For the first time in his life, Arric truly felt alone.. Truly felt no one could help him escape the hole he was trapped in. He sat at the bench in Sutica, his sword slowly scraping across the ground and when he looked up, he didn’t see the people of Sutica.. He didn’t see a vibrant city with joy, hope, anger, frustration or ANYTHING. He saw a void. A void which he knew he couldn't escape from now.. A void, swallowing everything, a void that called him to it. The ground was grey and he saw everyone.. He saw their shadows, laughing at him, mocking him.. He saw them all looking at him waiting for his death.. His voice, a murmur now and his movements unnoticeable as his shivers grew
“You’re alone.. Why do you keep trying?” He heard them speak.. He couldn’t answer. He couldn’t move.. He couldn’t escape the torment of their mockery
“Look at you.. You’re weak.. You couldn’t even stand.. You never could stand..” “You’re wrong..” he would tell them “I.. I can try again..” he would beg with them “Please.. Give me another chance.. I can do it..” They wouldn’t stop.. They wouldn’t care.. Why would they? Who would care about him? He is nothing.. Brought from nothing.. Will die from nothing..
He couldn’t even stop it.. Stop him.. He did this.. Yes.. That must be it..Right? Yes.. Kill him.. It will stop.. You can be happy.. Again.. Laugh again.. Stop the void..
“Arric.. You think you could? You’re weak.. I ruined your face and you couldn’t stop me.. I ruined you.. You could never stop me.. Now look at me.. How can you stop me now..?” The face.. The only face he could truly see.. He pretended to see everyone else.. But they were a void.. Compared to him.. The eye.. The scars.. He could see them all.. He could see it as clear as day.. See it while surrounded by the cold.. The face of the one.. Who did this.. He DID do this.. It’s all his fault.. Stop him.. It will be better.. Stop this madman.. Stop..
Mystery.
I.. Can stop you.. I will.. I will kill you..
The laugh echoes.. The only sound he could hear.. It haunted him, it followed him.. It wouldn’t stop.. The laugh couldn’t stop.. He heard it in his sleep, he heard it walking, he heard it fighting.. He will hear him always..
“You think you can stop me now? Look what has happened to me.. I can crush you like a fly.. You can’t stop me. You can’t even touch me.”
I.. Can do it.. I can..
“You’re a bigger fool than I thought you were, Arric.. You can never kill me. Spen 30 years with the strongest wizard in Atlas.. You will still Die..”
Just.. Like.. Just like.. Your Wife?
It halted.. He saw it halt. So he stood, using a long fallen branch as support, he stood, the void still swirling around him, closing in on the shadow and him.
I.. Can stop you.. Or I will die.. They are my only.. Options.. Now..
“Then.. I can’t wait to see your corpse”
Chuckles.. Not from it.. From him.. His helmet and head being thrown back into a laugh of pure insanity
I.. Can’t wait.. To be free..