"Calen isn't acting like this because of the sleeping magic," Luan gently cut her off. "It's just… the crystal seal carries too many painful memories for him."
Luan then told her about Calen's past, and not a single part of the story contained anything happy moment.
Calen had been a slave since he was very young, and his old master could be said to be even worse than the evil Roxanna. Of course, two terrible things couldn't really be compared, but at least in the Vexaria settlement, Calen could breathe a little and feel slightly less trapped.
Meanwhile, in his old settlement, he was nothing more than a slave dog. Every day, he was forced to work; hunting for meat, guarding the settlement, and carrying heavy loads. When he grew older, they even forced him to watch over the demon beasts' nests.
His life was filled with chaos and violence for so long that speaking softly became difficult for him. Harsh words and raised voices were all he had ever known.
