image [https://sygnus.org/flames-of-bedlam/story/pic/banner2.jpg]

I’d have never stood for this kind of treatment from someone like the Invaders. I’d spent too much time as a slave and a captive.

Yet, for some reason, I didn’t fight when the Elders passed their sentence. Even though I knew that prison was temporary and this would probably end with my head on a plate. I had a lot of faith in Levi, but these people had seen too much.

The cell they placed me in wasn’t really a cell at all. Just some damp cellar somewhere. Nothing I couldn’t have busted through if I really wanted to try.

My thoughts were loud in my mind now that it was no longer clouded with the influence of the Flames. The Elders’ accusations were real. I did everything that they said I did, and there was no way to deny it.

I’d like to say I didn’t realize how wrong my actions were. That I was too blinded by my vengeance and desire to strike out at the ones who hurt me. But as angry and hurt as I was when I made my choices, they were still my choices. There’s a difference between not knowing right and wrong and being too angry to care.

The worst part, as the Elders pointed out, wasn’t just that I made a choice for myself… but I made a choice for others. And now they bore the Flames of Bedlam while I wandered around the world, mostly free of those chains.

I wanted to say I felt guilty about this. However, I don’t think I was ready to understand guilt just yet.

Still, I felt something, if only it was an acknowledgement of my wrongs. I couldn’t even be angry at the Elders for wanting to end it. They had a whole village of people to think about and protect.

They didn’t treat me poorly, however. The cell had a few narrow windows, too small to try to climb out, but enough to let light and fresh air in. It also had a bed that seemed to be well-kept. I would have slept on it if sleep didn’t elude me.

Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

They even wasted a whole meal on me. One of the villagers brought me food later that evening. It wasn’t half bad, either. Certainly not some left overs that no one else wanted.

All in all, the village was probably a nice place to spend time… though I’d rather it be as a guest than a captive.

image [https://sygnus.org/flames-of-bedlam/story/pic/divider.png]

It was late that night when I heard a hiss outside the cell door. I ignored it at first, thinking it was just groggy senses making things up. When the hiss came again, this time forming my name, I perked up.

“Bahamut!”

I furrowed my brows and strode to the door, listening through it.

“Are you awake?”

“Levi?” I asked.

“Oh, good,” he breathed.

I heard the sound of jangling metal, and then the door creaked open. I couldn’t believe what I was seeing. Levi stood there, hooded in a dark cloak, a set of keys in his hand.

“What are you doing?” I asked, trying to keep my voice down to a low rumble.

“What does it look like?”

“It looks like you’re insane.”

He threw a cloak over my head. “I’ve never denied that.”

I pulled cloth out of my face and protested, “You can’t do this.”

“Why not?” He shot a strange look at me.

“Because your people forbade you.”

“When did that ever stop you from doing something?” Levi pointed out.

“And they’re right about what I did.”

He groaned, untying my wrists. “You picked a fine time to grow a conscience. Now, come on. We need to move.”

“I didn’t grow a conscience,” I argued. “I’m just…”

I didn’t even know what I was saying. This was stupid. I had my own skin to look out for. Why was I suddenly so worried about what would happen to Levi should he go against the command of the Elders?

“You’re just coming with me,” Levi said sternly.

Before I could argue further, he did something I didn’t expect. His fingers ran along the side of one of the cuffs that still restrained everything I was. With a soft click, they unlocked, then dropped to the floor with a thud.

I stared at the cuffs a moment before everything came rushing back at me. The Dragon. The Flames. The Spirits.

Wearing the cuffs kept all of of this at a distance. But now, without anything to shield me from the influence of energies around me, my knees grew weak and almost buckled.

Somewhere just on the edge of my mind, the Flames burned in hungry rage. They weren’t gone, merely distanced. And they still wanted me.