As Ajax and Donte prepared to leave the dormitory in search of Silas, a creaking of the door drew their attention. Silas stumbled into the room, his movements unsteady, and collapsed to the ground before them with a dull thud.
Concern etched deep lines into Ajax's and Donte's faces as they rushed to Silas's side, kneeling beside him. "Silas, what happened?" Donte's voice trembled with worry.
Silas's lips curled into a weak smile, but his eyes betrayed the pain that lurked beneath the surface. "I'm fine," he insisted, his voice strained with effort. "Just... a little tired, that's all."
But even as he spoke the words, Ajax and Donte could see through the facade of bravado, could sense the darkness that clung to him like a shroud. Blood began to seep through Silas's clothes, staining the fabric with dark patches. Ajax's eyes widened in horror as he noticed the bruises marring Silas's skin, evidence of the punishment he had endured.
Anger boiled within Ajax's chest at the injustice of it all. "How could they do this to you?" he demanded, his voice tinged with fury.
Silas offered a weak smile, though it was tinged with pain. "It's not their fault," he said softly. "Bane is... difficult."
Ajax's fists clenched with rage at the injustice of it all, his mind reeling with the thought of Silas enduring such torment alone. "Those bastards," he growled, his voice laced with venom. "We have to do something."
But Silas shook his head, a note of resignation in his voice. "No, Ajax," he said firmly, his eyes meeting his friend's with a steely resolve. "We can't risk it. Not yet."
Though Ajax and Donte bristled with the desire to retaliate, they knew that Silas was right. They were powerless to fight back against their captors, at least for now.