Earth's Greatest Magus
Earth's Greatest Magus - Chapter 1676: Prison

A flood of realization crashed over Emery as he surveyed his surroundings. It only took a matter of minutes for him to decipher the grim truth - he was entrapped in some sort of elven prison or a processing center. Hauled through the labyrinthine fortress-like space station, he was an unwilling participant in this macabre procession.

As he was dragged along, Emery passed by several clusters of humans in similar predicaments, their eyes mirroring the fear and confusion he felt. There was an air of grim despair that hung heavy around these clusters, a mute testimony to the ordeal they were all enduring.

Next, he was led towards a nondescript room from which the gut-wrenching screams of agony were echoing out. Once again, Emery found himself cursing the Nephilim princess under his breath, her betrayal and manipulation landing him in this dire situation.

With a jolt of dread, Emery crossed the threshold of the room. His gaze was immediately drawn to a human figure being unceremoniously dragged out of the room. The man was limp, a puppet with its strings cut, either lost in unconsciousness or, perhaps more mercifully, dead.

His attention was then diverted to the room's centerpiece. A crimson orb, a sinister glow emanating from it, hovered ominously at the room's heart. It was encircled by an array of unfamiliar, menacing machines and a solitary, intimidating chair.

A dark elf, conspicuous in his attire that differed from the rest, was waiting for him. He was draped in a sleek, silvery robe that shimmered under the sterile light of the room, his eyes gleaming with disconcerting anticipation. His lips curled into a predatory smile as he studied Emery.

"Now, who is this lucky one?" he queried, his voice as cold and unwelcoming as the room itself.

Emery was forcefully restrained into the imposing chair, the cold metal bindings encircling his wrists and ankles with an unyielding firmness. The dark elf, with a chilling calmness, produced a small, unique-looking knife that had an eerie sheen under the sterile lighting of the room. With surgical precision, the elf made a shallow cut across Emery's face. A bead of blood welled up from the wound, which the elf promptly collected and dropped into the machine.

It took only a second for the machine to whir into life, its mechanical hum resonating throughout the room. The elf's eyes flickered to the screen before a satisfied smirk tugged at his lips. "Emery Ambrose, ahh… Level one… you are quite a troublesome human, aren't you? And the Demon's Pit…" He let out a chuckle that echoed ominously in the room, his smile widening, "Perfect."

With the announcement, "Level one treatment for Level one prisoner," the dark elf commenced his examination. Using his tool, he meticulously inspected Emery's physique, his eyes sharp and scrutinizing. Every inch was thoroughly checked, ensuring that Emery had not hidden any items or weapons on him. Having concluded his physical inspection, the dark elf turned his attention back to the machine.

The elf's eyes lit up with curiosity as he read through the machine's analysis. "You are a known space magic user, now this is interesting," he mused aloud, a sense of intrigue coloring his voice.

As the crimson sphere began to glow brighter, a renewed wave of anxiety washed over Emery. He feared that the elf would discover the existence of the Khaos Gate. He could feel an unsettling sensation of his soul being probed deeply. It took a moment before the elf broke the tense silence, his voice laced with skepticism. "Hmmm, either the information was wrong or whatever it was, artifact or what it was no longer there."

Just when Emery thought the ordeal was over, the dark elf's voice cut through the heavy silence. "Doesn't matter, even if you can hide our abilities you will not be able to hide from this." His smile widened grotesquely as the crimson sphere brightened up.

A wave of excruciating pain exploded in Emery's head, spreading down to his chest and permeating his very soul. It was as if his chest was being skewered by a sharp spear, each puncture multiplying his agony tenfold. A scream threatened to erupt from his throat, but seeing the perverse joy the elf derived from his pain, Emery managed to bite it back.

"Dont bother to resist. Even a full moon magus soul could not escape this!" the dark elf cackled, his laughter echoing ominously in the room.

Emery could feel that his innate ability, [Emperor's focus], offered some resistance, but his still unrecovered soul was simply not strong enough to hold on. A cold, invasive notification seeped into his mind, chilling him to his core.

[Your soul has been shackled]

The elf's voice rang out, devoid of any warmth or sympathy. "All done, hope you enjoy your new home."

After the ordeal in the room with the crimson orb, Emery found himself wrestling with lingering waves of torment that rippled through his soul, leaving him physically exhausted and spiritually wounded. The overwhelming sensation was such that the reality of his surroundings took several moments to seep back into his consciousness.

An ominous feeling gripped him as he realized that he'd been subjected to something profoundly wicked. Soul binding, as he deduced, was a heinous act of the dark elves, harnessing an individual's spirit for purposes unbeknownst to him.

After such a process, Emery was surprised to find the guards to even dare to release him from his restrain. That alone spoke volumes of the potency of the soul-binding spell. It was a testament to the terrible situation Emery found himself in.

Emery was led towards a vast, open area. His bloodshot eyes took in the sight of dozens of other human prisoners, all of them bearing the same expressions of fear, despair, and resignation. Before them stood a dark elf, his commanding presence radiating an air of absolute authority. He introduced himself as the warden, his chilling voice echoing ominously in the large space.

With a sense of cruel satisfaction, the warden began to brief the group about their grim future. His words outlined the various designations for their new 'homes' - Darksteel Citadel, Blackstar Bastions, and finally, the Demon's Pit. As the last name slipped off the warden's tongue, a wicked smile twisted his lips, his eyes glinting with malicious joy.

"Now for those selected into the Demon's Pit, it's your lucky day! There is one batch going down today!" His words were laced with a perverse excitement, his smile never leaving his face.

Out of the dozens of disheartened prisoners, only three, including Emery, were singled out from the crowd and led away from the area. Emery could hardly hide his surprise as they were ushered towards a dock-like area with a small spaceship waiting for them.

With a pointed urgency, the dark elf barked at them, "Hurry! Get inside! Everyone is waiting!!"

The name 'Demon's Pit' now took on a whole new meaning in Emery's mind. Far from just a section within the massive space station, it was, in fact, an entirely separate facility.

Guided through the dimly lit cargo hold of the spaceship, Emery met with the gazes of twenty more prisoners like himself. Each one bore the energy signature of a Magus, yet their expressions were of abject despair. The crushing weight of their impending fate seemed to hang over them like a shroud.

As the heavy metallic doors of the spaceship slid shut with a resonating thud, the finality of the situation hit home. The deafening hum of the engines firing up was like a mournful dirge, emphasizing the dire straits they were in. Amidst the cacophony, a desperate plea pierced the gloom.

"Please, I am Silo from the Arcanum faction, please help me and you will be highly rewarded," begged one man, his tear-streaked face etched with sheer terror.

His plea hung in the air, but was met with no response. Each prisoner was wrapped up in their own thought, their minds grappling, preparing for what was ahead of them.

Their journey was short but palpable in tension. Through the small window in the cargo hold, they could see the swirling red sphere of a crimson planet growing increasingly larger.

As they descended, closer to the surface of the planet, an unexpected maneuver took everyone by surprise. Without any attempt to land, the ship abruptly detached the cargo hold they were in. Suddenly, they found themselves in a free-falling capsule, diving down toward the crimson planet below.