Chapter 8 - What is Real?

<𝑪𝑳𝑨𝑵𝑲>

<𝑪𝑳𝑨𝑵𝑲>

<𝑪𝑳𝑨𝑵𝑲>

How long?

<𝑪𝑳𝑨𝑵𝑲>

<𝑪𝑳𝑨𝑵𝑲>

"Hey, dirt-bag! Keep it down in there!"

<𝑪𝑳𝑨𝑵𝑲>

<𝑪𝑳𝑨𝑵𝑲>

How long have I been here?

<𝑪𝑳𝑨𝑵𝑲>

<𝑪𝑳𝑨𝑵𝑲>

"Don't make me come in there!"

<𝑪𝑳𝑨𝑵𝑲>

<𝑪𝑳𝑨𝑵𝑲>

I can't even remember at this point.

<𝑪𝑳𝑨𝑵𝑲>

<𝑪𝑳𝑨𝑵𝑲>

"Are you listening to me?! I said keep it down!"

<𝑪𝑳𝑨𝑵𝑲>

<𝑪𝑳𝑨𝑵𝑲>

I can't recall. I've lost count. What was the last number I scratched onto the wall? Wasn't it a little after three thousand? I don't remember. All I know is that the memories have started to bleed into one another. There were times I had decided to stay and fight the woman before leaving. It was difficult at first due to her being trained in close quarter combat and her bending but along the way it was pretty simple to bait her to make mistakes. Especially if I was able to get ahold of the keys.

"Heh" A small smirk graced my lips as I remembered the last time how flustered she was when I dangled the keys in front of her face. But my enjoyment was short lived as I thought on the other memories.

<𝑪𝑳𝑨𝑵𝑲>

<𝑪𝑳𝑨𝑵𝑲>

The times where I had decided to run with Sa-Yo trying to fulfill her fathers wish forced me to grimace. I couldn't forget her wails as she had tried to pry her arm free from my grasp as she looked back to her father. However due to me shutting out the knowledge of how inhumane an act it was, I continued to put one foot in front of the other as I drug her away. It was all for naught though as we were never able to get far without being cornered and captured. Every. Single. Time.

<𝑪𝑳𝑨𝑵𝑲>

<𝑪𝑳𝑨𝑵𝑲>

There were times I crawled back through the cubby hole only to see my mother being beaten half to death, strung onto one of the houses support beams and being set ablaze to be burned alive. A great majority of times I attempted to fight them off only to end up getting killed by a well placed stab or strike in my blind spot. It was a losing battle and I knew it. Then there was the very last memory, the one time I had stumbled into my father as I tried to escape being captured from pursuing soldiers. They had tore So-Ya away from me and carried her off outside the village gates. One of them had got a lucky shot at stabbing me in my ankle as I stabbed the other in the eye. In retaliation I took a handful of dirt and threw it into their eyes. Using that window of opportunity I tried to make my escape to hopefully catch up to So-Ya. And that is when I had seen him. My father. He was surrounded by at least sixty corpses of the enemy soldiers. He was heaving between ragged breaths with burns and cuts all over his body. Parts of his robes were even burned into his melted flesh. His hair singed in multiple spots on his head and face. He had given it everything he possibly could before inevitably being overwhelmed and strung up at the village gates. While I stood there. What could I do? What else could I possibly do? Everything I tried has either backfired on me or has not ever worked.

<𝑪𝑳𝑨𝑵𝑲>

<𝑪𝑳𝑨𝑵𝑲>

I had even killed the soldier that was ready to behead Sa-Yos' father countless times but every time I would look down and see Fama's face. Contorted into an expression that held pure agony and without hope. I would always turn away. All that awaits me is more pain, guilt, self hatred and grief. Nothing else. I can't go to the past and fix things. What has been done can not be undone. Ever. My brothers. Sisters. Mother. Father.....Fama. They are gone. They are never coming back. So much pain. It hurts. It fucking hurts beyond comprehension. And there is nothing I can do about it. It won't go away. My family was taken and I was given pain, and this cell. A Hell specifically made for me to wallow in my own thoughts. It's maddening.

<𝑪𝑳𝑨𝑵𝑲>

<𝑪𝑳𝑨𝑵𝑲>

I was sitting crisscross applesauce as I rhythmically knocked my cuffs against the wall. Staring off into oblivion. Ruminating on what I could possibly do to leave this place for good. It was the longest I have stayed in this cell without attempting to escape.

<𝑪𝑳𝑨𝑵𝑲>

<𝑪𝑳𝑨𝑵𝑲>

"I'm gonna roast you alive when I get my hands on you you hear me?!" It could've been weeks, months even before my incessant tapping had finally pissed off the female guard. So much so it was to the point she would scream countless profanities at me like a rabid boarcupine that hadn't eaten in weeks. 'At least I'm not the only one going insane,' The locks once more were being disengaged as she rushed in launching a blast to my body. But her blast passed by my head as I instinctively leaned a foot to my left out of the way.

"Wha-!" She must have chalked it up to pure luck before letting out an audible growl. "Try dodging this you bastard!" Each step she took closer she would send volley after volley of flames trying to blast me.

Unfortunately for her however, I was beyond used to her movements as well as techniques to the point to where she couldn't land a hit even when she got right on top of me. I was easily able to turn the tide by swiping the top of my foot behind her knees buckling her to fall face first into the wall (more likely than not leaving her with a broken nose) as well as a perfectly placed palm strike to her diaphragm. Once more I snatched the keys from her belt loop and freed myself before clamping the chain around her neck. After a fit of coughing and getting her breath back she was quite rightfully confused.

"Ugh! What the-?! How did you-?!"

Without a second thought I approached the door only to hesitate. 'What exactly would I do upon getting out of here? All that awaits me is seeing my family and friends being tormented to death.' I thought as I could literally see the burning village beyond the frame of my cell.

'But...if I stay here, nothing will change.'

"Hehehe." The woman's giggle brought me out of my temporary stupor back to the time at hand as I looked over my shoulder at her. Blood had flowed in a line down her mouth and onto the floor before she wiped it with the back of her sleeve. "You know there's no way you can escape, right? You might as well release me while I'm still in a forgiving mood. Perhaps I'll even forget you gut checking me. Whaddya say?"

Not mentioning the broken nose I see. Noted. She would likely beat me to death regardless. Once she was unchained she would find it her new life's purpose to inflict as much physical damage as she possibly could before putting me out of my temporary misery. Only for me to be wake up slightly right before she entered this very room. Just then it was as though a light were flicked on in my mind to a part of what she just said. It took a moment to register but it did just that, register. "...there's no way you can escape", "You might as well...".

'How did I not notice it. The answer was in front of me the entire time. It was told to me over and over and over again since the very beginning. Her very words reminded me of them. Speaking of which...' At that point I took a closer look at her face. With my brows furrowed, her facial features slowly became familiar to me instead of taking her as a random soldier. 'Isn't this the woman who threw that glass bottle at my head three years prior? The very same one who had whipped Fama?'

"Come ooon~ Be a good boy and let me go, huh? What other choice do you have?" She had a toothy smirk that she wore as she held her hand out prompting me to throw her the keys.

"There's no other way out, right?" I muttered so low it was a miracle she could even hear me.

"Thaaaat's it~. After you let me go I'll even let you keep the chains off. You can lay anywhere in this cell that you please. I can even get you a mattress and blanket to sleep in."

I knew she was lying between her teeth. But it was of little consequence.

"If there's no way out of this Hell I might as well make it Hell for you too, shouldn't I?"

Her head tilted to one side? She seemed clueless. "Huh?"

Taking a hold of the door I brought it in and slammed it shut locking it from the inside. As I turned to face her I dropped the keys in the corner to where she would never be able to reach them.

'It's okay to give in to my desires, at least once right?'

"Hey...what gives? Why'd you close the door?"

Instead of giving her a response I simply walked up to her.

"Hey! Get the blasted keys! What do you think you're doing?! The keys are over there!"

At that moment she began to panic at the gravity of her situation. A woman chained up at the mercy to her former captive who had already at one point bested her in combat. In enemy territory yes, but help was nowhere to be found. Not here.

The sheer pressure of it all was too much for her so she did the last thing she figured she could do to save herself. With a blast of flames she sent them out from her dominant hand at my face. It was a last ditch effort that I can commend, however I knew she would lash out. Just like a cornered animal.

With speed and precision I took her wrist on her attacking arm and bent it downwards till I heard it snap.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAGH!" With one hand disabled I turned to the other and chained it to the ceiling. In order for her to be unable to defend herself I tied it off one of the rings on the wall and locked it to where it was taut behind her waist. Through her cries she attempted to flame kick me but I simply maneuvered out the way before clipping her supporting leg out from beneath her. Standing just above her I was beyond excited trying to decide where I should start. Her broken hand lay in her lap as she was unable to cradle it without the use of her other hand (which now was bolted above her head). A devious smile tugged at my lips as I got an idea.

Raising my foot I stomped on her injured arm. "KYAAAAHAAAA!" I wasn't sure how but that sound was like music to my ears.

"Grrr!! Get the fuck off you bastard!" She tried to wriggle out from underneath my foot but cried more as I pressed more weight onto her. "Urrrrgh!!! Stop! Stop! It hurts dammit!"

Removing my foot off her hand I kneeled down till I was but a few inches above her head. Taking a hold of her ponytail I ripped it back hard.

"YAAAGH! I said it hurts you asshole!" She winced before opening her eyes only to flinch at my face. I could see the absolute horror instilled in her eyes.

"That's the point." My voice holding no emotion. I didn't scream at her. I didn't scowl at her. My voice was even from beginning to end. "I NEED you to feel pain." Tears were beginning to pool at the corner of her eyes. "I WANT to hurt you. And do you know why?" I asked as I leaned in close to her ear tightening my grip on her hair.

The entire area shook as though we were caught in a storm.

"It's because you hurt me first," I whispered. In that moment I opened my mouth and bit down hard on the top lobe of her ear before pulling back ripping a chunk of it off the side of her head.

"KYAAAAAAAAAAA! AAAAAAAAAAAAGH! YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGH!!!!!!!" She unconsciously raised her broken hand and shoulder cupping the new bleeding wound trying to ease the pain unsuccessfully.

"Ptew!" I spat the piece and blood in her face as I stood up above her. The taste of iron prevalent in my mouth as a genuine smile graced my lips. "Now, are you ready? It's about time we begin."