"Argh!" Nux grunted as he opened his eyes. His left hand was at the back of his head and a painful expression was etched on his face as he gazed around the dimly lit room.
"Where am I?" He mumbled and tried to get up from the hard floor made up hard visible stones but the moment he did so and tried to move, he was roughly pulled backwards and then the sounds of chains clanked in the air.
He turned and to his surprise, there were chains on his feet and legs which were bound to the wall.
"Wh-what?" He stammered. He didn't know what had happened and he felt like he had slept for ages. "Isabella! Hope she escaped safely?!" He whispered.
"It seems like you are awake," a male voice said from outside the room and when he looked, he saw nothing. But he still felt that someone was there staring back at him. The person's gaze felt like it was tearing into his soul. "Let me introduce myself. I am Van Anstra, the leader of the witch cult... I am also the worshiper and servant of the new queen of witches, Queen Kaima the second ."
Nux didn't know who the queen of witches was and it didn't concern him. All he was after was Isabella's safety.
"Where is Isabella?" He asked him. He had expected an answer from the person speaking to him but suddenly, the air around Nux seemed to thicken, making it hard for him to breathe. He struggled to inhale, his lungs burning from the lack of oxygen.
Suddenly, the voice spoke again, its tone dripping with anger. "You dare to call our queen by her...human name?" Van Anstra's voice was low and menacing, sending shivers down Nux's spine.
Nux's eyes widened in confusion. 'What did he mean? Why was he so angry?' He thought internally.
"I...I don't know what you're talking about," Nux stammered, trying to catch his breath.
Van's laughter echoed through the room, sending chills down Nux's spine. "You really don't know, do you?" he said, his voice dripping with amusement. "Our queen, the one you so carelessly referred to as 'Isabella', is now Queen Kaima the second. And you will address her as such starting from today."
Nux's mind reeled as he tried to process what was happening. Isabella was a queen? What did that even mean?
He tried to speak, but his voice was hoarse from the lack of oxygen. He coughed, trying to clear his throat.
Van's laughter stopped, and the air around Nux seemed to relax, allowing him to breathe again.
"You will learn to address our queen with the respect she deserves," Van said, his voice cold and detached. "And you will learn to obey her commands. Or else."
Nux's heart sank as he realized the gravity of his situation. He was a prisoner, and Isabella...or Queen Kaima, was somehow involved.
"Mind you, she is no longer the same person you think she was a few days ago," Van said, shocking Nux the more.
He looked around the room, trying to find any clue that might help him escape. But the walls were solid, and the chains on his legs were unyielding.
"I slept for days?" He mumbled in shock. What happened while he was unconscious? Didn't he ask Isabella to go to the mansion? What really happened? He had many questions to ask and the only person that could give him the answers he wanted was Isabella herself. He had to see her no matter what!
Nux's eyes scanned the room, searching for any weakness or opportunity to escape. But the walls were solid, and the chains on his legs were unyielding.
"I'd rather die than be a prisoner to you," Nux spat, looking up at Van with defiance. "Kill me now and get it over with." 'If I die, I will be able to start over again and this time I won't let anything happen to Isabella!' He thought but unfortunately for him, his plan wasn't going to work.
"Tsk," Van scoffed as he passed through the door, into the room.
Seeing him, Nux was shocked. He had imagined Van to be an old man or even an odd-looking person but he was nothing of such. Van appeared to be a boy of around eighteen or nineteen years old, his piercing blue eyes seeming to bore into Nux's soul as he stared at him. His jet-black hair was styled in a messy, piecey fashion, framing his angular face. He wore an oversized robe which covered every part of his body even his legs, except for his face.
For a moment, Van's eyes seemed to flicker, and they momentarily glowed with an intense, golden light, reminiscent of the bright sun. Nux felt a shiver run down his spine as he gazed into those hypnotic eyes.
Van's expression didn't change, but a hint of amusement danced in his eyes. "I'm afraid that's not possible," he said, his voice dripping with condescension. "Our queen has given explicit orders not to harm you."
Nux's eyes narrowed. "What does she want with me?" he growled.
Van shrugged. "That's not for me to say. But I can tell you that you're not going anywhere. At least, not until our queen decides what to do with you."
Nux's anger boiled over, and he struggled against the chains. But they held fast, and he was left panting and frustrated.
"I want to see her then," Nux demanded, his eyes blazing with determination. "I have many things to ask her so let me see her!"
Van's expression turned cold. "You're not worthy to see our queen," he sneered. "You're just a prisoner, a servant. And you'll be treated as such."
Nux's face twisted in anger, but Van just laughed. "You'll learn to obey," he said. "You'll learn to serve. And you'll start by serving me."
Nux's eyes widened in horror as Van gestured to a servant who had been standing in the shadows. The servant stepped forward, holding a set of keys.
"Remove his chains," Van ordered. "And take him to the servant's quarters. He'll be working under me from now on."
Nux's heart sank as the servant unlocked his chains and dragged him to his feet. He was led out of the room, stumbling and staggering as he tried to keep up with the servant's pace.
As he was dragged through the winding corridors, Nux caught glimpses of the castle's opulent decorations. Tapestries hung on the walls, depicting scenes of dark magic and ancient rituals. Candles flickered, casting eerie shadows on the stone floors.
Nux's mind reeled as he tried to process what was happening. He was a prisoner, a servant. And he was at the mercy of Van and the now so-called Queen Kaima.
The servant finally stopped in front of a small door, adorned with intricate carvings of snakes and skulls. The door creaked open, revealing a narrow stairway that led down into darkness.
"Welcome to your new home," the servant sneered, pushing Nux down the stairs.
Nux stumbled, his eyes adjusting slowly to the darkness. He found himself in a cramped, damp cellar, lit by a single flickering candle.
Van emerged from the shadows, his eyes gleaming with malevolence. "Welcome to your new life," he said, his voice dripping with malice. "You'll be serving me from now on. And if you're lucky, you might even catch a glimpse of our queen."
Nux's eyes blazed with anger, but he knew he was trapped. He was a prisoner, a servant. And he would have to play by Van's rules if he wanted to survive.
"Quit being angry already," Van said, his voice softening. "You are lucky that our queen still remembers you even after the ritual and transformation she underwent but that doesn't mean she would want to have anything to do with you again. She's no longer who she was before so you better stop all your fantasies and face the harsh reality. You will become one of us and if lucky, you may see her again but bear in mind that you can not harbor additional feelings for her and you can not die!" With that, Van left the room.
Nux knelt there, his eyes wide open in shock. The information was too much for him to digest and the sudden realization of things made him realize how useless he had been... How much of a failure he has been from the very start.
In his previous life, he did nothing special. Only going around, taking what wasn't his and living off them. Even while other orphans strived to make a living, he did nothing special for his life. He just lazied around, having fun and spending time with the wrong people — people that claim to be his friends but secretly feeding on him. It was as a result of the kind of meaningless life he lived that he ended up not able to do anything in this second life. He could not protect the girl he cherished, he couldn't even protect himself. He was summoned into a world brimming with so many powers, into a kingdom where magic, fame, and power seemed to be the order of the day but he couldn't achieve any one. He pretended like none of those mattered as long as he was living a good life in a rich man's mansion despite being a servant.
How foolish of him to think that nothing mattered when almost everything really mattered. Because of his imcompetence, Isabella, his heroine became something that she didn't want to. Because of imcompetence, he ended up being a servant again, a mere servant!
What a waste of resources.
'Damn it!' He grunted inwardly as all these thoughts flowed through his whole being like a river. The realization was pure and clear.
"How can I be so foolish!" He cursed himself. "I let everything slip out of my hands, Goddamnit!"
"Instead of cursing yourself, why don't you try and improve?" A soft feminine voice spoke and when he looked up, he saw a pretty girl standing by the door.