A Cruel Enemy

An underground place far away from any town, its boundaries were lost to shadow, and barely any light illuminated its long pathways.

The air was damp and suffocating, heavy with the stench of blood, and weak cries and enraged howls could be heard from the chamber at the end of the hallway.

A thin, tall man stood at the entrance, his figure shrouded in a sleek, skin-tight black suit that absorbed what little light dared touch him. 

His gaunt face was pale, almost corpse-like, and devoid of expression, his eyes as black as the starless void, scanned the chamber, lingering on the nearly dozen individuals chained to the walls.

The captives were in varying states of ruin, both men and women, their dirty clothing clinging to their malnourished bodies. 

Few sat with their eyes closed, seemingly asleep, and others stared at the man with their sunken eyes filled with nothing but fear, resentment, and the faintest trace of despair.