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Shifting Scales: Part Five - Unwanted Questions With Unwanted Answers

Characters: Captain Capsize, Skipper Redbeard, Guardian Furia, Jordan Captainsparklez, Tom Syndicate, Tucker iijeriichoii, Lord Dianite, Sonja Firefoxx

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After hours in the Nether, Jordan finds himself unable to deny reality. He is Lord Dianite’s prisoner with nothing to do but await his friends coming to rescue him. Though he tries to hold his nerve despite his despondence, the devil appearing once more with further shaking truths threatens what little strength he has left.

The hero of the story is forced to face that not all he believes is close to reality.

A reimagining of my original Mianite fanfiction ten years later

AO3 Link

Jordan was numb.

Reality had finally set in, becoming an inescapable weight consuming all his thoughts. This wasn’t some joke or nightmare. He was undeniably and inescapably Dianite’s prisoner.

All the desperation that had originally fuelled him had been spent, burnt up in his fervorous but ultimately fruitless attempts to free himself. That energy, much like an animal caught in captivity, had begun with wildness, scratching and biting, but now had been worn down to nothing as none of his attempts had done anything.

It didn’t make any sense. Despite all his effort, the chain remained undamaged and complete in its purpose of keeping him locked to the floor. He had broken far tougher objects with his fists before, so he should’ve at least done some damage to the damn thing. However, despite his expectations, it remained mockingly pristine. All his attacking of it had done was exhaust him.

He couldn’t understand how this had happened. Even with the devil’s explanation earlier, he couldn’t accept that he was a prisoner in his clutches. He was supposed to be the hero. He was the one destined to save Lady Ianite and restore her to her rightful power. He wasn’t supposed to be the one in need of rescue.

Yet here he was: the locked-up damsel in distress, nothing to do but await rescue. A horrid reality that only became worse as each passing moment cemented it.

The champion, a husk of himself, rested against the wall. His legs rested against his chest as bloodshot eyes stared at the opposite wall of this empty cell. The only thing he had energy left for was sitting here waiting for his friends to come to his rescue.

Any second now, he tried to convince his exhausted mind, they would dig through the walls and find him. He was so close to them all, just under the temple they had all been in. They were surely doing everything they could to find him, to get him away from Dianite, so surely, they would soon enough succeed and come to his rescue.

While that was what he wished to believe, it was getting hard to stop his thoughts from drifting away from the idea and into a more pessimistic outlook. The way his bones ached and the mocking words Dianite had said to him earlier were twisting together to make him doubt.

It was shameful. He should hold faith both in his Lady and his friends. The last thing he should allow himself to do was listen to the manipulations of the devil that wished to possess him as a prize. It was beyond foolish of him to let what were surely lies affect his thoughts.

However, as time had passed, it really had become impossible to not consider that there might be some truth to the reality that Dianite had presented. As much as the devil had everything to gain from lying, with literally nothing else to do, it was impossible to stop his thoughts from considering the what if scenarios.

He was just tired, he told himself. He was feeling the physical effects, it only made sense he was also having the mental ones of his thoughts turning to lunacy. It was just his entire body attempting to pull him into sleep. However, remaining awake was one of the only choices he had for himself in this prison he had been placed in, so he was very much determined to.

It was getting harder to fight the call of rest. His eyelids felt like concrete. Each blink threatened to drift him into unconsciousness. Prying his eyes back open again and again was a great difficulty, but one he fought to accomplish. Even if the activity was pointless, even if all he was met with upon opening them was the same red brick wall, this was a choice he could make so he was taking it.

Then, after another blink that lasted seconds rather than fractions of one, he opened his eyes to a new sight before him.

He shot up straight, hitting his head against the wall in his sudden shock. He was no longer tired, all his energy returning to him in a flash of self-preservation.

He could’ve almost convinced himself that he had drifted off after all. That was certainly the most reasonable explanation for how the contents of the room could’ve changed so suddenly. Surely what had seemed like a blink had actually been him dozing off, leaving plenty of time for the changes he was now faced with to be made. However, despite that being the most logical explanation, it wasn’t the one he actually believed, not when the devil sat staring at him with a grin.

The once empty and dark room was now host to a candlelit dinner. The ornate table stood completely out of place in the cell, mockingly romantic in nature. A chair sat empty, obviously for him, though Jordan made no attempt to fill it. Once more, he took the only choice he had and remained in his position on the floor glaring up at Lord Dianite.

“I told you I’d be back to make sure you didn’t starve,” The god said in a voice far too superior for Jordan’s taste. It dripped with delight, the devil being less than subtle about his joy of having him prisoner. Still, facing this new mockery twinged Jordan’s stomach. “I thought I’d give you a dinner more welcoming than your surroundings.”

Jordan was hungry, he could admit that. He wasn’t starving, but he hadn’t eaten since before entering the Nether. He could also acknowledge that his only way of getting food in this situation was accepting it from Dianite when offered. However, the champion still had some pride. He was nowhere near ready to bow to the devil.

“I’m good, thanks,” He said with disdain lacing his words. He wasn’t about to play Dianite’s game.

The devil’s smile didn’t dampen, not the tiniest bit. Instead, he laughed.

“Oh, you don’t have a choice in the matter.”

Had Jordan had more than a second to react, he may well have spit a retort of the devil being unable to force him. It was perhaps fortunate that he didn’t have that time. In his position, he very much could be forced.

Just as he had earlier, Dianite clenched his fist. Once more, Jordan lost all ability to move his body. His body was rigid as if a statue. No matter what he attempted, he couldn’t move. Or rather, he couldn’t move of his own volition.

Transformed into the god’s puppet, his limbs moved on their own. Against his own will, Jordan found himself getting pushed to his feet and walking into the empty chair. He attempted to struggle against the forced movement but found it utterly impossible to do anything. He was nought but a doll for the devil to play with.

There was a split second after he sat down where feeling returned to his limbs. A moment where Jordan attempted to move quickly from the position he had been forced to take. However, as ever, the devil anticipated his resistance.

Clawed fingers clicked and the chain around Jordan’s leg contorted. As if a living thing itself, it sprung into movement, wrapping around his legs then up along his stomach, locking him to the chair. The champion was quite sure that the chain shouldn’t have been long enough to constrict him so thoroughly, but in this place, reason came second to Lord Dianite’s wishes.

The god looked beyond pleased at the sight of the restricted champion. He couldn’t imagine a more beautiful sight than the champion chained up at his mercy. All his struggles, fruitless as any of his actions in this cell, were delicious.

“I put an awful lot of effort into making this dinner precisely what you would want. I expect you to show some appreciation,” He said, picking up the glass, sploshing the wine within as he spun it between his fingers.

As it became clear that he was stuck at the table whether he wanted to be or not, Jordan allowed himself to look at the food before him. Despite how it appeared to be a normal meal, the sight of it was sickening. That seemed almost ridiculous given that it was just cooked meat and a glass filled with grog. But the plate, the cup, the cutlery it was all from Tom’s restaurant. Even the charred state of the meat was exactly the same as it had been that night. This was the exact same meal as the one Tom served him on his date with Capsize.

“You were watching me,” He said, his throat dry. It was too perfect to be a coincidence. This was a purposeful mocking that was only possible if the devil had been spying that night.

“Quite full of yourself, aren’t you?” Dianite laughed in a way that made Jordan wish to cringe into himself, despite how ridiculous an assertion that was. He shouldn’t give any credence to anything the devil said, yet every word made him feel tiny. “I was keeping an eye on my champion, making sure that he isn’t… tempted away from me.”

Each word was carefully chosen. Each one was weighed up to consider what would dig the furthest into the man’s skin. He knew from watching the general goings on in this tiny corner of the world of the man’s illogical jealousy regarding his champion and the other captain. He’d be a fool not to use it to his advantage.

And a part of Jordan did fill with the telltale prickle of jealousy. The reminder of the two’s flirting sent an annoyance through him that he struggled to bite back despite knowing he needed to. There came the thought worming into his head of how the two might be behaving now he wasn’t there.

As Sparklez’s face turned, satisfaction came creeping onto the devil’s features. For once he was glad that the little captain had escaped the fate of her people. Her presence made Sparklez so much easier to torment.

“But while I was watching, I saw what you expected from dinner with a partner. I thought it only appropriate to replicate it to celebrate our new relationship. Don’t worry though, this time you can expect a death free experience,” Dianite’s smile was wider than ever as Jordan’s face twisted into disgust.

“We don’t have a relationship!” He spat at the god, disliking any implication of him willingly going along with this. He wasn’t Dianite’s follower, let alone anything more. He’d argue against that until his throat bled. However, as it had the entire time, his resistance only brought the god entertainment.

“Then this is precisely like your date with the little captain,” He laughed.

“What the hell is that supposed to mean?!” Jordan immediately demanded, not caring that his anger got the better of him. It was only the chain binding him in place that stopped him from physically lashing out.

Lord Dianite laughed at the reaction which only angered Jordan further. Despite knowing he was giving the devil precisely what he wanted. The words were obviously the god purposefully trying to get a rise out of him to then manipulate him. This was an attempt to have him doubt his fellow Ianitee. Yet, despite seeing this for the manipulation it was, he couldn’t stop himself from acting defiantly.

The god considered for a moment prodding the champion further about this clear vulnerability. So utterly tempting considering the truth he knew about the girl. However, that truth would surely be revealed during the conversation he wished to have during this dinner. It would be far more entertaining if he saved it for later.

“Oh, Sparklez. I’ll be the one asking the questions,” He said, just waiting for the resistance he knew would spill forth. Despite how really the champion had no room to object to him, that spiteful little look crawled onto his face once more.

“I’m not answering any of your questions,” Jordan growled. There was little he could do in this situation, utterly at the mercy of someone so powerful. However, he could refuse to play any of the games presented to him by the devil. He would sit here for as long as needed. Even if he couldn’t move, he didn’t need to eat the mocking food presented to him, he certainly didn’t need to answer any of the questions the devil tried to manipulate him with.

“That’s fine. I wouldn’t expect you to know the answers anyway,” Dianite responded with a laugh.

Jordan forced himself to keep his stare despite the words forming a pit in his stomach. Once more, the god made him feel tiny, an idiot. He had to fight down his reaction, remind himself that nothing said to him in this cell mattered. Though, his mind was already exhausted of doing so, having repeated the same sentiment for most of the day already. Still, he persisted.

Seeing that Sparklez wasn’t having the reaction he wished for, Dianite just continued on. “But before that, I just thought I’d let you know, I’m going to let your friends rescue you tomorrow.”

Those words, as expected, did cause a stir in the champion.

“You—You’re lying,” It had to be a trick. There was no reason Jordan could conceive that Dianite would do that. The god had always wanted him. Now he had him prisoner, there was no way he would just allow the others to rescue him.

“Oh, I most certainly am not. I suppose I could stop them, if you want to remain in my company. In fact, I imagine by the end of our conversation, you’ll be begging me to let you stay here,” The god bragged, though Jordan was sure the words were hollow. This was another lie, another test in his loyalty to his Lady. He just needed to withstand the lies he would be told.

His face flattened into an unreadable expression, and Dianite knew that the fun could begin. “Tell me, Sparklez. Your little girlfriend, what’s her title?”

It was an easy, innocent question. A question so simply that it almost lured Jordan into answering. Still, he bit his tongue.

Dianite looked at him with a raised eyebrow, swirling his cup once more.

“Really? You don’t know the most basic thing about her?” The Lord of Chaos, however, knew quite well how to goad. What a joy it was to twist emotions.

Jordan still chose to remain silent. He didn’t have anything to prove to Dianite, especially not regarding his closeness to Capsize. She was his girl and obviously he knew she was a captain.

His lack of answer in no way dampened Dianite’s smile.

“If you do insist on being silent, fine. As I’m sure you know, Captain Capsize is my sister’s messenger,” He said with all the drawn-out emphasis of a dramatic reveal. Had Sparklez had the closeness he claimed with the girl, it wouldn’t be any sort of a surprise. Which was why it was such a delight to see the champion’s face contort into confusion.

“What?” Jordan let slip out before he could stop it. The confusion at a new title suddenly existing was enough to baffle him quite thoroughly.

It wasn’t possible, right? If Capsize held some special title, she would’ve told him. Surely, she would’ve. Or Redbeard would’ve mentioned it. Yet Jordan couldn’t think of a reason for Dianite to pretend Capsize held a title she didn’t. The confusing impossibility of it began a tightness in his throat, only worsened as Dianite continued his speech.

“Oh? She didn’t tell you?” He asked with faux surprise. He would’ve been more shocked if the little captain had shared her title with the man she clearly loathed. However, having expected this outcome didn’t matter when each word was clearly causing Sparklez such distress.

Every thought in Jordan’s head was a struggle for an explanation. If this was true, if it wasn’t some trick by the devil to make him doubt his fellow Ianitee, then there had to be a reasonable explanation as to why Capsize wouldn’t have told him. It must be something important to keep hidden, so the information she held couldn’t be intercepted. But if that was the explanation, why would Dianite know and not him?

“She has a direct connection to my sister, unbreakable by all means except death,” The god continued, only exaggerating a little. For him, the only feasible method of getting rid of the messenger was killing her, permanently. If she was somehow revived after the fact, the link would remain.

Even him taking her soul as he had Sparklez wouldn’t break it. The amount of power it would take for him to sever it by force while leaving the girl alive simply wasn’t worth it – however much hurt it would inflict. Truly it was beyond an annoyance.

His sister, of course, could break it at any time with the only cost being an agonising amount of pain for the little captain. What an absolute joy that would be if he had even a chance of tricking her into breaking the connection. However, while that remained merely a fantasy, he had a different captain to rob his sister of.

In his distress of attempting to process the impossible reality he was being presented with, Jordan didn’t realise that Dianite had disappeared from his seat until startled into the realisation by hot breath on his ear. Before he could flinch away, a clawed hand dug into his scalp. “It’s difficult in her pitiful state, but they can always talk as if they’re right next to each other whenever my sister chooses.”

He pulled Jordan’s ear uncomfortably close to his lips as he whispered with an audible smile. Though Jordan attempted to struggle, to create the tiniest bit of distance between them, all he did was cause himself pain as nails cut into his skin.

The physical pain was better than the sinking pit in his stomach though. He couldn’t deny that Capsize refused to tell him much about their Lady or Ianerea. He had thought that she was just the private sort as Red was always happy to share, but had she…? Had she intentionally hidden her connection with Lady Ianite from him? Why…? Why would she have done that?

Dianite’s laughter hot on his ear knocked him back to his senses. While Capsize enjoyed being difficult, she took their mission seriously. There were Dianitees here. She surely just couldn’t risk them knowing about such a connection and trying to force information out of her. That… That had to be it.

“Having such a connection, being able to talk so freely. Is it any wonder the girl became her favourite?” Dianite laughed at the foolishness of his sister. Getting so attached to a mortal was always doomed to end in disaster. Had the years passed without his intervention, she would’ve realised that the pirate was aging and would inevitably be gone and what a gorgeous mess that would’ve been.

So unfortunate that he couldn’t let it happen. Though he would’ve loved to witness the horrors she would’ve inflicted upon her little captain to keep her, for his own purposes, he needed to dispose of the girl long before that could come to pass.

“Capsize isn’t her favourite,” Jordan growled. What he ought to have said is that his Lady doesn’t have favourites. That the Lady of Balance of course saw all of her followers as equal. But those weren’t the words that came out of his mouth, much to his regret as Dianite laughed once more.

“If that’s what you want to believe,” He chuckled, such simple words bothering Jordan to his very core as he couldn’t move even an inch away from the laughter echoing in his ears.

As suddenly as he had been grabbed, Jordan found his head thrust forward. He barely managed to stop the momentum before his skull crashed against the table. Thankfully, his arms were free from the chains, giving him just enough freedom to save himself from injury.

He looked up with a glare to Dianite who had once more taken his seat in the chair across the table. He smiled as if he hadn’t just physically attacked him. “But surely you can admit, the little captain has received better gifts from my sister than you have.”

Jordan reminded himself to steady his breathing. This was such a ridiculous thing to be getting upset over. Not a word Dianite said could be trusted, should be listened to at all. However, it was difficult to keep himself reasonable when Dianite seemed to know precisely what to say to make him question everything.

“I mean, what’s a measly set of leather armour and a pile of sugar compared to the ability to teleport others, the ability to raise the dead?” Further and further the words leeched into Jordan’s thoughts. It was so much harder to reassure himself when he knew the gifts weren’t made up. He had witnessed her using both. While it wasn’t as though he needed the magic Capsize possessed, the comparison made that righteous part of him shrink.

“I don’t need those abilities…” Still, he tried to hold his nerve and defend his Lady’s decision. Why would she waste her strength giving him gifts he wouldn’t use? However, his words lacked the angry confidence he’d previously held, only making him feel worse when Dianite’s smile in no way faltered.

“But one of them is going to be your saviour,” The devil laughed. “She’s going to teleport you right out of here and back to your friends.”

Jordan’s mind stopped. It would’ve been no less a shock to his system if ice water had been dumped over him. Despite how it was the one of the least mockingly said things in this conversation, it was the one that sung wrong. Somehow, it had to be a lie.

“No. No, she…” He couldn’t figure out the words to explain why he was so against it. He just knew in his gut that the idea was wrong.

Dianite couldn’t help his entertainment. It seemed Sparklez wasn’t quite so oblivious as he wished to be. He somewhat knew that the girl helping him was out of character. But, of course, admitting that would require admitting far more truths about the two’s relationship than the champion was ready for. However, the god cared not a lick for what the man was ready to admit.

“Why not?” He goaded. “Why wouldn’t your little girlfriend wish to save you by any means possible?”

Jordan found his voice frozen within his throat. Why was his mind so steadfastly against the idea that Capsize would rescue him? He had no idea. He just knew it was wrong despite the opening he hated giving Dianite.

“Though she doesn’t seem to enjoy helping you very much, does she? If I had to describe it, I’d say she enjoys watching you suffer,” The god, continuing to mock, enjoyed the way Sparklez squirmed. Had his beliefs about the girl been based in any sort of reality, he would’ve had plenty of bitter retorts to make. The fact he had none just showed how undeniable it was that he was living within a lie. “If I had to guess, I’d say she hated you.”

“Shut up!” Jordan yelled, giving the only response he could. Obviously Capsize didn’t hate him. She was difficult and occasionally seemed to take some enjoyment in messing with him, but she didn’t… They were on the same team! Working towards freeing their goddess together! She didn’t have any reason to hate him!

So why couldn’t he spit any of those words out? Why couldn’t he come up with a real defence for her?

He took a shaky breath, the hot air doing little to steady his spiralling mind. He just needed to get through this test. “If she hates me, why would she even still be here, let alone trying to rescue me?”

He didn’t particularly like the argument. It didn’t sit right on his tongue, but it was the only one he could find within himself. The other two pirates hadn’t returned after their initial visit. If Capsize truly disliked him as much as Dianite was saying, why would she have come back when she clearly had a choice in the matter?

It was the weakest sort of thread. Yet it was the only fraying strand tethering the reality he had been living in together. Of course, Dianite was always going to pull it apart.

“A very simple reason. How was it that my champion so eloquently put it?” Dianite questioned as if he actually had issue recalling. He couldn’t draw this out for much longer, but each moment he could was sweet as honey. Sparklez had become oh so still, clearly already remembering but not quite ready to actually understand. “Your little captain is more into the ladies. Or rather, she’s into one particular Lady.”

For a beat, there was silence.

“No…” Jordan croaked out. It couldn’t be true. It couldn’t make sense. Yet, he had no counterargument against the claim aside from how it threatened to shatter his worldview.

Unfortunately, neither reality nor the devil would cease for his rejection. Dianite wouldn’t even bother to refute him, just continuing on his point as if the man hadn’t said anything.

“The lovesick little thing, she’d do anything for my sister,” Truly it was a pain most of the time. The sort of devotion she had was impossible to sway. The girl was to be a thorn in his side as long as she lived. But with such a mindset came idiocy, which provided him providence. “Which is precisely why she’s willing to sacrifice herself to save a man she can’t stand. To make sure her pathetic goddess doesn’t lose her champion and therefore lose strength she can’t afford to.”

Jordan was struggling, trying not to break, thinking to think up anyway the words being said to him weren’t true. There was a single point within the devil’s words that he latched upon, his thoughts unable to move past it, though not to argue against the reality of it.

“What do you mean sacrifice herself?” He managed, despite how wrong he felt for believing what he was being told. Because, if it was true, if there was so much of a hint, he needed to know.

“It’s quite simple. You see, her gift to teleport people comes with a cost every time she uses it. Normally, this would be no more damaging than an ender pearl, a quick sting that’s easy enough to walk off,” As he spoke those words, he tapped a claw against his glass, allowing the short sharp ring to illustrate his point. “But let’s say she doesn’t know where her target currently is, and he happens to be some distance away, and he happens to be bound in a chain designed to keep a god in place…”

With each point, he pressed a claw into his glass, liberally applying pressure.

“Well, with all of those complications, her body might just—”

The glass shattered in his hand. The red liquid burst forth in a horrifying vision of what was to come.

Jordan blinked. He couldn’t drag his eyes off the puddle of wine and glass. No matter what, no matter if she hated him and always would, he couldn’t let that happen. That meant, however, he had only had one option for what to do.

“Stop them,” Though not a single part of himself wished to stoop so low as to beg anything of the devil, he couldn’t just let Capsize die. Even with all his frustrations towards her and any ill will she might hold towards him, he could admit she didn’t deserve death. He could smother his pride and do what was needed. “You said you could stop them and you clearly want to keep me here, so stop them!”

He didn’t care at all how long he would be stuck here for. He’d wait as long as it took, just as long as no one died rescuing him.

“Of course, Sparklez. Anything for you,” Dianite laughed.

Jordan couldn’t allow himself to hold any hope at the words. Not when he could already sense the but coming. “All you need to do is renounce your loyalty to my sister.”

He could’ve predicted those words, yet they still hit with weight. It was the one thing he absolutely couldn’t do, but the only thing Dianite desired from him. It was impossible. Yet refusing was allowing Capsize to die for him.

“Your goddess will be losing a captain tomorrow. You decide if it’s you or her,” Dianite, watching the despair dawn upon Sparklez, knew tomorrow would bring satisfaction no matter what choice was made. “I’ll be back in the morning for your decision.”

With that, the god disappeared, leaving Jordan alone in the room that remained a mockery of his date only a few nights ago. He sat unable to feel anything through the horror he was now presented with. He either needed to become a traitor or be responsible for the death of his fellow Ianitee. He had absolutely no idea what to do.

Overwhelmed and almost entirely unsure of how to move forward, Jordan let out a guttural scream before breaking completely and beginning to sob.

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