《Splintered Destiny (re)》


 CHAPTER 1: Scarring

    Past the secluded and empty hills and mountains which divided two kingdoms, near a particular border of one kingdom, The Kingdom of Tyre.


    A lake peaceful and serene, almost like a mirror with faint ripples from time to time, reflecting the blue moon as it hung up in the night sky.


    The green grass swayed gently along with the cold wind.


    A small cave could be seen, the cave¡¯s entrance was partly being illuminated by the blue light of the moon.


    The interiors of the cave were lit with dozens of small gold crystals. These crystals seemed as if they were forcefully shoved into the cave walls.


    Within the cave, at a corner, a boy was lying on the rough and rocky floor with his eyes tightly shut. In terms of looks, his looks could be considered average or slightly above average if looked closely, with jet black silky soft hair. His skin a shade of slight brown. His height seemed to be around 5 feet 6 inches.


    It was at this moment that the boy opened his eyes ever so slowly. He looked tired. His body felt somewhat stiff and painful as he tried to move.


    He slowly and somewhat strenuously tried to get up from the floor.


    The boy tried to think, but his head drew a blank. His mind felt empty. Unable to think calmly. In chaos, his mind and heart started to panic.


    His chest started to faintly hurt. He tried to calm himself by taking a couple of breaths.


    After some time he managed to calm and settle himself down and looked around himself.


    Those beautiful, radiant crystals fascinated him immensely. He moved closer to them and tapped on its solid surface a few times with his fingers


    He soon found that the sturdy wooden door was locked from the outside.


    After trying to open the door repeatedly by pulling or pushing but to no avail. The door only slightly budged from his efforts.


    He was trapped here.If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.


    Realising this, he felt a bit anxious. He finally decided to shout with uncertainty after some thought.


    "Is... any- body... out... side?" Hearing and feeling his voice hoarse, he gently massaged the area around his throat.


    The door creakily, slowly opened and a bony figure walked in with a steady pace.


    The boy looking shocked, stunned and utterly confused slowly backs up a couple of steps after a second or two, all the while unable to comprehend this creepy phenomenon before his eyes.


    "W-Whaa..is... this...?" The boy stuttered in a slightly raised and panicking tone.


    The skeleton seemed as if it was watching him with those hollow eerie sockets, slightly opening its bony jaw looking as though trying to breathe or maybe speak.


    The boy after a few minutes seeing no further movement from the, thing standing before him, slightly calms down but was still as cautious as he could be of the thing.


    After some more time the boy slowly and cautiously picked up a small stone from the floor. The 6-7 feet skeleton remained unmoved. The boy noticing this clenched the stone in his hard.


    Suddenly, the eerie skeleton slightly snaps its neck towards the boy.


    The boy immediately backs up towards the cave wall at his back as though fleeing.


    A period of silence followed as the boy and the hollow eyed skeleton stared into each other¡¯s eyes.


    The boy wipes some sweat of his forehead subconsciously. He felt his body was weak and slightly straining.


    After a few minutes of trying to exit the cave room, but unable to, as the skeleton kept looking his way as if its gaze was warning him. He didn''t want to risk himself by trying to force his way through. He was tired and didn''t know what to do anymore.


    Should he really try to force his way with brute force?


    No! The boy knew he didn¡¯t have enough stamina or strength in him to even try such a method.


    He sat down on the soft bed and exhaled a mouthful of air out of exhaustion, unable to think out of this predicament.


    A surprising thing soon followed as he lifted his head and looked towards the skeleton.


    He looks up and beside the skeleton, finds a woman standing and looking at him in a mocking and pitying way.


    The boy looked back in a shocked and a bit cautious manner.


    The woman had a devilish charm that screamed and demanded attention, especially her crimson red pupils, which seemed to look into his very mind. Her age seems to be around 24-26 years. Her fair glossy skin, her smooth black shinning hair hanging down till her waist creating sense of enchantment.


    She was tall and had ample chest, a willow waist and plump butt. Her face can only be described as bewitchingly beautiful, especially her sexy red lips.


    He just stared at the woman with slightly open mouth, unable to say a single word.


    A few seconds had passed like that.


    Finally, the woman unable to bear it anymore out of annoyance interrupts him out of his daze.


    "Stop staring, slave!¡± She said with a cold and sharp tone.


    The boy still just kept staring at her, as if he didn¡¯t hear a word she harshly uttered.


    The woman annoyed and disgusted, pointed a finger at him and suddenly a beam of fire exploded out of her finger.


    The beam of fire shocked and surprised the boy, but before he could even do anything it shot his right shoulder and penetrated through as if his shoulder had never been there.


    The beam of fire then vanished out of thin air and the woman lowered her finger.


    The boy saw a scorching red tiny hole just below his shoulder blades.


    He screamed loud as he felt the pain from the burning hole while holding his shoulder as tightly as he could trying to ease the pain.


    ¡°Such a waste¡­¡± The woman mumbled looking at the pathetic thing in front of her.


    The woman drew a slash in the air towards his face.


    The boy still suffering the pain from his right shoulder slightly raised his head towards the woman as he heard her but all he saw was a flash of crimson red and felt a kind of heat.


    ¡°AGHHHH!!.... MY FACE!!!.... MY FACE!!!... BURNING!!!!!......¡± The boy yelled at the top of his voice while rolling on the floor in agony as he felt his face on fire.


    ¡°AHHHH!!!!...... What did you do!!!!!?.... Why?!!!!......¡±


    Disregarding his agonizing screams the woman sat on the luxurious chair with a faint twisted smile, her eyes gently closed.


    ¡°Hehe¡­.¡±

 Chapter 2: Who Am I?

    The Woman smilingly seemed as if she was anticipating something while slightly humming.


    The boy kept on rolling on the ground with an agonizing look on his face while sweating heavily. He simply didn¡¯t understand how things came to this, everything seemed too fast and sudden.


    Suddenly, everything started to slow down, all movements, sounds and even the air. Time itself seemed to slow down.


    No, not just slowing down, but coming to a stop entirely.


    The woman and the boy didn¡¯t seem to notice this at all. They seemed to be frozen in time as well.


    After about four seconds or so, everything then went back to how it should be. Time started flowing again, but there were crucial differences.


    The woman suddenly and abruptly stood up from her seat as though poked by a needle.


    The boy on the other hand seemed liked he was in a completely different situation.


    To his sheer surprise and astonishment, he seemed to have completely recovered, the wounds on his shoulder and his face were no more and seemed as if they never occurred in the first place.


    The boy was completely healed and he felt no more of that previous horrific pain. He touched his face and also his shoulder and thought if it was an illusion, if everything was that happened was a mere trick of his mind. But he knew it wasn¡¯t, everything that happened was real and he felt it. He felt so much of it.


    ¡®What happened?....I was just hurt and it hurt so much, now I am fine¡­¡­.. Wait, who am I?¡¯ His head was completely blank as he was just realizing his situation now.


    He looked toward the now contemplating woman, this horrifying and sinister woman. Rather than thinking of what happened, he should be ready for her. He could think of other things later. Thinking this, he hastily stood up and was completely on guard against any other action of hers, even though he knew he was in a completely disadvantageous position right now.


    But still, she just can¡¯t go harming others just because she could, right?The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    The woman looked at his face and shoulder, he looked completely unharmed just like the previous time. She didn¡¯t know how this happened, one second he was injured and the next he was completely fine. Even the blood on the ground was evidence that he was hurt.


    So what happened?


    She couldn¡¯t understand this phenomenon and she felt he didn¡¯t either from his expressions.


    The woman and the boy stared at each other, one in curiously and slight excitement and the other as like staring at his nemesis.


    Finally, the woman spoke.


    ¡°Boy, tell me who you are and everything that you did just now?¡± Her voice commanding and in sheer arrogance.


    The boy didn¡¯t think her voice would be as beautiful as her face. He was a bit stunned, but only a bit. He opened his mouth slowly and spoke two word, which was right and enough in his opinion.


    ¡°Old b***h!...¡± the words he spoke were said smoothly, without the slightly pause or fear, loud enough for her hear.


    Tell her? Tell her my a**. He himself didn¡¯t know what happened, what should he tell her?


    No, why should he tell her anything?


    ¡®Even If I knew, I won¡¯t tell you anything, B***h¡¯


    The woman ¡°¡­¡±


    So what if she was beautiful? So what if she was powerful? So what of her arrogance and her pride? So what?


    In his opinion she was just a b****h. Nothing more.


    Who attacks people without even knowing who they were? She was a barbarian and a physco.


    The woman¡¯s mind seemed to have stopped working. She was just blankly staring at him. Her mouth slightly hanging open.


    ¡®What the hell did he call me? B***h!... Did he just call me, b***h?!!...ME!!!....A B***h!!!....¡¯


    As she was thinking along these lines, the boy smirked proudly and mockingly at her.


    The woman swiftly and elegantly lifted her arm and pointed her open palm at him, then clenched it.


    The boy knew and felt that his action might lead to terrifying consequence, but he didn¡¯t mind one bit. What he spoke was the truth in his opinion. She truly was, in his opinion.


    The boy was just waiting, he knew she was strong, but she can¡¯t be that strong that he couldn¡¯t do anything right?


    Sadly, the boy was mistaken on many levels regarding this thought. He would soon come to know this, painfully, very painfully.


    He just saw her palm clenching at him and then¡­.


    Nothing. He couldn¡¯t feel anything. His head just turned blank.


    Then¡­


    There was no sound, no movement. It was silent. Completely silent.


    The woman stood still while clenching her fist at an empty space. The boy was nowhere to be seen. Not a single trace of him could be seen. It was as if he never was standing there in the first place.


    The skeleton was as blank as he could be. He hadn¡¯t made a single movement from then and to now, as if he was a doll that lost its strings. Though, its hollow eyes were still glowing with sinister red.


    The woman lowered her arm as coldness, ruthlessness and all kinds of malevolent expressions took her expressions. If the boy had seen such an expression on her face right now, he would surely and greatly start to worry for himself.

 chapter 3: Which do you desire?

    The woman took a long breath and calmed herself down. While gazing at the spot where the boy previously stood she clicked her tongue in annoyance.


    ¡°Only a waste of time¡­¡± While saying this she sat back down on her seat.


    The skeleton which was as still a statue started moving itself again. It walked towards the woman while making some clanking noises.


    Surprisingly, there was an elegant tea set on the table which clearly wasn¡¯t present before. The skeleton gently started serving tea to the young woman.


    The woman gently sipped some tea in contentment. Suddenly her brows were furrowed as she noticed something.


    Meanwhile outside the cave.


    The boy stood completely unharmed, his clothes, his hair was completely untouched, just as he was inside the golden lit cave.


    He calmly organized his memories as he stood, the cold night¡¯s wind sweeping around him.


    ¡®At least, I know what I should do now¡­¡¯


    He looked blankly at the lone star in the sky, his eyes looked a bit watery.


    Abruptly, without any sign or warning, He started to feel pain, The pain he was feeling wasn¡¯t from regular wounds like a cut or something as such, but were more from his insides. He felt as if his insides were burning, twisting or more like reforming itself¡­ He didn¡¯t know and right now he couldn¡¯t care less. He just wanted it to stop, to go away.


    ¡°AHHHHHHH!!!!............¡±


    Suddenly, the woman calmly walked over while touching her chin with her fingers in a thoughtful manner while gazing at the boy as though a specimen.


    ¡°¡­ What are you? You feel pain but can¡¯t die, your wounds heals itself just after seconds¡­ almost like an immortal from legends. You though don¡¯t seem to be one.¡±


    ¡°There no known species with these capabilities that I know of. You look completely human, an almost extinct race. But you clearly can¡¯t be Human. So what the hell are you?¡±


    Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on.


    She calmly and smoothly said as her tone had sharpness and coldness. She felt a complex set of emotions and had complicated thoughts.


    Finally, the pain stopped, but the boy had already fainted long ago.


    The woman hummed slightly with a blank look on her.


    ¡­¡­............................


    Tyre was one of the major kingdoms in the entire continent. Not only was it rich in terms of talents, but also resources.


    In this current generation though the royal family which was thriving the previous generation was facing a huge calamity. The royal family had no heir for its next generation, there is no one to take on the responsibility of the throne to further lead the kingdom.


    Now, it wasn¡¯t as if there were no offspring from the king and queen or any of his concubines, there were in fact four royal children. Each of them could be called the best of the best. They could easily be called excellent in their own rights. The four were young, but talented and gifted.


    But each of them started to vanish one by one. Strange events would occur around them and this led to the current calamity the royal family is facing. There is no one to pass down the throne to for the next generation of ruling. Its said that the king has visibly aged and one of his concubines has been diagnosed with a mental illness from losing her child. The cause for these unfortunate happenings one after another have yet to be determined.


    Was it God¡¯s wrath or a Devil¡¯s curse? The people believed so.


    ¡°*Cough*¡­ *Cough*¡­.¡±


    A series of coughing fit echoed in a small room or rather a dungeon cell. The cell only contained a dirty cloth on the floor and some chains lodges into one of its walls.


    The boy having woken up and coming to himself, stared in a daze at the thick iron bars in front of himself. He slowly got up from the ground, walked towards the thick, black bars and gripped them tightly with his palms. He started shaking them in hopes that they would simply come off, but these bars didn¡¯t even make a sound.


    The boy let out a quiet sigh and sat back down on dirty cloth on the ground. Feeling a certain amount of hopelessness.


    ¡®What the hell is happening?... So much bad luck¡­ Oh God! ¡¯


    ¡®This place smells disgusting, do they even clean?¡¯ The boy thought as he looked around depressingly.


    The boy creased his brow as he gradually heard faint sounds of footsteps echoing.


    ¡®Someone¡¯s coming¡¯ the boy thought and eagerly stood up.


    He rushed at the gate while trying to catch a glimpse at the person who was approaching.


    The woman slowly made her way gracefully, taking one step at a time. Both gazed at each other, one calmly walking and the other filled with gradual disappointment.


    .¡®¡­ It had to be her¡¯ he thought depressingly, as the boy gazed into her crimson eyes, he felt even more hopeless.


    He grit his teeth slightly but didn¡¯t utter a word.


    The woman came to a stop and looked condescendingly at him. She was obviously looking down on him.


    He lifted a finger to the side of his head and twirled it a few times in a circular motion with a mocking smirk on his lips. His indication was clear to the woman.


    Surprisingly, the woman remained still, without any further movement. The boy crossed his arms at his chest and calmly watched her.


    A minute or two passed in this manner.


    ¡°Immortality, invincibility, or is it healing infinitely regardless of any wounds?...... Which of these do you possess? Or it something else entirely?¡± The woman finally spoke. Her words clear.


    ¡°Which do you think is the most probable? Or rather which do you hope for?¡± The boy asked back at her.


    The woman didn¡¯t answer.


    ¡°Tell me woman, which do you desire? Which do you greed for?...¡± He looked right at her, his voice void of emotion, sounding a bit mechanical, his gaze penetrating hers.

 Chapter 4( at the end)

    Seeing the woman¡¯s blank look, the boy looked proud with a hint of snobby look.


    ¡°Go on¡­. Pick one. Immortality or invincibility!¡±


    The boy¡¯s words sounding seductive with allure.


    ¡®Immortality or invincibility¡­¡¯ The woman contemplated. Only a saint would deny his desire over these two.


    ¡°No one other than you will get this choice. It¡¯s your luck¡± The boy urged.


    ¡°I can¡¯t have both, can I?¡± She asked whileknowing full well the answer herself.


    The boy seemed to be waiting for these words as he shook his head.


    ¡°Not possible. You can choose one or not choose at all¡± He said with a small smile.


    Just as she about to speak, he continued.


    ¡°You have to choose now¡±


    ¡°I want to make my choice in two days. I need at least two days to think through¡±


    ¡°No!¡±


    ¡°Then a day!¡±


    ¡°No! Make your choice now or never!¡±


    She wanted to postpone her decisions as much as she could. It wasn¡¯t an easy choice to make after all and she still didn¡¯t know which option would entail what consequences. As far as she knew he could be a fraud, his choices a hoax, a mere trick.


    ¡°What if you¡¯re lying, tricking me with these, these-¡°


    ¡°Pick now or never! If you think I¡¯m tricking you, then simply don¡¯t pick. I don¡¯t have so much time to waste on you... Crazy woman...¡± He said as his voice slowly trailed off at the end.


    The woman slightly narrowed her eyes as she stared at him through the iron bars. He wasn¡¯t afraid of her or acted like a captive should. He was rather confident and seemed somewhat proud with a serious look on him.


    Silence ensued.


    The boy spoke finally.


    ¡°Immortality, just as you probably think¡­ You don¡¯t age or die, you can look just as you do right now even after a 100 years. Young and beautiful. You can live forever and ever. If you choose invincibility, then even if you reduce to dust you will completely revive just as you were before turning to dust. But you will not be immortal. No disease or wound would stand in your way. You will age and die eventually as you should. But you will be unstoppable¡­ Impossible to be killed by anything or anyone in this world¡±


    He said such words so enticingly she shivered as she grasped what he said completely.


    ¡®I choose you woman. But not because I want to¡¯


    Her mind thinking at a rapid pace. So many thoughts, future developments, consequences, scenarios she could see right now, faced with such a wish.


    ¡°What are the-¡°


    ¡°No disadvantages. No type of payment or demand or condition needs to be fulfilled. Make your choice! I have said all I can!¡±


    Once more she was interrupted, but she didn¡¯t mind it one bit.


    ¡°You are quite rude to keep interrupting me while I am speaking¡± She said as though trying to probe him.


    ¡°You are quite a crazy woman yourself, but I don¡¯t mind, so you shouldn¡¯t either¡± He said as he shrugged his shoulders.


    ¡®Does such a thing exist, immortality, invincibility? Are the legends really true? Is this how one receives immortality?...¡¯You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.


    ¡°I don¡¯t believe you¡± She said imposingly.


    He looked unfazed as though expecting it.


    ¡°Such fantasy-like things, wishes. Such drivel of a story teller or a madman. Only someone very desperate, pushed against an unescapable corner, filled with greed would actually believe these things you spout¡±


    She gritted her teeth slightly as she spoke. The boy didn¡¯t interrupt her, because he had no reason to.


    ¡°I am not such a person and I will never be one¡± She continued.


    ¡°¡­Then you give up your choic-¡°


    She interrupted.


    ¡°But! ... But, I will still choose. Because I have been given such a choice, such a chance is not something I can give up¡± She clenched her fist tightly as she said word by word.


    The boy didn¡¯t say anything.


    She suddenly gazed at him ferociously as though she would butcher him painfully this very instant.


    ¡°¡­If I find any lie in the words uttered by you all this while. I swear I will rip your spine out of your body, let¡¯s see how you heal that!¡±


    The boy smirked.


    ¡°This stone will know whether or not you¡¯re lying¡­¡± She said she showed him a small, pebble like stone. He didn¡¯t know where she pulled that out from.


    ¡°Now hold this stone and repeat all the things you promised me while looking at me. Remember it has to be word to word to said. If you lie, this stone will tell me and I don¡¯t think I need to tell you what to expect after that¡± She said as she threw the pebble at him.


    He looked a bit hesitant but took a hold of the stone in his palm and recited the words he spoke to her again and then magically the stone started turning green.


    The woman slowly nodded with satisfaction as though greatly relieved and a small beautiful smile carved her bewitching face.


    ¡°Throw the stone it has served its purpose¡± She said and he examined it once before throwing it away.


    "Why didn''t you use this before?" He asked as he found it a bit odd.


    "No reason" She simply said.


    ¡°So which is it? Immortality or invincibility?¡± He asked once more, though he already was sure which she would pick.


    ¡°Of course, it would be immortality!¡± She answered almost instantly with a slightly excited look.


    ¡°Okay, okay, we should get started immediately¡± The boy seemed to be very excited, he also looked as if he completed something important.


    ¡°Open this cage¡± He said.


    The woman flapped her palm towards the bars and they quickly started to dissolve. The boy could feel and intense heat in front of him, he quickly moved back but noticed that there was a small burned hole near his thigh, not on his skin but on his pants.


    The woman noticed this and thought she should ask about his weird looking dirty clothes.


    The bars blocking the two quickly disappeared with some smoke now covering the passage and cell.


    The boy slightly sniffed the smell of burning metal. But he quickly focused back on the woman, thinking she¡¯s indeed beautiful.


    ¡°What now?¡± She asked, looking as arrogant and imposing as ever.


    The boy didn¡¯t answer her and was gazing at her as though trying to understand something.


    ¡®You chose this¡¯ he thought. He didn¡¯t stare long though.


    The woman thought he could be having second thoughts. She already decided that after she got everything she can from him she would confine him somewhere he couldn¡¯t get out, or would kill him if she could.


    ¡°This place is too confined, take me to some kind of open ground or somewhere with more open space¡± He sounded quite demanding as he told her.


    The woman remained silent as she turned and led the way through the passage while having all sorts of thoughts running though her mind. She wasn¡¯t the least bit worried he would escape. She knew he couldn¡¯t and suspected he knew as well.


    The two stayed silent as they walked. Neither seemed that willing to talk with each other.


    Soon, the two were at a vast garden of sorts as they stood face to face.


    ¡°Ready?¡± The boy asked with a kind smile.


    ¡°¡­What your name?¡± She asked her question not answering his.


    The boy was a bit surprised by this.


    ¡°Silus! What your name?¡± He answered and asked with slight expectation.


    ¡°¡­Fera¡± She said lacking emotion.


    ¡°Okay Fera, just stand still, I will start now!¡± He said as he put his hands inside his strange blue rough looking pants.


    "Wait!" She said.


    "What?" He asked.


    "I... I want, invincibility" She said she furrowed her brows.


    "Ah... Why the change now?" Surprised, he asked her.


    She kept sient.


    "Fine!" He said. It didn''t matter either way.


    He suddenly pulled out a thin, white, precious looking, small stick or rather a pick. The pick looked sharp enough to make a small hole on anyone¡¯s finger but that was as harmful as it could get.


    The woman didn¡¯t move an inch. She was wondering if that thing was there on him all this time. She denied this as she had her servant search him thoroughly and she didn¡¯t find this item on him.


    ¡®How many more secrets do you have?¡¯ She thought and also was somewhat more confident of her decision now.


    The boy then did something which very much surprised her. He stuck the small pick right at the center of his brows. It did take him some time to find the right position from what she could see.


    Shockingly, there was no blood flowing out and didn¡¯t seem like any kind of wound was made, it just stuck there with half of it sticking out. The boy also didn¡¯t seem to be in any pain.


    ¡®This feels weird¡­ What am I even doing?¡¯ He thought as he let out a small sigh.


    He moved closer to the woman.


    ¡°You bend down and touch this exact spot where this thing is with your forehead, it should be the exact spot where it¡¯s stuck in my forehead¡± He said as he was just 3 inches away from her.


    ¡°¡­What are you saying?...¡± She couldn¡¯t grasp what he was saying clearly.


    ¡°I don¡¯t have time for this!¡± He almost shouted as he suddenly extended his hands at her face and forcefully smacked her forehead on his forehead.


    She was very shocked right now and didn¡¯t react in time to counterattack. Both their forehead were sticking to each other and they could both see deeply into each other¡¯s eyes.


    ¡®Her eyes¡­¡¯


    The instant the woman came to herself she quickly drew herself back.


    Astonishingly, she saw something which she could never forget. There was a thin, white line connecting her and forehead to his forehead.


    No, it was half white and half red from his and her side. It was the exact spot where pick was before.


    Suddenly, the air distorted between them and a kind of blackish, white figure appeared, the figure couldn¡¯t be distinguished from man or animal, male or female. One couldn¡¯t even tell if it was a being or not. But it seemed very much alive to the now wide eyed woman.


    The figure seemed to say something from what she could feel. The air, atmosphere itself vibrated around the figure, no it seemed as if the entire world was vibrating.


    ¡°God¡­ has descended¡­¡± Fera seemed to have suddenly heard.