Pressure.
That heavy burden.
Their sins.
All yours to bear.
Your chains.
They will tighten.
Your mind.
They will break it.
The Eternal Dream.
Or.
The eternal suffering.
Tell me.
Which way will you go?
To end it all.
Or a chance for redemption?
Pressure.
That pressure.
The feeling of burden weighing you down.
You know about it.
You know how heavy it is.
You've drowned yourself in the heaviness of guilt.
You know how impossible it is to bear Sin.
Countless voices, scattered around, some close, some far. Different mouths, but same words. Over and over again. In the center of these countless mouths, a small boy.
Crouching, blocking his ears. His tears streaming from his eyes as he heard these words. Again and again. These voices, clawing him from deep within. When the boy was about to be fully devoured by the voices, a bright light shone on him from above, like a spotlight in a play.
Then darkness, quiet, still. There were whispers but even that slowly fades away.
It took a moment before all the voices disappeared, leaving just an empty void behind.
How far will you go, to keep moving forward?
Then.
Crimson eyes opened in the darkness.
Unfamiliar. He was inside an unfamiliar room.
In a dark room, filled with all kinds of tools for torture, a man was laid down in a diagonal bed facing the door. The room was empty except for those, though there was oddly a single lantern lighting up the whole room.
Rueben scanned his surroundings silently, keeping his eyes narrow to give the illusion that he was still unconscious as he gathered information.
Then he saw a woman enter the room.
The woman was tall, a head taller than him. Wearing nothing but a tight black robe with a scarf, she strode inside with a blank smile on her face. Facing him, the woman grabbed a stool from the corner of the room and placed it down infront of him.
The woman crossed her legs and grabbed a small incision knife.
"Good evening."
Rueben stayed silent, his eyes still closed as if he was asleep.
The woman let out a short snortle and spoke, "There is no need to act, heretic. I know you are awake."
"...."
Still, Rueben persisted stubbornly. Refusing to even give away any reactions that might prove the woman's claims.
Even with his eyes closed, he could feel the woman coming closer, until she was just a feet away from him.
"Before i begin extracting information out of your mouth, i would like to introduce myself." The woman grabbed a stool and sat down in front of Rueben, her legs crossed as she stared.
"I am the High Priestess of the Church. Anointed by the Holy Pontiff, chosen by the Crimson Moon. I am also your tormentor, the one who will break you down till you cough up that sweet, sweet information you hide. I am Kasaya Belledomn."
Rueben stayed silent and still.
"Now its your turn, mr. spy. May i have the honor to know your name?"
"..."
The woman, Kasaya stared at him before chuckling, "Quite the actor. I like you already, I must say, you're quite an interesting fellow. Most of those i torture start begging me to spare their lives, there may have been some who attempted to be strong."
Kasaya leaned forward and whispered.
"Do you what happened to them in the end?"
Kasaya stood up from her seat and started casting a spell, her hands suddenly started oozing out an ethereal purple miasma as she touched Rueben's head. Rueben could feel an ominous aura on his head.
"They learned..."
She leaned in, close to his ears.
"...that resolve means nothing when fate has already chosen their end."
Then a shock of pain tore through Rueben's mind, unlike anything he had ever experienced. He could remember the pain of his limbs being cut, his body burned, a constant pain but never has he ever felt this pain.
A mind breaking pain, directly from his head. Like a migraine or an headache, but worse. He couldn't exactly explain what he felt, but it was painful, almost too much.
He let out a helpless sound, as his eyes darted around from the shock.
Rueben's eyes suddenly started crying, but instead of tears, it was blood. But that was just the beginning as soon after, his other orifices stared spilling blood as Rueben's body spasmed in shock.
"GAHK-! GRK-!!"
Rueben felt his whole body shake, as he trashed around but unable to move to much because he was bound. He tried to keep himself calm, but he couldn't even think straight because of the pain. He couldn't form a single thought in his head.
Kasaya smiled as she sat back down on the stool. Watching with an amused gaze. Like watching a tiger jump into a burning wheel in a circus.
"You're familiar with Theoretical Magic Affinity, yes?"
Kasaya asked brightly.
"A discipline where a practitioner uses pure logic, hypothesis, equations, rigorous deduction, to construct theories and then solve them. Once solved, those theories can be manifested into reality by channeling the ambient Supernatural and Spiritual Energy."
Rueben continued to trash around, letting out gasps for air, trying to breathe. He couldn't quite hear a word of what she's saying, his entire focus caught by the pain.
"But not many practitioners are able to solve all theories, or in this case, spells. Only being able to make use of one or two types of theories so these theories are divided into multiple paths."
She made a gesture as she continued.
"Elemental Path, Magical Path, Mystery Path, so on and so forth. So long as the practitioner understands and solve these spells, they can make use of these paths."
Its gone, its done...
Suddenly, the pain stopped, not gradually, it snapped off. Rueben collapsed into the bed, cold sweat dripping from his body, his body was burning up, creating steam as the blood flowed from his face. From his mouth, drool keep spilling out, soiling his clothes.
He let out a sigh, not of relief but something else.
"You're probably wondering why i'm telling you all these?"
Kasaya grabbed Rueben's chin and forced him to look at her.
"My spell," she said, "makes the victim feel every pain they've ever experienced. All of it. Simultaneously. Amplified fourfold."
She lowered her voice.
"For you, I doubled it. Which would make it eightfold."
Rueben let out heavy breaths as he listened.
What can i do? Think.
Think. Think. Think. Think, damnit! Think of a way out. Fucking think of a way out!!
"What comes into your mind when i casted this spell on you?"
"..." Rueben gave her a glance, temporarily stopping his thoughts of escaping for a moment to think of an answer.
Something sinister, dark, like a-
"Curse." Kasaya spoke. As if reading his mind.
"..."
Kasaya then grabbed a small needle from the table and sat back down.
"I'm a Practitioner majoring in the Curse Path." She spoke as the needle in her hand suddenly started forming a sinister aura around it.
"..."
Rueben stared at the needle in her hand for a moment, then to her, before opening his lips, "Why... are you... telling me all this..?"
Kasaya smiled and took off her scarf.
"To set the stage," she whispered, delighted. "And to make sure you understand, fully..."
Her smile turned predatory. Sadistically so.
"...that you are catastrophically, spectacularly, beautifully fucked."
Kasaya then stabbed the needle into Rueben's eyes as her smile widened even more.
***
A few moments ago.
Just before Rueben found consciousness, a figure stood in the hallway. Those who passed by bowed their heads deeply, and others stared at her in awe.
It was a woman, a tall woman wearing a tight black robe with a scarf covering her neck. She occasionally took a look at the window to the room to see if the man inside the room had woken up but upon seeing that he still wasn't, the woman continued to wait.
She pulled out a pocket watch from time to time, appearing to lose her mind but she was patient. After all, to become who she was, she had to pull patience out of her ass just to go further.
Thinking about the time she did everything she could to settle her mind and become down to earth with her ambitions and such, while also doing various things that may or may not be equal to a war crime to develop her patience, the woman let out a sigh.
Still, she didn't regret anything she did in the past, especially destroying half of the Holy Palace back then in her anger, definitely not.
The woman leaned her back to the wall, ignoring the people going past her. If her friend was here, he would've already told her to mind her manners. But he wasn't so she was free to do whatever the hell she wants without anyone to nag at her.
The woman smiled, as if pleased, before it too slowly died down.
She was bored.
Like, bored, bored. Like super, duper, triple bored.
Looking at the window again, she clicked her tongue and leaned back to the wall.
When the hell will this little shit wake up…?
Or maybe I should juggle flaming knives in the hall to wake him. Nah, too obvious. Maybe a marching band?
The woman pulled out her pocket watch again and listened to the sounds of the clock.
Hmm… pocket watch it is. Patience, patience… but oh, how boring!
She thought to herself.
Two women wearing what seemed to be white robes came near her, holding a table and a chair. She stared at them, fighting the urge to laugh at how seriously they carried that stupid chair.
Two white-robed do-gooders approached, holding a chair like it was a holy relic for me to use. I waved them off. Pathetic. Pathetic and adorable.
Truly, my magnificence could bend nations. Or at least ruin their furniture.
The woman mused to herself, even making a poem on the spot as she stared at them for a moment, not letting her thoughts get to her head, before gesturing for them to leave.
The two woman's faces deflated and soon after, they left.
She continued to watch.
And suffer.
In boredom.
Pure torment.
Torture, even.
Her torture.
How unfair.
....Should i just force him to wake up..? She thought to herself for a moment, but she shook her head.
Where's the fun in that? I must make an impression in his mind that im someone who is steady, patient. If i wake him up, that'll look like i'm in a hurry, which may or may not impact what i'm about to do.....
Pursing her lips, the woman let out a lengthy sigh as she continued thinking.
Destroying half of the palace did came with dire consequence, even if she was a talent beyond normal geniuses, she was still a rowdy child, unable to control her impulses. Maybe that was why the High Priestess back then forced her to wash dishes, clothes and such to all the households within the church.
Ohh, the gazes of the other brats, sneering, oozing of envy and jealousy of her talent. It felt phenomenal. But that feeling was always cut short because the old woman would bring her back to reality.
The constant beating also didn't help, that was child abuse, mind you. But the old fuck didn't care, all she cared about was discipline, and respect and yadda yadda diddle doddle doo.
Thank the Crimson Moon she's dead. She smirked.
She was thankful of the old woman though, if she didn't experience all those, then the old fuck probably would've died in a certain person's hands because she didn't learn how to be patient and steady.
And serves her right that I took her seat. Scrubbed her legacy clean. Polished it with her tears.
The woman let out a sneer as she thought to herself.
Back to the plan. Its best if he feels what i'm capable off, to instill fear. Do that a couple of times to make him get used to it and think that that is all i am capable off, before giving him something even worse. That will most certainly instill dread....
The woman looked back and saw the man stirring awake, before becoming still. She smiled.
That's it. I'm bored of waiting any longer.
She grabbed the doorknob and entered inside, walking inside with a smile.
She thinks, Good. Showtime.
***
"...Let me get this straight, you want me to rescue some piece of-, ahem, some guy that got caught in a hostile city?"
In the throne room of Arkvem, a woman with tanned skin and white hair stared at The Crown sitting on the throne with a haughty look.
"Yes, child."
She was wearing a short coat, with a cop cap, behind her waist was her were two thin long swords, sheathed loosely, on her back was a crossbow. To her left waist was a quiver filled with all kinds of arrows.
The tanned skinned woman's face scrunched up, before she started scratching her head. "Ah, what the hell, Your Excellency!? I still have a ten mountains worth of paper work to do and you want me to leave Arkvem to find a stupid spy that got caught!?"
"Humhum...." The Crown coughed, thankful that Arshavin wasn't present for this meeting because his new arm was going to be delivered today.
If he was here, then he might've fought against this woman inside the throne room for insolence.
"I know you have work to do, but this "Spy" of our-"
"To hell with that spy of yours! I'm swamped enough as is trying to keep the Wards under me from going keeling under, if i leave them alone then they'll collapse to oblivion yet you still insist!?"
"..."
"I thought you invited me here to relieve me of my position, to save me from that mountain of hell but instead, you delegate even more work on me!? Oh the Crimson Moon, let me bask in your guiding moonlight and free me from this place!"
The Crown stayed silent as Marivic, The Lady, laughed out loud from the side. Even banging her tea table from laughter.
On their left, their long time friend was laughing at the situation, in front of them, the woman was intensively ranting about her job, her work and everything about it that the Crown could feel her ears going to fall off. Off to their right was the porcelain doll that took care of him, constantly trying to feed him medicine.
Behind them was an ominous aura, to which they promptly ignored for now.
Just as the chaos was about to spike in height, The Lady wiped her tears away and held her arms up in the air.
"Why don't i get your favorite child out of that cult's city instead?"
The Crown and the woman turned their heads to look at The Lady blankly.
The Lady stared at them, her eyes blinked once, then twice, before she pushed her head to the side in confusion.
"What?"
The woman answered first, she coughed before speaking, "My Lady, no offense, but you are far too strong. So strong that it's overkill to send you to enemy territory-"
"Marivic, to be honest? If i let you go to that place, then that would become a justification for the cult to attack us as they will treat your presence in their territory as a letter of war." The Crown interjected and let out a sigh while holding their cheeks with their hand.
"Wait, i wasn't finished-"
The Lady nodded her head in understanding, then turned to the woman and let out a sigh, "It seems i can't get you out of this situation, my dear child..."
The woman just shrugged and turned to The Crown.
"My answer is still no. I rather you kill me now and send me to the Eternal Dream."
The Crown stared at her for a moment, before standing up, "I see."
They flicked their wrist and a glass earring suddenly started forming on the woman's ears.
"Too bad."
The woman stared at The Crown in shock as the space behind her cracked like glass, and then a force pushed her to the crack in space. Countless "fingers" clipped themselves into her skin and pulled her into the void.
"YOU FUCKIN-"
"Don't worry about your Wards, i'll put someone to work in your stead. Be careful out there."
The woman screamed to the top of her lungs as she felt herself falling, the last thing she heard was the Crown's words.
"Find Rueben in that city, Aschura, and bring him home. Take care of yourselves."
"YOU!!! I swear, if that cult kills me, I'll haunt this throne room until it collapses....!!"
Her words echoed in the void. Before stopping, the cracked space slowly started mending itself to correct the space. The suction force stopped after the space was fully repaired.
"Finally, some peace." The Crown let out an exhausted sigh as they pushed their body into the throne.
Marivic stared at the scene for a moment, before letting out a chuckle, "Wouldn't that come and bite you in your behind sooner or later?"
The Crown shook their head to the side and sat deeper into their throne. "Probably. But "Rueben" is too important of a figure to lose."
"...Important enough to risk Aschura? Bold." Marivic stared at the Crown for a moment, before shaking her head with a sigh and sat back down.
"Tell me, my friend. I can't understand what's going in that head of yours now. But whatever it is your planning, i just hope that your people would benefit." Marivic spoke.
The Crown stared into the distance and let out a soft sigh, "It will. Marivic, it will.
"Though maybe for you, my friend. Not for your people."
"..." The Crown stayed silent as they stared in front of them, grabbing the cup filled with medicinal tea and drank it slowly.
"Maybe."
Their eyes looking out into the cloudy skies, as rain slowly drizzled into the streets of Arkvem.