Dean felt a chill running down his spine once he saw that gleam of excitement in Rick's eyes. He knew that something bad was coming. That man never showed that type of excitement with anything, it was the first time.
'He seems... He seems to be liking it. He is liking to treat me like this.' Dean made a disgusted face towards him, trying to back away, but having no success due to his body being chained.
He couldn't move an inch, even breathing was difficult. Those chains seemed to be alive like they were snakes or something because the more he tried to free himself, the tighter they squeezed his body. He knew that, if he continued to do so, he would get completely suffocated at some point.
'Rick knows very well about his ability, he is not even caring that I am trying to escape. He knows that I don't have enough strength to do so. He is joking around with me.' The boy was feeling frustrated and impotent. Those days of training were of good use, but if he didn't take several months to train his "Willpower", he wouldn't be at the same level as them.
He could perceive the "Willpower" in the air now. Every day that passed, he felt that he could notice its presence more and more. The same occurred with "Chaos". And, because of his crescent perception, Dean realized the difference between his power and Rick's group power. It was on another level, one that he would need to struggle for much more time to catch up.
Once Rick concentrated a bit more, but always staring at Dean's eyes, his "Willpower" began to travel across his body and raise its volume. At the moment that he felt this change, even though it was so vague for him for the time being, the boy guessed that Rick's trump card was coming.
The "Willpower" once gathered in his heart traveled through his chest, going to his right arm, then enveloping that chain.
Rick's faint smile had changed to a grin once he saw the surprise and fear in Dean's eyes. He also was delighted with his fury. Throughout all those days, he couldn't see the boy really furious with something, not even a single time. Seeing that he was the reason for all those feelings arising in Dean's chest was something that made him feel imponent somehow.
Look down on Dean and anyone weaker than him gave him a sense of safety that none other activity was capable to give.
"Don't take to the personal Dean..." He said while that big quantity of "Willpower" began to spread across the chain, covering it with a strong golden aura. "After all, we do it for a living, you know? Different from your refuge, there aren't too many things that we can do out there to find jobs, a good settlement, to have a house, family, food, peace... These are all just dreams of the majority of the population of our country now. Things are difficult, more than you could ever think, and once we can get the chance to travel more together, I will show it to you!"
Dean got even angrier upon hearing those words. It made him really mad. He tried several times to free himself from the chains, which squeezed him to the point of nearly dislocate his shoulder or break his ribs.
The "Willpower" was already all gathered in the chain, including the part that was attached to Dean.
Rick finally raised from his crouch position, cleaning his clothes briefly. He held the chain firmly while looking at the boy who was still struggling to let go of its grip, even though it was squeezing him with so much strength.
The leader appreciated the determination of that boy, but it was both a curse and a blessing to him.
'After all, a slave who thinks that his determination and effort are worth something will always cause trouble. I need to make his will and confidence vanish bit by bit as our journey together keeps going. I will make sure to tell this to the other members of the group. We need to forge this one until he gets perfect.'
After that short time of reasoning, Rick sent another discharge of "Willpower" that not just made the chain's aura get brighter but also enveloped Dean.
"Emperor's touch." He chanted, his grin getting wider while he narrowed his eyes. Rick adored it when he got the chance to use his spell. He was tired of hiding it just not to get noticed.
'I still needed to use it to save him at some point, but at that time he was in shock and didn't even notice it. He is still a naive boy. It's a pity, with a bit more of malice he would have had unmasked us since the start.'
Rick raised his voice, talking in an imposing tone.
"Obey me."
Dean's body got paralyzed at that exact moment. He stopped struggling against the chain and didn't move anymore. His eyes got aloof and all his muscles relaxed all at once.
"Yes, Master Rick." A nonchalant and low voice came out of Dean's mouth.
"From now on, we have a deal, brat. You are my slave for the rest of your life, you will do anything I ask, lower your head when you see me, greet me with the most respectful etiquette you have, and always look up for my well-being. Your power is now my power as well. Your will is only mine."
"Understood, Master."
Rick laughed for a while, and although they didn't find that moment to be so funny for them, the rest of the group followed him, laughing for a good while.
They couldn't understand 100% the pleasure of Rick in taking other people's will and hopes, but no one dared to question it.
"Repeat it, my slave."
Dean repeated his phrase without stuttering or missing a single word.
"Repeat again."
That nonchalant voice of Dean, that dead-like tone, seemingly as tired as his, was like music to his ears.
Dean made the same process another time. Inside his mind, nothing but a pure white. His consciousness was tamed by those chains and was being remodeled without him even realizing it.
That day would change Dean's journey for a long while