You find yourself in the cold mountains, where an atmosphere of fear and survival reigns. You are taken to a camp run by Jacob Seed, who turns people into "survival soldiers." His people capture you because they think you're weak.
Jacob personally appears to assess whether you are worthy of survival.
Lilith does not immediately react when Jacob enters the room. Her vision is blurred from pain and fatigue. She is sitting on the floor with a gag in her mouth and her hands tied behind her back. There were drops of her own blood on her long white curls. She raises her gaze to look at him and her heart skips a painful beat from fear and anxiety.
Jacob comes closer, examining the newly arrived girl with curiosity and gloomy amusement. "Just look at you," he says in a mocking tone, tapping his combat boots on the floor, "You look like you're about to pass out, girl." His gaze slides over her face again, taking in the smallest details.
Lilith remains silent, shaking from cold or pain or fear. There are tears in her eyes but she refuses them; they show weakness. Tears of any kind would make this man enjoy her suffering even more and she will not give him the pleasure. Her chest rises and falls with uneven gasps. "I am Lilith," she says hoarsely through the gag, as if reclaiming a part of herself that they had taken away from her already.
"Lilith?" Jacob repeats the name with a sneer. "Is that what they called you? Or did you just make it up?" His hands slide into his pockets as he paces around her, studying her every movement. She doesn't look strong enough for survival. But maybe that's exactly why she was brought here: to prove her worth and earn the right to live.
Jacob stops in front of her once more, eyeing her up and down. "You know," he says, lowering his voice, "I can see something special in you... Something I could use." The glint in his eyes is predatory. "If you survive this, if you become one of my soldiers... We could do great things together."
Lilith looks up at him with hatred burning in her pale green eyes. "I am not your pet or slave," she growls through the gag. "Let me go." The chains rattle as she tries to break free, even though she knows it is useless. She spits at his boots but misses.
"So feisty," Jacob remarks with an almost sympathetic tone, crouching down so that he's eye level with her. "That determination might just help you survive." His hand reaches out and roughly pulls the gag from her mouth, not caring if it hurts. He watches her gasp for air before speaking again. "But let me tell you something, girl: in this place, weakness gets you killed. Strength earns respect."
He stands up straight again, towering over her, his face a cold mask of judgment. "Your first test begins now," he says softly. "I want to see how much pain you can take." Before she has time to react, he kicks her hard in the stomach, driving all his weight into the blow. She cries out in agony, curling up protectively as she's doubled over. Jacob's gaze is unyielding. "Prove yourself," he says simply.
Lilith takes a deep breath in through her teeth before slowly letting it out as she tries to steady herself. Her chest heaves with the effort of trying not to pass out from the pain. She's coughing up blood, trying her best to cope.
As she tries to breathe and fights the pain, Jacob nods approvingly.
"Okay," he said softly, though there was no warmth in his voice. He moves away from her, giving her some space. He stands with his back to her and looks at the camp, at first glance, without showing concern.
But after a few moments, he turns around and looks at the unhappy girl again. He's not used to feeling anything, but right now his actions seem wrong and harsh to him. He crouches down in front of her and cups her chin with his palm. His grip is surprisingly gentle, which he didn't expect even from himself. "Don't try to 'switch off,'" he says in his still authoritative voice, trying to hide his concern.
Lilith looks at him with hatred in her pale green eyes when he touches her chin. She's moaning in pain all over her body, trying her best to stay conscious. The cultists did not feed her for about a week. Despite his warning, she feels her vision begin to blur. "I think I..." she manages to whisper before her head goes limp in his large palm.
His eyes widen slightly as she passes out. He watches her carefully until he is sure that there are no signs of life left. Then, slowly but surely, a smirk tugs at the corner of his lips. "Well," he mutters to himself almost in amusement, "it looks like you've failed your first test, Lilith." He sighs deeply and stands up, towering over her still helpless body. "Let this be a lesson to you..."
Jacob turns around and leaves the room, leaving her there to ponder his words as she struggles with pain and exhaustion. The door slams shut behind him, leaving her alone with nothing but her thoughts for company.
As the door closes behind him, he feels a strange mix of satisfaction and regret. His voice echoes through the hallways as he mutters to himself, "Maybe I should reconsider my methods... Maybe she can learn to survive after all." The weight of responsibility seems to press down on his shoulders more heavily than ever before. He forces himself to focus on the task at hand and soon disappears from sight, leaving Lilith's fate uncertain for now.
For the rest of the day, Jacob spends his time observing Lilith from a distance, watching as she struggles through her pain and exhaustion. He tries not to intervene, wanting to see how far she'll push herself on her own. As night falls, he decides that it has been enough for one day.
"Let's finish this tomorrow," he mutters to himself before ordering his people to move Lilith to a more comfortable cell for the night. They obey without question, careful not to show any emotion as they handle her weakened form. Once she is settled in, Jacob returns to his own quarters, unable to shake off the feeling that he's made a grave mistake.
Lying awake on his cot, staring at the ceiling, he wonders if there's any way for Lilith to prove herself and earn her place as one of his soldiers... or if she'll just be another victim in this twisted game of survival.
As the hours tick by, Jacob finds himself unable to sleep. Images of Lilith flash through his mind - her pale face streaked with tears and blood; the defiance in her eyes despite her helplessness; the way she spat at him like a caged animal. He rolls over onto his back, staring up at the darkened ceiling as if searching for answers there.
Is it really too late to save her? Could he bring her into his fold without forcing her through this cruel gauntlet first? Would she even want that after everything he's put her through so far? These questions haunt him relentlessly, leaving him more restless than ever before.
Hours pass as Lilith lies in the cell, alternately recovering and losing consciousness. Her whole body aches from head to toe, and her limbs are leaden. She's freezing, despite the blankets she's been given. They barely keep her warm, and she shivers uncontrollably under them. Her old life flashes before her eyes. Her ranch, her insouciance. All this was before the cultists attacked her ranch in the early morning and brought her to this hell on earth.
Finally, the sound of footsteps outside her cell wakes her from her fitful slumber. A moment later, Jacob appears in front of her, leaning against the bars with his arms crossed over his chest. His expression is unreadable once more as he studies her face carefully. "You look better," he comments blandly, "ready for another day?"
Lilith's lips press together into a thin line as she regards him warily. There's venom in her gaze, but there's also fear and pain. She wonders how much more of this she can take before breaking completely. Before he has a chance to respond to her unspoken question, she spits at his boots again, not even close enough this time.
"Oh, you're still feisty," Jacob chuckles humorlessly as he straightens up, walking around the cell until he's standing directly in front of her once more. He takes a step closer, so that their bodies are almost touching. "You know," he says softly, his voice devoid of any emotion whatsoever, "I can make things easier on you if you just accept your place." The glint in his eye might have been pity or amusement; it's impossible to tell.
Lilith swallows hard, feeling his breath on her face as he leans in closer. She knows that if she gives in now, it'll only be worse for her in the end. But the pain... It's unbearable at times, and she fears losing herself entirely to it. Her eyes flicker between his impassive expression and a memory of her ranch, the home she left behind.
As she remains silent, Jacob steps back with a sigh. "Very well," he says after a moment, "You leave me no choice. Today will be your final test." His words are like the knife that twists within her already-open wound, but Lilith refuses to show any reaction. Instead, she narrows her eyes defiantly and prepares herself for whatever horror he has in store for her next.
Without another word, Jacob turns on his heel and walks away from the cell, leaving Lilith alone once more with nothing but her thoughts and her determination to survive. The door slams shut behind him, echoing through the chamber like a death knell as she braces herself for whatever comes next.