# Chapter 89
Ludin opened his eyes, feeling the throbbing pain in his head. His body instinctively shrank in the chilly air. He focused his dizzy vision and looked around. It was a small space with rough stone walls blocking all sides. The eerie sound of water dripping could be heard from somewhere. An empty room. There was no clue except for the pungent smell of mold. It was difficult to understand the structure or location of the building. He couldn’t even know how many soldiers might be watching him beyond the door.
His body was firmly bound to a chair. Rough ropes touched between his torn sleeves, digging into his flesh. He tried twisting his waist to escape the restraints. As he moved his body, the dull headache started again. Ludin let out a small groan and lowered his head.
When he opened his tightly shut eyes, he saw his pants covered with dirty stains and bloodstains. Below that, both ankles were meticulously tied with the same rope. Sighing as he raised his face, his eyes suddenly caught a bulging pocket. Staring at it blankly, a flash of hope sparked in Ludin’s mind. Devan!
He tried moving his hands, ignoring the pain in his arms tied behind him. Though he couldn’t reach his pocket, he thought he might be able to turn the stone over. There was a possibility that this place too was a space where Devan couldn’t use his powers, but it didn’t seem likely that he would come alone after experiencing such danger. Praying for it to work, Ludin twisted his body as best he could. The chair made creaking noises as it gradually dragged across the floor.
At the noise, which was louder than expected, Ludin quickly looked toward the door. There was still no sign of movement outside. Gathering courage, he tilted the chair a bit more. With the intense movement, his clothes shook, and he could see the object in his pocket slowly moving. If he could only pull it out completely… With desperate feelings, his body tilted more and more. Ludin’s gaze was fixed solely on the stone in his pocket.
But due to leaning too far off-center, the chair collapsed with a clattering sound. The hard floor touched Ludin’s shoulder as he fell with it. Only then did he remember the wound he had forgotten. The knife wound caused terrible pain as it opened wider.
Soldiers who entered the room at the sudden commotion heard Ludin’s suppressed scream with pale faces. One soldier’s eyes caught the black object rolling on the floor as he assessed the situation.
“It’s just a personal item. Not a weapon.”
Ludin, who had been groaning, confirmed the object in the soldier’s hand. He quickly uttered something like an excuse while panting. Gritting his teeth through the pain in his shoulder that burned like fire, he endured. He could only hope they would believe his clumsy words. If that was taken away, it would truly be the end. It would mean the disappearance of the only hope to reveal his location. Ludin barely composed his contorting expression.
“What is this?”
“It just looks like a stone.”
The soldiers examined the stone with suspicious eyes. Ludin suppressed the moans that leaked out involuntarily and spoke with difficulty.
“It’s a stone that turns into a jewel when flipped twice. It’s an item filled with memories, so give it to me.”
“Shut up.”
“It’s not of great value. It’s just an illusion. Please return it.”
Someone lifted him up and rechecked the knots. Ludin slightly frowned at the rope that tightened even more. The remaining soldiers began to stir slightly after hearing Ludin’s story. Seeing them discussing whether to test it, Ludin tried not to show how happy he was.
“Never give it back, sir. Wouldn’t it fetch quite a bit of money if sold?”
“We can’t return it since there’s a possibility he could cut the rope with it.”
“I’m curious about it being a jewel. Let’s try to see if what he says is true.”
Please. Ludin saw someone holding the stone and raising their hand. The hand flipped once in the air. He rejoiced that his strategy had worked. The soldiers knew nothing. They were just curious. Ludin’s chest heaved greatly. Just once more… please…
However, in the next moment, a sharp command subdued the disorderly air.
“What are you all doing!”
“Ah, Lord Arzel!”
The soldiers hurriedly bowed. Ludin felt all remaining hope drain away. The stone was passed directly to Arzel’s hand. He examined the object with a frown. Sensing something suspicious, he stood before Ludin with a cold smile.
“You are truly naive. To still hope for a miracle.”
“…”
“Of course, it’s my fault for leaving you with enough strength to try tricks.”
“…Give it back.”
He laughed briefly and pressed hard on Ludin’s wounded shoulder. Under his strong grip, the clothes became soaked with blood.
“Do you still not understand? You never had anything to begin with.”
“Urgh…”
“So there’s nothing to return either.”
Arzel, who had been satisfyingly watching Ludin’s suffering face, dusted off his hands and stood up. Ludin glared back at the snake-like eyes looking down at him. Intense anger welled up as he watched him lick his fingers covered in red liquid.
“And what do you have left?”
“You’d better not open your mouth.”
Despite the low warning, Ludin continued to speak.
“Do you think a life blinded by greed will flow beautifully? If you hope for happiness after committing vile acts, that’s truly a naive thought. In case you don’t know, you will end miserably. No one will mourn your death.”
“…”
“I pity you.”
Arzel silently looked at Ludin as curses poured out endlessly. Ludin’s teeth gritted as Arzel’s eyes narrowed as if measuring something. When his taunting words soon changed to curses spat out as if screaming, Arzel spoke in a high-pitched voice like a madman.
“It seems you need more help to realize more clearly.”
He called one soldier and commanded with feigned politeness.
“The prince seems to have clouded judgment. Go and kindly help him.”
As soon as his words fell, Ludin felt a strong hand grabbing his hair and pulling.
* * *
The pain in his shoulder had vanished into the distance. This was because larger wounds were accumulating one by one on Ludin’s body. There was no time to be dazed as his head was slammed against the wall before a dull impact struck his solar plexus. Someone untied the bonds as his body collapsed, coughing. It was to leave more painful wounds.
Ludin clutched his wildly beating chest and crawled to the corner. But soon, a shoe sole like a rock pressed on his thin ankle. A cruel sound was heard as the fragile joint was crushed. Despite the tearing screams, the soldier pressed down with even more weight. Ludin desperately twisted his body to escape from him. However, this time his upper body was lifted into the air as his collar was grabbed. A large fist came down mercilessly. His face was terribly damaged by the barrage of punches that didn’t allow him to breathe. Blood continuously flowed from his swollen eyes and lips.
When the soldier released his collar, Ludin fell helplessly to the floor. This time, kicks rained down. He tried to curl up, but rough feet trampled his entire body without mercy. They repeatedly pressed on already bruised areas, causing reddish fluid to flow from his skin. Ludin was barely maintaining consciousness, unable to even scream.
“Enough.”
With the languid voice, all soldiers instantly stopped. Ludin didn’t even notice the disappearance of the shoes rushing at him from all directions, just bent over and trembled. Arzel approached him again with an expressionless face. He bent his knee to meet the frightened Ludin’s eyes. And then asked in a whisper.
“Say it again. Who is the pitiful one now?”
“…”
Silence continued. Ludin couldn’t move a finger as he just stared at the cold eyes. The sound of soldiers’ heavy breathing could be heard around. His head was foggy, unable to think of anything. Yet in his repeatedly trampled chest, he felt a rising fireball. Unlike his numb mind, his heart heated up infinitely. The names of all the people he loved, their faces who would be desperately looking for him more than anyone else. All those things remained in his heart as indelible traces.
“I’m delighted that you finally understand the situation…”
Arzel, who had been smiling with satisfaction, stopped speaking. A cold air wrapped around them. Arzel slowly raised his hand. His slender finger moved towards his own face. And gently wiped away the liquid stuck to his cheek.
It was Ludin’s spit.
His two hands gripping Ludin’s neck was instantaneous. The smile that pretended composure completely disappeared, leaving only chilling anger. The soldiers retreated from him, hesitating. Arzel tightly blocked Ludin’s airway with his trembling arms. Unconcealed rage showed in his protruding veins and bulging eyes.
“Kuk. Keuhak…”
“How dare you!!!”
The thunderous voice strongly echoed inside the small room. As the force in his hands grew stronger, Ludin’s face became paler. Arzel forgot even the fact that he shouldn’t kill him and roughly shook Ludin’s body. The anger that exploded like a bomb flowed endlessly like water flowing between collapsed dams.
“To make Kadilen helpless? Yes, that’s part of it.”
“Ugh. Keuugh…”
“But even after I get what I want, there will be a separate place for you. I’ll make you pay for both my wife and my country.”
Fire blazed in his eyes. Arzel recalled a distant past event. It was his deepest scar, now swept away by time, even the pain having disappeared. His final war. When Zendal, who was ambushed in the mountain with Kadilen, was annihilating his soldiers, Ludin invaded the castle and captured the Maran country people as prisoners. Among them was Arzel’s wife. She, who had not given up hope, heard the news of defeat and committed suicide in grief over her husband’s death. Arzel, who had returned home accepting the humiliating surrender to meet her, wailed as he embraced the body of his wife who had disemboweled herself.
A memory that could never be washed away no matter how hard he tried. The despair of that time. It was finally time for revenge. The day to be compensated for all that long time waiting with bated breath was not far off. When that time came, the first to pay the price would be neither Kadilen nor Luan, but this very person.
“My grave won’t be lonely. For I’ll be buried with your body torn to pieces…”
With increasingly rising breath, Ludin helplessly lost consciousness. The last thing that caught his yellowing vision was Arzel’s face, terribly distorted with rage.
