The Inner Odyssey

Alden internally cursed. He recalled Morrigan's warning and gritted his teeth.

'I have to endure.'

Enduring some trifling pain was nothing compared to becoming a vegetable if he failed this Trial.

Alden was determined to persevere.

No matter what…

"The first question. Which Domain do you hail from?"

'Domain?'

Alden's mind rapidly dissected the man's words.

'What's that?'

Back in Arkanis, they didn't have any Domains, so he didn't know how to answer the cruel man.

That was… if he could even speak.

Alden tried to open his mouth but discovered that his body didn't respond to that command. He struggled some more, but the result was the same.

It was as if his mouth was sewn shut.

That, or perhaps there was sinister magic at play preventing him from revealing his Domain.

He sighed internally.

The interrogator scrutinised him for a moment. Seeing no response from Alden, the glee in his eyes seemed to increase.

'Sadist.'

Alden cursed.

"No answer? Very well, then. How about I answer for you?"

The cruel man's grin never left his face.

He was enjoying this immensely.

"You're probably not from the Domain of Time - although they're reticent like you, none of them would be so stupid. You could be from the Domain of Space, since you share the similarities of being cold, emotionless freaks. The Domains of Life and Death are two more possibilities, since you were tenacious enough to almost escape and bloodthirsty enough to carry out the assassination."

"But, do you know what I think?"

The Interrogator grinned.

"I think you're from the Domain of Chaos. Because you are absolutely mad!"

Suddenly, out of his control, Alden's body flinched.

A victorious light appeared in the interrogator's eyes. He hummed to himself merrily, obviously satisfied with the discovery.

Alden, meanwhile, was quickly growing frustrated with his inability to affect the situation at all. He tried to move, but the shackles held him back.

The interrogator's grin widened further.

Then, he removed the blade from his prisoner's neck…

And punched him across the face.

Alden's neck snapped to the side.

A metallic taste appeared in his mouth.

His cheek throbbed painfully.

Alden spat out the blood that had formed in his mouth.

He glared at the inquisitor.

The interrogator only smiled broadly in response.

He stood in front of Alden, and the prisoner couldn't help but feel intimidated.

However, Alden would never let the cruel man be aware of that.

He refused to.

With every fibre of his being.

And so, he held onto consciousness with all his might as the inquisitor rained down a barrage of blows on his body. The cruel man was relentless. A punch, a kick, and an elbow. He used the parts of his body that would most damage Alden's frame.

Alden coughed up blood as the man sucker-punched him in the gut.

The young man felt like his breath was being squeezed out of his lungs.

He panted.

The inquisitor punched him again in the face.

He was already bruised black and blue, doubtless close to fracturing his cheekbone.

Alden, however, ignored the pain.

He focused his attention on the information about the five Domains which the interrogator had revealed.

The Domain of Time, Space, Life, Death and Chaos.

What did they refer to?

Alden's mind spun, analysing it even while he was suffering physical agony.

….The mental processing helped take his mind off the pain.

And soon, Alden's mind lit up as enlightenment flooded its confines.

He knew that he was currently inside the Key and that the mystical item was created by the two progenitors, Lumina and Erebus. Consequently, it also meant that the settings inside the Key were not just limited to Arkanis alone.

No, they also encompassed other worlds…

Worlds where the Asteron's came from.

And the five Domains…

A terrible suspicion suddenly gripped Alden's mind.

…They were the Divine Sovereigns.

Or at least a part of them and their power.

He gasped.

His mind reeled from the shock of his discovery.

And while Alden didn't have any concrete evidence, he was reasonably sure of the veracity of his hypothesis. After all, it made sense that, as the strongest Asterons, these five lorded over the majority of creation - in the absence of the two progenitors.

Dazed, he didn't realise when the inquisitor had stopped assaulting him.

Alden blinked.

A wave of pain greater than the last washed over him. He groaned as he spat another mouthful of blood. Slowly, torturously, he raised his neck with great effort and stared at the cruel man. The interrogator now had a hint of frustration on his face.

In addition to his annoyance, the skin on the man's knuckles had turned raw and split open.

A sense of satisfaction welled in Alden's heart.

His cracked lips threatened to curl into a small smile.

The inquisitor clicked his tongue.

A flash of fury flickered in his eyes.

Then, the cruel man suddenly turned on his heels and strode out of the cell, flinging the door open like it was a piece of wood.

Alden let out a relieved sigh.

His body was battered all over.

This was probably the worst pummeling he had ever received. At the very least, it was up there with his ascension, the stone tablet and the battle against the Expert Dark Elf. Alden squinted, as a trickle of blood flowed down his right eye from a cut on his forehead.

His frame sagged.

However, just then, the high-pitched screams of a young girl streamed into his ears.

Alden tiredly looked up.

And when he did, his whole body went cold.

Reflected in his gaze, the inquisitor dragged a little girl by her hair.

She screamed and screamed and flailed until Alden feared her throat would forever be raw.

The cruel man paid no heed to her shrieks, though.

He entered the cell, his expression smug.

And for good reason…

"Brother! Help me!"

…Because this body of his knew the little girl.

Alden's frame thrashed around.

The sounds of rattling chains echoed like a wail inside the cell.

Alden's heart turned as cold as ice as the inquisitor displayed a vicious smile.

Then, with his free hand, the interrogator raised his dagger and licked it in anticipation.

A sense of revulsion welled within Alden.

His heart turned even more cold.

The little girl's screams reached a crescendo.

Despair engulfed him.

However, just as the inquisitor was about to stab the little girl…

Darkness flooded Alden's vision.