Chapter 5: Everything falls apart
866 Words
BURN THEIR EYES BUT NOT THE BODY, SLOWLY BUT PAINFULLY, LET THE BLOOD DRAIN THROUGH ITS VEINS. FEEL THE TORN MUSCLE. PEEL THEM ALIVE! TOUCH THE MOTHERS IN FRONT OF THEIR CHILDREN! LISTEN TO THE SCREAMS OF—
Can you trust the Black Pen? Or is the book actually real? What if he was just a member of the Divoria? No, he loves Divoria and even shows mercy on them because of their past. Could it be that he loves Divoria because he is from Divoria? How tragic it would be if people believed he was a liar when he is not. Is this a world of mystery or misery?
Can you trust the Black Pen? Is his book the real truth, or is he merely a member of Divoria? He shows mercy to Divoria because of their past—perhaps he even loves them because he is one of them. Imagine the tragedy if people believed he is a liar when he is not. Is this a world of mystery or misery?
A sudden appearance of a man with a Victorian cap, wearing a white mask with a mustache, interrupted the thoughts. "Even if the Black Pen tells a real story, he shouldn't write about it, or King Nolan will lose hope of appearing blessed. He would brutally kill every single human outside the palace. They've been exposed anyway, so why still bother to appear blessed? Only if it's real."
The palace of Divoria, shrouded in desolation, stands as a bleak monument to hopelessness and sorrow. Its grand halls, once alive with joy, now echo with haunting silence, and the gardens, overrun with weeds, lay barren and forsaken. The windows, dark and unblessed, reveal a sky perpetually cloaked in gray, casting a dismal shadow over the crumbling stone walls. Each corner of Divoria whispers tales of lost grandeur and unfulfilled dreams, its oppressive atmosphere a constant reminder of time's cruel, unyielding passage. Here, the very air is thick with melancholy, a stark contrast to the vibrancy that once flourished within its decaying walls.
Farith foreshadowed the problem inside the house, hearing a plate break and a body slam. He slowly turned around, his mouth open as he breathed heavily, eyes widened and full of tears.
"Oh no!" Farith said silently with a trembling voice.
On the other side, Frieth wandered around the village, looking for his parents, fearing something bad had happened. He stumbled into the library again; everything was still the same. He saw Eziphin again, walking around, returning the books he borrowed. Frieth's worries suddenly dissipated, replaced with happiness.
"Eziphin!" Frieth shouted from a distance.
Eziphin heard him, turned, smiled, and waved at Frieth, who approached him.
"You're going inside?" Frieth asked.
"Yeah! I came to return these books," Eziphin responded, noticing Frieth's exhausted face, bowed head, and hands holding each other.
"Hey, are you okay?" Eziphin asked.
"I'm trying to find my parents, but I can't see them anywhere in the village," Frieth replied softly.
Eziphin noticed Frieth looked unmotivated and sad, then wrapped his arm around Frieth's shoulder, pulling him closer.
"Then let's find them! Don't be absurd!" Eziphin said.
Frieth forgot the sadness of the situation upon seeing his new friend. He thought their bond of friendship would last forever. They laughed together, savoring the happiness of every moment. Still no trace of his parents, they decided to return to Frieth's home.
"Stay there," Frieth said to Eziphin.
Taking his last step, he started to back away as he heard Farith's shout. He was afraid to go inside, but his father shouted again.
"THIS IS MY FAULT."
He stepped forward again, running towards the house. Holding the door, he slowly moved his head to peek inside. His eyes widened as he started crying silently. "Did my father cry? Who is he crying to?" he wondered. He took a deeper peek and saw his mother's foot. He felt his life falling apart as he saw his mother lying on the ground while his father cried. His father heard him and sighed.
"Frieth! Why are you here?" his father said with a sad voice. Without any words, Frieth tried to get away from his father, fear and sadness overwhelming him. He didn't know what to do with his life. "RUN AWAY, EZIPHIN!" he shouted, noticing that Eziphin wasn't around. He slowly stopped and looked for him. Someone suddenly touched his shoulder. He wasn't himself, his eyes still wide, not knowing what to do. It pulled Frieth closer and hugged him tightly.
"I'm sorry, my son!" Farith said while crying. The voice echoed in Frieth's mind, feeling warm and bringing him back to reality.
"Dad! What's going on?" Frieth screamed.
"Your mother isn't breathing! I'M SO SORRY! THIS IS ALL MY FAULT! I LOVED HER SO MUCH AND SO DO YOU!" he cried loudly.
"Mom? Dead? You're kidding, right?" Frieth said with a trembling voice, forcing a smile. The guards didn't give them time to talk; they pulled his father's hands away from Frieth and chained him down.
"My son, my wife, my family! I hate myself!" Farith said while being chained and pulled away. Farith froze and wouldn't move; everything went blank.
- Writer
