The Adventures of Rose Hood

Chapter 114: Tortured Souls

"And here is your home for the next few days."

I was hanging on the wall. Cuffs around my wrists and ankles.

"Goodness. Not even letting me stretch?"

"Heh, you are at the strength of a 480. A stretch could break down that wall."

"Understood. So, what are you going to try first."

"First I'm going to need a nap."

"So, what are you doing right now?"

"Preparing the start of your stay."

He laid out surgical equipment.

"You know, I was a person in a great empire when I lived on Earth."

"Oh?"

"Yeah, we called ourselves the Aztecs."

He put down an obsidian sword.

"And I don't even need to worry about limits. Your death cut is too complicated to do accidentally."

I laughed.

"So, what if I simply ignore you?"

"If you go numb then that is a submission."

"So, what will I do for now?"

"Watch these weapons, and quiver in excitement for the pain that will show up when I wake."

He took two steps. Fell into his bed and passed out. I definitely did a number on him.

'Now, to figure out what exactly happened? Why did it say I died.'

There was only silence.

'Does that... mean...'

It was in that moment that I understood. My analysis showed me as Heather. It would have showed Kala as Rose...

She used system override a long time ago to swap our names. Meaning she suspected something like this would've happened a long time ago.

'You were the origin of my soul. Of course, you'd be able to do that.'

And Gethel specified Rose Hood and the Other shards. So it took Kala and the other shards who were asleep.

So, I was all that was left. That also explained Luma suddenly saying that I was the ruler. I didn't pick up on it. I wonder if even Luma did.

Heather, a genius. She knew that the people listened to me. She knew I would be able to hold out...

"Thank you for this one last gift... Heather."

A tear let down my eye. She could have lived, but she chose a contingency that even I wouldn't have considered.

I looked at the tools with disdain. Then I looked at one in particular that he laid out. My sword.

'He's going to butcher me with my own sword.'

The same sword that Gallson crafted, and Thalia reinforced. The weapon I used against Celios, and even Sal. Marcus was going to try to make my trusty blade into my worst nightmare.

It was an efficient way to break the soul. I could tell that they truly wanted my power, but they deemed Heather a lot easier to control than me.