#yourperfectreflection

The words became a mantra for Leon after the Emperor had visited him. His body ached from the torture he had endured. It felt like his body had been torn to shreds and set on fire, and every movement caused him pain. If there was any skin not covered in blood, cuts, and bruises, it was well hidden from him. He was so cold, so hungry, so thirsty, and he was begging for death to release him from his suffering.

Then the Emperor had visited him. Kneeling down in front of him, he spoke of promises in his ear. He promised freedom, comfort, power...all if the young man served him faithfully. The offer seemed like Heaven compared to his current state. Too good to be true, but too good to pass up.

He accepted, and now, he was waiting to be taken away from the dungeons and to his new life. He'd be healed and fed and given clothes and his own room and bed. Even back at his old home, he had shared a room with his brothers growing up. Just thinking about them made his eyes water.

They're gone... Everyone is gone... They're all dead...

Suddenly, he was drawn out of his thoughts by his cell door opening. While he was excited to finally leave, he still curled up and trembled, the torment those demons had put him through still fresh in his mind. He knew they were demons now, something he suspected but never confirmed. They were inhuman, and their cruelty and contempt for humanity was clear to him.

Pulling him out of his ball, one of the demons pinned him up against the wall, holding him there by his wrists. All he could do was squirm weakly in a futile attempt to escape his grasp. Another one brought forward a torch and something sharp and metallic, and a third stayed behind in case they needed assistance.

The second demon took the metallic object, a long, thin knife, and placed it in the fire, holding it there for a few minutes. Leon became horrified and panicked, thrashing against the demon holding him down. They laughed at him as he struggled in vain to break free.

"Relax, boy," the third demon said, condescendingly patting his head. "Think of it as...a brand. You belong to the Emperor and his empire now. This will just be a reminder since you humans need to be reminded so often." He said the word 'humans' like he had just spat out a deadly venom.

With the knife finally glowing orange, the second demon positioned it above his hip. Leon squeezed his eyes shut, not wishing to see the inevitable.