I opened my eyes as I have many times over the past week to see the Masked man standing over me. He was sharpening the cleaver that he had used several times to remove my fingers in a way that made me very uncomfortable. I strained in the chair in hopes of getting some form of movement but to no avail. I realized quickly that was a mistake.

The Masked man stopped sharpening the cleaver and looked over towards me. I could feel his gaze eating at me like a fear toxin. All I could do was tremble. “Good! You’re awake.” he said in such high spirits that it made me sick. I couldn’t believe that someone like this could even exist.

“P-Please let, me go. I want to go home.” I begged as tears began welling up in my eyes. I was too afraid to control my emotions. I could be calm and rational within the world of stars but only because pain didn’t register over there. Here on the other hand was different. I was mortified of this man and anything he could do to me. My imagination wasn’t that far off from what he could actually do since I can grow back my limbs.

“Oh I would send you home now if I could, but remember that I need you to do something for me and you aren’t exactly complying as well as I had hoped.”

“I told you already, I can’t save them-”

“Lies!!!” He yelled whilst punching my face. “You can save them! You just aren’t trying hard enough!”

“Jesus Christ, I’ve done everything I can. Please just let me go.”

“No, even if I can’t make you go back, cutting you into pieces is absolutely therapeutic. To add to this your ability to heal is improving marvelously. Your fingers have grown back completely overnight. I wonder how fast it will be in a fortnight?”

I struggled in the chair desperately in the hope that by some herculian miracle I could break out. I didn’t want the torture to continue as it had before but I couldn’t break the bindings. They barely budged from their original spots.

“Now let’s begin.” he said, picking the butcher's knife back up. “I think I’ll start here.” he exclaimed as he held the cleaver to my shoulder and drew it down my chest at an angle slowly. The cut was only deep enough to allow blood to leak out but not enough to cut through my muscles. I couldn’t help but winced in pain as he did it.

“You bitch.”

“How rude, but it’s to be expected. I am hurting you. Although I would like you to know that as the Masked man I have people I need to protect.”

“You’re not even the Masked man, just an imposter!” he grabbed my throat.

“And what may I ask would bring you to that conclusion?” he asked angrily.

“My power told me you aren’t the real Masked man.”

“Well, you’re correct. I am not the real Masked man. The real Masked man disappeared from existence when King Arthur died. There have been many imposters since than an I am simply the newest one.”

“But why?”

“Fear, the name in itself can instill fear in anyone who knows of it. Even Mordred is terrified of the name. Why do you think she hates him so much?”

“Because he killed her father.”

“No, she has lived long enough that revenge has become pointless. She hates him because he was able to kill someone that was capable of destroying an entire empire if he so desired. That is something anyone would find terrifying.”

I couldn’t reply. I didn’t think about it like that. Was Mordred really as scared of the real Masked man as I was of this imposter. If that was the case then he must truly be a monster. I couldn’t think about it for too long though as he dragged the cleaver from my other shoulder down to my stomach. I winced in pain again as he did. But when he did I saw the door open. A rather plump woman in her mid to late thirties walked in holding a basket full of food.

She had her hair covered with a bonnet and was dressed similarly to that of a midwife. A brown gown with a white apron. Her face was covered in freckles and she had glazed over hazel eyes. She wasn’t exactly a sight for sore eyes but maybe she could save me. That idea however changed when she gave me a smug grin and walked over to me.

“Didn’t think you would have believed me so easily at that tavern. You actually went on your own way sooner than we had hoped and now my part of the deal is done. I have you to thank for that.” she said.

“What?”

“Oh you probably don’t recognize me. I was the old man you noticed at the tavern. To think that you would know the man I changed into.”

“How did you know that I would be there?”

“I didn’t, I was just getting a drink. I was going to follow you until I could convince you but you instead just sat down beside me. I told you before that it was divine fate that we had met there and I meant it.”

“But what about your code.”

“All lies, there is no such code for any changeling. That’s why we are almost extinct. If there were any with that sort of code they would have been wiped out just for being one of us.” the changeling spouted proudly.

“Enough, Elick. You’re ruining my fun.”

“Oh come now Masked one, I am enjoying this just as much as you. I wouldn’t have made a deal with you if it wasn’t a win-win situation for me.” he said before slamming a piece of mouldy bread into my mouth. It tasted like ass but I didn’t know how long they were going to keep me from starving so I chewed it as best I could without gagging.