Chapter Three

 Kaldryn's face was ever present, taunting Zarek in the darkness behind his eyes.

 The memories were so fresh and real, Zarek could feel them, lighting his senses with the smell of dark trees and mist, the feel of the cool night air against his skin, the sight of his mentor smiling affectionately down at him. He could feel the swell in his chest, his body worn from the day of training in Shadowmancy, but his mind alight with new discoveries and lessons.

 Kaldryn looked down at Zarek. His usual stern expression of authority had fallen away in that moment, giving way to a rare side of his mentor that he was seldom allowed to see. The man's medium, wavy gray hair brushed his shoulders as he smiled, his eyes soft with approval and pride.

 "You did well today, Zarek," Kaldryn had said, his tone smooth and warm. "You're progressing faster than we had expected."

 Zarek had felt his heart lighten with his mentor's praise. "Thank you, Master Kaldryn." His own voice had felt strained with the effort to remain formal rather than excited to accept this rare compliment. "It's all thanks to your guidance and teachings."

 Kaldryn chuckled, the sound deep and resonating. "You have a natural talent, Zarek. The Noctis Circle is proud to have you in our ranks."

 The two of them fell silent then. Kaldryn looked out into the dark forest.

 "You know, there's more to this brand of magic than power. It's about understanding – understanding the darkness that gives it shape, but also the light that creates it and gives it balance."

 Zarek nodded, eagerly drinking in his mentor's wisdom. "I know, Master Kaldryn. That's what the members of the Noctis Circle believe in; knowledge and understanding over power and brute strength."

 Kaldryn nodded, though his expression turned pensive. "This is the place," he said softly, his eyes still gazing into the misty forest around them, "where I first learned to wield shadow magic. My mentor brought me here many years ago, just as I've brought you today. This is where I found my path." 

 Zarek's eyes widened, and he quickly followed Kaldryn's gaze into the forest, though he knew he wouldn't see what Kaldryn was seeing; his mentor's eyes were swimming with memories of his own apprenticeship in the Noctis Circle.

 As the stars flickered in the sky, Kaldryn turned to Zarek once more. "Remember this moment, Zarek," he said, his voice firm yet kind. "Hold on to it, no matter where your path leads you. The shadows may be your ally, but it's moments like these that will keep you grounded."

 Zarek nodded again, more solemnly this time. "I will, Master."

 Zarek's eyes fluttered open, a sting of tears gathering at the corners as he gazed down at his wrists, bound tightly in chains.

 It was all he could do not to let the tears fall. He wouldn't let his emotions overtake him. Not when he needed his wits the most.

 Vepir was asleep on the ground, laying just out of reach with his hood still partially obscuring his face. His breathing was slow and rhythmic, indicating the deep sleep he had fallen into.

 This could be Zarek's only chance.

 He quickly turned his gaze to the chains that held him, tied masterfully together around the flue of the small stove. He leaned in closer to the metal furnace, forcing his fingers to steady as they began to work on the intricate knots holding the chains together.

 Seconds bled into minutes, each one feeling like a small eternity. Zarek eyed the intricate weaving of the chains, his heart sinking as he saw just how complex the knot was. His fingers moved over it, beginning to tremble slightly as his mind raced to figure out just how to disassemble the chain.

 As the minutes ticked by, Zarek felt frustration begin to grip him. Zarek gritted his teeth, willing his hands to be steady, but the more he struggled, the more erratic his movements became. He could feel his control slipping, his focus splintering under the weight of mounting panic. His hands began to shake, making his movements less careful as time hurtled past.

 Vepir's smug words taunted him as he worked relentlessly, playing in a loop in his head. "As long as I'm the one who owns you, you aren't getting away…"

 His hands began to shake uncontrollably, each attempt to untangle the chains growing more haphazard, more desperate. His breath hitched in his throat as the knot refused to give. The cold air inside the room seemed to thicken, pressing down on him as the walls closed in.

 All at once, Zarek dropped the chains, growling as his frustration finally reached a head. Zarek gave the chains a fierce wrench, his last reserves of strength surging in a final, furious effort to break free. Pain shot up his wrists, sharp and searing, forcing a muffled gasp from his lips. But the chains held fast, unmoved by his struggles.

 Zarek shut his eyes tightly as despair threatened to overwhelm him.

 Damn you, Kaldryn… How could you betray me like this??

 His thoughts screamed in silent agony, mingling with the pain in his wrists. Zarek felt the heavy weight of despair creeping in, attempting to pull him under. His hands stilled, trembling as the full force of his failure washed over him. He could no longer hold back the tide of emotions that swelled within him, his sense of powerlessness crushing him from the inside out.

 The memories began to drown him once again. For the thousandth time, his trusted mentor stood before him in the hidden sanctum of the Obsidian Archives, a room reserved for the secret rites of the elders of the Circle. Kaldryn was flanked by two other elders, their faces obscured by shadows of ceremonial cloaks.

 Zarek could hear his own voice, crying out to Kaldryn, pleading for mercy, swearing to never reveal Kaldryn's dark secrets. But Kaldryn refused to hear him as he began to mutter the words of the binding spell. Zarek could see himself once again, struggling against the runic altar as the incantations began to unfold around him like a baleful, crushing force.

 It happened so fast. His blood was spilled atop the runes on the altar, which glowed red as they absorbed the scarlet drops. The chanting continued, spoken in an ancient language that Zarek had barely even had time to learn. The shadows twisted and writhed, forming chains of dark energy that wrapped around Zarek's body, tightening with each ancient word. As the shadows tightened, Zarek felt a cold, crushing sensation in his chest, as if his very essence was being squeezed, drawn out of him. He tried to scream, but no sound came; his voice was caught in the void that surrounded him.

 Kaldryn's voice cut through the darkness, chanting the final incantation that would seal the ritual. The shadows solidified, forming invisible chains that bound Zarek's powers deep within him, locking away his connection to the dark magic that had once flowed so freely from his fingertips.

 "The boy is bound, brothers, but he still poses a threat if he tries to reveal our plan." Kaldryn's cruel eyes gleamed in the darkness, gazing mercilessly down at Zarek, who was left gasping on the ground. "We need to be rid of this liability once and for all…"

 Zarek's eyes flew open as he heard Vepir begin to shift on the ground. He was ripped out of his despair and thrown back into the present, watching as Vepir pulled back his hood, glancing up at Zarek.

 Zarek narrowed his eyes threateningly at Vepir. He may be chained, but he refused to give this arrogant man the satisfaction of knowing he was defeated.

 Vepir raised an eyebrow in response to Zarek's menace. He smirked.

 "Morning, Sunshine."

 Zarek flinched, the demeaning nickname only fueling the flames of his defiance. He growled, his glare becoming more furious.

 Vepir huffed in amusement. He stood effortlessly from the floor, all traces of sleep already vanished. He glanced warily out the windows again before hoisting his bag over his shoulder. Its contents let out another muffled clang as Vepir strode towards Zarek.

 Zarek's eyes widened fearfully. He took a step back, the chains pulled taut against his wrists as he urgently tried to put distance between him and Vepir's ominous presence. But Vepir simply reached towards the chains, his nimble fingers making quick work of dismantling the knot.

 Zarek felt his frustration rise again, secretly humiliated at the ease of which Vepir was able to untie the chains. Without a single word, Vepir didn't hesitate to drag Zarek towards the door.

 Zarek's legs protested painfully as he was dragged away once again. His muscles were sore, not just from Vepir's dash through the city only hours before, but also from the hours spent on his feet, caught in his memories and despair while Vepir slept. He felt physically and emotionally exhausted, but he knew better than let it trouble him; if he had any chance of escape, it had to be today. It had to be soon, before they got to their destination.

 Vepir opened the door with slow, deliberate silence, pressing his back against the doorframe as he peeked outside. His eyes swept over the narrow alleyway, searching the shadows for any sign of movement, any hint of danger. The tension in his posture was apparent, a stark contrast to the smug arrogance he had displayed earlier. Zarek couldn't help but feel a fresh wave of unease wash over him, the man's heightened alertness stirring his anxiety.

 Vepir's behavior was unnervingly different now – gone was the smug indifference, replaced by a hyper-vigilant wariness as he led Zarek through the streets. The way Vepir moved, the way his eyes darted about as if expecting an ambush at any moment, made it painfully clear that he was on the run from something. And whatever that something was, it was enough to strip away his confident facade, revealing a man who seemed as much a fugitive as he was a captor.

 As Zarek followed him into the dimly lit alley, his mind churned with conflicting thoughts. The sight of occasional passersby in the distance stirred a desperate hope within him – if he could just catch someone's attention, maybe they would help him. The urge to run, to draw attention to his predicament in the hopes of being rescued, burned in his throat, but each time he tensed his body in preparation to run, the way Vepir moved – like a hunted animal – held him back. The demon's instincts screamed at him that whatever Vepir feared, it was far more dangerous than his current predicament.

 The thought of what might happen if he did draw attention to them strengthened the anxiety. What if calling out only brought more danger? What if, by seeking help, he unwittingly dragged some innocent into whatever deadly game Vepir was playing? The fear of the unknown, of what lurked just out of sight, kept him locked behind Vepir. The realization that he was just as trapped by his own uncertainty as by the chains around his wrists gnawed at him, filling him with hopelessness.

 It was clear Vepir was taking no chances, as if the threat of being seen was as dangerous as any weapon. And as Zarek continued to follow him, the conflict in his mind raged on, making each step feel heavier. He was caught between the need to escape and the dread of what might happen if he tried.

 He couldn't tell which fate would be worse; allowing Vepir to drag him into the unknown, or the unknown threat that kept him obedient.

 Vepir continued to creep through the underground city, scanning every nook and cranny, every shadowed corner where a stray gaze might find them. He hugged the walls, keeping to the darkest parts of the alleys, his posture hunched as if ready to spring at the first sign of trouble. Zarek's breath caught as they narrowly avoided a group of passersby – two men and a woman, deep in whispered conversation. They paused at the end of the alley, the woman's gaze sweeping dangerously close to where Zarek and Vepir crouched in the shadows. Vepir's hand clenched tighter around the chains, his entire body poised for action, but the trio moved on, oblivious to the pair hidden in the darkness.

 As they pressed on, the tension in the air grew thicker, the oppressive silence of the underground city only broken by the occasional distant murmur of voices.

 Then, without warning, Vepir froze.

 Zarek nearly collided with him as he suddenly halted. The demon watched with growing apprehension as Vepir's keen eyes scanned the shadows of the underground city streets.

 A sound up ahead made Zarek's blood go cold.

 A low, sinister chuckle echoed off the stone walls. A face appeared, a knife flashing through the shadows as the stranger spun it between his fingers.

 "Ah, Vepir. Trying to run out on our deal?"

 Zarek took a fearful step back, his chains going taut as he took in the stranger's appearance. He was pale, his skin a near sickening shade of yellow. His eyes were almost reptilian, glaring menacingly at Vepir. He stepped from the shadows, his frame thin and lean, belaying the wiry muscles beneath the thin sulfur-colored skin. He hissed quietly, a snake-like tongue darting between his teeth.

 "And you've brought a friend with you…"

 Zarek's heart raced as the snake-like being's eyes bore into him. Before he could comprehend what was happening, the shadows around the alley shifted, and more figures began to step out, armed with blades. Vepir took a step back, shifting closer to Zarek, whose hair was beginning to stand on end.

 The Snake continued, his voice direful. He lingered over his words, elongating them with hisses. "I hope you do realize that you aren't leaving this city alive…"

 Zarek's heart thudded in his chest at the sight of the threat as it grew in number, the menace unmistakable in the gleam of their blades. His eyes widened in panic, and he tugged frantically at the chains, desperate to break free before it was too late.

 Meanwhile, Vepir's narrowed eyes glanced around, assessing the situation. He had inadvertently put them both in a dangerous predicament, and there was no immediate way out.

 The gang began to slowly move forward.

 Vepir spun around, his eyes grave as he suddenly reached behind Zarek. All at once, the cloth gag fell from his mouth, falling carelessly to the ground as Vepir muttered.

 "And this… Is why I've got you."

 And suddenly, Vepir's lips were on Zarek's.