Long ago, there lived a boy in his village. This boy was most definitely not a normal child, no, not at all. For this child would never smile, not ever.
The villagers called it a curse, this poor, pitiful child would never be happy or sad, angry or jealous, all that would exist in this boy was emptiness.
His family and their friends might have called it a curse, but this boy thought otherwise. No, this wasn't a curse, instead, it was a blessing. This child would never feel any of the irritating emotions the rest of these people would, and because of that, he felt lucky. He truly did pity his fellow villagers.
This village of his was one that was incredibly religious, every villager's day started off with prayer and thanking the Gods before breakfast. The boy never understood any of this prayer and whatnot, why worship gods that did nothing in return? It made no sense to him, it was absolutely futile. No matter how much they prayed and prayed, the Gods would never listen. He wished they'd just realize that... but they never did, and they would never get the chance to in the future.
Upon the boy's sixteenth birthday, he got a present that he didn't expect. A simple necklace that was given by a girl he had known since he was a child. He didn't understand why she would give him such a thing, for this boy could feel no sentimentality for mere objects, or anything for that matter. Although this was true, the boy assumed she gave it to him to remember her by. He hardly knew her, but since he was leaving the village anyway, he accepted it, putting it on.
"The boy was planning to get a job in Quendest as a simple labourer or something, though I don't completely remember," I scratched my chin, however, my mask somewhat inhibited that action, "Say, you wouldn't happen to be not listening to my story, would you?"
The pitiful man before me shuddered hearing me speak, "O-of course not! I would dare not be rude to someone such as... you..." His words trailed off, he looked left and right, "Please, I've... done all you asked! I beg of you, please do not kill me!"
"Hold on, we're not on that topic yet, I'm still telling you my story, my friend."
"R-right, apologies, I'll stay quiet and listen."
"Great, allow me to continue."
The boy had made quite a lot of money after several years, such, he decided it was time to visit his old home after all those years. While he held no actual fondness for the place, he knew it would be nice for his old family to see he's doing well.
Instead of his peaceful old home, what awaited him instead was a desolate wasteland, burnt down and mostly ash. The place was littered with corpses, the smell of blood overwhelming. While a normal person would have been sobbing on the ground like a mess upon seeing this, this boy was in no way a normal person, far from it. The only reaction this sight got out of him was a blank stare.
'It seems in the end, the Gods really did forsake them all...' He spoke this heartlessly as he left back towards the carriage that had brought him there.
"Say, Viscount, do you have any people in your life who would truly feel sorrow upon hearing the news of your death?"
The Viscount was put off by this remark, gulping, "W-why of course! My dearest Wife for example, or my son... Such is why I beg of you to not kill m--"
I cut him off before he could speak anything else, "I told you we would get to that topic when the time came, so do stay silent until I tell you otherwise from now on."
"R-right..."
The boy returned to Quendest without anything else in the world weighing him down. He was completely free from the shackles that were his village. Although, he still couldn't feel happy about this, nor could he feel sad about the death of the only 'family' he had known. All he felt was a familier emptiness... But that emptiness began to become less and less pleasant every day.
Eventually, he bought a house in Quendest, a quaint home befitting one such as him. However, that oh so familier emptiness began to creep up on him more and more, to the point he couldn't even sleep.
This is when he met a certain individual.
"Hm... Viscount, who do you think this boy is?"
"I... do not know, sir."
"That boy was my mentor, the man who saved my life, though, I don't why I'm telling you this story, I should really just do my job already." I let out a simple sigh.
"Your... job?" His fear increased tenfold hearing my words.
"Yes, my friend, I'm planning on killing you."
The man shuddered, walking farther away from me into the wall, "P-please! I've done all your organization has asked! I have a family, T--" I cut him off once again.
"No, no, the Cult of Tal Darle is very thankful for your actions and have actually decided to let you live..."
"Then why...!?"
"Oh, well you see, the Cult as a whole might want you left alive, but I understand what The Leader wants more than anybody else... and no matter what the others say, I only do what he wants of me."
The look upon this man became more and more pitiful, all up to the point of his death. I will never let The Leader's ideals go unfulfilled, I owe too much to him to let it happen.