Cowardly Warrior | Taehyung ✔

Candle

I wake up in a room completely devoid of light.

A stringed instrument was plucked softly in the background, creating a dreamy atmosphere.

"W-What's going on?" I ask.

"Calm down and relax." Someone murmurs in front of me, although I can't see them.

"W-Where am I?"

A candle is suddenly lit and is rotated in a circular motion in front of me.

"You're safe now." A stranger appears, his face illuminated by the candle.

"Erden's will be here to protect you."

"Huh? ERDEN'S?" I try to move, but my ankles, wrists, forehead, and waist were bound by rope to a chair. I was completely immobile.

"Your sole purpose in life is to serve Erden's." The man speaks in a slow but authoritative tone.

"Why would I serve you? You guys KILLED the King's son!" I yelled. "Just wait until the King knows everything!"

"You don't serve the King anymore. Erden's is your only King," He calmly replies.

"No, you're not! Let me out!" I demand.

"Surrender your mind and willpower to Erden's. Erden's will take care of you as long as you give up yourself."

"NO!" But my thoughts become blurry. It was as if the candle in front of me was drugging me like the contaminated water. I couldn't think of anything besides Erden's.

How beautiful it was. How right it was. How it was my duty to serve Erden's...

No, Amira! Don't fall under the spell of this hypnosis!

I shut my eyes close, but a pair of hands behind me pull my eyes open. I am forced to stare at the rotating candle, with the man chanting.

"You will be a slave to Erden's. Submit to Erden's. Submit to Erden's..." He repeats.

I am Amira, the princess' cousin, I repeat to myself. My best friends are Suga and Jin, and I take pride in defending the people of this kingdom.

I may be loyal, but am no slave to anyone.

The music becomes quicker and the candle rotates faster.

"I am no slave!" I yell to drown out my thoughts. Submit to Erden's, Submit to Erden's, Submit to Erden's was all I could hear in my mind.

"You will spy on the kingdom and report information to us," The man says, calmly. "You serve Erden's now."

"I serve no one," I whimper, sweat beading down my face.

Why is the candle shining as bright as the sun? Why is the candle the most beautiful light I've ever seen?

The candle is Erden's... And Erden's is beautiful. Erden's is my master.

"I...am...a...slave...to..." My lips began to betray me, joining my mind.

Although I can't move my head, I hear the sound of the door being crushed down.

"You are not a slave to anyone!" Someone yells towards me, and raises their sword towards the guard. They clashed their swords and began to duel.

The man in front of the candle carries me over his shoulder. I struggle, but can't move. Although I'm untied from the chair, my wrists, ankles, legs are still bound with rope. My body is still immobile.

He exits the room and runs through the dimly lit corridor.

Footsteps follow us and the stranger pushes the man carrying me.