"Where am I?"
It was an enigmatic turn of events. It wasn't supposed to be like this. he never did anything; the man was alone, along the metal pipes of the room, with the scurrying rats squirming along the water puddles. The sound of the water droplets hitting the ground gives off an eerie sense of dread.
The man was bound to a chair. His foot was hanging above a seemingly sizeable puddle. It was torture; it was cold and damp, and every time the water splashed: soaking his sock that hit against the sole of his foot. He could not do anything about it as he felt the rope around his hand. Every squirm of his arm would make the feeling worse; it was itchy and painful. It felt like hours, and with the sounds of rats and water, he felt like he was going insane.
One... Three... Five... Seven...
The sounds of water droplets hitting the ground create an eerie foreboding as they constantly hit the ground. As The man counted the odd numbers, the rats began actively prying each other, squeaking beyond compare. "These fucking rats, it could've been much better if these cretins were dead." his annoyance, he couldn't do anything. So, he just continued counting
Nine... Eleven... Thirteen... Seventeen...
Nineteen...Twentyone... Twenty-two-
Suddenly, a metal door creaked open, followed by a heavy footstep.
It sounded like a leather boot clashing against the puddle of water, increasingly getting closer: and each step made a squeaking sound: as if his feet inside the boot were wet. The agonizing footsteps stopped; suddenly heard a deep, raspy breathing in his left ear. The figure's presence alone was already imposing, even more so when he was blindfolded and tied.
"Who are you?!" he shouted, demanding an answer from the figure, "What do you want from me?. I don't have money; I'm not from an influential family; I have nothing to offer; I'm just nobody. What could you want from me?".
It was all but silence, trembling in the accounts of a strange man that tied him to a chair blindfolded and gagged. They said that Curiosity killed the cat, but it was a phrase that underestimated the man's situation; his heart raced when he realized that he was in a predicament, his life that led to nothing, only to die in the hands of a strange perpetrator.
He felt a hand on his face, lifting the blindfold off; His vision returned as the light hit his eyes: though blurry, his vision slowly adjusted to the dimly lit room. It was a pretty small one, covered in pipes.
In front of him was a man, a sillouhetto of a man, he's not Scaramouche and he's a fan of Dango. With the thunderbolt and lightning, very frightening.
It was a white-haired man, with almost sunken eyes and a fair complexion. When his eyes adjusted to the dim room, he can make out the face of the perpetrator. It was surprising, he's handsome beyond compare. built like a model, molded after the face of an angel; it's so weird for him to work in this kind of industry. He probably tried to harvest his organs.
"Lewellyn..."
"How... How did you know my name?" Lewellyn demanded an answer from the young man.
The man however just stared at him. He was deeply enamored by the site in front of him.
Stop that will you? Lewellyn said inside his head, It's creeping me out. Are you even going to help me or even kill me?
Though his face surprised me, it raised the question of what in the actual fuck is he doing here? and why am I bound to a chair for days?
Lewellyn can feel the man's breath on his neck, staring at him; without any reaction on his face.
"So... Are you just gonna stand there?" Lewellyn mocked the man. Abandoning the thought of reason and just trying to provoke him into killing him, it was much better that way. "Kill me now, If you aren't gonna do that, then answer my question. What is my purpose here?"
This man... He's strange, he keeps staring at me; to be honest. It's getting a bit annoying. I can't even ask any questions, it's like I'm talking to a brick wall
The man leaned onto Lewellyn and whispered: "You're here for a reason, you have a purpose."
His voice sent a chill down Lewellyn's spine.
A silence was emanating between the two, the ambiance of droplets made the entire thing more awkward between the two.
The entire thing made Lewellyn feel like someone forced him to chew on a shoe, a hard bit to swallow. Just cannot understand why someone like him was chosen.
Lewellyn, calm down. I'm sure he's just joking. Right! this might be a symptom of insanity, that's why he said some crazy thing.
While Lewellyn was dozed off in his own world, The man stared at him with fascination.
You sure are interesting, it's been so long since we've seen each other, yet you still haven't remembered it.
ever since your inception, you're nothing but fascinating.
The man grabbed the rope and untied Lewellyn. The feeling of the itchy ropes out of his hand was pure bliss. He tried to stand but his legs were shaky like a twig, due to the fact that he's been bound for days.
"Lewellyn, you're here for a reason," The man smiled. "You will work for us".
"Huh..." too much Lewellyn's confusion.
Lewellyn felt like The man was playing a cruel joke on him. He felt invalidated, much so like he was being mocked. But what does The man get if he does that?
Lewellyn stared at The man and accepted his offer.
"I accept, not that I have a choice anyway," Lewellyn said in a gloomy tone. "But what can I do? I'm not powerful enough to do any job, I'm severely malnourished, and the top of that my ability to channel celestial energy is not great either."
"Not powerful enough? You must be joking," The man scoffed. "That's a cool lie, but I will remind you that- your eyes are purple as an amethyst. It glints in a way that is pretty obvious to spot."
"Purple?" Lewellyn interjected.
The man walked to the table and sat down. "Don't tell me you have no idea of what it was?" he asked Lewellyn. Lewellyn quickly nodded. The man sighed and explained, "You, Lewellyn, are the child of Irae."
"Child of Irae?"
"Yes, people with deep purple eyes manifest when they experience very strong emotions or desires. In response, the brain sends a special signal to the entire nervous track and down to the Celestial Simulacra. This will immediately transform the body of the user; After that, the person in question will manifest some kind of power. a power much different from celestial focus. A power that is very much unique to a person" The man thoroughly explained to Lewellyn.
"A celestial simulacra? What in the world is that?" Lewellyn questioned The man.
"We can leave that for another day, shall we?"
There are many things that Lewellyn doesn't know in this world, and this is one of them. he cannot process the things he just heard.
"Unfortunately, People with purple eyes are considered to be taboo, and they're killed for religion or bounties. That's why many people concealed their eyes with contacts or celestial focus" The man added.
"Killed? Why?" Lewellyn interjected again.
"Well, it was fear- because of this legend," The man said. "Once upon a time, there was a little girl. Who was weak and fragile, but behind the glass-like physique- lies a formidable weapon, which is great intellect. Her family was a long line of archivists, who protected and researched texts. But one day, they were accused of researching and using dark magic, branded as heretics. One by one they were executed, in front of the girl's eyes; when it was her turn. her body changed, it felt energetic. A surge of feeling like adrenalin but it was different, suddenly the chains vaporized into nothing, and the guards and their weapons are no exception. It was a power that has been never seen before. Her eyes are deep purple, shining like glass under the sunlight. The people feared her and branded her as the devil. But the king was a greedy man, he recruited her. Promising her to set her free, the woman believed him. Each day, she was vanquishing enemies in his name, using her newfound power. Until that day, she was ambushed by none other than the prince of the kingdom; she was wounded. The prince tried to take her power by the king's order. So before she died she said her final word, she stated that even if she's dead; her 'children' will take them down. Dying in the hands of the prince. Her words however were not a farce. Years later the same kingdom fell because of people with powers similar to her."
"So... People started killing people with purple eyes... just because of this legend?" Lewellyn said in sheer terror.
"That's basically it"
The things he said, felt so true. I have every reason to doubt him but- everything he said felt true, it was sincere. Should I just trust him even though he kidnapped me? or should I resist?
This thought alone made my head hurt.
"If I am a part of these generations of purple-eyed people like you said, then why my power hasn't manifested yet?" Lewellyn questioned the man.
The man quickly hopped off the table and tighten the gap between and Lewellyn. "Your eyes... It's visible, It meant that your power has indeed manifested without you knowing. Tell me, is there a time when you're in a predicament; but suddenly your body felt a sudden burst of energy and out of nowhere you pass out? When you wake up, the surrounding is changed to some extent by some unknown force." The man asked Lewellyn.
Indeed Lewellyn does have an experience like that, it was 2 years ago.
May 21, 2073
It's a normally gloomy day, with threatening thunder roaring through the sky while the lively market populace on the ground still prospers despite the bad weather.
Thump!
"Sorry!" said the man in ragged clothing as he bumped onto a couple shopping on the market.
"Watch where you're going!" The piercing eyes of disgust can be seen from the man, though this doesn't bother the man. Instead, he ran and turn left into the alleyway, devoid of people. with flickering lights and water dropping from the pipes.
"Bingo!" This man is sure wealthy; you won't go with this kind of money. Maybe he's showing off to the girl so they walked outside with the kind of money." Sure it was wrong, but this is his only way of living. being socially repressed and doesn't have a record of birth. he couldn't get a job anywhere. The only places that allowed him to enter are the library and the church.
he used his access to the library to learn how to read and write, that maybe his only salvation in this world. Knowledge is power, right?
Out of nowhere, Eight overweight men in uniforms suddenly hollered at him. "There he is! Catch that rat, he caused us enough trouble as it is".
The man in ragged clothing hurriedly ran from the imperial guards, but he was severely malnourished to run fast and the guards caught up to him. Suddenly being pelted by a barrage of batons from the guards.
"Ack!" He yelped as he got assaulted by the guards. In the middle of the commotion, the squad leader picked up the wallet that the man dropped.
"Quite a haul huh? To think that a rat like you is able to do this is quite... Funny" Said the snot-faced bastard as he puts away the wallet into his coat pocket.
It was unfair, his body cannot take it anymore. the sheer amount of beating he got was absurd. he's malnourished, only stealing to support himself. Yet he cannot do it freely, as someone like them will still stop him and stole his work. claiming to work for justice.
They were laughing as the three other men beat up the man.
"Go ahead, it's okay. No one will hurt you now, all this pain will go away"
His head went blank as he felt a surge of energy coming from his body.
When he woke up, everyone was dead.
Three of the guards were shoved into a wall; crushed by something... their blood flowed down like water, filling up the ground and then getting washed away by the rain. the other 4 were on the ground, dead: With their brains splattered on the floor and the wall. like a bloody mist that crept along the alleyway, witnessing the gruesome scene. The man looked around and observed the surrounding, they looked like they were crushed by something. It was a force to be reckoned with. It smells like iron, which made the man throw up in revulsion. every step he made splashed blood everywhere. It was a massacre.
Which made Lewellyn ask himself... What in the world happened here?
"Looks like you remembered something. are you gonna share it," The man sarcastically said. "Seems not"
His heart raced as the sweat from his nervousness made him look like he went from the shower.
The man looked at his watch and hollered at Lewellyn. "Let's go, they're waiting for us".
"Wait what? where are we going?" Lewellyn asked nervously
"Outside, of course, let's go," said the man. "And, I'm Indigo, I'll be working with you now Lewellyn!"
He smiled
As Indigo twists the doorknob that leads outside, some familiar feeling came from his smile. it felt so fluffy, like a cloud.
He doesn't sound bad as I portrayed him to be, his existence alone made me feel at peace. His smile has so much radiance. This made me wonder, just why, why is he treating me this way? but at the same time, I was happy, for someone to treat me like a human being, albeit in a wrong scenario. I'm so happy.
His name is Indigo huh?
Chapter 1 End