Chapter 1

RAYNA

The cold, unyielding metal of the cell floor bit into my skin as I was unceremoniously thrown inside. My body ached from the rough handling, but I refused to let them see my pain. I scrambled to my feet, my heart pounding like a war drum in my chest. The air was thick with the stench of sweat and despair, clinging to me like a second skin.

"Enjoy your new home, human," sneered the Vorash guard, his insectoid mandibles clicking with what I assumed was amusement. "Maybe this time you'll learn your place."

I spun around, glaring at him through the energy barrier that had flickered to life across the cell entrance. "My place is back on Earth, you overgrown cockroach," I spat, my fists clenching at my sides.

The guard's compound eyes flashed dangerously. "Watch your tongue, slave, or I'll have it removed." With a final click of his mandibles, he turned and strode away, leaving me alone in the oppressive silence of the cell.

Or so I thought.

As my eyes adjusted to the dim light, I took in my surroundings. The cell was small, maybe ten feet by twelve, with shadows lurking in every corner. Moisture dripped from the ceiling, creating a rhythmic soundtrack to my newfound imprisonment. I had been in cells before, traded from one alien overlord to another, but this... this felt different. More final.

A low growl from the darkest corner of the cell made me freeze. My breath caught in my throat as a hulking form stepped into what little light filtered through a skylight.

He was enormous, easily three times my size, with skin the color of moss-covered stone. Some type of tribal tattoos marked his skin while deep scars crisscrossed his chest and arms, telling tales of battles I could only imagine. His massive frame seemed to fill the entire cell, muscles rippling beneath his scarred green skin with each slight movement.

But it was his face that truly captured my attention. Fierce, intense eyes glowed like embers in the dim light, seeming to burn with an inner fire that even years of imprisonment couldn't extinguish. His jaw was strong and angular, with two massive tusks protruding from his lower lip. One tusk, however, was broken—jagged and shorter than its counterpart. The broken tusk made him look even more fearsome, more battle-hardened. I couldn't help but imagine the brutal fight that must have led to such an injury. What kind of enemy could have been powerful enough to break an orc's tusk and yet fall to this warrior?

The asymmetry of his tusks added an air of brutality to his already intimidating visage. It spoke of survival, of battles won against impossible odds. This was no ordinary warrior—this was a being who had faced death and emerged victorious, if not unscathed.

An orc. I had heard whispers of their kind, warriors bred for combat, but I had never seen one in the flesh. Now, I was locked in a cell with one, and not just any orc, but one who bore the marks of countless battles and unimaginable violence.

Fear gripped me, threatening to paralyze my limbs and steal my voice. My heart raced, and I could feel cold sweat breaking out on my skin. Every instinct screamed at me to cower, to make myself as small and unthreatening as possible. But deep within me, that spark of defiance that had kept me going through two years of slavery flared to life. I wouldn't let this alien, no matter how intimidating, see my terror.

I lifted my chin, forcing my shoulders back despite the trembling I felt in my core. My fists clenched at my sides as I willed them not to shake. "I'm not afraid of you," I declared, my voice steadier than I felt, even as my mind raced with images of what those massive hands and broken tusk could do to me if he chose.

The orc's eyes narrowed, his massive form shifting as he took a step closer. I could feel the raw power emanating from him, like heat from a furnace. Every instinct screamed at me to back away, to cower in the corner, but I stood my ground.

"You should be," he growled, his voice low and gravelly, like stones grinding together. "I've crushed skulls bigger than your head."

I swallowed hard, fighting to maintain my composure. "I've seen worse," I lied, hoping my voice didn't betray me. "And I'm still standing."

He tilted his head, studying me with those burning eyes. I felt exposed, vulnerable, but I refused to look away. We stood there, locked in a silent battle of wills, neither willing to back down.

"What are you?" he finally asked, curiosity mingling with the hostility in his tone.

"Human," I replied, a touch of pride creeping into my voice. "From Earth."

"Earth," he repeated, the word sounding strange in his guttural voice. "Never heard of it."

"It's a long way from here," I said, a pang of homesickness blindsiding me. "What about you? Where are you from?"

For a moment, I thought he wouldn't answer. His eyes seemed to cloud over, as if looking at something far beyond the confines of our cell. "Gorak'thor," he finally rumbled. "A world of fire and stone, where only the strong survive."

"Sounds charming," I muttered before I could stop myself.

To my surprise, a sound that might have been a chuckle escaped him. "It was home," he said, a note of wistfulness in his voice that caught me off guard.

The sound of heavy footsteps broke the moment. The orc's attention snapped to the door, a low growl rumbling in his chest. I tensed, preparing for whatever new horror awaited me.

"Looks like we've got company," I whispered, moving instinctively closer to my cellmate. Enemy or not, he was the only familiar thing in this alien nightmare.

The footsteps grew louder, accompanied by the harsh voices of Vorash guards. I caught fragments of their conversation—something about a "special prisoner" and "Commander Gor'tak's orders."

"They're coming for one of us," the orc growled, his massive fists clenching at his sides.

I nodded, my mind racing. "Any chance you've got a brilliant escape plan tucked away somewhere?"

He shot me a look that was part amusement, part exasperation. "If I did, do you think I'd still be here?"

"Fair point," I conceded, trying to ignore the way my heart was trying to beat its way out of my chest. "So, what's the play? We just stand here and let them take whoever they want?"

The orc's eyes met mine, and for a moment, I saw something there beyond the anger and hostility—a flicker of respect, perhaps? "We fight," he said simply. "Together."

I nodded, a grim smile tugging at my lips. "Together," I agreed, surprised by how right it felt to say that word. The weight of solitude had worn me down, making me desperately crave any semblance of companionship to confide in about the nightmares I'd endured. If anyone got it, this orc might.

As the cell door slid open, I couldn't help but wonder what twist of fate had thrown me into this cell, with this fearsome creature as my unexpected ally.

The Vorash guards burst into the cell, their insectoid bodies gleaming in the harsh light from the corridor. "Step back, prisoners!" one of them barked, brandishing a crackling energy baton.

I exchanged a quick glance with the orc, seeing my determination mirrored in his fierce gaze. Then, as one, we launched ourselves at our captors.

The cell erupted into chaos. I ducked under the swing of an energy baton, my fist connecting solidly with the softer underbelly of the nearest guard. He chittered in pain, stumbling backward. Beside me, the orc was a whirlwind of green muscle and savage fury, his massive fists sending guards flying.

For a moment, I dared to hope we might actually win. But then more guards poured in, and I felt the sting of an energy baton across my back. I cried out, my legs buckling beneath me.

As darkness crept in at the edges of my vision, I saw the orc still fighting, roaring defiance even as he was overwhelmed by sheer numbers. Our eyes met one last time, and I saw in his gaze a promise—this wasn't over.

Then the darkness took me.