Chains of Vengeance

Chapter 7: Dreams of Waiting

Narinder fell deeply asleep, but instead of resting, he found himself immersed in a dark and bitter memory. His mind took him back to those first moments after being sealed in the Veil. The ethereal, formless world enveloped him, and suddenly, he found himself chained. Heavy chains completely bound him, immobilizing him in that endless prison.Denial."No... this cannot be happening," he murmured, staring incredulously at his shackles.Narinder tried to move, tried to escape the chains that held him, but the power of the Veil was absolute. He refused to accept reality. He couldn't be there. He was Narinder, the god of death, a being who could not be imprisoned. And yet, he was."This is just a temporary trap," he told himself. "They will come... My brothers won't leave me here. They can't."But minutes, hours, days, weeks... time lost all meaning. The prison of the Veil was cruel, depriving him of any notion of when or how he would be freed. The longer he stayed, the more denial faded, giving way to something else.Rage.In his fury, Narinder screamed into the void. The anger burned within him, feeding off the betrayal of his brothers."Leshy! Weak brother!" he shouted, his voice echoing into nothingness. "You will be the first to fall! You couldn't stand my power! I cared for you since you were small, and yet you betrayed me!"The chains trembled slightly under his rage, but remained firm, unyielding."Heket," he continued, his voice dripping with venom. "Your hunger was never enough! You always envied me because my dominion was absolute!"The void surrounded him, but his screams grew increasingly frantic. His thoughts turned to Kallamar, who had been the most easily manipulated of all."Kallamar, you were a coward until the end!" he spat. "Always following Shamura's orders, always hiding behind the decisions of others. Did you think you could escape me? I promise you will pay too!"Finally, Narinder focused on the last of his brothers, the one he resented the most at that moment."Shamura..." his voice filled with deep hatred. "You, of all, betrayed me with your cold logic. You knew me better than anyone, and yet you orchestrated all this. You will pay, damned be you!"The echo of his words faded into the abyss, but the rage did not dissipate. Narinder's screams continued for what could have been hours or days, until they exhausted him, and his fury transformed into despair.Bargaining."Shamura..." he groaned, this time with a broken voice. "I promise to forget my rituals if you release me..." The chains remained, heavy and immovable. "If you free me, I will forgive all four of you... I swear, I will no longer be a nuisance."But silence was his only response."Please..." Narinder implored the void. "I won't be a threat, never. Just let me out of here..."But seconds, minutes, or years continued their relentless march. And then, sadness came.Narinder crumpled, his strength spent. Heavy tears began to fall from his eyes, striking the chains that held him. A god crying, an image he had never imagined. But there he was, defeated and alone, his body trembling with hopelessness."Why?" he whispered. "Why did you leave me here...?"His tears were the only thing moving the chains now, as if each one added weight to his suffering. Time continued without him feeling it, and his mind sank deeper into darkness.But instead of acceptance, a new emotion began to slowly rise within him. At first, it was just a spark, a faint flame igniting inside him, but over the years and centuries, that flame grew, strengthened, and finally became a revenge as firm as steel. Narinder stopped begging, stopped crying, and instead committed himself to avenging his betrayal."I will make them pay..." he promised himself, over and over. "When I get out of here, none will escape my fury."And that promise was his only companion for over a millennium.He awoke abruptly, agitated and breathing heavily. He still clutched the lamb's pillow, as if seeking some comfort in the softness of the material. He sat up in bed, his heart pounding as he recovered from the emotions of the dream. He took a deep breath and, in doing so, noticed something in his hands: Narinder's claw.He looked at it silently, turning it between his fingers."I suppose it was created after attacking Shamura and before being sealed, this claw fell to the ground," he murmured, as his eyes traced the details of the relic.It was a fascinating piece: almost hairless white bone, with a sharp crimson tip. A small but thick black chain encircled the relic as if it were part of it, something he had seen many times, but which now filled him with a mix of fatigue and admiration.He sighed deeply and looked out the window of the room. There were a few hours left until dawn. Although he feared falling asleep again and facing more nightmares, Narinder couldn't deny how much he enjoyed resting in such a comfortable place. That luxury had been denied to him for so long that he now appreciated it more than anything."I should think of something that makes me happy," he murmured to himself, as he reclined again.He closed his three eyes and tried to focus his mind on a happy memory. Only one surfaced, blurry and distant, but he recognized it immediately. It was the happiest moment of his life, the instant when the lamb came to him for the first time.A faint smile appeared on his face as his mind returned to that moment, and with that image clear in his mind, Narinder allowed himself to drift back into sleep.