The cold cells of Perizad

Perizad loomed over Rufus, his eyes blazing with divine fury. Rufus felt the weight of the god's power bearing down on him, like a mountain crushing a pebble.

"Who are you?" Perizad demanded, his voice echoing through the chamber.

Rufus swallowed hard, his throat dry. He felt a bead of sweat trickling down his forehead, and he knew he was in grave danger. He had faced gods before, but never one as terrifying as Perizad.

"I'm Rufus, a mortal traveler," he replied, his voice shaking with fear.

"SPEAK!" Perizad roared, and the air around them crackled with divine energy. The curtains around them fluttered wildly as if trying to escape the wrath of the god. Rufus could see a row of warriors lining the edges of the room, their faces stoic and unreadable.

Rufus fell to his knees, his legs giving out under him. He felt like he was being crushed by the weight of Perizad's gaze.

"I have come seeking answers, Lord Perizad," Rufus said, his voice trembling. "Answers on how to save my sister."

"LIES! YOU WORK FOR ARSLAN!" Perizad bellowed, and Rufus felt his throat being lifted off the ground. He gasped for breath, feeling like he was drowning.

But then, Perizad's grip loosened, and Rufus fell back onto the ground. He gasped for breath, grateful to be alive.

Perizad looked down at Rufus with a piercing gaze, and Rufus felt like he was being scrutinized by a thousand eyes.

"So you know. I have the eyes of truth," Perizad said, his voice low and menacing. "I see through lies easily. So even if you're lying and are willing to die with the secrets, I will nonetheless know, and you will have died for nothing."

Perizad strangled Rufus, but as he was about to fade out, Perizad let go.

"Nothing...We will continue this later."

Rufus was left on the ground as he was greatly weakened. The doors slammed open and the beings of Perizad walked out. The maidens, temple leaders, and leader of the faith, all were bending over, not daring at looking at the god.

When all of the bodies of the god had walked out, the faithful of Perizad entered and slammed a club onto the head of the already weak Rufus, who passed out immediately.

~~

Rufus woke up in a cold, dark cell. He groaned as he tried to sit up, his head throbbing with pain. He reached up to feel the back of his head, and his fingers came away sticky with blood.

He looked around the cell, but it was too dark to see much. The only light came from a small crack in the ceiling, barely big enough to let in a sliver of moonlight.

Rufus wondered how long he had been there. It could have been hours, days, or even weeks. He couldn't remember how he had gotten there, or what had happened after Perizad's followers had beaten him unconscious.

He lay back down on the cold, hard ground. He thought about where were all his friends. In the rotting jail, his only companions were a bunch of cockroaches.

He tried to summon his powers in destroying the shackles from around his legs, but no.

"No use...this jail was made personally to keep divine beings in. Divine text has been made onto the floor, to make you weak, feel hungry, and even slightly intoxicated. No one and I mean no one. Will ever be able to flee from here."

A hooded individual, looking like a temple leader from the faith of Perizad said, guarding the cell.

"Where are my friends?!" Rufus enquired.

"They are in our custody as well. In a better place than where you are. But still, they won't be able to save you," the sassan explained.

"And you are supposed to be my nice talkative guard," Rufus said, smiling.

"I am here to listen to your confession. For when you are ready, to be honest, about who you are. Perizad said he was unable to see your truth and has little faith in you. So I am here, to take your confession, whenever you are ready,"

"I have nothing to confess. I told your god already everything," Rufus said, starting to feel the effects of the cell gain on him.

"Everyone will eventually fall as the pain of exhaustion is too much," the guard said as Rufus had started getting cold sweats, and feeling dizzy.