Sanctuary

Rychard was sat alone in his dark cell, chuckling to himself. The cell was four concrete walls, an uncomfortable bed with a toilet and sink in the corner. The door was thick iron and a small square window let light into the cell, which illuminated his face.

Is this truly what he was? He had a conscience, didn't he? He fought against his mother's decisions had he not? In the end, he let it happen, one life to save a world. The price of salvation. That is all he had ever wanted.

It was too late now, he had made his last move, and lost. Thrown out of the game by the very pawn that he had once made into a Queen. Was salvation all that he wanted? Or was it something else, a yearning, no, a lusting for that which all men want, power.

She stole his power, he should have killed her when he had the chance. His mistake was his conscience, it was the pity he had felt for her that had led him to underestimate her will, and she rightfully took that power from him.

What point was there in salvation, if he would not have the freedom to see it? What would be the point of freedom if he was not there to rule? He was one of the smartest people on Crystalla after all, it was his right to sit atop the throne and watch as the one that he had made Queen saved the world.

No, she didn't save the world, he did. He was the one who had suggested to his mother to infuse the pawn with the power of the Crystal. Wait, something... isn't right. There's a missing memory, what happened? How did he know that the pawn was the one who could carry the energy?

A voice in his dreams? No matter, that was no longer important.

No, he had to bide his time now, until he could break out of these four walls, and take his rightful place as the King of the World of Light.

How many years would that take though? The Pawn Queen had only collected a minute amount of what she needed, and now her brother, the Knight, had some of it too. Maybe he should eliminate the Knight.

Could it work? How could he do what he wanted to do from inside this cell? The walls, they're thick concrete, the door is thick iron and not even the sharpest blade could pierce through. There were no windows, and the toilet and the sink had tiny pipes.

The power, that Treleva, and that he himself had once had, with that, he could do what needed to be done, but knowing his intentions, could the Senior Partners really entrust him with such a power?

No. They wouldn't. That had never stopped Rychard Pyre before, and it wouldn't now. He resolved to break these chains, no matter what, and go to the rift itself. He would offer himself up. He would ascend, and he would become a true god.

That is what had driven him, after all, all those years, the steps forward in technology. It was for the one singular purpose he had in mind. To turn mankind into Gods, to tear down the heavens, to ascend to the highest seat of power and damn those who stood in their way.

The door creaked open, through the crack, he peered into the corridor outside, the corridor was empty. This was his chance, was it a trap? No matter, he had nothing to lose now, this was fate, it had to be. He leapt out of the door, and bolted for the exit.

To his surprise, he reached outside with little effort, if it hadn't been a trap, then he had received assistance, but from whom? Again, it was of no consequence, he was free. In the dead of night, he fled Sanctuary, heading out into the darkness that laid beyond.

Little did he know, the one who granted him freedom was but a few steps behind. Protecting him from the creatures of the abyss. The stalker smiled as they walked behind him. The stalker took one last look back at Sanctuary, illuminating their face.

Treleva.