Chapter 3 Nightmare

Back home, Julian Pierce felt exhausted after a long, eventful day. He looked around his familiar room, trying to relax his mind. Liam Brooks' words still lingered in his thoughts.

"What a strange screenwriter," he sighed, collapsing onto the sofa.

He opened the fridge, took out a bottle of water, and stepped onto the balcony. Darkness enveloped the sky over the always vibrant and brightly lit city.

That night, after showering and getting into bed, Julian quickly fell into a deep sleep. The surroundings were no longer his familiar room; a dimly lit candle on a round table made everything appear hazy and mysterious. The strange room was lavishly decorated with intricate details, with silk curtains draping a large bed. This was likely a room belonging to an aristocrat from ancient times.

In the corner of the room, a young man with a delicate, fragile appearance was bound tightly with iron chains, kneeling. Long black hair cascaded down his slender shoulders, highlighting his smooth, fair skin. His white clothes were stained with blood, enhancing his fragile yet resilient beauty. His eyes were closed, his head drooping in exhaustion. In the dim light of the dark room, Julian couldn't clearly see his facial features, but he could feel the allure of the young man.

Suddenly, the door burst open, and a tall man walked in. He wore elaborate black robes embroidered with dragon patterns, exuding an aura of authority and power. The man approached the young man, his cold eyes slowly lifting the young man's chin.

"You're still as stubborn as ever." The voice was cold and commanding.

The young man's eyelids fluttered, his pale lips moved, and his voice was weak but determined:

"Just kill me."

The tall man suddenly tightened his grip, squeezing the young man's face, his eyes filled with anger as he snarled:

"Kill you? Very well, but before that, you will be mine."

The young man opened his phoenix eyes, showing disdain as he looked at the man.

" Stop wasting your efforts; I will never change."

"Then let me tell you my plan." The tall man smiled with a hint of malice.

"First, your people. Reed Jace and Leo Grant, they are just like you, willing to die. And Harrison Ryder, a general of Helios, dared to betray me and take my people away."

The tall man sneered, his tone becoming even more venomous:

"Helios' 36 tortures, you probably haven't seen them before, have you? To broaden your horizons, I'll bring one of your men before you every day, so you can watch him writhe in agony through each torture. Let's see how long you can keep that mouth of yours shut. The fun doesn't stop there; you've been away from home for a long time, so you must miss your father, mother, and brothers, right? Taking this opportunity, I'll raze Aria and bring them to Helios to reunite with you. How does that sound? Are you happy?"

The young man suddenly trembled. Each word from the man was like a dagger to his heart. Images of his father, mother, and brothers flashed in his mind, and the fear rose uncontrollably.

"You... you want to be a tyrant forever scorned?"

The tall man laughed, his eyes still cold.

"You know I don't joke. My patience is running thin, Ethan Caelan. If you don't obey, I'll destroy everything you love and cherish. The only thing left for you will be me."

The tall man raised an eyebrow, his eyes showing ruthlessness and determination.

"A tyrant? Who dares mention that besides you? I am the king, the one who holds power, the one who decides everything, including your fate. But Ethan, who among Reed Jace, Leo Grant, and Harrison Ryder will die first tomorrow? I'll let you decide."

Ethan now resembled a small bird that had its claws cut and wings clipped, cornered by a beast. He had no choice, knowing that any resistance was futile against this man's cruelty.

"Please don't harm them. I... I'll listen to you."

The man looked at Ethan, his gaze softening slightly but still hiding his cruelty.

"Fine, everything will depend on you, but only if you please me tonight," he said, his voice commanding.

With that, the man bent down and removed the iron chains from Ethan. The young man immediately collapsed onto the floor, his body exhausted and powerless. The man lifted him, carrying him gently to the bed as if he were handling a precious item.

"Father, forgive your unworthy son for failing to uphold the family's honor," Ethan whispered, closing his eyes. Tears of humiliation and endurance streamed down his cheeks, glistening in the weak candlelight.

Julian stood there, feeling a chill run down his spine. He couldn't move, couldn't speak, only able to watch the cruel scene unfold before him. His heart pounded, each word from the man stabbing into his soul, unable to believe this was how humans treated each other.

Julian jolted awake, sweat pouring down his forehead. He sat up, gasping for breath, feeling like he had just experienced a horrifying nightmare.

"What the hell? Why did I have such a strange dream?" Julian muttered to himself, trying to calm down.

Images of Ethan, the pitiful young man in his dream, kept flashing in his mind, as if he had lived through every moment of humiliation and pain. The scene in the dream was too vivid and somewhat familiar.

"That's it, it's Liam Brooks' script." He vaguely realized that the dream wasn't just a random nightmare but was closely related to Ethan's story in the script "The King's Lover."

"Could reading the script have haunted me?" Julian wondered. He took a deep breath, trying to steady himself.

He looked at the clock, it was only 5 a.m. Unable to go back to sleep, he decided to change his schedule a bit to lift his spirits: a motorcycle ride to enjoy the fresh air.