SobSob
Riven started to cry despite himself, as although he did not wish to show such vulnerability, nor portray a weak image of himself before complete strangers who might see him as someone easy to bully, he simply could not stop the tears from flowing.
Perhaps it was the unbearable pain writhing through every inch of his body.
Perhaps it was the frustration of knowing that he might never see Mary or his friends again.
Or perhaps it was the crushing realization that he was utterly helpless, ambitionless, and completely lost....
As overwhelmed by emotions far beyond what a child his age should have ever been forced to bear, Riven finally reached his limit.
"Mother, sobsob, I miss you so much..."
He mumbled through his tears, as he instinctively tried to raise one of his hands to wipe his face, only to discover that he could not move even an inch.
His wrists.
His ankles.
His chest.
Everything remained firmly restrained by thick leather bindings bolted onto the operating table beneath him, as that realization only made his crying intensify even further, because at that moment, he understood just how powerless he truly was.
Not only did he have no idea what the future held for him, he did not even know what this strange old man wanted from him, nor whether he would ever be allowed to leave this laboratory alive.
"The hell with all this. The hell with this accursed world.
It seems like I’m destiny’s favorite kicking stone."
He muttered, as at that very instant, another unfamiliar man stepped beside the Imperial Anatomist before stopping next to Riven’s bedside.
Unlike the elderly Anatomist, this newcomer appeared to be somewhere in his late thirties or early forties, possessing neatly combed silver hair and calm silver eyes that carried an oddly gentle warmth within them.
He did not stand over Riven with the detached gaze of a researcher observing his latest experiment, but instead slowly sat beside the bed before gently stroking Riven’s hair with the tenderness of a loving father comforting his frightened child.
"Don’t touch me," Riven snapped, anger seeping into his voice, as the Hypnotist simply smiled and disregarded his warning.
"I said.... Do. Not. Touch. Me!"
Riven repeated, as the moment those words left his mouth, the Aptitude Testing Crystal resting several meters away inside Karen’s hands suddenly burst into brilliant violet light once more, while countless tiny arcs of lightning crackled across its smooth surface, making it abundantly clear that Riven’s heightened emotions were stirring the Storm affinity sleeping within his blood.
"Why are you crying, boy? Tell me," the Hypnotist asked gently, as a warm green glow spread across his palm before he continued softly stroking Riven’s head.
Almost immediately, Riven felt the frantic rhythm of his breathing begin to slow, while the overwhelming panic consuming his heart gradually started to settle beneath the strange warmth radiating from the man’s hand.
"You wouldn’t understand even if I told you," Riven replied bitterly. "So what’s the point?"
He asked, as the silver-haired man smiled patiently before shaking his head.
"What’s the point?" he repeated. "You’ll never find out if you never try. You have nothing to lose by telling me how you feel, and nothing to gain by hiding it from me. Besides, it’s not as though you’re going anywhere anytime soon, so why not give it a chance?"
He reasoned, as rather than forcing Riven to open up, he tried to make a case for why Riven should willingly do so.
And so, after thinking about it for a while, Riven felt the invisible walls around his heart begin to crumble despite his best efforts to keep them standing.
Deep down, he did not want to trust this stranger.
He did not want to reveal his weakness.
Yet somehow, the words escaped his lips before he could stop them, as though, the man stroking his head lowered his ability to hide stuff from him successfully.
"I’m crying because I don’t know what’s becoming of me. I have no future, no home, nowhere to go, and no one waiting for me.
My body hurts so much that I can barely think.
Both you and the red eye man frighten me to death.
And to make matters worse, I don’t even know if I have a reason to keep living anymore.
Because even if I died here today... it’s not like there would be anyone left in this world who would miss me.
I’m worthless.
So even if I’m a Stormborn... it doesn’t change anything."
He muttered, as the hypnotist looked directly into his tear-filled eyes before offering him a gentle smile.
"Then it seems to me," he said softly, "that what you need isn’t strength. You need a reason to live. You need people who genuinely care about you. You need a place where you belong, and I can give you all of that."
He offered, as for the first time since waking inside the laboratory, Riven’s eyes widened ever so slightly.
"Tell me, my child, who do you think lives the most fulfilling life in this world? The kind of life where every morning is filled with purpose, where you are surrounded by loyal companions, bitter rivals, trusted friends, devoted lovers, and ambitions so great that they drive your every waking moment?"
He asked, as Riven looked at him with hope, as though waiting for the answer.
"It’s the nobles, my child. The great Ascendant families who stand at the very peak of humanity. They are the men and women who shape history with their own hands, command respect wherever they go, and spend their lives pursuing dreams that ordinary people cannot even begin to imagine."
He said, as Riven continued to listen quietly.
"If you choose to trust me, and the gentleman standing beside me, then we will give you the opportunity to become one of them.
No... not merely another noble, but someone unlike any noble this world has ever seen before.
We will raise you into a powerhouse whose very existence will influence the course of history, a man whose name will be remembered long after kingdoms have risen and fallen."
The hypnotist said, before gently stroking Riven’s hair once more.
"You believe that no one is waiting for you anymore, however, I believe your life has only just begun. You believe that you have no purpose, whereas I believe you simply haven’t discovered it yet, because as a matter of fact, I already have a purpose in mind for you."
Those words caused Riven’s pupils to contract.
"It is a mission that only someone like you can accomplish. A mission greater than wealth, revenge, titles, or power.
A mission whose importance reaches far beyond the borders of the Valdrak Empire, and one whose success or failure will influence the lives of countless generations yet to be born.
However, I cannot entrust such a responsibility to someone who has yet to decide whether he truly wishes to live, which is why I will not reveal it to you today.
Instead, I ask that you first learn to trust me, while I earn your trust in return, because when the day finally comes that I believe you are ready, I will tell you everything."
He said, as he smiled warmly towards Riven.
"So tell me, my child... will you give your future a chance? Will you trust me, and allow me to give your life a purpose worth living for?"