Chapter 17 – The Catharsis

【Brendon PoV】

I stepped into the dark square of the ruined city.

The cold wind blew hard across the broken stone.

I walked slowly, my eyes fixed on the shattered walls and empty streets.

Every step I took echoed with loss and anger.

I saw debris scattered all around.

The city lay in pieces, burnt and broken by a terrible force.

In the distance, a lone figure moved among the ruins.

It was Fred.

He had wild eyes and his red hair was matted with sweat.

He moved as if he were chasing a dream.

Fred shouted, “Sylvia loves me! Sylvia loves me!”

His voice trembled with false hope.

I gripped my sword tightly.

My blade was special.

It was forged with magic that could cut through any spell.

I had used it many times to break dark enchantments.

Fred charged at me with a clumsy swing of his sword.

“SYLVIA LOVES ME! I am her true love!” he cried.

I moved with cold precision.

My sword met his attack and shattered his weak magic.

Fred staggered back, his eyes wide with pain.

He fell to one knee on the cracked stone.

He cried out again, “Sylvia loves me! She is mine!”

I did not pause.

Each time Fred yelled his empty words, I struck him with a swift attack.

He tried to raise his hand to cast another spell.

“SYLVIA LOVES ME!” he screamed once more.

But my blade cut through his feeble magic like a hot knife through ice.

I did not care for his cries or his delusions.

I was cold and focused.

My sword flashed in the dim light as I attacked again and again.

Fred’s movements grew desperate.

He swung wildly, trying to summon a power I could not see.

“SYLVIA LOVES ME!” he repeated, his voice cracking with every word.

I stepped closer, my eyes as hard as stone.

My sword was a force that could sever any spell he tried to weave.

Each strike left him weaker and more confused.

Fred fell back further, his body shaking with pain.

He struggled to stand, his voice a broken whisper:

“Sylvia loves me… please, she loves me…”

I did not answer his pleas.

I advanced with a steady, unfeeling stride.

I knew his words were empty.

They were the desperate cries of a man lost in his own delusions.

I moved quickly and struck his hand as he tried to raise it in vain.

The sound of his magic breaking filled the silent street.

I attacked again, cutting through the spells he cast.

Fred’s defense crumbled before the power of my sword.

I delivered a final blow that sent him sprawling onto the cold ground.

He lay there, his eyes filled with tears and fading hope.

I bent down and grabbed his arm, binding him with strong ropes.

I did not waste time with words.

I needed to end his rampage and his useless claims.

Fred whimpered softly, “Sylvia loves me…”

His voice was weak, like a dying echo in the ruined city.

I pulled him to his feet and motioned for the guards who had followed me.

They came silently and took hold of him.

Fred struggled, his eyes never leaving mine.

He continued to murmur, “Sylvia loves me, Sylvia loves me…”

I did not care.

I had no time for his foolish words.

I turned and walked away from the battleground.

I could feel my cold resolve solidify with every step.

The ruined city was filled with sorrow and despair.

But my mission was clear.

I had to stop the dark magic that had brought this chaos.

I walked through the empty streets, my mind set on a single purpose.

I hated otherworlders with every fiber of my being.

They were like spoiled children coming from another world to throw tantrums in our lands.

They acted as if our world was theirs to break.

I had seen their mischief too many times before.

Their arrogance and childish power had ruined lives and left nothing but ruins behind.

I cursed them silently as I moved deeper into the city.

Every broken wall and shattered window fueled my anger.

I remembered the old ways of honor and strength.

Now, all that was left was destruction and false promises.

I walked past the remains of a market square.

Stalls lay in ruins, and the air was heavy with the smell of ash.

I felt a fierce need to restore order.

To punish the invaders for their careless ways.

As I rounded a corner, I caught sight of a strange scene.

Near a broken archway, a small crowd gathered in the dim light.

I moved closer to see.

There, in the center, stood Fred once more.

He was with Sylvia.

I stared hard at them.

Sylvia, who had once shone with life and grace, now looked like an empty shell.

She hung limp, her body deflated and lifeless like an inflatable doll left in the sun.

Fred clutched her as if she were still real.

He spoke in a low, desperate tone, “Sylvia loves me. Sylvia loves me. She is mine.”

I felt a surge of cold anger.

Fred was lost in his own madness.

He repeated his words over and over as he held her close.

I could see no spark of life in her eyes.

Only emptiness and sorrow remained.

I stopped in my tracks and watched from the shadows.

My heart was stone, my face unmoved.

I had no time for his delusions of love.

I advanced slowly toward them.

The guards trailed behind me, silent and ready.

Fred did not see me coming.

He was still lost in his mad recitations of love.

Each time he said, “Sylvia loves me,” I felt nothing but cold contempt.

I raised my hand and signaled the guards to restrain him.

Before they could reach him, I struck again with my sword.

My blade cut through any feeble magic he tried to use.

Fred cried out, “Sylvia loves me!” once more, his voice barely above a whisper.

The guards quickly seized him.

I stepped close as they bound him tightly.

Fred’s eyes were wild and tearful.

He looked at Sylvia, his face filled with desperate love.

He begged silently, “Sylvia loves me, she is mine.”

I stood there, unmoved.

I had no care for his twisted affections.

I looked at Sylvia, her empty form a bitter reminder of what had been lost.

Then, Fred’s gaze met mine one last time.

In that moment, his eyes broke, and his voice fell to a trembling hush.

He stared at Sylvia, his eyes glistening with sorrow.

He took a long, shuddering breath.

Then, in a trembling voice, he finally whispered,

“Sylvia… she hates me. I can’t bear who I’ve become.”