Beneath Eternity's Embrace

Chapter 12

Recap:

As his words hung in the air, Markus couldn't resist adding his dark jest. "It's time to prepare the lamb for slaughter... HAHAHAHA," Everyone chuckled with him.

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Author's POV

After the tense discussion, the group dispersed, each member busying themselves with their assigned tasks. Erebus swiftly dispatched an informant to the other three camps, ensuring that Viktor's message reached all corners of their operation.

Meanwhile, back at the main camp, the captives were provided with three meals a day, a stark improvement from their previous conditions. The change brought a glimmer of hope to their bleak existence, though they remained wary, but they never thought that this change can lead to even more danger.

The meals were distributed to the captives in the main tent, but Ayushi's portion arrived separately at Erebus's tent. As she laid eyes on the meal, shock coursed through her veins. Initially, she assumed it was a consequence of Erebus's actions, but soon learned that all captives received the same treatment.

In that moment, a sense of danger engulfed her thoughts, signaling a shift in the dynamics of their captivity.

She remained silent, consuming the meal without uttering a word, lost in the labyrinth of her own thoughts. Since her arrival with the essential items, she hadn't ventured beyond the confines of the tent. The meal was delivered by another captive, and the plates were retrieved just as silently afterward. Likewise, medication was provided to her in the form of a paste, intended to soothe her bruises and herbs. The medicine resembled a thick soup, served in a bowl to alleviate her discomfort.

Observing the treatment they were receiving, she sensed that something ominous was looming on the horizon, specifically directed towards the captives, and perhaps, to all of them.

Lost in her thoughts, she drifted off to sleep.

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Erebus returned to the tent, he entered the bed partition, and saw her in deep sleep. Without, any boldness and courage she had shown him even in the fear in the evening.

Her peaceful face in sleep, is soothing his tension, he removed his coat, shoes and got in the bed and lay down to sleep. He was thinking about the plans and drifted off to sleep.

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MORNING ......

Ayushi emerged from her slumber, her eyes instinctively seeking out the window, greeted by the shroud of darkness outside. Though devoid of clocks or any conventional timekeeping devices, her senses had grown accustomed over the past few months to the natural rhythms of the forest.

She turned and saw that face again without any mask. This handsome face, but utterly dark heart and soul, like all of them. She got out of the bed, moved towards the bag, took her clothes and got into bathroom section. After changing, she cleaned the tent.

As Ayushi emerged from her tent into the still-darkened camp, the sounds of activity echoed through the air, a grim reminder of their captive existence. With only a few hours of precious sleep granted to them, every moment counted in this harsh world.

Ayushi ventured out of the tent, her head bowed in submission. But her resolve was met with cruelty as a guard pushed her roughly to the ground, her palms scraping against the unforgiving earth. The mocking laughter that followed was a chilling symphony of cruelty, each jeer slicing through the air like a knife.

"Lazy slut, can't even stand straight after a few days off," one of the guards sneered, his words laced with malice.

Struggling to rise, Ayushi was met with another blow, the guard's taunting words cutting deeper than any physical pain. "Get up, you worthless worm," another guard spat, his tone dripping with disdain.

Despite the humiliation, she persevered, like other times, pushing past the agony to join the line of captives awaiting their tasks, her face a mask of stoicism hiding the turmoil within.

Luke witnessed the whole scene before him, the treatment of Ayushi. He had expected tears, pleas for mercy, perhaps even a desperate invocation of Erebus's name to spare her from further torment. But instead, Ayushi remained resolute, her demeanor betraying no hint of recognition or appeal for help and not getting any unnecessary attention.

Luke's footsteps faltered as he turned away, grappling with conflicting emotions. Despite the urge to intervene, he knew the harsh reality of their situation. Their precarious existence in this ruthless world depended on maintaining a delicate balance, and risking everything for one life was a luxury they couldn't afford.

With a heavy heart, Luke retreated into the confines of his own tent, the weight of their collective struggle bearing down on him. In a world where survival hung by a thread, every decision carried profound consequences, and the sacrifice of one could mean the salvation of many.