Chapter 16: Swear Your Fealty
Aster was not exactly enjoying his time alone. He was completely cut off from the world around him, unable to see anything, unable to hear anything, unable to feel anything.
His emotions ran rampant with his imagination. He would die soon, and never even know it. Would his consciousness just slowly slip away? Was he already bleeding out at this very moment?
What if he was already dead, but was just trapped here forever alone like this? What if this was the afterworld? How long had he even been here? He had no way of knowing, there were no sunrises or moonlight where he was.
No light at all to guide such thoughts through the darkness of his true isolation. Just him. Just his rambling mind. He incessantly went over the trial in his head, again and again.
Was his father truly safe? Did he... Did he have to do it himself? Was he ordered to kill him? Would it really be better for anyone else if he didn’t?
Aster was starting to breakdown and lose himself, his doubt and anxiety spun a deadly web of fear that further entangled the boy in this place. He wanted to scream, but it would do no use.
There was no way for him to hear it... There was no way for anybody to hear it... And suddenly there was a light, as the spell was finally released.
Aster recovered from the state with a heavy jolt, his senses rushed back to him. He barely managed to catch himself on unsteady arms as he fell forward, gasping to draw in a breath, to know he was still alive.
He could see! He could feel the cold stone beneath his hands! Aster never thought he’d be so grateful to know texture beneath his touch. With another gasp of realization after getting over the initial shock of returning to his body, the boy shot his head forward, trying to piece together what had happened while he was... Away.