《Might》 CHAPTER 1 - Man Near The Mountains. *The events in this book are purely fictional. Might is also a fictional character and so are the countries mentioned here. Tw: These tales are not for the faintest of hearts.* ________________________________ An eccentric yet physically strong man now in his 50s fled from his people during his mid 30s and took refuge near the mountains secluded from everyone else. He had learnt to fight for his survival, to hunt and kill beasts with his bare hands. It took a while but he learnt to enjoy his solitude. At the age of 44, something changed. His lonely heart cried out, reminding him of his emptiness and boredom caused by the long years of solitude and survival. He felt that he was missing something. It was time for deep reflection. It was time to act on his true desires buried deep inside him. Jillbow meditated daily and focused so intensely on training his body until his strength had matched that of a ferocious beast rather than a man. In the middle of his rigorous training, something had snapped from within him. No! It wasn''t his tendons or bones but heard the snapping of a twig that he stepped on. Shortly afterwards, he realised that he needed someone to show and possibly teach his talents to. He missed the warmth of other people and felt paranoid that he was running out of time, old age creeping up to him. At first he only met to observe. He never intended to return to Society. He was long convinced that he belonged in the wild far from the influence of civilisations and forced colonial rule. In the animal world, power was a virtue, according to Jillbow. He continued to observe the life that he had abandoned and thought that he could live without until one night, he displayed the might of his brute strength in front of a drunken audience and marvelled at their reactions. His heart gnawing out for power and a position where he would be respected and valued truly! He took in their voices of admiration and revelled in it. ''This is incredible! Look at the ferociousness and beauty of his movements! The ease in which he breaks these bricks with his body!'' ''Incredible! He really destroyed a stack of over 20 bricks with one push from the palm of his hand!'' The martial artist felt happy with all the praise that he was getting. He continued his descent from the wild and performed to his heart¡¯s content and glory but little did he know the depths of his appetite. He had a revelation. As a teacher, he would reign supreme and tend to his longing soul. ''Call me Master Jillbow if you would like to learn from me.'' He said, taking initiative to do so Soon he got offers from students wanting to learn from him. The students'' ages ranged from 13 to 30, mostly boys but a few were girls. These were youths in need of training, according to Jillbow. Most of the students were poor so he accepted only a very small fee from them. Their training was hardcore and their warm up consisted of sprints and crawls. One thing of note is to mention Jillbow''s obsession with stretching and so the students had to endure long stretching sessions. Sessions that would forever be engraved into their minds. "Remember to focus on the breath and remove the pain. Keep enduring and then you will be able to move your body however you wish to." He would preach His students would try their best to follow his instructions but they learned not to flinch when the master corrected their postures, their muscles forced beyond their limits. They would listen when he would fill their minds with false hope or warn them about the repercussions of their mistakes. Brutal and strict, he demanded perfection. Even as their sweat would drip down onto the floor, their hearts beating loud and breath shaking, they felt a tall shadow looming over them with a stern look. They knew that to complain was to invite punishment. The master did not know when to stop nor did he care about the limits of ordinary people. All that he wanted were results that would reflect well on him. And surprisingly, it was effective. Most of the students found that they had dramatically increased their flexibility in less than 2 months. Their blood, sweat and tears allowed them to progress! But at what cost? Jillbow stood before the sunrise in contemplation. "They have learnt from me, my boys and girls but what have I gained? My satisfaction from passing down my skills has already gone away. How long can one be satisfied with such things?" Jillbow brooded Jillbow had long forgotten that he used to be an ordinary man before his fame as a martial arts master. His delusions continued until he had begun to see himself as the most powerful man alive rather than an ordinary teacher. He began to grow paranoid that his fellow students were only using him. Skills and money are fair exchanges to make and that is the way that it has always been. People often seem to forget that once they gain power that they cannot handle. Jillbow reigned supreme. He felt it. An intoxicating energy of reverence mixed with fear and above all, respect. ¡°I am powerful. I have no equal. I am the epitome of manliness.¡± He would repeat in the mirror as often as he could He could no longer ignore how satisfying it felt to say it. The students and the village bowed as he passed through, barely audible voices that either sounded pleased or fearful. In his mind there was only admiration. He failed to see the way they froze quickly under his gaze, the unease in their speech and their hurried chuckles brimming with nerves. The way they nervously praised him and laughed a bit too quickly at his jokes. This is evident of my true power, he convinced himself. ¡°I have no equal. My worth is unmatched.¡± He spoke only to be met with frightened nods of approval There was a talented young woman, aspiring for strength and felt called to take his classes. At first, it was difficult for her to notice Jillbow¡¯s attention or to distinguish it from his behaviour towards the others. It took a few sessions for her to feel those watchful dark eyes linger just a little longer. She couldn¡¯t quite put her finger on it but she told herself that it was just admiration for making good progress. The feeling of a good teacher recognising his student¡¯s potential and hard work. A few times, she felt his eyes lingering for just a second too long. On one occasion, he¡¯d made her feel comfortable enough for her to share her true circumstances. The girl explained to Jillbow that she was very poor so she didn''t know if she would be able to continue paying him. She opened up to him about how she earns the money to support herself and her family. "So you see, I get the money by entertaining the soldiers at the bar. The same soldiers who currently occupy our land. I play the flute and the harmonica. Sometimes I help out at the bar too. I wanted to get stronger so I could defend myself if I''m in any danger. I''m grateful to all that you have taught me and hope that you continue instructing me." She spoke "Don''t worry my child. You don''t have to pay anything next month." He told her with a genuine smile This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience. She couldn''t believe what she heard and couldn''t believe how generous the man was! "Oh thank you! Thank you so much!" She cheered and he was happy for her ¡°You know, I used to be in the army myself actually. There were some disagreements and technical difficulties. They couldn¡¯t see my true worth or maybe they felt threatened by it.¡± He boasted to her, filling her heart with exaggerated truths ¡°Wow. No wonder you¡¯re so strong. That was a good decision.¡± She replied earnestly Jillbow smiled but the look in his eyes had started to betray him. Again, she felt a slight unease but let him talk. ¡°I know I¡¯m not easy but I want the best for you and my students. It¡¯s a harsh world out there, full of pain, heartbreaks and betrayal.¡± He spoke His voice betrayed him towards the end, becoming a little shaken as if he was recalling something personal and vulnerable. The girl saw him leaning closer to her, a hand that had slipped and placed on her knee. ¡°Excuse me Master Jillbow. It was nice talking with you.¡± She spoke hurriedly, taking her bag and leaving One day (or should I say evening), Jillbow watched his favourite student stretch and do some exercises. ¡°I need to observe you to ensure your optimal progress. Keep it up, Timow.¡± He spoke Timow had tied her hair onto a high ponytail. When she noticed him and heard him speak, she greeted him with the full splits, controlling her breathing as her torso lowered to the ground. She was just wearing her regular clothes that she normally wore. Nothing too fancy or enticing. He was impressed and started clapping. "Excellent. You have a lot of potential, Timow." Jillbow told her She slowly got herself up again and Jillbow walked closer to her. She let out a nervous laugh and fidgeted with her sleeves. She didn''t know what he wanted from her. "I wish you were more comfortable with me. " He told her He creeped even closer to her. The energy had shifted in the room. Again, the thoughts creeped up in his head. ''My students are using me for my skills and I get so little in exchange. I would prefer a fairer exchange. Money isn''t enough for an old man like me. It''s been so long until now that I have buried myself in the embraces of someone''s warmth. Ever since that day. Damn you, Marcus! Damn all the others who occupy our beloved country!'' He thought Jillbow was frozen in his daydream. "Master? Are you alright?" She asked him, feeling concerned about him She wished she weren¡¯t so concerned. She felt a kiss from him brimming with passion and something deeper, enticing yet forbidden. Her intuition was confirmed and a part of her felt drawn in but the other part felt conflicted. At first, she told herself it was nothing. A slip of the moment. It wouldn¡¯t happen again. But soon enough, doubt and helplessness creeped in. She knew this wasn¡¯t meant to happen. A look from him had disarmed her. What else could she do? It had gone further than she expected. "There''s nothing to fear, my Timow. Now relax and set your worries free. I care about you. As your teacher, I¡¯ll take care of you no matter what." Jillbow coaxed her The young woman trusted and respected her master so as confused and conflicted as she was, she felt sure that it was out of a deep care and passion. She denied it all. In her youthful and inexperienced eyes, he had done nothing wrong. But how much longer could she ignore that there was something wrong ¡ª a feeling so deep and complicated and yet, she found herself smiling back at him. "You are my favourite student." Jillbow reassured her, leaving her shortly afterwards Her heart shook with uncertainty at the situation and decided to give the man a gentle smile to which he smiled back. She didn''t know what to make of this incident. All she knew was that she couldn¡¯t help but sigh out a breath of relief as he left her. Jillbow carried on with his normal routine that evening. He washed his face like he always did before bed. He let his curly ponytail out of his hair band, brushed his teeth and went to bed. However, soon before he fell asleep, he was reminded about something. Haunted by his past, fragments of pain played over and over again in his troubled mind. ''It was the 14th of April and I was going to see my darling Lu for the first time in months. I got off my bike. You see, the buses were only reserved for the colonisers. I was walking at a fast and steady pace to get to my front door until a thorn got stuck inside my sandal. I took it out and thought nothing of it. I knocked on the door. I was met with silence. I found myself leaning on the door and to my surprise, the door was already open. I called out my wife''s name. No answer. I yelled out for them from the top of my lungs in desperation, checking each room. Nothing. Until I walked closer to the door leading to our garden. My senses alert, the horrid truth evident in my eyes. The spirit of vengeance strikes me! I remember picking up the bloodstained note telling me the reality of this ambush. An object fell out into the ground nearby. A rectangular shiny name tag and on it, the name Marcus was in gold lettering and bold font. A former enemy whose many comrades I have slain long ago! I will never forget this.'' His mind played out the aftermath that led to his retreat from humanity to the safe realm of nature. Jillbow had fled to the mountains to regain his sanity and to train, mourning his losses. In his country, vengeance is legal in these special yet cruel circumstances. Now, he had one goal to think about: to duel with Marcus. After his initial gruelling training regimen in a secluded area near the mountains, he came back stronger than he was before. He lost himself in his training and found that it temporarily soothed the pain of his loss. It allowed him to bury it deep inside. Whenever he felt troubled, he would transmute his pain and fury into his physical training. Jillbow became obsessed with self-improvement as it was a coping mechanism for him. He went into solitude to train more, no longer distracted or limited by humanity and their cruel ways. To denounce man and become one with the natural beasts! Now he had overcome his limits over and over, transforming from man to beast. The fire of passion burned so strongly within him. His hunger for more power and control was evident enough but was soon beginning to get unbearable. "Trust your master. Aren''t you my beloved student?" He would say whenever he was challenged He would go to any lengths to misuse his power and slowly but surely, his people were sick and tired of living like this. Jillbow''s actions only got bolder and bolder than this and soon he became convinced that he was untouchable, spreading mischief and recklessness. He no longer bothered to disguise it. All the good people wondered when he would be humbled by justice. It''s so easy for us to hope that justice will come. That the bad guy will be dealt with but the world is a cruel place. Bad guys are untouchable until enough courageous people bring the truth to light. Most of the time, unless we do something about it, nothing will change! Jillbow was only loved by those students who were far too brainwashed and gone. Their awe, fear and reverence for him only further deepened his delusions. Timow¡¯s anger was brewing, fuelled by his acts of wrongdoings. She set up secret meetings with a few trusted students. ¡°How can we stop him? He gets close to us and somehow gets away with too much.¡± ¡°He¡¯s too strong and formidable. He holds true strength. Without him, who will lead us?¡± ¡°Perhaps money isn¡¯t enough. He¡¯s shaped and improved our bodies so surely we pay him back with something more.¡± Timow would listen to these valid concerns, her heart sinking as their thoughts had once reflected her own in the beginning when she was too naive. ¡°I know it¡¯s difficult and scary but Jillbow isn¡¯t immortal. His physical body may be so powerful but everyone has a weakness. We will observe him and find out his weakness.¡± Many secret meetings continued as Jillbow was blinded by the fake love and admiration of his students. Little did he know what awaited him. Enough time had passed. Timow paid Jillbow a visit. Jillbow felt so happy to see her. She was his ''favourite student'' after all. She boldly greeted him with a kiss on the cheek. Jillbow grinned and moved her face so that he could kiss her on the lips. They talked. Food and drink were served in his honour, or so he thought. ¡°Are you alright, master?¡± She spoke softly yet there was a devious glint in her eyes He didn¡¯t see it and felt reassured by the hands on his hands.A shadow flickered in her gaze, warmth radiating from her hands. Something felt wrong. Then an unexpected sound ¡ª The creak of a bowstring pulled taut. Jillbow stood up and turned but it was already too late. He groaned out in pain. His feet hurt and were burning all of a sudden! "T-Timow. My legs hurt. What¡¯s happening to me?¡± He cried out as Timow held his hands to support him He looked in despair over at Timow¡¯s startled face and he didn''t know what to do or what was happening to him. Seconds later, Jillbow fell to the ground, his burning legs unable to support him. By the time Jillbow realised the truth, it was far too late. Six students in their late 20s came out of hiding. Jillbow observed the origin of the sharp pain to see an arrow buried deep in his leg. "Timow. I''m sorry my child. I''m so sorry." He spoke But she wasn¡¯t convinced. She had heard that line far too many times. Her heart remained cold and unstirred as she reminded herself of the many transgressions she had denied and let him get away with. "Oh I know. I know master. Make him rest on his chair." She ordered them They lifted him and put him on his chair. "Please forgive me. I know I was harsh but I meant well. I did. You have to believe me!¡± He pleaded, now unable to feel his legs One by one, they openly expressed their many complaints about his actions. Jillbow shook his head with shame and wished for them to stop bringing up the past. They yelled out in fright as a loud deafening noise came from behind Jillbow. ¡°Call the ambulance.¡± One of them yelled, wavering ¡°No wait. It¡¯s too late.¡± She spoke ¡°Now he can do no more harm. Who made the final blow?¡± One of the students asked They checked the shattered window and noticed the shiny badge. A rectangular shiny name tag but it was blank. Jillbow was pronounced dead at the scene. Chapter 2 — X This man was completely calculative! He was a willing explorer of his senses. He had the strong will to make it through the trials and tribulations caused by his reckless hedonistic pursuits. This man was a product of the country that he lived in. The product of the emperor. I''ll start from the beginning. His name was Timothy Williams and he was 19 years old. On the surface, he appeared as someone so ordinary that you''d probably not notice him at all. He had hardly any presence nor personality. He had no friends. Initially, he never let those things affect him mentally. He had two excellent things ¡ª his good looks and a good job. But they weren¡¯t enough. Even though Timothy had no friends he had long accepted this. He would turn to the enjoyment of his long list of hobbies to keep him entertained and to keep him in a fairly good mood. Entertainment couldn¡¯t forever hold back his true heart¡¯s longing. Timothy had been working hard at his job and had been waiting for his promotion. He worked the most boring job in the world in finance. He enjoyed the structure and comfort of having a job to go to and so he put up with the creative dulling routine. The more he worked, the more fixated he became and soon his paychecks were a delight for him to look forward to. One day, Timothy was called by his boss which made his heart race in the hopes that she had finally acknowledged his hard work. His face turned from happy to confused after another coworkers'' name was called out a few seconds later. Still he rushed to her office like a lovesick puppy. The other colleague went there also so now they were waiting for an answer. "Congratulations. You''re very good for this company I can tell. I can tell it from my gut." She spoke "T-Thank you so much, Fallon!" Timothy spoke happily "Actually.." she started to say, making his heart drop in disbelief "I wasn''t talking about you." She continued "That¡¯s unfair, you b¡ª" Timothy blurted out in anger and yet he closed his mouth in shock but it was far too late The other guy was grinning but didn''t say anything. He ended up getting the raise instead. Alex left the office. Now they were all alone. "Ah, so now you decided to grow a pair? What have I told you about your impulsiveness?¡± She spoke sternly ¡°I am so sorry. It just came out. I had a really bad day.¡± Timothy lied He held his breath, hoping to come across as sane so that he wouldn¡¯t get fired. ¡°Take a picture, why don¡¯t you?¡± She chuckled ¡°Can I please get back to work?¡± He spoke, staring at the floor Timothy slowly began to walk out of the door until she stopped him. "WAIT." She yelled out Timothy froze in his tracks with anticipation. Now they were all alone. "Let¡¯s get serious. Please take a seat." She said to him and he sat down Timothy sat down and waited for any instructions. "Can you guess what I despise most in the whole world?" She asked him "Uh..my attitude?" He guessed, chuckling "That¡¯s funny. You have the attitude of a little worm." He chuckled nervously in response. "Look. How long have we known each other? You¡¯re ok with me aren¡¯t you? I am interested in you.¡± ¡°A-As an employee?¡± He asked her, his eyes widening in disbelief ¡°Remember we knew each other before that.¡± She smiled Her look felt warm and inviting, different to her usual persona. ¡°Oh, oh of course! But I never once imagined that someone like me could be with someone like you.¡± He spoke earnestly ¡°Let¡¯s talk after work.¡± She spoke, switching to her normal tone "You¡¯re serious? Very well then." He replied "Is that a yes or a no?" She asked him "It''s a yes. A definite yes. Oh yes." He smiled brightly with glee "Good. I am glad that we¡¯re on the same page." She spoke a bit too enthusiastically and seriously They scheduled and went on their date which went well. It went a little too well and things progressed quickly. After some time and several meet-ups later, Timothy made the move to invite her over. As soon as he opened his front door, she kicked off her shoes at his request. As soon as they sat down and got comfortable, she reached out first. He felt the gentle caresses of her fingertips. He pulled her in closer and soon it felt like all they cared about was each other. His natural eagerness and touches sent her mind spinning with fantasies. Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more. Her lips slightly puckered as if she desired to be kissed but his index finger replaced the lips she had briefly hoped for. ¡°Please wait, Fallon.¡± He spoke softly "What? Is there something on my face?" She asked him, wondering if he was hesitating for a reason Their eyes met once more, this time giving into natural passions. ¡°Just one look at you..makes me¡ª.¡± He sighed longingly Before he could even finish his sentence, she had already kissed him so passionately, her hands exploring the back of his neck as they kissed. He returned her affections in fullness. When their lips parted, his chest was heaving slightly trying to get more air as he was so excited and in the moment that he had forgotten to breathe. She took a moment to gaze at him and give him a little smile. The breeze that was coming from the opened window brought a refreshing breeze to the room causing her wavy blonde hair to sway against it. He was following her willingly, waiting in anticipation for more. One of his dreams had come true and it was her loving him back and noticing him. However an underlying feeling of anxiety was felt by Timothy during his interactions with her. He hated to think that he would do something to ruin his good fortune. Compared to him, she was too fun, too adventurous. She knew the effect she had on him. She could effortlessly bring him down to his knees in devotion to her. Much of that anxious feeling was pushed away by Timothy but it was still present and therefore he was consciously aware about it. For a man who needed to have control over everything, giving it up temporarily wasn''t such an easy task to him initially but as she continued to bring such ecstasy and tempting variety into his private life, he felt like a ray of light had warmed his cold lonely heart. He wished to feel as grateful as he could to her but in his mind, he could never be enough. Nor could he have just the right amount. To savour the peak of pleasure without facing the drop. There was something he was searching for, an experience that went beyond sex. Although he had explored plenty in that realm, he dreamed of an experience on another level. Many unforgettable nights followed as he was initiated in the varieties of sensual pleasures. Feathers, oils, glitter, and her embraces combined was more than enough to elevate him closer to euphoria. Other times, he would smile to himself, seeing traces of her lipstick all over his neck. He blushed deeply, feeling that he belonged to her and that she had claimed him. Attentive to his desires and her own, even spoiling him with it, he would be left longing for the next time they could be together like this. Even her light caressing was enough to make him shiver. She loved to observe him and figure out how to handle him. However, it was a mutual exchange and no one was in charge all the time. These were precious times for them to free themselves from the mundane and enter into a world of the sublime. She held back strategically whenever she felt that he had too much affection and he too, enjoyed this little game just as much as she did. To experience more pleasure, a little pain is required. Even hesitation which is the mildest form of pain could be used to one''s advantage regarding that they have the moderation within themselves to endure. Exploration! My favourite word after the phrase, lex talionis. Ever felt numb from pleasure? When it feels so good it starts to hurt? Ever wondered if there was a way to feel as much pleasure as possible and process it all? I call it Optimal Pleasure. It involves becoming affected by stimuli causing you to become more aware of the body and its condition. A stimuli which awakens you, connecting the body, soul and the mind. It works similar to being blindfolded and embraced by a lover. The blindfold is a stimuli which temporarily removes the sight and so, the body is awakened more than ever, so focused on survival that endorphins surge within you and your other senses flourish as they are heightened! This is a wonderful experience isn''t it? Imagine a more sensual experience. One that will blow your mind! You know that advertisement about ''X''? I was actually the voice actor for that commercial! I was involved in the ideas and the initial test runs too! I am not bragging about this nor am I trying to promote this product now. It is small enough to fit in your pockets but its impact is huge. X is extremely dangerous and I was ignorant a decade ago. It was my idea but the people twisted it and changed it into something ugly. Something wicked. They use it like a drug or a toy and don''t actually care about learning from the experience. I hate them all. Those X users. Timothy was a man who was addicted to feelings. He latched himself onto pleasure like a moth to a flame and even the pleasure received from Fallon wasn''t enough to deter him from the journey he decided to take. Echoed across alleyways and corners were promises of a life altering formula designed to help you safely adventure through, surpassing the limits of mundane pleasures. To Timothy¡¯s eager mind, he didn¡¯t even stop to think that it was too good to be true or that the drug (X) didn¡¯t stop at altering rigid mindsets. And so he underwent the most sensual journey that could be taken. I call it ''EXPLORATION''! OPEN YOUR EYES! MY MEANING IS EXPLORATION! A chain of events occurred. She came over to his house again and this time, they would push the limits with their activities. ¡°This knife¡ª¡± Fallon spoke Feeling the cold metal lightly pressed against his chest that rose and fell. The knife was soon replaced with light traces on his chest with her lips as a wave of pleasure came over his body. As she alternated from soft to sharp, pleasure and anticipation, she forbade him from finding relief. He fell for her more than he ever imagined possible. ¡°There are even more realms to discover. The possibilities that technology allows us.¡± He spoke, unsure how he even found the words to say Fallon stared at him, confused but she brushed it off. This time, she pressed the knife a little too hard against his skin. ¡°Oh no! Believe me it was just an accident.¡± She gasped Her footsteps wavered slightly as she took a few steps back "Wait! I am not upset with you." He called out to her when she''d started to leave "Y-You aren''t?" She asked him His eyes widened and his chest was heaving. "D-Do that again. Please." He demanded, wanting to feel the thrill of his survival being tested again Another light scratch was placed on his shoulder. "I have an idea! Give me the knife." He gasped She rolled her eyes at him playfully but gave him the knife. He hesitated until he threw the knife in the air as it circled many times and he attempted to catch the knife. If it wasn''t obvious enough already, the knife cut him. "Idiot. If I knew what you were gonna do, I would¡¯ve never given you this dagger. Luckily it¡¯s not that sharp." She huffed, taking the knife from his bloodied hand. "I''ll bandage it and treat it myself. Don''t worry about me." He spoke After that, the weird couple did some more thrill-seeking activities to their heart''s content. But still, the novel drug called to him. He was brave in deciding to take it to further his exploration. I really do admire him for doing that. Why do I say this? Because Timothy is a young man that I know (obviously I have changed his name here to grant him anonymity). I didn''t make X. I only promoted it therefore I don''t know how it works. Anyway, the bored young man took X and his body was still and rested in his bed. One thing to note: If you''ve taken the drug and want to return to the real world, you must beat your chest at least once with your hand. That feeling will return you to this world. He opened his eyes to a wide white field. Everything was white here. "Where am I? Is this the drug''s effect? I demand answers!" He spoke out But he was all alone. Or was he? Experiences are truly what matter the most in this world. The experienced know that everyone has a shadow side. Thoughts so dark and morbid that dwell in the subconscious unexplored in so many. Why does it remain so unexplored? These experiences become memories and fragments of these memories become thought or even belief. All of these put together become the unique self. You are a collection of your own thoughts, memories and experiences but these aren''t fixed. They can change. Therefore, you can change too provided that you are fearless enough. There was a man who had been suffering. He wanted to feel something and feel alive again. His name was Timothy Williams. TO BE CONTINUED... CHAPTER 3 — Burdens Part 1 Where the fuck am I?" Timothy yelled out His voice echoed out into the distance. He continued to walk forwards in one direction until he saw a place with many trees. The trees looked completely normal except that there was a basketball on top of each tree. Timothy noticed this and started to chuckle, choosing to find the humour in this unfamiliar experience. He walked more and more until he felt his body getting heavier and heavier. He realised too late that he was sinking. "Help! Help me! Make it stop!" He cried out He felt something bite him on the thigh but he couldn''t see what bit him. However, the pain didn''t feel as intense as he expected it to feel. His thighs felt incredibly sore as if he''d done an intense workout. His chest heaved again and the ground stopped making him sink. He sighed out a moan after he sat down somewhere and caressed his own thigh to attempt to soothe his pain. It was an incredible sensation! He had never felt so connected to his own body before. And so he began to experiment. His exploration was focused on his own sensual gratification. What a waste. And to what end? To what end exactly? Timothy was floating in the air and was completely blissed out under the drug''s influence as soon as he gave into the discomfort. Fellow readers! You would think surely now he was satisfied and that his journey of exploration would NOT be focused on reaching greater heights of physical pleasure? Timothy had another idea to make him satisfied. He made a shocking discovery about the virtual world that he was put inside. There were other people there too! People that he felt that he recognised yet were like strangers to him. There were no laws in this place and therefore, his chains were unleashed and he had the freedom of action without societal consequences or so it seemed. Perhaps he could meet other eager participants, willing to have fun with him. So he lurked somewhere in intense focus on the right people to interact with. If the drug heightened sensations to an unbelievably large amount then he could only imagine and dream of what it would feel like to have erotic experiences here. He thought about these things but still, he found himself hesitating. ''What if there''s a leader here? What if there''s a justice system in place that I''m unaware about? What if this is forbidden?'' He thought He noticed a person who looked like a woman but upon looking closely at her face, it was blurred beyond recognition. She was walking peacefully and was barefoot against the rocky ground. Meanwhile Timothy was still hiding behind a bush. He was also wondering why the woman¡¯s face was blurred. Little did he know that he was staring at what he would become if he continued down this path. When X was available to the public, a lot of people purchased it, wanting some kind of escape that would bring them pleasure. They would seek for more pleasure. They thought that it was just fun and games until their bodies demanded more and more sensation until this happened to them. Their minds rewired to derive pleasure at all costs, their faces blurred in X although their faces were not blurred in reality. I still don¡¯t know how the drug marks people in such a manner. Almost as if the drug itself has a conscience. Like it¡¯s warning other users what they are doomed to become if they don¡¯t change their mindset. There was a group of 8 people with blurred faces who surrounded the blurred faced woman and grabbed hold of her whilst Timothy was still hiding behind the bush now even more certain not to move a muscle! Before she could yell out in fear, one of the men closed her mouth with his hand. Timothy found it very odd that the woman had stopped struggling within a short time. Perhaps this was consensual, he thought. However, her compliance was more out of a fear response than wanting pleasure. To Timothy, this felt distasteful and wrong but it had happened so fast and his body felt extremely heavy and weak again like it had felt earlier. He trembled as she was left on the floor near him. She was quiet as if she¡¯d accepted her fate. Timothy was still hiding, watching and afraid to move, not wanting to get himself involved in the danger. Suddenly, he heard the sound of bells near him. As worried as he felt, he didn¡¯t want to wake himself up yet since the maximum time that he could go to X in a day was 3 times. According to him, that was hardly enough time for him to explore the highest possible peak of his pleasure followed by its limit. An impossible yet pointless ideal in my opinion. Despite Timothy gathering all the power he could to move away, he couldn¡¯t so he found himself crawling slowly as if an unknown source had weighed him down. Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. The eight men with the blurred faces shivered at the sight of a trio who just arrived at the scene. The trio''s faces weren''t blurred out at all so Timothy could tell that they were different. "Oh no! It''s X Y Z!" The man with the blurred face spoke As soon as Timothy managed to stand up and come out of hiding, he yelled out in fright after feeling blood land on him. It had occurred in just a few seconds! He caught sight of the bloodied axe that one of the trio held. ¡°Please don¡¯t kill me. Please don¡¯t kill me.¡± He said ¡°You watched, didn''t you?¡± X spoke ¡°I was stuck. I could barely move, I swear!¡± Timothy pleaded X¡¯s brown eyes narrowed as if he were examining him. X was a small youthful looking man with spiky red hair. He liked to wear round glasses on his forehead. Y and Z kept silent and were already putting their plan into action. Y was an average height man with curly blonde hair, freckles and green eyes. Z was a handsome man in his late fifties with grey hair and brown eyes who had a charming smile. The trio looked completely harmless but appearances are just that, appearances. X had an axe, Y had a sword and Z used his own limbs as weapons. The 8 men were chased down and punished by the trio. This trio was called ''X Y Z''. "Y-You. Don''t touch me!" Timothy yelled out in a trembling voice to the trio ¡°Relax!¡± X spoke Timothy was even more spooked after hearing X and Y laugh out maniacally. ¡°Z. Just look at him, shaking like a little lamb. He must be new.¡± Y spoke ¡°Yeah that¡¯s right Y. He¡¯s definitely new.¡± Z replied, turning to Timothy to give him a wide smile which caused the young man to feel even more uncomfortable. Z approached him then sat down next to him, placing his hand on the side of his face. Timothy immediately attempted to slap his hand away but to no avail. ¡°What is someone like you doing here? What. You wanted to go exploring did you?¡± Z spoke to him in a mocking tone Soon, X and Y restrained him and Timothy started to panic. Z ran off in a flash leaving Timothy amazed at the older man¡¯s speed. In just a few seconds, he returned slightly out of breath. ¡°Tell me the truth. You wanted to experience more pleasure didn¡¯t you?¡± Z asked him ¡°Y-Yes I did. Now let me go.¡± Timothy¡¯s voice barely whispered out The older man forced Timothy¡¯s jaw open and stuffed his mouth with a handful of purple plants. Timothy knew that he was overpowered and didn¡¯t stand a chance so he complied and ate the exotic plants. Immediately, Timothy¡¯s body was starting to heat up. He was feeling extremely good and felt more alive and primal than ever. They laughed at how eager he looked for pleasure but before he could go on a rampage, Z held him back. Timothy¡¯s breath hitched, now completely aware of the sensation of another body so close to his. ¡°Be careful out there. The blurred ones will have their eyes on you now. It¡¯s kill or be killed out there. Close your eyes. Don¡¯t open them until I tell you to.¡± Z whispered ¡°Tell us. What do you see? What can you imagine?¡± X asked enthusiastically ¡°I-I dunno.¡± ¡°Come on! You¡¯re so unimaginative. What¡¯s wrong with you?¡± X said ¡°Shut the fuck up! I can¡¯t concentrate.¡± Timothy hissed back with his eyes closed ¡°Of course you can¡¯t in that state. Accept it all. Accept what you feel.¡± Y tried to help ¡±What do you see?¡± Z asked him, gently stroking his hair ¡±It¡¯s a tunnel! No wait. A gate.¡± Timothy spoke ¡°Interesting.¡± Z replied ¡°Anything else?¡± Z asked him ¡±There¡¯s nothing but darkness. Why?¡± Timothy asked ¡±Good boy. Now open your eyes.¡± Z replied, patting him on the head. He opened his eyes. Timothy was in a large room filled with women who all appeared to be extremely attractive. Initially he felt overwhelmed yet relieved that he wasn¡¯t in any danger. Or so he thought. Soon, plans quickly ran through his head about using the women as test subjects for his exploration in order to reach his optimal pleasure. He hoped that they would be as eager as he was. The gullible man didn¡¯t even think to himself whether it was all too good to be true. But still, what blinded him from the truth was his drive to reach what he thought would be his optimal pleasure. At first, the women seemed to be just as drawn to him and he was to them. As soon as he reached out to touch them intimately, they turned into smoke. Again, he heard the sound of bells. His heart hammered in his chest. ¡°Oh no!¡± He whispered ¡°You¡¯ve failed!¡± Z spoke sternly ¡°Another X user who can¡¯t control themselves. How pitiful.¡± Y added When the smoke finally cleared, he noticed that the beautiful women in the room were the blurred ones and that there were more men than there were women. Finally seeing their true forms, Timothy felt deceived. ¡°What kind of sick joke is this?¡± Timothy was mortified ¡°No. The only sick joke around here is you, boy. You¡¯re going to regret it.¡± Timothy was too shocked to speak. ¡°Blurred ones. Awaken and teach this boy a lesson!¡± Y announced The bells rang again. Soon, they swarmed towards Timothy. He yelled and started to run but eventually he was cornered like a rat trapped by two hungry cats. ¡°Bye.¡± X spoke and then the trio vanished ¡±What the fuck? What the fuck?¡± Timothy panicked, struggling to fight off all of the blurred ones. ¡°Deal with it.¡± A familiar voice spoke ¡±Who¡¯s there?¡± Timothy asked ¡±You wanted optimal pleasure in X? Now you¡¯ll face the consequences of your actions.¡± The voice continued He finally recognised the voice and felt regret. ¡±Oh Fallon! Fallon I¡¯m so sorry! Forgive me!¡± He cried Sadly, Fallon wasn¡¯t there. It was just a mere illusion. He gave up the fight, now that he was defeated and bruised all over. He vowed to himself to never let himself get carried away like that. Even without the plant¡¯s influence, he would¡¯ve fallen into the same trap! The plant only amplified his deepest desires and he knew how desperation could override his common sense and morals. He couldn¡¯t get over the fact that he had fallen for a cruel sadistic trick. He would never forget the trio and their punishment for him. Soon he noticed X Y and Z running after him with their weapons. He heard the bells and tried to run despite the state of his body. They caught him. Thinking that he was to face an even harsher fate from the unhinged trio, he begged them to forgive his attempted wrongdoings. ¡±Please stop this! Please stop! I am sorry! I won¡¯t do it again. I was wrong for seeking pleasure here in that manner. I was wrong! I didn¡¯t know!¡± Timothy sobbed, kneeling down and clutching onto Z¡¯s legs. Sadly, Timothy¡¯s time was almost over and there seemed to be no one out there to save him. Nobody who loved or cared about him. TO BE CONTINUED¡­