The fragments of hope within Kael were steadily shrinking. Still, part of him dreamed of closing his eyes and escaping; but there was no way to flee. His hands and feet were tightly bound. For a moment, he closed his eyes and replayed his life in his mind. The same loneliness every time, the same helplessness... And yet he had always managed to stay on his feet. But this time was different; the emptiness settling inside him was deeper.
Then, suddenly, light began to slowly rise in the center of the room. At first, a flicker, then a solid illumination... Kael lifted his eyes. The darkness was slowly yielding to the candlelight.
A few candles placed in old, rusted metal holders in each corner of the room cast a flickering but warm glow. As the flames danced, shadows drew curved figures on the walls, weaving disappointment into the cold, harsh stone surfaces. The light added a subtle warmth to the icy coldness of the room, but it couldn't erase the deep fear and helplessness that had taken hold of Kael. As the faint smoke of the candles rose slowly into the damp air, it swirled around, creating a mysterious atmosphere in the room.
Kael's eyes turned to the door. It creaked open slowly. The footsteps of several people echoed as they began to surround the room with slow and deliberate steps. Then, the door opened wider, and the first person stepped inside.
Before him stood a handsome, cold-looking man. On his head was a black, old-fashioned fedora with slightly upturned edges. A few strands of golden hair fell over his forehead from beneath the hat; his hair was short, neatly and meticulously styled. Every strand seemed precisely placed; it danced on a fine line between natural and artificial.
His eyes were a bright sapphire blue; sharp and deep, like a cold shard of ice. As Kael looked into those eyes, along with the fear inside him, a strange curiosity awakened. In the depth of those eyes were traces of intelligence and a hint of madness. The man's gaze seemed to scan Kael's entire inner world, as if he had completely deciphered him.
His facial features were flawless and symmetrical; he looked like a statue. There was a slight but unsettling smile on his lips. It didn't carry a friendly expression; instead, it emanated a sense of dark play and superiority.
He wore a dark navy suit with a hint of gray. The shoulders were sharply tailored, and the suit was perfectly pressed. The buttons on the jacket were polished, reflecting light and adding a subtle brightness to the dark room. His shirt underneath was pure white, as if freshly ironed. His tie was slightly askew; suggesting a fine balance between strict discipline and carelessness.
His shoes were completely black and polished, but the soles had noticeable scratches; clearly, this man had walked many paths and fought many battles in his past.
His hands were clasped behind his back. Thin but muscular fingers symbolized silent power and discipline. It was as if they whispered that he was someone to be both respected and feared.
The man walked forward with heavy and confident steps until he stood right in front of Kael. Kael's heart began to race, his breath tightened, but he couldn't look away. The man leaned forward slightly without averting his gaze and asked quietly:
"Have you cooled down?"
His voice was cold and mocking. It sounded like a friendly question, but underneath lay a suppressed challenge. As if this was the moment he had waited for years, and now he was slowly weighing and evaluating Kael.
Kael's entire being was suddenly filled with the presence of this man. Countless questions flew through his mind: "Who is this man? What does he want here? And why is he here?"
The man pulled a chair slightly and sat down directly across from Kael. His movement was calm and controlled. But what Kael felt went far beyond an ordinary conversation.
Kael gathered all his attention to observe the man's every move. In the cold and misty atmosphere of the room, his movements were like graceful and calculated steps on a theater stage. First, Kael noticed him slowly placing his right leg over his left; a calm yet assertive gesture displaying power and control. The movement was so sharp and deliberate, as if every step had been pre-planned.
Then the man leaned back into the chair with a heavy, elegant motion. His shoulders pulled slightly backward, his chest held upright in a confident posture. His eyes met Kael's, and between them lingered a silent challenge. Kael could feel not only the man's physical strength but also his intelligence and psychological dominance. The tension between the two men, built without a single word, created a palpable weight in the air.
The silence lasted for a while. Then a faint sound escaped from the man's lips: "Ah, wait… I forgot," he said with a slight but meaningful smile on his face. That smile momentarily melted the ice in the cold room; yet it couldn't conceal the mystery and superiority hidden within. At that moment, Kael felt a mixture of unease and astonishment. This man had him completely under control.
Suddenly, the man stood up. Unlike his previous calm demeanor, his movement was a bit more resolute and quick. Slowly, he walked behind Kael. Kael held his breath, watching closely what he would do. Each of the man's steps seemed to deepen the silence in the room, intensifying the tension.
And then… Kael realized that his hands had suddenly been freed. Released from the cruel coldness of the shackles, his hands were now free. Moving between surprise and slight relief, he slowly brought his hands in front of him. He stretched his fingers, feeling the sweet sensation of being able to move again. But a warning still echoed in his mind: he must not be lulled by the comfort of this situation.
Kael turned his eyes back to the man. As if having planned all this beforehand, he had quietly returned to his seat. His posture was relaxed and confident; yet disciplined. The mocking, faintly smiling expression in his eyes disturbed Kael. This man still preserved his mystery, seeming to read Kael's soul.
Kael spoke silently to himself: "I definitely must not resist. The only thing I can do right now is listen to him carefully." He kept repeating it in his mind. He had realized that he was in this stranger's hands and that every movement was part of a plan.
The man slowly crossed his legs, exuding cold-blooded elegance. The tip of his tie swayed slightly, but even that motion seemed under control. His eyes never left Kael; his gaze was both alluring and terrifying.
Silence echoed in the room once again. Kael wondered what would come at the end of this wait, what words the man would speak, what plans awaited him. But for now, this moment ruled by silent glances passed in a mixture of respect and fear rising within Kael.
And as Kael awaited the words, plans, and intentions of the man sitting in that chair, he sank into a deep silence within himself. There was only one thing he could do: to listen, to understand, and to try to survive.
From the void, a piece of paper and a pen suddenly appeared in the man's hands. Without averting his eyes, Kael watched this sudden move with surprise and slight unease. The weight of the moment deepened the silence in the room even more; it was as if even time was holding its breath. Kael's mind was confused, unable to comprehend what he was seeing. He had never encountered anything like this before; it wasn't possible to perceive it as normal. And indeed, he shouldn't have. But his eyes involuntarily followed the man's every move.
The man gently touched the pen to the paper and began writing with fine, careful strokes. Kael's heart beat faster, silently anticipating what he would write. His mind was a tangle; on one hand, curious about the content, on the other, already feeling the weight of the questions to come.
After a while, the man lifted his head and looked straight into Kael's eyes. His voice was deep and resolute, with a trace of mischief and patience within:"Let's stop the child's play now," he said."All this time… how were you entering the wheel of time, Artemus?"
At that moment, Kael's whole world collapsed around him. The word "Artemus" echoed in his mind, a name he didn't understand, a truth he couldn't grasp... That question was the peak of the confusion swirling in Kael's head. What did it mean — "the wheel of time"? He had heard it just before waking up, in the fading voices. The moment the man said it, it resurfaced in Kael's mind. But what exactly was the wheel of time? He was thinking.
Kael's mind suddenly turned into a stormy sea; thoughts, fears, and the unknown tossed him around.
Kael didn't know what to answer; the words were stuck in his throat. He wasn't prepared for this question, because it overturned all the truths he thought he knew. Somewhere deep inside, he sensed that all of this was far more complex and profound than he could yet comprehend.
And that wasn't all — even more storms were raging in Kael's mind. The name "Artemus"... That word echoed strangely in his mind, but he couldn't grasp its meaning. It felt like it was saying something very important, yet he couldn't understand what.
Was it directed at him? Or was it someone else?
On one hand, the mystery behind the name fueled Kael's curiosity; on the other, it terrified him. Because if Artemus was related to him, then reality was opening into a much more complex and dangerous dimension than he had imagined.
With a tired and confused expression on his face, Kael slightly shook his head but couldn't respond. Because the situation he was in demanded far more than just trying to understand.