Chains of Vengeance

Chapter 189: Just a Piece

In Narinder's mind, all the time and space of the entire world were compressed into a single, vast, empty room, built of white, luminous, and cold stone. The floor was smooth, flawless, reflecting his silhouette as if he were trapped in a space with no escape. In the center, the only point of interest in that abyss of his consciousness, was the statue of Ramael, sculpted in sky-blue platinum. Brilliant, unattainable, perfect. Every detail of its form was reproduced with terrifying precision, but its eyes were lifeless, as if it no longer belonged to this world.

An imaginary Narinder began pacing in circles around the statue, his breathing quickening, his heart hammering against his chest with a mixture of disbelief, fury, and despair. His mind was in turmoil, a whirlwind of thoughts colliding with each other, giving him no respite. His legs trembled with every step, and his tail lashed erratically, as if his own body didn't know how to react to the pain suffocating him.

He approached the statue, his pupils constricted, his fangs clenched tightly.

"No, no, no, no, no... This can't be happening!" His voice sounded almost strangled, filled with anguish. "You can't just leave like that! I still don't know what happened to my brothers in your world, I don't know how you made those relics... I haven't even been able to tell you how I feel about you!"

He circled the statue again, his thoughts growing darker. Suddenly, his despair turned to rage, and he slammed both hands against the base of the statue.

"How dare you?" he roared. "I revived you! I could have taken all your power for myself, but I chose you! I gave you a new life, a home, more than you could have asked for!" And now you just decide to leave?!

He gritted his teeth, his chest rising and falling with each heavy, erratic breath.

"You damn treacherous wolf..." his voice trembled with hatred and pain. "Surely, you were going to stab me in the back eventually... Just as you betrayed your kind, you were going to betray me... Just as my brothers betrayed me, you were going to do the same, right?!"

He clutched his head with both hands, pulling at his own fur in desperation. His steps became more erratic, more violent. His mind searched for solutions, any solution.

He clung to the statue's shoulders, his grip desperate.

"No, no... I'm sure some cultist is bothering you. I'll expel him from the cult! Just tell me who it is and I'll throw him out... No, better yet, I'll sacrifice him... No, wait, I can seal him in the Veil! I'm very experienced at that!"

His thoughts spiraled, desperate to find something, anything, that might make Ramael stay.

"I can give you a third of my worship! You'll have servants all your own, generation after generation! I can make you immortal! You'll always have riches!" His lips trembled as he tried to bargain with nothing. "I'd even... I'd even consider giving you back the indigo crown... Isn't that a wonderful idea?"

But the statue remained silent, cold, indifferent. It didn't respond. It didn't react.

Narinder felt his fury slowly ebb away, consumed by the abyss of fear. His legs gave way, and he fell to his knees in front of the statue, resting his forehead against its sky-blue platinum torso. His body trembled, and unable to contain it any longer, he let out a stifled sob.

"Please... Don't leave me..." he whispered, his voice breaking.

His heart felt shattered.

"You may not realize it, but I've opened my heart to you... I... I can't bear another situation like this. I'm on the verge of collapse... If you leave... It will be as if Lambert or Goliath left me..."