“Who are you?” I ask the man, with neither much of the suspense, not even fear, nor sense of insecurity. He's playing cards by himself - I guess he is solving something, summoning through cartomancy, or whatever he's doing.

Alone. Both of us are alone in this containment or I should say, some kind of space. Jet-blacked and only a stint blinking light currently focused solely on us. I might be off of the rail, per se. These erratic prompt twinkling lights are blinding me.

“I inquired once more: Who might you be, the gentleman who is in front of me.” I reiterate to catch the man’s attention.

“What a surprise!” as he casts a flabbergasted comment, where he faces me as of right now, as he drops all of the cards that he's fiddling on his hand to the pavement.

“May I ask, who might you be referring to, mister?” I reply exasperated.

“It’s really a surprise, indeed! I would never have anticipated you to come first before him.” perpetuating what he’d mentioned prior, he interjects.

“Perhaps, you might be of mistakenly summoning other figures than myself. I’m sorry, lad, I am not of your definite target.” I sigh, where I inhale afterwards.

He cackles, where he rolls on the ground. As if I do know what he is tittering about. If it’s cracking then I should laugh as well. He still continues to do so after a while. This is quite bothersome… In all honesty, I am paving my way to accumulate much ire in my fist to somehow harm this scoundrel. He stops. Abruptly. As he maintains back to his professional mode after all of his unsophisticated deeds earlier. He displays how he gulps with his throat in motion, then he clears his throat. I expect he is about to blabber something non-particular notion.

“Send my regards to Aisla.” he utters, which makes me baffles and rattles out of my armor trousers. Wait, how did he know one of the names who partakes in the inner circles of the council?

“Also, to the other lords of Kehina.“ he trifles me yet again, it makes my knees jerk and my chest cringe.

This is an adversary not to be messed with and so do I. I declare him a ‘menace’. He is a man of throes, a foe awaits to trounce as he is seeking when I’m in woe. He claps his hand, then the room brightens for a moment. Flashes towards the figures - many of them. Who are under the illumination of a languid beam enveloping their bodies. I am familiar with these people. How come they are here? They should be - -... Ugh. The dubious crook senses my grimace and my fear. Deep within me, of course, I do feel a cold squall engulf me. I am sweating. All over my body. I wipe my forehead touching the liquid on it. Frigid, it is. Am I anxious? That’s impossible!

“You should say: ‘Hello’ to them one last time.” he giggles, I shake my head as if to ignore his behest.

“Pipe your mouth down, you stooge!” collecting my anger yet, as I can solely speak through my mind.

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“Why not?” he follows, where I am squirming out of fear. The thuds of my heart, I can hear them.

He clings his arms to each of those lads. He nudges their chests one-by-one in a boisterous way. As I am witnessing how he can touch those lads in a nonchalant manner. This sickens me! I am livid that he is just taunting me as he wants to flaunt how I am absolutely powerless before his presence. In my reaction, I do know not if I do still exist from the living reality, as per my realization.

“So, what do you want?” I sneer and finally, I muster to speak up.

“Ask for forgiveness from this man.” where he places his palm on the man whom he is referring to, he dictates.

“Oh, how cold. As it seems I do underestimate you, Lord Ameniah. Or rather, I mean to say: ‘Prince Ryker.’” he disparages me once again. This time, now that my name is mentioned, I will slide not any further for a second time!

This is no longer what my knuckles can do to him. I do - undertaking as far as my patience goes, the veins on my dominant hand are pulsating. I do hear them, sense them, and resonate with them. Not on the act of impulse but a sense of duty protecting my dignity. I reach for my dagger which is sheathed to my scabbard. I reach my full desire to not even hurt him but to submit himself to me! Brandishing it towards the jest whereas my blade is on my hand. It is, as of now, in my blade that conveys the talking. No more verbose segues, no more talks! I’m done chatting with this crook.

“Don’t you remember this guy whom you killed for failing his task?“

“What are you implying?” I scoff, as I stand on-guard, refusing to lay down my weapon.

He shows the trauma region to where he allegedly said that I lacerated: “Guess what?” herein, he removes the scarf of the victim. I do recognize the cut on the neck - clean and swift. It also resembles what I am doing when finishing an opponent in a silent fashion. I wince and in reaction, he is emphasizing that it is my doing.

I loosen my clinch to my dagger falling out of my hand and in an instance, it returns back to the original place which is on my right hand. Perplexed and awed. Once again, I collect back to my usual self - I attempt so to pounce on the man, dashing through the space. As I am near him, about getting to get close, he just swats at me like a fly. The forward that I press leads to a 'parry, disarm, and push'. Over and over again, I do the same routine until I get even just a slice on his face. No matter what! Wanting to wipe the same grin out of his lips.

“Lord Ameniah, why did you kill me? I am just doing my job. Have I not fulfilled my duties?” says the man, where the wound is cascading more blood than ever “Do I deserve to die like that? Were you thinking about me?” and yes, the proximity of the voice - I am familiar with it. “Tell me, milord! Am I just a disposal tool for your stead?” as he vanquishes, disappearing before our eyes - erupting into pieces.

The man who instigated is covered with blood. His whole body. He wipes his eyes and his mouth. He utters: “You’re one hell of an ungrateful critter, Ameniah!“ after lathering the region, his face... fixing his sight to me “Haha… I'll give you that.” adding, as he daresay to compliment my erstwhile action.

“But as of now, it is not of your time unfortunately. I expect to see Aisla instead of you. See ‘ya around, I’ll be waiting.” he snaps his finger, where it blackens the whole room while I keep hearing muffled and in the fashion of descendo - voices crying my name: Lord Ameniah! I am in a motionless state and I do know and sense that I’m falling. I can’t feel my footing is established, thus, I assume that I am truly descending at a constant rate.

“Therefore, I suppose. Hello, Limbo! If I am truly welcomed considerably in that place, I'll be glad.” I sigh.