Chapter 10 - Grall’s Fall

The cold silence of the holding chamber was shattered by the screech of the steel door. Guards entered, their faces expressionless beneath their helmets, and gestured toward Grall. The massive man rose without a word, his chains clinking ominously. Lynara, Tarren, and Max watched in tense silence as he followed the guards out of the room. No words of encouragement were exchanged; they all knew what awaited him beyond those walls.

Max's crimson eyes followed Grall until the door slammed shut, leaving an oppressive stillness in its wake. He exhaled sharply, his jaw tightening. 'How much longer can this go on? How many more will they break before we—'

"Stop pacing boy," Tarren growled, his voice low but edged with anger. The scaled man sat in the corner, his hands balled into fists, the sharp tips of his claws scraping against the stone floor.

Max shot him a glare but said nothing. Lynara's glowing veins pulsed faintly in the dim light as she sat cross-legged, her expression distant. She hadn't said a word since Grall was taken, her silence heavier than the room's chill.

...

Grall's arrival in the lab was met with hushed murmurs among the researchers. The guards secured his broad frame to a reinforced table, the restraints groaning under the strain of his immense size. His muscles tensed, but his face remained stoic.

The lead researcher, a thin man with sharp features named Rellen, approached with the air of a predator circling its prey. He flipped through his clipboard with methodical precision.

"Subject B-102… Grall," he murmured. "Your resilience has been… intriguing. Remarkable, even. But let's see how far it truly goes. Moreover after so many years of 'fruitful' work, you are still with us... that`s really impressive."

Grall stared at the ceiling, his mind drifting. Memories of his life before this nightmare flashed like fleeting shadows—the laughter of his comrades, the weight of his sword, the warmth of a fire after a long battle. All of it felt like another lifetime.

Rellen gestured, and his assistants prepared a syringe filled with a viscous black liquid. As the needle pierced Grall's skin, a searing pain shot through his arm, spreading like wildfire through his veins. His body convulsed involuntarily, his teeth gritting as he refused to cry out.

"Adrenaline response spiking," an assistant noted, their voice detached.

Rellen watched closely, his eyes gleaming with fascination. "Fascinating. Increase the dosage."

"Sir, his vitals are already unstable—"

"Do it," Rellen snapped.

Another injection. The burning intensified, and Grall's body bucked against the restraints. His vision blurred, his heartbeat thundering in his ears. For a brief moment, he thought he saw the faces of his fallen comrades, their eyes filled with disappointment.

'I'm sorry,' he thought. 'I wasn't strong enough.'

The pain reached an unbearable peak, and something deep within him snapped. His body fell limp, the monitors flatlining.

Rellen sighed, setting down his clipboard. "A pity. He held such promise. Dispose of the body and prepare the data for analysis."

...

Back in the holding chamber, Max's pacing had grown restless. Tarren's scaled knuckles scraped against the wall as he muttered curses under his breath. Hours dragged on, and still, Grall didn't return.

The sound of approaching footsteps brought the room to a standstill. The guards entered, carrying a stretcher. Draped across it was Grall's lifeless body, his face pale and devoid of its usual defiance.

Lynara gasped, her hands flying to her mouth. Her glowing veins flickered erratically, mirroring the turmoil in her heart. "No…" she whispered, tears streaming down her face.

Tarren punched the wall, the sharp crack of stone splitting the silence. "Bastards!" he snarled. "They didn't even try to save him. He was… he was one of us."

Max's crimson eyes burned with fury. His hands clenched into fists, his nails digging into his palms. The air around him seemed to grow heavier, charged with unspoken rage.

'They don't care about us. To them, we're tools. Disposable. But what did I expect?'

The guards left without a word, the steel door slamming shut behind them. Lynara knelt beside Grall's body, her trembling hands brushing over his cold face. "You fought so hard," she murmured. "You deserved better than this."

Max finally spoke, his voice low but firm. "This ends here. They won't break us like they broke him."

Tarren scoffed, though his voice wavered. "And what are you going to do, little vampire? Charm your way out? We're trapped here. There's no escape."

Max's gaze sharpened, his crimson eyes glinting with determination. "Not yet. But I'll find a way. For Grall. For all of us."

Lynara's tear-streaked face turned toward him, a faint flicker of hope in her glowing eyes. "We'll stand with you," she said softly. "Whatever it takes."

...

In the high council room of the facility, Velnar addressed his subordinates. The dim light of runes etched into the walls cast eerie shadows across their faces.

"Subjects B-074, B-102, D-1017 and E-1488 are no longer of use," Rellen reported, his tone clinical. "The data we've gathered will prove invaluable."

Lady Arlin, her silver hair gleaming in the faint light, raised an eyebrow. "And what of E-3183?"

Velnar's lips curved into a faint smile. "He's far from his breaking point. When the relocation is complete, he will be the cornerstone of our next phase. If he survives."

Lord Drevon grunted. "And if he doesn't?"

"Then we will extract every ounce of value from him before he falls," Velnar replied coldly.

...

As the guards left, Max knelt beside Grall's lifeless body. His fingers brushed against the cold metal of the restraints still fastened to Grall's wrists. His jaw clenched.

"They think they've won," he murmured. "They think they can keep doing this." His voice grew stronger, the simmering rage in his chest igniting into something sharper, more focused. "But they're wrong."

Tarren watched him warily, a flicker of uncertainty in his scaled eyes. Lynara's hand rested on Max's shoulder, her touch gentle but firm.

"When the time comes," she said softly, "we'll make them pay for all of it. For Grall. For everyone."

Max rose to his feet, his crimson eyes burning with a fierce resolve. "No more waiting. We fight back. We survive. And we end this... as soon as possible of course."