"No!!" Edge screamed as the guards began to strip him of his dirty clothes. "You can't do this! I didn't do what I'm being accused of! You have to believe me! Somethingis not right of all of this!"
He struggled furiously not to allow them, but one of the guards hit him with his elbow to his forehead, making him crash to the floor.
'How are they so strong.' He thought. "I can't even fight one of them.' He had fought in his other world all the time, arguments would erupt and he would fight his opponent. He used his fists all the time, but here he was so weak. Why?
The guards succeeded in removing his clothes and they brought him up stark naked to the crowd. The crowd cheered and roared in delight but secretly some women were giving appreciative glances to the 'gift' down below.
A stake was mounted and Edge was forced to the position and tied with strong rough ropes. He gritted his teeth and tried to break out of the ropes but he couldn't.
"It's futile." One of the guards commented. "The ropes are filled with mana and a cripple like you who didn't awaken can not remove it. I suggest you stop"
Edge had totally forgotten there was the concept of mana in the novel and now he was paying the price with his dignity. He was going to be whipped in front of the whole town, worst of all, the very same people that had framed him were going to watch him suffer.
A second later, another guard brought out the long whip which was decorated with spikes and nails, he casually dipped it in what appeared to be boiling salt water before he stood behind Edges exposed back.
He turned to where the Duke stood, waiting for him to give the signal, the Duke nodded and that was all it took.
Crack!
The guard raised the whip and with a resounding crack, the whip struck Edges trembling black flesh like lightning. Edge choked on pain, his eyes bulging, the whip striking him without warning, his back on fire. He began to struggle furiously as the pain registered.
'Fuck! Fuck!' He thought. 'Is that nails and spikes?! Why does it hurt so fucking much! I'm on fire!"
Crack!
The second whip strike came unexpectedly, the whip striking his flesh carving a stroke on his back, blood and small particles of flesh coming away with the whip. Edge clenched his hands ashe curled his feet hard as the pain washed all over his body. He was struggling not to let out the scream that was forming in his lungs!
Crack!
Another whip strike and this time, Edge couldn't hold out the scream anymore. It exploded out of his mouth and echoed over the unusual silent crowd witnessing the spectacle before them. As the whipping continued, resounding cracks were audible, EEdges'screams so loud his throat became worse, the Duke stood nearby watching, his face expressionless like he was watching a daily occurrence.
Cedric, Isabella, and Maria watched the whole thing, their face showing no expression too,, like they had been trained in the way of showing no emotion while people suffered.
"Fuck you, you bastard!" Edge snarled at the Duke, hatred and rage all in the words, his face a mask of fury. "I wish you die! I wish you to be impotent in your life! You're a fucking lunatic with power!"
Edges personality had been brought back. His foul-mouthed nature from his original world had surfaced and now he wasscreaming insults as he was whipped. The slight problem was that he had forgotten this was not his world, this body was originally not his own and his outburst had beenwatched the nobles.
Duke Leonard raised an eyebrow as he stared at the livid Edge. Something was not right with the boy. He had known the boy since he was little. As the outcast of his family, born due to an experiment that had saved his father, he was treated with disgust as the family's black sheep. Leonard himself treated him the same way when he visited. The boy had also failed to awaken. He was weak, timid, and shy, a sharp contrast to his step-siblings.
But he had planned the marriage to his eldest daughter not of allegiance as he had said but because of his daughter's request to marry him because of her fetish of female domination to a black human being. Out of love, he accepted and did as she asked but now this disgrace dared to assault his other daughter. That was the last straw. He had to be punished. But the funny thing was he was not seeing fear on his face, just pure hatred.
As the whip strike concluded, it was visible to see that Edge had become unconscious, his back was a painting of fresh scars, and blood was still dripping from the wounds.
The guards untied him and he crashed to the floor, bloody and naked under the harsh sunlight as the citizens erupted in cheers and roars.
The Duke stepped forward, his hand pointed to Edge as he lay unconscious on the floor. "Citizens of Rutenaria, this is what the law of our great emperor tells us to do when someone disregards the law and tries to commit a terrible act, I implore you to control yourself unless you want to end up as this fellow."
The citizens cheered then they were dismissed, returning to their daily activities. Prince Cedric, Isabella, and Maria got up and walked into the castle while the Duke beckoned his guards.
"Leave the dog here until tomorrow." He spoke. "He'll walk the long journey home to Evercrest but a guard must be there to have the chair around his neck and follow him."
The guards nodded and Leonard walked into the castle, the guards following suit as they left the unconscious Edge for the sun to see his dignity in broad colours.
A/N:
Please note that Edge and Darren are the same. Very soon Darren will cease to exit but for now please be patient. Thank you.