Veils of War & Love

An Obsidian's Burden

Raine's pov: 

BANG!

"Please have mercy on me, Emperor!" 

BANG! BANG!

"Shut your fucking mouth, you swine!" yelled one of the guards, his voice filled with rage as they continued to beat the helpless creature. I sat on my dad's lap, trembling in fear, my heart racing as I watched blood drip onto the floor, pooling beneath the writhing swine. His cries echoed in my ears, a haunting sound that pierced through the chaos around me. At only 10 years old, I was about to witness a brutal murder unfold right before my eyes, and to my horror, my dad was cheering on the guards, reveling in the violence.

I looked at my mom, who was anxiously rubbing her stomach, a gesture that filled me with a mix of hope and dread. I was about to have a sibling born into this bloodbath of a household, a child who would inevitably witness gruesome acts like the one unfolding before us. The swine continued to endure brutal kicks and merciless hits from the guards, his cries becoming more desperate with each blow.

Suddenly, my dad lifted me off his lap and set me on my feet, his expression shifting to something darker. He reached to the side of his throne, pulling out a long, shiny, sharp sword that glinted ominously in the dim light. 

"I think it's time he turns into a man," my dad declared, his voice filled with a chilling certainty as he turned to glance at my mom. She shook her head in disapproval, her eyes wide with concern. "He is far too young to do this," my mom protested, her voice trembling as she tried to reason with him. But my dad ignored her pleas, his grip tightening around my hand as he began to guide me toward the swine, who was now bowed before me, defeated and vulnerable. 

I could feel the weight of my dad's expectations bearing down on me, and dread pooled in the pit of my stomach. As I approached the swine, I looked into his face, and a wave of unease washed over me; it looked uncanny, his eyes reflecting a mixture of fear and confusion.

Unrecognizable.

The guards moved away from the swine, creating a tense silence that enveloped the room. My dad turned me around to face him, his eyes intense and unwavering. "A true Obsidian will not show mercy to those who do not deserve it," he stated, his voice low and commanding. "When I was your age, my father did what I am about to do, and ever since, I have carried that legacy with pride."

He placed his hand firmly on my shoulder, his grip both reassuring and oppressive. "And you, Raine, will do the same."

He turned me around to face the swine, whose eyes met mine with a confused expression, reflecting its bewilderment and fear. My heart raced as I took in the scene, feeling a mix of dread and disbelief. Suddenly, I felt my hand open as something heavy and cold filled my palm. I looked down, and to my horror, I saw the sword resting in my grip, glinting ominously in the dim light.

I glanced at my dad, who wore a smile that sent chills down my spine. His eyes sparkled with anticipation, as if he were waiting for me to embrace this twisted moment. It took me a while to process what he wanted me to do, the realization washing over me like a wave of nausea. The weight of the sword felt unbearable, not just physically but morally. I stood frozen, grappling with the sickening truth that I was being asked to commit an act I could never fathom, an act that would sever the last ties of my innocence and bind me to a dark legacy I feared to inherit.

At just 10 years old, the thought of taking a life in front of my pregnant mother, my dad, and the guards filled me with a deep, gut-wrenching sickness. The weight of the moment pressed down on me, suffocating any remnants of childhood joy. "Go on, Raine, make your dad proud and be the Obsidian you were made to be," my dad urged, his voice laced with expectation.