Mirror (1)

Sosuke jolted awake to a sharp kick in his side, pain rippling through his body. His head throbbed. The cold, damp stone against his back made his skin crawl. Blinking against the darkness, he pushed himself upright, shoulders tense.

"Where am I?" he muttered, voice hoarse.

A shadow shifted in the corner. "The last place you'll ever see."

Sosuke stiffened. That voice — familiar, tainted with malice. His eyes darted toward the source. "I know you — "

Finn stepped into the dim light, a cruel grin curling his lips. "You're done for, Estrella."

"Finn?" Sosuke's eyes widened. His gaze flickered around the room, taking in the filthy stone walls and rusted chains. "What're you talking about? Where am I?"

Finn's uniform caught the faint light — Astorian military, dark and crisp. The stars on his shoulder glimmered faintly, marking him with a rank Sosuke barely recognized.

"What the hell? This isn't funny. I need to go — " His mind raced back to the labyrinth, heart pounding. "Ryoma…" Sosuke clutched his head, eyes squeezing shut as pain surged through his skull. He stumbled to his feet, gripping a rusty bed frame to steady himself.

"Where do you think you're going?" Finn's arms crossed, his expression smug.

Sosuke looked down. Chains wrapped tightly around his wrists, biting into his skin. "These…?"

"Enchanted anti-magic," Finn said casually. "The kind you'd never see in Westoria; the inferior country, of course."

Sosuke's breathing quickened, eyes darting around the cell. It was suffocating. Stone walls slick with moisture. No windows. No light, save for the faint glow from a single, flickering lantern hanging just outside the bars. Distant screams echoed through the corridors, each one more haunting than the last. The air reeked of blood, sweat, and something fouler.

"Finn… You betrayed us."

The punch came fast, crashing against Sosuke's jaw and slamming him into the wall. "That's right!" Finn snarled. "You know what it's like here? For the first time in my life, I actually get respect. Lance Sterling himself invited me into his ranks. Said I'd make Imperial Knight in a year's time."

Another kick sank into Sosuke's ribs, and he coughed blood onto the dirty stone floor.

"What about your friends?" Sosuke gasped, gripping his side.

"What friends?!" Finn grabbed him by the collar, yanking him upright. "None of you ever wanted me around. None of you!"

Fist after fist pummeled Sosuke, each blow rattling through his body. Without mana to dull the pain, every hit felt raw and brutal. Sosuke collapsed, limbs trembling.

"Wait…" he rasped, raising a shaking hand.

Finn hesitated, fist mid-air. "What?"

"I — " The words stuck. Sosuke's body felt heavy. His head lolled forward, vision swimming. Breathe. Just breathe.

"Don't care." Finn slammed his fist into Sosuke's gut, doubling him over. "I hated you the most."

Grabbing a fistful of Sosuke's hair, Finn wrenched his head back, their faces inches apart. "You wanna know something funny?" His breath was hot against Sosuke's ear. "It's your birthday."

Sosuke's heart sank. Three months. He'd been unconscious for three months.

Finn shoved him to the ground. "You've got a special meeting today. The big boss himself. I can't wait to see you in your grave."

Sosuke coughed, struggling to his knees. "What about… your friend?"

Finn paused. "What?"

"Your best friend. The one who died in the Blight Dimension. I heard he died because of you." Sosuke coughed, blood splattering against the cold stone. "Would he want this?"

Finn's expression darkened. For a moment, he was silent. Then, with a cold sneer, he turned toward the door. "Don't speak about things you know nothing about. You're getting desperate already."

The chains snapped from the wall with a metallic clang. "Get up," Finn ordered. "You're coming with me."

Sosuke stumbled to his feet, his body screaming in protest. He followed Finn into the corridor.

The prison stretched endlessly, each step echoing through the stone halls. Cells lined either side, their iron bars rusted and bent. Prisoners huddled in the corners, eyes hollow, bodies thin and broken. The stench of rotting flesh clung to the air. Chains rattled in the dark. From somewhere distant came a low, guttural scream, wet and choking.

Sosuke glanced into one cell. A man sat in the shadows, unmoving. The walls were smeared with blood — some of it old, flaking off in dark patches, some of it fresh. The faint sound of whimpering drifted from the far end of the corridor.

Astoria wasn't just waging war. They were breaking people.

Finn walked ahead, back straight, boots clacking against the stone. "Keep up," he said, not bothering to look back.

Sosuke's fists clenched. Every muscle screamed for rest, but he pushed forward, silent. As they walked, his gaze fell to his trembling hands.

Sosuke trudged behind Finn, each step sending a jolt of pain through his body. The iron cuffs weighed heavy on his wrists, and the cold stone floor numbed his bare feet. The air stank of rot and filth, a thick miasma clinging to the crumbling walls. Muffled cries echoed from distant cells, prisoners wailing in agony or muttering broken prayers to deaf ears.

They passed rows of cells, each more decrepit than the last. In one, a man hunched in the corner, his eyes sunken and hollow. Another prisoner clutched the bars, bloodied fingers trembling as he reached out toward Sosuke. Chains rattled. Somewhere, a whip cracked, followed by a wet, choking scream.

Then, without warning, they reached a metal door at the end of the corridor. Finn shoved it open, revealing a stark contrast.

The hallway beyond was pristine.

Polished marble floors gleamed under the soft glow of elegant wall sconces. The stench of decay vanished, replaced by a faint trace of lavender. The walls stretched high, adorned with intricate moldings and deep mahogany paneling. Paintings hung in neat intervals, each depicting moments of Astoria's past — grand battles, regal ceremonies, and portraits of somber-faced nobles. Ornate chandeliers hung overhead, their crystal fixtures casting a soft shimmer along the walls.

Sosuke's eyes darted around, brow furrowed. It felt like stepping into another world. His shoulders tensed, and his breath slowed, taking in the unsettling calm. Even his footsteps felt out of place, echoing softly through the corridor.

Finn walked ahead without a word, hands tucked behind his back, the soft click of his boots a steady rhythm. Sosuke followed, eyes flickering between the opulent surroundings and his captor's back.

At the end of the hall stood a large set of double doors, dark wood polished to a mirror sheen. Finn pushed them open, revealing a grand office. Rich velvet drapes framed tall windows, and the scent of old books mixed with fresh ink hung in the air. A massive oak desk dominated the room, and behind it sat a high-backed leather chair, turned away from the entrance.

Finn stepped aside, gesturing Sosuke forward with a sneer. "Try not to bleed on the carpet."

"Hello, Sosuke." A deep, unfamiliar voice drifted from behind the polished wooden desk. "Please, don't step any closer. I'd hate to sully the floor with your mess."

Sosuke's eyes narrowed. "You're… Lance Sterling." The name left his lips like a curse. Standing before him was the infamous commander of Astoria's army.

"Correct!" Lance's smile was razor-sharp. "I am indeed."

"What do you want?" Sosuke's voice was cold, but his fists trembled.

"Is that any way to speak to your captor? I could end you right now." Lance tilted his head, eyes glinting.

"Then do it. Why waste time talking?" Sosuke spat.

Lance chuckled. "Why indeed? You see, killing you outright would be… boring. No, I had a far more entertaining idea. Keeping you alive — making sure your friends know it — will pull at their fragile little hearts. Desperation breeds mistakes, and their missteps will lead them right to their graves. Bait, Sosuke. That's what you are." His grin widened. "A very effective one."

Sosuke's chest heaved. "You're a monster," he whispered. "You're the closest thing to a Blight this world has. No — you're worse. You torture prisoners, commit war crimes without a flicker of remorse. I've seen Blights show more humanity than you. Why the hell are you allowed to live?" His voice cracked, raw with rage and disbelief. "How many lives have you taken without a second thought?"

Lance's smirk twitched. His gaze darkened, and a muscle in his jaw tightened.

"You'd never understand," Lance said smoothly, though his voice was colder now. "You pretend you're some kind of hero, but what lives have you ever saved? Some must die for the greater good. Sacrifices are necessary." He leaned back, fingers steepled. "Speaking of sacrifices… you'll be pleased to know your last living relative made one."

Sosuke froze. "What?"

"Ryoma Estrella is dead." Lance watched Sosuke carefully, relishing the flicker of horror that crossed his face. "His body was recovered from the frozen forest. Seems your friends didn't even bother to bury him."

Sosuke's breath caught in his throat. The room spun. No. That couldn't be true. Ryoma… dead?

"You're lying," Sosuke said hoarsely.

"Am I? Believe what you will." Lance's grin returned, sickly sweet. "It changes nothing. Finn, take him back to his cell."

Finn grabbed Sosuke by the arm, yanking him upright. His body felt cold, his mind distant. Ryoma…

As Finn dragged him toward the door, Sosuke's voice barely rose above a whisper. "You people… you're rotten to the core." He lifted his gaze, eyes burning. "I guess some people just deserve to die."

Lance chuckled, his grin widening. "Now you're getting it."

They left the office, descending once more into the prison's darkness. The stench of decay clung to the air. Finn shoved Sosuke back into his cell, chains clinking as he hit the cold floor.

"Enjoy what time you have," Finn muttered, locking the door behind him without a glance back. "It won't be long."