Side Story: Ivan [Part 2]

The grimy floors covered with greasy filth and the foul air in the room became the child's only friends when he wasn't being mutilated for Ivan's experiments. The child was forced to give his skin, nails, and hair thrice a day. Every two days he would be amputated, and once a week, the old mage would remove the child's many organs.

The purple-eyed boy passively sat through it every day, never letting even a sigh escape, no matter how much it hurt. He was always healed, eventually. The child had already adapted to the cycle before he could even begin to understand. It hurt the child, but never pained him.

There were times, though, when the child wasn't healed. Whenever the old mage failed in his experiments, his frustration would take over him, and the child was the best place to vent it out at. Despite never understanding what was happening, to the three years old who was impervious to even the act of moving, Ivan was the only one to exist. So, he forgave the mage for all the pain.

One fine day, the child felt oddly adventurous. Thanks to the old mage's magic, his mind was always in peak condition. He could make out most of the things Ivan mumbled. For the first time in 3 years, the boy stood up of his volition.

Regret.

An emotion he had not known the existence of overwhelmed him, as regret flooded the boy's mind. Dark eyes replete with madness stared at the boy. The old mage never said a word. He just looked at the boy, tearing apart his very soul. The old mage finally looked away after 10 hours had passed. The little boy stood frozen the whole time, caught in an awkward position between fully standing up and sitting down.

The boy remained in place for days. Ivan, seemingly amused by the child standing in such an awkward position, making sure to not move him whenever he used the boy or healed him. Hours, days, maybe even months, the child could not stay like that anymore. His legs gave in, not because of them weakening, but because of the child losing his mind.

He was about to fall.

Fear enveloped the purple-eyed boy as he felt every muscle in his body moving towards the ground.

What should he do?

His breathing hastened.

His eyes quivered.

His instincts kicked in.

Immediately, the boy changed his breathing. Air went through him as if he was part of the wind. His movements became natural and his presence completely died down as he moved his leg. Planting it firmly on the ground...

... The mage did not turn around.

Disbelief, relief, and finally elation. The boy experienced a myriad of emotions for the first time.

The little child had finally learned to move.

**

The child's life had become much livelier since then. He was practically invisible to the mage! He could freely move around whenever Ivan wasn't looking at him!

Giddy, the child explored the tiny room. Making sure not to make any noise by touching any tools. His world had expanded to the entire house, and he explored every nook and cranny of it many times over.

After a few days, the boy felt brave again. He was curious at what the mage always screamed with a paper in his hands. He checked it for himself.

Just when the mage had thrown one paper on the floor, the child moved. Slowly, he tiptoed towards the mage's desk. His heart throbbed with each step he took. He was afraid of being discovered. He closed in, one step every hour.

The child stretched his hands ahead. It was right there! The sheet of paper was within his reach. Gently, very gently, he grabbed the paper and pulled it towards him. He bought his hand closer and closer to his chest.

At last, the child succeeded.

He got the taste of his first robbery.

**

The child repeated everything the old mage said in his head while moving his gaze through the sheet. Scrutinizing every part of it. He could understand anything, but that didn't last long. The boy was bright and his mind was fresh. After stealing a few more sheets of paper, the boy learned written language.

He had a hard time at first but eventually got used to reading. With each sheet, his knowledge widened and his boldness amplified. From a sheet to two, from two to a complete document, and from a complete document to a book. The child read, and the child learned, never making a sound.

The child's monotone life was filled with the colors of knowledge as three more years passed...