Remember This

The storm outside was raging, I could hear the rumbling of thunder that was felt outside. Though it is chaotic outside, in this house there’s nothing but calmness as I sat on the table, hands folded.

Any minute now…

Then—footsteps.

Heavy footsteps, thudding against the damp ground outside.

The door swung wide open violently, nearly crashing into the wall.

The bastard is all drenched, he sure is making a mess on the floor with those wet clothes.

The man had an expression fueled with frustration.

“Damn it!” he cursed, tossing his sword across the room, which landed on the floor. He ran his hand through his wet hair. “Not a damn thing out there.”

I feigned innocence. “They managed to get away?”

Suddenly his eyes sharped toward me. Still on edge it seems, still tense. He hasn’t fully trust me yet.

“No,” he muttered. “But we’ll find them, I managed to alert nearby civilians. Soon they’ll gather for a search party, then when the time comes I’ll deal with them myself..”

Maybe the rulvins did something personal to him…I guess I was slightly wrong in my presumption of him, but still. It was clear that he was glued to an idea of him dealing with the rulvins, even if he didn’t see proof of them himself.

Suddenly the man's eyes quickly sharpened towards the key in panic, almost like the realisation just hit him.

When he realises the key stood idly, he let out a sigh.

Next his eyes turned toward the still cup of wine that was next to the key.

I stayed perfectly still as he reached for his cup.

Can’t help yourself, huh? Guess he’s drinking on the job he’s about to go on, a wild goose chase.

The man grabbed the drink and looked at me for a moment.

“Do you need my help to find those rulvins? I managed to clean the house during your absence.”

The man scoffed, “Help from you? Please you couldn’t do anything if they found you anyways.”

The moment the cup touched his lips, I almost broke a smile.

Yeah that’s it, soon enough you won’t be able to do anything against me. I wonder what expression you will make when you see this weak body has an advantage for once.

He drank, no he chugged half the glass. He slammed the glass back onto the table with a heavy exhale.

For a moment, nothing happened.

I counted the seconds.

Three.

Two.

One.

He went for another drink, but this time his fingers trembled slightly.

Too predictable, you love drinking more than anything else don’t you? If that’s the case, finish the entire glass this time, savour every drop.

He slammed the glass back onto the table, but this time the trembling from his fingers were very noticeable.

I tried to keep my expression blank and clueless, “Something wrong?”

He flexed his hand, trying to maintain control. “Tch. Nothing.” His voice was sharp, defensive. But then—he exhaled again heavily, now his posture slackening.

Any moment now…

I watched the once strong man breathing constantly, erratically trying to maintain composure. Not so strong anymore huh? Time to let him realize.

I tilted my head and smirked.

His eyes narrowed, and for the first time, I saw it—fear.

“What…” His voice broke. “What did you…”

His arm jerked around as he tried to reach his hand to the table to get up, but his legs couldn’t control themselves either.

This time my smile was apparent, “What did I do? Well I noticed you had some issues, particularly one involving your back right? I made sure to help with that, though I may have slipped in a few too many extra herbs for your liking.”

I could hear his breathing more erratically, his arms wavering around trying to grip the corner of the table to get up, but it was all pointless.

He couldn’t get his grip together, and his legs don’t have enough strength to help him get up either.

I leaned back in my chair, watching him struggle. This sight was better than I could imagine, something felt satisfying about this. His anger is fading ever so slowly, yes it’s turning to something even more engaging…

Helplessness.

“You…” he growled, his voice strained , “how could you?”

I stood up.

My smile started to fade as I glared towards his helpless eyes. “How could I? Don’t pretend like you didn’t see this coming. You thought I’d simply follow your every order till you grew old enough to shit your pants or something?”

His breathing became even faster, almost like he was hyperventilating.

“You—”

I kicked the roots of his chair away, causing him to slam into the ground violently.

"Ghhhk—!"

He let out a deep grunt of pain , rolling onto his back.

“Oh you're in pain? You’ve been slacking off with your own training it seems. I thought you were a powerful warrior, don’t tell me a few herbs is all that it takes to stop someone like yourself?”

“You fuc—”

“This is the part where you beg,” I said softly while cracking my fingers.

“Saying such insults won’t let you get out alive you know? Well it’s not like you can talk properly anyways, you're both drugged up and intoxicated.”

I grabbed the knife out of my pocket gleaning at my reflection from the blade.

No this won’t do…I need a blade less dull.

I glanced my eyes at the key on the table and grabbed it swiftly.

I walked to the chest that was kept in the corner of the room—the chest Seyren always waited patiently for to practise with that man.

Though I wasn’t looking at him, I could tell his wild eyes followed me.

The lock clicked open. I lifted the heavy lid. There were several swords but among them lied a dagger.

That’d do.

I plucked the dagger from the chest—short, sharp, and light.

Fitting.

I turned back toward him, twirling the dagger once in my hand as I kneel down infront of him to get a better look at his face.

The man's eyes widened, his body started wavering in panic.

“Listen, calm down. If you answer a few questions of mine, I’ll consider letting you live.”

Blood must be spilled, I’d never let a monster like that live. Though I might as well get some information before I end his pathetic life.

“Since you're mostly incapacitated, I want you to blink twice for yes and blink once for no. First of all, I want to ask you, are you in fear?”

The man blinked only once.

“Playing dumb, huh? Alright.”

I raised my arm up.

It’s ok to do this, he’s worse than wild beasts.

Some people do not deserve second chances.

I squeezed the dagger tightly.

I won’t let this torturous life continue, nobody has to experience a life like this.

I exhaled, the air felt a lot heavier than before.

Now’s my chance…there isn’t another way right?

No, there’s no point turning back now—this is for my freedom.

Suddenly I thrusted my arm till the dagger stabbed deep into the bastard's forearm.

"GYIHK—!!"

“Now you know I’m not playing old man, answer me truthfully this time. Are you in fear as we speak?”

The man blinked rapidly, almost four times to be exact.

Now time to ask him about something I’ve been curious about since I entered this world.

“Good, good. Now answer me this, is there an ability that revolves around souls?”

The man blinked twice.

“Interesting, now tell me this. Is it possible to transfer a soul into a living body?”

The man blinked once, though his facial expression seemed to be scared.

Huh? I don’t think he’s bullshitting this time. So there's an ability of some kind revolving around souls, yet he doesn’t know if a being can have two souls? I’ll try to ask in a different way.

“Can a living being have more than one soul?”

The man again blinked once.

It may be possible that he doesn’t know, so I can’t rule this possibility out of the question. After all I exist in this body somehow, with two souls. Looks like I won’t get much information about it.

“Do you know much about souls?”

The man again blinked once.

Fucking useless.

The man's arm started to waver towards the direction of the chest. His eyes set to the only thing that could give him a fighting chance.

“Oh how sad. You need help grabbing that chest huh? Sorry, no can do.”

Just like an animal, focused on survival, torturing others with no remorse. This is what you get.

I swung my dagger, slashing his other forearm, the blood gushed all over the place. My clothes were now stained with blood. This slash felt more seamless than the stabbing.

"GAGHHH—!"

“There was a thought that passed my mind when I went upstairs, so I want you to answer truthfully. Are you actually my father?”

The man again blinked once.

Maybe I can get information on Seyren’s parents whereabouts, maybe they’d know how to fix this two soul mess.

“Thought so, do you know my parents whereabouts?”

The man again blinked once.

This guy is completely useless.

The man rolled over and his direction was facing the door. What is he wai—

“Oh right, I don’t have much time to toy with you right? Aren’t your friends or something coming over to gather up?”

The man blinked once.

I drove the blade into the man's inner arm, tearing through all the tender flesh inside. The blood from his arm bursted violently, splattering to every being of my body, drenching the floor in a pool of blood.

Shit! I got a little carried away, oh well not like there’s much time anyways.

His scream was so loud it was deafening, I’ve never seen a man squeal so pathetically in my life.

I stared at the man’s eyes, pinning his arms on the floor so he’d stop wavering them around so viciously.

“Blink twice if you’re still with me,”

He blinked once…then, after a pause, he blinked again.

“Good. I’d hate to lose you before we’re finished. You’re slipping aren’t you, old man. Not much time left I suppose, so let’s make these last moments count, hmm?”

The screams kept going, I could feel the vibration of his yells in my ear drums.

“Well I could ask you another question—but I think I’d rather enjoy myself. This is deserving after all, the pain you caused is coming right back at you.”

The man's eyes were shut open, his body though still erratic, started to slow down.

At this moment I thought back to the world I left.

Men like him existed everywhere in the world I left behind.

Monsters hiding behind their status in the world, their wealth and influence too far out of reach.

I hated being born into a world of unfairness, no matter what you could do there’d be someone above you.

But here…

I don’t feel powerless.

This world…I can truly be myself.

I glanced at the man once more, smirking as I said.

“As you part away from this world, remember what made you become weak. When you reach hell, remember the suffering down there is nothing like what you feel right now. Because the boy who could do nothing... is the reason this happened to you.”