Lina stepped forward, the black whip clutched tightly in her hand. Now, there was no room for hesitation—only one path, and it was forward. Daniel closed his eyes, bracing himself for the lash. He didn't want her to see his gaze, fearing it might soften her heart and unravel her resolve.
He took a deep breath and relaxed his body.
Suddenly, he felt the sting of the whip strike his chest. He didn't scream—not even a groan. He merely clenched his teeth. The lashes followed in relentless succession, raining down upon his body—his chest, legs, arms, and even his torso. No part was spared. His clothes were torn to shreds, and angry red-blue welts marred his pale skin. Lina continued the whipping for over half an hour, her palm burning from the friction of the handle, her breath ragged, and a ferocious gleam of vengeance flaring in her eyes.
Daniel's body was flushed with crimson, blood trickling down his wounds. Yet he remained silent. He didn't plead, didn't cry, didn't even open his eyes.
Silence fell. Only the sound of their strained breathing filled the chamber.
Lina was not pleased. She had wanted to see him break—to scream, to beg—but nothing came. She ground her teeth in frustration but did nothing further. Instead, she spoke in a voice steeped in menace and fury:
"Don't think this is over. This is merely the beginning. The very cage you yearn to escape will become the source of your misery and despair."
With that, she threw the whip aside and stormed out of the room.
Daniel opened his violet eyes and stared into the emptiness, then let out a groan filled with pain and cursed aloud:
"Damn it, that hurts like hell! How long is this going to last?"
He sighed silently. Moments later, Lara entered, carrying a medical kit. She glanced at him—he was smiling. Her expression was cold and indifferent as she sat on the edge of the bed, disinfecting cotton with alcohol and tending to his wounds.
Daniel hissed in pain but said nothing. Lara, too, remained silent, working with mechanical precision. Yet his smile irritated her—as though he were enjoying this torment, which was anything but normal. She couldn't hold back anymore and spoke.
"Why did you force her to do this? I saw her crying in the hallway. She even asked me to tend your wounds and care for you."
Daniel drifted into thought, contemplating her words. After a few seconds, he replied:
"There are harsh decisions one must make… to avoid far crueler ones in the near future."
His answer was cryptic, and even Lara couldn't discern its true meaning. She changed the subject.
"You're forbidden from eating for three days, and no one is allowed to visit you. From now on, you'll be alone."
Daniel didn't seem to care. Smiling mischievously, he said:
"Well then, why don't we continue what we started earlier?"
His eyes shimmered with desire as they met hers. Lara was taken aback by his words. After all this suffering, he still sought pleasure? She snapped.
"Are you insane? All you care about is enjoyment?"
He answered calmly.
"We never know when death will come. A little pleasure won't hurt."
Startled by his reply and feeling his fingers brush her body, she struck him hard across the face. The sound of the slap echoed throughout the chamber. Without another word, she stormed out, cursing him.
Daniel laughed to himself—he knew beneath all that pride, there was a woman who would savor the downfall of her enemy… in bed. Now alone again, he began to contemplate his next move.
Far from the palace, in the border city of Sawa—caught between the kingdoms of Uruk and Ashur—the city lay in ruins. Buildings crumbled, walls had fallen, and the clash of two great armies had brought chaos. Uruk's army, led by Marcus, fought valiantly, managing to push Ashur's forces back. The morale of his troops soared, strengthened by their progress. Encouraged, Marcus ordered the enemy's complete pursuit andannihilation.But then, reinforcements arrived—one thousand fresh cavalrymen from the enemy's rear flank. Uruk's army suffered heavy losses and was forced into retreat. Marcus bitterly regretted rushing forward and falling into the enemy's trap.
In one of the military tents at Uruk's encampment, Marcus and the commanders convened. He slammed the table covered in maps and shouted:
"Why didn't anyone warn us of the enemy's second force? Where was our reconnaissance unit?" A commander responded:
"They were all wiped out. The enemy moved faster than we anticipated. We must send an envoy to King Caris immediately and inform him of the situation."
Marcus grimaced.
"Sending a messenger to the capital will take three days. Add another three for reinforcements to arrive—it's a six-day wait. Do you really think we can hold out that long, now that enemy reinforcements have arrived, and two enemy generals are leading them?" The room fell silent. Then, a bold voice spoke. One of the commanders pointed at the map.
"If we lure the enemy into this ravine between the hills, and deploy archers on the heights, we might inflict severe losses. It won't win the war, but it could buy us time. After all, they'll be overconfident from their recent victory, and that arrogance could blind them to the trap."
Everyone pondered the plan, especially Marcus. After a moment of thought, he nodded.
"Very well. Send a group of elite guards with the messenger for emergencies. Begin preparations immediately. Let's make our stand."
All the commanders nodded, a determined light gleaming in their eyes.
Meanwhile, back at the royal palace—in the same subterranean chamber where Daniel lay—he rested with ease. A young woman, no older than twenty-five, entered and bowed. She was an agent from the Shadow Army. Daniel paid her little mind and motioned for her to speak. Finally, she spoke.
"My lord, the enemy army has reached our borders earlier than expected. Our army has suffered significant losses and is now regrouping." Daniel chuckled, licking his lips.
"Seems Marcus couldn't hold the line any longer. The real game begins now. Tell Diana to prepare for what's coming… and secure Kalliris Prison for us. That place will be the spark of revolution in this miserable kingdom."
The woman bowed deeply and exited.