Silence. There was silence, blessed silence, for now. He relaxed in the grip of his chains, breathing slowly and deeply. As long as there was silence, as long as the screams didn't fill the darkness anymore, he could relax. For now. Click. Click. Click. Click. The sharp footfalls sounded off like bullets inside of his skull. The door opened; a bright rectangle filled with the silhouette of evil. A low voice laughed; the noise felt like salt on an open wound to his ears. He glared at the shadow in the doorway, wishing the silence would return. "Stop glowering at me, child. It's far too late for you." The lights flickered on, blindingly bright. With a soft cry, he shut his dark eyes against the light. It made his features all too clear. "You know, you're the only one left." The voice was casual, as though he were speaking about the weather, and not the lives of several people. He felt hot tears threaten the corner of his eyes; with his jaw clenched around a sob, he nodded. The screams, they'd belonged to the others. He could barely remember their faces. "The all died before imparting any useful information. That's why I saved you for last." He didn't say anything, didn't even open his eyes. Almost sadly, his captor sighed. "You're only making this harder for yourself. I can push you to the edge of sanity and then crush your broken mind like chalk and use your body as a toy. However, I could let you free with no memory of what happened here, if you just told me what I want to know. You would be normal" He shook his head, though the idea was tempting, and closed his eyes tighter. People had died protecting this secret. He wouldn't let them down. Besides, he no longer remembered what the subject of the conversation was about. "You leave me no choice, my friend. I wish I did not have to do this." Cold steel against his skin. A match guttered into life. The smell of melting tallow, boiling hot. His eyes snapped open, as the first drops hit his skin. Scream. His thoughts ran in panicked, pain filled circles, futilely searching for an escape. Pain fire burn pain burn burn burn fire pain pain PAIN! No no no noonoonoooo...cold water. Swift streams green forests, home...For a moment, the pain ebbed, as he dimly remembered the bright green leaves of spring and the cool breezes that surrounded his memories of home. "You don't escape that easily." Bright green leaves...Burning trees, forest fires, searing burning fire pain! No! Cold water, quiet stream...swift flowing river of molten rock pain! His thoughts became incomprehensible and wildly twisted. After six of his fingers were seared off, he could barely even hear his own screams. They served as a faint counterpoint to the ruthless questioning. "Tell me where the key is. Who has it?" The voice was calm, deadly calm, almost conversational. His screams managed to find words, even as his eyes met his tormentor's. I don't know I don't know I don't know! Then he could feel nothing but pain, hear nothing but sizzling flesh, smell nothing but smoldering skin, and see nothing but the eyes of his tormentor. Eyes like blood in the moonlight, filling his vision until there was nothing else. Even after his other senses went numb, he still saw those eyes, staring into his soul. They were the last thing he saw. After that, there was nothing.