{Alexander King's POV:}
I am justice. I have absolute rule. My word is absolute.
That is the King family way. All of us are kings and queens. We are the ones at the top of the food chain, just like dragons.
In my life, I have only feared one thing ever.
Not my father, nor any of my older siblings instil fear into me. I haven't been afraid of things stronger than me.
Even when threatened, I have never been afraid. Fear was something I had never known.
Until the day I met the Dragon King. He was the only being to ever teach me the meaning of fear.
'Are you afraid?'
He asked me at the time.
'It is okay to be afraid. You are only human, after all.'
He was the epitome of pride. He was what a sovereign should be.
He always held himself high, never slouched, and always made strong eye contact. The Dragon King didn't seem conceited but quite the opposite. It seems strange but self-effacing would be the best way to describe him.
Whenever he talked to me, he would always look down on me. He would always insult me in some form or way.
Yet, at times, it sounded like he praised me. Someone who was worlds below him in everything.
He was a true sovereign. One that I both respected and feared.
However now, I feel fear.
The quick thumps of my heart. The irritating itch in my throat. The trembling of my fingertips. The goosebumps all over my body. The pain...
"GRRRRYYYAAAHHHHH!"
I let out a blood-curdling scream as the bones in my hand dislodged themselves and pierced through my skin.
I bit my lip and glared at the boy.
Why is he so strong? He's no one special. He shouldn't be.
He's someone who attended Altheria only for a year. His first school training as a Streia. He supposedly stood up against an Emperor, but those are merely rumours.
I've beaten everyone who has crossed my path. Everyone who dared to belittle me. That's how torturing became my hobby. I would torture those who annoyed me or were weaker than me.
So, why he is so different?
"Let's see... What's next?"
Shoya muttered as Anastasia silently watched from behind him.
My whole body hurts. Both my hands are broken. My right shoulder has been dislocated and I can't see anything out of my left eye. He twisted both of my feet to prevent me from escaping. I couldn't escape, even in my Singularity.
He did it to me. Shoya Sasaki. He knows who I am. There's no way he doesn't. He knows who he's messing with, yet he still tries.
He's someone without any special backing or family. So, why? Why is he doing this? For a girl. Someone who he met only a year ago. Is this what people call the power of—
"GGGYYYYYAAAAHHHHH!"
I clenched my teeth as Shoya crushed my remaining hand with his foot. He stamped on my foot—the pain branched throughout my body. I coughed blood, bearing the pain the best I could.
"There's no escaping this. You did worse to Anastasia. I mean, you've tortured her a couple of times, right?"
Shoya Sasaki emanated an aura of bloodlust. He produced fear. My whole body was shaking, and my teeth chattered.
I don't want to be tortured. My whole body hurts. My limbs are being destroyed. It hurts. Is this how they feel? The ones I torture... Is this how the weak feel? Is this the difference between the strong and the weak?
·———·
{Anastasia's POV:}
Alexander was someone I could never beat. When we were younger, he would abuse me a lot and, from that, I became traumatised.
By the time I was stronger than him, I couldn't do anything. I would freeze and accept his brutal torture.
I hate him. I always have. He's scum and that's what I believe. I don't like him or anything, but...
I can't help but want to help him. Shoya is torturing him on my behalf but... I just...
It feels somewhat wrong. What will torturing him change? I'm fine now, so... you don't need to do anything like this, Shoya.
"Shoya, it's fine."
"Hm?"
He turned to me with a wry smile. His right side was covered in blood but he still kept a calm and composed expression.
Alexander looked practically mangled on the floor. Lots of his body parts were twisted and bleeding out. He looked to be on death's door.
"You don't need to do anymore."
Alexander often killed those he tortured—he never killed me, though.
"Yeah, I don't, do I?"
He scratched his head, before looking at Alexander.
"But, I just want to torture him. For what he did to you."
I swallowed my saliva after hearing him talk. His voice was cold. Nothing like what I've heard before.
"He's going to have to die then."
Shoya spoke.
I grabbed Shoya and shook him.
"Why?! Why?! Do you know what will happen if he dies?!"
He shrugged his shoulders and replied,
"It doesn't matter if nobody knows."
"What?"
"If he survives, he could still come after you and torture you again, because I broke his pride. He may also torture my family members simply because I did this to him."
Shoya glared at Alexander.
"Killing him is the only option."
"But I don't want you to be a killer!"
"I'm already one, remember?"
He calmly said.
Ever since that incident in the holidays, I've always been slightly afraid of Shoya. Whenever I see him smile, the ominous feeling I get from him erases itself.
But now, all I feel is fear. Somewhat different from the fear I get whenever I see Alexander. It wasn't fear from trauma or hate. It was fear that Shoya would go mad and, one day, I would lose him.
I couldn't stop him. He killed Alexander using a sword of shadows.
Shoya was strong. That was clear, but, it made me think. What separates the strong and the weak? Or, in fact, what do those terms even mean?