„Hey," said Aidan quietly, trying to figure out, if the boy was conscious. To his surprise the boy sighed in response.

„Are you by any chance... the kidnapped guy? I mean the Emperor-in-Waiting?" Aidan asked, almost sure of his conjecture but he still needed to check. 

The boy sighed yet again and then said:

„Untie me. Please."

Aidan looked at the complicated knots and it was his turn to sigh. He looked around, searching for something he could use to simply cut the ropes but the room was completely empty. 

„Hurry," the boy said impatiently. „Before they come back."

Aidan squated next to the boy and gave it an honest try. The knots were hard, and it seemed that when he managed to loosen one knot, the other ones would tighten. Now he really regretted that he had never even opened that book on Japanese art of shibari that he got from his colleague as a gag gift. Who knew this kind of stuff one day would actually turn out to be useful!

It took him embarassingly long to finally get one of the knots undone. And as soon as that happened, others seemed to come undone by themselves. Aidan was grateful for that little mercy.

„You took your time," the boy finally stood up and gave Aidan a cold look. His eyes were light blue, and his face, though strikingly handsome, was not particularly friendly. He looked like a rich kid in his last year of high school.

There was now no shade of doubt that he was a member of a royal family. They were rude entitled pricks in all realities, as far as Aidan was concerned.

„Not even a „thank you"," Aidan muttered in response.

„Oh, you think I should thank you!" the boy seemed amused now. „Who are you?"

„General Ai... Adnan Minn."

The young Emperor looked him up and down and smirked.

„I've heard of you. They say, you're a dangerous pervert. I guess, some rumors are indeed worth listening to."

Excuse me?

Aidan was just about to object but then he realized that Adnan was most likely indeed a pervert. The whole asceticism thing was a definite red flag. Combine it with all the torture and we've got a recipe for America's Next Top Psycho.

So he just shrugged in response.

„We should leave," he said finally.

The boy smiled and said softly:„Only one of us can leave this room alive."

„Really? How come?" Aidan was very interested.

„The exit has the „Fear of Death" spell on it – only the first one to leave will be able to pass without trouble. The one who follows will fall under the spell and will die, crushed by his own fear," the boy said softly.

So this world had magic. Aidan was impressed – he was not in a historical but rather in a fantasy setting. Interesting, if there were some real dragons around here too. Most likely, they even had unicorns and fairies. Just no weed.

„All right then. You go first – I would assume, our fighters have cleared up the way by now but try to be careful just in case. I wish you luck," said Aidan and waived at the boy.

The Emperor-in-Waiting looked shocked – his blue eyes widened in disbelief, and it seemed he was lost for words.

„Are you sacrificing yourself for me?" he finally asked.Aidan couldn't help but laugh. How conceited was this kid? If he only knew, just how little fucks Aidan gave about the life of some spoilt royal monarch-to-be.

„I guess so," he said out loud. The boy shook his head.

„Why would you do that?"

„Because... I serve the Emperor," Aidan thought the reason he came up with was pretty solid. It was weird to sound so patriotic, especially when he didn't even know the name of this Empire he was supposedly dying for. 

The young monarch frowned.

„Somehow this rings fake."

Outrageous! Aidan was giving an Oscar-worthy performance here after all!

„I assure you, my feelings are sincere," Aidan said, even trying to master some tears in his eyes. That didn't work but at least he managed to get his voice to crack a bit, as if trying to hide some deep emotions.

The boy didn't move and just kept looking at him.

„Do you want a reward for your family or maybe your harem?" he asked.

Aidan had no idea, if Adnan had a family. And he really hoped that he didn't have a harem. 

„No need. Just go." This was taking way too long.

„I won't forget you," said the Emperor-in-Waiting finally and slowly walked out of the room.

Aidan was even a bit touched. Such a cute boy - he might not be as bad as he had thought at first. At least he knew to appreciate what others did for him and didn't take everything for granted.

Aidan smiled to himself. It was his time to go. 

He had attempted suicide a couple of times before – but it never worked out quite as expected. Always at the last moment he would wuss out from all the pain and then the biological imperative would take over and not let him finish the deed. It was honestly such a torture to be mentally so prepared to die and have his physical body still struggle for survival.

And now his physical body had no chance to put up a fight. Just one step... It seemed almost too good to be true.

„Farewell," he said to no one in particular and walked out of the room.

Nothing happened.

Not a thing.

Either it was the most anticlimactic death in the history of deaths.

Or he had been clowned yet once again.