Solaris was jolted awake by the loud clanging of metal. Her brows furrowed in response to the sudden noise, and a slight frown formed on her forehead as she was overcome by pain. Lying on a worn-out straw mat, she mustered what little strength she had left.
With great effort, Solaris pushed herself up and leaned against the wall, her expression blank. At first glance, one might think she had lost her sanity, but a closer look would reveal her eyes were surprisingly clear and sharp.
Her brows knitted together, and her teeth clenched as a flood of painful memories rushed back. Solaris envisioned a woman in a white dress adorned with gold threads and white pearl jewelry, laughing maniacally at the anguish in Solaris' eyes.
She recalled the moment she witnessed the tragic deaths of her loyal servants and family before her eyes.
"That bitch!" Solaris couldn't help but curse, gritting her teeth and striking the ground in frustration.
Just then, heavy footsteps approached, stopping right in front of her cell. The sound of the cell door creaking open echoed above her.
Solaris opened her eyes to find a tall man dressed in a dark brown leather shirt that was unbuttoned, revealing his toned chest. His sleeves were rolled up to his elbows, highlighting his powerful forearms, and he wore snug trousers and black boots. A prominent scar disfigured his face, adding to his intimidating look.
The man commanded, "Get up!"
"...."
Solaris remained still.
Frustrated by her lack of response, the man slammed his fist against the wall in anger.
"I said get up! Why aren't you listening?!" he shouted, grabbing one of Solaris' arms and yanking her up from the ground.
Solaris yelped in pain as her already dislocated arm was jerked roughly. She shot a fierce glare at him, causing him to flinch and take a step back.
The guard laughed noticing her glare. So scary ah! What could a mere woman do?
He surveyed Solaris from head to toe, shaking his head at her battered body, covered in bruises and fresh wounds still oozing blood. Anyone with compassion would feel pity for her, but he lacked such feelings. In his eyes, Solaris was already a dead person.
With a sneer, he struck her in the stomach, causing her to double over in pain.
"Ugh!" she gasped.
"You bitch! What are you staring at?!" he shouted angrily, mercilessly whipping her face. He relished this fleeting sense of power over her.
A cry of pain escaped Solaris as blood trickled from her wounds. She lifted her gaze, committing his face to memory.
"Get moving! Death is waiting for you." he taunted, pushing her toward the exit.
They continued forward, with Solaris forced to lead while a gun was aimed at her head. They encountered a few people along the way, but unlike her, they appeared to be in better condition, wearing old but decent clothing and seemingly untouched by cruelty, unlike Solaris.
She glanced at the person limping beside her, who was in an even worse state. The wounds on this individual suggested torture, with visible bruises and whip marks covering her body. Her clothes were so tattered that they barely concealed her. With just a glance, one could tell what they did to her.
Solaris turned away, clenching her fists in anger. Those monsters! The thought of revenge surged within her, igniting a desire to kill.
It took the group another 10 minutes to finally arrive at their destination. In front of them stood a massive iron door, approximately 15 feet (4.57 m) tall.
A man dressed in leather turned to them with a menacing grin before swinging the door open.
"Welcome to hell." he said, just before Solaris was roughly shoved by someone.
As the contestants entered, the arena erupted with loud screams and cheers.
Solaris and the others looked up in shock, taking in their surroundings. Hundreds of spectators filled the benches, shouting excitedly. In each corner, a person was moving about, seemingly collecting star coins and encouraging bets on which of the seven contenders to choose.
As Solaris scanned the crowd, she spotted a familiar face. Their eyes locked, and the woman raised an eyebrow in a taunting manner, smirking mockingly.
Anger flared up in Solaris once more. She glared at the woman, but before she could approach her, someone ran into her, causing them both to tumble to the ground.
"Ahh!"
Solaris recognized the person who had bumped into her as the same woman from earlier. She was about to offer her help when the woman quickly got up and dashed toward the center of the arena, seemingly unfazed by her injuries.
Before she left, Solaris noticed the terrified look on her face.
Something felt off…
Solaris looked around the arena again, noticing the aristocrats grinning maliciously at them, eagerly anticipating something.
She shifted her gaze back to the woman, who was now in the center of the arena, hands over her ears, trembling. A sense of dread washed over Solaris. Something was definitely wrong!
Trusting her instincts, Solaris wasted no time and sprinted toward the woman. Another woman noticed and decided to follow her.
"Hey, wait!" she shouted. The two ran as fast as they could, while the others remained behind, looking confused.
Solaris was just 12 steps away from the woman when a piercing scream echoed, and a massive iron cage suddenly descended from the sky, trapping them inside.
Blaaaggggg!!
Dust filled the arena as the impact knocked everyone down. The aristocrats in the stands pulled out handkerchiefs to cover their mouths and noses, trying to shield themselves from the dust. Solaris and the others, caught beneath the arena, fell to the ground from the force.
Cough! Cough! Cough!
Solaris covered her mouth and coughed violently. Suddenly, a woman's scream pierced the air.
"Ahhhhhh!!! There's a dead body!"
At this, Solaris quickly opened her eyes and scanned the area, spotting a woman lying on the ground, her body severed in two, with the edge of a cage between the halves. The game hadn't even begun yet, and someone was already dead.
More screams erupted, followed by laughter from the audience, which infuriated Solaris. Unable to contain herself, she shouted in rage, "You're all insane!"
"You're all f*cking monsters!" another woman also shouted.
The Duke merely laughed and signaled to his men with a glance. One of the guards nodded and pulled a lever.
Suddenly, the ground trembled, and the earth began to break apart. Moments later, a massive passage revealed itself to everyone.