Chapter 402: 402

Phantom recognized the cause: Rattan’s internal conflict was acting as a kind of anchor, preventing the final release. He felt a surge of need and desire to reach out and offer guidance, a push in the right direction. But the explicit instructions of his creator held him back. He was to observe, not interfere. Besides, a part of him, a nascent understanding of narrative and consequence, whispered that this struggle was necessary.

If Rattan was to become the hero his creator envisioned, this was a trial he had to face alone. This moment of doubt, this internal conflict, was a crucible in which his character would be forged. Phantom, bound by his creator’s decree, could only watch.

A new question, however, began to form in Phantom’s own consciousness. “Was this fate?” he wondered, his thoughts echoing in the silent space within Rattan. “Was it Rattan’s destiny to become the hero of his people? Or was it merely a random act, a capricious whim of my creator, who just happened to choose this particular ratman to mark?”

“It just so happened that the ratman chosen was Rattan,” he mused, the thought lingering in the quiet space. Suddenly, he shook his head, a wry smile forming on his non-existent lips. He could almost hear his creator’s booming laughter at such a question.

His creator wouldn’t answer with words. He was a being of action, not philosophical debate. He would likely unmark Rattan, mark another random ratman, and then turn to Phantom with a knowing grin, asking, “Was that also done by fate?”

The thought brought a flicker of understanding. Phantom began to grasp the true nature of his assignment. He wasn’t just an observer; he was a catalyst, a facilitator. “I am the spotlight,” he realized. Before, on the battlefield, he had been able to manipulate the perception of the general and his men, making them the center of attention, but only within their own minds. To the outside world, they were just a group of confused soldiers.

But now, with Rattan, the spotlight he could create was different. It was no longer confined to the internal world of a few individuals. It was a spotlight that could be seen by others, a stage on which Rattan could emerge. He was there to create the conditions for Rattan to step into that light, to become the figure his creator intended.

His creator had said, “The ratmen’s fate was already set in stone; they would always be oppressed. But with our intervention, that fate will change.” Ambition and fate… was this what he was meant to comprehend? The interplay between the two, the delicate balance between destiny and free will?

He was at the boundary of divinity, a threshold he had been striving to cross for eons. Laying low within Rattan, observing the small ratman’s struggles, was not merely obedience to his creator; it was a necessary period of introspection, a time to understand his changing nature, to grasp the true meaning of divinity. He was absorbing the raw, untainted emotions of Rattan, feeling the weight of his doubt, the flicker of hope, the nascent stirrings of courage. It was a stark contrast to the hollow, manufactured emotions he usually dealt with, the inflated egos and desperate desires for fame that fueled his curse.

He could see the faint flicker of ambition beginning to ignite within Rattan, a small spark struggling to grow amidst the overwhelming doubt. It was a fragile flame, easily extinguished, but Phantom knew it had the potential to become a roaring fire. He felt the pull of his curse, the urge to amplify that spark, to create a grand illusion of triumph, to give Rattan a taste of the fame he so desperately craved.

But he resisted. This was not his story to write. He was not there to create a false hero, a puppet dancing to the tune of his curse. He was there to provide the stage, to illuminate the path, but it was Rattan who had to take the first step.

As for Chief, Phantom watched Chief with a detached curiosity. The vibrant flames of ambition that had once surrounded the larger ratman were now flickering weakly, on the verge of being extinguished. As the flames died down, the ethereal spider that clung to Chief became more compact, its translucent form condensing into a tighter, almost solid mass. Phantom theorized that the spider was somehow feeding on Chief’s fading ambition, drawing strength from his dwindling will.

For Chief himself, the whispers of the goddess his people revered had become clearer, more insistent. But he was beyond caring. He was weary, broken, his spirit crushed by the weight of his experiences. He refused to give the goddess the satisfaction of seeing him struggle, of witnessing his pain. His only solace in these dark days was the simple act of eating. The bland bread and watery soup that Rattan provided were a stark contrast to the corrupted, tainted flesh he had been forced to consume for months. The simple, unadulterated taste of normal food was a small pleasure, a reminder of a life he had almost forgotten. He felt a strange sense of peace, a quiet acceptance of his impending demise. He had achieved one of his last remaining goals – to taste untainted food again – and he was content to let the end come.

Meanwhile, Rattan, lost in his internal turmoil, had been in a daze for the entire week. But something had shifted within him. He suddenly sat up, a newfound determination in his eyes. He reached for the gauntlet, the heavy piece of steam tech that had sparked his initial curiosity, and began to dismantle it. The quiet barn was soon filled with the sounds of small tools clicking, scraping, and clanging against metal. He worked with a focused intensity, driven by an unknown force.

The dismantling continued for some time, until finally, the sounds ceased. Rattan stared at the scattered pieces of the gauntlet, a look of dismay on his face. He had taken it apart, but now he was struggling to put it back together. The intricate mechanisms, which had seemed so logical when Chief had explained them, were now a confusing jumble of gears, pipes, and valves.

His struggles did not go unnoticed. Chief, who had been lying on his hay bed, his gaze lost in the emptiness of the barn’s ceiling, had been watching Rattan with a strange, almost unsettling intensity. He didn’t know what compelled him to move, but he found himself slowly rising to his feet, his injured leg protesting with a dull ache. He walked over to Rattan, his large shadow falling over the smaller ratman.

“What are you doing?” Chief’s voice was hoarse, barely above a whisper, but it startled Rattan nonetheless.

Rattan jumped, whirling around to face Chief. His eyes widened in panic as he looked at the disassembled gauntlet, realizing the extent of what he had done to something that didn’t belong to him. He stammered, his voice filled with fear, “I… I was just… trying to…” He couldn’t find the words to explain his actions. He simply stood there, his small body trembling, waiting for Chief’s reaction.

“Trying to what?” Chief’s voice was low and gravelly, laced with a weariness that seemed to seep into the very air around them. He gestured towards the disassembled gauntlet with a dismissive wave of his hand. “Learn its usage and workings? Haven’t you heard my previous words? These are nothing but toys and tools to those above. What worth does it still have for you to learn?”

Rattan lowered his gaze to the scattered components, a wave of shame washing over him. He had been so caught up in his fascination with the technology, so eager to understand its secrets, that he had completely disregarded Chief’s words, his despair. He felt a pang of guilt for disturbing Chief’s rest, for reminding him of the harsh realities of their situation.

“I… I just thought…” Rattan stammered, searching for the right words. “I thought if I could understand how these things work, maybe… maybe we could use them. To… to help our people.” He looked up at Chief, his eyes pleading for understanding. “To fight back.”

A bitter laugh escaped Chief’s lips. “Fight back?” he repeated, the sound hollow and devoid of any real mirth. “Against what? Against the mages who wield magic that can tear mountains apart? Against the ogres whose strength can shatter stone? Against the goblins who control everything, who see us as nothing more than vermin?” He shook his head slowly, his gaze fixed on the disassembled gauntlet. “These ’toys and tools’ are nothing compared to their power. They are a distraction, a false hope.”

He stepped closer to Rattan, his shadow looming over the smaller ratman. “Don’t waste your time on these trinkets,” he said, his voice dropping to a near whisper. “There is no escape. There is no hope. We are trapped, Rattan. All of us.”

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