'Agony' was such a tiny word, and yet it conveyed an entire spectrum of meaning that could not be conveyed. In a sort of macabre way, it was somewhat magical when Reed thought about the semantics of the word.
Agony. A-g-o-n-y. Derived from the Human-Greek word 'agonia,' which itself defined as a struggle or contest for victory...
That was where Reed was mentally at the moment. He was so far gone that he had receded into his own mind for refuge. Needless to say, it was a pathetic sight to behold, but that was the price Reed had chosen to pay for the sake of peace.
A beautiful hall that would have made even the wealthiest man in Mulia blister in jealously surrounded a very long dining table, which held more than two dozen individuals at once.