Chapter 14 – Stockholm Syndrome 5

[Earth Spike]!

The Earth element manifested near Sutak Ormsindro. It then extended towards the weird kid diagonally. The latter was sitting squarely on the ground. The angle of its elevation was adjusted to hit his forehead.

…

…

But then the spike stopped its tracks. It was just a few centimeters away from piercing that annoying head.

The bandit leader was grinding his teeth. He was indeed planning on ending everything with that attack. But he then saw the eyes of the weird. It was unwavering. It gave off the feeling of staring against an unmovable mountain.

This made Sutak halt the manifestation of his ability. He asked sternly,

"You didn't even flinch. Are you making fun of me?"

"No I don't."

"Then stop staring at me with those eyes! Do you really think that I will not kill you for real?"

"Of course not."

The weird kid answered readily. His replies were infuriating though. And if he did not stop talking like that, the earth spike would resume its movement. Fortunately, the kid continued speaking. He added,

"But you do look like you don't want to end things like this. Well not until you get your answers at least? That's what my gut feeling tells anyway."

"Gut feeling!"

Sutak blurted out. He could not believe what he was hearing. If all things could be solved with the use of gut feeling then the world would have been a better place.

Nonetheless it was the right call this time. Just this time, it does not work every time, okay?

The bandit leader struggled in his thoughts. He sighed is exasperation. He then admitted,

"Ha! Fine! First question, how can you avoid my Earth spikes that easily?"

"Constant training and exercise."

"Bullcrap! If it was just that easy then everyone can avoid my ability!"

The bandit leader snapped. He began regretting the idea of entertaining the last words of the weird kid. However the regret had only began.

"Actually, it is. As long as you're expecting the attack, your ability can easily be predicted."

"Lies!"

Sutak could not believe such claims. He just thought that the weird kid was messing with him. But on second thought, perhaps it did make sense?

The bandit leader then swore to himself that he would improve his ability in the future. He would develop it into something that could be effective in a direct confrontation from now on. But he would never admit that in front of the weird kid.

Thus Sutak decided to change the topic of the conversation. He then said,

"Next question. What are you doing in the evening exactly?"

"Sleeping?"

"Don't lie! If you're really sleeping then why do you still take naps at noon?"

"I need more sleep. I'm injured after all."

The answers were irritating but they do make sense. But Sutak could not shake off the feeling that the weird kid was hiding something. He was kind of expecting that though. The prisoner never said that he would answer the questions truthfully after all.

Crumble!

Sutak released his ability that he was holding off for a while now. Pausing the manifestation of an element mid-way costs energy after all. He then sat down the ground. He looked at the owner of those eyes with black pupils. He confessed,

"Why don't you want to join my group? I'll be honest here. I want to recruit a fire ability-user. I really do."

"But can't you just find another fire-user?"

"Do you know how difficult it is to find a human who developed an ability? In this province, it's one in a thousand. One in five thousand if you're looking for a specific element."

The estimation above was technically inaccurate. But it did carry some truth. The province they were currently in was still a distance away from the Capital. In such areas, the vaccines being distributed had lower efficacy. This is compared to the ones being administered on other advanced cities situated at the center of the country.

This was why having an ability was quite precious in this place. And the reason why recruiting a new ability-user was challenging for the Orm Bandits. Aside from the lack funds that is.

Fire element was not a rare element actually. That title belonged to a different one after all. But the uses of a fire-type ability were in-demand. That was why most groups, bandit or not, would try to secure this kind of people immediately.

In addition, most of the fire-users Sutak had met were insufferable pricks. The kid was the first fire-user that he could meet in the eyes this way. Although the kid had some 'peculiar' characteristics, it was still somewhat manageable.

The bandit leader then continued,

"Was it because of that thin guy who's abusing you? If so, I can make him shut up. I can make them all shut up."

Sutak had noticed that the one he was talking to was not interested on saving his reputation. He was a 'weird' kid after all. Perhaps he even enjoyed being treated that way?

But the bandit leader was a gallant leader. He should show some degree of understanding to his potential recruit. Hence, the he tried to include another factor in the offer. He added,

"Just say yes, and I'll bring you to riches more than you can imagine."

"I can't. I still have better things to do than becoming a bandit."

"Better things?"

Sutak asked when he heard the reply. He grew curious on what was better than having riches on your pocket.

But the answer he received surprised him.

"I want to destroy the sun!"

The sun? As in the one floating in the sky right now?

Sutak was dumbfounded. He could not believe such a ridiculous idea. In his surprise, he blurted out involuntarily,

"W-why?"

And what he heard in return were absolute bananas.

"The extreme radiation of the mutated sun had not just affected the humanity physically but emotionally as well."

The weird kid answered passionately. He explained his reason with conviction. He continued,

"The malevolent energy from the radiation is corrupting our morals, our desires, and even our sanity. That's why you're a bandit now. That's why people are acting like savages."

"You're wrong. You're wrong!"

Sutak refused the idea. Because that would be like going against what he had suffered throughout his adult life. He added,

"Humanity had always been like this from the very beginning. Radiation or not we are just a bunch of savages."

"Then are you saying that you are a bandit even before the apocalypse? That the overexposure to radiation had not forced you to be this way?"

Sutak squinted his eyes. He could not help but remember his life before the apocalypse. He was what most people would call as a typical –

'No, no, no! That is no longer my life!'

The bandit leader shook his head to snap out of his thoughts. He then glared at the tied-up prisoner. He said,

"You know nothing. You're just a naïve kid."

"I'm not a kid. I'm already twenty-five, old man."

"And I'm not old! I'm just thirty-nine!"

Sutak snapped. If there was something he did not want to talk about, aside from his hair style, it was his age. Now, his self-image of a gallant leader was broken twice.

The weird kid seemed to have noticed that such attack was super effective. He then followed through.

"Oh really? Then you should be mature enough to settle for a compromise."

"What compromise exactly?"

"I can't join your group. And you don't want to kill me. You said it would be a waste after all. If that is the case then just set me free."

The weird kid paused for a few seconds. He took a deep breath. He then continued,

"We have some grievances that much is true. I cannot forgive you. But I do understand that you did what you did to survive. We're both adults. Let's just go our separate ways and not meet each other again."

"I was mistaken. You're not a naïve kid. You're just a nutjob."

"?!"

"It might be true that losing a human ability-user will be shame. But I can still think of use for you."

Sutak stood up. He then threw the piece of meat to the prisoner. It hit his chest and bounced off to the ground.

Although such action was a waste, the bandit leader ignored such thoughts. He turned his back on the prisoner. He coldly declared,

"Eat up. A few days from now, you'll be sold as a slave."

Slave-trading was active on the apocalypse once again. This was a world where all the necessary commodities became more valuable than they used to. Even human lives would be for sale here. Especially those that had developed an ability. They would definitely be sold off at a high price.

Sutak walked away from the prisoner. He took a glance after a few meters. The tied-up lunatic was eating the meat on the ground.

The bandit leader snorted. He then saw the thin but tall lackey approach. The latter asked,

"Boss, why sell him? I already told you right? We should have just absorbed his soul energy in the first place."

Sutak was not surprised that the lackey named Apatze knew about his decision. He did notice the thin lackey was eavesdropping on the conversation he had with the prisoner. He answered,

"Enough. I don't want to absorb the soul energy of a nutjob. Do you?"

Soul energy was the life essence of a creature. There was a belief that it also carried a fragment of the fallen's personality. Sutak would rather sell off the weird kid than be infected by his lunacy.

"Yuck."

Apatze winced. His face might be showing disgust. But he seemed to be actually relieved. His insecurity with the prisoner was obvious to see after all.

There was no need to point this out to the lackey though. Hence the bandit leader let it go. He instead ordered,

"Just stop making fun of the prisoner. He's a merchandise now after all."

"Hahaha, yes boss."

Evening arrived. The Orm Bandits prepared their camp for tonight as the members decided on their guard duty. They would change course for tomorrow. They were to head towards a city that has a slave market.

The bandit leader could actually do this kind of transaction in their base. But he did not want the other bandits know that he got involved with such a lunatic.

'What a waste.'

Sutak sighed. He had spent his entire guard duty thinking. He was trying to convince himself that he could make the tied-up prisoner reconsider the offer. But alas, he refused to do so. He would rather get this over now than risk being infected with that nutjob.

He went to his sleeping place. He closed his eyes and began his slumber.

But then,

He heard a commotion once again. He could no longer condone such conduct. He got angry and shouted,

"Apatze! Keep it down already!"

"Okay."

"?!"

Sutak was alarmed. The voice that answered did not belong to Apatze! The bandit leader quickly opened his eyes. He was surprised with the outline that he saw.

It was the crazy prisoner! It was definitely him! But how did he escape?

"Bye. Bye."

BAM!

Sutak was hit by a right punch. He was not even able to process such events properly. He simply fell unconscious.