A half-dozen shards of metal were scattered on top of the red-hot mound in the hearth. They were followed by handfuls of small twigs that instantly caught on fire. The hollow king slowly nodded his head, which was still covered by the old fedora.

He let out what almost sounded like a pained moan before he stumbled backwards and then fell onto his butt. He sat there as the fire in the hearth continued to burn. Long after the twigs he threw on top were consumed by the flames, the fire continued on. It wrapped around the chunks of metal and almost seemed to carefully caress them as it slid along the sides and over top of them.

Still, he sat and kept facing towards the fire, and despite there being no eyes on his head, it looked like he was entranced by the sight. Not daring to turn away, even as the sounds of footsteps drew closer.

Thump.

Thump.

Thump.

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The sound grew louder as the hollow king sat there still as a corpse.

Thump.

Thump.

Thump.

Still nothing. Like a marionette without a puppet master, he simply sat there. He looked lifeless and disinterested as his mouth hung slightly open and the crackling of the fire accompanied the growing thudding of footsteps.

A thud was followed by the clinking of metal as a small bag was tossed in front of the hollow king.

"No offense, but you look like you've seen better days." The voice was soft and gentle as it called out to the hollow king, but the desiccated form showed no sign it understood, or even heard him.

Standing just behind the hollow king was a frail looking man. He had long hair that went just past his shoulders with streaks of gray running through it. He was wearing a long white frock that was so old it had taken on a sort of yellow hint to it. The long fabric went down just above his ankles, and his bare feet were covered in callouses that made it clear he was used to walking outdoors without any shoes. He was clean cut with a soft jawline and a nose that just barely tilted down at the end.

"I see so much pain just under that mask you call flesh." The man said with genuine concern. "I saw what you were collecting, so I figured I'd help out but...seeing you like this, maybe you'd like me to help you another way."

Slowly, he reached out towards the hollow king. All the while he kept a sorrowful expression on his face. "Don't worry, this will all be over soon. You'll finally be free."

His hands wrapped around the hollow king's throat, and as they did a sizzling sound began to hiss from where the man's skin came in contact with the hollow king. Still, he sat there in silence, and did not struggle one bit.

"Strange...your body it's..." The man's eyes flung open, and he jumped back. He held his hands up as he looked down at the pile of skin and bones in the form of a man before him. "It's worse than even I had seen. You poor, poor man."