Nichal was sobbing at Coatl-ome's table when the Great One tapped him on the shoulder. He looked up, wiping tears from his eyes, and saw her pointing to where Master Sai had just walked in through the door. "Master Sai!" shrieked Nichal, scrambling to stand up. "You're alive!" He tackled Master Sai and pulled the orc into a rib-crushing bear hug.

  "Yes, Nichal," gasped Master Sai. "I'm fine."

  Nichal embraced him for a moment longer before he put the orc down and punched him square in the face. Master Sai cried out, and Coatl-ome gasped, but Nichal didn't care. "Why did you jump?" he shouted. "Why you not listen to me?"

  Master Sai glared up at him, rubbing his jaw. "I can't die, Nichal!" he shouted back Nichal shoved him, and the orc staggered back. "Stop it!"

  "You left me there!" Nichal shouted. "You abandoned me! What if you got out? We escape together!"

  "But it didn't work!" insisted Master Sai. Nichal wound up to hit the orc again, but Master Sai help up his scaled arm. "Stop," he ordered.

  And the shackles were back in place, as tight as Nichal had ever felt them. He froze in place, halfway through his windup before Master Sai forced him to lower his arm and stand at attention. He struggled against the psychic chains, but even thinking of breaking them caused flames to dance through his vision.

  This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

  Master Sai walked up to Nichal and forced Nichal to kneel down so they were eye to eye. "You do not get to hit me," the orc whispered. "You do not get to tell me what I can or cannot do. I freed you because you were useful, and I can shatter you if that proves no longer true. Am I quite clear?" Nichal tried to shout at him, tried to cry out, but he could not. "Speak," Master Sai ordered.

  But even the words Nichal was allowed to speak were chosen by the shackles. "Yes, Master Sai," he responded without any hesitation.

  "Good," said Master Sai. "Now. Wake up."

  Nichal gasped and staggered backwards with the sudden release from the shackles. He glared at Master Sai, tears once again streaming from his eyes. Then he turned and stormed for the door.

  "Where are you going?" asked Master Sai.

  Nichal didn't know. "Away!" he shouted. Where could he possibly go? He was trapped here.

  "Nichal, wait," said Master Sai.

  "No!" Nichal shouted, spinning around to roar at Master Sai. "I will never be a slave again. Yours or anybody's. And if all I am to you is useful, I…" The tears drowned his words. He scrubbed his eyes and turned away again. "I find freedom alone!"

  "Well that was dramatic," Nichal heard Coatl-ome say as he sprinted away from the egg chamber and away from Somber Tune. Away from Master Sai. Away from the ones who were not his family and who did not care about him. Away.