Chereads / Strange Lord / Chapter 17 - Chained

Chapter 17 - Chained

"What? You haven't learned half of anything, yet you're already disheartened... what a weak heart! That's why I am the only one honoured to change that annoying mind. I shall create your alter ego!" the rabbit proclaimed in an exhilarated manner.

"Do you even know anything about yourself?" Griffin was unable to reply; he was lost in an abyss of despair, uncertainty, regret, and... regression.

"Well, I shall break it down for you: you were born a monster, simply chained down. You're not to go mad as an awakened; you were already mad from birth. Oh, you can't remember all that..."

Griffin kept his head bowed, pondering what his father had done, and what he did not know. Now, he was being told that he was born mad and merely chained.

The rabbit continued, seemingly enjoying the revelation. "For example, how you disassembled and reassembled a gun—do you think you're that talented?"

Griffin was jolted by what the rabbit had just said.

How did it know about him doing that? Had it been watching him all this while?

"How did you know about that...?" he finally asked in a hoarse voice.

"Finally! You spoke back! I know because I have eyes and ears everywhere—precisely everywhere the darkness resides. I saw you and your new five friends robbing and having breakfast just recently, talking about how you were to be given an advance payment tomorrow and a sale of an item costing 24,000 Gilas."

Griffin was stunned by this. The rabbit's ability to see and hear through the darkness was phantasmal, allowing it to see events and listen to conversations that were hidden from ordinary sight. It seemed to tap into the shadows, using them as a conduit for information, making it almost omniscient in its reach.

"Guess what? I don't have a limit to what I can see and hear. That's not the point. Currently, the point is... you're talentless!"

It hesitated for a moment before speaking again. "You were born without a memory, yet somehow mad, which is strange. Then again, you were able to do things no one could. Interestingly, you even tried to bring a whole street to its doom when you were two—I still don't know how, for some reason, nor do you remember doing so, right?"

Griffin shook his head slowly in affirmation.

The rabbit yawned and continued, "Now, your brain is enhanced from birth, making you superior in intelligence and so adept that you can know every single detail about things you haven't even seen before. The Glock is an example; you don't know the components in it, so how were you able to know how to assemble and disassemble it? Think about it..."

I know that, but it feels like I know every way to do it. I have experiences in constructing gears, despite not being taught any. I know the names of some, despite never having heard about them. Come to think of it now, that's strange... Griffin realised that the rabbit had a point; it was a real mystery how he knew things he had never seen.

"Let me give you a test now."

The rabbit extended its right paw to the side, and darkness began to take shape around its hands, swirling like a thick mist. The shadows coalesced, a peculiar item gradually came into view, taking the shape of a key but distinctly different.

This object was wrought from an iridescent material that changed colours as it caught the light, reflecting hues of deep violet and bright silver. The shaft was elongated, smooth to the touch, and dressed with swirling patterns, twisting across its surface, resembling tendrils of smoke.

The head of the item branched out like a tree, with small, thorn-like protrusions that glimmered faintly.

The rabbit extended the item into Griffin's view, who slowly raised his eyes to examine it closely.

"Do not use your ability to figure it out... use your brain. Tell me, how can I break this?"

Griffin stared at the item for a while, then explained, "Well, first, I would analyse its structure. The head has multiple branches, and if I apply pressure to one of the smaller protrusions, it might create a weak point. If I twist it while pulling, that should cause it to snap. Alternatively, if I were to strike it against a hard surface, the force could fracture the structure, compromising its integrity. Additionally, if I heated it—perhaps with some kind of flame—the material might become malleable, allowing me to bend it until it breaks."

"Precisely, the item is called "Pentagon" [1]

Finishing his explanation, his eyes widened at the realisation that he truly knew every detail about this alien item.

"Why haven't you tried destroying humanity after obtaining memories? Because you're chained; the gem you found is the chain. Confused?"

"Surely." Griffin was confused in that he had obtained his first three memories after finding the gem. As mentioned, he was mad, yet somehow he wasn't now... It was as if he didn't have the urge to save humanity nor destroy it, even after acquiring memories of dark magic, which was said to drive its user mad later on, despite him already being mad from birth. So, what if he had awakened the memories before finding the gem? Would he have tried to destroy again, like when he was younger, as the rabbit claimed? Perhaps it was really, really confusing.

"I shall explain then. First, create a domain. Specifically, a quiet meeting room..."

Griffin gave the rabbit a sidelong glance. "Last time, I almost died when I created a domain by my will, well, perharps due to its expanse. Secondly, I don't suppose anyone or anything aside from me can enter."

"Just do it!"

If I die, you go down with me anyway...

Griffin began to envision a room with no ground, seemingly a floating space with a very long table and nine elegant chairs surrounding it, one positioned at the head. As he concentrated, the change began to take shape.

Gradually, the scene materialised before him.

The table and chairs appeared, suspended in the air, while Griffin found himself seated on the left side of the table in one of the chairs, the rabbit at the centre. Below them was nothing but a swirling white mist, and the furniture floated above it. The sky was non-existent, an empty black void stretching endlessly.

"Why didn't you create a more complete setting?"

Griffin didn't respond, lost in amazement that another being could actually enter the domain alongside him. The rabbit repeated its question, snapping Griffin back to reality

."Oh, that was because if I..."

The rabbit interrupted, continuing its explanation, "If you were to expand it, the domain wouldn't last long, and you would surely encounter unbearable pain... blah, blah."

Then why ask? Griffin pondered. Since it knew the reason, why ask about it again?

The rabbit continued its pacing around the table as if in a conference meeting.

"You're set to awaken your memories on that day, and also acquire the gem. It's a chain that has now restrained your urge to destroy; you never had one to save anyway... By the way, do you want to know about your army? Well, your destined general."

Griffin's interest was piqued, and he found himself contemplating what the rabbit meant by his "army."

Many questions are still left unsolved...

[1] The Pentagon, inspired by the legendary Philosopher's Stone, is an iridescent artefact(- Yes, that's the correct British spelling!) that changes colours and features a smooth shaft adorned with swirling patterns and thorn-like protrusions. It possesses the ability to transmute materials into precious substances, create the Elixir of Life for extended youth, and manipulate the four classical elements.

Additionally, it reveals hidden truths when contemplated and acts as a protective barrier against dark forces.