Chapter 637 — 637: Iron Cage

The torture continued without end.

Day after day, night after night.

Sunny screamed when he had the voice, and remained silent when he lost it. A long time ago… decades ago… he still had pride, and endured the torment without giving the torturer the satisfaction of hearing him howl, cry, and beg.

But there was no point. Pride had no place here… only pain.

Anyone should have died from the inhuman agony he was subjected to and the terrible wounds dealt to his body. But Sunny didn't die… was unable to die… and so, there was no end to his anguish.

Every morning, his wounds were gone, as if he was born anew. Every morning, the torturer returned, and the cycle continued.

The torturer, himself, never asked Sunny any questions. It was as though he was tormenting his prisoner just for the sake of torment. However… the master of the dungeon never seemed to enjoy his cruelty. He never reveled in the agony of his victim, and instead seemed almost sad while performing his duties.

Why was this happening?

How long had it been happening?

When would this neverending nightmare end?

'Neverending… nightmare…'

Sunny didn't know… he barely knew himself anymore. All he knew was fear, darkness, and pain.

'Lord, save me…'

On one of these days, he opened his eyes to see the torturer entering the cell. His personal executioner was tall and noble in bearing, with skin as white as ivory, lustrous golden hair, and amber eyes that were full of calmness, conviction, and melancholy.

Just like always, the torturer started preparing his tools, and just like always, Sunny strained his mangled body, pointlessly trying to break free of his shackles.

…But this time, something unexpected happened. Sunny froze and stared at the radiant man in front of him, his eyes widening.

'Can this be?'

Just like in the harrowing nightmare he had seen a few days ago, there was a beautiful sphere of light burning within the torturer's chest. Its splendor washed over Sunny, making the terrible pain recede for a moment.

A weak, pale smile found its way onto his face.

Sunny bathed in the light, and whispered:

"Sun…"

Oh, how he had longed to see the sun again...

The torturer froze, then slowly turned to him. His amber eyes shone with sudden emotion.

"...You are speaking again?"

He took a tentative step forward and studied Sunny's face, then gently caressed it.

"Brother, my brother… how good it is to hear your voice once more."

Sunny shivered.

"...Brother? Are we… brothers?"

He was weak, and confused. Thoughts danced chaotically in his broken mind, fragile like snowflakes in the summer's heat. He found it hard to concentrate on anything, even if he wanted to. But… he didn't want to. Not for a long time.

The torturer smiled sadly.

"Have you forgotten even me?"

Sunny frowned, trying to remember. Brother… did he have a brother? Yes, he used to, once. His brother was noble, valiant, and wise. His brother was blessed by the Lord of Light. He was entrusted with a sacred duty…

And so was Sunny himself.

…Or maybe he was just remembering shattered fragments of old nightmares. Who could tell?

He weakly shook his head.

"If we are brothers… then... why? Why are… you torturing me?"

The torturer remained silent for a while, then laughed sadly.

"Ah, that old question. You haven't asked it in decades."

He leaned forward and looked at Sunny with sorrow.

"Don't you remember? You were the one who asked me to do this, after all."

Sunny's pupils widened.

'No… no…'

"I… asked you?"

The torturer nodded.

"As penitence, for the terrible sin you committed. For betraying the trust of the Lord of Light. Was it… a century ago? Yes, almost."

He turned away and picked up a long blade, thrusting it into the flames that burned furiously in a golden brazier.

"It has been almost a century since you abandoned me. Ah… enduring our duty alone was not easy, my brother. It wasn't easy at all. But I never broke my word to you."

Sunny stared as the blade was slowly starting to glow inside the flames. Knowing that it would be soon thrust into his flesh instead, he shuddered.

"If I… asked you… then stop. I don't… don't want it anymore."

The torturer looked down, then smiled darkly.

"Stop? But we can't stop. Not until you answered the question."

Sunny's eyes were glued to the blade. He whispered:

"Question? What question?"

His brother was silent for a bit, and then asked:

"Where is that which was entrusted to us by the Lord? What have you done with the knives?"

'Knives? What knives?'

Sunny couldn't recall any knife, and could only think about the one that was already glowing red in the golden brazier.

"...I don't know."

His torturer sighed.

"Then your penitence can't stop."

With that, he took the blade out of the fire and brought it to Sunny's chest, where an aching heart was beating wildly like a caged beast.

Sunny searched his memory, desperate for the torture to end. No, no… he couldn't remember!

A split second before the tip of the blade cut his skin, he suddenly shouted:

"Shadow! Shadow stole it! The ember knife… Shadow took it from me! It was his fault! His!"

The blade froze without reaching Sunny's flesh.

The torturer looked away, a somber expression on his face.

"...It is good that you finally spoke. However… that mystery had been revealed some time ago. After all, Shadow is long dead."

He glanced at Sunny, then asked coldly:

"But what of the other? Where is the ivory knife that I have given you? Did Shadow steal it, as well?"

Sunny shivered, then slowly shook his head.

"No… I... I hid it. I hid it far away."

His brother closed his eyes.

"Where did you hide it?"

Tears streamed down Sunny face. He strained in his bindings, desperately trying to free himself.

"I… I don't remember… I don't know!"

The torturer sighed, then dropped the searing blade to the ground.

"...Useless. This is all useless. A century of this, and you are still resisting!"

He grabbed his head and groaned, then suddenly laughed, his voice echoing from the stone walls of the dungeon.

"I'm tired… I'm more tired of this than you are, brother. Why have you deserted me? I can't save you, no matter what I do. I can't clear away your guilt, I can't redeem you in the eyes of the Lord!"

He fell silent, and slowly, his face turned calm and solemn.

Then, he glanced at Sunny and said, mad resolve shining in his eyes:

"A century is enough. Going further will only break what is left of you, my dear brother. If we can't redeem your sin, then… then, we must burn it away. The blessing of the Fire… we will invent our own instead of the one you lost!"

***

A day finally came when Sunny was freed from his bindings and dragged away from the dungeon cell. He was too weak to fight his jailers, and saw no point in it. He didn't really understand what was happening and was just glad to finally leave the darkness of the torture chamber.

He was so happy that tears fell from his amber eyes.

Sunny was brought to a vast chamber that was full of terrible heat and drowned by an angry orange glow.

'...Strange… what a strange place…'

In front of him was a giant pit filled with molten steel. There were giant furs blowing a constant stream of wind into the fire below. He heard the sound of hooves ringing on the stones and saw a mighty horse with blinders on his eyes walk constantly in circles, spinning the wooden wheel it was attached to, which in turn worked the furs.

In front of the pit, a strange iron cage lay on the floor. It was made in the shape of a man's body and opened, revealing the human-shaped emptiness within.

'What... is this?'

"Be brave, my brother."

Sunny flinched, hearing the familiar voice. He turned his head and saw the torturer standing beside him, with a dark and determined expression on his face.

"Today, we will burn away your sin… we will make you into the tool of the gods once more."

'I don't… understand.'

Before Sunny could realize what was happening, he was placed into the strange cage, which was then closed shut, leaving him in utter darkness. His new prison hugged his body like a metal carapace. He couldn't move, or see anything. He was like a soul encased inside the body of an iron man.

Panicking, Sunny tried to struggle against his metal prison, but it was of no use.

He heard the sound of chains, and felt himself being raised into the air.

'W—what...'

And then, he was lowered down… down, down… down into the giant pit of molten metal.

The outsides of his cage grew hot, and then searing.

And then, scorching, incinerating, immolating.

Locked within the incandescent iron cage, Sunny screamed and screamed, his flesh constantly burning and restoring itself, his broken mind drowning in agony and heat… in the fire.

But no matter how much he screamed…

The burning was eternal.

Just like he himself was...

***

Burning… he was burning!

Sunny woke up with a scream, still enveloped in the horror of the nightmare. He shuddered, then clutched at his chest, which was full of sharp, tearing pain.

"Argh!"

The shadows rustled around him, distressed by the sudden scream of their master.

'A nightmare… huh. I haven't had one in centuries.'

He grimaced, and then stood up, listening to the rattling of the heavenly chains in the distance.

It was time to face a new day…

Hopefully, his last.