Looking at the man before him Eric's eyes blazed as he transformed and punched at the old man full force. The man seemed to disappear as he casually tapped on Eric's ribcage.
THUD, Eric dropped to the ground as he couldn't even move. His body in agony as he bore with the pain.
"Be careful boy. Waters are deep in these parts. Don't think that with your meager strength you'll be able to do anything."
Eric gritted his teeth tears flowing, "That was my mother's whip. You old fuck, I'll send you to hell if it's the last thing I do." Eric's breathing erratic as his transformation collapsed face first to the floor.
"Huh, what a way to spend the day." Tapping on Eric's heart, the old man's face grew furious as he performed hand sign after hand sign before slamming his palm on Eric's back.
"Be sealed Damn you." Sweat dripped from the old man's brow as he looked at the completely passed out boy on his floor.
"Magdy, come in. I know you've been watching." A tall, stalwart looking kind of man came in, his frame lanky as he walked with heavy steps.
"Seems we'll have company for some time."
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Eric awoke with a splitting headache. His body wracked with pain as he couldn't stand. Looking around, he was in a room with a closed door. His body restrained to the bed as he felt the straps around his four limbs.
'How did I walk into a store and then end up in someone's sex dungeon. I'm sure mom had a book about sex dungeons, the rich like that kinda stuff. Too close to slavery for me though.' Eric smiled.
'Why do I feel so lighthearted and happy. What the heck is going on, I haven't felt this good...well ever.' Eric smiled and started to sing before once more passing out.
This time he dreamed of Blue Cloud and Silver. "You remember your promise Eric, you remember your oath? Protect Silver Cloud, please." Waking up, Eric was covered in sweat as he looked around in a daze, this time without any restraints.
"Where am I?"
"You're in my shop kid."
"My name's isn't kid it's---" Eric struggled and felt like it could be dangerous to tell the old man his real name but looking at the man's figure he decided.
"My name's Eric."
"Why not give me a fake name, many people do it. It could serve to protect, don't always feel obligated. Next time lie and do it with sincerity."
Eric 's one eye twitched, but looking at the old man he asked.
"What happened to me?" The old man sipped his tea some more before smacking his lips.
"Good stuff, hits better than my third wife."
'Yeah, a guy like this seems like he's had a few too many wives.'
"Well, you were poisoned, did you know that kid?"
Eric shook his head at the question, "what do you mean poison. What kind of poison?"
"The soul kind of poison kid. A parasitical insect called the Hades spider. It's rare stuff, not the type that anybody can access, let alone use on a random boy." Eric was in shock, "How long have I been poisoned?"
"I'd say, mmmmm, maybe for seven or eight years give or take." Eric gnashed his teeth with an idea of who had poisoned him.
"Thank you, kind sir, for curing me, I would like to take my leave." Eric got up about to reach the door when the old man stopped him in his tracks.
"Kid, I haven't cured you at all. The way this works is that a mother spider effects the soul while she lays eggs that eat the body. I killed the eggs that slowly ate away at the body but you're going to need to do something about the mother spider." Eric just looked at the man like a deer in headlights.
The man sipped his tea and walked to a big futon that looked really soft. Jumping on it caused the futon to sink but the tea in his hands didn't sway once. The old man sipped his tea and said nothing more.
"Um, can you tell me how to cure the spider in my soul?" The old man acted once more as though; Eric were one of his many farts that he would occasionally let out. Stinky but still ignorable.
Remembering what happened when the old man broke his whip, Eric paused. The young man reined in his emotions before changing his tune.
Bowing to the man he spoke cordially. "Thank you sir for what you have done for me this far. I have nothing worthy of payment, but you sir still helped me, thank you."
"You know kid, I quite like the blade you brought in, it wasn't crafted by my daughter like your whip. It's from the Central land humans. Their blacksmith techniques are a mystery but having one of their blades is something." Eric grit his teeth as he heard the man.
Pain was evident in his heart as he quickly mulled over his options. Crushing all forms of unwillingness in his soul, Eric smiled. "Yes sir. If taking that blade will repay you, then by all means. Excuse me." Eric once more got up and slowly walked to the door.
BANG POOF
Once more a loud noise as he knew the old man had destroyed his keepsake from his father. 'Stay cool, stay cool, just ease on through life.' Maintaining his blank expression, Eric opened the sliding door. Realizing he was in someone's courtyard, the rhythmic pounding of steel being pounded, sounded out throughout the area.
Magdy was hard at work hammering a small piece of metal. Looking at the interesting shape, Eric noted to ask that guy what kind of weapon he had smithed. Pissed at the entire exchange, Eric rushed out from the Iron Dragon's Shop.
Checking one of the candle-based time tellers from his spatial ring, Eric felt tense. 'Fuck, I was out for an entire day. I gotta find Sil. Eric walked from the inner region to the outter reason and went around looking. He took some time to hire a nearby artist to draft a picture of Sil and then moved towards finding her.
Within ten hours Eric felt he'd covered 1/3rd of the outer district which was an accomplishment worthy of praise. Sweat dripping down his face from the hot day, Eric searched on endlessly before deciding to try finding Sil through her bloodline.
Standing straight and breathing deeply, Eric tried to feel for a bloodline similar unto his own. Thumping echoed his chest as his body started to work overtime. Within 10mins, Eric's face turned purple but he felt a connection. Whipping the reins of the llamas, Eric pushed onwards towards the inner city.
It was about 8pm at this point, many shops closing but Eric was able to find himself at a restaurant. Expensive and lavish, Eric grimaced. His gut telling him that bad news was a heartbeat away.
Walking into the Raging Bull BBQ, Eric walked to the front desk area and showed the painted sketch. The woman was about to ask Eric to leave when he slipped 10 silver into her hand.
The woman's once skeptical look became all smiles as she pointed to upstairs. Eric went upstairs and went to the room specified. Eric knocked on the door before going into the room.
Inside was a total of 6 people sitting around and drinking: Eric's eyes laid on Sil who was wrapped around in Yulo's embrace. A scrawny man sat across from Yulo with a beautiful woman laying her head on his shoulder. The woman's pink hair flowing down the man's shoulder like a waterfall.
Another man sat, gorging himself as a woman sat not too far watching in disgust. The woman watching the fat man eat had a voluptuous figure and a whip tied at her waist.
Eric entered the room and the conversation immediately died down. Eric turned to Sil, "SIl, you never came back? Are you alright." Eric inexplicably felt nervousness inside. His social experience limited and worry evident on his face.
The fat man roared, "Who the hell are you and why are you here? Do not casually talk to sister Silver so casually." The woman laying on the man's shoulders chuckled.
"Let him be Jollo, let's see what Silver has to do with this... boy." Eric didn't even bother with their comments as he just looked at Sil.
Sil was dressed in a more revealing outfit. Still with the figure of a 13-year-old girl but with a blue mini skirt, beautiful white stockings, and tight fitting white shirt. Her hair done in a knot with a beautiful flood dragon pin in her hair.
Yulo smiled when Eric spoke not saying a word himself but wrapping Sil into his arms deeper. Eric waited but found no response. Looking into Sil's eyes, there was coldness.
"Sil, let's go we-----" Eric hardly got the words out before Sil's voice cut through his.
"I'm where I belong Eric, what else is there to say?"
The scrawny looking man laughed as did everyone else. Pain ripped Eric's heart as he felt the humiliation. Eric just stood in place staring before Sil sneered at him.
"Eric, I met a man that I like. I'm going to stay with him and we will be a couple. Yulo is strong, mature, and he isn't a coward." Eric's fist balled as fury lit his eyes.
"ARE YOU FUCKING KIDDING? You met this guy two days ago. Did you forget to go to the military to talk to them about the demons. Did you forget that we drank and swore to have each other's backs?" Sil's eyes grew fiery but a hint of hesitation appeared. Yulo watched and acted once seeing Sil's hesitation.
"Enough of this!" This time Yulo spoke, yet Eric disregarded it.
"Shut the hell up. I know you have ill designs on my sister, you're a poser acting like he's more than a---" Sil appeared before Eric even before he knew it blasting a palm deep into his stomach that sent him flying throught the door. The woman with the whip speaking with a smile.
"It seems little sister Silver is really honest about pursuing my little brother. Good." Sil blushed and returned to Yulo's embrace. Yulo smiled but dissatisfaction was evident in his eyes, even a hint of disbelief as he looked at Eric's figure now lying bloody in the room across from their own.
'Why is it that I can't feed off of his negative energy like usual.' However, Sil's figure sitting on his lap once more woke him up. Smelling Sil's now brown sugar and vanilla perfume. Yulo kissed her deeply as SIl blushed even more, her legs shaking.
Eric's vision hazy and his heart was in disbelief. 'How could she do this. We're supposed be in this together. I would've taken a spear for her... she was my only friend.' Eric watched on as Yulo kissed and fondled Silver's body. Getting up, the pain hurt but nothing stung more than his heart.
Looking at each individual in the room, Eric left. His spirits crushed at losing his only friend and family in the world. 'I loved you Sil.' His figure hunched and broken; Eric wandered again.