Shackles of the Fallen

Chapter 32: Shackles of the Fallen

Pain. That was the first thing Daijin felt when he regained consciousness. A dull, throbbing ache that pulsed through his skull like a war drum. His body screamed in protest as he shifted, metal clanking against stone.

Chains.

His wrists were bound, the cold iron biting into his skin. His arms were stretched above his head, shackled to the ceiling of a dark, damp chamber. The scent of blood, sweat, and decay filled the air, thick enough to choke on.

He wasn't alone.

Through the dim glow of flickering torches, he saw them—his team.

Akane was chained beside him, her head slumped forward, a crimson trail running down her temple. Renji's wound from the spear had been hastily bandaged, but his breathing was shallow. Mai sat in the far corner, her lips moving as if whispering something to herself. The others were unconscious, their bodies hanging like broken puppets.

Daijin clenched his fists.

They had lost.

And Tenshi had taken them prisoner.

---

A Shadow Returns

The heavy iron door creaked open, sending a gust of stale air into the chamber.

Footsteps. Slow, deliberate.

Tenshi entered, his oni mask catching the dim torchlight, casting eerie shadows across the stone walls.

Behind him stood a figure wrapped in darkness.

Daijin's breath hitched.

It was Yeon.

But she wasn't the same girl from Kim Han's past.

Her once warm, uncertain eyes were now cold, unreadable. She wore a black combat uniform, the emblem of Tenshi's faction stitched across her chest.

A traitor.

Tenshi's voice was smooth, almost amused. "You're awake. Good. I was hoping to have a conversation before I decide what to do with you."

Daijin glared at him, refusing to show weakness. "You should've killed me when you had the chance."

Tenshi chuckled. "Oh, I will. But first, I want to break you."

---

The Test of Loyalty

Tenshi turned to Yeon. "Show them."

Yeon stepped forward, silent as death.

In her hands, she held a dagger.

Without hesitation, she drove the blade into Renji's leg.

Renji howled in pain, his body convulsing against the chains. Blood seeped through his torn pants, pooling onto the floor.

Mai screamed. "YOU BITCH!"

Daijin strained against his chains, fury surging through his veins. "Yeon, what the hell are you doing?!"

Yeon's expression remained empty. "Following orders."

Daijin's mind raced. This wasn't the girl from Han's past. This was someone forged in suffering—someone who had become part of the very darkness they were fighting against.

Tenshi knelt beside Renji, watching his pained expression with mild curiosity. "Loyalty is a fragile thing. I wonder, how long before your own friends betray you to save themselves?"

He turned to Yeon. "Would you kill one of them if I asked?"

Yeon nodded. "Yes."

Tenshi smiled. "Good girl."

He tossed a pistol onto the stone floor, the metallic echo bouncing through the chamber.

"Prove it."

Silence.

The air was heavy, suffocating.

Yeon picked up the gun.

Mai's breath hitched. "Yeon… don't do this."

Yeon took slow steps toward her.

Daijin felt his blood run cold.

Was this really happening?

"Yeon," he said, voice calm but firm. "You don't have to do this. Whatever he's done to you, you can fight it."

Yeon paused.

Her fingers tightened around the trigger.

Tenshi watched, eyes glinting with amusement.

"End her."

Yeon raised the gun.

Mai whimpered.

The room held its breath.

A single gunshot echoed.

---

The First Crack

But it wasn't Mai who fell.

Tenshi staggered backward, clutching his arm. Blood seeped through his sleeve where the bullet had grazed him.

Yeon turned the gun toward the guards, firing with deadly precision. Two dropped instantly, crimson splattering against the stone walls.

Daijin's eyes widened.

She wasn't a traitor.

She was waiting for the right moment.

"Get up!" Yeon shouted, tossing a key toward Daijin.

His fingers fumbled as he caught it, quickly unlocking his shackles. Akane and Renji followed, their bodies weak but fueled by sheer adrenaline.

The remaining guards lunged, but Daijin was already moving.

This was their only chance.

Tenshi wiped the blood from his arm, watching them with eerie calm.

Then, he grinned.

"This just got interesting."