Chapter 11: chapter 11 Pink solutions
Kaelith's attention snapped back to the present as he saw a group of players gathering around a female NPC near the town square. The NPC, a kind-looking woman with a gentle smile, was offering services to the townspeople, her demeanor calm and serene. The players, however, didn't share her peace. Their eyes were filled with intent as they closed in on her.
Kaelith's fingers tightened around his bow, already aware of the danger. Pink Solutions, a notorious guild known for exploiting weaker NPCs and manipulating the game's mechanics for their advantage, had a reputation for treating NPCs like mere tools. These players weren't here to trade or quest—they were here to harass the NPC, possibly for some twisted amusement.
The players taunted the woman, their voices loud and mocking. One of them, a tall man wearing a dark hood, stepped forward, drawing his weapon with malicious intent. His companions, a mix of warriors and mages, surrounded the woman, trapping her in a circle.
Kaelith's gaze hardened. He knew the Pink Solutions guild all too well from his past life—arrogant, brutal, and with no respect for the game's rules or its inhabitants. He couldn't let this happen. Not again.
In his previous life, Ethan's heart had been torn between duty and betrayal. The decision to sign that contract was one of the darkest moments in his existence—one that would haunt him until his final breath. It wasn't something he'd planned or even thought he could be forced into. But his stepsister, Miranda Vale, had always had a knack for manipulating him, turning every situation into something he couldn't escape from.
It all started when Miranda approached him, seemingly out of the blue. At first, Ethan had no idea what she was truly after. She always had that charming smile, the one that could convince anyone to do her bidding. But Ethan had been naïve—he had trusted her, thinking she would never lead him astray.
She had been involved with a powerful guild, Pink Solutions, a group known for exploiting the rules of the game to their advantage. Their leader, a cunning and ruthless man, had approached Miranda with an offer. It was simple—Ethan's skills as a top-tier archer and his connections with other guilds were invaluable. They wanted him. But they wanted him bound. Not as an equal, but as their servant, someone they could control, someone who would do their bidding without question.
Miranda had played her cards perfectly. She knew Ethan's weaknesses—his loyalty, his desire to protect those he cared about. She used his love for her to manipulate him, promising him that everything would be fine, that it was just a temporary arrangement. After all, Pink Solutions was a guild with immense resources and influence. Being tied to them could ensure their family's safety. She made Ethan believe that this was the only way to survive in the brutal world of Eldoria.
The contract was deceptively simple. In exchange for five years of service, Pink Solutions promised him a position of power, influence, and the ability to protect his loved ones. But it wasn't just a typical guild contract—it was a binding agreement, one that forced Ethan into a role where he couldn't act freely. If he tried to break the contract, he would face dire consequences, including the loss of everything he had fought for, his reputation, and even his life.
Ethan had tried to resist. He argued, pleaded with Miranda, but she shut him down every time. Her cold eyes, the way she dismissed his concerns, it was clear she was no longer the sister he had grown up with. She was now a woman who would do anything for power, including throwing her own brother into the depths of a cruel world.
With a heavy heart, Ethan signed the contract, sealing his fate. For five years, he would be nothing more than a pawn, a tool for Pink Solutions to use at their leisure. His every move would be dictated by them, and his freedom would be a distant dream.
The first few months were the hardest. Ethan found himself running errands for the guild, taking on menial tasks that were beneath his skill level. He was forced to accept missions that put him in dangerous situations with no regard for his well-being. And all the while, Miranda watched from the sidelines, pretending to care, but only ever pushing him deeper into the abyss.
He couldn't leave. The contract held him prisoner. Every time he tried to act against the guild or go rogue, his efforts were thwarted by the contract's magical binding. It wasn't just a written agreement—it was a force that acted against his will. He couldn't fight it.
The deeper Ethan sank into this life of servitude, the more he realized how much Miranda had changed. She became colder, more calculating. The person he once saw as his sister—the one he'd protected—was gone, replaced by someone who would stop at nothing to climb to the top.
As the years dragged on, Ethan's resentment grew. He felt like a dog, constantly at the beck and call of a guild that saw him as nothing more than a weapon to be used. He had no freedom, no choice, and no real allies. Pink Solutions saw him as an asset—nothing more. They didn't care about his well-being. They only cared about using him until he no longer had any value.
Miranda had sold him out for her own gain. Every time he looked at her, he could see the gleam of ambition in her eyes—the same gleam that had made her sell out her own family for power. She wasn't the sister he had once known. She was a stranger.
But as the years passed, Ethan became stronger. He didn't stay weak, despite the restrictions. He used the time to hone his skills, even under the guild's control. He trained when he could, planned in silence, and waited for the moment when he could break free of their hold. He became patient, calculating, and ready to strike when the time was right.
The contract was a prison, but Ethan was no longer the same person who had signed it. He was smarter, more dangerous. He had learned the hard way that sometimes the only way to gain freedom was to lose everything first. And in time, he would.
In his final days under Pink Solutions, he had seen the truth. He had become an unwilling tool of a guild that exploited NPCs and players alike. It wasn't until the moment of his final betrayal—when Miranda had handed him over to the guild to keep her own status—that Ethan had truly realized how far he had fallen.
He had been their dog. But that would be the last time. He had sworn that when he returned, he would not be a servant any longer. This time, when he rose again, he would rise alone—free of their chains, free of their control. And he would make sure that no one ever forced him into such a life again.
This was his new chance. His new beginning. He would never be anyone's pawn again.