The days and weeks blurred together after that first torture session. Sebastian visited every few days, methodically performing his sickening artistry upon our bodies, always ending with the mana drain. Though the physical aspect of the torture was something I knew I should gradually learn to endure, Sebastian was no amateur. He knew precisely how to escalate the severity of each session to keep me on edge, just out of reach of being able to ignore it. He would always be cutting slightly deeper, always slicing slightly longer. Just enough that the pain never felt familiar, always escalating so I'd know something worse awaited me the next time. It was precise, relentless, and emotionally draining, and it never got easier. The mana drain that followed though, that was infinitely worse. No matter how many times it happened, I never adjusted to the horror of it. Each time Sebastian tore the mana from me, it was just as invasive and violating as the first, an agony that transcended physical pain and reached deep into my very being. He always drained about ninety percent of my reserves, leaving me as barely more than a husk before moving on to Amerigo, subjecting him to the same torment.

Despite my intentions to keep Amerigo at arm's length, we gradually began speaking every day. The conversations weren't continuous. We would often fall into long periods of silence, simply listening to each other's breathing or the occasional sounds from beyond our cell. Sometimes it was Amerigo who initiated the conversation, and sometimes it was me. There were times when solitude felt just as necessary as companionship, moments when each of us was on the brink of breaking and needed space to refocus our minds and steel ourselves against the relentless torture.

Although Amerigo told me there were other cells near ours, I never heard anything from them, reinforcing my impression that we'd been isolated intentionally, kept apart from other prisoners. So in the aftermath of each of Sebastian's visits, after the guards and healer had finally retreated and their footsteps faded into silence, we always talked. Safe from any listeners that might notice our vow of silence wasn't so complete. The quiet exchanges helped reinforce our shared commitment to survival, undoing some small portion of the psychological horrors we'd endured. Truthfully, I'm not sure how Amerigo survived on his own before I came. Without someone else to talk to after those sessions, I don't think I would have lasted long at all. The mind has a habit of bringing up the worst things when you least want them, and when you are in a room with no stimulation, you need to be in control to prevent yourself succumbing. There were times where I was sure I would break if I didn't have those after session talks. It's not even that much was said, just the act of saying something to someone that was not out to torment me was a great boon. A mental salve on the wounds of our imprisonment.

The only other constant in my life became my experimental use of mana. Following Amerigo's advice, I mostly kept these experiments to the intervals when Sebastian wasn't expected, careful to ensure I had enough mana available for him so he wouldn't become suspicious.

"You are taking a big risk, Brandon," Amerigo chastised me the night before we expected one of Sebastian's visits. "If he notices what you are doing, you will be in for a world of pain. Trust me when I tell you he can sense how much mana you should have. He has been at this a long, long time."

After weeks of relentless torture, I'd realized that I'd made a mistake early on by inadvertently giving Sebastian a clear baseline of my mana capacity. He knew exactly how much mana to expect with each feeding, making it dangerous to deviate too much. However, Sebastian's gradual increase in the severity of the injuries he inflicted was a twisted blessing as it meant I naturally had to use more mana to heal myself each time. Seizing this opportunity, I became bolder, experimenting with mana usage even the night before he was scheduled to arrive. Effectively syphoning off the source before it got to him. Doing it gave me a rush I hadn't felt since I was running schemes with Dillon and Morgana, in what felt like a lifetime ago.

We knew of people who did something similar in their day to day life but with gold or drugs rather than magic. Most of the time it ended badly because the people couldn't help but flaunt their wealth, they got greedy, or their bosses just noticed the pouches being lighter than they were used to. I figured as long as I didn't push too hard, there wasn't a risk of Sebastian catching me skimming. For one it wasn't like there were obvious gains that he would be able to pick up, and as far as I knew, there was no way for him to know for sure how much mana I should have at any given moment.

"It's worth it, Amerigo. I can feel it. We need to push back in every way that we can. If I don't do this, I'm just accepting the fate he chose for me," I said through gritted teeth, concentrating on the sensation of my gate opening and pushing the limits of what I could handle. My progress had been slow but steady. Initially, the chains burned me after what was effectively a trickle of mana, but over time I'd managed to extend the amount of mana I could handle before the chains reacted violently. Now, I was testing how much I could draw in a single burst without triggering unbearable pain. I wasn't anywhere close to escaping but it was progress.

"We need every advantage we can get in here, and right now this is the only advantage within my control," I explained, sensing his lingering unease. "I have to push myself. Besides, it's been months and he's not said anything once."

Amerigo didn't immediately respond. By now, I'd learned to interpret his long silences. Sometimes they meant he needed to retreat inward to steel himself, and other times they meant he disagreed but didn't want to start a conflict.

To break the silence—and to distract from the burning pain that was rapidly intensifying around my wrists—I impulsively asked the question I'd been carefully avoiding for weeks.

"What about you? Can you use your power in here, too?"

The moment the words left my mouth, I regretted them. Asking directly about his power felt intrusive and disrespectful, especially considering the silent boundaries we had set regarding each other's abilities. From what little I had overheard from Sebastian and the guards, I knew Amerigo's power had something to do with his health, but neither of us had ever openly discussed it. It had become an unspoken rule, and I'd just violated it.

"I'm sorry," I said quietly after I realised what I'd done. "I shouldn't have asked."

I could almost feel Amerigo's hesitation radiating from behind me, and I worried I'd pushed too far. But, just as the silence was about to become painfully awkward, he finally replied.

"Do not worry. It is not a big secret, considering where we are," came Amerigo's calm voice. "As I'm sure you've already figured out, I also have a power related to my health."

I nodded passively, a habit I couldn't seem to break despite knowing he couldn't see me. Fortunately, he didn't need my response before continuing.

"Unlike yours, however, mine is reactive. It triggers automatically to prevent a serious or fatal injury from killing me."

"Wow," I murmured softly, eyebrows shooting upward as I processed what he'd just told me. A moment later, my shock gave way to a sickening realization of what that meant for him as Sebastian's prisoner. "Oh... Oh, man, I'm sorry."

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Learning the details of Amerigo's power cast him in an entirely new, harsher light. Although a small part of me remained paranoid and cautious, my gut told me he was telling the truth. It meant Sebastian was inflicting horrific, life-threatening injuries just to activate Amerigo's ability on top of all of the 'standard' torturing.

A disturbing thought entered my mind, prompting me to speak up again despite my reservations. "Does he... does he force you to use it while you're still chained?"

The very idea made my skin crawl. I knew how hard it was to channel mana with these chains restraining me. Even practicing carefully in the dead of night took all my strength and concentration. The thought of Amerigo having to do it in the heat of torture, dealing with the pain from both chains and injuries simultaneously, and yet still managing to remain silent, seemed almost superhuman.

"No, fortunately not," Amerigo replied, pausing briefly. His voice, normally steady, carried a subtle undercurrent of weariness. "He would not risk that. It always happens after he unchains me. It is usually a quick jab or slash to something vital, enough to activate my power, before he begins ripping my mana away. I have been here so long, he knows exactly how much he can take before my life is truly endangered. Sometimes I wonder if he understands my power better than I do."

A faint wave of relief washed over me at his response, immediately followed by a pang of guilt for feeling relieved. I had already been comparing myself to Amerigo too much—measuring my strength and endurance against his—and had dreaded the idea that he endured such extreme torment under even worse conditions. It wasn't exactly a competition between us, but I felt an undeniable urge to prove myself capable of matching him feat for feat.

"Why does he even risk it?" I asked quietly, unable to hold back my curiosity. "I get that he has a good read on your mana and how much your ability costs you, but surely it's still a gamble each time?"

Amerigo responded with a rare, harsh laugh. It was bitter and heavy, weighted with resentment and resignation.

"Forgive me," he said after a moment, regaining his usual calm composure. "The question surprised me. I assumed the answer would be obvious."

I paused briefly, considering it. "Is it because he needs us to open our gates so he can draw the mana more easily?" I asked, voicing the theory I'd pieced together in my head.

"No," Amerigo replied, shaking his chains gently. "Well, perhaps that helps somewhat, but that is not why he does it. He does it because he is cruel. Because he relishes the brief instant of panic it creates in me. To my shame, I always react. Every single time, without fail, I feel my death coming for me before my power triggers… and that frightens me more deeply than I can express."

His voice cracked slightly at the admission, vulnerability slipping past his usual careful façade. It was an unexpectedly intimate moment, one he clearly regretted as silence quickly fell again between us. In the weeks we'd spent together enduring Sebastian's tortures, we had learned never to reveal vulnerabilities, as though speaking them aloud might grant Sebastian the power to exploit them.

Understanding the weight of Amerigo's silence, I let it hang undisturbed. Instead, I shifted my focus inward, determined to push my mana practice further. I carefully pulled more mana into my body, cautiously healing away the dull aches and soreness lingering throughout me. My wrists and ankles throbbed constantly, but I hadn't yet figured out how to channel mana there without immediately activating the chains' painful response. Frustrated, I settled instead for easing the tension deep within my abdominal muscles.

As I concentrated, something suddenly clicked into place within me. My gate felt different somehow, as though it had suddenly flexed into precisely the right size and configuration, releasing a surge of mana unlike anything I had experienced before. In an instant, I felt a second point, a second gate burst open beside the first, flooding me with an overwhelming rush of power.

Startled by the sensation, I momentarily lost control, holding both gates open for too long. Before I could regain control, the chains heated violently, searing pain snapping me back into awareness and forcing me to close my gates abruptly.

"What just happened?" Amerigo's voice asked softly from behind me, sensing my distress.

I hesitated, unsure whether revealing this breakthrough would make me vulnerable again. But he had opened himself up earlier, and I felt the trust between us solidify slightly with the exchange.

"I think…" I started, taking a deep breath to steady myself. "I think I just opened a second gate."

"Congratulations are in order!" Amerigo said warmly, his voice filled with a genuine happiness that sharply contrasted the sadness that had tinged his words only moments ago. "A second gate is excellent progress, Brandon. Well done! It is just a shame your accomplishment has occurred in this wretched place. Where I come from, we would have thrown a party to celebrate such a significant step forward."

"Thank you," I replied quietly, embarrassment creeping into my voice at the unexpected praise. It felt strange to be congratulated for an achievement amidst our ongoing torment.

"It is your secret, of course," Amerigo continued, "but in case you are unaware, each gate you unlock brings with it one of two possibilities: either your existing ability strengthens, or a new one entirely is revealed."

"You mean… you can have more than one power?" I asked incredulously, trying to process the enormity of this revelation.

"Of course!" he responded matter-of-factly. "Perhaps it is not common knowledge on a low level planet like this, but where I come from, it is well understood. It is not totally different though. The new ability will always relate closely to your original one. If you gain another power, it would be some other manifestation of healing, rather than something completely unrelated. But do not despair if no new ability emerges because I myself have experienced only enhancements, and I have heard of tremendously powerful individuals who have never gained additional abilities, only ever increasing the potency of their original gift as they reach incredible heights."

Amerigo trailed off wistfully, his words igniting my imagination. The thought of having not just one, but multiple abilities at my disposal. It seemed impossible. Just a short time before, I'd considered magic utterly out of my reach, a mere fantasy. Yet there I was, not only had I unlocked my second gate, but Amerigo's words had revealed a future filled with even greater possibilities. It was intoxicating to think of what else I would be able to do if I managed to progress, even trapped in this terrible place.

After taking a moment to steady myself, I asked the most pressing question in my mind: "How do I check if I've gained something new?"

Amerigo paused briefly, as if considering how best to phrase his answer. "It differs from person to person because abilities themselves are unique. The best approach is typically to channel mana carefully, and while doing so, search inside yourself. Reach beyond the sensation you know is your healing, and see if something new feels available, something unfamiliar yet connected."

After another brief pause, he spoke again, a warning entering his voice. "But be cautious, Brandon. You have already used a significant amount of mana today. If you push yourself too far, Sebastian will notice your reduced reserves, and he will respond accordingly."

He was right to caution me—I knew it logically—but the thrill of potential discovery overrode all caution. I had most of my mana left, and I knew I still had time to recover somewhat before Sebastian's next expected visit. With determination surging through me, I returned my focus inward, diving back into the exploration of my newfound capabilities.

Controlling two gates proved incredibly difficult, like having to learn all over again how to open and close them. If it weren't for the shackles burning me when I exceeded their limits, I would have emptied my mana reserves almost instantly. Yet I felt as though fortune smiled on me that day; just as the searing pain forced me to stop, I discovered my answer.

An instinctual awareness blossomed inside me as my mana reached a certain threshold and I felt the sudden, profound understanding that I could reshape my own body at will. It was as though I could mold myself into any form I desired simply by directing my mana accordingly. The realization sent a thrill through me, igniting hope and excitement for the first time in what felt like forever.

That night, I fell into the deepest, most restful sleep I'd had in ages. Despite my circumstances, my mind raced eagerly with all the incredible possibilities my newfound power might unlock.

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