Emmetropia

Chapter 6: Unknown Presence

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Arlen's Perspective
I wake up to see the void. Am I dead? But then the memories flashed into my eyes, someone broke in and I tried fighting them. I tried to push them down from the balcony but they grasped on to my hand having full grip and switched our places so I could be on the edge of the fence. I fell, fortunately I didn't die though since this was on the 2nd floor. No, I wouldn't have died from something as short as that. I felt the grueling pain devour me, making me go unconscious. Then I heard someone's voice call out, it was a masculine deep voice. "Is he up?" I hear another voice reply, "It seems like it." Arlen can't see anything but he can look down to the bottom of their shoes, he sees shining pointy shoes, sharp enough to make someone bleed. They were black like a void, yet it lusters exquisitely. I felt my legs tied together, no they WERE tied together. Tied up in a knot, quite elegant for an intimidating kidnapping occuring to me. I also realized two things, one is my arms are also tied obviously. But I am not inside; rather I am actually outdoors, I see grass the height of my leg ankle. The two cryptid men were having a conversation, I could hear it loud and clear. "Fuck! What's taking him so long?" Am I being sold? Is this some human trafficking auction being put on me? It's quite mentally arduous to tell. One of the men spoke to me in a rowdy accent, "I'm quite surprised someone like YOU gets to see the leader! Why would they take someone as poor as you?" First of all, he spits a lot. Second off, I am not poor since my family are priests, although I am getting low debt due to the tax law that occured, although it's not at all the king's fault as it's rather due to the attacks. Ever since the wars occured lots of regions stopped trading with each other which made the monarchs have less money. I replied back, "I don't know what you need me for. But whatever it is I have nothing to say!" This was quite crass for me since I have no idea who they are and their durability or strength. Then, one of them punches me. Their fist wasn't that hard but it wasn't soft either, it's like an averagely well fist. Although it did give me a bruise. The man then says, "That will happen to you if you don't tell our leader. He'll torture you until you take out the truth." It's like a hamster running around in place on the wheel, awaiting for something to happen as their pain damages them. I am that hamster to these people. Although their talking did frighten me a bit I've noticed a great flaw. But I won't take advantage of that until later, I nodded to them and acted fearful.


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Narrator
The two men were looking out, they were talking about their lives. Arlen then stated something, "You know, hamsters are unique." One of the men stared deep down, Arlen knows he's right there, he could smell his breath, which smells quite grievous. "And why is that?" Arlen replies to his questions, "it's because even if they're stuck in that wheel some know how to escape that endless loop. They just need to start having a shock of realization. The realization that this is all planned from someone from the very start." They look confused, "That's why.. I must be that someone." They didn't understand Arlen's statement until his arms stuck out, unwrapping the rope knot on his legs as rapidly as he could. You see, the rope was too loose in the back as if they were in a hurry. After such a blaring fall from last night, they were rushing back so nobody could see Arlen's unconscious body laying. They made a mistake while they were trying to tie him up and didn't realize the rope tying his arms could've gotten off quite effortlessly. It's a human error to misinterpret the rope as quite strong when time ticks faster than a bullet shooting. Arlen charged and uppercutted the jaw of the larger men, which encouraged him and so he tried jolting to the stomach, the other men tried hitting him in the back until Arlen bent his back down dodging the fist, which made his fist lead to his partner's head. Quite deficient reflex, even with the average reflex he could've simply put down his fist, he had control over his body so he couldn't have tripped. The larger man became unconscious due to the fist leading to the head, which gave a moment of silence to the other partner until Arlen bashed on the back of the partner's head, leading to both of them down on the floor with blood being poured like wine. The red got on to Arlen's pure dove white clothing, which made him quite discomforted due to the fact how he just washed his clothes. Arlen thought if he should at least help the poor man, but instead he looked down and whispered into one of the men's ears, "May the gods cleanse your sinful soul." and goes away from the scene. In this world, it is good to acknowledge your mistakes and let the consequence flourish your treacherous souls. Simply, those men have killed others in the past and so they shall be led with their consequence. Arlen takes one more bash in the back of their heads before leaving to make sure they'll never see the light of day again.

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When Arlen was little, his parents didn't have any time to be with him and so he was vulnerable, unprotected and alone in his house. He'd go out a lot to study philosophy. One day, he met this boy who was older than his age, around 15. He was an outcast in the society due to him being aggressive and leading to physical violence towards others. When Arlen first met him, instead of going away from his presence he asked him, "Why thou turn to the direction of physically hurting others?" (Arlen used a lot of old-fashioned terms since he would read lots of Shakespear.) The boy answered, "Because this world is worse from hell. People tell you what role you stand in, I simply do not let people treat me like I am their dog." Arlen looks at him, quite amazed by his answer and asks, "May you teach me your ways?" the boy chuckled and grinned, "Why should I? You're just a little kid who's spoiled and weak." Arlen spoke back without looking at his face, he simply looked at the seed he planted. "Even though my parents are rich they simply do not care for my presence. If I die or go missing they wouldn't even bat an eye. All they really care about is if I become the next priest of their known church. I praise the gods but I don't think I have that kind of relationship with them. Most of the time I am alone with no one to help or take care of me, I am a lone vulnerable ant waiting to be stepped on. So, shall you teach me your ways for the sake of safety?" The boy thought and then he grunted and said, "I can't believe I am doing this.. But sure." For years he practiced his skills in reflex, durability, and strength. Arlen enjoyed his company, until one day he didn't see the boy at the place they mainly go to for practice. Arlen didn't think much of it at first, but when checking out the newspaper the horrid truth has been revealed. The boy's house apparently burnt down, (at the time it was covered up as a minor inconvenience that occurred.) Arlen couldn't handle this treacherous news. Anyone who now tries to bring a single harm to the people  he has a relation with will be executed thoroughly. If his destiny is to ensure that the enemy will acknowledge their mistakes and suffer through the consequences, he'll sure as hell make it come to reality if he ever has the chance to.