The Fates' Betrayal

A stutter

The tang of desperation oozed from the guard like a dark fog, engulfing the tiny cell and its inhabitants.

“Not talking now, huh?” the guard’s words slithered through the air, laced with malice. “Maybe we should give you another round of beatings. That seemed to have worked the last time. Remember how you chirped?”

Aisa’s breath hitched at the guard’s threat, her eyes widening in fear, while Jack cringed on the inside, unwilling to revisit the days when every breath felt like a precious, elusive gift granted only by divine benevolence. He had endured all their relentless taunts, both physical and mental, until Master had had enough of his misery and threw Jack into this darkened cell, a sanctuary for an unending slumber.

“None of that information worked out, by the way,” the guard said, relishing the recollection of those tormenting times. “But that’s all water under the bridge now. Tell me, how did you manage to wake up? Master said no one could do it. Not even you. Only him. He’s the only one who can awaken you”, the man continued, a thread of reverence weaving through his every word.

“Who is Master?” Aisa asked Jack. “And why is this guy so concerned that you have woken up?” curiosity now occupied her mind, wondering what was, in fact, Jack’s story. What exactly did he do that he ended up locked away in this place?

“You can understand him?” Jack asked, surprised.

“What do you mean?” Aisa retorted.

“I mean, you seem to understand what he speaks. How?”

“Should I not be able to? He speaks rather clearly. Why do you ask?”

“Wow!” Jack exclaimed, clearly astonished.

“Wow?!” Aisa mimicked, a tinge of mockery in her voice.

“I didn’t think you’d be able to understand their language, that’s all. Not many do,” he admitted, his admiration evident.

“But you do,” she pointed out. “That’s why you warned me not to speak earlier, isn’t it? Why? Is it so rare for people to understand ‘them’? Do they speak a different language?” she wanted to know because her curiosity was reaching new levels. “And who exactly are ‘they’?”

As Aisa relentlessly fired off an unending barrage of questions for Jack to answer, the impatient snarls of the guard sliced through their inner dialogue. A twinge of annoyance flared within her at the unwelcome interruption as she longed for more time, for Jack to satiate her thirst for knowledge, but she held her tongue and remained silent.

“I need an answer for the Master,” the guard demanded, his patience wearing thin.

“Don’t!” Jack warned Aisa.

She gasped and nearly choked on her breath, realising Jack knew her intentions and swallowed the burning words that wanted to come out.

“Why?′ she asked.

“Because you shouldn’t say that to him. He’ll know something’s wrong.” Jack cautioned, offering his guidance on the proper response. He silently urged her to trust his counsel, a gentle reassurance coursing through their unspoken connection.

“I’m... h-hungry.” Aisa finally exhorted, repeating Jack’s words that were still ringing in her mind.

“You must sound more confident. I never stutter.” Jack added cocky, and Aisa couldn’t help rolling her eyes at his arrogance, but before she could repeat the sentence, she heard the guard’s mocking laugh.

“Hungry?” he jeered. “You’re hungry, moiety?”

Aisa nodded her head, oblivious to the guard’s sarcasm.

“The human inside you is famished and craving its sustenance?” he continued, his mocking tone escalating.

Aisa squirmed under the weight of his words, the panic taking hold, seeping into every corner of her being.

“He knows!” she whispered to Jack, wondering how the guard uncovered their secret. “Was it me? Did I give us away? Was it because I stuttered? Is that how he found us out?”

The guard shook his head in disapproval. “There’s no food here,” he declared, leaving Aisa gaping at him in disbelief. She awaited Jack’s guidance once more, but Jack remained silent, an enigma amidst their chaos.

“Master needs to hear about this.” the guard continued. “He’ll make a personal appearance to ensure you return to slumber,” With that, he pivoted on his heel and strode purposefully toward the exit.

Aisa barely registered the guard’s departing words. Her mind was preoccupied with her own thoughts, and she couldn’t shake the feeling that, somehow, she was responsible for the predicament they now found themselves in. Despair gripped her as she watched the door creak shut, darkness swallowing the last sliver of light that had offered her some comfort. She was lost, once more, in the emptiness of her mind, questioning what she had done wrong.

Jack remained silent, deliberately withholding any response to Aisa’s barrage of questions. He was pleased when Aisa retreated to her side of the mind and hoped she’d wander through her thoughts for a while longer, pondering and speculating whether it was her stutter that gave her away.

“Silly girl,” he mused, “If only you knew...”

He left that thought unfinished because he didn’t want to venture into that territory. His mind was like a labyrinth of secrets that he dared not reveal nor risk exposing fragments of his past to the scrutiny of another.

A bittersweet longing for his former self overcame him, the one unburdened by the weight of knowledge and experience he now carried.

Jack missed his old self. He missed the simplicity of a time when innocence still draped itself around his shoulders, shielding him from the weight of the world. Although the treacherous alleyways of memory were luring him with their seductive whispers of what was, what could have been, he steered clear of revisiting those memories, wary of becoming ensnared in their grasp if he stepped too far into the corridors of yesterday.

*********

Even in the densest darkness, a flicker of light eventually emerges.

The door creaked open once more, and both Jack and Asia were brought back from their introspections by the thunderous entrance of the guard.

“The Master is not at his residence,” he announced, his imposing figure obstructing the stream of light that struggled to infiltrate the space. He remained rooted in the doorway, a silent battle raging within, torn between upholding his duty and leaving the moiety to suffer alone in the darkness.

Yet, yielding to the latter option would mean disobeying the Master’s orders, and no one dared defy the Master. No one dared to talk back unless the Master requested it. But even so, Master always had to have the last word. And he has already voiced his final words regarding this ... case.

“He also requested that I move you with the other prisoners”. The guard muttered through gritted teeth. “You must be ... hungry.” he spat the last word out as if it were hot lava burning his tongue. He debated briefly whether to carry out the task himself or summon the other guard to get his hands dirty. But Master’s instructions resounded in his mind, enforcing his responsibility- ”You will move him!" he bellowed, shutting down any attempt at negotiation.

The guard approached Jack with agonising steps, but before reaching down, he stopped in front of him.

“Why did he stop?” Aisa turned to face the guard, her brows furrowed in confusion. “Did he forget the key?”

“The key?!” Jack scoffed. “He didn’t.”

She tilted her head to the side, attempting to catch a glimpse of the guard’s face in the dim light that was seeping through the slightly ajar door. The illumination highlighted the right side of his face, allowing the shadows to take shelter on his left side. Aisa gasped at the captivating sight before her.

He was breathtaking.

Although his features were only partially visible, the man looked like a divine creation. He had a chiselled unlined face, and his sharp features, although mostly hidden, were evident. He possessed a remarkable handsomeness, framed by luscious dark hair cut stylishly short, accentuating his allure, leaving Aisa awestruck by his sheer magnificence.

“Don’t be fooled by his mask.” voiced Jack, feeling uncomfortable by Aisa’s fascination with the guard. “There’s nothing enticing about him once you look into his eyes. Plus, I’m more good-looking. You just haven’t had a chance to look in a mirror.” he added with a smug chuckle.

But Aisa’ wasn’t impressed by his last words. Jack’s other comment stuck to her mind like glue.

“His eyes ... What do you mean?” she inquired, unable to discern the guard’s gaze. The interior remained dim, with only a faint trickle of light, and she hadn’t paid much attention to his eyes. They were concealed and camouflaged by his bewitching beauty.

“Don’t make this difficult, moiety!” the guard said, looking down at them. “I’ll unchain you but remain still. Let’s not have any more of those ‘dances.’ Just move to the wall and stretch out your leg.”

The irony wasn’t lost on Jack, who stood motionless, trapped within his own body. “I couldn’t even if I wanted to,” he muttered with a tinge of dejection.

Aisa moved reluctantly, pressing her back against the wall as she stretched her chained leg, all while stealing glances at the guard. She wanted to see what Jack meant about the guard’s eyes. But the man crouched to unlock the restraints, lowering his head before Aisa could peek. He ran his fingers along the length of the chain, and with one swift movement, he yanked it free from its wall fixture.

Aisa couldn’t hide her amazement when she asked Jack. “Why didn’t we do that?”

“He’s one of the few with the strength to do it. It’s an innate power within them. Plus, it wouldn’t have done us any good. We’d still be trapped here without that door open,” Jack explained.

“Get up!” the guard instructed, “And start walking behind me, where you belong.” He rose to his feet before Aisa could react, pulling the chain, which caused her to lose balance and crash onto her back, her head hitting the ground. With a cruel smile, the guard dragged her a few steps, savouring the sounds behind him, before releasing the chain and resuming his march.

Aisa winced and gently massaged her throbbing head where it had made contact with the unforgiving floor. Rising to her feet, she quickly realised that any hope of studying his eyes had vanished. With a resigned sigh, she made her way towards the door, carefully shadowing the guard, her mind still reeling from the impact.

Stepping out of their dismal cell, her eyes darted nervously around the unfamiliar surroundings. She felt disoriented, struggling to make sense of the daunting, seemingly endless corridor that lay ahead. A dim glow from a few overhead bulbs cast an eerie light, barely illuminating the cold, lifeless, grey stone walls that gave the impression of a tomb, and the neglected floor bore the marks of time, left uncleaned and seemingly untouched by any living soul.

With a deep breath, Aisa began to walk, the sound of her footsteps resonating through the empty corridor lined with two opposing doors: the door they had left behind, its secrets concealed by the darkness, and the one they were approaching, which held the promise of answers to her many questions, offering a glimmer of hope amidst the uncertainty.