"Rin Okumura on the account of theft and suspicious activity, do you hereby swear on your soul, body, mind, and cultivation, that you will say nothing but the truth?" The royal guard stated solemnly as he stared into Rin's eye with concealed pity as this was bound to not be pretty.
'Brother, I know you may be an idiot but surely even you must know, that you can't agree to something like this!' Noctis shouted internally as he began to fidget in his seat as he waited for Rin's response.
Which didn't go unnoticed by Morpheus and Dime as they briefly glanced at each other, 'Hmm, just what could have scared that old gremlin? Surely, what this kid spouted earlier cannot be true?'
They thought with confusion before it transformed into alarm as Rin answered the guard before the two brothers could produce a backup plan in case everything went south.
"Fuck." They both muttered as they slumped into their seats.
"Yes, now let's get this over with so I can return home and enjoy my cold food in peace," Rin said with relief as he thought they would have asked him to do something more dramatic.
Even though everyone else did not think that, considering the absolute shock plastered on their faces as they stared at Rin. For whom in their right mind would agree to such an outlandish thing? Especially when with one wrong step you could lose everything? Not just your cultivation, but everything you ever worked for…
But then again, what others may deem death could mean life for him, so maybe he might be able to overcome this. Or not for how many people can truly stay calm under the Devil's Blade, when death is a close company and life has become something nonexistent.
'Hmm, now that's over with… just how does one turn a truth into a lie?' Rin thought as he pondered on the principles of manipulation, a tactic used to subtly influence the actions of another.
However, in this case, Rin was trying to manipulate himself instead of another so that he wouldn't die because of not telling the truth, during a truth test. By twisting the truth into a lie and vice versa essentially altering his perception of the world and what he deemed a lie and a truth.
"As the truth is but a lie woven into a thread, while a lie is the needle one uses to sew the truth. For lies can be truths as the truth can be a lie such as yin is yang, and yang is yin." - The Philosophy of The Mad Sparrow
***
Meanwhile, within the depths of Rin's Soul Palace, in a place hidden in plain sight yet beyond the gazes of many...
A prison existed where Rin's soul was housed in the center of a diamond-like orb surrounded by four crystallized lightning bolts. Which periodically zapped Rin's soul strengthening it, while also weakening it temporarily in the process unbeknownst to him.
So that the main consciousness would not be awakened and capture the attention of his sister's Master, but that was a different matter for another time for while mystifying it could not take any from the tiny spider web cracks.
That was spreading across the container of Rin's soul, which seemed to have drawn the gaze of a certain entity from the past. As illusionary reddish eyes appeared around the prison, trying to gleam into the situation unfolding at hand, following Rin's agreement to say nothing but the truth at the cost of his cultivation and existence.
Which was quite crazy but that is the world we live in now; yet while there existed someone who could help, the entity in question did not want to have any part in this issue as shown in their stance.
Who continued to watch with unbothered eyes, while Rin's soul inched closer to damnation whose gaze was filled with marvel and uncertainty, as he thought of the potential effect this could have on Rin's future as the soul was the foundation of every cultivator's power and potential.
And a being without one was a lamb awaiting slaughter since every soul had the potential to influence and offset the past, present, and future if cultivated to the peak. So most tried their utmost to protect it, as while every soul was unique they all shared a common ancestry to the first two souls Adam and Eve Soulless.
'Hmm, anomalies truly are fascinating little critters... but will it work, is the true question as I have never seen a single being escape the penalty of not adhering to an oath. Without suffering severe repercussions for their actions,' Goliath wondered before shivering at the mere thought of the consequences a few close friends of his experienced.
But while disturbing, it did not deter him from continuing to watch with intrigue, as it was not every day you got to watch a soul be destroyed and reconstructed. Even though there was only a minor chance of it happening... still anything is possible so never say never, for who knows as it might just happen by a weird twist of fate.
"... Goliath if you don't plan to help... kindly leave before I make you," Someone whispered as if they were straining to speak as the four lightning bolts.
Which surrounded the orb began to glow fervently in a bluish-white color as the bars of the prison started to rattle, as if a captive was rhythmically banging a mug against it.
"Sigh… even after all these years he is still the same. Tsk, as if any would be interested in your little tricks, Ezekiel." Goliath muttered as he retracted his gaze and opened his eyes to the darkness that surrounded him like a mother's embrace.
"... thank you... now just what shall I do," Ezekiel wondered with curiosity as life suddenly seemed to have taken a turn for the worse.