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"You actually don't know the situation you are in, do you?" a calm voice asked.
There was the sound of swords clashing. A fight was going on.
"Bastard, I'll kill you, I'll fucking kill you, I swear. I'll kill this damn sword. I'LL KILL YOU ALL!" But in return, all the owner of voice received was more beating.
"Hey, don't go too rough on him, Prisma. Did you forget you can't kill him? He's just not in the right state of mind right now."
The sword paused. But the next moment it got blasted into the wall.
"Take that, you pieces of garbage. How you like that, hah?" But a moment later the fight intensified even more.
"I SAID NO KILLING!" Nobody cared what the voice said anymore.
"Man, why is this so hard?" The next moment the sword disappeared in sparks.
The room got quiet for a moment.
"I did it. I fucking killed that thing.... NOW, IT'S YOUR TURN, BASTARD!"
"Ah... What a pain in the ass" a tired voice was heard.
.....
.....
Sunny woke up. Tied to the bed again.
He was struggling. Trying to break free. But the amount of 'ropes' made it hard to even move. Let alone break free.
"RELEASE ME, BASTARD. I'M GONNA KILL YOU. I'M GONNA CRACK OPEN YOUR SKULL. RELEASE ME NOW!" Sunny shouted at the top of his lungs, struggling wildly.
"You know, you're gonna break this nice bed at this rate. That would be such a waste... HEY, STOP MOVING!"
With the sound of a slap, the struggle stopped.
Only to get increased by tenfold.
CREAK CREAK
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA" A high cry, but everything turned silent once again.
"What am I going to do!"
....
Sunny woke up.
"YAAAAAAAAAAAAAA....."
Silence returned again.
....
Sunny woke up.
"NOOOOOOOOOOO....."
Silence again.
....
Sunny woke up.
"STOOOOOOO....."
Silence again.
....
Sunny woke up.
"I'LL KILL Y...."
Silence again.
....
After who knows how long, there was no sound. Not again.
Everything was said. Everything was tried. Every curse was spoken.
But it didn't work. He always found himself asleep again.
Countless times.
No choice worked. No threat was heard. Nothing.
So Sunny stopped.
"You are like a wild beast, you know that? Didn't knew you were so savage deep down." The voice said.
Sunny didn't reply.
He couldn't reply.
His throat ached from all that screaming. When he tried to speak again only air came out.
"I just want you to listen to me for a bit. Is it so hard to just listen? I'm not gonna use your true name, I swear. If I wanted to, I would have done that already. You understand? So you can rest easy. And hear me out for a bit." The stranger said.
Sunny looked at the man.
"Uhnthie mhe" Sunny spoke with a hoarse voice.
"What?"
"UHNTIE MhE, YHOU BASTARHD!" Sunny shouted.
"You won't attack me once I untie you again, right?" Asked the stranger.
"No..."
"Glad to hear that." The man removed the ropes. Trying to be gentle. Sunny looked in pain.
But just as his one hand was released, Sunny punched the bastard square in the face.
The man was launched two feet back.
But Sunny didn't move again.
He said softly, "...Promises."
....
"You really are something else, man." said the Stranger, blood running down his nose.
"But I see you finally calmed down enough to pull a trick like this. So you can hear what I have to say." Said the stranger.
Sunny didn't reply.
"What I told you is the only solution where you win at the end."
"And why do you react so strongly whenever you hear yourself being turned into a slave?"
The stranger asked.
Sunny just glared at him with bloodshot eyes.
"I mean your aspect is all about turning you into a slave. Surely you have thought about a day when it will come true, right?" The stranger explained.
"Ok, I'll tell you your situation in very clear words."
"You. are. a. slave. Did you hear that? It doesn't matter if you have a master or not, it doesn't matter if people know your true name or not, at the end of the day, your aspect makes you a slave." The stranger said as if it were a matter of fact.
"And you think just by hiding your True name you can escape your fate? For how long? There are people out there who can read your mind. There are nightmare creatures who can see your whole damn life as if watching a movie.
How long will you hide it, hah? You didn't manage to keep it hidden from a blind sleeper. So what were you thinking?
Or maybe you were planning to turn yourself deaf so you won't hear those words, is that it? Do you think that is going to work?"
"What I'm telling you is your only option right now. You may find something better in the future but right now this is your only option, you got that?"
There was silence.
"You need to find yourself a master, so no one can use this weakness against you."
Silence...
...
...
...
"What's the difference?"
...
"What will be the difference? What will be the difference if I get enslaved by her or if I willingly find someone else?" Sunny asked with a shaky voice.
"I will become a slave at the end."
"I don't want that.... I don't want that to happen." He said amidst tears.
"There IS a difference."
Sunny turned towards the stranger.
"There is a major difference. It's the person who you are tied to, Sunny"
"If you are tied to her, then you can't escape. Never."
"But"
"If you are tied to someone else, you can try to break free."
"Whenever you want."
"On the price of that person's life." The stranger revealed finally.
"It's not an option with her. You like her too much. You can't kill her. That's why you won't be able to break free from her."
"But it isn't the case with others, is it?"
Sunny didn't reply. Deep in thought.
He understood now. What the stranger was trying to do. He really understood... But-
"How long?..." Sunny asked. "How long will I spend running from one place to another."
"How long will I pretend that I have some control when in reality I wouldn't have any?"
"Do you want me to run from one master to another for the rest of my life? Is that it? Is that your grand plan?" Sunny asked in a loud voice.
"Yeah that's the plan. But with just a minor change." The stranger said.
"You don't have to do this for the rest of your life."
"You only have to do it until you get rid of those chains entirely." The stranger said with a smile.
....
....
....
"You won't believe what I found?" A loud voice was heard outside Sunny's room.
"He is a jackpot, I'll tell you, he's a jackpot."
"He's just perfect, like you two were match made in heaven."
Sunny was quiet. Sitting on the couch.
The Stranger finally entered.
"I found a suitable target." He told Sunny.
....
....
Two guys were walking towards the outer settlement.
One was loud, one was quiet.
"So I was just asking strangers if they would be interested in a deal with the devil? And suddenly this old man appeared in front of me asking 'how many soul shards?' I was like 'How can someone so old actually be a sleeper?' like that's just crazy. I know, this place has been running for quite a while but I didn't know I would actually see an old man, can you believe it?"
The loud one said to the quieter guy who didn't say anything.
"Ok, so I cracked a good deal, the man understands everything. I hope. Once we are done here, if he shows his face to me or you, we have the right to kill him. Same goes for spreading the info, or even mentioning our names."
"But honestly, I don't think it will ever come to that. That man looked like he was walking with a foot in the grave. Maybe he just wanted to enjoy his remaining days inside the castle walls, instead of rotting here in the outer settlement. So what do you think?"
Silence.
"Do I really have to do this?... There must be an...."
SMACK
"How many times have I explained the situation to you already. Do you have Dawn syndrome or what? And after I wasted so much time explaining? Man, what a pain." The loud guy said.
"Listen, you just go with it for now. Only for now. If you don't like it, kill the guy. Nobody will give a damn. People die like rats here. So just go through this."
SMACK
"You can do this, tiger!"
SMACK
"Go, get the old man."
"And there's also a surprise for you, for extra reassurance." The loud guy said with a smile.
....
They moved. In front of a tattered camp.
The place was filthy. Outside, a man in his forties was waiting for them. But the man looked way older for some reasons.
"So that's the guy. Name is Carl. He's in this place for....."
"Wait, How long have you been here, old man?" asked the loud guy.
"Oh, it's been quite a long time. I don't even remember how long. But when I was younger, I used to live in that castle over there" the old man pointed at the dark castle in the distance.
"But then I grew weaker, and couldn't pay-"
"Old man, we aren't interested in hearing your life story. So get to work already."
"Oh, kids these days don-"
"OLD MAN"
"OK, OK, but I don't seem to recall the Name you told me, what was it?"
SMACK
"YOU HEAR THAT. That's the best part."
"Old man, tell him your flaw."
"My flaw... Let me check, I haven't seen it in days."
A moment passed.
"It says... I will forget important details."
SMACK
"YOU HEAR THAT?"
"I HEARD THAT, BASTARD. LOUD AND CLEAR. AND STOP SMACKING ME OR I'LL KILL YOU." The quieter guy turned louder.
"Ok, ok, chill man. I was just excited. You know, you couldn't have asked for someone better. Maybe this old man will forget about us in just a few days."
"And even if he doesn't, he isn't long for this world. Maybe He'll even die at the battle of crimson spire."
"Wait, that might actually be a problem."
"Ah, who cares. We'll deal with it when time comes."
"So tell him your true name."
Silence.
"I can't..... I don't wanna." Said the quite guy. "But you can tell him." A quiet voice followed.
"Ok then. You aren't backing from this now. Come with me, old man."
The old man and loud guy moved a bit further.
Soon they returned.
"So, you ready, boy?" Asked the old man.
"No... I am not."
"Well, I don't have much time left so I'll do it anyway. Lost From Light." Just like that something shifted in air.
Silence.
Pin drop.
"Come with me old man."
The loud guy took the old man a bit further and shook his hand.
"You can sell these for a small fortune. Enough to spend your last days in luxury."
"Now get lost. If I ever see you again, I'll kill you myself, you hear?"
"Ok, I get it, sheesh" the old man walked away.
"WAIT"
The old man stopped and turned around.
"I want to know."
"I want to know how it feels" the quiet guy said.
"Are you sure? We don't have to do this, you know?"said the loud guy.
"No, I want to know. I need to know how it feels. I want to know if it's as bad as you have described."
"Old man," the quieter guy moved towards the old man.
"Tell me to do something. Tell me to do anything."
"Ok, let me think of so-"
"Wait, I'll tell you.... I won't be able to do this otherwise.... so... tell me to meet Cassie."
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