Kaidan winced as the cold, viscous healing fluid seeped into his skin, the gel spreading a dull, aching relief that numbed his pain. He lay there quietly, allowing the healer to work with detached efficiency, her hands moving briskly over his scars. The new wounds repaired them selfs into scars, marking his skin like ghostly reminders of past sessions.

After his treatment, they handed him his clothes—a loose wrap of earthen hues, woven with patterns that had once been vibrant but now lay faded beneath the artificial glow of their underground world. He slipped into the garment, feeling its rough fabric cling to his skin. Smoothing his features into a faint, easy grin, Kaidan let himself become the familiar mask he wore around the village.

Released from the infirmary, he was guided down the stone-walled corridors that opened into a cavern. From here, the passage expanded into the village—a hidden world that stretched across the vast hollow space below ground. Without sunlight, everything relied on clusters of gemstones embedded into the cavern walls, casting a constant, soft orange glow over the entire area. It was a strange, timeless light that settled over the village in a perpetual dusk.

The village sprawled across the cavern floor like an ancient tapestry, a network of low, round huts crafted from compacted earth and woven foliage. The buildings, adorned with red and white symbols, looked out of place in the shadowy cavern, standing resilient against the years. Bone and stone chimes swayed in the still air, giving a faint, soft music to the silence.

Kaidan took it all in, keeping his expression light as he strolled through the pathways. To any outsider, it might look like a peaceful village scene. The villagers walked with tired but steady steps, dressed in simple wraps and sashes, necklaces made of bone and stone beads decorating their necks. Each one bore scars from experiments and individual tags, branded onto a part of their body—their experiment number—a constant reminder that no one here was free. Kaidan felt the familiar weight of his own brand, K-666, marked onto his wrist.

They all wear fake smiles, acting like this place is some home worth living in. I’m not sure who they think they’re fooling... maybe themselves? He thought, watching them move with forced laughter, tired cheerfulness stitched into every glance. But what else are they supposed to do?

“Kaidan! Already out of the testings huh?” The familiar voice pulled him from his thoughts. Jolan, an older man, was stacking bundles of dried herbs near the entrance to his hut, his weathered face breaking into a smile as he spotted him.

Kaidan’s eyes flicked to the mark on the man’s arm, reading J-214 before lifting his gaze back to his familiar face. Right, Jolan, he recalled, a hint of genuine warmth slipping through his guarded thoughts.

He shrugged, rolling his shoulders with exaggerated ease. “Yeah, just another day of being stitched back together,” he said, grinning with mock bravado. Leaning in, he lowered his voice to a playful whisper. “I’ve got big plans for today, you know. Wouldn’t want them dragging me back in.”

Jolan chuckled, shaking his head. “Big plans, huh? And what kind of trouble are you planning to get into this time?”

Kaidan struck a mock thoughtful look, his eyes twinkling. “Might do something dangerous. Or... maybe I’ll just nap somewhere.”

Jolan’s laughter echoed softly as Kaidan waved and continued down the path, his mask still in place. Behind him, the older man’s chuckles faded into the cavern’s stillness.

Most of them still buy it, Kaidan thought as he continued toward the edge of the village. To them, I’m just the carefree kid, the one who doesn’t let any of this touch him.

He paused at the clearing, where a group of children had gathered by the edge of a large underground lake. The water stretched into the cavern’s shadows, reflecting the dim glow of the gemstones above.

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Here, the children played freely, darting around in a makeshift game. Their laughter rang clear, unburdened by the same weight the adults carried. They balanced on stones near the water’s edge, daring each other to step farther, their voices echoing over the lake’s surface. Kaidan stopped at the edge of the clearing, his grin softening as he watched them.

They need me to be like this, he thought, keeping his hands tucked casually into his wrap. They need someone who doesn’t look weighed down by all of it. Even if it is a lie.

A few of the younger kids noticed him and waved, their faces lighting up at the sight of him. To them, he was still a friend, someone who didn’t seem touched by fear or anger. They believed in his carefree spirit, and he kept that spirit alive, for them if not himself. Even the older kids could hardly manage that.

Kaidan waved back with a faint grin, maintaining his mask. He knew the children needed the image of him smiling, unbothered by their world. But as he turned away, his face hardened, the warmth fading, leaving only a cold, calculating edge.

Glancing down, he looked at the brand on his wrist—K-666—the label seared onto him when he was barely two years old. The memory of that day was hazy, but the ache of it still lingered, a reminder of his place here. One day, he promised himself, I’m tearing this mark off and burning this place to the ground.

He turned back to the children, watching them with an expression that flickered between warm and calculating. One day, we'll be out of here.

Kaidan settled himself on a flat stone by the lake, watching the children play with casual, practiced ease. The underground lake was quiet, its surface mirroring the gemstone-lit cavern ceiling above, casting faint, shifting patterns on the children’s faces. Laughter echoed faintly in the air, and for a moment, it was almost easy to pretend that this place was something other than a prison.

Toward the lake’s edge, Kaidan noticed a lone figure—a girl curled up into herself, knees hugged tightly to her chest as she stared into the water. It was the girl from earlier, the one they’d dragged away from the testing room. She had the unmistakable look of a half-dryad and half-ghoul—her skin a muted greenish hue with an unnatural, almost translucent quality that looked even paler now. Wisps of leafy hair fell over her face, and faint, barely healed scars traced along her arms, still visible under her loose sleeves.

The other children kept their distance, glancing her way but quickly averting their eyes, as if they were afraid that her pain might rub off on them. Kaidan knew that they understood, more than anyone else, what she’d been through. Every child here had endured their own share of the scientists’ experiments, their own marks left on both body and mind. Yet, somehow, no one really knew how to comfort someone else in this village. They had their ways of coping, but there were no words to ease that kind of suffering.

She won’t be like that forever, he thought, studying her from a distance. They all come back eventually. We all do. It just... takes a little time.

Kaidan let his gaze drift around the lake, his mind cataloging the details he knew so well by now. Each child here bore some distinct blend of features—marks of their mixed biology. A girl nearby had dusky violet skin, pointed ears, and a faint blue shimmer in her hair, likely half-dark elf, with maybe some fae in her bloodline too. Another boy’s skin had a marble-like, crystalline quality, his fingers elongated and his eyes faintly glowing—a product of a mix between the earthbound Gemtroll and perhaps a nightcrawler.

Then his eyes paused on a familiar face—a boy taller and broader than the rest, even at their young age. The boy had deep red skin, a broad jaw, and a body already showing signs of a hulking, muscular build. Black hair, thick and unruly, framed his face, and a light dusting of hair covered his arms. Kaidan’s mouth curled into a faint smile.

Rurik, he thought with a smirk. Can’t miss him anywhere.

Rurik was one of Kaidan’s closest friends, even if they rarely got much time to talk freely. The other kids often steered clear of Rurik, intimidated by his size and fiery temper, but Kaidan appreciated having him around. Rurik’s presence was a reminder that there was strength among them, something steady to lean on.

Kaidan stretched his legs, letting his bare toes skim the edge of the lake. He felt the coolness of the water beneath him, and for a moment, he allowed himself to relax, if only on the outside.

Then, a familiar voice broke through the low hum of noise from the children around him. It was a girl’s voice, young but carrying a mischievous lilt.

“Kaaai-,” she called her voice light and teasing.

He recognized it instantly and sighed inwardly, rolling his eyes before turning with a grin. Guess I’m popular after all.

“Well, well,” he said, looking over his shoulder with a smirk. “Somebody missed me?”