Chapter 50 : The Depths of Darkness

Derek’s POV

Time had lost all meaning down here in the dungeon. Days, nights — they were just words in a place that knew neither. The darkness was absolute, a suffocating weight that pressed in on me from every side. I hadn’t seen daylight since they’d dragged me here, barely conscious, bleeding out, too weak to even protest. The cold stone walls were unyielding, leeching the warmth from my skin, making it hard to remember what it even felt like to be free.

My wound had started to heal, but the recovery was slow. I could feel the sharp sting every time I moved, a reminder of just how low I’d been brought. I was still weak, a shadow of the strength I’d once wielded. But the fire inside me hadn’t gone out. If anything, it burned hotter, feeding off the rage that had taken root since the first day they locked me down here.

Each time the guards came, they brought a meager scrap of food and water, just enough to keep me alive. They never spoke, their footsteps echoing down the narrow corri