He snarled, muscles coiling like a spring as he charged toward Marcus. In a split second, he leaped aside, narrowly dodging a bullet that whizzed past him. With fierce determination, he seized the soldier's sword mid-swing, the cold steel biting into his palm. Without a moment's hesitation, he drove the hilt into the man's face, feeling the satisfying crunch of bone against his knuckles.

As the soldier crumpled, he swiftly pivoted, using the lifeless body as a makeshift shield against the relentless hail of bullets from the other soldiers. The chaotic sounds blended with the rumbling of his heart as he snarled at Marcus. He could hear Marcus shouting commands, but all that mattered now was survival.

Once the round of gunfire had ended, he hurled the dead soldier's body at another nearby combatant. His chest heated up as he kicked the ground beneath him, the sudden force sending tremors rippling through the room. He lunged toward Marcus, his eyes blazing with intensity as fire began to materialize around him.

For a quick moment, Marcus appeared caught off guard, but then his usual, infuriating smile returned to his face.

“Good try, but better luck next time.” In an instant, he vanished from view, leaving Kaius reeling. His vision blurred as his body crashed into a pile of crates at the far side of the room.

Splintered wood tore into his skin as pain shot through him, but he didn't have a chance to breathe. Before he could recover, he was flung upward into the air, Marcus reappearing above him with a flash of light. The soldier's boot connected squarely with his face, propelling him back down to the ground.

The air whipped against his skin as he plummeted, the impact jarring his entire body when he hit the ground with a bone-rattling thud. His vision blurred, teetering on the edge of darkness, while pain exploded through him.

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"Soldiers, take him away," was the last thing he heard as darkness closed in around him, swallowing him whole.

[ Jail cell ]

His senses began to sharpen, albeit slowly. He could feel the cold stone of the floor beneath him as he was unceremoniously tossed into a damp, dark room. The guards that threw him in did so while spouting some curses in his direction, but he didn't care.

He lay there for a moment, trying to catch his breath, his heart pounding against his ribcage like a caged animal. The air was stale, and the faint smell of mold filled his nostrils. Pushing himself up with a groan, he looked around the room, his eyes slowly adjusting to the darkness all around him.

The room was plain in appearance, with only a Kline near the far side corner of the room and a toilet to relieve himself. A crude toilet squatted nearby, accompanied by a weathered spigot that dripped steadily onto the stone below. On a narrow ledge lay a miswak, untouched and unused.

“Ugh, stupid guards,” he mumbled to himself, walking over to the spigot to wash his face. Turning on the lever, the water from the spigot slowly began to pour downward onto the ground.

He cupped his hands beneath the steady stream, feeling the cool water splash against his palms. With a quick motion, he gathered up the water, bringing it upward to his face. The refreshing liquid cascaded over his skin, washing away the grime and soot that was all over his face.

“At least this time it wasn't a porcupine quill, I hated those” he said only to himself.

Since the room barely had anything inside it, there was no need for him to look around. He tried to peer outside through the heavy iron door that kept him at arm’s length from freedom, but beyond that, there was nothing else he could do.

It was nighttime. The seven moons of the heavens glowed beautifully in the sky, each illuminating the world a distinct color. The night sang with its usual soft tone, offering sleep to any who would hear its beautiful voice. Kaius lay back down on the bed he had been given.

As he gazed at the moons, a sense of calm washed over him. The colors blended into a mesmerizing dance, a sight he always treasured when he looked at the sky during the night. He let out a deep sigh, feeling the weight of exhaustion settle over him. The cool air of the cell was a welcome relief he didn't know he needed.

He wrapped himself in the scratchy blankets on the bed, closed his eyes, and quietly prayed to the god of good dreams to visit him for the night.

And as the minutes pass, he slowly fell into a deep, deep sleep.

[ Chapter end. ]