Patrick tried making his way around the scattered items on the floor. He didn't have the time to pack them up so he just decided to get started with his work immediately. The deep feeling of dread resonated deep inside of him as he sat in front of his computer, shoving the books that laid carelessly on his feet away so he could stretch his feet without disruption. If Diego could break into Andrew's house and kidnap him without being noticed and even had the time to wipe out part of the CCTVs footage from the night showed how advanced Diego was in his game. And if he could track down Patrick's number and demand for a Ransome from him instead of Andrew's wife meant that Diego also had every detail about him and he could be in grave danger. Patrick tried to submerge his fear, turning on his computer. He waited impatiently for the computer to reboot before he hurriedly typed Diego's name I to his search engine. Multiple names appeared on the screen but they were all decent people who
Andrew made his way through the labyrinthine-like corridors, beckoning to the voice that called out his name repeatedly. He stopped to listen assuring themselves that he was moving towards the right path where he could hear his name emanating from. When he was sure that he was headed in the right direction, he continued in his tracks, making his way in the dark, with the images in his head being his only leading light. After a mile of endless walking, Andrew didn't seem to hear his name anymore. "Where are you?!" Andrew asked and then paused to process what he had just said. He didn't think that he was asking the right questions. "Who are you?" Andrew finally asked after a moment of thinking. Everything seemed to go at a slow pace, including time, he felt that he had just walked for about an hour when in fact, it wasn't even barely up to a minute. "Keep walking dear child, we are just over here!" The voices echoed through the walls causing Andrew to fa on his feet, trying to bloc
Andrew heaved as he trudged forward, awakened from his sleep. "What the hell was that—what candle was father talking about?!" Andrew asked himself before he looked around, only to realize that he had been dreaming. He looked down at his hands. Everything felt more real. In the dream, it felt as if he had floating across the floors as he walked. He shook his head and fell back onto the cold floors, resting his arms under his head as he stared at the ceiling. The whole dungeon was still encroached in darkness. He could still hear his parents' voices echoing in his head and it caused his head to ache. He remembered the last time that they had visited him—they had mentioned something about him possessing supernatural powers and all he needed to do was to unlock them, but how was he supposed to do so? It all felt surreal to him; Valkyron—and the fact that he possessed powers that he didn't know about. "This doesn't sit right with me." He said as he sat back up and dragged his knees t
Andrew heard the men walking away and stood up with caution so his movements wouldn't make any noise, thereby attracting their attention. He still tried to process all that he had just heard, it was a hard pill to swallow; that Alec wasn't the one he should have been focusing his attacks on rather it should have been Diego but how was he supposed to know that Diego was working with Alec and he was a serious threat than he realized to himself and his family. He remembered that he had heard them talk about a deadline which was the end of this week. Andrew wondered exactly what they meant by "giving a guy till the end of this week to get the money." Were they talking about him? Andrew couldn't tell if he was the one they were talking about but he remembered that Diego told him that he was going to get some amount of money from him. Andrew's worries increased as the minutes went by. His mind was in turmoil and he didn't understand what was happening around him any longer, it all seeme
The cold dungeon walls pressed in on Andrew like a vice, the silence was heavy and equally suffocating. Exhaustion gnawed at him, but the rage and helplessness kept him on edge. Andrew didn’t bother to lift his head, but the voice came anyway. –Master, there is more to this than you think.– Andrew’s jaw tightened. "What now? What could you possibly tell me that will make any of this make sense?" Valkyron’s soft blue glow pulsed. –I want to talk about the dream you’ve been having. The one with your parents... where they are still lying unconscious in the hospital.– Andrew’s head snapped up, his heart skipping a beat. His eyes bulged with disbelief. "How do you know about that dream?" –I know, Master, because everything that happens to you—your thoughts, your dreams, your fears—flows into me. I am your system. I am part of you.– Andrew’s breath grew shallow. The dream had haunted him for weeks, leaving him with a hollow ache every time he woke. His parents, still lifeless,
Andrew's mind spiraled with everything Valkyron had told him. The faint glow of the system flickered before him, calm and steady, an irritating contrast to the storm brewing inside his head. "You’ve been telling me about powers and keys," Andrew muttered, running a hand over his face, "but none of this makes any sense. How the hell am I supposed to unlock powers I don’t even know I have?" Valkyron’s screen shifted slightly, as if adjusting. –It will make sense soon, Master. But first, you must understand the potential that lies within you. Your abilities are waiting to awaken, and once they do, the world as you know it will change.– Andrew gave a bitter laugh. "Change how? You keep talking in circles. If I have this so-called power, why am I sitting in a dungeon, chained to the wall like a common prisoner?" Valkyron’s glow intensified slightly. –Because, Master, your powers are dormant. But once activated, you will not need these walls, nor these chains. Watch.– The screen
Andrew paced back and forth across the cold stone floor, his mind was racing with plans that didn’t make sense yet. He should’ve been locked in place by the heavy chains bolted to the ground, but they were slack around his ankles, loose from hours of fiddling and tugging. Sweat dripped down his temple as he tried to calculate his next move. "If I can just... get the hell out of here..." Andrew muttered under his breath, glancing at the rusted door to the dungeon. His heart pounded, hope flickering inside him for the first time in days. He needed to escape before Diego’s men realized anything was off. Just a little more time— Suddenly, the heavy metal door creaked open, and Andrew froze mid-step. The guard—a burly man with a crooked nose and a permanent sneer—stepped inside, his eyes narrowing at the sight of Andrew standing freely, unchained. “What the—” The guard’s gaze darted to the chains lying limply on the ground. “You’re supposed to be locked up, you rat!” Andrew’s sto
Andrew sat slumped against the cold wall, his bruised body aching with every shallow breath. His thoughts swirled in a heavy fog of exhaustion, pain, and frustration. The taste of blood still lingered in his mouth, and his swollen eye throbbed. He closed his eyes, trying to focus, trying to block out everything—the darkness, the cold, and the endless despair. Then he heard her voice. "Andrew... Andrew." His eyes snapped open, and he stared at the iron bars of the dungeon gate, blinking rapidly. That voice—it couldn’t be real. It was Emilia’s voice, soft and trembling. "I’m losing it," Andrew muttered to himself, dragging his fingers through his tangled hair. "I’m hallucinating now." But the voice came again, clearer this time. "Andrew, please listen to me. I’m here." He forced himself to sit up, his heart racing as he squinted toward the entrance. There, in the dim light that bled through the cracks of the corridor, stood Emilia. She looked... different. Her usual poise an