The First Chain

Pain. Cold. Hunger.

Raiyan's world had shrunk to these three things.

His body lay curled in the damp dirt, his wrists and ankles shackled with rusted iron. The chains were heavy. Too heavy for his frail body to fight against.

When he had awoken, he had hoped—just for a second—that everything had been a dream. That maybe, just maybe, he'd wake up back in his cramped apartment in Osaka.

But this was real.

The dim glow of torches flickered across the stone walls of his prison. The smell of sweat, filth, and something rotting filled the air. Other figures huddled in the shadows, whispering in languages he didn't recognize.

And then—the screams.

Not from inside the cell, but from beyond the walls.

A sickening crunch. A shriek that barely sounded human. Then… silence.

Something was killing people out there.

Raiyan swallowed hard. His body trembled—not just from the cold, but from the overwhelming dread.

"Where the hell am I?"

Footsteps.

A metallic clink echoed through the corridor as a figure approached. A guard.

Raiyan barely had time to react before the iron door screeched open. A heavy boot smashed into his ribs.

"Get up, filth," the guard spat.

Raiyan gasped, his body curling instinctively. The pain was real.

But he didn't have time to dwell on it.

The guard grabbed him by the chains and dragged him out of the cell.

Raiyan stumbled forward, his bare feet scraping against the rough stone floor. The moment he stepped outside, a wave of heat hit him.

Torchlight revealed a massive underground cavern stretching endlessly into darkness. Blood stained the ground. The scent of burning flesh hung in the air.

And in the center of it all—a pit.

It was deep. Too deep. The bottom was barely visible, swallowed by shadows.

Raiyan's breath hitched as he saw bones scattered at the edge.

Some were old and dry.

Some were fresh, with scraps of flesh still clinging to them.

A man in a dark robe stood near the pit, his hands clasped behind his back. His voice was smooth, almost amused.

"Another one?"

The guard beside Raiyan shoved him forward. "Picked him up from the ruins. No brand yet."

The robed man crouched down, tilting his head as he studied Raiyan like an animal.

"Strange. He looks… different from the others."

Raiyan stayed silent, his entire body tense.

"Do you have a name, boy?"

He hesitated. Then, voice hoarse, he muttered:

"Raiyan."

The robed man smiled. "Raiyan, hmm? A name means little here. You will either die, or…"

He turned toward the pit.

"…you will entertain us."

The ground crumbled beneath Raiyan's feet.

And then—he fell.

The wind howled as Raiyan tumbled into darkness. His body spun wildly, his limbs flailing.

"I'm going to die."

His stomach twisted as the air rushed past his ears. The walls of the pit blurred. For a moment, he swore he saw carvings—ancient symbols glowing faintly.

Then—impact.

Pain exploded through his body as he slammed into something soft. Not stone. Not metal.

Something… alive.

A deep, inhuman growl rumbled beneath him.

Raiyan's heart stopped.

Then—he felt it move.

Whatever he had landed on was breathing.

And then, slowly… it opened its eyes.

Glowing. Gold. Piercing.

A chill ran down Raiyan's spine.

"What… is this?"

A voice—deep, guttural, ancient—spoke directly into his mind.

"C̷͖̏h̶͎̾a̵͓̓i̷̦͂n̶͎̒e̸͓̚d̶͚͋ ő̶̰n̷̞͌ȇ̵͉…"

Raiyan froze.

The creature beneath him shifted, the chains wrapped around its massive body rattling.

It was bound. Just like him.

And then—

The shadows moved.

And the real nightmare began.

---

To Be Continued…