Pain taught the concept of fear to the living. It taught the conscious to strive for pleasure and avoid anything that could cause internal and external torment. They made me go through pain every single day until my body got used to how it felt. I wasn't dumb about it but I was numb to it.
'When you become insensible to pain, you have no reason to achieve pleasure. Pain and pleasure go hand-in-hand. I will provide you with all the pain in the world.'
The silence of the cave was torn and debris fell from the punches thrown by the enraged man. I did nothing but to circumvent the strikes he gave me.
"You can't avoid me forever! Just surrender and give yourself to me!"
The more I avoided him the more his behavior became erratic. He was too motivated to capture me. Each time he missed, his rage increased.
"STAY...STILL!"
I have to find a way to get out of here.
"I don't give myself to meat-eaters."
The man growled. A spiky black tail pierced free from his tailbone.
"But things can be negotiated if we civilly settle this," I added.
Slade disappeared from his spot. Air was knocked out of my lungs. His grasp on my neck tightened. His sharp nails dug into my skin while he pressed me against the rough and bulky walls of the cave.
My luck ran out and went to have dinner.
"I finally caught you..." he laughed under his breath.
His red eyes glimmered. His jaw slightly elongated. The way he wrapped his hands around my neck struck a string within me. My limbs went limp. I could hear my own heartbeat.
"You'll stay here. You won't go anywhere. I won't let you leave."
My lips moved to speak but no words managed to come out.
'You can't breathe? Of course, you can't. This is one of the ways you can get killed. If you go out there, I swear on your father's throne, that you will get throttled while you bleed from the back for getting plowed by those filthy pigs.'
Ironically, no pig or mutt did those to me; it was merely my own kind.
My master was a charismatic leader. He was a man suited to be king. He was adored by the people and blessed by my father. He was a man who destroyed what life I had. He demolished me. He had killed the fire in my heart and chilled the warmth that a child should have. I grew up shattered with no purpose ahead of me.
Slade's face was replaced with his. He was grinning. He was enjoying what he was putting me through. I was weakened from the strangulation but I knew what I had to do.
I slowly reached out and cupped his cheek. The walls behind me shot out in rectangles and knocked him from his place. I coughed harshly, breathing deeply once my feet settled on the ground.
"No matter what I do, I will never be good enough for you..." He stood, nearly losing his balance from his recklessness. "No matter how hard I try, I will always be that failure!" he spat.
I supposed we should compete on who had the worst childhood.
"You cannot get what you want by addressing things with hate," I told him.
Just then, Slade appeared crestfallen. His body trembled. His steps towards me turned more restrained but edgy.
"You can't gain control over the world if you aren't aggressive enough. The same goes for the people who you want to love you," he replied.
The muscles on my face relaxed.
"If you continue to have such a belief, then soon, the world that you are trying to gain power over will crumble. The people you deem important will break. You will be left with nothing but regrets and anger. There might be no chance to rebuild what is already destroyed and to piece back what is already shattered."
His expression twisted into bitterness and abhorrence.
"Then why...why have you given me so much hatred?" He whimpered.
I bore no grudge for him. I only wanted to eat my peaches in peace.
His hands turned into sharp claws, swinging them dangerously.
"I am no failure!"
If this person will have a child in the future, there is no doubt that the child will have explosive behavior.
The huge boulder that blocked the entrance was blown to bits. The whole cave was filled with a mist of dust. A man who looked like Slade stood on the heaps of wreckage.
His shirtless torso was sheathed with his glossy sweat. He jumped from one tall rubble to another until he reached the both of us. He was wearing the same eyepatch that his brother had.
He eyed me for a long time. There were various twists in his expressions. He looked shocked to have seen me.
He raised his hand and landed a firm and loud slap on Slade's cheek.
"How...how could you do this Slade? Why do you keep hurting people for your amusement? The master didn't raise you that way, you're becoming exactly like papa!" He chided.
"I'm only making papa proud."
Slade stood straight; a victorious smirk was plastered on his lips.
"Are you upset that I didn't tell you about our mate before touching him? You shouldn't take an interest at this point; you have a lover. I can do whatever I want with him."
"Do not put Wye Fye in this. I know my boundaries. My mate is not my priority anymore."
"That's good," Slade snorted. He was nodding too much.
"That woman has some use to me now. As a token of my appreciation, I'll stop my attempts of murdering her from now on."
I had nothing to do with their issues with each other. Why did I have to stay and listen?
"I would like to return to Caleb and eat peaches. Please do not block my way," I interrupted them.
When none of them decided to acknowledge my request, I took it upon myself to bestow the freedom to leave. My eyebrows twitched when the twins both grabbed my wrists.
"Do not stop me."
"You're wounded and the cause of your injuries is my idiotic brother who shows no compassion but to himself."
Slade's hold on me tightened. He tried to yank me to his side for his look-alike to oppose the force of the pull.
"Let go of him, Slade. You have no right to claim him as yours if you're just going to destroy him."
"And you have no right to interfere knowing that you already chose someone else to love," Slade countered.
Why were they fighting over someone they barely knew?
"The both of you can choke on peaches and die peacefully."
Slade's brother released me reluctantly.
"I'm sorry for the inconvenience," the man spoke. "I am Sevor by the way, and you are?"
"I am Lucian. It is not a pleasure to meet you both. Please fall off a tall tree but be sure to survive because I do not condone death."
Sevor grimaced and was displeased by my polite response.
"What's with that attitude? You're as bad as Slade."
"Wait, you told me your name was Lettuce!" Slade brought up angrily.
Ah, my tongue slipped.
"Lettuce was my second name. Address me as Lucian from now on," I deadpanned.
I looked between him and Slade, attempting to find any difference that could help distinguish them apart.
Sevor had a more calm and collected look with maturity in his glance. Slade had a natural frown on his face that was screaming immaturity at every blink.
"Forgive my rudeness. I was raised to be selfish and uncaring. I was taught that my existence is far more precious than any other worthless being. I am trying to adapt to this standard of simplicity. Bear with me as I try to tolerate your existence."
Sevor gruffed and grabbed my arm. "You shouldn't say that to someone. Are all ancients this self-centered?"
"I believe so," I answered.
"And you're even admitting it."
"I don't see any reason to hide it."
I snatched my arm from his grasp, walking to where my chlamys was. I reattached the clothing around my shoulders, looking back at the twins who stared at me with curiosity.
"Goodbye," I bid, facing the bright entrance.
"Wait!" Sevor shouted in panic.
I paid him no mind. I walked out, feeling no ground beneath my feet.
I realized that one cannot enter or leave this place without wings.
My body was engulfed with tingling sensations as the winds caught me in their airy forms. My descent was faster than my instincts to survive.
I guess you could say that I am dumbfounded by my own stupidity before my intelligence can intervene.
A loud roar of a beast erupted from above me. I was snatched from death's fingertips. The flying and ferocious creature that I saw last night ascended to the highest peak. It then soared downward when it reached the peak of its twirl.
Another growl boomed from behind. A similar beast followed the one keeping me captive.
"Where are you taking me?" I asked in a louder tone.
The response that I received was a grunt. The creature's soar accelerated. We perched on a cracked floor in the forest which indicated that this was their usual landing spot. The other beast landed beside us.
I was gently placed on the ground. Loud cracking noises occurred after, along with the shrinkage of both beasts. They transformed into the twins in their nude form.
There was a small entrance crafted at the wall behind me. A red-headed woman emerged from it. She was wearing a long white robe with her hair tied into a ponytail. Her skin was porcelain-like. She smiled, showing off a set of sharp fangs.
"Sevor, Slade!" She called out.
She hugged Sevor first and then whacked the head of Slade which earned her a snarl.
"Wye Fye, sorry for worrying you," Sevor spoke. "I found Slade but I couldn't find Rui."
She sighed. "No, it's okay. It's my fault for not watching over them properly." She cupped his face and then frowned. "Your eyes..." She murmured.
She turned to Slade. She was displeased with her observations.
"Their colors changed."
She was crestfallen. Sevor grabbed her by the arm, placing a kiss on her forehead.
"I will never replace you," he assured. "Even if my mate is here, you're still the one for me."
Slade snorted, marching towards me. He tilted my head up to kiss me on my lips.
"Let's go treat your wounds."
"Treat the wounds that you caused?" I asked bluntly.
"Got a problem with that?" He grunted.
Wye Fye stared at me cautiously as she was cuddled by Sevor. I tilted my head at her in question but she looked away, leaning her head against his chest.
"I wish to return to Caleb after. I cannot sleep without him."
"We will return you after we treat your wounds," Wye Fye assured. "That is if Slade lets you go."
I sensed the dislike in her tone.
Did she accidentally eat a worm from a fruit or did she feel that I was a threat to her relationship? How irrational.
I didn't even know them. As I said, I wish for both of them to fall from a tall tree because they took me from my group.
"Let's hope Sevor agrees with you since he's the one who brought me here," I replied.
Jealousy sparked in her eyes. The corners of my lips curled.
"Oh, excuse me for my rudeness but I find all of you dislikeable. I hope we get along just fine." I bowed.