Chapter 54
Ronan awoke to agony.
His body screamed in protest as he stirred, every muscle stretched taut by thick, iron chains that bound him to a damp stone wall. The scent of blood and mildew clung to the air like a curse. His vision swam, but slowly the room came into focus—dim torchlight flickering across a cold dungeon lined with cages and chains. Dozens of children filled the room, their eyes hollow, some younger, some older, each one marked by fear and suffering.
Then, Ronan saw him.
The man stood at the far end of the room, cloaked in black with a twisted grin stretching across his face. That same grin had haunted Ronan's dreams for years—the monster who had taken everything from him. The man's gaze slithered over the children like a serpent choosing its next meal, then locked onto Ronan.
"Well, well," the man said, voice oily and amused. "The Steele boy finally wakes."
He strolled toward Ronan with slow, deliberate steps, as if savoring every second. Ronan's glare could've set the man ablaze.
"How the hell are you still alive?" Ronan spat, voice raw with pain and fury.
The man tapped his chin theatrically, then gave a careless shrug. "Her final trick… wasn't quite final enough."
Ronan's fists clenched. "Why am I still alive?"
"Oh, trust me, I have no plans to let you live," the man said with a chuckle. "But killing you myself? That would be too easy. No sport in that. Don't you agree?"
Ronan scoffed, blood dripping from his lips. "What I see isn't a man, but a coward—one who chains up children and spouts nonsense to feel powerful."
The monster's grin widened, amused. "Your tongue's as sharp as her blade. A shame… I crushed both."
Ronan's heart twisted at the thought of Selena—his master, his family, the one who made him whole. He fought the despair threatening to rise and forced himself to remember her strength, her lessons.
"For your bravery," the man said, turning away, "I'll give you a chance to live."
"I don't want your mercy," Ronan growled.
"You don't want it…" the man chuckled, low and sadistic. "But you'll take it." He sauntered away, laughing madly as he exited the chamber. Ronan's eyes burned into his back, memorizing the grotesque tattoo etched into his skin—a blood-red X pierced by a black spear.
The door slammed shut.
What followed was hell.
Ronan endured days of torment—whipped until his back split open, starved until he could barely stand. Yet he refused to scream. The others cried. Some begged. But Ronan stared ahead, eyes filled with quiet fire. Han and the others, watching through the memory stream, could barely take it. Their eyes watered. Their fists clenched. But the memory would not stop.
Eventually, the chains were loosened.
Dragged alongside the other children, Ronan stumbled into a wide chamber, skeletal from starvation, his body bruised and broken. But he stood tall. Taller than any of them. His soul unbent.
The monster stood at the center of the room, arms folded, eyes gleaming with cruel joy. When he spotted Ronan, he gave a mocking wave.
"I have a game for you," the man said. "Survive in the Dark Forest for one month… and you'll earn your freedom."
Gasps echoed among the children.
"The forest," he continued, "is filled with beasts—bloodthirsty, ravenous, perfect teachers for cowards like you. You'll each be given a weapon. Survive… or be devoured."
A row of weapons was brought out—gleaming swords, brutal axes, sharp spears, bows strung with taut string. Hope flickered in some eyes. But when it was Ronan's turn, the guard placed a single, rusted knife in his shackled hands.
Ronan stared at it. "Is this some kind of joke?"
The guards ignored him.
The large black gate at the far end of the chamber creaked open, revealing the Dark Forest beyond. A jagged expanse of black trees and twisted roots stretched out endlessly. The leaves were ink-dark, the ground cracked like old bones. An eerie wind whispered like the cries of the damned.
"This is where you all die," one of the guards muttered under his breath.
But Ronan moved first.
Despite his wounds, despite his hunger, he walked through the gate without hesitation. The others hesitated, glancing at each other, then slowly followed.
"That kid's got guts," one of the guards whispered.
"Guts or not," the other replied coldly, "our orders are clear—none of them survive. The boss doesn't want any survivors."
The black gates closed behind them with a dreadful finality.
And so began the trial by darkness—where only monsters thrived, and only the strong survived.
But Ronan… Ronan had already died once. And the fire in his heart would not be extinguished again.
---
Deep within the cursed forest, the boys moved like ghosts—silent, tense, afraid. Gnarled black trees twisted above them, their leafless branches clawing the gray sky. An eerie mist blanketed the ground, muffling every step and breath.
Ronan walked ahead of the group, eyes hard, body alert. His rusted knife hung loosely in his hand.The hunger remained.
"Hey," a boy whispered, stepping up beside him, barely older than Ronan. His hair was a striking green, dirt-streaked and matted. "What did you do to piss him off so badly?"
Ronan didn't respond. Not a glance. Not a breath wasted.
The boy kept talking, nervous energy driving him. "He chained you tighter than the rest. Beat you more. Why you?"
Still nothing.
"Hey, I'm talking to you!" the boy barked, voice rising with fear and frustration as he unsheathed his blade.
A blur.
In a heartbeat, Ronan had the boy pinned, one arm twisted behind his back, the rusted edge of his knife kissing the boy's throat.
"Say one more word," Ronan whispered coldly, "and you'll forget you were ever born."
The boy's breath hitched. His sword dropped to the forest floor.
"Do… you… hear me?"
He nodded quickly. Ronan let go without a word and walked on, his eyes dead-set on something far beyond this hell. The Exterminator. That was all that mattered. Every step through the dark woods was one closer to vengeance.
A rumble echoed through his stomach. Hunger again. He paused under a dead tree, eyes narrowing as a squirrel darted across the upper branches. One smooth flick of the wrist and the rusty blade soared through the air—thud. The squirrel dropped. Moments later, the fire crackled and he tore into the meat with mechanical hunger.
But then—a low, guttural growl.
Ronan stood, licking the grease from his fingers as he approached the sound. Part curiosity, part calculation.
Through the fog, he saw it: a cat beast the size of three lions. Its fur was dark as obsidian, eyes glowing with primal rage. Fangs like spears. Claws that could slice through stone.
And it wasn't alone.
Twenty kids stood in a loose circle, blades drawn, panic etched across their faces. Despite their finely forged weapons, their swings were sloppy, their formation a joke. Ronan scoffed silently. They had weapons—but no skill.
The monster lunged. Chaos erupted.
One boy screamed as claws tore through him. The others faltered. Then came betrayal.
"Use someone as bait!" someone yelled.
Eyes turned.
They chose a short kid with brown hair and thick glasses—fragile, trembling, clearly half-blind. A mistake.
"No, wait! Don't leave me!" he cried as the others vanished into the trees.
His voice cracked as the beast turned its full attention to him.
He backed away, foot catching on a root—crash. His glasses fell off. The world became a blur.
Breath hitching, he crawled, hands scrambling through cold dirt and broken twigs.
"Please..."
A snarl. Claws scraped earth.
He reached, groping for the lenses, but the forest was spinning, lost in fog.
And the beast came closer.
Alone. Blind. Hunted.
Ronan stood behind a tree, watching. His expression never changed.
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To be continued....