Shattered Sanity

A couple of days after Riven was finally freed from his restraints, he was invited into the Hypnotist’s private chamber, as the older man had finally decided that the time had come to reveal the purpose for which Riven had endured nearly two and a half years of unimaginable suffering.

’Today I will finally learn my life’s purpose....’

Riven thought, as he calmly took the seat opposite the Hypnotist with his spine perfectly straight, his shoulders relaxed, and his hands resting naturally upon his thighs, while every aspect of his posture reflected exactly how he had been taught that a noble ought to conduct himself during an important meeting, as without consciously thinking about it, he had already slipped into the role that the Hypnotist had spent years painstakingly cultivating within him.

”Well...” the Hypnotist began, as he released a long sigh before looking directly into Riven’s emerald-green eyes. ”A promise is a promise, lad, and I suppose the time has finally come for me to reveal the purpose of your life.”

Riven silently nodded.

”I imagine you’ve developed a fairly accurate understanding of my opinions regarding His Imperial Majesty after all our conversations over these past few years, haven’t you?” the Hypnotist asked, as he patiently waited for Riven’s answer.

Riven remained silent for several long moments.

Rather than rushing to answer, he thoughtfully monopolized the silence exactly as he had been taught that influential nobles often did during important discussions, allowing the question to linger before finally speaking in a voice deliberately deeper than his natural tone.

”Indeed,” Riven replied, as he maintained unwavering eye contact without the slightest hint of hesitation.

”It is my understanding that you hold very little affection towards His Imperial Majesty.

You believe him to be a tiger hiding beneath pigskin, presenting himself as a benevolent ruler who appears to be detached from low level politics, while quietly interfering in matters that should never require the Emperor’s direct involvement.

From everything you have taught me, I believe it is fair to say that you do not think highly of the man.”

He replied, as a faint smile appeared upon the Hypnotist’s face.

”That is correct,” the Hypnotist answered, as he slowly leaned back into his chair while studying Riven’s composed expression. ”I am indeed not particularly fond of the Emperor. However, my personal opinions ultimately matter very little, because I am, in the end, a nobody in the grand scheme of things, and me hating or loving someone doesn’t change that man’s destiny.”

His gaze gradually sharpened.

”You, however, may one day possess that opportunity,” the Hypnotist continued, as he slowly leaned forwards until the two of them sat only a short distance apart.

”You see, lad, the Emperor cannot simply be removed through strength alone. He is a man protected by millions, despite being quietly hated by billions, because the political system governing our Empire has been carefully designed to shield him from the consequences of his own tyranny.”

He paused briefly before continuing.

”If Valdrak is ever to become the Empire it was always capable of becoming, reform cannot arrive through petitions or negotiation. It must arrive through revolution. A revolution capable of restoring dignity to the common people while breaking the chains that currently bind the Empire to one man’s ambition.”

Riven listened attentively without interrupting.

”And such a revolution,” the Hypnotist explained, as his voice gradually grew firmer with every passing sentence, ”cannot be led by a peasant, nor by a merchant, nor by a wandering Ascendant.

It must be led by someone possessing enough political legitimacy that countless nobles willingly rally behind him. Only then shall the people have the courage to follow.”

He slowly folded his hands together.

”House Dawnriver presently finds itself facing an existential crisis, but it might become an opportunity for you”

Riven’s eyes narrowed slightly.

”The Emperor has systematically ensured that every legitimate heir capable of inheriting House Dawnriver has either disappeared, died, or become politically incapable of assuming leadership,” the Hypnotist explained, as quiet frustration became increasingly apparent within his voice. ”As matters presently stand, Duke Dawnriver no longer possesses a suitable successor capable of inheriting the Eastern Province.”

He shook his head slowly.

”Ordinarily, the appointment of an adopted heir would require Imperial approval,” the Hypnotist continued, as he carefully observed Riven’s reaction. ”Naturally, such approval would only ever be granted to someone completely loyal to the Emperor, thereby allowing House Dawnriver to quietly fall beneath Imperial control without a single battle ever needing to be fought.”

Riven remained silent.

Fortunately, the Hypnotist continued before he had the opportunity to ask a question.

”Fortunately for us,” the Hypnotist said, as a faint smile gradually returned to his face, ”Duke Dawnriver has no intention whatsoever of surrendering his House so easily.

The deaths of his sons have forced him to realize that unless someone eventually stands against the Emperor, every Great House shall ultimately suffer the same fate.”

The older man looked directly into Riven’s eyes.

”And so...” the Hypnotist revealed, as his expression became unusually serious. ”He has agreed to make you his heir.”

He revealed, as for the very first time since entering the chamber, surprise briefly appeared upon Riven’s otherwise composed face.

”Me?” Riven asked, as although his tone remained remarkably controlled, the disbelief within his eyes proved impossible to completely conceal.

”You,” the Hypnotist confirmed, as he nodded slowly. ”From the moment you leave this laboratory, you shall no longer exist as Riven Veyr.”

He allowed those words to settle before continuing.

”You shall become Riven Dawnriver,” the Hypnotist explained, as he spoke every word with deliberate clarity. ”The son born from Duke Dawnriver’s secret marriage, a child raised beyond the Empire’s borders as a carefully prepared contingency in the unlikely event that every publicly acknowledged heir perished before inheriting the House.”

Riven remained silent.

The scale of what he had just heard was almost impossible to fully comprehend.

Never, not even during his wildest recent fantasies about leading a noble life, had he imagined that he might one day become the heir to one of the Four Great Houses of the Valdrak Empire.

As even among nobles, such a position stood at the absolute pinnacle of society.

”However,” the Hypnotist continued, as he calmly interrupted Riven’s thoughts before they drifted too far, ”receiving that name alone shall not make you Duke Dawnriver’s successor.”

He leaned forwards once again.

”As you already know, every heir must first enter the Imperial Academy, survive every scheme the Emperor inevitably places before promising candidates, graduate successfully, and then demonstrate his competence by governing territory entrusted to him for well over a year.”

Only then, the Hypnotist explained, as his expression remained completely serious, ”shall you possess the political legitimacy necessary to inherit House Dawnriver.”

”The road ahead shall be long,” the Hypnotist continued, as he quietly clasped both hands together upon the table between them. ”There shall be countless individuals who attempt to expose you, manipulate you, assassinate you, or otherwise prevent your ascension before it ever reaches completion.”

”However,” the Hypnotist said, as conviction gradually filled every word leaving his mouth, ”if you somehow succeed... if you preserve House Dawnriver from becoming nothing more than another puppet dancing beneath the Emperor’s strings... then for the very first time in decades, there shall finally exist someone capable of leading the Empire towards genuine change.”

He slowly released a quiet sigh.

”I wish I could tell you everything today,” the Hypnotist admitted, as genuine regret briefly appeared within his expression. ”I wish I could explain precisely why removing the Emperor has become an absolute necessity, and why so many otherwise honourable men have quietly risked everything to oppose him.”

He slowly shook his head.

”But I cannot.”

”It is something that you must witness with your own eyes,” the Hypnotist continued, as his voice softened considerably. ”No explanation I give inside these walls shall ever equal seeing the truth for yourself.”

Riven remained silent for several moments before finally nodding.

”I understand,” Riven replied, as he slowly lowered his gaze in contemplation while digesting everything he had just learned. ”It is... considerably more than I expected to hear.”

”I suspected it would be,” the Hypnotist replied, as a faint smile briefly returned to his face. ”Which is why there remains one final matter that must be discussed before Duke Dawnriver comes to meet you.”

Riven immediately raised his eyes once more.

”The Duke shall arrive very soon,” the Hypnotist explained, as his expression gradually became completely serious once again. ”When he does, I hope you shall accept him as your father without hesitation.”

He paused deliberately.

”And once you do,” the Hypnotist continued, as he held Riven’s gaze without blinking, ”you must never contradict that truth before anyone, under any circumstances.”

”The success of this mission depends entirely upon the world believing that you truly are Riven Dawnriver,” the Hypnotist explained, as every word carried unmistakable weight. ”Should anyone ever discover that you were once merely a slave from Ashfang Village, everything we have sacrificed over the past two and a half years shall immediately collapse.”

He slowly leaned back into his chair.

”Which is precisely why,” the Hypnotist concluded, as his voice became unusually gentle, ”if you choose to accept this mission of your own free will, I can perform one final procedure.”

Riven listened without speaking.

”A procedure,” the Hypnotist explained, as his gaze remained fixed upon Riven’s eyes, ”that shall create an entirely new layer of childhood memories within your mind.”

He allowed silence to settle between them before finishing.

”So that when the day comes for you to call Duke Dawnriver ’Father,’ your heart shall no longer feel as though it is telling a lie.”