But fear is a mark of cowards I can’t let anyone know. Less I too end up like you peasant girl. Thank you for teaching me this. For now I know I can’t trust them. What will I do if my family or anyone else wants me dead. I know I’ll kill them first. I’m sorry. But I’m scared. What if father came to know it was I who tried to talk to her. Would he behead me too. Just like peasant girl A. I can’t let them see my fear. What do I do. I’m too weak. I need strength. I need them to fear me. FUCK This sucks.

••••••

The world just seemed to break. Words spoken that we're not meant to be. It all just seem to break and crack and fall apart. But I couldn’t tell but something was breaking at the hinges something important.

It felt as if my head was splitting. Every word that was said seemed to bring unimaginable pain to my mind. It destroyed me. I was torn apart and fell but just as soon as I hit the ground I was fine.

Spoked I frantically sought the source of that sound. But I could not find it. After a few minutes of hesitation I spoke out. A simply “ who?” Was my question. But an answer I did not receive only another question.

“ Have you come to fail again?”

Once more the world broke. The pain of the words left me breathless. It was as if I had been crushed this time but unlike before it was a slow pain that spread upwards through my body. For minutes my body and mind froze locked in the pain. Something was wrong. Something happening. I saw white cracks form in the air around me. And once more I heard the words.

“ Have you come to fail again?”

The pain was intense more so than before. More than any pain I had felt before. I bit my tongue blood poured from the wound.

“ Have you come to fail again?”

It hurts. I need to do something. I start choking on my own blood.

“ Have you come to fail again?”

I screamed the pain of an intensely I had never thought possible assaulted me. It began to tear me asunder. I was being attack I could tell. It was impossible not with the malice I felt. To miss that detail was not possible. The killing intent was all consuming. But it was clear in its message. Do not speak. I couldn’t tell where it came from or who sent it but it wasn’t far away. It was powerful only that much could I tell.

“ Tell me. Have you come to fail”

Another wave of pain. Once more I was taught a new height of pain.

“ It hurts. Stop it” I cried

A new response and a new pain. My knees shatter and my wrists are crush under this new weight. It now impossible for me to raise my head.

“Have you come to fail? Pain is the price of the victor so tell me. Have you come to fail?”

The voice was incalculable. I could not tell its gender or it’s age. Even the language spoken was a mystery to me. I was never a confrontational man.

“This pain… it’s beyond me to handle take it away”

The pain did not lessen and it did not increase.

“ So you have come to fai…”

But before it could finish I heard another voice. It was mine but I don’t remember saying it. No I know it was not me who said it after finishing my plea my jaw broke away. And yet the voice was without fault or problem. It wasn’t me who spoke the words but they were my words.

“No!”

It was as if spoken by two for it seem to ring. It was my voice and yet it was seem to be older more weather. And it wasn’t done speaking.

“I do not submit to this fate. I will challenge everything. If it is fate that has doomed me then I will challenge fate. AND I WILL WIN!”

Such familiar words. I was young. They were words I said not long after I had just taken up the sword. I hated it. Being weak. I wanted it so bad back then. I wanted to be strong. No the strongest. But I was without talent. It was fates fault. It was my fate to be weak. It’s funny that was both the worst day and the best day of my life. The day I lost my sister for the first time. And the day I made Icarus. My beloved sword.

Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.

I’m to old. I've lived too long a life. I’ve forgotten why I wanted to learn the sword from my sister. It was simple. I want to be strong. I wanted perfect victory in all things. It wasn’t about survival. It was about victory. I will win. It’s was as simple as that… no it is as simple as that. I WILL WIN.

“ Tell me. Have you come to fail?”

It was different this time. The pain came. As too did the killing intent but there was something else. In a flash of insight I felt two things. From the door I felt something… akin to temptation calling me. Something was beckoning me from the other side. But I did not know what.

But from the pain. I could tell what it was. It was hidden before but not now. I could feel it. I could feel fear. A powerful fear of what was to come. It was practically shaking. It was afraid. Deeply afraid of me. And of whatever it was that was calling me. This power that seemed almighty a second ago seem so weak to me now.

“ TELL ME. Have you come to fail”

The voice was different now. I felt a pair of eyes meet mine. Someone or something was watching me. I felt it’s glaze but could not see or tell it origin no matter how hard I tried to. I felt the eyes turn. It turn to face the source of the pain. And the pain was gone.

My mind became clear to me now. As if a fog was lifted and I came to know that I knew nothing. What was that pain? Where did it come from? And what did it mean by again? And yet I did not need to ask. I did not care. All I knew was. I would win.

“ Tell me child. Have you come to lose. Again”

“ No!”

The voice paused before it’s next words as if it wasn’t exactly expecting me to say no. But when it did speak. There was joy in its tone.

“ Even if your victory means the defeat of all else.”

I paused. I still did not really know what we were talking about. But in the end.

“It does not matter what the price is. I will be the victor. It doesn’t matter what the path holds because in the end I will be the victor. In both name and truth. It doesn’t matter what must be done for others to win. For I will be the victor.”

The voice was practically giggling. And I felt the pain leave. My body was fine but I couldn’t tell when this had occurred.

“ Truth ha ha ha what is truth.”

“ It’s whatever the victor says it is. And it will be my victory”

“ Yes ha ha ha ha. Many have stood before me and none have understood. The victor takes what he wants. It not a victory if there's a lost . Ha ha ha you get it. It doesn’t matter if you need two coins to win and you have only one. It doesn’t matter if the door needs a key you will simply open it anyway. You will win even with no coins. doesn’t matter what the conditions of victory are if you simply win without them. Ha ha ha. Ha ha ha you understand right that this is madness you need three things to have three things but to you aren't needed don’t ha ha ha ha ha ha. Yes I can see. You will become that. The victor. I have faith. Ha ha ha. Then take it. Take your victory. Become my champion. Take your reward. It’s your victory.”

“Is that so”

The voice seem feverish almost in its words. And the things it said made no sense even I can understand that it’s not how things work. But I don’t care. I will win. I’ve said all the words I need to say. As the voice spoke I was once made aware of my own intense longing to obtain what’s on the other side of the door. However I still can’t tell why. But the voice was not done it had more.

“ ha ha ha ha I know it doesn’t matter to you, right now but I still need to say it. Hate to through the my first and last champion under”

The voice then took a minute of giggling before it claimed down. And when it spoke again I came to understand more of the voice. First it was female. In fact it was almost identical to Icarus. Once I asked Icarus why she sounds the way she does and she told me that she changes to suit my need. Something about her loyalty it me because I’m her creator. And well I don’t know what’s on the other side but I know I want it. It probably wasn’t made by me so it’s probably being kind by using that voice.

“ If you didn’t or wasn’t able to open the door then a string of bad outcomes would have befallen you and you would lose. It is or would’ve ha ha ha been as fate will it. However but the events that have occurred today you have abandoned your destiny. But you see I don’t even know how the fuck you gotten so far. Honestly it was the will of fate that you didn’t open this door. By opening this door you would have step of the path and began to seek your own. If this new path will lead to glory or ruin it is your decision now. It will be all up to you. And second thing I need to tell you is although your fate my not have a happy ending.

But It will lead to a happy ending for all things. But your actions my lead existence down a different path instead. Know that fate was not just their but it was put their. By opening the door and taking what’s on the inside you will have made an enemy with something that even I do not hope to beat. And in doing so you would have forsaken the world. It you fail or give up on this path only misery awaits you. But know this if you follow this path and win. If you are the victor then know that the only rewards you shall receive are those you have acquired yourself. Just as you yourself have acquired what is beyond this door. And once more fate exists to guide the path forward this means without it every step is your own. And so is the weight to carry.”

This thing really likes to talk but once more I shall say the only words I need to say right now.

“ Is that so”

See just because I wasn’t a confrontational man doesn’t mean I wasn’t a fucking petty barsted. Now that I now that it wasn’t the door that hurt me and instead it was fate. Fate was destined to become my enemy.