[A/N: TW there will be depictions of torture and mental breakdown]

Chapter 5: To sink into the depths

Ignoring the nonsense going on around him the man who marked the family gently picked up the mother bringing her over towards her family. They were all exhausted, the daughter falling unconscious the moment relief hit her. The son trying his best to power through the tiredness washing over him, but as the man brought his mother, seeing her peacefully sleeping finally broke his resolve so he fell too. Finally the father did not falter as other than relief for the safety of his with and children he burned with an endless rage and resolve to die before letting such a thing happen again. So while bound in chains forced on his knees his back remained straight watching the man carry his wife over.

"Do not trouble yourself so much, no one will attempt to bring harm too your family until we part" as he said that he placed the mother down in front of her family then walked over to undue their binds while continuing to speak "Although I will not stop you if you decide to walk away I would suggest that you wait until we make it too the next town" 

Looking down at the father he just freed when he just received silence as a reply, he saw the man briefly glare at him, right in his eyes, but it was short as such things as anger and vengeful thoughts take no precedence over his family. So he turned and ignored him while checking the wounds and health of his wife and children. 

Understanding that the father is probably rather upset with him testing their families resolve with his game he decides to give a final piece of advice before leaving them be "We have a few people who can heal wounds although only one is through powers while the rest are just competent doctors. You can ask for any of them and I'll settle the bill. You will have a caretaker assigned to your family, they will take care of your needs and act as a guard until you decide to leave our group. With that I wish you a lovely rest of your night and I thank you for being such wonderful souls"

After all of that he turned to the rest of the group the were still going on about punishing a demon with religious zeal he sighed, shook his head, and walked off too see who would get to be the artist this time around. 

After a few minutes of being knocked out the young showpiece awoke, groggy and in pain, confused and trying to figure out what exactly just happened to him. He realized quickly that he was bound in chained and had a torniquet in place. Seeing his arm or lack there of he immediately snapped out of his dazed state and remember all that just happened. Despite his dumb and rash actions leading to this situation he wasn't actually an idiot just inexperienced. 

He should've realized that someone who can lend out what is considered their property and make everyone in this group follow his rules was not one that is easily trifled with. He also caught onto that he got led to this situation by someone in the crowd, although not sure exactly why he assumes it is most likely as some form of entertainment or the thrill and superiority of manipulating and controlling others.

Trying his best to lay low he decides to continue act in a state of shock instead of pretending to not have woken up. As he doesn't want to take the chances of someone having saw him wake up, and using that to make this situation even worse. He quickly comes of with plans, discarding what can't work and figuring out what might. One thing he also noticed quickly was just how sluggish his thoughts were as the blood loss was greatly affecting him, nonetheless he was doing his best to overcome that with sheer willpower.

While this was happening, he was actually correct at having been spotted waking up although it is unknown whether that would've impacted him heavily. The one who noticed him was the same old man who tried to guide him a bit as well as watch over the events on the small hill by the tree that held Ashai. He came over towards the group to collect his winnings from Midevas, while sitting down and counting his money he saw the boy wake up come to clarity the pretend to be lost in a shocked state.

He was quite interested to see what the boy would do, he very much doubted he could somehow survive or escape his current situation but if the boy was smart he would kill himself any second now while he had the chance. 

Unfortunately for the boy just as the old man had those thoughts some people came over with a glowing slab of metal, the air rippling from the heat radiating off of it. Before the boy could realize what was going to happen "Wakey wakey, we're making bacon sleepy head" as he finished saying that the boy was grabbed aggressively by multiple men and had his cut should slammed down onto the slab.

As that happened he immediately screamed out just like the piercing screams that sounded around the camp in declining frequency over the past week, trying to struggle and move away but he was held still like he was fighting against a mountain. Try as he might it was futile and after a minute or so of having his arm burnt, making crackling and sizzling sounds from the point of contact. They decided that was good enough and tore him away from the slab, the boy fell to the ground limply and his side that still had a good arm. 

Now even more out of it, barely even able to process what was happening he shifted around looking at everyone around him, hoping for at least something. He eventually saw the old man looking at him with an expressionless face, not a cold one there was no malice and nor was there excitement or excessive emotions, no it was one that treated this event like everyday scenery that couldn't possibly cause a ripple in his emotions.  

He tried to say something but he struggle to make any sounds so he just did his best to mouth 'help me'. The old man saw this boy helpless on the ground asking for help, tilting his head slightly in confusion that the boy would even bother to ask him for help. Scratching his cheek for a second while he thought about how to respond. The boy noticed this and finally had a glimmer of salvation for his rapidly deteriorating situation. Unfortunately for the boy the answer of salvation came in the form of the old man sticking out his tongue pretending to bite down hard and acting like he died from it. 

Confusion took over the boys face but it must have dawned on him as it turned to anger but even that cooled as he must have realized he doesn't have time for such things. What the boy must not have realized in his inexperience of the depths of madness and malice in the human heart, was that the old man suggestion was sincere and even took a bit of a risk to suggest. The old man truly could have gotten in trouble of trying to help someone condemned like this escape even if it was through suicide.

Well it's not like it matters any was since it's too late. Looking past the boy he noticed a small young woman dressing oversized to make herself look even smaller, skipping over towards the boy with a pair of pliers in one hand and a pair of glowing orange scissors in the others. 'should've taken my offer when you had the chance boy' Now that the boys fate was decided he proceeded to loose what little interest he had in this show so he went back to counting his winnings for correctly betting on the family's win.

Once the young woman made her way over to the new birdie, she pushed his chest with one of her feet laying him out on his back and bringing him back too lucidity. She cheerily told a few people to hold him down, one to hold his head and another to hold his mouth open. She lightly sat down on his chest and leaned over him staring down into his eyes. Happy as can be that she gets another birdie.

She without pausing for a moment reaches into his mouth grabs his tongue pulling it up into the air high as can be. Then with the scissors slowly starts to cut it off. He struggles once more but this time he is even weaker and more unable to fight back against what's happening.

While cutting off his tongue she is having a one-sided conversation too him. Cheerfully explaining too him his new fate.

"Toooooo late little birdie" her voice sounded so sweet so innocent as she told him his new life to be "everyone's trying to decide who gets to play with the birdie. I really wanted you after I heard you sing but everyone's saying that you did something super duper bad so they said I can't have you because my birdies always stop singing too fast. But that's okay, I convinced those silly always way to serious guys to let me do this at least" Looking through his blurry tear filled vision all he could make out was her bright shining eyes and unnervingly wide smile 'demon she.. they ha ve  to  be   de mons' he thought before passing out once again.