As time passed, Becky's questions remained the same. Although progress has been made, she still has yet to achieve a definitive answer. Instead of finding them, for the past 4 years only new questions formed, and one of the most prominent ones was: How is Rolf still sane?
Torture, day in and day out, for the past 4 years, Rolf has suffered on an immeasurable scale. So the most important question that she thought about in her mind each day was how his sanity was able to prevail. As a curious "scientist", she began exploring Rolf outside of just his torture sessions.
After one extreme session of torture, Rolf was in his room balled up with the now massive Rhea. She was now 6' (~1.83m) long, 4.5' (~1.4m) tall and her tail was 3.5' (~1.1m) long. A new thing that Rolf discovered was that she could manipulate her body. Clearly she would not fit through the small doorway any longer and one day Rolf found her to be about the size as when he first met her and then she proceeded to enlarge herself to the size she is now!
As he was falling asleep within Rhea's fur and warmth, Becky had secretly casted a spell that allowed her to get limited vision inside Rolf's room and to her surprise she was flabbergasted by the dangerous animal that Rolf was currently using as his body pillow.
'So that's what happened, even when we made sure he couldn't get friends he somehow befriended this beast. But to think he was able to get close to such a pure blooded beast… perhaps if I can control it too I may get rewarded extra… ~AHHH~ Lord Ankou~ I can't wait for my reward.' Becky inwardly thought. However little to her knowledge, Rhea was well aware of what Becky was doing. Emitting a low growl, Rhea knew that she needed to quicken her own training, even if it meant hurting Rolf a little bit now.
—--------------
Within the next year that had passed, Rolf was now nearing his 8th birthday. In the year that had passed he was taught the tiers of beasts and humans, how to train his mana and magic power, and refine his fighting abilities.
Currently in a training arena located in Bjorn's territory, a large man and little boy were clashing in a battle. What was most impressive was that Rolf's technique and battle prowess has skyrocketed in the nearly 2 years he's been battling with Bjorn.
*CLANG* *CLANG* *PAH*
"Faster! Stronger! Harbor INTENT In Your Attacks!!" Bjorn blurted after each time Rolf attacked.
Infusing more of his elements into his body, Rolf had learned to multi-cast as well as use his abilities to the max of his current physical prowess. He learned that by using his shadow element his body became lighter and harder to perceive in the opponent's eyes, and that his mysterious light-colored element seemed to exponentially increase his speed, and in exchange put a heftier toll on his body. The light-colored element was one of his most powerful abilities and has even allowed multiple occasions in which Bjorn wasn't able to react to Rolf's movements forcing him to receive Rolf's attack.
*BOOM*
A dust cloud covered the arena hiding the 2 figures. As it slowly dissipated, the large figure was seen kneeling near the other figure who was laying down with their chest heavily moving up and down.
"Good work, you nearly got me in the end. Always make sure to keep track of ALL your opponent's movements. Although we are merely sparring, a single slip up in detail can lead to your death." Bjorn lectured Rolf who was still catching his breath.
Rolf had very good mana control even if he wasn't the best at mana management costs. The number 1 flaw that Rolf knew he had was multitasking. He could fight very well whether it be hand to hand or with his 2 swords of choice, but once another factor was added into the mix causing him to not be able to put full focus into his attacks, that was where his inability showed. Rolf knew he had a long way to go before he could start unconsciously casting but he knew as of right now, no one was his match in his age group.
'Who would have thought that I would ever live to see a peak stage Tier 3, 7 year old magician, who is already nearing another breakthrough into Tier 4. Haaa… I've been teaching him for almost 2 years now but he still has yet to discover his soul and breakthrough to become a true soul magician,' Bjorn inwardly sighed.
Bjorn wanted to train Rolf hard enough that a natural breakthrough would occur and finally allow Rolf to meet his soul, just like he did when he was younger. Unlike Bjorn though, Rolf was still young and no matter how much information and power Bjorn tried to store in his tiny body, Rolf's soul remained dormant and looked about the same as it did the moment Bjorn began training him in magic 2 years ago.
After wrapping up for the week, Rolf had arrived back home in the Einherjar Territory and began moving towards his room.
Stopping in front of his door, he saw that it was slightly open. Slowly opening the door, he began cycling his mana through his body just in case an intruder was within his room.
As he opened his door, an all too familiar "intruder" greeted him as she sat upon his bed. Shocked, he stopped cycling his mana and widened his eyes. Not once in the 4 years of him being tortured did his torturer visit him outside of their "experiments".
Seeing Becky sit on his bed, he became worried about Rhea as night had already fallen and now was about the time that Rhea would come spend the night with him.
"You seemed… quite shocked to see me here, Rolf," Becky smiled as she spoke.
Too stunned to speak, Rolf said nothing as he tried to get his emotions under control and not show his worry towards Rhea.
"No need to be scared, afterall I'm sure that training with Bjorn must have tired you out quite a bit, haha, no need to worry after all my experiment's only start in the morning and clearly now it is NOT morning, oh… perhaps you didn't expect to see 'me' and not someone else here? Or should I say… someTHING' here? Haahha" Becky teased Rolf as she began prying for more information. Unfortunately for Rolf, the moment she said 'someTHING', Rolf's facade broke for a second allowing Becky to know everything she needed to know about the situation.
"Well, it's getting quite late. I should retire, I'm sure you want to rest with your 'friend' as well," Becky added but before Rolf could lunge at her, she interrupted with, "See you tomorrow, Rolf~ don't get too comfortable, the beginning has only just started.." and she quickly disappeared from within the doorway.
Gritting his teeth, Rolf eyes were bloodshot and his mind had once again began revolving and turning, thinking of any possible solution to his predicament and any other information he could garner from just those words alone.
The only thing he was able to understand was that she would now start taking him "seriously" and that she knew about Rhea. From this day forth, Rolf became a ticking time bomb, and Rhea had yet to be seen again by Rolf…
—--------------
The next day, Rolf was tortured up until the few hours before seeing Bjorn again. Which meant for the next 3 days Becky had her way with him.
In order to get more results, Becky had utilized weakening spells that Rolf's core had yet to experience causing everything he's been subjected through to be felt once again. Even if he fainted, unlike before Becky no longer showed mercy, she continued non stop throughout those days.
—--------------
During the days that Rolf had to spend with Bjorn the only thoughts he had were to keep calm and get strong enough to take Rhea with him and escape far away from this shitty kingdom that he once admired for its strength and persistence that has allowed it to stand for centuries.
Seeing Rolf's core beginning to expand at a large rate compared to before, Bjorn was unable to see the grief Rolf was going through and was elated that his body had finally shown signs of breaking through and becoming like him. However, the one thing he noticed was how dead Rolf's already lifeless eyes looked and the increased ferociousness in his gaze, and the one thing that confused him the most was the bright and yet simultaneously dark flame coming from his eyes.
Understanding Rolf's intent, Bjorn no longer lingered and began drilling him harder in training and focused more on technique, meditation, and harnessing the elements to your will. Rolf's nightly phenomenon too had evolved and became something frightening. The gray had become a dark and sinister black and the shroud had bloomed, fruiting a heinous aura.
No longer would Rolf be lacking, every single moment he spent with Bjorn he was nonstop casting spells and fighting, with the formidable resolve and determination he felt, Rolf was slowly approaching an inevitable turning point for his body and mind, and even his soul began to crack once more…
—--------------
As Rolf mindlessly went through the days, he lost track of time as the only thought he had 24/7 was Rhea. He went through the motions timelessly as his only goal right now was get stronger and leave the kingdom with Rhea beside him.
2 months had passed since Becky and Rolf's night encounter and his mentality was forged over and over again in the fervent heat that was Becky's torture and the internal pressure he felt each day. The only thing that he was able to do was repeat a mantra in his head so if his mind began breaking then he would at least remember his one purpose.
'Get Stronger for Rhea!!'
Repeating it thousands of times, the only tether he had to this planet was all held upon the existence of Rhea.
—--------------
On one fateful morning, Rolf had returned a day early from Bjorn's training as his daughter had returned from her training excursion. Coming upon his household's territory, a large smoke trail was coming up from the back of the house near the training grounds.
Confused, Rolf rushed past the mansion and towards the smoke that was near his room located in the corner of the mansion.
Turning the corner, Rolf could smell something wretched and something burning. Looking down and grimacing at the terrible smell, he saw many black scorched bodies, some of which he recognized as the knight's bodies their house employed. Ignoring the bodies, Rolf continued forward towards the origin of the smoke.
Seeing the countless black and burnt bodies, Rolf's stomach churned and he couldn't imagine what had happened here.
As he got closer to the origin of the smoke, he saw a weird flame burning part of the mansion and wild laughter that felt all too familiar.
"AHAHAHAHAHA, YOU STUPID BEAST!"
"IN THE END YOU WERE NO MORE THAN A YOUNG SHITTY CUB!!"
"You'll serve as an excellent specimen for me to dissect and an even better mind breaker for my SLAVE, ROLF!! HAHAHAHAHA!" Becky cackled like a horrible bitc- *witch.
After hearing that, Rolf's speed only increased. Turning around the last wall that separated him from the smoke, he saw something he never would have thought to be possible.
Becky's face was half burnt and her entire body was red from blood and black from burns she faced. Beside her was another charred body, but this time 'it' seemed to be barely alive and could only murmur words of little importance to Rolf. Ignoring the ugly couple and Becky's half bald head, Rolf turned to see what they were looking at.
Across from them was a gigantic wolf. Its body was half black and half white and had blood all over its body. The size was about 9.8' (3m) long and although it was not standing up it was at least 5' (1.52m) tall.
Aside from all the blood on it and the blood leaking Rolf had no need to guess who this was. He had not seen her for about 2 months but there was no doubt about it– this was Rhea.
Unable to grasp the situation, Rolf's mind began to break. For the past 4 years from sundown to sunup, he spent it with her. Even before the torture he's experienced, she's always been with him. He could only think of what he had done wrong and what needed to be done now at this moment.
Ignoring everything happening around him, Rolf began walking towards Rhea. His pace was neither urgent nor slow, it was average, just like his so-called 'talent'. He now understood that this world truly relied on power and that was what he lacked at this current moment.
Rolf had finally managed to reach her motionless body and the only thing that managed to come out of his mouth was words of despair,
"rh…RHEA!!!!"
Rolf's emotions had finally let loose, and along with it, his mentality. At that moment, Rolf's soul shattered, revealing…