Love is Cold

Prison

As the note said, the rooms got harder. That made me nervous. It was exactly like my dream. The only thing is that, in my dream, I didn't have a companion. Or, money that I could see. I didn't see Leo, or anybody, in the last room. Knew that that meant I had two options; make him leave or let him die.

We were now in room six and had only just defeated the sorcerer. I couldn't look at Leo. It would shatter him if I died and I couldn't let him die or sacrifice himself, if the need to do so was presented. I had to make the hard choice. He lives or we both die.

"Leo, I need to tell something." I sighed with a heavy heart. "I think you should go home. I can finish the mission, solo."

"What? I-I... No! I won't do that! I won't leave you! Not now!" he yelled at me, grabbing my arm. He looked hurt and flustered, but I had to do it. I couldn't let him stay. Even if we were lovers, that's a rule. I'm the fighter and I know when I must rise alone.

"I'm sorry. I can't let you die," I whispered. I ran into the next room without him and shut the door before he could follow me. I slipped a sword through the door handles to keep it shut. I put my right hand on the door.

"Aria!" Leo screamed. I left him in the room, crying. I could hear the way he growled slip into raspy breaths. His fist pounded on the wood, hoping for it to give way. It stayed shut.

"How could I? How did I become my own monster?" echoed in my mind. I cried to myself with my forehead on the door. The sobs racked my body and I crumpled to the floor. I couldn't hold them back, no matter how much I tried, so I let them go. I kept saying how sorry I was to my audience on the other side of the door, even though, he couldn't hear m.

* * *

It was a good thing that the dragon was asleep. I was the easiest meal it would ever get. I eventually got up and it was slain before it could wake up. I quickly cut off it's head. After that, I curled up by the door, again. That was the most helpless I had felt since I was an unwanted child, wandering the streets of Sapphiros's lower quarters, for scraps.

I continued to cry. My body heaving and jerking, uncontrollably, until my body gave up. I lay there, doing nothing, but staring into a void I had created for myself. It was a somber prison that could never be opened again. No doors or windows. Not even a flicker of light. My own body became my prison and my heart and mind it's cruel keepers.

This world was my cage. This life, my curse. Try and break it. I dare you to even try.

* * *

I eventually made my way to the next room. I had stayed in room seven for three days, priorp. I ate very little, if at all, those few days. I had very little strength left.

I discovered, while searching the dragon carcass, that a vile of zombie-proofing formula was hidden inside of it. I had thought it was strange that the dragon had no treasure. Everyone knows that dragons always have treasure. I took the vile from it's hiding place and poured it on myself, as the instructions directed.

When I entered the room full of zombies, the mindless creatures ignored me. It was a if I wasn't there at all. I didn't kill any of them. I had no strength to. And, I needed an extra precaution in case Leo got through the door.

He probably left, though. I wouldn't have blamed him for it, after what I had done. I was heartless and creul to him. I loved him and let him go, not hoping for him to return and be mine. I entered into the next room.