First Day (1 of 5)
Breaking the Breaker: Damion and Mulsae attend a suspicious peace dinner only to walk straight into Zudaeshi’s trap
‘Breaking the Breaker’ Content Warning: Erotic Horror
Story contains graphic depictions of violence, non-consensual sex, psychological manipulation, power imbalance, humiliation, dehumanization, and other dark, disturbing themes.
This story invites reflection on what happens to the mind under sustained horror, how identity reshapes itself around trauma, and what traces of agency persist when autonomy has been stripped away.
Proceed with extreme caution.
7th day of the 5th moon
1113 HC
Damion never would have imagined he'd have this life, but he likes it. He actually chose it. And he continues to choose it again and again every month on the new moon. For seven years he has chosen this lifestyle.
He moved back in with Mulsae. He never would have imagined he would choose Mulsae, but once he was away, and once he had many other experiences, he found he was constantly missing something. He tried to find Doms who would replace Mulsae, but none could match up to the Real Mulsae.
So one drunken night where Damion felt particularly untethered, he reached for the enchanted parchment Mulsae had slipped to him at the Masters' summit and wrote that he missed him. Mulsae replied in kind, and the conversation began. Damion told him how he felt, what he hated, what he missed, and what he wished he could have. Mulsae listened and lent a sympathetic ear.
Then The Agreement started to develop, one where they discussed what boundaries would be expected if they were ever to share their lives together again. The Agreement evolved and started to feel more and more tempting to Damion. If they were together, The Agreement would last only one month at a time, new moon to new moon, upon which they would have a discussion as equals about any modifications to The Agreement that would apply for the next moon cycle.
The Agreement system has worked for seven years. Damion is free to leave Mulsae without notice at any time for any reason, but would have to endure a punishment in order to return. He's never left without notice. He gets vacation time when he wants it, and hasn't yet felt pushed enough to leave without notice.
Damion has been living this relatively stress-free life for years. Mulsae handles everything, and Damion worries over nothing. Until Zudaeshi's presence in Harmura became more and more ever present. Mulsae's stress levels have increased and seep into their personal dynamic. Now Damion worries about Zudaeshi, too. Mulsae is afraid. Damion is growing afraid.
Mulsae was invited to a dinner with all the Sanctum Masters to celebrate the trade treaties with Shinra and peace between the lands. Mulsae was suspicious. This would be the first time all the Masters gathered since the summit to free Damion. What was even more suspicious was that Zudaeshi specifically invited Damion.
Damion no longer publicly appeared casually at Mulsae's side. He only appeared for Sanctum business in Scaldmere and in the throne room at Drenvaar. He especially didn't travel to other Sanctums at Mulsae's side. Damion traveled for vacation, sure, they just didn't travel together. The nature of their relationship has been held primarily in private.
Zudaeshi always had a sick fascination with what Mulsae had done to Damion. Her demand to have Damion present at the dinner just furthered the suspicion that Zudaeshi had sick intentions.
After long discussions, they decide to attend the dinner together. Mulsae plans to convince Zudaeshi to perform a fake Water Sanctum peace ceremony, using a ritual bowl secretly enchanted to reveal the truth of a person's soul. Zudaeshi’s guard may be lower if Mulsae appears to acquiesce to her request and brings Damion along.
Besides. Mulsae is the most powerful Master in living memory. He can defend Damion from any harm while at the dinner. Right?
Mulsae and Damion arrive from the Spirit Portal into the plaza at the Palace on Harmony Mountain to attend the dinner Zudaeshi has invited them to. Zudaeshi decided to use the usually abandoned Palace as neutral ground to hold this dinner supposedly celebrating peace.
Mulsae wears his finery and a dark indigo Sanctum Master's stole, while Damion wears only a pair of leather pants and bare feet, as is his traditional outfit when appearing as Mulsae's companion. Damion is holding the Water Sanctum ritual bowl they hope to use to trick Zudaeshi into exposing her soul. They are greeted by a pair of Sky-Touched escorts dressed more like soldiers. The soldier-like escorts lead them to a drawing room where other Masters and their retinue are gathering.
Mulsae and Damion enter the room and they're immediately looked at suspiciously. A lot happened in the Masters' effort to free Damion from Mulsae, and they are understandably upset to see them back together. Mulsae strides forward like he owns the place and grabs a goblet of wine from a tray. He gazes out at the gathered people with a bored expression. Damion sticks to a typical heeling position to Mulsae's left and a step behind.
Mulsae casually strolls through the room and no one pulls him into conversation. However, Damion is shocked when Thunder Master Deryn approaches him and drawls, "Certainly didn't expect to see you here. With him." He jerks his head towards Mulsae, who continues his stroll away and through the room.
Damion nods, "I didn't expect to be here. Zudaeshi specifically invited me."
Deryn raises an eyebrow, "Suspicious." Damion simply nods.
Deryn takes a sip of his wine then smirks, "One of these days you'll have to tell me how you guys got back together. But I hear it's been consensual these past few years?"
Damion nods, "Yes, we have an Agreement, and we update The Agreement every new moon."
Deryn nods thoughtfully, "I hope it's working out and that you're happy."
Damion sighs and rubs the back of his neck, "I went through a really rough time after I was freed. My experience with Mulsae changed me. Or... unlocked something in me. Or... made me understand myself better. I don't know, it's hard to explain. It's hard for me to understand," he sighs heavily, "I just know I'm happier with a Dom, and I'm happier when Mulsae is that Dom."
Deryn places a comforting hand on Damion's shoulder, "What's important is that you're happy, and what's even more important is that you can change your mind."
"I am, and I can," Damion looks up sheepishly, "I am free to walk away right this moment if I wanted to. I choose to be here with him."
Deryn pulls a piece of parchment from his pocket and hands it to Damion, "Here, it's Heavenwood parchment. If you ever feel trapped you can write to me and I'll help."
Damion accepts the parchment and blushes profusely, "Thank you. I appreciate you looking out for me. I appreciate your kindness. You're a good Master." Damion folds up the parchment and sticks it in the waistband of his pants.
"You've got pants now," Deryn smirks.
Damion huffs, "Yeah, one of the changes that's part of our Agreement."
Flame Master Valena approaches to join the conversation, "Well if it isn't the catalyst that gave me my position. A pleasure to see you, Damion."
Damion has been blushing so much his skin is starting to burn, "It is nice to know my experiences were able to instigate good in the world."
"Getting rid of Sorvak was a lot of good," Valena smirks.
"Well well! If it isn't Flame Sanctum’s savior!" Zeven walks up and slaps Damion on the back. Oh gods, if I get any more attention I think I'll just die of embarrassment.
Damion smiles meekly at Zeven.
"Look who's become the center of the party," drawls Mulsae as he strolls up. Everyone's eyes narrow at him.
"Mulsae," Valena says, dripping with disdain.
"It was nice talking to you, Damion," Deryn says smiling at him, then looks at Mulsae and drops the smile before turning to walk away.
Valena just clasps Zeven on the shoulder and guides him away.
Damion walks up shoulder to shoulder with Mulsae and whispers, "Thank you."
Mulsae caresses a finger down Damion's cheek, "Anything for you."
Chiming can be heard at the entrance to the drawing room that captures everyone's attention. "Dinner is ready," a servant announces.
All the guests file out the door with murmuring voices and sounds of footsteps. They walk through the hallways of the mountain palace and are led to large double doors that open to a grand room. There are three round tables seating 14 people each, although the center table is larger than the other two.
"The seating is assigned. Please look for your name tag and sit at your assigned seats," announces the servant.
The guests gather in and mill about the tables looking for their names. It's quickly discovered that all of the Sanctum Masters and their partners are seated at the center table.
Mulsae and Damion look for their names and find only Mulsae's name. They then notice the cushion next to Mulsae's chair. There, resting on top of the cushion, is the tag with Damion's name written on it. Damion groans and rolls his eyes. Their Agreement has prohibited his kneeling at the table in front of others.
How do you want to handle this? drifts Mulsae's voice in Damion's mind.
It's okay. We're here to take down Zudaeshi. I'll just suck it up and deal with it. I've done it before, I can do it again, Damion sighs.
Mulsae peers at him sympathetically. Let me know if you're struggling. We can get up and leave if we need to, okay?
Damion smiles at Mulsae. Thanks for understanding.
They remain standing until everyone else has seated. Then Damion takes a deep breath and kneels on the cushion. I can do this. I can do this. I can do this. But he still flashes back to such severe humiliating moments at the beginning of his time with Mulsae. His stomach begins to roil as the memories flow through him rapidly.
Mulsae takes his seat and finds himself next to the Mountain Master. "Garrick," Mulsae drawls.
"Mulsae," Garrick says with a hint of a growl in his voice.
Damion looks around suspiciously. Only the center table sits atop a rug, and the tabletop has the etchings of a large sigil, ringed with eight smaller ones. He notices each Master is seated directly in front of the smaller sigils. The center of the table is empty, and encircled in candles.
I don't like the look of this, Damion says to Mulsae.
I'm getting suspicious, too. Maybe we should leave.
But the loud clicking of high-heeled shoes echoes through the room, cutting through the murmuring of voices. It draws everyone's attention to the double doors where Zudaeshi is walking towards them in resplendent finery and glittering gold shoes. She carries an eight sided crystal pyramid.
She walks to the center table where it has no chairs and so strangely stands on the table and walks to its center. She kneels down and her dress pools around her.
We're leaving. Now. Mulsae says. As soon as he plants his hands on the arm of his chair to get up, Zudaeshi slams the crystal down onto the center of the table. A shockwave explodes outwards pressing everyone into the back of their chairs while Damion is knocked to the floor.
He sees Mulsae is shuddering with his back arched like he's being pulled from his chest. Damion hops to his feet and sees the other Sanctum Masters are in the same position with their partners looking just as frantic as he is.
Suddenly his feet burn, and he jumps back. Lines of bright light are erupting from the rug in the shape of more sigils. Each Master's chair is in the center of a sigil. The light around Mulsae is blue, but the other Masters are surrounded in other colors: yellow, white, brown, green, grey, and red.
The different colored lights of the sigil converge in the center and shoot up to surround Zudaeshi in bands of differently colored glowing lights. Her hands are on the crystal. Her back arched and her eyes brightly glowing blue.
Damion grabs Mulsae and tries to pull him out of the chair but he won't budge. He tugs and flails but nothing works. He looks on as all the other partners are doing the same.
The Masters shudder and shake while Zudaeshi's black hair blows wildly with her golden highlights glinting in the light. All the partners eye each other. No one has found a way to pull the Masters out.
Finally, the Masters collapse and Zudaeshi slumps forward. Everyone pants deeply.
Are you okay, are you okay? Damion pushes to Mulsae. No answer.
After a few moments, Mulsae's eyes flutter and he groans. More groaning echos from the others.
Let's go, let's get out of here. Damion tugs on Mulsae's arm, but he's still dazed and incoherent.
Continue Reading: First Day (2 of 5)
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