces, the screams, the overwhelming sense of dread. The echo of those terrified voices still rang in my ears, a haunting reminder of what I had just escaped.

I swung my legs over the side of the bed, my feet meeting the cool floor, grounding me in reality. But it didn't help. The chill seeped into my bones, a stark contrast to the sweat glistening on my skin. I rubbed my eyes, willing the images to fade, but they clung stubbornly, like smoke in the air.

What had felt so real just moments ago-the shadows lurking in every corner, the sense of being pursued-now seemed like a cruel joke. I took a shaky breath, trying to steady myself, my pulse still racing. The quiet of the room pressed in on me, amplifying the echoes of the nightmare, and I couldn't shake the feeling of being watched, hunted.

I glanced at the clock, its red numbers glaring back at me, and realized it was still early. Too early for the world to be awake, but the night had already woven its magic of fear around me. I could feel the weight of the nightmare pressing down, and for a moment, I was paralyzed by the lingering terror. I closed my eyes again, willing myself to find the peace that felt so elusive.