Chapter 3: A New Perspective

         Rowan blinks awake or did only just blink? New sensations are dominating his mind as the numbness is subsiding and the pain still feels fresh. With the limited view available to him Rowan tries to take stock on what options are here that he could use. Still unable to move his head he notices a wooden desk to his left, he knows from how he was dragged that the doorway is closest to his feet.

On his right there is a series of wooden cabinets with glass lattice doors that seem to have some jars and books? Rowan is not sure he will need to have literally any better angle than where he is currently placed. He still can't move any part of his body, I guess this is what sleep paralysis is like, he thinks to himself. But what the hell was that, where those dead people I saw? Rowan memories flash to seeing those people in rags there must have been 8 or 9 of them on the ground bleeding. And what was with that chanting? The first few sucked but at least they were quick. He motionlessly continues to breathe. Alright I have to come up with something. 

Rowan tries to mentally set a stage by dividing up the room he is in into a grid where is square is 5 feet by 5 feet long. He adds the little details that he can see and eye-balls the distance from what he feels is the table to the other furniture in the room. Alright last I checked I'm 5 foot 9 inches, so that makes this table 7 feet, 8 feet? he pondered while trying to move his head in vain. Right can't move, but this guy said he needs me for some "cause" and I currently have my sense of self. Rowan reassures himself. So he will most likely want to Bargain me after investing something in me.

Thinking about the men in armor and how weird they're speech was, same as the monocled man. It was so uncanny the way they were speaking, that guy was asking if I could understand him! He recalls. But the words did not match up to the way his lips were saying them it was almost like a really bad anime dub. Rowan recalls a few 3D animations that had English voice acting, and how distracting it was that there was no way the lip flaps could sync with the voices. So he had to switch it to its native dub to enjoy the rest of the film. Yeah Dragon Sword: My Story! That was a fun film!

The stinging pain from the fresh inscriptions on Rowan's skin slap him back to reality, he tries to formulate a plan to break out. Alright whatever made my body numb is starting to wear off, and by the time that guy comes back I need to figure out what would be my first move will be. He mulls it over, Once he comes over I could try and headbutt him? Or I could just leave? Yeah once I get feeling back in my legs I can just move! Rowan thinks frankly.

How much time has passed anyways? Rowan ponders and looks for a point of reference, Right the candles. He examines one of the candles that is placed on a top of the desk with shelving. This candle if made roughly the same back home, would be melted by the halfway point. It sits on a silver looking saucer with a small handle that one could easily hook a finger through and carry it without burning oneself. A pool of wax sits at the bottom of the saucer as there is some wax that have spilled over. Either that is wax from this candle or its owner does not bother to maintenance between use, regardless Rowan tries to focus on the dripping wax and its movements.

Its not moving, Rowan's eyes burn with concentration and conviction that time has to be moving at an appropriate pace. He looks away blinks but now sees the silhouette of the candle flame with every blink, flashing him with mild annoyance. Gah, mother-that-of-all-that, ugh he curses his hyper fixation, but then takes another look at the dripping wax, then the flame, now that he has a disturbed frame of reference... The wax is still not moving, Rowan looks away from the flame to avoid further eye damage.

What has happened, he thinks in disbelief, What was in that jar that he was dipping that stick in? Rowan thinks back to the first words that the man was chanting when stabbing Rowan's chest. Take my lungs for I do not breath... Well I am breathing fine now, with concentration Rowan can at least feel the movement of his lungs. While observing for any adverse reactions to his body sore pains pulse through Rowan's arms and legs stemming from where the man struck while chanting the other incantations. 

The sensation of this pains coupled with the soreness from the process that Rowan went through could be compared to cramping in the arms and legs. The muscles slowly shift and form, to Rowan this feels like it takes hours as it crescendos. He starts to manage the pain by controlling his breathing by taking deep breaths till the pain starts to wind down. Unable to adjust Rowan almost feels like the body is moving on its own and can feel that it is in place.

Rowan only able to move his eyes looks back at the candle to gauge the time, Ah one drop of wax! mentally exclaimed. As the wax begins to drop it trails slowly 1, 2, 3... Rowan begins counting 10, 11, 12... He continues as his heart starts to sink. There is no way candle wax drops that slowly, Rowan confirms his suspicion. What kind of fresh hell did that man do to me and is there any way that I can regain control! he panics to think of solutions. What if this is how I just perceive life now? To hell with that! I got to do something anything! Rowan, desperate for any kind of reprieve from this new found fear he has unlocked thinks of a new solution.

Alright, when we take deep breaths to concentrate could we do the same but in reverse? Eyes darting around the ceiling that he can see then focuses straight ahead as Rowan starts to shift his breathing. Starting with deep breaths but while keeping them deep begins to increase the tempo while keeping the volume of breath from the start. Now reaching as fast has he can, to him almost simulating a sprinting speed of breathing with a few missed beats tries to keep the breaths deep and consistent.

Rowan's breath strained from this constant effort shoots a look at the candle. It flickers, the flame! the candle's flame is now moving at a rapid pace, no longer is it moving in slow motion. A sigh of relief washes over Rowan, then followed with the sharp pain of the muscle cramping that he ignored. He continues to curse, still not able to make a noise so resorts to swearing in his head. Rowan readjusts his breath to hopefully a new normal and looks back at the candle's flame, it still moves like it should.

The opens and the blonde monocled man walks back in, at a normal pace Rowan looks and takes a mental note. "Done with dinner, that was a tasty meal." The man comments out loud. "Now how are you adjusting to your improvements?" he looms over Rowan while giving a playful tap on his work. Rowan just now realizes as the man walked in he can move his head, he then tenses his fists and tries to punch the blonde bastard. He struggles to move... Right, the rope. Rowan struggled but goes limp defeated, feeling like an idiot. The monocled man chuckles with a surprise, "Amazing, you managed to break through that enchantment, well..." He begins to admit, "More like it finally wore off, but no matter we have more work in store for you."