#mareland

The spotless suit shed into the metal collar and soft pajamas, glimmering dust dissipating as he stepped into the room and the door closed behind him. The boy smiled to himself as he passed a hand over the blue pants and buttoned shirt and then walked over to the bed, where his master and him slept together now. His mat on the floor changed for a newer, fluffier one for the nights his Master wished to be alone. 

All of it were rewards, his master had told him a few weeks before.

Salarien was immensely grateful to his Master for giving him such luxuries, but the one he treasured most was that he was allowed to show emotions in front of them now. He wouldn´t have to force himself to stay blank when his Master worked on a new experience or made light butterflies for him. He could tell them how grateful he was now. 

Or he would, if his Master came back. 

Salarien laid over the sheets staring at the metal door on the other side of the room. His Master had prohibited him from ever going near it, from the very start. It wasn’t abnormal. They went through it every once in a while, but they had gone through it a week ago without anything else but forehead kiss and orders to keep the theater going. Of course, that was well within Salarien´s capabilities, but anxiety began to build up in his chest as the days passed by without news of them. 

Taking a deep breath, Salarien slipped from the bed down to the floor. A pounding in his chest that reverberated in his ears as he crawled closer to the forbidden door. 

Wrong. Wrong. Wrong. This is so wrong. 

The thought he was willfully disobeying made him stop a few steps away from the metal door. Salarien had stared at it long enough to notice the open locks, the curtain that kept it hidden away had a star pattern and by the pocket in one of its sides, it was not an ordinary curtain but a coat. Too big to be his Master’s. Salarien’s skin crawled with the way it filled the air with static just the same way the experience rooms would when he went to retrieve a client for close time. 

Salarien knew perfectly well his master was a powerful mage, but he didn't know at all how much.

He was programmed to never know, after all. 

Salarien´s whole body froze when he tried to lunge forward. Alarms ringing in his head in an attempt to make him stop and realize what disobeying might earn him. He had been with his Master for... for so long he couldn 't remember a time without them anymore and this was the first time they had allowed him to be sincere. That they had rewarded him with the possibility of talking freely around them. 

It was the first time his Master had left him alone for so long.

Salarien shook violently as he fought his own body, gravity growing stronger every inch he went closer.

His teeth chattered as he crawled forward, hands lifting to push the door open. 

“Master...!” he called through gritted teeth, pushing the door open with the palm of his hands. He prayed it led outside, so his master would notice him attempting to leave and come back. He would kneel, he would allow them to break all of his limbs and then chain him to the hook for days. He wouldn’t care. As long as his master came back, his punishment didn’t matter to him.

The door was heavier than it looked, so he pushed himself up and put all his force into his arms. Shocks of electricity went through his limbs but Salarien forced himself to focus, even when black ichor slipped through his lips at the tension. 

The way his body fought back wasn´t just his Master´s spell to prevent him from running away, the door itself seemed to repel his very being. It was as if it had been designed to never let him cross. 

His arms were beginning to crack when with a sudden click, he fell head first into the corridor on the other side of the door. The crushing weight that had seemed to loom over him, suddenly disappeared. Salarien pushed himself up on his elbows and found a static shape in the form of a butterfly in front of his eyes.

“Master!” Salarien screamed in happiness, his smile falling as he turned back to an empty room. He stayed there on the floor a second before pulling himself up. The scenery had changed from the room without windows to a garden full to the brim with exotic plants and flowers. Salarien could hear the distant stream of water and even birds. If it wasn’t for the same feeling of electricity around his fingertips he felt every time he went inside an experience, he would’ve thought he was outside.

Salarien’s eyes fell to the ground as he realized that meant his Master wouldn’t come to get him.

He was deciding his next move when his master´s butterfly fluttered around him insistently, as if asking him to follow it. He looked back at the room once again. The bed and his mat on the floor hiding his trinkets, the hook on the wall getting dustier with each day his master had not chained him to it. 

Salarien´s brow furrowed before turning back to the glowing butterfly. 

“You know where my master is?” he asked, his voice barely above a whisper. The butterfly made a show of fluttering around him before landing on his nose. Staying there a second to expand its wings before setting off again. Fluttering around him and landing on his finger in a motion that was almost like tugging him, it flew down the corridor. 

Salarien took a deep breath before decidedly taking a step forward.

--

It seemed like hours had gone by. The corridor was endless, the beautiful garden stretched to the sides into the distance almost infinitely. Maybe this was inside a secret experience room only for his Master to visit. It was…hypnotizing. With its vibrant colored flowers, sunlight leaking through the cracks of the top of trees made patterns on the floor that moved with every gentle breeze and the sound of the wind and water flowing unobtrusively.

It was so peaceful, he had the wild thought of wanting to stay there forever.

However beautiful it was, deep inside him there was a blooming terror growing. 

This was wrong. He had disobeyed one of his primordial rules. He was gonna absolutely regret disobeying his master if he kept walking. As something inside him screamed in horror urging him he didn´t waste any second longer and ran back to the room before his master realized he was gone, there was another part that had already decided to accept any punishment if that meant he could meet his master sooner. 

And then again, there was that part of him that Master Rogue had always found troublesome as well as utterly adorable: his curiosity. Now, willing him to try and find out why this room in particular was prohibited.

Salarien kept walking a knot forming in his throat right above the metal collar as the air became hotter and hotter. Sweat pearling his forehead and making his limbs weigh heavier with each step. 

Salarien was beginning to wonder how could that butterfly last that long when he heard a scream. He was stunned into stillness for a moment, processing what the scream said before he broke into a sprint. 

“Master Rogue!” he yelled, completely sure that voice had called out his master´s name. 

Salarien ran past the butterfly, not seeing it dissipate into a blue glow. 

Finally he could see a door at the end of the corridor, half open.

He forced his legs to run quicker.

That voice he heard hadn´t been his master, he realized when he put his hand up to open the door, trying to stop himself from slamming against it. 

Finally, he stepped into the forbidden room. 

“Master!” Salarien all but yelled with a wide smile on his face that cleanly fell off once he saw the person inside the room was not the red haired, but a white haired man.

Salarien stood stunned for a solid minute, staring at the man before him in utter confusion.

He looked exactly like him except for the tattoo around his neck.

“Hello” The man said, standing up from the small wooden table in the middle of the room. Salarien stepped away on instinct. “Don´t move” the man ordered him and Salarien´s body froze at the command, that electricity from before running through his body.

An order imbued in magic.

The man lifted an eyebrow. 

“Boy,” the electricity punched a whimper out of him “You called that person “Master”? That´s what they make you call them?” he said before snorting and putting a hand on his hip. “Yeah, I can see that”

Salarien stayed at the door, watching the man´s every movement. Studying him and the room around them. The walls were painted with intricate designs. Charcoal drawings getting covered with layers of white paint to form the scenery of the ocean and a table for three. Two of the chairs used by people with blurred faces. 

The room was tiny, even for one person, and it didn´t have the accomodations for a human. So Salarien´s mind immediately jumped to the conclusion the man before him was an habitant. Therefore, he shouldn´t talk with him. 

Disappointed, he moved to go back to the corridor and continue searching for his master, but something tugged on his neck so hard, he stumbled back into the room. 

“Hey, don´t go. You and I have a lot to talk about” the man said, wrapping his fingers tighter around his neck. Salarien let out a terrified yelp when the man slammed him against the door. “Aren´t you one tiny bit curious about me, little puppet? I recall you liked wondering and touching what you shouldn´t”

Salarien´s struggles stopped with the man´s words. 

He recalled? 

Salarien had never seen this man in his life. 

The mysterious man glared at him before digging his nails into his neck. Salarien jolted but the man´s grip was like a vicious vice, stubbornly tightening around him with each movement he made. Salarien felt warm dripping down his neck.

“P-please...” he pleaded in a wheeze. 

“Oh, so you do talk” Immediately the pressure of nails digging into his skin and dragging them down, lifting it, carving themselves in it, stopped. A second of respite before thumbs digged in either side of his neck, pressing so hard, his head went blank a second. “C´mon then, puppet, ask away. I´ll tell you everything you want to know”

Salarien´s head pulsed as he choked, feet paddling when the man lifted him a few inches off the ground with a grin on his face before he abruptly let him go. The golem fell to the ground with his hands already around a bruised neck, gasping for air as the man stood tall before him. 

Salarien looked up, tears slipping down his cheek as his mind raced. Was this man truly a habitant? If he was, then he was forbidden from crossing words with him. But once again, was this room an experience at all? The habitant looked exactly like him and he said he knew him, but Salarien would remember seeing a copy of himself. 

Was this man an actual person then? No. His Master hated people. They would not keep any around him. This person was a golem. A prototype to himself maybe?

“C´mon, we don't have all day” the man sighed, going down on one knee to grip Salarien´s chin. At that distance, he could see the eyebags under the man's eyes. The way his eyes were red and puffy as if he had cried not long ago. Salarien saw he was as out of breath as he was. The man gripped tighter, pulling his attention back on him “I put all my energy into calling you, so ask” 

Another rule he broke. 

“...Who are you?” Salarien asked, his lips munched up as the other didn´t let go of him. 

“The original owner to your skin” the man said bluntly “and your...Master´s captive. Ok, my turn” the man finally let him go, sitting cross legged across from him. “Answer me, puppet, what year is it?”

“Captive?” the boy repeated, a sour taste draping his mouth. “What do you-” Salarien snapped back at a slap.

“Equivalent exchange, puppet. An answer for a question” Salarien lifted a hand over the reddening cheek. “What year is it?”

“21XX, sir” he whispered just loud enough for the man to hear. The man visibly pulled back. His jaw clenching hard as his expression went from shocked to resignation.

“It's been that long?” the man whispered to himself. Salarien watched as a veil of sorrow covered the man´s face when he looked up at him again. 

“M-My turn, are you a- a golem, sir?” Salarien asked, not hoping to make the other laugh so hard, he almost fell on his back to twist on the ground. 

“A golem? No, no. Where did you even-? I see you´re stupid as always. I´m a mage...or well, I used to. Don´t waste my time asking my name” he warns him before Salarien can put the words out of his mouth. “Your...Rogue, what does he make you do?”

“...what do you mean, sir?”

The man visibly shivers as he covers his body “Besides the theater, what do they do with you?” the man´s cheeks go red. 

“They take care of me” Salarien answers with pride. Anger twisting his insides when the other snorts again. 

“Sure thing, Pinocchio”

“My name´s Salarien!” the boy yells. 

“Yeah, yeah, I know. Rogue doesn´t stop talking about you even in their sleep” Salarien´s deeply taken aback by that declaration, feeling his cheeks burning, he lowers his face, an effort to hide the smile from popping in his face. 

“Hum, only that fucker´s puppet could be made to feel happy to be around them.” the man sighs, making Salarien´s sudden happiness turn into bitter anger. 

“They don´t force me to feel anything. Don´t badmouth my master. You're lying too” at that the man lifts an eyebrow. “You´re not human, my master would not keep humans who hate them captive”

“Oh, on that you are gravely mistaken” his tone lowers. “They do nothing but keep humans captive for eternity. In fact, I think the only thing that isn't human here, is you, Pinocchio” 

Salarien takes a step back and away from him. 

“That's not true” is the only thing he manages to say. 

“It is the truth, Salarien. Why did you think I was a golem? Because I´m just like you?” the boy doesn´t answer, but his silence is enough “Everyone inside those rooms are people like me. People who made the mistake to meet Rogue on their paths.” Salarien begins to shake his head, but the man stops him when he fists on his hair. “I´m sure no matter what Rogue tells you or how many times they wipe you, they haven't ever gotten rid of your curiosity. You´ve always wondered why they scream, haven´t you? Why are you so different from them, hm?” Salarien lets out a shaky breath “I pity you, because you can´t run away from them like I would if I could. But...after centuries I´ve come to understand you´re not my enemy nor I am to you. You´re just a tool and I the material you cut.”

The man lets go and Salarien´s hair falls over his face like a curtain. The black tie his Master had given him for real slipped through the man's fingers before it's tossed on the ground.

Salarien stares at it instead of the man. 

“You don´t know any better than what Rogue has taught you” 

The words cut deep. The man above him knows that, but is utterly surprised when he sees the golem stretch his hand towards the ribbon. 

He kicks it away before he can reach it. 

“They will drop you the second you break and turn your back on them. Just like they did to us. Deep inside you, you know I´m telling the truth” he says as he watches Salarien crawl to grab the ribbon and pull it close to his chest. 

Rage floods the mage's chest and a second later, Salarien is thrown against the wall with the force of his kick. It can't do more than curl into itself when more kicks rain down. Salarien protects its body and doesn't let his arms be separated from his chest, where the ribbon is safely away from that man's reach.

Suddenly, the golem cracks. 

Black ichor slips from his head, tainting the white of his hair an inky black in a few seconds.

“You're still as annoyingly loyal” The man says between huffs, giving up on taking  the ribbon away. “I should've destroyed you when I had the chance. Ah! If I had just killed them back when we were kids! If you didn't exist...”

“I-It´s my turn to ask, s-sir” Salarien says, curling his fist tighter, lifting himself up to stare at the man through black liquid smeared over his eyes. “You...you said, you were my skin´s owner...If I- Is there...a way? To give it back to you?”

The man looks at him perplexed. 

“What?”

Salarien straightens and ties the ribbon around his collar before taking the man's hands on his own. 

“You´re cold, mister. Your skin feels like my Master´s magic” he pushes himself to say as he turns his hand on his own. The lunar on the base of his wrist a copy of the one he has. “I know someday...someday my Master will get tired of me. I always hope that day is not soon, but I know eventually, I´ll also become a burden to my master” he says with a smile “When that day comes, ask my master to give it back to you. They...they wouldn´t keep things they don´t want around. If they have no use for them, they will let you keep them. So once I´m gone,” Salarien squeezes their hands slightly “I´m sure they will give it back to you”

Salarien lets go of his hands and touches the ribbon, passing it through his fingers in an attempt to soothe himself. 

“I´m sorry I´ve made a few spots on them, mister. I would´ve been extra careful if I knew”

The man is too stunned to speak for a while. 

In their silence, a purring laughter vibrates between them and within a second, Salarien´s eyes are covered by a large hand. It's so warm. The smell of lillies drowns the golem´s senses. 

“Time to go to sleep, Salarien” his Master's voice says before Salarien feels their lips on the side of his head, and then, the darkness sweeps him away. 

---

The golem lays boneless on his Master´s arms and doesn't even react as he´ s lifted off the ground. 

“Did you enjoy questioning him?” Rogue says as he watches tiny glittering butterflies carry their wonderful toy back to the room. Only looking back into the room when the writhing becomes strangled pleas. The mage twists on the ground as flesh falls off in big chunks and chains burn themselves into his body. The cries of his agony are irrelevant to Rogue “The seal is getting weak if you could conjure up that much magic to lure him here” they said inspecting the tattoo over his neck before noticing the scratch marks. They sigh.

“Again, Merlin? I thought you had learnt your lesson from last time you tried scratching off the mark”

Merlin heaved in a pool of his own blood before at the tiniest kiss in his forehead, skin began to grow back and patch the flesh and muscle. Growing over the chains and merging with them. 

Merlin screams through the chains gagging him and Rogue listens to him for minutes before they decide it's been enough. With a snap of his fingers, the chains disappear. 

The captive lays on the floor, new skin getting stained with the pool of blood underneath him. He's too weak to fight when Rogue picks him up like nothing and carries him to the bathroom. Dropping him off on the tub before putting soap on his hands and begins to scrub the blood off. 

Rogue whistles a tune as he hears Merlin choke in his sobs. 

“...-sand years...four...thousand...” Merlin mumbles as Rogue moves to wash his head. 

“Surprised time went that fast?” They ask him, gently massaging his scalp. 

Merlin cries harder. 

“I thought it had been longer” he whispers before he slips into the tub, letting Rogue handle him. Resigning to his curse to be unable to harm them. 

For a second, Rogue simply watches him go limp, but then he takes off his robes and joins him. Merlin only turning his head to a side when Rogue positions themself behind him and pull him into a hug. 

“Did you not enjoy our week together? I even brought you your favorite dishes from outside” Rogue made a trail of kisses from his nape to his shoulder. Sadness pricking them like a needle when he found the skin no longer marked by them. Hopefully, that was an easy fix. 

Merlin yelped and gripped tighter to the tub´s walls as Rogue´s teeth sank in. 

“Did you?” they insist.

Merlin sobs as his head droops, “...Will you ever get bored of him?”

Rogue lifts an eyebrow and takes a deep breath, considering. 

“I don't think so, no. Not yet at least'' they laugh and strangely, they hear Merlin laugh too. 

“The puppet knows you so well” he says, leaving Rogue puzzled as Merlin lays on Rogue´s chest and looks at them with a smile. “He told me he would want to give me back my skin the day you decide to dump him” 

Rogue´s blood freezes. 

Their captive shifts to be more comfortable around them, even when he knows he will never be, with that irrational burning desire to be touched by them. Finally, knowing perfectly well what he´s doing, Merlin gives Rogue a kiss on their knuckles. 

“Would you honor your dear puppet´s wishes then?” 

Rogue only stares at him for the rest of the bath. Remaining silent even as they dry him off and put the mittens over his hands. The other mage, resigned to being at their mercy once again. More worried about not being able to finish the painting on the walls soon. 

Once they´re locked away, Merlin asks them once again, behind the door. 

“Will you, Rogue? If that´s his will?” 

The mage leaves without answer. 

Regardless of what Merlin says, Salarien will never remember this encounter. They make sure it goes that way once they're finally back in their room, Salarien promptly asleep on their bed.

Rogue lays down with him and passes a hand through his hair, noticing then the ribbon tied to the collar around his neck. The puppet's eyes flutter open and their dazed look melts into amazement. Before they know it, Rogue has Salarien over them, hugging them tight as they sob. 

“Welcome back! Welcome back! I missed you so much, Master” the golem says in hiccups. 

Rogue buries himself in the crook of his neck. 

“I´m back”

“Master, can I ask where you went?” Rogue shakes their head and the golem drops the subject lightly. “...oh”

“Did you truly miss me so much?” they ask their puppet, whose eyes light up as he nods, forgetting for a second he is allowed to talk before he stumbles on his words to express just how much. 

“I had a weird dream, Master. I went through the door, even though I know it is forbidden, because one of your butterflies...well, I thought it was one of yours, tried to show me the way back to you, but it only led me to a room with a crazy habitant...” sensing his Master´s sudden silence, Salarien rushed to explain he wouldn't ever do such a thing in the real world. 

“Not even if  you missed me so much?” Rogue asks him, a hand on either cheek forcing the golem to stare at them from above. They smile to themself as the golem hesitates but ultimately shakes his head.

“You´re a very good boy, Salarien.” they say as a glimmer of power vanishes from the tips of their fingers. Influencing the thoughts inside the golem´s archaic brain, or rather, the core mechanism that made their lovely golem Salarien. 

After a moment of silence where Rogue stroked their golem´s hair, they asked again. 

“Do you think I'm capable of throwing you away?”

Salarien freezes in their arms, unable to provide an answer right away, he only looks up at his Master and swallows.

“...I wouldn´t like to be a burden to you when I break, Master” 

“Who told you I would let you break? I would fix you”

“I-I know, Master! I...I'm sorry. I don´t doubt you, Master. I doubt myself. N-Not because I´m faulty! My master wouldn´t make something that would break easily, of course. But... If I ever...wasn´t around, I would like you to make use of what was left of me...” Rogue watches their puppet lower into a bow “Please, forgive me Master. That's an inappropriate thought. I´m nothing else than your servant, it´s selfish and stupid of me to ask such a thing. I´m deeply, truly sorry” Rogue notices the way he slumps, waiting for a blow to come and still, he jumps when he feels a hand over his back. A whimper escaping his lips as he´s pulled up. 

Surprisingly, Salarien isn´t chained that night, nor is beaten up, but he´s held tight in his master's arms.

“Don´t say such sad things, dummy” Salarien hears his master whisper into his ear. “You...You're the most important thing in my life, ok? If I lost you...” Rogue gasps and pushes Salarien closer “I dont even wanna think about it”

Salarien wraps his arms around his master and rubs their back, scarred, he knows, and attempts to soothe them as they cry silent tears.

“Don´t talk like I would drop you without thought in the streets, ok?” Rogue finally says in the death of night, tightly curled around him.

“Yes, Master”

“Ever. Alright?”

Would see the other mages, born in fortune and magic as living in another reality than their own. Despite being one of the three immortals in the whole castle, they never felt welcomed.

Jealous glares and venom didn’t make for a quite welcome rag like the one Salarien had at home. Sweet little Salarien that would crawl into their bed at night to make weight. That would be so clumsy but dutifully tried to keep the garden on the back perfect for them and their few clients. Getting all excited when he saw them carrying logs for new carvings. Asking softly if it would be for new hands, or new feet to be better for them.

In their little cottage in the woods, Rogue felt happy and loved. In the castle, surrounded by so many others like them, they felt like the rabbit that would be hunted down for dinner.

His master didn’t care about such trivialities. He just wanted to show them around as if they were his trophy. Bragging about how one of his apprentices was immortal and such a talented magician with whoever crossed paths with them. They were just his perfect project.

Merlin just saw from the shadows, walking to their master’s side when he called to switch the subject to having both apprentices be part of the court. So proudly smiling as the feast began and Rogue had to cast their own spell, registered by themselves for the court and the ancient library, to summon a venom tester.

A piece of paper that would tell them if the food wasn’t poisoned. Most of the time, they would tell Salarien to keep their cauldron hot, because of this. All the food there had looked delicious the first time, but it was a short lived sentiment washed down along the vomit and blood.

That night was the exact same.

After 1900 they had their own system and to their joy, neither their Master or Merlin would be there. Well, not entirely.

“Come here, Salarien” they would call upon the golem on their room at the theater. Soft flesh naked to their delight. Warm under the touch and willing to melt on their hands. Completely obedient whenever they said to put their arms up for them to dress them with their cute attires for the ball.

They would tilt his head to braid the laces on his back. Sneaking kisses here and there along his shoulders and neck he would respond to with pretty noises. They would love to feel his hands before putting the gloves that made his hands useless. Buckled the belts around his forearms just slightly tight and enjoying so much how manageable he was when they braided his hair.

So unlike Merlin.

They had taken them out once. Of course, Merlin didn’t know. But it had been so easy. They had tried to dress him themselves but it was too much kicking and biting, so they stunned him and made him forget his memories of going to the castle, lead by Rogue’s arm. Just to make him tell his family, friends, all mages of the court and else, that Merlin was maddeningly in love with Rogue and would give up their seat to be with them. Making them say how less of a magician he was and how he would disappear because of it, busted their ego deeply.

Not even taking Salarien to the ball, in their golem attire to meet many new and some old mages, surpassed that feeling. They loved taking Salarien. So genuinely excited to go out the theater, led by his Master’s arm, dancing with them and generally sitting around looking pretty because his hands were so useless Rogue had to help him in everything and that made him so, so embarrassed about it, he begged to have the memory stolen was a completely different delight.

Rogue was called an eccentric among the court, so privileged in their seat, yet kept pumping new spells and investigations but served humans for their phantasy delights, not mattering how dark. They dressed their partner in odd outfits and nobody was allowed to touch him. Or well, the daring ones would meet Rogue’s iron fist as judge and executioner.

Nobody from his times as his Master’s apprentice remained, their parents had died not long after they gained immortality and friends, they had only had one. So for Rogue, immortality’s curse of solitude and boredom were only for one person in particular. They found the food at the castle gatherings exquisite while having Salarien seated on his lap and knowing what face Merlin would make when they went to tell him what an incredible dancer Salarien was. How, deeply, immensely forgotten Merlin was that nobody knew Salarien’s face was his.

Rogue massaged their hurting arms absent mindedly before Salarien rested his clay hand over it.

“Hurt?” The golem asked, clumsily rubbing its arm against the bandages. Rogue’s lips stretched in a smile.

“I´m ok. It´s just a scratch” they told the small golem before it turned its head back to the bandages.

“There…there” the small creature said, warming Rogue´s heart.

The apprentice rubbed a finger over the golem´s head. “Thanks” they said as the small golem perked up and for a flashing second, Rogue thought it was smiling.

“Rogue! Class´s about to start! Come down here!” Their master called making them jump out of the chair and hurriedly put together their things before they lost their patience again. Before they went through the door they saw Salarien trying to follow them.

Rogue crashed into their own desk trying to save Salarien from jumping down the table. “DON´T DO THAT!” They yelled at the small clay figure that trembled with their screams. Salarien felt a tug in their heart, but put them in the ground “Sorry, just, stay below the bed, ok? It´s safer there” they said before closing the door behind them.

Class went just as normal. Long poisonous stares were the usual for Rogue already. Enough to not feel bothered anymore. However, they had a bad feeling when some classmates followed them after class.

They tried sprinting and hide at the first turn they encountered, but they just bumped into someone´s chest.

They stumbled back and were caught by another boy´s hands.

“Where are you off to in such a hurry, Rogue?” the boy asked with a wicked smile.

“We´re just wanna talk a bit” the boy they had bumped into said, stepping closer to the redhaired´s face.

“I’m sorry, but the ceremony was yesterday. If you wanted tips on how to summon better demons you should have asked earlier” they snarked. With great pleasure, they saw how his face twisted into annoyance. The shame of summoning a demon of low calliber, still fresh on his face.

“Actually, we would love if you showed us some of Imarillis magic” A boy with white hair spat out coming forward. “Such raritys are worth a look” Rogue’s guts wrenched in disgust, recognizing Merlin’s intentions by his smile alone.

After a particularly bad fight, Rogue was prohibited from even touching his classmates. However, there were no rules that stopped them from touching Rogue.

If it wasn´t for their pride, Rogue would have let out the scream bubbling up their chest at the tightening grip  over their injured arms “C’mon, show us, little robin”

Rogue was pulled outside into the snowy garden and thrown at the feet of another classmate.

“You´re really doing it Merlin?” a girl asked sitting on a bench on the other side. The girl next to her snickering at how Rogue was forced up by their injured arms. They let out a wheeze that provoked a burst of laughter.

“Yeah, Teacher´s pet is gonna give us a show” Merlin said. Rogue stared at them for a second before they were handed a stick to draw the circle on the floor. “Isn´t that right?” Merlin smiled.

They hated each other’s guts. Merlin was the son of a renowned house of magicians and the only one that came somewhat close to Rogue´s power, but they were far more envious than the rest. For him, it was personal. 

When Rogue tried taking the stick from his hands, it fell from the boy´s hands to the snow.

“Oops”

Rogue stared at him feeling the anger bubbling up on their stomach at the mocking smile on the boy´s lips.

Rogue drew the rune in the snow, Staring deep into Merlin´s eyes. When they were finished, they grabbed a handful of snow and started shaping it. Merlin just pulled an eyebrow up as they molded it into a golem similar to Salarien.

“We want to see magic not how to build a snowman, smartass” the girl yelled.

Rogue ignored the collective laugh as they crouched to take the doll into their hands and whisper words that made the air feel heavier. Harder to breathe in. After a moment of silence, they blew over the snow before putting it down.

Fine threads hung from their fingertips and connected to the doll like the threads to a puppet. When they severed the strands passing a hand through it, the golem stayed standing.

”Anima” they whispered as the golem began moving. Their classmates couldn´t hold a gasp when the puppet bowed at them and then they burst into laughter as Rogue made the doll pull up the middle finger at Merlin. They decided it had been worth it to put extra care into carving fingers after they saw Merlin´s face.

The punch to the face that followed wasn´t exactly worth it, though. Or the next to the stomach that made them fall to their knees, gasping for air.

“Tell me Rogue, do you know how creation magic works?” Merlin said taking the snowman “The most basic spell uses runes. Burnt into the caster´s skin so they can act as links before it can be done with a seed core” he said, before crushing the golem with one hand. Rogue had a bad feeling when they watched Merlin crouch to harshly grip Rogue´s arms. “Runes. Just like these” he said, white strands of hair falling over hazel eyes. “It is known that damaging the golem won´t do anything to the caster” Their eyes locked as Rogue’ heartbeat picked up, his heart pounding harder and harder on their ears.

Fearing what he could do, Rogue tried to escape but found two pair of arms shoving them down when they tried standing up. 

“Please-!” Rogue begged as the other two boys forced their arms up.

“So, I wonder” Merlin slowly started to unwrap the bandages until Rogue´s injuries were visible. The carved shapes were scattered over their swollen forearms.  “What happens if the link is destroyed?” Merlin’s nails dug into their skin, tearing it apart in one quick motion that drew blood in an instant. It ripped a scream out of Rogue, tears quickly coming to his eyes.

“Oh? Crying already? But we haven´t seen your magic properly yet!” Merlin laughed at the heaving red haired. “Again” they ordered. But the apprentice only stared. Merlin smiled as they fisted on their hair and pulled them slightly up. “C´mon, we don´t have all day”

“And you promised to show us” the girl said standing closer to Rogue. They clenched their teeth and let out a breathy "ok” before they were released.

They made the same exact process over and over and over again. Until the sun was down and blood dripped on the snow from their arms.

By that point, the girls had gotten bored and had disappeared. Only the boys stayed to look at the panting boy with arms shaking violently.

“Go Again” he ordered. The red haired let out a desperate cry.

Their arms refused to move as cold sweat ran down their face. They were at their limit.

“T-The r-runes are...If I keep doing it, the contract will...I-I can’t…” Rogue tried tp reason, feeling the violent shake of their limbs before Merlin twisted their wrist and lifted their arm, forcing a yelp from the red haired at the strain in their shoulder.

“Make another doll or I’ll break your arms myself” no mercy on their voice as Rogue bit their lip. They hated themselves for lowering their head at Merlin.

“Please, Merlin, stop this” they begged, their voice tight with tears. But Merlin only pulled their arms higher. They swore they could hear the bones cracking. “I´m sorry! I´m sorry! I´ll do it!” they yelled panting as they felt Merlin´s grip letting go.

After cradling their injured arms for a moment, they pulled the same position for the 48th time, but when they were about to sever the strands with shaky fingers, they felt a burning cold going from their fingertips to their chest in a second. The palpitations over their chest were so sharp, it threw them to the ground with a gasp.

If it wasn´t by the fact they were hyperventilating, they would have screamed their lungs out.

Even if it felt like it would shatter their vocal cords, they kept screaming and thrashing. Rolling on the snow and coughing when it felt like their heart was trying to shatter its way out of their chest.

The world was blurry and the only sounds they picked up were their own screams. They didn´t see their master coming to slap Merlin and chase them away. Or how their master craddled them worried about a rebound. Feeling an odd combination of hot, cold and a violent tremble overtake them as they were put on their bed.

The night was nothing but a fever dream until the world cleared up the next morning with their master´s slap.

“I was quite tolerant on your experiments, but you can´t play around with demon magic, you idiot” the man scolded the boy with the gaze down. The man cracked his sore neck before going back to reprimending them “Restoration magic takes the biggest toll on me. You already know that, Rogue! One more fight and I will sell you again, child” their master said. 

It wasn´t my fault. The fire on Rogue´s eyes was just barely held back.

Rogue apologized with their gaze down low. They weren’t dumb. They had known for a long time their Master owned them. They were little more valuable than the books of their Master´s secret collection. 

When they discovered the truth, their master had used it to threaten them to work harder or else they would meet the consequences.

It wasn’t any different from home, but it had fell hard on them to know the truth.

They had cried a bit when Rogue went away after all. Didn’t that mean they were sad to see them leave? Or were they just that happy to not have the burden of feeding another mouth?

The mage sighed at their apprentice as they stood up.

“You´re forbidden from creating any golem for two months understood?” he asked the silent apprentice. “Understood?” 

“Yes, sir” Rogue said through gritted teeth. He shook his head before going through the door. Locking it with key as Rogue was also fobidden from leaving their room for a week.

“It wasn´t my fault…” Rogue whispered before shaking their head. Their owner didn´t care. Careful, they jumped out of bed and made sure their Master was really gone to pull out a box from under the bed. Salarien stuck out its head and stepped out of the box to be lifted by the now thicker, bandages of its creator.

“Hurt again?” the little golem asked them touching the clothe over their fingers.

“Hurt again” they repeated, putting the golem next to their pillow. Despite their master´s magic being very useful, it drew energy from their soul to heal the body. So naturally, they were exhausted. They were fighting to keep their eyes open as they hugged Salarien. They laughed at how they found uncomfortable how hard it was at the touch. “Yeah, clay isn´t exactly very hugable!” they said in a half laugh. “After my punishment is lifted, I will see if I can change that” they said burying themselves into the sheets and allowing their eyelids to close.

It would be almost two years later when Rogue did found a way of hugging Salarien enjoyable.

——-

When the clock hit midnight, the experiences were over. Wether the guest had desired it or not, they all were required to leave at that time. People with serious, mild or simple injuries would be helped by a medic team. The people that were wearing a mad smirk would be taken out accompanied. Those who could walk on their own were showed to the exit by Salarien himself. Always a bright smile on his face as he heard the guests gush about how much fun it had been and how much they were wishing to come back already.

After nobody was on the building, Salarien went back to the office where the door was now half open. Lock not to be found. The boy inhaled deeply and went through it. He heard the usual dry click of the lock on his back.

The spotless dress-coat slowly disappeared as he went deeper into a thick gray fog. A metal collar started to become visible as well as some bruises on his skin and wide eye bags. The boy stopped walking as he met his owner. Bowing at the red haired person seating on a white throne, with the same delicacy from before. Reminiscents of magic still on the waving fingers.

“Come” his owner told him. He was quick to kneel by their side. Feeling a hand passing through his dirty white hair. “I´ve been thinking about the improvements we could make on the experiences, Salarien. Look” the person showed the boy their journal. Filled to the very edges of the paper, Salarien read through it all and looked back at their owner with the same hollow eyes. The ginger was not surprised. Salarien wasn´t meant to show emotions in front of them without an order. “Am I not the best?” Neither was he allowed to talk there. So, he settled for nodding.

“The habitants never leave, isn´t that right, Salarien?” their owner repeated lifting their chin up to him see the smirk on their face. “Except you” they said brushing their thumb against the boy´s unexpressive face “Oh, and how handy! I couldn´t tolerate any of them for even a second! You´re a very good boy” Their voice filled with honest praise wasn´t enough to make the boy´s poker face sway “They just enjoy their dream and go home, but me? Mare Land´s owner? I get to enjoy all of them. Even so, I seem to only like yours” The person´s voice filled with cockyness as they rested their chin on their hand. Savoring on Salarien´s glare. “You may go to sleep now, boy” They commanded. Salarien rose up and bowed before walking away “Another day of work awaits” they said watching the boy curl up on the floor after connecting the chain on the the wall to their own collar. Falling asleep immediately. As every night.

—-

“Smile for me” their owner told them as to wave them goodbye on his way to work. Salarien put the fake smile he wore everyday at the store and bowed as the person shushed them away. The metal door connecting to the store opened.

Going through it, Salarien´s spotless dress-coat came back a as a smile was forced into his face, now cleaner than ever.

A black ribbon tied his hair, long to his shoulders. The boy touched it curiously. That was new. “A gift” a whisper told him from beyond the locked door. “Happy birthday, Salarien” The boy turned to the closed door.

“Thank you, my lord” he said as he bent down with a smile that hurt to fake “I´ll treasure it” he said on a cheerful demeanor. Even when he knew none of what he was wearing was real.

A whisper of a laugh haunted him as he went through the store. A magic key on their hand. They pulled a curtain besides the embroided door that was the entrance to the office and inserted the key on it. At the turn, the store was filled with screams. For just a moment, it was hell. The next, a quiet cemetery.

Salarien went to inspect on every door. The effect was that every habitant was knocked out and had no memories of the day before. He passed by one of their newer experiences. One with an albino boy. He was not sure if his owner had designed that experience with him on mind. Not that it mattered.

Salarien kept walking, checking on the hazel eyed boys, the winged creatures, the artic one, the demi human, the fox people and a long etcetera.

Salarien knew he was there, opening the store to new visitors because he had been the first of all. The first experience. So old and used, the owner would repulse the idea of sharing him. They had said it was his birthday, but that was just a foreign concept that meant nothing to him. As far as he could recall, he had had the same face, the same body, since forever.

He had wondered once why didn´t he just run away. He had all the keys, knew all the ways out, the timing, the perfect plan. But he had a feeling, that if he ever tried stepping just an inch outside the store, he would evaporate into dust.

And sent back to a very, very pissed off owner.

A human met his eyes at the store entrance and the boy hanged the smile on his lips as every other day. Bowing at the possible guest with a innate elegance.

It moved slightly, elegantly to the people passing by. Trying to invite them to put a coin on the narrow entrance below. Some of them simply ignoring it and some even jumping at the sudden movement and kicking the machine before storming away in curses. The doll seemed unbothered. It was a doll inside a box after all. The box protected it from all the pain.

Sitting still, with a smile forever plastered on its face when nobody used it.

It took until past 3 o´clock to catch it on action.

Beautiful purple light forming as smoke inside the glass box. Wood hands moving around the glass sphere with enticing delicacy and mystery. The third eye on the doll´s face flickering slightly before it puffed it´s chest, inflating non existing lungs before it began explaining something to the person before the box.

Most of them seemed pensive, reflecting and even grateful for whatever words the doll told them before walking away putting the doll back into its unresponsive state of stillness. Others simply began shaking the machine in fury, before the owner ran back to the front to stop them.

Salarien saw the curly brown hair jump as the man who had done that to the doll screamed curses at him, running away from the broom on the man´s hands. Brown eyes nailed on them before he turned to the box and fixed the slight scratches on the sides with a flick of their hand, before looking at him.

Salarien had always been there.

He didn´t remember a time he didn´t wear his tuxedo with a ribbon on his hair. Or a time he hadn´t been his Master´s property. Everyday doing the exact same had allowed him to see the young couple move across the street. Have their children and grow old together as he welcomed customers. The cozy house quickly walled up with buildings and other kind of businesses. By the time the couple´s kid brought home her husband and their “The miscellaneous Artom´s magic shop” had gained enough popularity, it was the founder´s great-great-grandchildren who managed the shop.

Or more easily explained, the man´s parents.

Salarien had seen them all grow and wither, and he certainly didn´t expect that to change anytime soon, but it certainly brought him some joy to see them grow and sometimes even have the children wave at him with a smile. Salarien always waved back below his waist. Terrified his Master would pick up on him doing things that weren´t his duties. But after a little incident in which he had gotten distracted and waved at the black haired owner that time, and saw nothing happened, he knew his Master didn´t care.

In all those generations, the man with the white apron and curly brown hair was the only one who had trotted to talk with him.

Some of them were terrified. Hearing stories of the white haired in tuxedo who never aged and their grandparents talked about too. Immortality was rarely achieved between mages, and the receiver of a theater didn´t make it seem like he was a high exponent of magic. Or so Salarien thought.

“It´s your face” the young man had said once, biting on a peach Salarien couldn´t eat, but kept on his pocket to give his Master later. It kind of pained him as Arlo had been excited to bring two for him to eat. Proud he had grown them himself with magic. “Grannie never stopped saying your face was similar to a ancient magician. He never made anything important anyways, but he wrote a lot of books we run out of stock every week. Probably just her being senile tho´. Don´t mind it”

“What is that magician´s name, Arlo?” he had insisted. Arlo eyeing him from the wall he was leaning on before looking back at the shop.

“Merlin Atkins” The young man whispered. “Rings a bell?”

Salarien shook his head, touching the tender peach´s skin. Feeling it under his fingerprints and looking at it with something close with hunger, but he knew better than that. He heard Arlo groan.

“Man it would´ve been so great if you knew him! So spooky! I would have an great story to scare my kids with! Just would have to start at night and then walk them here with you on full costume so on my signal you would just “BAH!” them you know?” He ranted, making the white haired smile. Genuinely a smile his Master didn´t force to get clients. Talking of which…

“Be welcomed to Mare Land, shall we get started on your adventure?” Salarien said in that refined bow Arlo wondered all the time how he wouldn´t crack his back after he did it that much. He pulled away from the brick wall and walked back to his store.

“See you around, Salarien!” he howled before a woman emerged from the window, his mother, and began shouting he didn´t get close to the theatre before he entered the store with a sigh.

Salarien on his part smiled to himself as he saw the delight on his Master´s face as he ate the peach. Even earned him a night sleeping next to him on the bed for bringing a present.

Back to the present, Salarien had then greeted Arlo the way a friend would. Not further thoughts as Arlo´s attention had shifted to pulling up his one year old toddler who ran out of the store. A mess of cherry blond curls and brown eyes babbling on her blue little dress for her father to hold her. The mother had been a precious client before sickness took her and Salarien had had to hold himself of doing something stupid like trying to walk out of the store when he didn´t see Arlo coming out in months.

He seemed to be recovering as he waved at him and pointed at the box with the doll with a frown. Waiting for him to shrug before pulling his lips up. Tired eyes with bags underneath, showing wrinkles on the sides. Slowly walking inside with the toddler on his arms facing Salarien before disappearing behind the chime of a bell.

It would be another generation he would see grow in front of him.

He stared at the doll for a moment. Longer than he had done in the whole day. Seeing the sunset tainting it on pretty colors as the lights inside flickered slightly when they were switched on.

The way it was only responsive until someone came, the way it went still and silent when there was nobody to please…it vaguely reminded him of himself.

The doll his Master had kept on a much larger box.

Forever a smile on his face whether he was being used or not. Only able to rest when he slept dreamless nights. To wake up and continue doing the routine he was made to perform.

That night, he closed the front doors to a bag of peaches and a note. From Arlo and Sally, his daughter. He couldn´t cry so he had limited himself to say thank you like a broken record, when the mother told him what her name would be.

He kept the note inside the bag and when he was carefully giving it to his Master Rogue allowed him to keep it. He had bowed and given a kiss on their fingertips as a thank you for such kindness before he slipped off the bed and folded the note to put it below his mat on the floor. Next to other little letters Arlo had sent him, right next to the little real presents his Master gave him sometimes. Like the pretty seashell and the tiger rocks he kept on a wood carved chest.

When his Master pulled him next to them and Salarien found his way to lay his head over their chest, he didn´t expect them to pull a coat over his shoulders.

“For you” Salarien heard them purr on their ear, their breath carrying the sweet smell of peach as they felt the soft fabric against his skin. He hadn´t been allowed to smile, so he simply snuggled closer. Putting their leg between his Master´s like they liked so much. A hand over their waist as he felt them rub little circles over his shoulder.

He might be a doll inside a box that pleases its Master, but the difference was the doll in the box outside of Arlo´s store didn´t feel joy for pleasing him. It couldn´t feel the warmth of his Master´s present when it slept on the mat on the floor, chained to the wall again. Or how good it felt to be touched and praised for never daring stepping out of its cage.

The boy shrugged. His master nodded staring back at the door before walking away. “If it doesn´t get 30 visitors in the next three months, I´ll replace it” They said. Salarien´s heart sank a bit as they followed. It was one of the first experiences. He remembered his master feeling particularly proud of it back in the day. But now they wouldn´t even look back as they praised newer experiences with a tap on their door.

The mage opened the door to the experience, only fog engulfed by darkness as far as his eyes could tell, and stretched their arm “Could you take out the box?” Salarien knelt next to his master and leaned into the cape. It was like putting your hand inside a paint bucket. Slimy and cold, but not sticky. He tainted around until he found a box and took it out. His hands were covered in black goo with sparkles that resembled a galaxy. The liquid burning him to the bone “Open it, please” they commanded him. The boy was poker faced as he focused on turning a switch clockwise and then pull it up. The box opened to reveal concentrated black goo with a ring of purple bubbling liquid around it. The black goo was acidic enough, that small drops made holes on the floor. “If you may” they told their servant grabbing the handle of the door. Salarien prepared to throw it.

Before the door slammed shut, Salarien catched a bright light. Only followed by infernal screamings of various voices. His burnt hands trembled on his sides when the mage took them and gave them a kiss. Salarien let out a small whine as he saw the burnt skin heal and cover the newly formed muscle and bones.

“That goo is like clouds for mages. Wonder why it does that to you…” they said as they opened the door again, revealing a room covered in black goo and the box on the middle. The sole of his burning up wasn´t pain he didn´t know already.  Normal replacement procedure.

Salarien ran to grab the box and give it back to his master with a small bow. They put it back in the cape like nothing. Taking out a piece of coal instead. The mage whispered words Salarien couldn´t understand and looked prideful at the mineral as it gleamed for a second. His master walked to the boy and masterfully pinched the sides of his face, exactly at the point it forced his mouth open. “Open wide~” they said putting the coal on the far back of his mouth and shutting it until the boy swallowed.

It took a moment until the boy felt a pain rising up his throat. Squeezing his eyes shut as he regurgitated something in his master´s hand. The boy trembled as the other stared at the gem on his hands. Blue with orange and white lines running over it as tiger stripes. The mage smiled as they dropped it in the ground. “On to the best part”

As the gem touched the floor, it faded into a sea of clouds. As they went down Salarien could see dunes that moved along what the had been a city. Going even lower black goo webs starting forming people on a laboratory at a pace eyes couldn´t follow. Lab coats, glasses, gloves and surgical wear forming on the go as the people who wore them moved around ignoring them. In the tanks one of the scientists was looking over, a fetus popped up, quickly growing into a boy with curly hair and a metal plank over his eyes. A big air bubble went up and disappeared as the boy´s chest expanded and then went down. A monitor that wasn´t there before, showing a pulse and beeping rythmically. More bubbles going up as they boy breathed slowly.

The boy in the tank reached to the mage as they got close. Lifting his hand towards the tank´s glass before getting zapped. Salarien turned his head at the exact moment his owner laughed at him. He felt them grab his arm and take him outside before closing the door.

“Ok, last step, Salarien” they said putting the boy´s hand next to his. Touching the door. “1, 2…3!”

“Anima!” Both of them yelled as a loud bang shook the building a bit.

The mage rested their hands on their hips with a proud smile on their face. Just at the moment Salarien´s legs gave out and violently trembled on the ground. “Oh?” the mage looked at him for a second before kneeling “Oh, yeah. I always forget you can die making new experiences” they said laying the boy on his lap. His hands lighting up to a wheeze “Well, gotta keep that tummy of yours functional if I want to keep this shop going” they said slapping somewhat harsh the boy´s abdomen. He covered his face with his hands to not let out a scream “If seeds furnaces didn´t require vital energy I would have put it on my own stomach” they said as they healed the boy. The tremor slightly getting better. “But having to taste coal? Yikes! Good thing golems like you can take it” the mage put his hands away and let the boy straighten by himself.

He still felt weak and dizzy. Shaking a bit as he stood up, not enough to make him fall, but feeling his limbs as heavy as lead. “Aw, look at you” The mage cupped his flushed face and he leaned into the comforting touch of his master with a purr. “all needy and trembly” they said before lifting him up bridal style. The boy was almost weightless for them. “I love it when you look like that. The best part of replacing, to be honest” they said walking back to the office.

His owner laid him down on their own bed and covered them with their blankets. Giving them a kiss on the forehead before standing up and dropping their cape over the white throne. His master´s bed felt cozy and warm. Very different to the ratty mat he slept on. He forced himself to stay awake to catch a glimpse of his master´s magic, he so much loved seeing.

Vivid colored lights and sparkles made the shapes of animals made of pure light. Clouds of nebula floating around the mage´s hair as small creatures rushed around them. It was an spectacle he loved watching when he could.

Salarien didn´t know if he hated his master. He didn´t have much owners to compare them to anyways. Even if the pain was immense, the comfort he would feel after was greater. It made him feel like his master loved him enough to never throw him away.

The naive views of the golem were nothing to the mage, who noticed the boy hadn´t fallen asleep yet and created a light butterfly as the boy´s smile widened.  The soft smile quickly turned into a horrified face as he realized he had broken a rule.

The mage ran a hand through his hair. “It´s ok, it´s your reward for today. Smile for me, Salarien” they said before whispering into the air as light animals and vivid clouds formed a galaxy of things that catched the boy´s attention. A wide smile on his face as he stared in awe at his creator´s magic.

Salarien wouldn´t ever remember it, but the mage did. The moment the clay figure chased a light purple butterfly on the mage´s apprentice desk. The apprentice staring happily at the first golem they had made as they rested their head on bandaged arms. The butterfly puffed out and the golem turned to see it´s creator.

The young apprentice straightened up and blinked as the small clay figure bent down “My…Name´s…Salarien”

Yet, the doll was not new to his Master’s acts of pure unhinged anger and knew that in the moment he heard them sigh and curse about the smell, they would come fix him.

They would gather him in his arms, shushing little nothings and soothing his aching skin. Warm fingers tracing the cuts they have left barely moments before. There was something about their carefulness after a hellish beating that made the doll melt in their arms, nosing his way to the crook of his neck so his Master held him closer, tighter.

Once they wrapped their arms around him with a soft kiss that healed every broken bone, Salarien would have his gentle Master back.

As everything in this world, things come to an end regardless of how pleasing the process is.

Salarien let out a weak whimper as he was deposited back on his bed on the floor, some bruises still there as decoration, he guessed. The way his Master brushed his hand over them told him so.

“I’m sorry, Salarien…” they lamented soothing his cheek with their thumb. Eyes regaining some of their shine when Salarien shook his head and looked at his Master as if he was a saint, holding their hand in his own before rubbing himself into their palms.

Guilt washed over the magician, when they pulled their hand away and their doll, sweet as ever, trailed after them before letting a hurt little whine.

They laughed bitterly before pulling the doll into a hug, the chain connecting his collar to the wall, clinking loudly with the movement. Salarien rejoiced on his Master’s arms, and even dared to wrap his own around their waist.

They held each other for a long time, right there on the floor of the thrashed room with splatters of blood drying in every corner.

“Why do you let me hurt you this much?” The magician whispered.

Salarien opened his mouth, taking the question as permission to talk.

“Because I exist to satisfy you” he echoed before leaning his head on their shoulders “Sometimes Master needs a punching bag and if that’s what Master wants me to be, I will gladly become one”

His Master stayed quiet for a long time.

“…what if one day I can’t heal you?”

Salarien’s face eased up and let out a joyful laughter.

“Impossible. Master would never break something they can’t fix”

Their doll’s absolute trust on them pulled a smile on their face.

“Im talking in a “what if”, scenario, sweetheart”

Instead of responding immediately, Salarien further curled on their arms. He had missed being held that long and wouldn’t waste a chance that may not come in another 10 years. However, he knew he had to answer before they lost their temper again.

“Then I would wait. I would endure until you found a way. No matter how long it took. As long as I can go back to you in the end…” he sighed happily on their chest “Master has never hurt me in a way that I couldn’t be fixed. It won’t happen”

His Master said no more as they sat on their mat that night, holding him close until he fell asleep. They were careful to not crush anything under his mat. The trinkets they gave him and he kept hidden as an invaluable treasure.

Once Salarien fell completely asleep, they unlocked his collar. Earning a pleased purr from the doll who recognized his Master’s touch even while dreaming.