Lich’s Old and New View of the World

Before her eyes flash with a newfound determination placed a black spherical pellet into the barrel of her gun, went to the next cage and pulled the trigger on the lock of the cage, blasting the lock to pieces before opening the door and comforting the people inside and led them out of the cage waving them goodbye as some of them thanked her for saving them. She repeated this process, moving on to cell by cell.

"Hey"

"Hey!" I called out to her in an attempt to stop her unnecessary and harmful actions. Nevertheless, she ignored me and continued freeing them.

Upset and displeased with her lack of action or care for what I had said, I clenched her hand tightly and pulled her towards me, ensuring that she was facing me.

"Listen to me, what you are doing will only harm them and others! Why can't you let nature takes its course?" I asked, almost begging her to stop what she was doing and hoping she could realise the uselessness of her actions.

Hearing my words, Samantha stared deep and hard into the embers in my eyes as she replied, "Didn't you use to do the same thing? Isn't this what you have always been doing? The 'YOU' in the past would have broken open the cages without hesitation and freed them all in a heartbeat. Didn't you use to say that even if one out of the millions is saved, it would be worth it? Weren't you the one that taught and preached about giving people a chance? If one person, against all odds, manages to live a proper and fulfilling life, the sacrifice for this person's happiness, no matter how great, would be worth it".

Hearing her words, each point she stated pierced my heart as though there were no physical wounds, her words struck me like an invisible stake, hurting me deeply as I knew what she said was true, and it was what the old me believed. The old naive and narrow-minded me believed in.

"Didn't you?" Samantha questioned me again in a mocking tone. Mocking me most likely for my current cowardice towards the situation and the hypocrite that I ended up being.

Without me realising, my grip over her relaxed as she took this opportunity to wiggle out of my grasp and continued to free them.

"I – I was wrong… T – The few do not outweigh the many. It is the many that outweigh the few." I replied shakingly while reminiscing about the war I waged ten thousand years ago. The screams of despair, agony and helplessness surrounded me as I continued to slaughter my way through, laughing like a mad man enjoying the screams and decapitated bodies as they fed my insanity.

Or when I freed people like Samantha is currently doing, thinking that what I had done was a meritorious service, but later in life, I found out that I had only ended up ruining people's lives, that my actions had done more harm than good. It doesn't matter if one out of the million led a better life if the cost of it was a thousand other good lives being destroyed. I realised that I couldn't keep ignoring the thousands of others and focus on the one good life. It should never be quality over quantity but finding that subtle balance between them.

"Please. Stop. Don't do things you will regret in the future," I begged her again, hoping that this time she would listen.

"No. And trust me, I will not regret this one," she replied while opening another cage's door and letting another person out.

Irritated at her nonchalant and stubborn attitude, I snapped and decided, 'since words do not seem to get through to you, you forced my hand' with that, I struck my bindle on the ground and cast another fear spell, but this time make them fear the outside world making them think that the cage is their only solitude.

With that, the person Samantha just let out stopped in her steps as she trembled, seeing the exit where just one more step and she would be able to leave this place. As if seeing her worst fear at the exit, she slowly walked backwards, with each step being wider and quicker as she quickly turned around and made a beeline back into her cage. In her cage, a look of tranquillity appears on her face as she lays down on the ground without a care in the world, like she was in paradise.

After seeing the women's actions, Samantha gave me a furious look and snarled, "Why! Why are you doing this! Release the spell! You!"

After saying this, she dashed toward me like a raging bull and punched, hit and struck me repeatedly, venting her anger on me while growling at me," Release them! You, you bastard! You self-centred hypocrite! You…"

Before she could continue any more of her tantrums, I cast a sleep spell on her ending this farce as I carried her body with me out of the tent.

"One day, you will understand that what I did hear today is for your own good," I muttered under my breath with her over my shoulder wishing that she could one day appreciate everything I have done for her is for her own good.

Before I stepped out, I stopped at the exit and yelled, "I know you are awake and conscious, you better find the people freed and bring them back or I will personally see to your demise".

"Yes, yes your wish is my command," the meek voice of the merchant sounded. Hearing his reply, I walked back out and saw Old Eddie there together with the younger children and the triplets all lying around him fast asleep under a tree.

Hearing my footsteps coming closer to him, Old Eddie woke up with vigilance in his eyes before slowly relaxing and smiling when he saw my familiar silhouette.

"What took you so long?" he asked.