Time Is Ticking

Alex stood in a dark, gloomy chamber that stretched far and wide, illuminated only by a few dimly glowing gems embedded in the ceiling, casting eerie shadows that danced upon the walls.

In one corner, there were hundreds of iron cages stacked one above the other, up to the ceiling, filled with malnourished humans belonging to various soldier regiments and affiliated, unaffiliated adventurers.

In another corner, many were chained to the walls, their bodies bearing the scars of deep gashes and slowly flowing blood while similarly many were hanging from the ceiling, their arms cuffed that had dug deeper into their wrists, their limbs dangled, lifeless and heavy, as if gravity itself sought to pull them deeper into the abyss of despair.

The stench of death permeated the air, mingling with the metallic scent of blood and iron, creating a nothing short of nightmarish atmosphere.