Repentance
Table of Contents
Prologue Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4 Chapter 5 Chapter 6 Chapter 7 Chapter 8 Chapter 9 Chapter 10 Chapter 11 Chapter 12 Chapter 13 Chapter 14 Chapter 15 Chapter 16 Chapter 17 Chapter 18 Chapter 19 Chapter 20 Chapter 21 Chapter 22 Chapter 23 Chapter 24 Chapter 25 Chapter 26 Chapter 27 Chapter 28 Chapter 29 Chapter 30 Chapter 31 Chapter 32 Chapter 33 Chapter 34 Chapter 35 Chapter 36 Chapter 37 Chapter 38 Chapter 39 Chapter 40 Chapter 41 Chapter 42 Chapter 43 Chapter 44 Chapter 45 Chapter 46 Chapter 47 Chapter 48 Chapter 49 Chapter 50 Chapter 51 Chapter 52 Chapter 53 Chapter 54 Chapter 55 Chapter 56 Chapter 57 Chapter 58 Chapter 59 Chapter 60 Chapter 61 Chapter 62 Chapter 63 Chapter 64 Chapter 65 Chapter 66 Chapter 67 Chapter 68 Chapter 69 Chapter 70 Chapter 71 Chapter 72 Chapter 73 Chapter 74 Chapter 75 Chapter 76 Chapter 77 Chapter 78 Chapter 79 Chapter 80 Chapter 81 Chapter 82 Chapter 83 Chapter 84 Chapter 85 Chapter 86 Chapter 87 Chapter 88 Chapter 89 Chapter 90 Chapter 91 Chapter 92 Chapter 93 Chapter 94 Chapter 95 Chapter 96 Chapter 97 Chapter 98 Chapter 99 Chapter 100 Chapter 101 Chapter 102 Chapter 103 Chapter 104 Chapter 105 Chapter 106 Chapter 107 Chapter 108 Chapter 109 Chapter 110 Chapter 111 Chapter 112 END ???Chapter 68
General Solana moved through the fancy hallway alone, her boots clicking loudly against the carpet floor as everyone else was already falling asleep, preparing for the morning ahead while she could only stay awake due to her duties as general itself.
Despite her busy schedule and constant training sessions, she can't help in acknowledging the fact that the empire won't last long even if she doubts it to be. Kingdoms rise and fall, so it will be matter of time before Cinder's reign reaches its demise just like others before her.
Sighing from this thought, she stopped herself from moving forward, staring down at the floor with uneasiness growing in her stomach and taking a deep breath to clear her mind of these worries. Inhaling through the nose while exhaling from her mouth, she wondered if everything she does has a purpose.
Solana glanced over the corridor stretching out in front of her with high arched ceiling overhead, noticing that it was decorated with chandeliers and candelabras lighting up the hall in bright glow of lanterns hanging from above.
The walls were covered in smooth cream-colored wallpaper while the windows along either side revealed an outside view of the city below, its lights shining brilliantly against the night sky like stars being reflected upon a mirror's surface, creating a mesmerizing sight that couldn't be described adequately.
Along with the fact that her own boots sank into the plush carpet, its soft texture rubbing against her soles in a fashion that she had never experienced before, it was like walking on a bed of clouds, with each step she took being gentle and slow in movement.
Such luxury should've brought forth feelings of grandeur, but rather it just irritated her, annoyed by how wasteful everything looked and felt, along with, of course, how unnecessary it appeared before eyes that didn't seem to bother anyone at all who took pride in living here, finding all these useless material goods as the most important thing in life.
Deep down, she wanted to rebel and remove the corruption plaguing their people, but Solana couldn't. No matter how much that longing desire, her duty as general still weighed heavily within her chest—a burden that she cannot ignore or disobey because if she does, then many innocents would perish due to a lack of supplies and protection from foreign attacks.
Price to pay of being human was worth sacrificing oneself for greater good, believing it such conviction, but on another note, she was frustrated by how difficult it is sometimes despite all efforts. Regardless, all she has to do is just wait for things to sort themselves out.
Nothing good would come from being reminded that she herself is part of the problem.
Suddenly, there was a high-pitched wail piercing through the still air, so loud that it made Solana cringe in pain from her ears while trying desperately to block them out by covering her head with both hands. The sound reverberated through her whole being as if it were a knife stabbing her repeatedly in every direction imaginable, forcing itself inside her body and tearing apart flesh violently without mercy.
The screaming continued on but gradually faded into muffled echoes that lingered within her mind, which forced her to gather her bearings and ask, "What was that?" She asked no one in particular. Another cry erupted from nowhere once more, resonating across the hallway like a siren's call beckoning towards an unknown destination.
Instead of running away, she was eager to figure out the source of it, searching carefully with eyes darting through space as she walked slowly with her footsteps tapping on the marble floor tiles beneath the carpet with each stride taken, being wary of anything unexpected happening nearby.
She carefully listened closely to every little noise or creak when passing through, noticing how the piercing screams would cease whenever she moved further away while getting louder each time, drawing nearer once more.
Eventually, the mysterious voice seemed to stop altogether, as if giving up on its attempts to lure her wherever it desired to, leaving her feeling more confused by its behavior than frightened. Being cautious nonetheless, she then pressed onward until something caught his eye.
It was a large metal gate that was slightly opened, allowing for just enough room to peek through its gap without making any noise whatsoever as she decisively peered through the slit curiously. When her vision adjusted itself in dim light, what she saw was a long staircase of steps leading downstairs.
"Basement?" She questioned herself, finding it a bit odd having never seen this entrance before, "Where does it lead to?" Raising her brow in perplexity at what mysteries await below, she decides it would be best to leave as she has no business investigating in the first place.
Before she was ready to leave, another scream broke through the silence, except this time it sounded more feminine than masculine, much clearer and sharper than previous cries from earlier, as if whoever produced those sounds were currently in pain.
With nothing else to do, she reaffirmed her grip on the sword hilt while holding on to it firmly, creeping downwards stealthily while advancing down a flight of stairs into shadows where a faint glimmer of torchlight shimmers faintly from somewhere below, illuminating a path forward where there lies a doorway at its end.
As soon as Solana reached all the way down from the staircase, she finally landed on herself in the basement. "What?" Surprised by the revelation, she looked down to see not a ground but a sea of blood and scattered corpses floating around it, lifeless bodies lying motionlessly in its thick red liquid.
Disgusted by the thought, she thought of leaving before another cry of help echoed through the walls around her once more, lifting her eyes to see what was around her. Enclosed walls surround her entirely, except for the many hallways leading to different paths.
Torches were hanging off iron holders, illuminating passageways that glowed faintly amidst a dark, ominous atmosphere. Each corridor seemingly stretching out before eyes into unknown depths where dangers lie unseen, and so far, there is nothing much but death and the screams that come in or go.
"What is this place?" She instinctively moved forward despite how disgusting the smell is, trying her hardest to suppress the urge to throw up spilled guts and gore from slain bodies, perpetrating throughout every corner she glanced upon, "torture chambers?" Guessing out loud while examining her surroundings more closely as she walked by.
Torture is common in the Empire, and if this is the case, then why should Solana care about this at all? If the victims were screaming for help, then they deserve it for disobeying the laws for their own good. She can't imagine why people would cause trouble when they knew the consequences of their actions beforehand; they are too stupid to live in the first place.
After wandering through countless corridors for some minutes, she came across a boy who looked no more than fourteen; his blue cloak and knife drawn ready had a satisfied look on his face, as if he had already anticipated her arrival at this place.
"Welcome!" The boy said with open arms, "I'm Prince Leon, the beloved son of Cinder!" Announcing proudly, "And you are the esteemed General of the Empire, aren't you?" He asked rhetorically, smirking smugly as he gazed upon her shocked face.
Still gripping her hilt, she realizes the name and who this person is: "You the prince?" Solana uttered in disbelief at his confession, "Why are you here then, your royal highness?" I find it strange that Cinder's son is present in a secret location that only a few can easily access.
"I like spending time in the torture chambers, don't you all know that already?"
Instinctively taking a couple of steps backwards, she was shocked to hear, "You were the one who made this place?!" Her mind immediately pieced together those screams due to Cinder's son's doing: "That explains all those horrendous screams from a while ago!" Feeling appalled by Leon's statement.
It was not the fact that it was Cinder's son, but the idea of seeing a disturbed child being so monstrous in itself was horrifying to the general. "How can you commit such acts?" She had thought that the boy was in his twenties, but how wrong she was when her eyes laid upon his young appearance.
Placing the knife in his pocket, Leon shrugged without the care of the world, "Why not? It's art that requires a lot of creativity," he said casually. "Every artist has their own style of expressing their passions, don't you agree?" He smiled devilishly before putting his own hands behind his back.
Being disgusted by his attitude, Solana stared at the prince in distrust, with disgust evident on her face: "So this blood we are stepping in, this is the result of your supposed art?" She demanded, frowning at his response, for it was beginning to take a toll on her mental stability in dealing with these circumstances.
A smile grew on the boy's lips. "Yep! Hey, want to check out my room?! You might like it!" He joyfully suggested enthusiastically, extending a hand forward towards the woman who looked uneasy about accepting it: "Come on! Don't be shy; my mom doesn't mind at all!" He said it eagerly, urging her to accept his invitation.
Reluctantly, Solana nodded as she took hold of his palm, which was surprisingly soft to touch. However, instead of leading her through halls of endless horror and death, he quickly dragged her across the bloody seas of the dead as they ran with excitement flowing through his face.
She was not prepared for this, not at all, as the overwhelming smell assaulted her nostrils painfully while she tried desperately not to vomit right here on the spot. Instead, she kept going while still being pulled along by the young boy, who acted cheerfully in regards to such a situation: "My room isn't far from here! Just a little farther!" Leon informed them cheerfully as he guided them through several more hallways until he arrived at his destination.
Entrance without a door or gate is simply an archway embedded into the wall in plain sight. There were no torches or candles visible within, though its interior seems rather dark in nature for whatever reason, making the general suspicious of what he might do next.
They entered together, their boots splashing onto puddles of crimson liquid before their feet landed on the ground the moment they entered inside. "Look around and see for yourself!" Leon then let go of his hand from her grip in favor of standing at her side with his eyes gazing in admiration at a large room filled with human sculptures, statues, and paintings around every inch of space available from wall to ceiling.
The worst part was how they were all made from human flesh, bone, and organs rather than stone or wood. Another feature was that these'sculptures' are still alive yet not conscious nor lucid of their environment, only staying perfectly still as they remain unaware of what is happening.
Their skin is a pale color, as if drained completely from any vital fluids like blood or body fat, while their eyes are white and vacant; their bodies are devoid of anything resembling clothing or armor, though their bodies were not always naked; clothes simply peeled off and hung loosely across them in shreds, barely clinging onto existence.
Several statues portrayed different emotions, but only a few showed expressions of terror, agony, and pain. "This is my collection! I bet you don't have a piece as gorgeous as theirs! Isn't that right, General?!" He asks proudly about this masterpiece.
Seeing those frozen forms of humans stuck forever in their current state made Solana feel sick to her stomach; torture was something of inflicting pain, but to make them stuck in such a form is another story of insanity itself. "What is the meaning of this?!" She demanded fearfully, unable to fathom the level of cruelty she was experiencing.
Through all her years, she has already accounted for how the empire tortured her—burning, breaking bones, cutting, etc. But this is something else altogether, a new level of depravity that she has never seen nor comprehended.
Even being the military officer with strong allegiance to Cinder's regime, this act is so disturbing and deplorable to the point that Solana wishes to have never stepped foot in this place. "N-no." She shook her head frantically while trying not to look directly at anything in front of her.
"Eh?" Leon frowned upon seeing the woman's reaction, disappointed by how she did not appreciate his artistry at all. "You don't like them? Are they not beautiful enough for your taste?" He inquires sadly with shoulders slumping down, "It took me ages to make them like this; it almost took me forever just to make the perfect sculpture for each one." The boy sulked.
She has no words—none that she can think of—and said it. There are no words of condemnation or praise for what he has done, only regret for ever coming here in the first place. Although Solana can't help but ask how he was able to achieve this atrocity that can be seen in anyone's eyes if they stumble in here,.
"How were you able to produce these abominations?"
His ears perked up from this, smiling widely with glee. "Magic, obviously!" He answers confidently without hesitation, "Though it took some time getting used to because it takes concentration and power for each person and animal," the prince explains, "however, I had some help from someone very special who taught me these wonderful spells."
Curiosity rose in her. "Who?" Solana queried, raising her brow with suspicion in tone as she waited patiently for an answer: "Your sister and mother?" She guessed incorrectly, causing the boy to shake his head in disappointment at this answer.
"Not them, the devil."
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