I'll Do Better Next Time, Papa

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Narration - Coming Soon!

Trigger Warning: Light gore, torture, and verbal abuse
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"Why couldn't I break him?" Kabili whispered to himself.

The Kathar sat on the stone ground of the tip-top of the Red Spire. He was alone and allowed to explore his own thoughts. He looked out at the mountain close by and watched the sunset. Kabili sunk into the ocean of his mind and swam down to the earliest memory he had of torturing someone. He thought of the man who taught him and could hear his voice clear in his head.

--
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"The trick to breaking someone's mind is by assaulting them on a physical and mental level, son," Erran started, "Physical pain weakens the mind. And allows you to slip through the cracks." ​

Kabili, who couldn't have been older than fourteen, listened to his father with great interest. They stood across from each other, a table full of knives and other torture tools in between them. The prison cell they stood in was especially warm for some reason. There were no windows, only the light from the torches hung along the walls to illuminate the cell.

The Abyssal prisoner who was about to become subject to a world of pain groaned. He was chained to the wall, with chains no longer than seven inches. His body was contorted in an uncomfortable fashion, and his face had already been beaten black and blue.

"What did he do, papa?" Kabili asked, gesturing to the roughed up Abyssal.

"This lowly, pathetic waste of flesh betrayed me," Erran picked up a thin dagger, walking towards the prisoner, "Why my brother fell in love with these footsoldiers, I have no clue. They serve only one purpose, which is to serve us. And half the time they can't even do it right." ​

The older Kathar sliced into the lower abdomen of the Abyssal. He was slow and meticulous. Making sure he didn't go too deep, but enough for an immense amount of pain.

"Our task today son is to train this rabid hound. Put it back into its place. Now, grab a tool." ​

Kabili did as his father asked, and grabbed the closest thing to a Kalis Knife. It wasn't the same, but it felt right in his hands. He stood next to his father, awaiting his next instruction.

"We have to remind them of who they are. That they are nothing more than just a pawn. Cut into their left arm, son." ​

And so he did. The young Kathar without hesitation cut deep into the chained prisoner's left arm, wanting to make his father proud.

"Slower, slower." ​

Screams from other cells echoed throughout the prison, but none from this one. What was he doing wrong? He was going slow as his father asked, but this one seemed… already broken.

"Papa, why isn't he screaming?" ​

"Because he's put up a facade, a mental wall of sorts. Tear it down, Kabili. Remember what I told you. Assault him on a physical and mental level." ​

Kabili breathed in, closing his eyes. He focused on the task at hand. After the last training session the two had, which was an utter failure, he couldn't disappoint his father again. He had to make him proud, at any cost.

"Just kill me.." the Abyssal spat out. His lips were coated in dry blood, and an audible crack emitted from that as he spoke, "Put me out of my misery. I will never serve another again." ​

Removing the knife from their arm, Kabili reached up to place it at their neck. Erran watched but did not do anything.

"Yes, please… just push deeper…" ​

But he did not do the deed. He retracted the knife from the prisoner's throat, and said,

"But killing you would be giving you the easy way out. You need to be punished," Kabili plunged his blade into their left shoulder, "Reminded of where you stand in this great Empire. You may put on the appearance of a wolf, a predator, but you are nothing more than prey. A sheep in wolf's clothing. And you need to get back with your herd." ​

Kabili twisted the knife around the wound, surprisingly provoking a reaction from his victim. They gave a shrill yelp. Not exactly a scream, but it was something. Erran watched this with approval, a small smile on his lips.

"We're going to play a little game. There is an easy way and a hard way to this game. The easy way, which will end your suffering, is admitting to what you are. A loyal soldier to the Dread Empire, who serves my father, your commander. The hard way will result in your suffering to continue, but either way, you will give me the truth of who you are." Kabili spoke with hatred and malice laced in his words.

He couldn't believe what he was saying. But, it made him feel powerful. So he continued to belittle and torture his victim. This went on for two hours, with blood healing in between to prevent them from dying, until the Abyssal broke.

"Stop! Stop!" they exclaimed, tears running down their swollen and bruised cheeks, "I am nothing more than a.. a.." ​

"A what? Spit it out." Erran commanded. ​

"I'm nothing more than a loyal soldier. You are my commander. I serve to fight for you." ​

Erran turned to his son, who was utterly exhausted from the whole ordeal, and placed a hand on his shoulder. He smiled at him and said,

"You did good, my son. I'm proud of you." ​

Kabili's face lit up at these words. His work paid off.

--​

The sun was fully set by the time Kabili emerged from the memory. He wiped away a single tear from his face, and looked up at the cloudless night sky. The stars were especially bright tonight, but the moon seemed to be absent from his view.

"I'm sorry, I failed you this time." he spoke, as if he was actually talking to someone, "I'll do better next time, Papa." ​