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Rudo’s first memory was of him reaching out and grabbing a chain.
He watched the metal turn black from under his palms and travel down before it began to fizzle away into ash.
It hurt to do this. It burned, searing his palm, yet Rudo felt transfixed to do this again and again.
It felt freeing.
That maybe one day he could burn his own chains away.
Alas, whenever Rudo came back to the hell that was reality, he was still bound by his hands and ankles in a prison cell. He would still reach out and touch the chains hoping that one day they’d burn away too even if it hurt.
Every single time he watched those shackles being burnt away his hands grew darker and the pain increased. The skin around his hands were black and it was starting to go past his wrist.
It hurt. But he couldn’t stop.
Rudo heard the clanking of heavy boots walking in sync. He looked up to see two apostle guards wearing a perfectly white uniform that was in complete contrast to the dark prison he was in.
“Rudo Surebrec, as ordered from above, you are to be judged by the Gods.”
He hardly grasped their words. Rudo’s eyes were staring at something else. He hadn’t seen a lot of people in his life, but when he did it was always the same.
Every single person had invisible chains tethered to them.
Rudo did not have those chains everyone else had.
He just had physical ones put on him for a crime he did not commit.
The prison door opened and one apostle walked in holding something. “Stand.”
Rudo stood up quickly. If he was too slow they’d kick him down and order him to stand again.
He watched as the guard held out a pendent of some kind to him. It was small and he didn’t have time to see it clearly as it began to react to something.
It was glowing black, whatever that meant.
The guards looked at one another confused for a split second. The second pulled out a book and flipped through it.
Rudo wasn’t surprised something was wrong.
He was always wrong.
No matter what he did he made mistakes.
Even when he didn’t, even when he felt a scrap of happiness, something came along to take it away from him.
Rudo was only living on for one reason. And that was to find and kill the bastard who killed his dad.
“I suppose we should have expected this.” The apostle holding the book said. “Though it has never been documented before it is said that black means he has been cursed by the gods.”
The other holding the pendant scoffed. “He has no guardian spirit?”
“I doubt that.” The other said, grabbing another item. A small orb. “Everyone has spirits.”
Rudo stared at it as the magic inside of it swirled around. He saw dozens of hundreds of symbols all flashing rapidly before one settled.
One guard snorted.
“He’s been blessed by the God of Trash!”
The other laughed.
“Just as he deserves.”
When they left Rudo sat back down and pulled his legs close. It was always freezing cold in the prison. He was put here since he was accused of murdering Regto.
He would be put on trial soon.
Rudo looked down at his blackened hands, wincing when he curled them. They ached. The pain hurt.
Maybe he burned those chains because it was the only warmth he could feel, the only action he could control?
He had always wanted to reach out and grab the chains that were anchored to someone but he had never gotten the chance to. He hadn’t really wanted to before. Why would he?
It was absolutely silent here.
Completely isolated.
And soon to be mocked by the entire sphere.
Rudo wondered what he did to be cursed by the gods.
Despite all of his rage he couldn’t bring himself to actually be angry at them. They did not force people to treat him like dirt. And if he was cursed then why was Regto immune to it?
..used to. Used to. Not anymore.
Or maybe that was the curse. He had been nice to Rudo and got killed for it.
Rudo’s eyes stung. He hugged himself tighter and waited because that was all he could do. Wait, feel, and think.
His hands were bound together, encased in metal. He was forced to walk in front of a court system that looked so clean. Rudo stood out even more than usual from how dirty he was.
Tainting this place with his presence.
He winced as he glanced around at the dozens of people staring at him. Gawking like he was an animal.
They were all chained up too, but only he could see that. So many chains all tethered to something near them. Each one fades only inches from one another. Something invisible was bound to them.
Rudo wondered what they were prisoners of that he was not.
A guard shoved him hard to stand in front of a podium. He stared at the wood while a booming voice spoke down to him, but none of their words were heard.
He didn’t care what they had to say. He was going to be sentenced to death soon so it didn’t matter. He’d stay in his own head where it was safe. Far away from these assholes.
Faintly, he could feel some dull pain in his nose. Someone had slammed his head down trying to make him pay attention, but he was too far gone for that.
He saw one of those chains in front of him again.
Swaying slowly.
It was in front of his face on purpose as if someone was dangling it there, telling him to burn it away.
He could see hundreds more all in the room, moving. Waiting. Lingering near him. A web of metal chains.
Rudo reached out and grabbed it.
The familiar burning pain seared his palm and fingers but he refused to let go until the chain was gone.
His mind rubberbanded back to his own body.
His face was pressed against the wooden podium by a guard.
The guard no longer had a chain.
But he was panicking.
There was yelling and Rudo began to make out the words.
“My spirit–! It’s gone!” The apostle yelled.
Everyone was blessed by a god. Some were far more powerful than others like the God of Fortune. Those who were blessed with powerful spirits got to live on the rich side.
And everyone else was cast out due to having undesirable gods.
People do not lose their spirits until they die.
“He is cursed!” Someone screamed. “Don’t touch him!”
Rudo felt the pressure from off of him as if he was hot to the touch. His mind was swarming again. It was loud, the people in the crowds were fearful.
Of him?
Had he done that?
Rudo looked up to the judge. He was wearing mostly gold. He had a chain clamped around his neck, tethered to an invisible force.
That was different. Most people had theirs around their waist or wrists.
“--THE PIT!”
Rudo blinked back to reality fully. His stomach sank as panic set in. He knew he was going to die, but he thought it was going to be quick and painless!
Why was he being sent there?!
Rudo hissed with pain when he felt ropes around him, digging into his skin painfully. As if he couldn’t move before he certainly couldn’t now.
He was being dragged. It hurt. Not like anyone would care.
Despite it all, Rudo tried to thrash.
It was useless.
When he stopped being dragged he rolled onto his side to see the guards setting up the guillotine that hung over the world.
His eyes dropped to the ground where several invisible chains were.
He didn’t really know how he could tell the fake ones apart from real ones, but he just knew they were.
How had he burned the one in the courtroom if his hands were bound?
Rudo looked down to his hands to see they were still contained in metal. He couldn’t have touched anything.
But the chains weren’t really there. So maybe he never really needed to physically grab them.
He looked back over to the apostles.
He was going to die no matter what, so he may as well make them damn well remember him. Rudo closed his eyes and imagined himself grabbing that chain in front of him.
The yelling started instantly like wildfire.
Rudo was hauled up and dangling above the abyss.
He could see the crowd watching, desperate for him to die sooner before his curse could spread to them.
But he could see so much more now.
Every single person was tethered to a spirit by the chains.
Each God was watching Rudo silently with regret. With anguish. Unlike the people they were stuck against who were shouting for him to be dropped. They were forced to be chained to whoever it is they were summoned to, clearly unwillingly.
Rudo’s eyes drifted down and his breathing stopped as tears welled in his eyes.
Why was the spirit of Regto staring at him?
He was the closest to him, hand outstretched to grab him.
The rope tethering him to the sphere was cut and he felt the gravity pull him down.
Rudo wasn’t really scared of dying. He was just terrified it would hurt.
He saw a chain dangling in front of him in his mind's eye. Like it was urging him to grab it.
The second his fingers touched it he saw the metal that trapped his hands bend and morph into something new as the chain wrapped itself around him.
Then Rudo blacked out.
It hurts.
Rudo’s first thought is always that when waking up. It always hurts. It was never ending.
He tiredly opens his eyes and sees rolling clouds overhead, dark and blue.
It stinks.
The smell is vile but it doesn’t make him sick. He knows it should.
He tries to move but his body feels heavy.
Rudo closes his eyes and lays back against the trash with a wince. Thinking and moving hurt. His head hurt so bad.
Then all of his memories hit him like a brick.
Rudo’s eyes snapped open.
Was he alive?
No. That was impossible. He was certainly in hell.
He imagined when he died there would be nothing. Like sleep that he’d never wake up from.
Yet here he was. Awake again.
Rudo tiredly rolled onto his side and pushed up with his forearms.
The smell of trash was faint now, like it was hardly there. He wobbled into a standing position and looked down at his hands.
Gloves.
He was wearing gloves.
Rudo flipped his hands palm side up, then back over to stare at the ring and symbol.
Then he saw it.
Rudo had a chain now. An invisible one. It was tethered to his wrists but didn’t prevent any movement. He couldn’t see where the chain went.
He had the uncanny feeling to not burn that one.
Rudo looked back up into the sky, watching the clouds roll and shift from the wind.
All he could think was why am I alive?
Was it to suffer more?
He sat back down and pushed his gloved hands into his face.
He didn’t want to be here. He didn’t want to be on the sphere. He didn’t want to be anywhere.
He wanted the small amount of happiness he felt only months ago. When Regto made him his favorite soup and had saved up enough to buy Rudo a small cake. Before he was killed. Before he sat in that cell for who knows how long.
His eyes stung and the gloves were damp.
What did he do to deserve this?
Maybe he was a reincarnation of someone who was vile? But.. then if they were so bad, why were they given a second chance? Why did it seem every god and spirit wanted him dead, yet he was still alive despite it?
Rudo rubbed his face, looking down at the trash he was sitting on. Black bags. All from the sphere. Curiously, he nudged the chain that was attached to his wrists, relieved it didn’t burn away.
Ironic he had one now. It felt grounding though, like he wasn’t alone.
Maybe some spirit finally took pity on him.
Maybe it was Regto.
Rudo blinked, staring at the chain.
Maybe it was Regto.
He’d tell himself it was.
And if Regto kept him alive then he’d live for him.
Rudo stood up again, wincing with pain when he did. He had two goals now. Kill the bastard who murdered his dad, and live on for him too.
He got to walking in a random direction despite everything that he could see was fields of trash.
It didn’t take him long to encounter something different.
A strange shape was lumbering towards him. A creature made out of trash.
Rudo tried to quickly walk in another direction out of its path towards him, but it seemed to be honed in on him.
Shit. Shit! He looked around and found a broken down fridge. Rudo knew it was stupid, but he climbed inside of it and waited, holding his breath as the rattling of the earth neared.
Either he was going to die or this thing would walk away. There was no way in hell he could even fathom killing it.
The fridge shook with each thunderous step the beast took until it was right on top of him.
And the silence was near deafening.
Rudo could hear his heart pounding as he pressed his gloves against the fridge, a feeble attempt to cling onto it.
Why had it stopped?
Nothing was happening which made this so much worse. Had he imagined it? Was it invisible, like the chains? Was it gone somehow?
Slowly, Rudo used his foot to nudge the fridge open. He couldn’t see anything except that the area directly around him was cast in shadow.
Rudo carefully shut the fridge door and covered his mouth with his glove.
Why was this more terrifying than being dropped?
Was it because he made up his mind about surviving?
The fridge was knocked over and Rudo smacked into its side as the door swung open. He scrambled out just in case he was about to get crushed.
He looked up and froze seeing a yellow eye boring into him, its pupil unmoving as it stared right at him.
Rudo’s eye darted around for a weapon, for anything to help.
It was all trash.
But hadn’t that guard said he was blessed by the God of Trash?
Rudo picked up a random item, a clothes hanger, and held it out to the beast as if he could scare it.
It hadn’t moved at all. Just continued to stare at him. Then it looked down towards Rudo’s feet.
He did the same and noticed a long chain there that snaked across the trash before going upwards and into the beast. Its body was mostly trash, but he could see that chain wrapped and coiled around some of its body and limbs now.
Oh.
Huh.
Rudo swallowed thickly, gripping the clothes hanger tighter as if it would dare do anything. He scooted closer to the chain and reached out.
To his amazement he could hold it in the glove. Was it a real chain? It didn’t feel like it.
He looked up to the beast.
“Are you sure you want me to kill you?”
The beast didn’t respond or react to its words. It just kept staring at him. Waiting.
Fine. If it wanted this, then whatever.
Rudo gripped the metal and watched it turn black and fade away.
The moment it was gone the hundreds of items that made up the beast dropped as if it was a house of cards, toppling over silently.
He stared at the mound it left behind then laid down and covered his face with his gloves.
Nothing made sense.
He was so tired but had no desire to sleep.
This sucked ass.
“Hey, kid.”
Rudo instantly tensed up and looked to where he heard the voice come from.
“The hell did ya do to that trash beast?”
A man wearing a quite frankly scary looking mask leaning against an umbrella stood not a few feet away, head tilted at him.
The next thing he noticed was that this person had no chain.
“I killed it.” Rudo mumbled. “Why the fuck do you care?”
Was he going to be hauled away for killing it? Just like up on the sphere?
“Killed?” The man parroted, then snorted. “That ain’t what you did.” He stood up and walked over, trash crumpling under his feet as he did, then he crouched beside Rudo.
Rudo was not going to be taken again. He gripped the clothes hanger hard and swung it at the guy.
They lifted their umbrella up to block it with a dry laugh. “Fiesty.” He pulled out a mask and grabbed Rudo’s head, snapping it onto his face roughly.
“Fuck you asshole!” Rudo hissed out, trying to punch him. When he let go he moved back and touched the mask curiously, then glared at the guy.
“Not my name.” He took his mask off and grinned at him. “Enjin.” Then instantly started coughing and slid it back on. “Fuck that stinks..”
Rudo’s eyes narrowed at him. He came out of absolutely nowhere. From all directions Rudo could see there was nothing but trash.
“What are you?” “First off, rude.” Enjin stood up and put a hand on his hip. “I’m a person like you. Secondly, I need a name. Who are you?”
Rudo looked down at his gloves, staring at them like they could tell him the answers. What should he do?
“Rudo.” He mumbled out.
“Rude-o. Got it.” Enjin teased, then stopped when he noticed the joke didn’t land. “Anyways..” He looked around, humming from behind his mask. “You’re quite a ways out.” Then he looked up and made a whistle noise. “Plus the gods musta blessed the shit outta you for surviving that fall.”
Rudo growled though it was muffled. “Quite the opposite.” He stood up and held the clothes hanger to him. He needed to show he was a threat.
With his shitty luck this guy was going to just take him in and imprison him for being a curse.
“Whoa, kid, chill the hell out.” Enjin raised up his hands. “I dunno want shit you did to fall down from heaven but I’m not gonna hurt ya.”
Heaven?
They call that place heaven?
Ironic.
“What is this place?”
Enjin made a motion with his hand. “Let's walk and talk, kid.” When he turned he glanced behind to see Rudo following him though it was at a distance.
“This is the ground. A place where all banished things live.” Enjin explained, tapping his umbrella against the trash like a cane as he walked. “So what are you? A god? A stray?”
Rudo realized that they probably had no idea about anything up in the city. Maybe he could use this to his advantage.
“I’m the god of trash.” Rudo huffed out, speeding up a bit to walk beside him. “So you better not get on my bad side.”
Enjin stopped walking, then laughed so hard he doubled over. “Okay, that’s cute! I get it, I do, I understand you’re scared and got no idea what’s happening, but that’s precious.” He waved a hand a bit. “I’m not stupid. I can see you’re blessed. Gods aren’t blessed, they do the giving.”
Shit. There goes that plan. And he embarrassed himself!
“Are.. you then?” Rudo questioned, staring at him.
“Hm? Oh, yeah.” He held out his umbrella and grinned. “This lovely lady chose me to be hers!”
Rudo stared blankly at the item, then down to his gloves. He stumbled over some trash and caught his balance, following Enjin as he walked over some hills of garbage.
“She’s the goddess of protection, kind of.” Enjin explained. “She was bothering me real bad about comin’ out here. Lo and behold I found you!”
Rudo stared at the umbrella again.
No one up on the sphere had dedicated items to gods.. Or.. as gods..? He just assumed spirits and gods were the same, but clearly not.
“What about my gloves?” Rudo asked him.
Enjin turned his head, the mask looking down at them. “You don’t know what blessed ya?”
“No..” Rudo frowned. “I woke up with these on.”
“Huh.” Enjin tsked loud enough for him to hear. “We can figure that out later. First let's get you some food and clean clothes.”
Rudo’s eyes narrowed at him again. No one had ever been nice to him before except Regto. Was he looking for payment of some kind? Rudo was good with fixing things he guessed.
“Hey, stop being suspicious!” Enjin huffed out. Up ahead the trash tapered away and Rudo could see a car lingering near.
“Wouldn’t you be?” Rudo grumbled. “Dropped into hell with no idea what the fuck is going on?!”
Enjin took off his mask and held it as he kept walking. “I get it, I do, but you can’t live out here. You’ll die from disease or an illness if not from the trash beasts themselves.”
If he survived the fall then why couldn’t he live out here?
Enjin sighed softly. “God you’re still not convinced?” He moved to stand directly in front of Rudo. “This may make ya realize, then.”
He lifted the umbrella up and Rudo watched as yellow flames appeared from it, warping the cloth and metal into something new.
It should feel like a threat, especially since it was pointed directly at him now, but it didn’t.
Enjin pressed the tip of it into Rudo’s chest.
It was like a blanket was dropped over him. All of the aching he felt in his muscles, the pain in his hands, the headache and gnawing in his stomach all vanished.
“There, I gave you a temporary blessing of protection. Normally those cost people thousands, so consider yourself lucky!”
“I didn’t fucking ask for it.” Rudo mumbled and rubbed his chest where it had touched.
He normally had weapons pointed at him by the apostles. He’d feel stressed by them, expecting pain. But he hadn’t with Enjin at all.
Maybe he really wasn’t talking out of his ass.
And.. if it was really the god of protection.. Then.. he couldn’t be bad, right? She sounded nice at least.
“You said the ground was a place of banished things.” Rudo said as he walked up to the car. He hopped in and looked around, taking off his mask. “Why was the god of protection banished?” “Ha. I’d like to know that too.” Enjin smirked at him as he started the car. “Gods just manifest as items to the ones they bless. Not like I can hear her.”
“Then how the hell did you find me?” Rudo hissed out. This guy was so confusing! He gripped the chair when the car started to speed off.
“‘Cus she was demanding I go and find some brat in the trash fields that fell from heaven! You’ll feel it one day, speakin’ to your god without words.” Enjin snorted. “Hold on tight or you may die.”
“WHAT?!” Rudo yelped as Enjin suddenly whipped his car around some debris at high speeds, making Rudo slam into the door.
Thankfully he didn’t feel any pain but that didn’t mean he should do this in the first fucking place!
How did he go from not caring if he lived or died to surviving to now dealing with this reckless asshole!?
Rudo had never tasted food like this before. He was stuffing his face full of a hamburger Enjin bought him while the man smoked.
They were sitting in a town of some sort with Rudo staring at everything. It was so different to the sphere that it was nearly overwhelming. He looked back at Enjin when he saw him snub his cigarette and toss it into the trash pile beside the food wrappers.
“So what’s it like up there?”
Blunt and direct. Rudo munched on a french fry and shrugged. “Like shit. If you’re not blessed by a powerful god you’re shunned to live in the slums like me.”
Enjin hummed and reached over, snagging a few fries from his plate. “We can figure that out soon. Alice has some stuff for that as well as a checkup.”
Rudo’s eyes narrow at him. “Who’s Alice?”
“Famous doctor. Her whole family was blessed by the God of Mending, so she can heal just about anything.” Enjin shrugged.
Rudo’s eyes darted to the side of Enjin’s head where he had a scar there. He looked down to his gloves where he knew his hands were black.
“Can she remove curses?”
Enjin raised an eyebrow at him. “Curse? Curses don’t exist, kid.” He sat up and took another fry from off of his plate. “You think you are?”
“I know I am.” Rudo grumbled out. He wishes he wasn’t. If he wasn’t cursed then Regto would be alive at least. He stared at the invisible chain in between his wrists, then to Enjin.
He was so used to having none while everyone else around him had them. Yet here on the ground it was flipped.
“Cursed with what?” Enjin pressed, looking at him with no real expression. No judgement either.
“I.. don’t know. Those assholes just said I was cursed by the gods, but blessed by the god of trash..” He didn’t know how much he believed that though.
“I guess we will find out then, hm? You done eating?” Enjin reached for the last fry making Rudo roll his eyes.
“Yeah but only ‘cus you ate half my food, asshole.” Rudo grumbled.
Enjin snorted. “Hey, I paid!” He got up and guided Rudo down a few streets towards a clinic. He knocked on the door. “Yo! Alice! You busy?”
The door flung open a moment later and an older looking woman with a crazed look stared at him with a scoff. “You got no damn manners! What if I had a patient?” “But ya don’t-” Alice ignored him and looked to Rudo and her eyes dropped to in between his gloves. “Boy! What spirit did that to ya? Come in.”
She could see them? Rudo stepped inside and glanced around. He could see a lot of medicinal herbs and the like all organized around. She motioned for him to sit, so he did.
Alice put on some gloves and grabbed an amulet and walked up to him. “How have you been feelin’ lately and when do you think this ailment started?”
What? What was she talking about?
Rudo glanced at Enjin, then back to Alice.
“Uh.. today. I was falling and reached out and grabbed onto the chain. Then I got these gloves and this-” Rudo lifted his arms up to show her the chain connected to both of his wrists.
Alice stopped in her tracks. “You didn’t feel worse after?”
Why would he?
..what was the chain?
“No..” He looked back down at it. “It may be the reason I’m alive.”
She set the amulet down and huffed. “Then it’s best not to remove it.”
She seemed to know what they were. What else did she know? “What are they? I’ve always seen the chains, but never on me until now.”
Alice grabbed something else though she looked shocked. “You can really see them, huh? I only can ‘cus of my blessing.” She walked up to him with a piece of paper. “Hold this and think about the spirit that blessed you.”
“But I don’t know which one did.” Rudo grumbled, pinching the paper in between his fingers.
“Boy! Just think about the spirit!”
Rudo glared at her but closed his eyes. He grit his teeth when he remembered falling. He should be dead, but he had reached out and grabbed that chain. Now he was tied to something and had gloves, whatever that meant..
When he looked down he froze. The paper had burned away, allowing him to see the chain in full. It looked like a gigantic spider web with each end vanishing to unknown tethered points.
Except one.
It went a bit across the room connected to a very familiar form; Regto.
Rudo felt everything freeze all at once.
He was transparent and was curiously staring at a woman in a dress beside Enjin and it seemed like he was talking to her. Behind Alice was something almost incomprehensible with vines and yellow eyes staring at Rudo curiously. He could see Regto’s mouth moving as he talked, but heard nothing.
He forgot to breathe. Rudo was sure his heart stopped too. “Dad?”
The second Regto’s eyes snapped to him everything was gone. Rudo looked back down and saw the chains still connected on his wrists, but they still only vanished inches from them.
Alice and Enjin gave one another a quick look before she went and grabbed something else. When she returned she offered Rudo a pill. “A pain killer, should help with any lingering stuff. Any wounds before we continue?”
He could hardly even process that.
Rudo’s eyes stung.
His dad had saved his life. How long was he a spirit watching over him? The whole time?! Was he watching over him in that shitty prison too?
He blinked when Alice snapped a few times in front of his face. “Kid, what did you see?” She asked, now a bit concerned for his wellbeing.
“I.. my dad. At one of the ends of this chain.” He looked at Enjin. “Enjin had a beautiful woman near him, and you had..” Rudo’s brows furrowed. “A vine creature.”
Alice placed the pill in his gloved hand. “Gods you are confusing. Take this before you give yourself a headache.” She handed him a glass of water and walked up to Enjin. “Where the hell did you find this kid?”
Enjin awkwardly laughed. “In the landfill.”
She rolled her eyes. “Lord, you’re about to gain another one aren’t ya? Stop fuckin’ multiplying!” Alice whacked his leg hard. “Get out if we are done here.”
Rudo felt the chain tugging and he just knew it was his dad trying to pester him to tell her about his hands. He didn’t want to bother them any more about this.. Plus she gave him a pill that he just took paired with Enjin’s protection.
He was so relieved to know his dad was here. Rudo didn’t like that he was tied to him..
“Wait, Alice, I don’t get it. What are the chains?” Rudo asked her, desperate to know.
“Oh, nothing to worry about really. They don’t necessarily affect you. We call them tethers.” She explained, glancing at him. “They are gods that have been bound to something. Sometimes it ain’t of their own choice. Across the trash fields we have all sorts of spirits roaming around that were forcefully tethered to lost items.” She then pointed at his gloves. “Your dad must have bound himself to you to keep yer dumbass alive.”
Rudo’s mouth went dry. “What happens if the chain is burned away?”
He watched Alice’s eyes narrow a bit. She was curious how he knew that but decided not to comment. “He won’t be bound to ya anymore and his original blessing will vanish. And if that was to keep ya alive then I highly advise not to remove it.”
Great.
Even in death Regto was still cursed to be with Rudo like a prisoner.
He felt so utterly guilty.
Enjin got up and nudged Rudo with his umbrella. “Lets get ya some clothes now that we know you don’t have brain damage and are fed.”
Rudo looked down at what he was wearing. It was just some random tshirt and pants the guards gave him after confiscating his spherite attire. He looked back at Enjin, eyes narrowing. “I don’t have anything to repay you with.. So what are you trying to accomplish here?”
Enjin stared down at him then softly sighed. It seemed good will was going to be hard for this kid to grasp. If he said the truth, that he really did just want to help, Rudo would not believe him.
This is why he struggled understanding kids.
“We can use your help dealing with the tethered trash beasts.” Enjin explained. “If you help us then we can get you food, shelter, and money. Sound good?”
Rudo debated it. He really knew nothing about the ground, but unlike the sphere he didn’t feel the malice that hung in the air. Like Enjin and Alice didn’t hate him on sight. Maybe other people wouldn’t too.
He felt the chains at his wrists gently tug.
God damnit.
“Fine.” Rudo hissed out. He glanced back to Alice, huffing when she motioned for them to leave faster.
He followed after Enjin and stared at any people that got near them. No one had chains except for him. But he wasn’t going to remove his dad, even if he wanted to free him.
“You’re quite weird ya know that?” Enjin glanced down at Rudo with a small grin. “You’ll fit in perfectly down here.”
Rudo shot him a glare. “I can’t tell if that’s an insult or not.”
“It’s whatever you want it to be.” Enjin stepped into a store and looked around before nudging Rudo. “Go and be free, find the clothing that calls to you.”
What the fuck was this guys deal? He was just as bad as Regto. Rudo walked down some aisles staring at the clothes. Nothing looked familiar.. Which he liked. Nothing was pure white and gold. Most clothes looked black on purpose, or had vibrant colors and art.
The total opposite of the sphere.
He looked to the prices. Rudo didn’t know the value, but lower numbers were better. Rudo grabbed an oversized gray hoodie and went back to Enjin.
He raised an eyebrow to the kid. “Don’t tell me you’re just pickin’ out one item?” When Rudo didn’t budge he sighed. “God, kid, you’re allowed to be selfish and stingy.” Enjin scoffed.
It was beyond painfully obvious that heaven was certainly not cracked up to how they preached. This kid looked battered to hell and back. He was certainly living in poverty at minimum. Enjin walked over and grabbed a few shirts, pants, and other items like socks and paid for it all.
He didn’t mind since the kid would certainly help them fight against the tethereds. Even if he expected repayment, Rudo would certainly get there soon.
He handed the kid the bag of clothes and snorted watching him struggle with it for a moment before he got used to the weight. “Ready to see your new home?”
Rudo rolled his eyes. As if. He had a nagging feeling at the back of his head that this was too good to be true. He had that same feeling with Regto.
Back in the car Rudo hugged his bag against his chest and stared down at the chain in between his wrists.
Everything was happening so fast.
Really, he was supposed to be dead. He should be.
Rudo gently grabbed the chain and glared at it softly. Despite everything.. Regto had still saved him in death.
“So.. your dad is the one that blessed you?”
It had been quiet in the car for several long minutes. Rudo looked over at Enjin, watching him drive. Why was he making small talk? “Yeah.. I saw him.” Rudo let go of the chain and went back to hugging the bag.
“I see.” Enjin hummed. “It’s not uncommon for spirits to bless their family.. Someone you’ll meet soon, Zanka, was blessed by a spirit in his family.”
Rudo sighed softly. “I don’t like that he’s stuck to me.” He could see Enjin staring at him from the corner of his eye.
“What’do’ya mean stuck?” He snorted. “Spirits willingly give their blessings. That’s why they are tethered to people. When it’s forced.. That’s when ya get trash beasts and unhappy gods.”
Rudo was exhausted. He dug through the bag and pulled out the hoodie, slipping it on and fixing the sleeves around his gloves. He felt a lot warmer and safe, like a cocoon. Or maybe like he was back at home with Regto snuggled under their shitty blanket making a simple dinner together.
He would admit it was nice to learn he didn’t seem to be cursed. Even if Regto was willingly tethered to him and blessed him he would rather him be free than chained to him. Still.. Now that he had a moment to think he realized the pain in his hands was dampened.
Rudo closed his eyes and hugged his legs as he hid under the hoodie, pulling his gloves close.
Maybe things would be better here.
He clung onto that small amount of hope he still possessed.
Rudo leaned against the car and dozed off listening to the radio play music he was unfamiliar with to a new type of life that would be completely different to the sphere.