Sequel: Escape the Madness ›
Status: Completed ^-^
Method to the Madness
Submission
When I wake, there’s a grogginess swimming around my senses. Everything seems to blur together so I can’t make heads or tails of anything and likewise, my memory is at a bit of a failure. Alyson is my first though: her and Binx. Then I think of mouse and my encounter with Crimson, and I’m fully awake.
My only problem seems to be that I cannot move. Chains rattle nearby, causing my head to pound painfully, and as my eyes adjust to my surroundings, there’s a faint spark of recognition echoing in my mind. And I realize it: I’m in the underground bowels of the place, probably deeper than I’ve ever explored. The real question though lies not where I am, but why.
The sound of footsteps echoes from somewhere across the room and from above, argumentive voices sounding as well. As I tune my ears into the conversation, I catch bare snippets. It sounds though like Mouse and Crimson are arguing. One of them, Crimson I think, wants me dead and the other is arguing for my life, mentioning a loss of memory. That’s all I can deduce though, because now they are in the room and have hushed themselves. I struggle against the chains, pulling with all of my might. I have to get out of here, and before whatever plan they’ve concocted comes into play. I’ll be no use to Alyson dead or memoryless.
A full three days has gone by since we’ve brought Elias down to the ‘basement’ as we call it. Yet still he resists us, and me in particular, and my patience with the dear boy is growing thin. Despite our efforts, he refuses to submit, and more than once Crimson has shown her displeasure towards me. I can wipe his memory with magic, but it’s a tricky business. He has to ask me to, and the only way we can do that is to put him in enough pain for him to beg for mercy. He’s tough though, and determined to go back to that little Selva.
Oh, she’s cute enough and I realize he’s had a history with her, but doesn’t he realize how much of a threat Crimson considers him? If not for me, he would be dead by now, and he isn’t grateful in the least. If he was, he would have given in by now for sure.
Feeling my hands clench and my fingernails dig into my palms, I growl under my breath and march across the room towards him. It’s dark, as always, and after three long days, his body sags beneath the weight of the chains, undoubtedly would have been collapsed by now if not for those very chains. His head hangs too, probably sleeping in the break.
There’s blood etched at the corner of his bruised mouth, and something twists oddly inside me. I refuse to acknowledge that feeling though as I grip his jaw between my hands, forcing his head up and for him to look at me. Even his eyes sag, dark circles ringing them and dried blood crusting at the side of his face. I grimace, turning my own face away from him for a moment and then look to him, my expression hardening. “Why don’t you just give in?” I demand.
His eyes, practically empty, don’t even seem to acknowledge me, and though it irks me somewhat, I know what he’s been through and so I decide to ignore it for the time being as I allow him to speak. “Because Al-Alyson needs m-me. I can’t die…and I can’t lose my memory.” His voice is weak, almost breaking, and I can tell the only thing holding his head up is my hand clenched around his jaw.
I consider shaking some sense into him, but decide not to, taking a step towards him but not doing anything quite yet. “Look, do you want to die?!” My voice is angry because three days has drained me of practically all patience, and I can’t do this much longer. But I don’t give him a chance to answer either. “Because that’s going to happen if you don’t have a change of heart soon. Crimson is pining after your life, and I’m the only thing keeping you alive.”
This time, I actually do shake him for good measure. “You don’t have a choice here Elias. Look, you’re still going to be her Guardian.” I grit my teeth here, hating that Crimson had made this decision without me but I cannot do anything about it. “You just won’t remember anything, which means that you pretty much cease to be a threat to Crimson. Your life won’t end then and you’ll still be there for her.”
My hopes soar a bit as he looks as if he’s actually considering my words, his eyes sharpening a bit at my words. He looks like he actually and truly understands the consequences finally, and then his eyes dull again, a hopeless look coming over his face. “I’ll still be her Guardian then?”
A victorious sort of feeling comes over me, hope surging in my chest as I nod. “Yes, if you submit, then you will continue to be her Guardian.” The words feel like acid in my mouth, but I continue anyway, watching him as he decides.
It seems to take forever, but finally he speaks again, his voice rising so that it sounds more like how it used to. “Fine…” And as my hands fall from his face, I smile, urging him to finish what he’s saying. I need full permission for the spell. “I submit.” And just like that and after three long days, we’ve won.
My only problem seems to be that I cannot move. Chains rattle nearby, causing my head to pound painfully, and as my eyes adjust to my surroundings, there’s a faint spark of recognition echoing in my mind. And I realize it: I’m in the underground bowels of the place, probably deeper than I’ve ever explored. The real question though lies not where I am, but why.
The sound of footsteps echoes from somewhere across the room and from above, argumentive voices sounding as well. As I tune my ears into the conversation, I catch bare snippets. It sounds though like Mouse and Crimson are arguing. One of them, Crimson I think, wants me dead and the other is arguing for my life, mentioning a loss of memory. That’s all I can deduce though, because now they are in the room and have hushed themselves. I struggle against the chains, pulling with all of my might. I have to get out of here, and before whatever plan they’ve concocted comes into play. I’ll be no use to Alyson dead or memoryless.
Mouse’s POV
A full three days has gone by since we’ve brought Elias down to the ‘basement’ as we call it. Yet still he resists us, and me in particular, and my patience with the dear boy is growing thin. Despite our efforts, he refuses to submit, and more than once Crimson has shown her displeasure towards me. I can wipe his memory with magic, but it’s a tricky business. He has to ask me to, and the only way we can do that is to put him in enough pain for him to beg for mercy. He’s tough though, and determined to go back to that little Selva.
Oh, she’s cute enough and I realize he’s had a history with her, but doesn’t he realize how much of a threat Crimson considers him? If not for me, he would be dead by now, and he isn’t grateful in the least. If he was, he would have given in by now for sure.
Feeling my hands clench and my fingernails dig into my palms, I growl under my breath and march across the room towards him. It’s dark, as always, and after three long days, his body sags beneath the weight of the chains, undoubtedly would have been collapsed by now if not for those very chains. His head hangs too, probably sleeping in the break.
There’s blood etched at the corner of his bruised mouth, and something twists oddly inside me. I refuse to acknowledge that feeling though as I grip his jaw between my hands, forcing his head up and for him to look at me. Even his eyes sag, dark circles ringing them and dried blood crusting at the side of his face. I grimace, turning my own face away from him for a moment and then look to him, my expression hardening. “Why don’t you just give in?” I demand.
His eyes, practically empty, don’t even seem to acknowledge me, and though it irks me somewhat, I know what he’s been through and so I decide to ignore it for the time being as I allow him to speak. “Because Al-Alyson needs m-me. I can’t die…and I can’t lose my memory.” His voice is weak, almost breaking, and I can tell the only thing holding his head up is my hand clenched around his jaw.
I consider shaking some sense into him, but decide not to, taking a step towards him but not doing anything quite yet. “Look, do you want to die?!” My voice is angry because three days has drained me of practically all patience, and I can’t do this much longer. But I don’t give him a chance to answer either. “Because that’s going to happen if you don’t have a change of heart soon. Crimson is pining after your life, and I’m the only thing keeping you alive.”
This time, I actually do shake him for good measure. “You don’t have a choice here Elias. Look, you’re still going to be her Guardian.” I grit my teeth here, hating that Crimson had made this decision without me but I cannot do anything about it. “You just won’t remember anything, which means that you pretty much cease to be a threat to Crimson. Your life won’t end then and you’ll still be there for her.”
My hopes soar a bit as he looks as if he’s actually considering my words, his eyes sharpening a bit at my words. He looks like he actually and truly understands the consequences finally, and then his eyes dull again, a hopeless look coming over his face. “I’ll still be her Guardian then?”
A victorious sort of feeling comes over me, hope surging in my chest as I nod. “Yes, if you submit, then you will continue to be her Guardian.” The words feel like acid in my mouth, but I continue anyway, watching him as he decides.
It seems to take forever, but finally he speaks again, his voice rising so that it sounds more like how it used to. “Fine…” And as my hands fall from his face, I smile, urging him to finish what he’s saying. I need full permission for the spell. “I submit.” And just like that and after three long days, we’ve won.