Chapitre 33: Naya's cry
Inside a dark room, the moon's light filtered through the window, casting its soft hues and serving as the only source of illumination.
Dan lay on the large bed, seemingly fast asleep. Yet, as he remained still, his mind was deeply preoccupied with troubling thoughts. He recalled the day's events, particularly the moment when Ella reached out for his support. What happened afterward left him in shock and constant contemplation.
***
Some hours ago.
Ella stood in front of Dan, stretching her right hand toward him. Dan hesitated, not because he didn't want to help, but because he wondered if anyone was truly worth trusting. Ella was his friend, yet what happened between him and Cornelius had left him wary and cautious.
"It's alright if you don't want to help me. I'll find a way to do it myself… I always do," Ella said, retracting her hand.
"What do you mean?" Dan asked.
"What do you mean by 'what do I mean'? I said its alright right: I'll do it myself. Besides, the reason for both your and Naya's current situation is partially my fault," Ella said, turning her back to Dan. "I know about the dark amulet you possessed."
Dan unconsciously took a few steps back, clenching his fists.
"Haven't you thought about it? You were robbed and then thrown into prison, even though you didn't commit any crime."
"Tsk… Was it all your plan?" Dan clicked his tongue in frustration.
"No, no, no… As I said, I was partially involved. But the person who orchestrated everything was Cornelius," Ella revealed.
Dan released his fists, covering his mouth as he connected the dots.
"You were robbed by Naya's group of bandits, and they retrieved items from you, the amulet included. As they entered the realms, they were caught by Cornelius's guards and charged with banditry, a crime punishable by death. But before that, they were interrogated. During the interrogation, they discovered the dark amulet. Naya was ordered to lead them to whoever possessed it in exchange for sparing her life, making her a prisoner instead. When Cornelius found out the wielder was a nobody, he ensured all who knew about the amulet were silenced. But due to their deal, he couldn't kill Naya; instead, he made her fight in the arena, hoping she'd eventually meet her demise," Ella explained.
After hearing Ella's explanation, Dan thought bitterly, 'Does this mean I was just being used all along? There was no hope for Naya and me from the beginning.' But then, something seemed off. "You said you were partially involved, but you never mentioned your role in this whole story," Dan said with a cold voice.
"Oh? You finally picked up on that," Ella laughed. "That's because I know everything… just kidding. During that time, I was kind of caught up in the current. When she heard you were going to be killed, Naya begged for your life. To be honest, I couldn't ignore her plea. So, yeah, I was the one who sent you into the arena rather than a death penalty," Ella admitted, turning to look at Dan's face again.
"So, Dan, I know it's out of place to ask this, but I really need your help. You don't have to answer now. Take your time to think about it before rejecting or accepting my offer," she added.
"And what about Naya?" Dan asked, showing serious interest in Ella's reply.
"I can't guarantee perfect safety for her, as I don't know my father well. But one thing I know is my father doesn't rush. He will take his time. If we can save the last realm before then, she will be perfectly fine," Ella said.
***
Dan rolled on the bed restlessly, letting out an exasperated sigh before drifting into the void.
The following day, like other days, the remaining three champions, including Dan, were all in training. Normally, Dan had the option to train with the guards since he was one himself and of high status, but he continued training with the champions.
"You can do it, tiny one, keep pushing!" Barnabas shouted, his voice loud as usual.
Today's focus was on physical strength. Amongst them, the smallest one was the weakest. They did exercises like push-ups, sit-ups, and stretches. The little one was struggling to perform a push-up, already on his fourth rep.
"Four! Just one more to go," Barnabas and the rest urged him as he managed to complete his fifth rep before collapsing on the floor.
"A new record, then," Shawn noted.
"Right? Keep it up, tiny one. I'm sure you'll get stronger someday. Fuhahaha," Barnabas laughed with a proud smile.
"But I'm nowhere near Sir Dan," the little guy said in a low voice.
"Hmm… right. He set a record of three hundred push-ups and sit-ups, and six hundred squats," Shawn remarked, stroking his chin.
"Are you even human, kid?" Barnabas asked, startling Dan.
Shawn nodded in agreement. "That's a good question indeed. The most impressive thing is the rate at which he develops. Just a few days ago, his limit was a hundred and fifty. Now he's almost close to four hundred."
All the praise made Dan nervous. He couldn't even speak and just looked at them, his face turning red.
"Tell us, Dan, what is your secret?" Shawn inquired.
"N-Nothing really. I just train my body like anyone does, that's all," Dan said.
"Oh, I thought you ate Gaius's body and got his power," the little guy said, shocking all three of them.
"What do you mean?" Dan asked.
"You haven't heard? There are rumours spreading about you eating Gaius and inheriting his powers," he added.
"What made you all think so?" Dan whined.
"Fuhahaha, that's a funny rumour indeed," Barnabas laughed loudly.
"Hey, guys…" Dan called out in a soft tone. "Is there any chance of champions fighting each other to the death in the arena?" he asked.
"I haven't heard or seen that, so I doubt it," Shawn answered.
"Me neither. I haven't seen it," Barnabas added.
"Then that's good," Dan sighed. "I don't want a situation where we have to face each other with our lives on the line." His words left everyone speechless.
"Me too," the little guy said quietly.
"Haa… I hope that day doesn't come," Shawn added.
Knock knock
A knocking sound interrupted their moment, and Naya entered the room. She wore a long-sleeved shirt and an ankle-length gown, which was out of the norm for her. Dan's eyes widened as he stared at her in shock.
"Um… am I interrupting something?" she asked, closing the gap between them. She walked up to Dan, who was still seated on the floor, looking at her.
"Dan…"
"Hey, you two, let's get moving," Shawn said, dragging Barnabas and the little guy out of the room, giving Dan and Naya some privacy.
The two kept quiet for some time. Unlike other times, now wasn't awkward. It felt peaceful, as though they just wanted to enjoy some quiet time together.
"Did he touch you?" Dan asked in a deep voice, although the question sounded more like a statement.
"No, he didn't," Naya answered.
"That's good to hear," Dan sighed in relief, closing his eyes with both hands. "Naya, a lot has happened since I came here. I heard everything from Ella. I just wanted to say thank you."
"Yeah, it's no problem…"
"Naya, I have also decided… I'm going to side with Ella. I'm going to change this world, and we're going to make it a better place…" Dan said, turning to hold Naya's hand. "...and I want you to wait. Be patient. Soon this current system shall come to an end—"
"Dan…" Naya said, removing her hand from his grasp. "Dan, I want you to forget about me. I came here to apologize for involving you in this whole mess. If I hadn't robbed you back then, I'm sure your life would be better than this. So please, forget me. Now you have a better life ahead of you as Ella's personal bodyguard."
"But…"
"Please, Dan, I'm really sorry for everything," Naya said, tears running down her face. She stood up from the chair and ran out of the room, leaving Dan confused and speechless.
***
Later that day, in Lucien's room. Lucien was with several women on his large bed. In front of the bed, Naya was stripped naked and bound tightly to a wooden platform with ropes that tore into her wrists and legs. Her body was bruised and battered, her breaths faint, so faint that one might think she was dead. Beneath her long hair, which covered her eyes, an unending stream of tears flowed.
"Why won't she give in?" a naked woman beside her snorted, whip in hand. "Such a stubborn brat."
"Let her be!" Lucien commanded. "Untie her and send her back to her chambers. I have no use for her today. There's always another day," Lucien said with a proud smile. But the question remained: would he live to see that day?
[NEXT: DAN'S RAGE]
Cadeaux
-- Cadeau
reçu État de l’alimentation hebdomadaire
-- Classement
Power Stone 
-- Power
stone