Saryn walked out of the bathroom in slow, heavy steps, having washed up and changed, ready to indulge on the food that somehow hadn't cooled down?
'Probably another one of Marduk's magic tricks, at least it's handy this time.'
Saryn picked out well-suited pieces out of the wardrobe, focusing mainly on the comfort and flexibility of the clothing rather than the aesthetics, he also didn't need to worry about heat and such, as his body was quite resistant to the cold now that it has adapted for a while.
He wore thin undergarments, consisting of a void purple tunic which reminded him of the throne and his sword, it was decorated with three small diamond-shaped lapis scales, which rest side by side, engraved onto the tunic at the left pectoral, adding a bit of unneeded fashion to the shirt.
Underneath it he wore some loose-fitting black trousers, the material of which was quite thin, allowing for easy stretch of his legs without obstruction, the trousers were fastened tight by a long lilac matte sash, which both tightened the trousers and formed an extensive loose end which hung off Saryn's hip.
The sash, while lilac in colour, was adorned with glossy cyan patterns, which ran across the sash to the pointed tips. On top of Saryn's tunic he wore an inconspicuous black cloak, made from a soft warm fabric which covered him from chin to elbow, and then extended past his chest on the front and toward his lower back on the rear.
A loose-fitting hood was a part of the cloak, which was currently down as Saryn didn't enjoy wearing hoods much, and the entire thing was stitched across the edges in a cyan thread, the same cyan which adorned his lilac sash. A badge was stuck onto the cloak on the right shoulder, a white crystal sea serpent which coiled upward in waves, seemingly made of quartz.
Under the tunic and cloak, a set of protective bandages wrapped around his right arm and hand, the bandages weren't clothing, but instead an artifact which decreased the pain of using semblances too much.
On his feet were two simple comfortable white shoes, which provided a strong grip unlike his previous shoes which felt worn out. Each shoe was emblazoned with a purple amethyst-like crystal on the sides, mimicking the counter weight on the obsidian greatblade.
Saryn was satisfied with his new clothing, as he strutted up quickly to the mirror on the other end of the room like an excited child.
The mirror rippled as Saryn looked, before Marduk began inhabiting his body.
"I look badass, don't I?" Saryn asked humorously.
"Indeed, you do, it seems you didn't settle for the one I had handpicked for you." Marduk replied while smirking like the trouble-maker he was.
"Maybe because it was a kid's dress…" Saryn stood straight faced as he responded, as he nodded his head from side to side slowly, while intending not to humor Marduk's petty jokes.
"Unfortunately, with my years of age, you are no different to a fetus in my eyes." Marduk spoke as he crossed his arms behind his back.
Saryn rolled his eyes in reply.
"Alright, well then you will have to excuse me, old haggard, as I have a feast waiting for me." Saryn said, slowly walking away in the process.
"Rest yourself, as the next few trials won't be any easier than the last." Marduk returned to his gloomy baritone voice, as the mirror rippled.
He disappeared, while Saryn appeared in front of the table of fine dishes, enjoying the heavenly aroma of the vast array of food.
But the variety confused him slightly.
Perhaps it was because of his mostly erased memories, but many of the dishes looked greatly unappealing to him, or just plain odd.
Saryn hovered over the table, eyes narrowing at a bowl of something gelatinous that pulsed faintly, as if breathing.
"…Yeah, no. That one's alive," he muttered as his face paled in disgust, nudging the bowl away with the tip of his finger.
He searched for a… safer looking plate.
His eyes scanned the table before stumbling upon a plate of thinly sliced pieces of meat coated in a brothy brown sauce, blue scales which seemed to have come from some sort of fish garnished the meat, and Saryn couldn't tell whether he was supposed to eat them or not.
He pulled a chair back from against the table, taking a seat before bringing the plate toward him.
The knife and fork in his hands moved quickly and precisely as he took a small bite, the type a child would take of a food they were reluctant to try.
'That's not bad.' Saryn thought, before taking another bite.
And after that, he took another bite.
And then another bite.
Then another bite.
And another.
Another bite.
The food didn't taste good, nor bad.
He couldn't even tell why he was eating it.
He had become so monstrous that food isn't even needed for his survival anymore.
And he didn't find the taste pleasing either, just decent.
'Why am I eating this…?'
The quiet deafened his ears more than any loud noise could, as he indulged in bite after bite of pure familiarity, as if ringing the bell to a memory he couldn't quite piece together.
Well, he could, except it was like the puzzle pieces to these memories weren't supposed to fit together.
He wondered if he could simply fabricate lies about his existence, force puzzle pieces that were never meant to fit together, just to comfort himself with the illusion of humanity.
…
A faint ripple passed through the air, barely noticeable, like a whisper brushing the back of his neck. The bandages on his right arm tightened for a heartbeat, reacting to something unseen.
…
But how was he supposed to find himself otherwise?
He didn't know why he was thinking this either, but every time he took a bite, it brought down on him a lingering sense of familiarity.
It didn't taste good, sure… but to Saryn, it tasted safe.
And right now, at the point in his life, where he was hiding his identity crisis with cheap humour and simply a goal of escaping, it was something he direly needed.
He wanted to feel safe.
He wanted to feel human.
…
The feeling vanished just as quickly as it had erupted.
The chair creaked beneath him, echoes clinging to it like the remnants of others' souls.
'This damned place manages to make dinner dramatic too - somehow…'