.............. Azarios .............. As the guards' iron grips tightened around me, I felt an electric surge of panic course through my veins. Desperation clawed at my core as I instinctively fought against their relentless grasp and my fingers frantically sought purchase on any surface, grasping at the air, seeking something, anything to anchor myself to. But the corridor was a blinding nightmare, illuminated by an unforgiving brightness that burned my sensitive eyes, and Alexa’s screams were soon muted as the heavy door clamped shut while I squinted, pleading for answers. "Where are you taking me?" I hissed through gritted teeth, my voice laced with a mixture of fear and defiance. But my attempts at resistance were met with only further brutality. The guards, frustrated by my res

