MTLNOVEL Chapter 8: Fighting.
---
**ARAYA**
The light stabbed at my eyes, relentless and blinding. It was cruel, almost mocking, as though even the smallest mercy—darkness—was too much to ask for. I blinked, my lids heavy, my vision swimming in and out of focus. Slowly, the sterile white walls of the room came into view. My entire body screamed in protest as I shifted, the dull ache giving way to sharp, biting pain that coursed through my muscles.
A steady beeping sound to my right pulled me from the haze. A heart monitor. The cold drip attached to my wrist fed an unwelcome chill into my veins, tethering me to this nightmare. My chest heaved with shallow breaths, every rise and fall a reminder of the scars etched into my flesh—scars that told a story I wanted to forget.
The memory of the flogging returned with the force of a thunderstorm. I could still hear the crack of the whip, feel the sting of leather biting into my skin, and taste the metallic tang of blood on my tongue.
*How long have I been here? Days? Weeks?* I had no answers, only the suffocating knowledge that this pain was all because of Jason. The thought twisted inside me, filling my throat with bile.
With trembling fingers, I tore the IV from my arm. Blood beaded at the puncture site, but I barely noticed. My heartbeat thundered in my ears as I swung my legs off the bed. My feet met the cold floor, and I nearly collapsed, my knees buckling beneath me. But fear kept me upright.
The room felt like a coffin, each second inside it suffocating me further. I moved to the door, my steps unsteady, each creak of the floorboards a dagger to my nerves. I twisted the handle and nearly sobbed with relief when it turned freely.
The hallway stretched ahead, wide and endless, lit by faint, flickering bulbs that cast shadows that seemed to shift and writhe. My breath came in shallow gasps as I stepped out, every fiber of my being screaming at me to move, to run, to escape.
---
**DRAGONS**
"Did I not tell you, Emma? Never call me again."
My voice was low, dangerously calm. I leaned against the window frame, staring into the endless expanse of forest that surrounded my estate. The frost on the glass mirrored the chill in my tone.
On the other end of the line, Emma's voice cracked, her words rushing out in a torrent of desperation. "I had to, Ericks! I couldn't just sit back and do nothing. Ashley is breaking. She's shutting everyone out, barely eating, barely speaking—"
"Stop." My voice cut through her frantic explanation like a blade.
"She's not herself anymore!" Emma pressed on, her voice rising. "She's a shadow of who she used to be, and you expect me to sit here quietly? How can I do that? How can you ask that of me?"
Her words struck a nerve, but I refused to let her see it. My fist curled against the wall, the impact dull but satisfying. "Emma, your safety is my priority. Forget Ashley. Forget her tears. Focus on yourself."
Her response was immediate, her voice trembling with rage. "How can I focus on myself when someone I care about is suffering? When her sister is missing and she's barely clinging to life? You expect me to be happy?!"
"Enough!" My roar silenced her, leaving a tense, crackling silence in its wake. I inhaled deeply, my hand running through my hair. When I spoke again, my voice was softer, but no less commanding. "I'll send money for your expenses. Don't call me again, Emma. I'll handle it. Do you understand?"
Before she could respond, I ended the call. A flicker of guilt threatened to surface, but I buried it beneath layers of cold resolve.
---
**ARAYA**
The hallway was a labyrinth, each turn identical to the last. My bare feet padded against the cold tile, every step a battle against the pain that wracked my body. My heart pounded in my chest, a desperate rhythm that matched the frantic thoughts in my mind.
Then, I heard it.
A faint, mournful wailing. The sound cut through the silence, freezing me in place. My breath caught as I turned toward the source—a door at the far end of the hall.
*Was this where they kept me? Were there others like me?*
The thought was a bitter comfort. If I wasn't alone, then maybe—just maybe—I wasn't entirely helpless. With trembling hands, I pushed the door open a crack and peered inside.
My stomach dropped.
There he was. Jack. His massive frame was turned away from me, but his presence was suffocating, even from a distance.
I pulled back, my heart slamming against my ribs. I couldn't let him see me. If he did... if he caught me...
I turned and bolted down the hallway, my steps quick and unsteady. The corridor split ahead into two paths. Left or right? My mind screamed at me to decide, the pressure crushing.
*Right.* I turned on instinct, my body moving before my mind caught up.
---
**DRAGONS**
"She's awake," I muttered, a slow smile spreading across my face.
The screen in front of me flickered, displaying grainy CCTV footage of the girl—my little Araya—wandering the hallways. She moved like a ghost, her steps hesitant, her eyes wide with fear.
Did she truly think she could escape? From me?
Foolish.
I leaned back in my chair, my gaze fixed on the monitor. The way she trembled, the way her head turned at every faint sound—it was intoxicating. She thought she had a chance.
I let her wander for now, savoring the hunt.
---
**ARAYA**
The hallway stretched endlessly before me, my legs burning with every step. I didn't know where I was going. I didn't care. All I knew was that I had to keep moving.
But the sound of footsteps behind me sent ice through my veins.
I glanced over my shoulder, my breath hitching. He was there, his silhouette a dark shadow that filled the hallway.
"No," I whispered, the word barely audible over the thundering of my heartbeat.
I quickened my pace, the pain in my body forgotten in the face of raw terror. His footsteps grew louder, closer. I turned a corner, then another, the hallways blurring together in my panic.
"Araya," his voice called out, low and mocking.
Tears streamed down my face as I stumbled, my legs giving out beneath me. I hit the ground hard, the impact jarring. I crawled backward, my vision swimming.
"Please," I whimpered. "Please, don't..."
He loomed over me, his presence overwhelming.
"You'll learn," he said softly, his lips curling into a cruel smile. "You'll learn that no one mess with me .
---
world spun as he carried me, his grip as unyielding as steel. My fists pounded against his chest, but it was like hitting stone. Every scream that tore from my throat seemed to vanish into the void, swallowed by the oppressive silence of this place.
"Let me go!" I sobbed, my voice cracking. "Please, I'll do anything, just—"
"Quiet," he growled, his tone low and dangerous. The single word froze the breath in my lungs, its weight heavier than any chain.
The hallways twisted and turned, each corner dragging me closer to the unknown. My mind raced, frantically searching for any way to break free, but his strength was unrelenting. He carried me like I was nothing more than a trophy, a prize he'd already claimed.
When we finally stopped, the door he opened wasn't like the others. It wasn't the sterile white of the other rooms. This one was different. The walls were deep, blood-red, and the air was thick, suffocating. The soft glow of a chandelier cast long, eerie shadows that danced across the room, giving it an almost otherworldly feel.
He tossed me onto the massive bed at the center of the room. The mattress was soft, the sheets cool against my skin, but the comfort was a cruel contrast to the terror gripping me. I scrambled back, my body trembling as he stood at the foot of the bed, watching me like a predator.
"Do you know what happens to those who defy me, Araya?" he asked, his voice eerily calm.
I didn't answer, my throat too tight to form words.
"Do you think you can run? Escape? That's cute." He took a step closer, his boots thudding against the hardwood floor. "But let me make one thing clear—you belong to me. Every breath you take, every thought that crosses your mind—it's mine. Do you understand?"
I shook my head, tears streaming down my face. "I don't belong to anyone!" I spat, the defiance in my voice surprising even me.
His eyes darkened, a dangerous glint flickering in their depths. In an instant, he was on me, his hand gripping my jaw tightly, forcing me to meet his gaze.
"Wrong answer," he hissed, his breath hot against my face. "You'll learn, Araya. One way or another, you'll learn."
---
**DRAGONS**
Her fear was intoxicating. The way her body shook, the way her chest heaved with every desperate breath—it was a symphony, and I was the conductor.
She thought she could resist me. Fight me. But resistance only made the game more enjoyable.
I released her, stepping back as she cowered against the headboard. The way her eyes darted around the room, searching for an escape, was almost pitiful. Almost.
"You don't understand the rules yet," I said, my tone softer now, almost tender. "But that's okay. I'll teach you. I'll break you down, piece by piece, until you understand that your only purpose is to please me."
Her lips trembled as she whispered, "You're a monster."
The words should have stung, but instead, they made me smile. "A monster?" I repeated, leaning closer. "Perhaps. But you'll find that monsters are far more honest than the heroes you cling to."
I straightened, adjusting the cuffs of my shirt. "Get some rest, my little doll. You'll need it."
---
**ARAYA**
I didn't sleep. I couldn't.
The room was silent now, save for the faint hum of the chandelier swaying slightly above me. My eyes darted to every corner, every shadow, as though expecting him to emerge from the darkness again.
My mind replayed his words, each one a dagger to my resolve. *He'll break you. Piece by piece.*
"No," I whispered to myself, my voice shaking. "He won't. I won't let him."
But even as I said the words, doubt crept in. How could I fight someone like him? He was everywhere—in the walls, in the air, in my mind.
I pushed myself off the bed, my legs weak but determined. My body ached with every step, but I ignored the pain. There had to be a way out of this nightmare.
I crept to the door, my hand hovering over the handle. My heart pounded as I turned it, the soft click echoing like a gunshot in the silence. The hallway beyond was dark, the flickering lights casting eerie shadows that seemed to stretch and writhe.
I stepped out, each step measured and silent. The air was heavy, thick with the oppressive weight of his presence, even though he was nowhere to be seen.
Then I heard it.
The faintest sound of footsteps.
My breath hitched as I pressed myself against the wall, my pulse racing. The steps grew louder, closer, until I could see his shadow stretching along the floor.
I clamped a hand over my mouth, stifling a sob as I waited, my body trembling. The shadow passed, and I exhaled shakily, my relief short-lived.
The hallway stretched before me, endless and foreboding. My only chance was to keep moving, to stay ahead of him.
*I will not break,* I thought, the words a desperate mantra. *I will not break.*
But deep down, a voice whispered: *What if you already have?*
--
---
**
**DRAGONS**
The moment I stepped into my office, Gino was already waiting, his posture rigid.
"Sir," he said, his voice steady. "We caught someone spying around the premises. He's tied up and awaiting your orders."
I smirked, the aura of power radiating off me. "Bring him in."
Moments later, they dragged in a man, bound and trembling. His terror was palpable—a delicious appetizer to the main course. I circled him like a predator sizing up its prey, savoring the fear in his eyes.
"You thought you could spy on me?" I sneered, crouching to meet his gaze. "You should've known better. There are consequences for crossing Erickson Dragons."
Without hesitation, I plunged my knife into his shoulder. His screams echoed through the room, a symphony of agony.
---
**ARAYA**
I reached the end of the hallway, only to stop dead in my tracks. My breath hitched as I stumbled upon a gruesome scene. Blood pooled on the floor, painting a horrifying picture of violence.
Two bodies lay lifeless, their faces frozen in terror. And him—Erickson—stood above them, laughing.
My stomach churned as I watched him lick the blood from his blade, his expression devoid of humanity. The room spun, and I felt a tear slip down my cheek. *What kind of monster am I dealing with?*
---
**DRAGONS**
Ah, there she was again. My little Araya, trembling outside the office. Watching her horrified expression was... exhilarating.
"You here again," I taunted, smirking. "How was your trip, love? Did you tell the devil you belonged to a criminal?"
Her anger was almost as beautiful as her face. I could see the fury bubbling beneath her fragile exterior. She reached for a knife, her movemen
ts quick but clumsy. I caught her wrist effortlessly, tightening my grip.
"Not so fast, baby," I whispered, leaning in close. "You've broken another rule. Now, tell me—what should your punishment be?"
---