Pain and Fear

In Mannfred Curze, Promo by Mannfred Curze

What is the greatest source of pain that one can inflict on a world that has never experienced?

Do you know the answer to that? I’m sure you’ve looked. Everyone with a lack of empathy and care have tried to find the deepest pits of despair and agony. They’ve tortured and maimed, killed and butchered, all in this pursuit.

They’ve looked into the eyes of every person crying out in the ecstasy that is unfathomable pain and suffering, but still these answers elude them. The greatest butchers Arcadia has ever known have looked into this abyss and have yet to find any thing even resembling an answer staring back at them. Just more blood, more tears. But no answers that have been obtained have satisfied the search.

I’ve seen the answers, though. Because I don’t look into the cold dead eyes of victims that had nothing to lose. I don’t look into the hopeless eyes of those accepting of their fates.

No, I looked in a place that goes even deeper than pain and suffering.

I look to fear.

You see, those of us who have known nothing but pain and suffering don’t fear those who bring death.

Death becomes a relief. Death is a freeing of our torment. An end to our truly meaningless existences.

The Bleak is suffering. The Bleak is pain. The Bleak is the very thing that makes those on the upper levels terrified of anything from these bowels rising up to them.

Pain and fear. Fear and pain. They go hand in hand, but just being known as a butcher won’t do it.

When you offer death in exchange of pain, those haunted by their darkest pains embrace it. You learn nothing of who they are. You don’t get the answers to what is the greatest source of pain.

But when they fear what you are, when they fear you may come for them. That is the greatest pain one can ever experience.

Because it’s a torture device that they put themselves into at the mere mention of your name.

When a crime lord comes to the Bleak, they’d sooner accept death than to hear the name Night Haunter whispered by their inner circle.

Because when that name is uttered by your inner circle, it means I am close by. That I am near and I know who you are.

They will drive themselves mad with terror.

You bring death, they may fear the pain or the suffering, but they’ll know that they will be free from it soon.

That isn’t fear, that is relief, Redgrave. Many may tremble at your name, but they don’t fear it. They don’t care because they know your game.

You don’t scare me with your macabre art. Because I know they felt relief in their ends. That once they saw you, they were free.

I’ve made many of my own art installations, but they left a mark on the Bleak.

You are feared because of the pain.

I am feared for the terror I bring.