I had no idea how many days have passed so I just the orc's arrival as a source of what time it is when he enters. but the passage of time had become a blurry, painful haze, marked only by the relentless cycles of experimentation and the oppressive darkness of my prison. That "warlock" and his minions continued their cruel tests, probing and prodding, seeking some dark knowledge from my tortured body.

But amidst the agony, something had changed. The system notification had left me with a new skill, one I hadn’t fully understood at first. It had taken me days—weeks?—to even realize I could tap into it. Divine Light Manipulation. The name was both comforting and, in its own way, mocking.

[Divine Light Manipulation] – Oh, congratulations! Blessed with the holy glow of a thousand suns, and yet, somehow, still clueless enough to need divine intervention just to survive a little curse. The system had to step in and gift-wrap this power to save your sorry hide—because nothing says “chosen one” like being too weak to break a curse on your own. Bend the light, heal wounds, smite your enemies... but don't get too cocky. Uses 5 mana per use and an extra 2+ per second to maintain.

At first, it was just a faint flicker of energy, a whisper of light deep within the darkness of my thoughts. It took time to focus, to draw it out amidst the constant pain and suffering. Slowly, I began to understand. Each time the warlock or his orcs entered the chamber, I worked to hide my newfound power, knowing that if they discovered it, they’d either strip it from me or use it against me.

Each time the warlock or one of his orcs entered the chamber, I focused on hiding my newfound power. The experiments continued, their cruelty unending. Each time, I channeled the light to heal what I could. The worst wounds mended faster, but more importantly, I felt the purity of the divine energy washing through me, erasing the taint of the warlock’s dark magic.

The experiments were relentless. They ranged from dark rituals to physical tortures designed to extract every last bit of information from me. But each time, I used the Void Magic to dull the edges of the pain, to create subtle distractions or distortions that made their work a bit more difficult.

One particular session stood out. The warlock was using a strange device, a metal contraption covered in glowing runes, to attempt some new form of enchantment on me. It was a brutal process, and I could feel the searing heat of the magic as it flowed over my skin. My muscles tensed, and I gritted my teeth against the pain.

As he focused on adjusting the device, I reached deep within myself. The room was dimly lit, shadows dancing on the walls, and in those shadows, I found the strength to act. Not with the void, but with light.

Using Divine Light Manipulation it flared within me, small at first, but growing with each breath. My thoughts locked onto the warlock’s device, and I let the light spill forth from my hands in a thin, controlled stream, purifying the taint within it. The runes flickered, the dark magic retreating as the light began to cleanse the device from the inside out.. The warlock frowned, his concentration breaking as he adjusted the device.

My thoughts raced with possibilities. If I could keep doing this little by little, creating these subtle disturbances, maybe—just maybe—I could find a way to escape. Divine Light was my only hope, a secret weapon hidden beneath the layers of my suffering.

...

Days passed, maybe weeks—I couldn’t tell anymore. Every moment felt like an eternity as I remained bound in the cold, dark chamber. But in those long, agonizing stretches of time, I learned how to master my new power. The Divine Light became my secret weapon, something I carefully honed while the warlock and his orcs believed me to be nothing more than a broken prisoner.

Each time the warlock experimented on me, I used the smallest fraction of my power to test the limits of what I could do. It started with little things—manipulating the way the light bend making it harder for them to see my movements. I make subtly purify the warlock's devices. He cursed often, frustrated that his magic wouldn’t cooperate, oblivious to the subtle sabotage I was weaving into his experiments.

You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.

After what felt like an eternity of suffering, I had honed the Divine Light to a razor’s edge, perfecting every detail of my plan. Days of enduring the warlock's cruel experiments had made me stronger.

And now, I was ready to use it.

The warlock was in the room, his back to me as he prepared another of his twisted experiments. He had no idea what was about to happen. The other orcs stationed around the chamber were equally oblivious, standing guard as if I were still just a helpless prisoner.

But I wasn’t helpless anymore.

I closed my eyes, drawing on the magic, letting it build within me. The familiar hum of the light shining in the back of my mind, growing louder as I focused on the space around me.

Now.

It was my chance.

With a burst of energy, I released a beam of Divine Light a ray began to form in the room. The warlock stepped back, confusion and anger twisting his face.

But I didn’t stop there. My body ached, my mana drained, but I reached deeper into the light, summoning enough power to not only break the device but to start healing myself. The burns, the bruises, the torn flesh—they mended as the Divine Light wove through me.

The warlock screamed something unintelligible, his fury rising, but I was no longer paying attention. I was free, unchained from the agony he had forced upon me for so long.

The orcs around the room rushed toward me, weapons drawn. I called upon the Divine Light, using it to form a protective barrier of glowing energy, keeping them at bay. The chamber was suddenly alight, filled with the brightness of the sun. Shadows scattered before me as the light intensified.

One of the larger orcs swung his axe, but before it could strike me, I released the pent-up energy in a blast of radiant power. The orc was thrown backward, the axe disintegrating into nothingness as the light consumed it. I stood tall, my wings unfurled, glowing with the holy brilliance that the system had gifted me.

As the warlock staggered back, I focused all of my remaining mana on a final spell—a beacon of Divine Light that would cleanse the entire chamber. I raised my hand, light pouring from my fingertips, and sent a beam of purifying energy straight into the sky. It cut through the ceiling, shattering the stone above, and pierced the heavens.

The warlock’s tools melted in the heat of the divine beam, the twisted symbols on the walls burned away, and the darkness that had tainted this place was obliterated. The orcs scattered, terrified, fleeing the wrath of the light.

The ceiling collapsed as the beam carved a hole through the heart of the warlock’s lair, the light stretching far into the sky, a signal that I had finally broken free.

Then, as suddenly as it had begun, the light faded. The roar subsided, leaving only a deep, echoing silence.

I opened my eyes, blinking against the dust and debris that filled the air. The chamber was gone—completely obliterated. The walls had been torn apart, reduced to rubble. The warlock and the orcs were nowhere to be seen, either killed in the blast or lost to the void.

I staggered to my feet, my body aching but still intact. The magic still pulsed faintly within me, but the rifts were gone, the energy dissipated.

Looking at my status to check on my health and how much mana I used.

Name: Sora Calem

Species: Harpy

Lv: 14 (183/640)

HP: 23/125 (+7/h)

MP: 42/100 (+4/h)

ST: 90/225 (+14)

Class: N/A ...

Closing the screen I try to walk out as relief wash on my face.

It had worked.

I was free.

For the first time since my capture, I stood unbound, the cold air of the ruined chamber swirling around me. The weight of what I had done settled over me, a mix of relief and exhaustion.

But there was no time to rest. I needed to escape this place, to get as far away from the warlock's dark magic and the orc village as possible. The void had granted me the power I needed, but I knew it came at a cost.

A wave of exhaustion hit me, but I smiled. I had done it. The warlock’s hold was broken, his tools purified by the light, his minions scattered. For the first time since my capture, I was free.

With the beam of light still shining as a pillar in the sky, I stepped through the rubble of the chamber, my heart pounding with renewed hope.

The Divine Light had saved me, and now, it would guide me to my next path.