The Breaking (The Eternal Dungeon)

"'Do you have any questions?' the Seeker asked. 'About the routine of the dungeon? The times you will be fed? The questions you will be asked? The instruments of torture I use?'" The prisoner knew that the Eternal Dungeon was a place where suspected criminals were broken by torture, and he was prepared to hold out against any methods used against him – except the method he could not anticipate. Arrested on the charge of committing a particularly horrendous murder, young Elsdon Taylor arrives at the Eternal Dungeon in fear of the harsh methods used by the torturers, called Seekers, to draw confessions from their prisoners. But his Seeker's methods are for more devious than Elsdon had expected. Now Elsdon is faced with a choice that will shape his future . . . as well as the future of his Seeker. This 27,000-word novella can be read on its own or as the first story in The Eternal Dungeon, a historical fantasy series set in a land where the psychologists wield whips. === Reviews of the series === "The reader is immersed seamlessly into another world filled with lush characters. The world building is intricately woven into the narrative, creating the framework of politics, religion, and culture that gives the story substance and the characters background." —Five-star review by Caethes Faron. "I've read 'The Eternal Dungeon' twice, and both times, I finished with the feeling of having left a real world behind. It draws the reader from story to story, leading you on with deeper insights into its characters, and plot twists that take you completely by surprise." —Five-star review by Catana. "If you fear reading [these stories] because the physical manifestation of torture doesn't appeal, you'll miss a truly great read. 'The Eternal Dungeon' is in essence the story of psychology. It's a story about the mind, not the body. It's a story about madness and sanity. It's the story about love given unreservedly to one who feels undeserving of that love. It's a story about sacrifice on every level." —Five-star review by A. B. Gayle.