ã€ŠLeaving my world behindã€‹


 Before leaving

    Since humans first gained consciousness, the question has arisen whether evil is an inherent part of their nature or if society corrupts their essence. And within this dilemma emerges the question: can a pure and kind soul transform its surroundings, or is it destined to be consumed by the cruelty that envelops it?

    Well, this story will explore that mystery. It will follow a young man who seeks to illuminate a world shrouded in darkness¡ªa world where cruelty and despair have taken hold. At its heart lies a wager between two gods, a bet that will determine the fate of an entire species and test the true nature of humanity. Will this pure and untainted soul manage to survive in a blood-stained world without losing its purity, or will it inevitably be consumed by the very darkness surrounding it?

    (Somewhere in the world)

    "Haaaauuuuuummm..."

    (Yawn)

    "Wow, I slept a lot."

    These words came from a young man with semi-long, slightly messy black hair, lying in a hospital bed. Sunlight streamed through the window, shining directly on his face and illuminating his honey-colored eyes. He closed them and smiled as he felt the warmth of the sun on his face.

    "Ahhh, so warm."

    (Said the young man with a sigh.)

    The young man turned his head and stretched his body to reach for a pair of glasses on the nightstand next to his bed. He grabbed them and put them on, yawning once more. He got out of bed and stretched a little, but as he did, he began coughing violently. His cough was so strong that he lost his balance and let his body slump slightly, holding onto the edge of the bed for support.

    "Yeah, sure! I''ll check it out later when my shift ends."

    (A female voice was heard outside the young man''s room.)

    "Alright, how''s our little ray of sunshine doing today?"

    Said a young doctor with long, curly red hair and blue eyes as she opened the door to the young man''s room.

    When the doctor saw the young man¡¯s condition, she became extremely worried, dropping the items she had in her hands to rush over and check on him.

    "Morgan! Morgan! What happened to you? Are you okay?"

    The doctor, visibly alarmed, helped Morgan up and sat him back on the bed.

    "It¡¯s nothing, really. I just stretched a little while getting out of bed."

    (Said Morgan with a faint smile on his face.)

    The doctor began examining Morgan to ensure he was alright and that nothing serious was happening.

    "I understand you want to be more active, but please be more careful. Your body has been weaker than usual lately."

    (Said the doctor, slightly annoyed.)

    "Yes, yes, I¡¯m sorry, Doctor."

    (Said Morgan apologetically.)

    "And what¡¯s with calling me ¡®Doctor¡¯? We¡¯ve been around each other for three years now! Call me Nilah, Nilah!"

    (Said the doctor in a loud voice.)

    "Come on, try it."

    Doctor Nilah sat down next to Morgan, arms crossed, waiting for him to say her name.

    "Ni... ni... ni..."

    (Said Morgan softly.)

    Doctor Nilah leaned closer to Morgan¡¯s face and whispered.

    "Go on, say it."

    "Nilah."

    (Said Morgan, embarrassed, shrinking in his seat.)

    "Ahhh, I knew it! You¡¯re so cute!"

    (Said Doctor Nilah, hugging Morgan and showering him with affection.)

    "Doctor!"

    (Yelled Morgan as Nilah pressed his face against her chest.)

    At that moment, an alarm went off. The sound came from a phone located on the same nightstand where Morgan''s glasses were.

    "Hmph, what an inconvenient phone."

    (Said Nilah, slightly irritated.)

    "It¡¯s time."

    Morgan pulled away from Doctor Nilah, got up, and slipped on a pair of shark-shaped slippers. He walked slowly to a longer cabinet at the back of the room. On top of the cabinet sat a large aquarium. Morgan opened a drawer and took out a bag labeled "Special Food for Axolotls."

    "It¡¯s time to eat, Kuku."

    Inside the aquarium swam a small, adorable pink axolotl. Morgan dropped the food into the tank and watched as his little pet ate. He smiled warmly as he observed it enjoy its meal.

    "Hehehe, even in moments like this, you look so adorable."

    (Said Doctor Nilah, laughing softly.)A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

    "You''re making fun of me again!"

    (Said Morgan, clenching his fists and shaking them up and down.)

    "Sorry, sorry! But you really do love animals, huh? Your pajamas have dinosaur prints, your slippers are shaped like sharks, and your father brought that tiger-print blanket all the way from his country. Plus, you have that little buddy over there."

    (Said Nilah, glancing at the aquarium.)

    "Of course! ''Ever since I was little, my parents taught me that caring for animals was a way to value life because every creature, no matter how small, has its place and importance in the world.''"

    (Said Morgan with a big smile as he looked at Nilah.)

    Doctor Nilah smiled as well, touched by Morgan¡¯s words and his radiant expression.

    At that moment, several children burst into Morgan''s room, shouting his name.

    "Morgan! Morgan!"

    Some of the kids ran to hug him, and Morgan welcomed them with open arms and a warm smile.

    "Morgan, can you tell us a story today?"

    (Asked a little girl, her eyes sparkling with anticipation.)

    Another doctor entered the room hurriedly.

    "Sorry, sorry! Kids! Don¡¯t bother young Morgan! He¡¯s not feeling very well."

    "Don¡¯t worry, Doctor Lina. It¡¯s fine, really."

    (Said Morgan to reassure her.)

    "Okay, I¡¯ll tell you a story, but only if you promise to listen to Doctor Lina."

    All the children cheered loudly at once.

    "Yes!"

    "Alright then, get comfortable."

    (Said Morgan cheerfully.)

    The children quickly sat on the floor, their eyes fixed on Morgan with excitement. Doctor Nilah remained seated on the bed, watching Morgan with a gentle smile. Doctor Lina sat beside her, eager to hear Morgan¡¯s story as well.

    "How... how is he doing?"

    (Said Lina, looking downcast.)

    Doctor Nilah didn¡¯t respond. She simply lowered her gaze, crossing her arms and gripping one tightly.

    "I see..."

    (Said Doctor Lina with a sad expression.)

    At that moment, Morgan clapped his hands loudly and said in a cheerful voice:

    "Alright, alright, I¡¯m starting now! Pay attention!"

    However, Morgan didn¡¯t know what story to tell, so he began to think deeply.

    "Hmmm, what story can I tell them?"

    (He thought to himself.)

    Then, Morgan noticed the children were staring intently at his aquarium, particularly at his small pet, Kuku.

    "I¡¯ve got it."

    (Said Morgan with a smile.)

    "It seems you¡¯re really interested in Kuku. But did you know there¡¯s a whole story about him?"

    (Said Morgan proudly.)

    The children were amazed to hear this, their eyes widening in surprise.

    "Do you want me to tell you his story?"

    (Said Morgan with a slight smile.)

    All the children shouted "Yes!" in unison, filled with excitement.

    "Alright then, listen closely."

    A long, long time ago, when the Earth was newly born, the gods gathered one day to discuss an important matter. In their hands, they held the fate of the nascent world. They began to debate how they could ensure the sun and moon would traverse the skies, bringing light to every corner of the world. After much deliberation, they came to a single conclusion: only by offering their divine blood could they give the sun and moon the strength needed to walk the heavens.

    The god of the wind, the most powerful among them, was chosen to oversee the sacrifice. With a sigh that shook the heavens, he accepted his duty and began to blow with all his might. One by one, the gods offered their lives, and with each sacrifice, the sun and moon grew stronger. Creation was proceeding as planned until the turn of the last god came.

    But this god was different. Terrified by the prospect of death, he fled in desperation. His heart pounded with the echo of his cowardice as he ran through mountains and valleys, seeking a refuge where he could escape his fate. But the god of the wind, relentless in his duty, unleashed furious gusts that swept across the land in pursuit.

    The fleeing god, in his desperation, began to transform. He became an immense tree, a rock, a maguey, a cob of corn, but the winds always found him, stripping away each disguise. Exhausted, his final hope led him to the sea. There, submerged in the depths, he took the form of an axolotl, a small and gentle creature barely worth noticing.

    Believing he had finally outwitted his pursuer, the god swam through the dark waters, hidden in his new skin. But the winds of the god of the wind were tireless and omnipresent. They found him even there, among the river¡¯s shadows. And in that place, the last cowardly god was finally caught. His life came to an end, and his divine blood joined that of his brothers to complete the sacrifice.

    With the sacrifice complete, the sun and the moon ascended into the sky, moving with infinite grace. Their celestial dance filled the world with light and darkness, with days and nights, allowing life to bloom for the first time. The sacrifice of the gods was etched into the soul of creation, and in the river where the last of them fell, the axolotl became an eternal symbol of transformation, fear, and destiny.

    All the children were deeply impressed by the story Morgan had told them. They began chatting among themselves about their favorite parts of the tale. Seeing their reaction, Morgan could only smile cheerfully, while both doctors looked at him with pride, smiling from ear to ear.

    However, this joyful moment didn¡¯t last long, as Morgan suddenly began to feel dizzy, placing one hand on his forehead before losing his balance and steadying himself on the cabinet that held his aquarium.

    Doctor Nilah¡¯s expression changed in an instant. She stood up in a flash to help Morgan.

    "Get them out of here, please."

    (Said Doctor Nilah, looking at Doctor Lina.)

    Doctor Lina quickly ushered the children out of the room while Nilah helped Morgan back to his bed.

    "Are you alright?"

    (Said Nilah, worried as she checked to make sure Morgan was okay.)

    "Yes, yes, I just got a little dizzy. I¡¯m fine."

    (Said Morgan, trying to reassure her.)

    "I just need a little more sleep, and you¡¯ll see I¡¯ll be fine."

    (He said, raising his fist and smiling.)

    Doctor Nilah¡¯s face turned sad again as she watched Morgan. However, a knock at the door interrupted the moment, and then the door opened.

    Entering the room was a woman in blue clothing, with long blonde hair, blue eyes, and tattoos on her neck, arms, and under one eye. She was accompanied by a man with brown skin, brown eyes, slightly long hair tied back in a ponytail, a bit of a beard, and an earring in one ear.

    Seeing them, Morgan greeted them cheerfully.

    "Hi, Mom..."

    But before Morgan could finish saying the word, the blonde-haired woman threw herself at him, hugging and doting on him as if he were a small child.

    "Oh, I missed you so much, my lj¨®ska!"

    (Said the woman lovingly as she hugged Morgan tightly.)

    "Yeah, I missed you a lot too, Mom."

    (Said Morgan, hugging his mother tightly and letting her shower him with affection.)

    "Hey, that¡¯s not fair! You¡¯re hogging him all to yourself!"

    (Said the man, sounding a little sad.)

    The man also hugged Morgan, and Morgan responded to the hug with equal affection.

    "How are you, son?"

    (Said the man, smiling.)

    "Perfect!"

    (Said Morgan, proudly giving a thumbs-up.)

    "Really? That¡¯s great to hear."

    (Said the man as he ruffled Morgan¡¯s hair.)

    "Sorry we didn¡¯t come to see you sooner, my lj¨®ska. We¡¯ve had so much work at the sanctuary lately."

    (Said Morgan¡¯s mother as she hugged him lovingly.)

    "Yeah, and Nala¡¯s cubs were just born!"

    (Said the father cheerfully.)

    Morgan¡¯s eyes lit up with excitement upon hearing this.

    "Really? Really? That¡¯s amazing! I¡¯d love to see them soon. They must be so cute!"

    (Said Morgan, full of enthusiasm.)

    "Oh, I almost forgot! I took a picture to show you."

    Morgan¡¯s father pulled his phone from his pocket and showed the photo to Morgan. Both parents sat on either side of him. Morgan eagerly took the phone and saw a picture of four African lion cubs.

    "Ahh, they¡¯re so adorable!"

    (Said Morgan happily.)

    "There are two males and two females,"

    (Said Morgan¡¯s mother with a smile.)

    "Everyone at the sanctuary misses you, son. They all send their regards."

    (Said Morgan¡¯s father, looking at him proudly.)

    "Yeah, I want to go back soon too."

    (Said Morgan with enthusiasm.)

    "You will, son, you will."

    (Said Morgan¡¯s mother as she kissed him on the head.)

    Doctor Nilah, who had been silently observing, finally broke her silence to address Morgan¡¯s parents.

    "Excuse me for interrupting, Mr. and Mrs., but I¡¯d like to speak with you in private."

    (Said Doctor Nilah seriously.)

    "What¡¯s this ¡®Mr. and Mrs.¡¯ nonsense, Nilah? Call us by our names¡ªFrey and Aurelio!"

    (Said Morgan¡¯s mother, slightly annoyed.)

    "Yes, yes, we¡¯ve known each other for so long. You have to call us by our names!"

    (Said Morgan''s father, supporting his wife.)

    "Alright then, Frey, Aurelio, could we talk in private?"

    (Said Nilah calmly.)

    "Of course."

    (Said Morgan''s father, smiling.)

    "We¡¯ll be right back, lj¨®ska, we won¡¯t take long."

    (Said Morgan¡¯s mother as she kissed him on the cheek and got up from the bed.)

    Doctor Nilah left the room, followed closely by Morgan¡¯s parents.

    "Oh, looks like she¡¯s here!"

    (Said Morgan''s mother cheerfully before fully leaving the room.)

    "I¡¯m here! I¡¯m here!!!"

    Bursting into the room came a girl with short black hair, running at full speed. She was breathing heavily, clearly having run quite a lot.

    The girl fixed her gaze on Morgan and launched herself at him, shouting:

    "Brother!!!"

    Morgan welcomed her with open arms, his characteristic smile on his face.

    "Ixchel, how was school today?"

    (Said Morgan happily.)

    "Really good, brother, really good! I made two more friends!"

    (Said Ixchel proudly.)

    "Really? Tell me about them. How¡¯s school going for you?"

    "Of course!!!"

    (Said Ixchel, excited.)

    She kicked off her shoes and climbed onto Morgan¡¯s bed, sitting cross-legged.

    "Today, I became friends with two girls from my class. One is named Elena, and the other Vilma. Elena likes cats just like me, and Vilma loves horror movies just like I do! So, I started talking to them just like you taught me, and now they asked me if we could hang out this weekend."

    (Said Ixchel cheerfully.)

    "That¡¯s great, Ixchel. You¡¯re such a wonderful girl."

    (Said Morgan, proud of his sister.)

    "Yes! Thanks to you, I can talk to other people without stuttering. I even understand math now because you taught me how to solve the problems on my exams. I also finished building our house in the game we play together. I¡¯ve done so many things thanks to you being with me. I even found the courage to tell our parents that I want to be an artist."

    As she said these words, tears began streaming down Ixchel¡¯s face. She threw herself into Morgan¡¯s chest, hugging him desperately.

    "So, so... please, big brother, please don''t die, don''t leave me alone. You still have so much to teach me. I beg you, don''t leave me alone."

    (Said Ixchel, crying inconsolably into his chest.)

    Morgan, seeing this, hugged Ixchel and began gently stroking her head.

    "Calm down, I¡¯m not going anywhere. There are still so many things I have to do with you. I can¡¯t die before I see you grow up and graduate from university as a great artist. So until that happens, I¡¯m not going anywhere."

    (Said Morgan kindly, gently stroking Ixchel''s hair.)

    "Do you promise?"

    (Said Ixchel, sobbing.)

    "Yes, I promise. Have I ever lied to you?"

    (Said Morgan proudly.)

    "You¡¯re right, you nev

    er lie. So, I¡¯ll believe in you."

    (Said Ixchel as she wiped her tears.)

    "That¡¯s my girl. You¡¯re the best little sister in the world."

    (Said Morgan with a smile.)

    At that moment, Morgan''s parents and Doctor Nilah entered the room. With a serious expression, Doctor Nilah spoke to Morgan.

    "Morgan, your parents and I need to talk to you."

    Next chapter: the bet

 The bet

    Morgan, we need to talk to you.

    (The doctor, Nilah, said seriously.)

    Mom, what''s going on?

    (Ixchel asked as she looked at her parents and the doctor with concern.)

    Morgan''s parents said nothing and looked completely serious. Seeing this, Ixchel started to panic.

    Tell me what the hell is going on!!!

    (Ixchel shouted, on the verge of tears.)

    Morgan grabbed his sister''s arm, trying to calm her down.

    Hey, hey, calm down. Nothing''s wrong, it''s okay, calm down.

    (Morgan said, smiling warmly at her.)

    What do you want to talk about, Dr. Nilah?

    (Morgan asked positively.)

    Dr. Nilah approached the edge of his bed and crouched down. She looked worried, and Morgan noticed this. He just smiled, hoping to ease her nerves.

    Nilah, seeing this, let out a big sigh and began to speak seriously.

    I won¡¯t lie to you. You see, your treatment doesn¡¯t seem to be working. Your lungs are getting worse, and at this rate, you probably won¡¯t make it to the end of the year.

    Dr. Nilah''s voice broke as she spoke, and she seemed like she was about to cry.

    What? What the hell do you mean by "won¡¯t make it to the end of the year"?

    (Ixchel said angrily, with tears welling up in her eyes.)

    You''re his doctor, aren¡¯t you? Do your damn job, cure him, do something!!!

    (Ixchel shouted, grabbing Nilah by the collar of her coat in a fit of rage.)

    Morgan, seeing his sister¡¯s reaction, tried to get up to calm her, but he started coughing frantically.

    Are you okay? Are you okay?

    (Ixchel asked, worried and crying.)

    Everyone in the room became alarmed and rushed to check on Morgan.

    Ljoska!!!

    (The mother exclaimed, very worried and unsure of what to do.)

    Son, what¡¯s wrong!?

    (The father asked as he massaged Morgan¡¯s back where his lungs were.)

    No, it¡¯s nothing. It¡¯s nothing. I¡¯m fine.

    (Morgan said as he coughed.)

    Morgan put his hand to his mouth and saw that he was starting to cough up blood. He was confused because this hadn¡¯t happened before.

    You''re getting worse faster than I imagined.

    (The doctor said, feeling helpless.)

    This is what I was discussing with your parents. What we wanted to tell you is that we need to perform surgery. If it goes well, you¡¯ll improve and might even recover.

    (Nilah said as she wiped the blood from Morgan¡¯s mouth.)

    But what if it doesn¡¯t go well? What then?

    (Ixchel asked, scared.)

    Dr. Nilah lowered her gaze and remained silent upon hearing the young girl¡¯s question.

    What happens if it doesn¡¯t go well?!

    (Ixchel repeated loudly and furiously.)

    The risk of the operation is very high. If it doesn¡¯t go well, you¡¯ll die.

    (Nilah said seriously.)

    The room was filled with a suffocating silence after the doctor¡¯s words. But to Ixchel, that silence was a deafening scream tearing at her soul. At first, she couldn¡¯t react, as if her mind refused to process what she had just heard.

    No...

    (It was all she could whisper, her voice trembling.)

    Her face lost all color, and her legs weakened, forcing her to hold onto the edge of the bed. But then, fear surged through her like an unstoppable wave.

    No! That can¡¯t happen!

    (She suddenly screamed.)

    Her broken voice was a cry mixed with rage and despair. Her tear-filled eyes sought out the doctor, as if willing her to take back her words.

    There has to be another option! He can¡¯t just¡­ die!

    (Ixchel said, terrified.)

    She turned to her brother, who remained silent, too weak to even try to calm her. That stillness in him, that resignation, broke something inside her.

    Say something!

    (She pleaded, gripping Morgan¡¯s arm so tightly her own fingers began to hurt.)

    Say you¡¯re not going to do it! Say you¡¯re not going to leave me!

    Her tears streamed uncontrollably, soaking her cheeks as her breathing became erratic, almost hyperventilating. She dropped to her knees beside the bed, her trembling hands clutching the mattress.

    I can¡¯t lose you! I don¡¯t want to lose you!

    (She sobbed, her voice breaking with every word.)

    Morgan tried to lift a hand to touch her, but he could barely move it. His weakness only made his sister cry harder.

    How can you be so calm?

    (She demanded, her voice raw, filled with fear and desperation.)

    Please, don¡¯t leave me alone! I can¡¯t¡­

    Her terror was palpable in every word, every tear. Images of a future without him overwhelmed her, as Morgan was the light that guided her through the darkness.

    I¡¯ll do anything!

    (She screamed, turning to the doctor with a tear-streaked face.)

    Anything! Please, don¡¯t let him die! Whatever it takes, but not this!

    Her body collapsed, trembling with pure panic. The weight of her thoughts was unbearable, and the pain she felt seemed to rip the air from her lungs.

    You can¡¯t leave¡­

    (She murmured finally, resting her forehead on the mattress.)

    You can¡¯t.

    (She murmured again.)

    Morgan mustered his strength and hugged his sister.

    Don¡¯t worry, don¡¯t cry. Whatever happens, I won¡¯t leave you alone. I promise. I promise.

    (Morgan said resolutely.)

    Morgan''s mother, deeply saddened, took Ixchel by the shoulders and gently pulled her away from the bed.

    I¡¯ll take her outside to calm down.

    (Morgan''s mother whispered.)

    Frey took Ixchel out of the room, the young girl sobbing inconsolably against her mother¡¯s chest. Frey tried to stay strong, but it was evident she was on the verge of breaking down.

    I¡¯ll go with them. Think it through, Morgan. This is very important, so I¡¯ll give you as much time as possible, but remember, we don¡¯t have much time left.

    (The doctor said.)

    Dr. Nilah left the room with a pale face, trembling as though she were being consumed from within.

    Morgan''s father sat down beside him in silence. Morgan leaned back, lost in his thoughts. The quiet was finally broken when Morgan spoke, his words simple yet heartbreaking.

    I don¡¯t want to die.

    (Morgan said in a faint voice.)

    What is it, son?

    (Morgan''s father asked, confused.)

    I don¡¯t want to die, Dad. I don¡¯t want to disappear. I don¡¯t want¡­ I don¡¯t want to leave you, Ixchel, and Mom.

    (Morgan said as he began to cry.)

    Morgan''s father, realizing the depth of his son¡¯s despair, turned and hugged him tightly.

    I don¡¯t want to die yet. I want to go back home with you all. I want to return to the sanctuary, go back to school with my friends. I want to go to college and graduate to become a veterinarian, just like you and Mom. I want to play with Ixchel again. I want to do so many things. I don¡¯t want to die. I don¡¯t want to die. Did I do something wrong? Is this happening because I did something wrong?

    (Morgan said, crying inconsolably in his father¡¯s arms.)

    No, son. You¡¯ve done nothing wrong. On the contrary, you¡¯re the kindest, most gentle child in the world. You haven¡¯t done anything wrong at all.

    (Morgan''s father said, trying to hold back his own tears.)

    I know you¡¯ll get through this. You¡¯re very strong, so strong. And you need to know that no matter what happens, I¡¯m very proud of you.

    (Morgan''s father said, tears falling from his face.)

    Morgan hugged his father tighter and tighter, desperately seeking comfort.

    I know you¡¯ll get through this. I¡¯m sure of it.

    (His father said warmly.)

    Whatever you decide, know that your mother and I will support you until the very end. So don¡¯t worry. Have faith that everything will be okay. I promise.

    (His father said firmly.)

    Do you promise?

    (Morgan asked, still sobbing.)

    I promise. Trust your old man.

    (His father said with a big smile and a few tears on his face.)

    Hearing his father¡¯s comforting words, Morgan let out a big sigh and finally began to calm down.

    It was then that Dr. Nilah re-entered the room, looking a bit more composed.

    We managed to calm Ixchel down, but I think it¡¯s best if you all head home for today. Morgan needs to rest.

    (Dr. Nilah said kindly.)

    Morgan''s father gave a small smile and nodded. He stood up from the bed, but Morgan grabbed his arm, both strongly and fearfully. Noticing his son¡¯s reaction, he gently held Morgan¡¯s hand and smiled again.

    You know, I was going to give this to you tomorrow, but I think I¡¯ll give it to you now.

    Morgan¡¯s father pulled out a small necklace from his pocket. It was shaped like an Aztec calendar, carved in obsidian with gold fragments embedded in it.

    This necklace was given to me by your grandmother before I left home to start my journey helping animal reserves around the world. The obsidian wards off bad energy, and the gold connects you to the divine. But above all, your grandmother gave it to me so I¡¯d never forget where I came from. So, I¡¯m giving it to you as a gift.

    Morgan''s father placed the necklace around his neck. Morgan held it, observing it with wonder.

    Here is the translation of the text you provided:

    ---

    "So I¡¯m sure this necklace will protect you, and will always help you remember where you come from, son."

    (Said the father joyfully)

    "Are you sure? Did grandma give it to you?"

    (Said Morgan, somewhat concerned)

    "Of course I''m sure. Plus, I''m sure your grandmother would have loved the idea of you having it."

    Morgan smiled excitedly when he saw the gift, so much so that he was able to put a big smile back on his face.

    "Thank you, Dad. Thank you so much, I¡¯ll take good care of it."

    (Said Morgan with a big smile)

    Once again, Ixchel and her mother entered the room. Ixchel seemed somewhat embarrassed, and her mother looked a little tired. Ixchel seemed like she wanted to say something, but was too embarrassed, so her mother gave her a pat on the back, encouraging her to step forward and say what she wanted to. She took a deep breath and sighed before speaking.

    "I¡¯m sorry, brother. Earlier I lost control, so please forgive me."

    (Said Ixchel, very embarrassed)

    Morgan got up from his bed and slowly walked toward his sister.

    "What are you doing?!!"

    (Said Doctor Nilah, worried)

    Morgan stopped her with his hand and approached his sister to hug her. "It¡¯s okay, it¡¯s okay, it¡¯s over now, everything will be fine, everything will be fine."

    (Said Morgan, gently stroking her hair)This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source.

    Ixchel felt relieved and returned the hug to her brother.

    "Ahhh, me too!!!"

    (Said Morgan''s mother, shouting)

    She also joined in and hugged both of her children tightly.

    "Ahh, my children are so sweet!! They are the best thing that ever happened to mom."

    (Said the mother, hugging them tightly)

    "Okay, okay, it¡¯s time to go, we need to let Morgan rest."

    Morgan turned around and spoke to the doctor with confidence.

    "I¡¯ll have the surgery."

    The doctor was surprised by the young man¡¯s decision and asked coldly:

    "Are you sure? As I said, you could die."

    The face of Doctor Nilah once again became cold, lacking hope, but Morgan took her hands and, with great certainty, said:

    "Yes!!! I¡¯m sure, I¡¯m sure everything will be fine. I know that if you are the one to do it, nothing will go wrong, because you are the best doctor in the world, so I¡¯m absolutely sure, because I trust you," giving a big smile at the end.

    (Said Morgan, his eyes shining with hope and confidence)

    Doctor Nilah''s face lit up when she saw that smile, pure and innocent, free of malice. She began laughing loudly.

    "Haha, so you think I¡¯m the best doctor in the world? Haha, well, maybe you¡¯re right, but leave it to me, I¡¯ll make sure everything goes well, you can count on it."

    (Said Doctor Nilah, returning Morgan¡¯s smile)

    "I¡¯d like to schedule the surgery for tomorrow, but maybe you¡¯ll be too tired, maybe it would be better to do it another day."

    (Said the doctor thoughtfully)

    "No, tomorrow¡¯s fine, tomorrow¡¯s fine."

    (Said Morgan''s mother, very confident)

    "Tomorrow is November 9th, nine is Morgan''s lucky number, so I¡¯m sure everything will be fine, right darling?"

    (Said Morgan¡¯s mother confidently, looking at her husband)

    Morgan¡¯s father crossed his arms and nodded his head.

    "Yes, you¡¯re right, my love."

    (Said the father confidently)

    "What do you think, Morgan?"

    (Said the doctor, looking at Morgan)

    "Alright, I¡¯m ready."

    (Said Morgan, very confident)

    "Okay then, I¡¯ll schedule the surgery for tomorrow."

    (Said the doctor calmly)

    "Oh, I know!!! Why don¡¯t we have your birthday party today?"

    (Said Morgan¡¯s father suddenly)

    "Birthday party?"

    (Said Morgan, confused)

    "Yes, the truth is that your mom and I were planning to do your party tomorrow since we couldn¡¯t do anything last time because you were very sick, but why not do it now!!!"

    (Said the father excitedly)

    "Yes!!! That¡¯s a great idea, let¡¯s do it!"

    (Said Morgan¡¯s mother, equally excited)

    "Then, Doctor Nilah, do you think we can do my brother¡¯s party today?"

    (Said Ixchel, pleading with the doctor)

    "Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll take care of informing the hospital, you all bring what you need and let¡¯s do it, leave it to me."

    (Said Doctor Nilah, giving a thumbs up and smiling)

    "Alright, then let¡¯s get ready!!!"

    (Said Morgan¡¯s mother excitedly)

    "Yes!!!"

    (Said Ixchel and the father at the same time)

    Morgan¡¯s parents and Ixchel rushed out of the room to prepare the party.

    "Rest up, looks like you¡¯ll have a very busy day."

    (Said Doctor Nilah, a bit excited)

    Morgan nodded his head and lay back in bed.

    "Alright, I¡¯ll be back later, sleep well."

    (Said Doctor Nilah, ruffling Morgan¡¯s hair)

    Doctor Nilah left the room, and Morgan began staring at the ceiling. He couldn¡¯t help but feel excited about the party they were going to prepare for him, but after a while, he fell asleep and began dreaming. Morgan opened his eyes and saw that he was in a completely dark place. He walked a bit in the darkness, looked down, and saw his reflection beneath him, as if it were water. Suddenly, he saw an axolotl pass beneath him at great speed. He decided to follow it, so he started running after it.

    He couldn¡¯t catch up no matter how hard he tried. The axolotl was swimming too fast, but Morgan didn¡¯t give up. He ran with all his strength, slowly getting closer to it, but just as he was about to catch it, he began to hear someone calling his name.

    "Morgan, Morgan, Morgan."

    He heard the echo of his name over and over again until Morgan finally woke up. It was Doctor Nilah calling him.

    "Wow, you sleep very deeply."

    Morgan rubbed his eyes and sat up a little.

    "I was having a dream."

    (Said Morgan, somewhat disoriented)

    "Oh yeah? What dream?"

    (Said the doctor, curious)

    "I was in a dark place, and the floor looked like water. An axolotl started swimming quickly beneath my feet and I chased it, but it was really fast and I couldn¡¯t catch it."

    (Said Morgan, still sleepy)

    "Haha, what kind of dream is that?"

    (Said Doctor Nilah, laughing)

    "I don¡¯t know, but what I do know is that I slept very well."

    (Said Morgan, yawning)

    "Alright, sleepyhead, are you ready?"

    (Said Nilah, excited)

    "Yes, I¡¯m ready!!!"

    (Said Morgan, excited)

    "Okay then, let¡¯s go."

    Doctor Nilah left the room for a moment, then returned with a wheelchair, which Morgan sat in. Doctor Nilah quickly took him through the hospital until they reached a larger room, which was closed with two doors.

    "Alright, let¡¯s go in."

    (Said Nilah nervously)

    "Yes."

    (Said Morgan, also nervous)

    Doctor Nilah pushed the wheelchair and opened the doors. As soon as the door opened, everyone shouted loudly.

    "SURPRISE!!!"

    Many people were inside the room, and everything was decorated with a dinosaur theme. Inside the room were Morgan¡¯s parents, Ixchel, some doctors and nurses, some patients, and the kids who came to hear Morgan tell a story.

    And once again, everyone shouted at the same time.

    "Happy birthday, Morgan!!!"

    Morgan became very happy when he saw what they had prepared for him. He also saw two of his school friends in the room.

    "Lily? Roy?"

    (Said Morgan, surprised)

    "Hey, how are you, bro? How¡¯s everything going?"

    (Said the friend cheerfully)

    "Yeah, yeah, how are you, Mor? It¡¯s been a while since we saw you. Sorry for not coming to see you, school¡¯s been a bit complicated lately, lots of exams."

    (Said Lily, somewhat embarrassed)

    "Don¡¯t worry, but what are you doing here? Shouldn¡¯t you be at school?"

    (Said Morgan, confused)

    "Yeah, but your sister sent us a message and told us about your surgery and the party, so we asked for permission to leave and come here."

    (Said Roy proudly)

    "Actually, the whole class wanted to come, but they didn¡¯t let them. They only allowed the two of us."

    (Said Lily, somewhat sad)

    "But, we brought you this instead."

    Roy took his phone out of his pocket, showed it to Morgan, and started playing a video. In the video, all of their classmates wished him a happy birthday and encouraged him to fight and not give up. Some teachers also wished him a speedy recovery and that everything would go well in his surgery. As the video played, Morgan¡¯s smile grew bigger and bigger.

    "We also got you this."

    Lily took out a box from her backpack, which contained 10 rings, all with different shapes, in black and gold colors.

    "Sorry, everything happened so suddenly, and this is what we could get."

    (Said Lily, embarrassed again)

    "It¡¯s perfect, plus it matches this."

    (Said Morgan, very happy, as he took out his necklace and showed it to Lily)

    "That¡¯s really cool, bro. Who gave it to you?"

    (Said Roy, surprised)

    "My dad gave it to me."

    (Said Morgan, proudly)

    "It¡¯s awesome, really awesome, bro."

    (Said Roy, showing the necklace to the others)

    "So, is it time for the gifts now?"

    (Said the mother, impressed)

    "Then it¡¯s my turn."

    Morgan''s mother stepped out of the room for a moment and returned with a large sword, which had black leather on the handle and some runes carved into the blade, as well as the handle. At the end of the handle, there was a ruby embedded.

    This is my gift for you, lj¨®ska.

    Morgan''s mother handed him the sword, and he took it with great care. Morgan was fascinated by the sword and stared at it intently.

    Hmm, as I thought, mom''s gift is the best of all.

    (Said the mother proudly)

    Then, it''s my turn.

    Ixchel stood up and also stepped out of the room for a moment, only to return holding a large rectangle covered by a black cloth.

    I didn¡¯t know what to give you because I wasn¡¯t sure what you''d like, so I made this. I hope you like it, little brother.

    Ixchel removed the black cloth, revealing a painting. The painting showed what seemed to be a portrait of Morgan, but in it, he had pink hair, pink eyelashes, and eyebrows, as well as three pink gills on his head near where his ears should be. He wore elegant clothes and had a very calm and gentle expression.

    I know you love axolotls, so I thought you¡¯d like it if I painted you as one.

    (Ixchel said, worried about Morgan''s reaction)

    Morgan was speechless and walked up to the painting, touching it.

    It''s beautiful.

    (Morgan said, completely surprised)

    It''s amazing, Ixchel! It''s incredible!!! What you did is a work of art!!!

    Morgan rushed to hug his sister and repeatedly thanked her for the gift.

    It''s incredible! You must''ve worked so hard to make this! I love it! Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!

    (Morgan said, overflowing with happiness)

    I''m really glad you liked it, brother.

    (Ixchel said, relieved)

    Alright, alright, enough with the gifts. Let''s put the candles on the cake.

    (Said the father, clapping)

    Everyone gathered around the table where the cake was, and they began singing "Happy Birthday."

    Alright, son, blow out the candles.

    (Said Morgan''s father gently)

    Make a wish, lj¨®ska.

    (Said Morgan¡¯s mother happily)

    Morgan thought for a moment about his wish, and when he finally decided, he blew out the candles.

    What did you wish for?

    (Roy asked, curious)

    It''s a secret.

    (Morgan said, winking)

    Finally, the cake was served, and everyone got their share. The rest of the day was spent with Morgan and the guests playing, dancing, and chatting. Everyone really enjoyed the party until nightfall, when everyone returned to their rooms and resumed their work.

    Alright, it¡¯s time for us to go home.

    (Roy said, stretching)

    Thanks for the party, I had a great time, Morgan. Hurry up and get out of here so you can come back with us. I can''t stand being alone with Lily anymore. This girl is crazy, brother, really crazy.

    (Roy said, pleading)

    What did I do?

    Lily was behind him, listening to what he was saying about her. A cold chill ran down Roy¡¯s spine, and he slowly turned his face, a nervous smile forming.

    So, I''m crazy, huh, little bastard?

    (Lily said with a devilish grin)

    Like I was saying, thanks for everything, see you.

    Roy quickly exited the room to avoid the wrath of his friend.

    Come here, bitch, I want to talk to you for a bit.

    But before Lily could run after him, she stopped for a moment, turning her back to Morgan.

    Whatever happens tomorrow, I just want to remind you that what happened that time wasn''t your fault. So, I hope you stop blaming yourself for it. See you, and make sure to come back. I need someone to help me with my history homework. See you, Mor.

    (Lily said with a smile)

    Lily finally ran after Roy, but those last words left Morgan deep in thought.

    Is everything alright, lj¨®ska?

    (Morgan''s mother asked, confused)

    Yes, everything¡¯s fine, mom.

    (Morgan quickly responded)

    Wow, it looks like Ixchel fell asleep.

    (Morgan said, noticing his sister sleeping in a corner)

    Yes, it seems so. I think it¡¯s time to take her home.

    Morgan¡¯s father stood up and carried Ixchel.

    I¡¯ll take her. You stay with Morgan for a little longer.

    At that moment, Morgan yawned.

    Looks like this young man is sleepy again.

    (Morgan¡¯s mother said teasingly)

    Alright, I¡¯ll go prepare your bed, I¡¯ll be back.

    (Morgan¡¯s mother said cheerfully)

    Both parents left the room, and Morgan¡¯s father said goodbye to his son.

    See you tomorrow, son. Everything will be fine. We¡¯ll all come to see you tomorrow, so sleep well.

    (Morgan¡¯s father said, smiling)

    Finally, Morgan''s father left with Ixchel in his arms, and his mother went up to Morgan¡¯s room to prepare his bed. Morgan was left alone with Dr. Nilah. She sighed deeply and knelt down to Morgan''s level.

    Ahh, looks like I¡¯m the only one who hasn¡¯t given you a gift.

    (Dr. Nilah said, looking down)

    Don¡¯t worry, it¡¯s not necessary.

    (Morgan said, a little nervous)

    The doctor pulled something out of her lab coat pocket, revealing what looked like a hair ornament, decorated with flowers.

    You see, I was going to give this to my little sister before she... well, you know. I bought it because she loved flowers, but I never got to give it to her. So, please take it.

    (Dr. Nilah said, extending the gift to Morgan)

    No, no, I can''t accept something so important. I can''t.

    (Morgan said, a little worried)

    Please, accept it!!!

    (Dr. Nilah said, her voice somewhat aggressive but seeming to break)

    Noticing this, Morgan said nothing more and accepted the gift. Dr. Nilah was surprised and looked up at him, only to find him smiling warmly.

    Thank you, I¡¯ll treasure it a lot.

    (Morgan said gently, taking the gift)

    Morgan took one of his hair locks and placed the accessory in it.

    How do I look?

    (Morgan said with a teasing smile)

    Yes, very well, very well, it really suits you.

    (Dr. Nilah said with a shaky voice)

    At that moment, Morgan¡¯s mother entered the room.

    Ahh, everything okay?

    (Morgan¡¯s mother asked, somewhat confused)

    Dr. Nilah stood up and turned her back to her.

    Yes, yes, everything¡¯s fine, everything¡¯s fine. I¡¯ll... I¡¯ll check if everything is in order for tomorrow.

    Dr. Nilah left the room quickly.

    Is everything alright, son?

    (Morgan¡¯s mother asked, still confused)

    Yes, everything''s fine, mom. Everything¡¯s fine.

    Alright, then let¡¯s go.

    (Morgan¡¯s mother said as she grabbed the wheelchair to start pushing it)

    Morgan¡¯s mother pushed the wheelchair and took him to his room, where she laid him down. She lay beside him and started gently stroking his hair.

    Do you know why I call you lj¨®ska?

    (Morgan¡¯s mother asked in a soft voice)

    Yes, mom, you¡¯ve told me that story many times.

    (Morgan said, laughing softly)

    Well, it¡¯s fine to tell you one more time... A long time ago, when your father and I had just gotten married, we decided to have children. But the doctor told me I couldn¡¯t have any, which made your father and me sad. But we still decided to try for a long time, until you were finally born. When I saw your face for the first time, I said... Ahhh, my baby is the most beautiful in the universe. From that moment on, I knew you were my lj¨®ska, my treasure. Later, your sister came, and there¡¯s nothing that makes me happier than being your mom. I thank life and the gods every day for giving me two wonderful children like you. My heart has three parts: one has you, another has your sister, and the last one has your father.

    Me too, I¡¯m happy you¡¯re my mom. Even if they gave me a chance to choose again, I¡¯d always choose you, mom.

    (Morgan said as he fell asleep)

    Never forget that mom loves you so much, and I would give everything for you and your sister. I¡¯d do anything for both of you, my boy, my love, my treasure, my lj¨®ska.

    (Said Morgan''s mother, trying not to cry)

    Mom...

    (Said Morgan before falling asleep)

    Yes, lj¨®ska?

    (Said the mother, still stroking Morgan''s hair)

    I''m very tired, could you sing me a song?

    (Said Morgan in a very soft voice)

    Yes, dear, yes.

    (Said the mother, shedding a few tears)

    The mother began to sing to Morgan with a sweet voice.

    The song "Herr Mannelig" is a traditional Swedish medieval ballad. Since it is an ancient work, its lyrics can vary slightly depending on the interpretation, but here is a commonly known version:

    Original Swedish:

    Herr Mannelig, Herr Mannelig, trolofven I mig

    F?r det jag bjuder s? gerna

    I skogen han bodde, en trollkvinna var hon

    Fast hon kom i en qvinnos skepnad.

    Hon bj?d honom det b?sta ur trollens f?rr?d

    Med g?vor hon hoppades beveka.

    Hon bj?d honom fyra oxar med horn

    Som de voro av bj?rkveds-stubbar.

    Herr Mannelig, Herr Mannelig, trolofven I mig

    F?r det jag bjuder s? gerna

    Om I viljen, s? svaren mig ja,

    Om I nekar s? blir det ej ja.

    While the mother sang, outside the room stood Dr. Nilah, observing in silence. She smiled and slowly walked to what seemed to be a chapel, where she knelt and clasped her hands to pray.

    I know it''s been a long time since I came here, I know I haven¡¯t been the most devout, but if you''re there, please, I ask you, let him live. For everything you hold dear, let him live. I beg you, I will do anything, but please, let him be saved. Let me save him, please, allow me to save him this time.

    (Said Dr. Nilah while crying)

    The night passed, and finally, the day of the operation arrived. Dr. Nilah came to Morgan¡¯s room to wake him up, so she began moving him until he woke up.

    Morgan, it¡¯s time.

    (Said Dr. Nilah seriously)

    Morgan shook his head vigorously and put on a determined expression.

    I''m ready.

    (Said Morgan with full confidence)

    Good.

    (Answered Dr. Nilah seriously)

    Bring the stretcher!!

    (Dr. Nilah shouted loudly)

    Some nurses entered the room with a stretcher and placed it next to Morgan''s bed. He climbed onto the stretcher, and they began to take him to the emergency room. Outside the emergency room were Morgan''s parents and sister waiting. The stretcher stopped so Morgan could speak to his parents.

    I¡¯ll be back.

    (Said Morgan cheerfully)

    We¡¯ll be waiting here, son.

    (Said Morgan¡¯s father confidently)

    I¡¯ll be waiting, lj¨®ska. Mom won¡¯t leave here for anything in the world.

    (Said Morgan¡¯s mother, giving him a kiss on the forehead)

    Hurry, brother, so you can come back and play with me at home and see the house I built.

    (Said Ixchel with tears in her eyes)

    Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll make sure everything goes well.

    (Said Dr. Nilah, looking at them with confidence and certainty)

    Morgan was finally admitted to the operating room, where he was placed on another stretcher surrounded by lights.

    Alright Morgan, I need you to count to ten.

    (Said a nurse in charge of the anesthesia)

    Morgan started counting.

    1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6.

    When he reached the number 6, Morgan lost consciousness, and time began to pass differently for him. He could hear the doctors talking, but suddenly he began to feel like he was falling into an abyss, and above him was a light, a huge light.

    His pulse is dropping, we¡¯re losing him, we¡¯re losing him.

    Those words began to echo everywhere.

    Huh? What¡¯s happening?

    (Morgan asked as he let go)

    Bring the defibrillator, quickly!!! 1, 2, 3, clear!!! Once more, quickly!!! Morgan, don¡¯t go, stay with me, I repeat, stay with me, Morgan!!! Morgan!!!

    (Screamed Dr. Nilah with all her strength)

    Morgan tried to reach for the light with his hand but finally let go, and the light disappeared, leaving everything in absolute silence.

    Ah, so I... am...

    (Said Morgan in his mind as he fell)

    At that moment, a flame ignited, and the face of a skeleton appeared. Morgan was startled to see this, and suddenly, it fell to the ground. Morgan got up to see better, and the flame turned into a fire, one that illuminated the entire skeleton. It was enormous¡ªMorgan had never seen anything so large. It had white eyes, its skin was stuck to its bones but was reddish in color. It wore a crown made of turquoise feathers and some gold accessories.

    Morgan didn¡¯t say anything and just kept watching this intimidating skeleton.

    Well, so you¡¯re not scared.

    (Said the skeleton with a powerful, imposing voice)

    Tell me, child, aren¡¯t you frightened?

    (Said the skeleton as it placed one of its hands on its face)

    How strange, I don¡¯t feel fear, I don¡¯t feel anything.

    (Said Morgan, very confused)

    Oh, how interesting.

    (Said the skeleton curiously)

    Many would be scared in your position, you know.

    (Said the skeleton seriously)

    Morgan sat down and began to think.

    Ah, well, I once heard in a song that all fears go away once you face life.

    (Said Morgan thoughtfully)

    So, I am...

    (Said Morgan, somewhat distressed)

    Dead.

    (Finished the skeleton¡¯s sentence)

    That¡¯s right, child, you are dead.

    (Said the skeleton, pointing a finger at Morgan)

    Morgan lowered his gaze and sighed.

    What¡¯s wrong? Don¡¯t you have anything to say? Aren¡¯t you going to beg me to bring you back to life?

    (Said the skeleton, confused)

    Can you do that?

    (Said Morgan quickly)

    No.

    (Said the skeleton coldly)

    Then, there¡¯s no point in asking you for something like that.

    (Said Morgan, crossing his arms)

    Don¡¯t you have any regrets, child?

    (Said the skeleton seriously)

    Well, I think I did what I could, so I guess it''s okay.

    But before Morgan could finish his sentence, the skeleton interrupted him.

    You¡¯re lying.

    (Said the skeleton in an intimidating manner)

    You can deceive each other, you can even deceive yourselves, but you¡¯ll never deceive me, the Death, you¡¯ll never lie in my presence, and you, child, have more regrets than you appear.

    Morgan froze at the affirmation of this giant skeleton.

    But that doesn¡¯t matter now. It¡¯s time for you to finish your cycle.

    The skeleton placed its hand underneath Morgan and lifted him.

    What will happen to me?

    (Said Morgan, resigned)

    The skeleton, seeing this, snapped its fingers, and millions of stars began to shine, illuminating the eternal darkness that covered the place where Morgan was now.

    What is this?

    (Said Morgan, astonished)

    This, child, is what you become once you complete your cycle on Earth. When I eat you, you will join the hundreds of millions of souls that once passed through here.

    (Said the skeleton calmly)

    Unlike what you humans believe about me, Death is neither good nor bad; it¡¯s simply part of the balance, an inevitable step in the endless cycle of existence, and the last step before merging as one with the infinite and vast cosmos.

    (Said the god of death while showing Morgan the entire place and all the stars)

    Ah, I see, I guess that''s fine.

    (Said Morgan, more at peace)

    So, you won¡¯t do anything to stop it?

    (Said Death, still somewhat confused)

    No, besides, what can I do? I¡¯m already dead. I just wanted to know what was going to happen to me.

    (Said Morgan, resigned)

    Yes, you¡¯re right. Then, let¡¯s not delay this any further.

    The god of death lifted Morgan above his head and opened his mouth, ready to swallow him whole, when suddenly, another powerful voice shouted.

    No!!!

    The god of death was startled and turned his head to see who had stopped him, and from the darkness emerged a man with brown skin, long white hair, with a great turquoise line on his face, and golden accessories in his hair and earrings. His eyes were yellow and had the same shape as the necklace Morgan''s father had given him.

    You have the guts to come here, serpent.

    (Said the skeleton, somewhat annoyed)

    Sorry, sorry, I was just passing by and saw that you were about to eat that child, but don¡¯t you feel a little bad? From what I saw, he¡¯s a really good boy. Don¡¯t be cruel, give him another chance.

    (Said the man playfully)

    You will not interfere with my work, serpent.

    (Said Death, very angry)

    The god of death prepared to continue with his task, but once again, with a more commanding voice, the man stopped him.

    I¡¯m sorry, but I really can''t let you eat him.

    (Said the man with a defiant look)

    Oh, so that''s what you want, serpent? Then so be it.

    The god of death and the man stared at each other intently, and the atmosphere felt tense. The imposing auras of both beings were suffocating Morgan.

    However, I don¡¯t like to fight, so I propose something.

    (Said the man playfully again)

    Oh, what is it?

    (Said Death expectantly)

    Do you remember when I came here last time and asked you if you thought humans are born evil?

    (Said the man kindly)

    Yes, I will never forget that.

    (Said Death, somewhat annoyed)

    Well, I stand by my position and I believe that humans are born like blank slates, full of goodness and potential, but it is society that, with its shadows, draws their imperfections; still, I believe that a pure soul, free of evil, can illuminate even the darkest corner and transform the whole world.

    (Said the man proudly)

    Well, I haven''t changed my mind. I''ve seen countless human souls pass through here, and they are definitely rotten. Evil is inherent to the human heart, a vestige of their primitive origins that emerges when reason yields to instincts.

    (Said Death seriously)

    Well, neither of us reached an agreement last time, so I propose this: let¡¯s make a bet. The boy you''re about to eat is the ultimate proof of what I believe: that humans are good, and with the right guidance, they can become beacons of light for others, while you will surely think that he was lucky not to have encountered situations that would have made him change. So, how about we bet that the boy, no matter what happens, will never change his way of thinking or being, even if he''s born again?

    (Said the man excitedly)

    The god of death started laughing loudly, his laughter so strong that it began to shake the place where they were.

    Alright, alright, but we will do it under my terms.

    (Said the god of death, somewhat threatening)

    Sure, whatever you say.

    (Said the man confidently)

    What do you say, Morgan? Will you accept the challenge?

    (Said the man with a smile)

    Morgan paused for a moment, but in the end, he just sighed and said:

    I guess this is better than nothing.

    (Said Morgan with a slight smile)

    Then so it shall be.

    The god lowered Morgan back to the ground.

    First, I will choose the world where you will be reborn.

    A circle in the shape of Morgan''s necklace lit up beneath him. The rings of this circle, with letters and images carved in them, began to spin. Morgan looked around, surprised.

    And also, I will choose what you will reincarnate as.

    Right in the center, where a face had been, Morgan was missing. It began to change shape quickly, and the images that appeared were of a human and different animals.

    But now that I think about it, you like axolotls, don''t you? So that¡¯s what you¡¯ll be.

    (Said the god with a somewhat macabre smile)

    Hey, that''s not fair!!!

    (Complained the man angrily)

    I said we would do it under my terms, and if in the end, that boy changes and lets the world he will be reborn in consume him, then you will stay here forever.

    (Said the god, pointing at the man in a very intimidating way)

    The shape of an axolotl appeared where the face had been, and the circle began to burn with white flames. The man ran toward Morgan, holding a sphere that shone with different colors.

    Take it, Morgan! Take it!!!

    The god threw the sphere for Morgan to catch, and Morgan stretched out his hands, managing to catch the sphere.

    That''s it! That''s it!!!

    (Screamed the man)

    Time''s up, see you, boy. I know we''ll meet again soon.

    (Said Death menacingly)

    The fire surrounded Morgan, and he curled up, pressing the sphere against his chest, merging with it. Finally, the fire completely cover

    ed Morgan, and he disappeared in a whirlwind of flames.

    This will be quite interesting. Let¡¯s see how he fares in that world.

    (Said the god mockingly)

    Where did you send him?

    (Said the man, worried)

    The god didn¡¯t answer and showed his malevolent smile once again.

    Morgan...

    (Said the man, worried)

    Once again, Morgan opened his eyes, and he saw that he was underwater. Naively, he started blinking, not believing what he was seeing, so he lowered his gaze to look at his hands and noticed they were small and pink.

    Oh my God...

    End of chapter.

    Next chapter: A New World

 The new world

    -Oh, my God!

    Morgan couldn¡¯t believe what he was seeing. His hands were small and fragile, with a pinkish color. He turned his head and noticed that he also had a long, pink tail. Paying closer attention to his hands, he noticed strange marks on each of his ten fingers, similar to tattoos. Feeling confused and shocked, he began to swim desperately in all directions until, by accident, he collided with something. Morgan started rubbing his head because of the pain from the impact.

    -Ouch!

    (Said Morgan, quite hurt.)

    Morgan looked up to see what he had hit and realized it was a large mirror made of gold, with an emblem he didn¡¯t recognize. He saw his reflection and confirmed his suspicions: he now had the appearance of an axolotl. Morgan touched the mirror with his small hand and analyzed his figure carefully, over and over again. He noticed that a little below his neck, there was a symbol similar to the one on the necklace his father had given him for his birthday, before passing away.

    -What is this?

    (Said Morgan, quite confused.)

    Morgan realized that on one of his gills, there was an ornament wrapped around it. He recognized the ornament.

    -Isn¡¯t this the ornament Dr. Nilah gave me?Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.

    (Said Morgan, even more confused.)

    Morgan slowly moved away from his reflection and started swimming once more, but this time more calmly. He swam and swam without a fixed direction and without saying a single word. After swimming for hours, night finally fell. Tired, Morgan began looking for a place to sleep. Luckily, he saw that in one of the corners of this seemingly endless river, there were rocks forming a cave. Morgan, quite tired, entered it and lay down.

    But just as he was about to fall asleep, he saw a light reflecting intensely on the river. Curious, Morgan went out to investigate what it was. He swam upward until he reached the surface of the river. He closed his eyes, lifted his head slightly out of the water, and when he opened them, he was amazed to see the night sky. It was free of any kind of pollution, allowing the vast cosmos to dazzle in its firmament. Then, he realized that the intense light was coming from the moon.

    The moon stood tall like a silver lantern suspended in the vast black canvas of the sky.

    -How beautiful.

    (Said Morgan, awestruck.)

    Morgan stayed a little longer, admiring the beautiful scene. After a while, he dipped his head back into the river and submerged himself until he reached the cave of stones he had found. He entered it and, once again, lay down to sleep. But as he tried to sleep, melancholy took hold of him, as he began to remember his mother, his father, his sister, Dr. Nilah, his friends, and everyone he had known in his previous world.

    Morgan took a small rock, hugged it with his tiny hands, and pressed it against his chest, beginning to cry.

    -Mom, can you sing a song?

    (Said Morgan while crying.)

    Morgan cried and cried until he finally fell asleep.

    -Flammaros, Flammaros, FLAMMAROS!

    These shouts woke Morgan, who, curious, decided to swim to the surface to see who was shouting that word. Morgan poked his head out stealthily and saw a young woman with wine-red hair. She had her hands extended and kept shouting that word.

    -FLAMMAROS!

    The young woman shouted once more, and from her hands came a small, weak flame.

    -I did it! I did it!

    (Shouted the young woman with wine-red hair.)

    The young woman seemed very excited, as she started jumping with joy and celebrating. Meanwhile, Morgan, who was watching her silently from the river, was utterly confused, as he didn¡¯t know what was happening. The young woman, while dancing and celebrating, noticed Morgan¡¯s presence and started staring at him intently. Morgan, realizing he had been discovered, could only say one word:

    -Oh, no.

    End of the chapter.

    Next chapter: My first encounter in the

    new World.

 My first encounter in the new world

    Morgan, upon seeing that the girl had noticed his presence and was now staring at him intently, dove at full speed, hiding in the cave where he had slept the night before.

    ¡ªOh no! I think she saw me... she saw me!

    Morgan peeked out of the cave slightly to see if the girl had followed him, and indeed, that red-haired girl was at the edge of the river, watching him, waiting for something.

    ¡ªCome on, I won¡¯t hurt you. Come closer, little friend.

    (Said the young girl gently).

    Morgan began to wonder if he should come out and show himself to her or stay hidden, as he was still shocked by what he had seen. That red-haired girl had generated fire with her hands.

    ¡ªMagic? Was that magic? What kind of world did those gods reincarnate me into? Where am I?

    (Said Morgan, completely confused).

    ¡ªCome on, come here. I promise I won¡¯t hurt you, little friend. Just let me see you for a bit.

    After thinking it over, Morgan¡¯s curiosity finally won, and he began to swim toward the surface once more. Slowly, as he got closer and closer to the surface, he could see the girl¡¯s face more clearly. She had intense yellow eyes, pale skin with freckles on her face, and somewhat messy hair.

    Morgan raised his head out of the water to finally be face-to-face with her. This girl seemed quite young and was now smiling at him cheerfully.The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

    ¡ªI knew it! I knew I had seen something in the river.

    (Said the girl, very excited).

    ¡ªWow! I¡¯ve never seen anyone like you. What are you?

    (Said the girl, confused but quite happy).

    ¡ªAh, maybe I was wrong and saw incorrectly. She seems like an ordinary girl.

    (Thought Morgan, relieved).

    Morgan began to sink back into the river slowly, as he had already confirmed that the girl wasn¡¯t dangerous and that he wasn¡¯t in any immediate danger.

    ¡ªWell, I guess everything¡¯s fine, and there¡¯s nothing to worry about. But now what should I do? Should I swim in the other direction, or should I stay in the cave a little longer?

    (Thought Morgan as he swam back to his cave).

    ¡ªHey, wait! Wait, come here!

    (Shouted the red-haired girl repeatedly).

    ¡ªHmm, I suppose I¡¯ll head back to the cave for now. Tomorrow I¡¯ll decide what to do, though with this body, I doubt I can do much, hahaha.

    (Said Morgan mockingly, ignoring the girl).

    Out of nowhere, Morgan felt as if someone was lifting him out of the water without touching him. He even emerged completely, but inside a sphere made of water.

    ¡ªHey, little friend, I told you to wait.

    (Said the girl, a little annoyed).

    ¡ªWhat¡¯s happening? What¡¯s happening?

    (Said Morgan, scared).

    ¡ªAlright, I guess I¡¯ll take you home.

    (Said the red-haired girl, determined).

    The young girl began walking quickly while, beside her, Morgan floated in the water sphere.

    ¡ªWhere is she taking me? Is this magic? Yes, it¡¯s magic!

    (Said Morgan, somewhat frightened).

    ¡ªDon¡¯t worry, little friend. I¡¯ll take you to my house. Maybe Mom or Dad will know what you are.

    (Said the girl cheerfully).

    ¡ªOh no, they¡¯re going to eat me. They¡¯re going to eat me!

    (Said Morgan, swimming in circles at full speed inside the water sphere).

    After walking for a while, the girl and Morgan arrived at a house made of rough wood, humble and modest, adorned with flowers and a garden outside.

    ¡ªAlright, we¡¯re here.

    (Said the girl with a big smile, looking at Morgan).

    ¡ªI¡¯m doomed.

    (Said Morgan, resigned).

    ¡ªMom! Dad! I¡¯m home!

    (Said the girl loudly).

    End of the chapter.

    Next chapter: The Story of the Fallen Kingdom.

 The story of the fallen kingdom part 1

    ¡ªMom, Dad, I''m home!

    The red-haired girl shouted these words as she flung the door open abruptly and stepped inside.

    ¡ªMom, Mom, look what I found!

    (The girl shouted excitedly as she rushed through the house at full speed.)

    ¡ªILIANA!

    Suddenly, someone yelled that name so loudly that it echoed in every corner of the house. The red-haired girl, upon hearing it, began trembling with fear.

    ¡ªOh no... Mom is mad. Really mad.

    (She said, shaking in fear.)

    Morgan, confused, could only watch expectantly at what was happening.

    Loud footsteps began to echo. They grew closer and closer as the red-haired girl stepped back slowly. Finally, the one who had shouted her name appeared: a woman with long black hair and yellow eyes. Her expression was furious, and she stared intently at the young girl. The woman approached slowly but intimidatingly.

    ¡ªILIANA! Where have you been? Why are you shouting so loudly? And why did you slam the door?

    (The mother said angrily.)

    The woman analyzed Iliana closely and noticed that she had Morgan trapped in a water bubble. Seeing the intimidating look on the woman¡¯s face, Morgan gave a nervous smile.

    ¡ªYou¡¯ve been practicing how to use the aranthiel again, haven¡¯t you?

    (The woman said, slightly disappointed, letting out a sigh.)

    Iliana lowered her head, looking sad, and clutched her clothes tightly.

    ¡ªI have to do it! I have to!

    (Iliana said resolutely.)

    ¡ªIliana, please. Your father and I have told you countless times why you shouldn¡¯t use the aranthiel, but you keep sneaking out of the house to practice alone who-knows-where. You know we can¡¯t be seen, and if someone sees you using aranthiel, you know what will happen to us¡ªnot just to you, but to me and your father as well.

    (The woman said, deeply disappointed.)

    ¡ªThat¡¯s exactly why I practice, Mother. So we don¡¯t have to hide anymore, so I can protect you from them.

    (Iliana replied angrily.)

    ¡ªDon¡¯t say such nonsense, Iliana. All you¡¯ll do is get caught¡ªin the best-case scenario. So please, stop doing this. I¡¯m doing it for you and your safety.

    (The mother responded, frustrated.)

    ¡ªNo! I won¡¯t! I¡¯m tired of hiding! I want to go out! I want to explore the world! I want to live!

    (Iliana shouted through tears.)

    The conversation became heated, both of them yelling at each other.

    ¡ªHow did I end up in this situation?

    (Morgan thought.)

    ¡ªWhat do they mean by ¡®protecting them from them¡¯? Who are ¡®they¡¯? And what is aranthiel? Ahhh, this is too much information! Someone explain what¡¯s going on!

    (Morgan said, feeling like his head was about to explode.)

    At that moment, someone else opened the door to the house and, in a cheerful tone, said:

    ¡ªI¡¯m home, family! How are the two most beautiful women in the world?

    This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.

    A tall man with long hair and a beard entered the house. He was missing an arm and wore modest clothes. Letting out a deep sigh, he began speaking in a peaceful, calm voice.

    ¡ªWhat happened, dear?

    (The man asked, looking at the woman.)

    ¡ªIliana ran away and was using the aranthiel again.

    (The mother said indignantly.)

    The man looked at his daughter and, with a calm gaze, walked over to her and hugged her.

    ¡ªIliana, my girl, my princess¡­ You know we love you very much, don¡¯t you?

    (The father said gently.)

    ¡ªYes, I know...

    (Iliana said, somewhat regretful.)

    ¡ªIf your mother tells you not to go into the forest alone, it¡¯s not because we want to keep you locked up or because we don¡¯t want you to see the world. It¡¯s because, unfortunately, the outside world is very dangerous for us humans.

    (The father said seriously.)

    Morgan, surprised, leaned in as much as he could to hear what the man was saying.

    ¡ªThe world dangerous for humans? What does he mean?

    (Morgan thought, very confused.)

    ¡ªYour mother and I couldn¡¯t bear it if something happened to you. So promise me you won¡¯t go out alone again. If you want to practice aranthiel, then tell me, and I¡¯ll go with you. Is that okay?

    (The father said, hugging his daughter.)

    ¡ªBut I need you to promise me, Iliana.

    (The father added, a bit more serious.)

    ¡ªYes, Father. I¡¯m sorry¡­ I promise. I won¡¯t sneak out again.

    (Iliana said, crying a little.)

    ¡ªGood. That¡¯s my girl. And, dear, maybe you were a little too hard on her.

    (The father said, looking at the mother.)

    ¡ªYes, you¡¯re right¡­ I was too harsh.

    (The mother replied, sighing.)

    The woman crouched down next to her daughter and, with a kinder smile, said:

    ¡ªForgive me, Ili.

    (The mother said in a caring tone.)

    The red-haired girl nodded and hugged her mother tightly.

    ¡ªI¡¯m sorry, Mom. I¡¯m sorry. I won¡¯t do it again.

    (Iliana said, crying.)

    ¡ªForgive me too, daughter. I didn¡¯t mean to yell at you.

    (The mother replied, also crying.)

    ¡ªWell, that¡¯s settled. Now, why don¡¯t we go eat?

    (The father said cheerfully.)

    ¡ªOh! I almost forgot. Look what I found!

    (Iliana said, wiping her tears.)

    The girl brought the water bubble with Morgan in it closer to show her parents.

    ¡ªI found it in the river. Isn¡¯t it cute?

    (Iliana said, very excited.)

    ¡ªWhat is that, Iliana?

    (The mother asked, confused.)

    ¡ªI don¡¯t know. I saw it in the river while practicing aranthiel and decided to bring it with me.

    (Iliana said happily.)

    ¡ªHave you seen anything like this before, dear?

    (The mother asked, looking at her husband.)

    ¡ªNo, I¡¯ve never seen anything like it. It doesn¡¯t look like any fish I¡¯ve ever seen.

    (The father said, poking the bubble with curiosity.)

    ¡ªCan I keep it?

    (Iliana asked excitedly.)

    ¡ªHmm, I don¡¯t know, Iliana. It¡¯s very suspicious.

    (The mother said hesitantly.)

    Morgan, seeing the situation, smiled nervously, trying to appear friendly so they wouldn¡¯t see him as a threat¡­ or something edible. The mother, noticing Morgan¡¯s small smile, became excited.

    ¡ªIt¡¯s so cute!

    (Iliana¡¯s mother shouted.)

    ¡ªRight?

    (Iliana said, thrilled.)

    ¡ªWe have to keep it!

    (The mother said, staring at her husband.)

    ¡ªIf you say so... Fine, let¡¯s keep it.

    (The father said, laughing.)

    ¡ªBut I think we need to find it a better place to stay, don¡¯t you think?

    (The father said playfully, looking at his daughter.)

    ¡ªIn that case¡­

    Iliana¡¯s mother rushed to the kitchen and returned with a large glass container.

    ¡ªI think it can stay here.

    (The mother said happily.)

    Iliana nodded quickly and placed Morgan into the container. The three family members stared at Morgan as he swam in the tank.

    ¡ªWell, I guess this is okay. At least they didn¡¯t eat me.

    (Morgan thought sarcastically.)

    But look at the time! We need to have dinner. Put it over there.

    (The mother said kindly.)

    Iliana took the container to the kitchen and placed it somewhere visible. The family immediately began setting the table. Morgan watched them in silence, a wave of nostalgia washing over him as he saw them laughing, talking, and enjoying each other¡¯s company during dinner.

    Morgan could only muster a melancholic smile, reminded of his previous world and the family he had left behind. Finally, the family finished eating, and Iliana took the container up to her room.

    ¡ªGood night, Iliana.

    (The mother said, kissing her forehead.)

    ¡ªGood night, my princess.

    (The father said, patting his daughter¡¯s head.)

    Iliana, with a big smile, replied loudly:

    ¡ªGood night!

    The young girl climbed the stairs to her modest room. She placed Morgan on a piece of furniture near her bed and, as she snuggled into her blankets, looked at him fondly.

    ¡ªGood night, little buddy.

    (Iliana said sleepily.)

    Morgan smiled and replied softly:

    ¡ªGood night.

    Finally, Iliana fell asleep, and Morgan simply got lost in his thoughts, reflecting on everything that had happened and the destiny that had brought him there.

    ¡ªWow, so much has happened these past few days. I died, met a god of death, reincarnated as an axolotl, and now I¡¯m in a glass tank as the pet of a girl who knows magic.

    (Morgan said, sighing.)

    ¡ªWell, I guess it¡¯s not so bad, though I¡¯d really like to have a human body again, haha.

    (Morgan said, closing his eyes to fall asleep.)

    Morgan drifted off and, when he opened his eyes, he noticed he was floating in darkness once again.

    ¡ªHuh? Where am I?

    (Morgan said, confused.)

    Morgan quickly looked at his hands and saw they were human hands. He quickly looked down and saw he had feet. He touched his face frantically, but noticed strange things coming out from the sides of his face.

    ¡ªWhat is this?

    (Morgan said, puzzled.)

    Then, out of the void emerged a giant stone resembling the necklace his father had given him. The stone had various drawings on its rings, some of which he recognized as animals he had seen before. The center of the stone began spinning rapidly, changing its surface to the shape of a human silhouette.

    Morgan approached the massive stone and touched it. It lit up, and a torrent of images flooded his mind until one final image appeared: the painting his sister had made for him.

    ¡ªBuddy, it¡¯s late. I¡¯m going to feed you and step out for a bit.

    (Iliana said, opening her room door.)

    Iliana opened her door and froze.

    On the floor, surrounded by shattered glass and water, was a young man with pink hair and delicate features, almost like a woman¡¯s. The tank was broken, and the mess was evident.

    Morgan, unsteady, tried to stand but collapsed again. He extended a hand toward Iliana and tried to speak, but no words came out.

    ¡ªMOM!

    (Iliana screamed in terror.)

    ¡ªThere¡¯s one of them! There¡¯s one of them in my room!

    (Iliana screamed again, her voice filled with panic.)

    Iliana backed away until she hit the wall and fell to the floor. Her eyes filled with tears, her breathing erratic, and her body trembled. The figure of Morgan, soaked and clumsy, seemed like something out of a nightmare.

    ¡ªNo... Please don¡¯t hurt me!

    (Iliana cried.)

    Morgan tried to speak again but only managed unintelligible sounds.

    ¡ªHuh?

    (Morgan s

    aid, confused.)

    Iliana screamed one last time¡ªa scream that echoed throughout the house¡ªwhile Morgan¡¯s gaze met hers. There was something human in his eyes¡­ but not quite enough.

    Next chapter: The Story of the Fallen Kingdom ¨C Part 2

 The story of the fallen kingdom part 2

    After hearing Iliana''s frantic screams, her father rushed up the stairs at full speed.

    - "Iliana, Iliana! What¡¯s happening? Are you okay, daughter?"

    (Said her father, trying to calm her down.)

    - "Z-Z-Z-ZORATH! A ZORATH!"

    (Iliana screamed, terrified, pointing at Morgan.)

    Iliana''s father slowly turned to where his daughter was pointing. Then he saw Morgan, still on the floor, shaking, trying to speak. Quickly, the father stepped in front of Iliana, shielding her with his body. Immediately, Iliana¡¯s mother also came up, holding a knife, and upon seeing the situation, she pointed it at Morgan, despite her trembling hands.

    - "I don¡¯t know how, how you got in here, but if you take a step or try to do anything to my family, I swear I¡¯ll kill you!"

    (Said the mother, her voice cracking.)

    The three of them were very scared, but Morgan couldn¡¯t understand why they seemed to see a monster, one that had come from the depths of their nightmares. He tried to speak to the family once more, but he couldn¡¯t say a word. He kept stammering, and when he tried to stand again, he lost all strength and collapsed, unconscious.

    - "Hey, hey, hey, kid! Are you okay?"

    (Said a somewhat familiar voice.)

    Morgan opened his eyes and saw that, for some reason, he was back in that dark place, but this time, standing before him was the god who had advocated for his soul last time, the one the god of death had called "serpent."

    - "Wow, you really caused quite a commotion over there."

    (Said the god, jokingly.)

    Morgan stood up and touched his head because it hurt a lot.

    - "What¡¯s happening to me? What was that? Why, out of nowhere, do I have a human body again?"

    (Said Morgan, confused and a bit annoyed.)

    - "Oh, you mean that?"

    Once again, the stone that had appeared in his dreams manifested in front of them.

    - "This was my gift before you reincarnated into that world. Apparently, he was a little harsh with you and sent you straight to hell on Earth."

    (Said the god, casually.)

    - "What? Hell on Earth? What do you mean?"

    (Said Morgan, somewhat scared.)

    - "I don¡¯t have much time. Right now I¡¯m breaking a lot, a lot of rules to talk to you."

    (Said the god, as if in a hurry.)

    - "You just need to know this: no matter what happens, you can¡¯t change. You must stay true to yourself. When things get really tough, ask for strength from what you loved most in life, from what had become your purpose and your goal."

    The god made black-and-white shadows appear behind him. These shadows took forms that Morgan instantly recognized.

    - "Beetle, jaguar, bat, wolf, impala."

    (Said Morgan, as if in a trance.)

    - "Yes, exactly. Now you know what I mean, but remember: the power is in what you desire and in what you¡¯ve worked to learn."

    (Said the god, confidently.)

    The place began to tremble frantically, like an earthquake.

    - "Shit, they¡¯ve noticed! I have to go!"

    The god quickly approached Morgan and made a necklace appear around his neck, rings on his hand, and a decoration in his hair that wrapped around one of his locks.

    - "These were the gifts you were once given in life. The necklace will help you speak in this world, the rings to write, and the decoration to hear and read. This is all I can do for you."

    The place started to disappear as the god spoke.

    - "Remember, the key is in the story you told that day."Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more.

    (Said the god, as he vanished.)

    - "Story? What story? Wait, tell me what I have to do!"

    (Said Morgan, trying to reach the god.)

    - "I trust you. I know you can. I know you will prove them wrong."

    (Said the god, with difficulty.)

    - "What do you mean? Wait, wait!"

    Morgan sat up abruptly, breathing quickly, and began to analyze the situation. He could see that he was now in a room and lying in a bed. But when he looked at his hands and feet, he noticed that someone had tied them to the bed.

    - "What is this?"

    (Said Morgan, awkwardly.)

    Turning his gaze, he saw Iliana''s mother with the knife in hand, glaring at him with hatred.

    - "What the hell are you? Where did you come from, and how did you find us?"

    (Said the mother, aggressively.)

    - "I..."

    Morgan was surprised to hear that, for the first time, he managed to say a word.

    - "My voice! My voice is back! I can talk now!"

    (Said Morgan, excited.)

    - "Don¡¯t move, monster. I don¡¯t know what kind of Zorath you are, but at the slightest sudden move, I¡¯ll stab you!"

    (Said the mother, threateningly.)

    - "Sorry, I think it¡¯s a misunderstanding. What¡¯s a Zorath?"

    (Said Morgan, calmly.)

    - "You can¡¯t fool me, little bastard. I know you¡¯re one of them."

    (Said the mother, full of hatred.)

    - "Let me explain. I really don¡¯t know what you mean or what¡¯s happening."

    (Said Morgan, trying to calm the mother.)

    - "Lies, nothing but lies."

    (Said the mother, very angry.)

    Just as the woman was about to get even angrier, the father entered the room.

    - "Wait, honey, wait!"

    (Said the man, calming his wife.)

    - "How do you expect me to calm down? You and I know what they are capable of. He could do something horrible to Iliana if we let him."

    (Said the mother, tearfully angry.)

    The woman couldn¡¯t stop glaring at Morgan with that murderous, resentful look.

    - "Ariel! Ariel! ARIEL!"

    (Screamed the man, forcefully.)

    - "Look at me, look at me!"

    The man took Ariel¡¯s face to make her look him directly in the eyes.

    - "Listen to me, Ariel. This is too suspicious. As you said, you and I know what they¡¯re capable of, so it doesn¡¯t make sense for him to have let himself be tied up. If he had wanted to, the moment he woke up, he could have killed us all."

    (Said the father, analyzing the situation.)

    - "But... but... but..."

    (Said Ariel, frightened.)

    The man looked at Morgan and, still shaking, decided to speak to him.

    - "Who are you and what do you want with my family?"

    (Said the man firmly, swallowing hard.)

    - "My name is Morgan, and I don¡¯t want to hurt you or your family."

    (Said Morgan as calmly and kindly as possible.)

    - "How do I know you¡¯re not lying?"

    (Said the man confidently.)

    - "You¡¯re right, I have no way to assure you that I won¡¯t harm your family or you, so if keeping me tied up like this makes you feel safer, I¡¯ll stay like this."

    (Said Morgan, lying back on the bed.)

    The man sighed and slowly approached Morgan, getting close to the edge of the bed.

    - "What kind of Zorath are you? I¡¯ve never seen one like you."

    (Said the man, confused.)

    - "As I told your wife, I don¡¯t know what a Zorath is or why they call me that."

    (Said Morgan, truly confused.)

    The man, seeing that Morgan was genuinely confused and didn¡¯t seem to know what they were talking about, sighed and began to untie him.

    - "Adam, what are you doing?"

    (Said Ariel, scared.)

    - "Calm down, I know what I¡¯m doing."

    (Said Adam, confidently.)

    The man removed Morgan¡¯s restraints, and he began to massage his wrists, which hurt a bit.

    - "Well, then, if you¡¯re not a Zorath, what are you?"

    (Said the man, confused and curious.)

    Morgan sat on the edge of the bed and thought about the question.

    - "I¡¯m... what am I?"

    (Said Morgan, staring at the ceiling.)

    - "I guess I¡¯m a... axolotl?"

    (Said Morgan, ironically.)

    - "What¡¯s that?"

    (Said Ariel, still distrustful.)

    Behind the woman, Iliana¡¯s head slowly peeked out, and, still scared, she observed Morgan. Upon seeing him, she smiled kindly. Seeing Morgan¡¯s smile, Iliana hid behind her mother once more.

    - "Answer me, what¡¯s that? What¡¯s an axolotl?"

    (Said the woman, annoyed.)

    - "Calm down, Ariel, calm down."

    (Said Adam, calming Ariel.)

    Morgan, smiling and with his characteristic sweet tone, answered.

    - "Wow, don¡¯t you remember me? The girl behind you picked me up yesterday."

    (Said Morgan, looking at Iliana.)

    - "And you gave me a container to sleep in."

    (Said Morgan, looking at Ariel.)

    Both Ariel and Adam were confused upon hearing this, as they had never seen Morgan before, much less helped him. However, Iliana stepped out from behind her mother¡¯s back and began to analyze Morgan. She then saw those things coming out from the sides of his face and remembered the little animal she had picked up by the river.

    - "Little friend?"

    (Said Iliana, confused.)

    - "Wow, looks like you remembered."

    (Said Morgan, with a big smile.)

    - "Eh, is it really you?"

    (Said Iliana, very surprised.)

    - "Yeah, but my name¡¯s not ''little friend,'' it¡¯s Morgan. Nice to meet you, Iliana."

    (Said Morgan, smiling.)

    - "Impossible! You were that cute creature Iliana brought home?"

    (Said Ariel, astonished.)

    - "Yes, that¡¯s me."

    (Said Morgan, calmly.)

    - "But how? How did you look like that and now you look like this?"

    (Said Adam, equally impressed.)

    - "I don¡¯t know, I don¡¯t even know why I look like this now."

    (Said Morgan, also confused.)

    - "Well, you¡¯re definitely not a Zorath, or at least not one I know, since I¡¯ve never heard of one who can change shape like you. Had you heard of anything like that, Ariel?"

    (Said Adam, looking at his wife.)

    - "I¡¯ve heard of some who can do that, but when they transform, they become thousands of times bigger than he did."

    (Said Ariel, thinking.)

    Iliana slowly started to approach Morgan. Ariel tried to stop her, but her father didn¡¯t let her and allowed Iliana to get closer to Morgan. The young redhead stared at Morgan¡¯s long hair and, with some fear, asked:

    - "Can I touch it?"

    Morgan, with a big smile and his characteristic sweet tone, responded:

    - "Go ahead."

    Iliana started touching Morgan¡¯s hair.

    - "Ah, it¡¯s so soft!"

    (Said Iliana, very happy.)

    Iliana¡¯s father, seeing the situation, just smiled.

    - "So, where are you from?"

    (Said the father, a little calmer.)

    - "Where am I from?"

    (Said Morgan, not sure what to answer.)

    At that moment, he began to remember his past life, his old world.

    - "I guess... from far away."

    (Said Morgan, somewhat sadly.)

    - "But I want to ask you something: Why did you call me Zorath? What is that? Why were you so afraid of me?"

    (Said Morgan, confused.)

    Ariel and Adam looked at each other. At the same time, Ariel spoke and began to tell the story.

    - "Alright, I¡¯ll tell you what a Zorath is and why we¡¯re afraid of you."

    "You see... six hundred years ago, man... man ruled this world as if nothing could threaten him. They thought they were superior in everything, unable to conceive that something could shatter their pride. But that mockery of reality... that excessive arrogance... was destroyed in one blow. The Zorath... those damn Zorath, decided to declare war on the Kingdom of Man. And King Morpheus prepared his armies, marched into battle with the foolish arrogance of someone who thinks everything is in his favor."

    "And what happened? Nothing but disaster. Morpheus led his men to the abyss. The human army, filled with brave men, met... despair. The Zorath... those monsters, those beings that seemed human but weren¡¯t, tore us apart. They used Aranthiel without saying a damn word. And we... we had to recite damn incantations to use it, as if our lives depended on those damn words. And of course, it was a disadvantage that killed us before we could even think of summoning power."

    "And if that wasn¡¯t enough? Those who dared to fight hand to hand... do you know what happened to them? They were wiped out from existence with one blow. A damn blow. It was said that one of those monsters could kill fifteen men with a single blow. How... how the hell were we supposed to face something like that? An army of a million human souls... reduced to half by an army of 45,000 Zorath! 45,000 What kind of cruel joke was that?"

    "Morpheus... that damn king, didn¡¯t even have the courage to stay. He ran away! He fled like a damn coward! He let his men bleed out in that massacre. That day... that day, Half a million  brave men fell. And the Zorath... they were still there, as if nothing had happened. They, the monsters, returned without a scratch, celebrating their victory, mocking us all."

    "And then... then came the news. The shame. The defeat. The total fall. The Zorath... those damn, formed a pact. All of them. The long-eared Zorath, the fire Zorath, the human-skin Zorath, the beast Zorath, the winged Zorath, and the monster Zorath. They united, and the Human Kingdom... the Human Kingdom was wiped out in a single damn day. King Mor

    pheus¡¯s head... his head was displayed as a trophy. Those who resisted... were annihilated. And those who surrendered... became slaves or, worst of all, food."

    (Said the woman, somewhat tired and frustrated.)

    Morgan, terrified by Ariel¡¯s story, could only think of one thing.

    - "What kind of place have I reincarnated into?"

    End of Chapter. Next Chapter: The Strength Within You.

 My sin

    Morgan froze at Ariel''s story. He couldn''t believe what he was hearing; stunned, he couldn''t say a single word.

    ¡ªThis is proof of what I told you.

    Ariel, upon saying those words, opened her mouth, sticking out her tongue, and on it was a visible mark, as if it were a sort of tattoo made with white ink. Morgan quickly turned to look at Ad¨¢n and Iliana, who did the same, showing the mark on their tongues.

    ¡ªBut when and how?

    (said Morgan, confused)

    ¡ªThe mark was given to the humans back then; however, being a curse on our race, it was passed down from generation to generation until every human child born did so with the mark, unable to erase or remove it. We were marked as if we were animals.

    (said Ariel, angrily)

    ¡ªBut if what you''re saying is true, how is it that you''re here? How is it that you live freely?

    (said Morgan, amazed)

    ¡ªHaha! Free? Do you think we''re free?

    (said Ariel ironically)

    Ad¨¢n, seeing the unstable state of his wife, took her by the shoulder, looking at her with a gentle smile to calm her down, and, at the same time, he would be the one to speak now.

    ¡ªYou see, Ariel and I were slaves of a long-eared zorath. I was a labor slave, had to work day and night without rest, with little food and water, while Ariel was one of his personal servants. She and I met a few times, and each time we started seeing each other more often. Eventually, I fell in love with her, and she with me.

    Ad¨¢n and Ariel took each other''s hands and intertwined them.

    ¡ªHowever, we couldn''t be together, because our owner had an obsession with Ariel; she was his favorite. However, an idea came to me, an idea that would condemn my soul to burn in hell for eternity.

    (said Ad¨¢n, quite pained.)

    The man looked at his daughter and, with a somewhat grave voice, said:

    ¡ªPlease, daughter, go to your room. I don''t want you to hear this.

    Iliana, seeing the look on her father''s face, got scared, and without saying a word, went to her room. Morgan, somewhat concerned and while trying to calm himself, asked:

    ¡ªWhat did he do?

    ¡ªI knew there was no way we could escape alone, since he had secured the doors and every corner of his palace. And one of those nights, thinking about what to do and whether I would die there, that damn idea came to me. If we couldn¡¯t escape alone, then I had to create a situation that would allow us to escape.

    We, the slaves and servants, were given a space to eat and limited rations, so many times we had to share.Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work!

    So, during those rare moments when we were alone, I began to speak and plant an idea. I didn¡¯t raise my voice, I didn¡¯t show emotion; I just let my words slide like soft poison into their already tired minds.

    ¡ªDon¡¯t you see it? ¡ªI whispered, pretending to look at the ground¡ª. All this, all the suffering, the years of hard work and nights without bread... it''s all because of him.

    The men and women around me, exhausted from the long shifts, looked up. Some furrowed their brows, others just looked at me apathetically. But I continued, without losing my calm.

    ¡ªHe doesn¡¯t care about us. How many of you have lost someone because of his mere boredom? How many of your children have been recruited for those monster farms?

    An uncomfortable silence took over the place, and I knew that the seed was beginning to germinate.

    ¡ªI¡¯m no one special ¡ªI continued, letting a note of humility fall into my tone¡ª, but I know that, together, we are stronger than him. If we unite, we can end this. Not for me, nor for you, but for those who will come after us, for the future of your sons and daughters, and for the future of your families. We must do something.

    The murmurs began. Some exchanged looks of doubt, others nodded slowly. It was a risk, I knew, but I couldn¡¯t give them everything at once. The hatred had to be dosed, guided without overflowing.

    Ariel, being his favorite, had a special place where she ate alone, so I didn¡¯t tell her about my plan until the day it would take place.

    As the days went by, the voices grew, and my speech became more direct. The men and women sharpened tools, taking anything they could use as a weapon.

    The night the revolt arrived, that very night he was going to leave for a very important meeting with other zorath, so I waited for him to leave, as it would be the perfect time to start the revolt. I convinced everyone to attack the main house''s doors, entering through the front, promising I would be at the front, leading them all.

    Since he wasn¡¯t there, Ariel could go, like us, to where we ate. I told her not to say anything, not to ask anything, to just keep quiet and follow me.

    I looked at her. There was concern in her eyes, so I could only tell her:

    ¡ªWe have no choice. This is our only way out.

    And so it all began. I ordered everyone to attack the front of the mansion, promised I would return, that I would bring more weapons for everyone, and they trusted me blindly. So, when the attack started, all the guards went to the front to finish them off. I took Ariel and fled with her, while behind us we could hear the screams of pain and the pleas of all those men and women who had trusted me. I could only keep apologizing over and over in my mind, while the tears streamed from my face as I ran as fast as I could with Ariel. And so we managed to escape.

    We fled from the realm of the Long-Eared Zoldath, Nythrindor, to here. We arrived in this forest and settled here. That is the reason why we are not enslaved and why we can live "freely."

    Morgan began to look very seriously at Ad¨¢n because of this story, as what he had done seemed like a repulsive act to him.

    ¡ªThat is my sin.

    (said Ad¨¢n, pained)

    Morgan let out a big sigh to contain his annoyance.

    ¡ªAnd what happened to your arm?

    ¡ªThis?

    (said Ad¨¢n, looking at his missing arm.)

    ¡ªDo you want to know why I¡¯m missing an arm? Well, I cut it off myself.

    Silence fell between them, but Ad¨¢n didn¡¯t stop there.

    ¡ªI convinced men and women that they could be free, that they could defeat one of those monsters. I gave them speeches, I promised them hope, but it was all a lie. I just used them. While they fell, Ariel and I escaped amid the chaos.

    Ad¨¢n paused for a moment, swallowed, and continued.

    ¡ªTheir screams still haunt me. Every time I close my eyes, I see their faces. That arm¡­ it was the one I raised to guide them to death, the one that signed their sentence. I couldn¡¯t take it anymore. So, I cut it off. It¡¯s curious, you know? I got rid of the arm, but the guilt is still here.

    (said Ad¨¢n, touching his chest)

    ¡ªThere¡¯s no knife that can cut that, no spell that can erase what I did. So this helps me not to forget what I did, not to forget all those lives I sacrificed for my selfishness.

    Morgan began to debate inside whether what the man had done was unforgivable or if he should blame those "zorath" for leading him to commit such a horrific act.

    ¡ªWhat kind of world is this?

    End of the chapter

    Next chapter: Aztlan.

 Aztlè°©n

    For the first time in a long while, Morgan felt anger. It had been a long time since he had felt this way, and it was all because of the story he had just heard. Adam and his wife immediately noticed the change in Morgan¡¯s temperament; the air felt heavy, and they became alert. Meanwhile, Morgan was thinking about what to do, how he should react.

    Meanwhile, Ariel slowly approached a knife that had been left near where she had been washing dishes. Morgan noticed this and let out a big sigh.

    ¡ªI understand what you did, it was wrong, very wrong. However, I am no one to reproach you for your actions.

    (Morgan said with a very serious face)

    ¡ªTell me, do you regret what you did?

    (Morgan said in a somewhat cold tone)

    Adam lowered his head, beginning to sweat. He looked at Ariel and saw that Iliana was watching everything from behind the wall, peeking her head out, and with some regret, Adam responded:

    ¡ªNo.

    As he said this, the atmosphere grew even tenser, and Morgan appeared even more upset. Ariel grabbed the knife and tightened her grip. Both of them felt threatened, sensing an imminent danger emanating from Morgan.

    Morgan stood up, slamming his hand on the table, and in a deep voice said:

    ¡ªI¡¯m going out for a moment.

    Morgan turned around and left the house, starting to walk. He was angry, really angry. He couldn¡¯t believe what Adam had done; it was a horrifying act in his eyes, something unforgivable. But not feeling any regret for his actions, Morgan didn¡¯t know what to do, what to think. At the same time, he wondered who he should blame for the brutality of those actions: Adam for committing them, or those who indirectly forced him to commit them.

    After walking for a while, Morgan ventured deep into the forest. He found a rock and sat on it, thinking about what he should do, who he should blame, and how he should act toward Adam moving forward.

    ¡ªAhh, Father, I wish you could tell me what to do.

    (Morgan said, looking at the sky in a melancholic way)

    He heard some branches snap behind him and quickly turned his head. He saw Iliana, who had apparently followed him. Morgan calmed down and smiled at her.

    ¡ªOh, you followed me here?

    (Morgan said kindly)

    Iliana walked over to Morgan and sat beside him.

    ¡ªWhat¡¯s wrong? Aren¡¯t you afraid anymore?

    (Morgan said confused)

    ¡ªNo, I¡¯m not afraid anymore.

    (Iliana said sweetly)

    ¡ªYou¡¯re not a bad person, you definitely aren¡¯t bad.

    (Iliana said cheerfully)

    ¡ªOh, what makes you think that?

    (Morgan said, expecting Iliana¡¯s answer)

    ¡ªI heard everything my dad said to you, and you seemed really upset about what happened to those people. Someone who cares and gets angry like that about something that happened to people they never knew can¡¯t be bad. Besides, you¡¯re too adorable to be evil.

    (Iliana said, referring to his axolotl form)

    That response surprised Morgan, who, moments later, burst out laughing. Iliana stared at him intently, smiling. Iliana suddenly jumped to her feet, turned to Morgan, and with a huge smile, said:

    ¡ªSee? That laugh, that smile, couldn¡¯t belong to someone evil.

    Morgan was stunned for a moment. He saw his sister¡¯s silhouette reflected in Iliana.

    ¡ªYou look like her.

    (Morgan said sadly)

    This confused Iliana, who, with a puzzled look on her face, asked:

    ¡ªWho?

    Morgan stood up and gently patted Iliana¡¯s head.

    ¡ªSomeone very important to me.

    Iliana was surprised but allowed Morgan to keep petting her head, as, for some strange reason, it gave her a peace she couldn¡¯t describe. It was such a gentle and soft touch, a feeling that couldn¡¯t be put into words. After a few moments, Iliana grabbed Morgan¡¯s hand and said:

    ¡ªCome, let me show you something.

    Iliana began to lead Morgan through the forest, holding his hand. They walked for a while until they reached a field of purple flowers. In the middle of this field was a rock. Iliana brought Morgan closer so he could see the rock. It had several names carved into it.

    ¡ªLena, D¨ªa, Paul, Alex, Yil, Ren¡ªMorgan said, reading the names carved into the rock.

    ¡ªWhat is this?

    (Morgan said, surprised)

    Iliana approached the rock, bent down, placed her hands together, and closed her eyes.This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it

    ¡ªMy dad, from time to time, comes here and kneels before this rock, pressing his face to the ground. And he stays like that until nightfall, asking for forgiveness again and again, without stopping.

    (Iliana said as she prayed)

    ¡ªMaybe my dad doesn¡¯t regret what he did, but he has never forgotten it. He¡¯s never forgotten the names of all those people. I¡¯m not asking you to forgive him, but to understand him. My dad wouldn¡¯t have done something like that if it weren¡¯t for the fact that they pushed him to do it.

    Iliana stood up, turned around, and began walking.

    ¡ªPlease, think about it. I know you¡¯ll understand.

    (Iliana said with a faint smile)

    Morgan said nothing and remained silent, staring at the rock. Meanwhile, Iliana walked back the way they came and began heading home.

    ¡ªI know he¡¯ll understand. He¡¯s different, he¡¯s not like them, he¡¯s not a monster.

    (Iliana said happily as she walked toward home)

    ¡ªMom, Dad, I¡¯m back...

    Iliana couldn¡¯t finish the sentence. A lump formed in her throat as her eyes caught the image that left her paralyzed, breathless. Her home, her refuge, her safe place, was in ruins. The house that had always been her world was destroyed, ravaged by a force she couldn¡¯t even comprehend. The ground was soaked with blood, a red torrent that stained everything around her. And in the middle of it all, there he was.

    A man, a beast, a monster, was holding her mother, Ariel, by the neck, crushing her with the strength of a god. The scene was so terrifying, so merciless, that horror took over Iliana immediately.

    ¡ªMy sweet Ariel, I¡¯ve been looking for you for so long, and I¡¯ve finally found you.

    The voice of that creature was soft, silky, laden with malice that froze the blood. He looked at Ariel with a repulsive lust, as though enjoying her suffering.

    ¡ªYou know, you know... I missed you so much, my sweet Ariel. Tell me, why did you run away from me?

    The Zorath tightened his grip, savoring every second as he took the life from the woman he once thought was his. Ariel could barely breathe, her eyes filled with fury, rage, and for a brief moment, fear. Fear for herself... but above all, for her daughter.

    ¡ªMom!

    The word came from Iliana¡¯s throat, broken by tears and terror. At that very moment, Ariel looked at her. Just for a second, but it was enough. Her gaze said it all: Run. Go. Don¡¯t come closer.

    He, noticing the gesture, quickly turned his head. His gaze fixed on Iliana, and a grotesque smile formed on his face.

    ¡ªWell, look what we have here...

    Iliana began to tremble, her legs barely responding. Before her stood the being her parents had spoken of so many times, the creature that dwelled in nightmares, now in all its horrible magnificence. An elegant Zorath, with green clothes and gold adornments, tall, with ghostly white skin. His ears were long, almost unnatural. His black hair, like the night, fell over his face, and his orange eyes gleamed with a malice that seemed to devour the air around him.

    Iliana raised her trembling hands, as though at least attempting to face him gave her some courage.

    The Zorath looked at her, and with a wicked laugh, threw Ariel forcefully. Her mother¡¯s body slammed against a tree, falling to the ground brutally. Without hurry, the Zorath began to walk toward Iliana, who, terrified, tried to gather strength to face him.

    ¡ªAhhh... so beautiful. You¡¯re so beautiful, just like her. So sweet... I want you, I desire you...

    (The Zorath said, filled with perversity and lust)

    Every word that came out of his mouth was tainted with a repugnant poison, a dark need that made Iliana want to vomit just by hearing it. But the worst was yet to come.

    ¡ªLeave us alone. Leave us alone, monster!

    Iliana screamed with fury, but the tears kept falling. What could she do? How could she fight something so monstrous?

    At that moment, a weak but powerful voice was heard, a voice that filled her with desperation.

    ¡ªIliana... get out of here. Go with Morgan and run away.

    It was Adam, her father, badly wounded and leaning against a tree, covered in blood.

    ¡ªDad?

    (Iliana said with tears in her eyes)

    The purest fear took over Iliana when she saw him in that state. What had that monster done to him?!

    ¡ªWhat have you done to my dad?!

    (Iliana said, filled with fury and rage)

    The Zorath let out a cruel, cold laugh.

    ¡ªHe dared to steal my sweet Ariel. But the worst part is that this damn trash dared to stain her... Such a thing had to be punished. Don¡¯t you think?

    (The Zorath said, with a devilish tone)

    Iliana looked at him with rage, but also with helplessness. How could anyone be so cruel? So ruthless?

    ¡ªAnd his punishment... isn¡¯t over yet. Oh, I can think of a thousand things I can do with him. My heart races just thinking about everything I can do to him.

    (The Zorath said excitedly)

    With his hands raised to the sky, the Zorath reveled in his words, his gaze returning to Iliana, as if it were all a game for him.

    ¡ªMONSTER!

    (Iliana screamed furiously).

    Iliana, filled with rage, felt something ignite inside her. With strength, she raised her hands, and a small flash erupted from her palms. A fire began to burn, intense, bright.

    ¡ªFLAMMAROS!

    (Iliana shouted with all her might)

    The flame shot toward the Zorath, who stood motionless for a moment. The explosion of fire illuminated the entire place, leaving a cloud of dust in its wake. Iliana expected to see the monster burned, but when the dust cleared, the terrifying truth was revealed: the Zorath was there, completely unharmed.

    ¡ªStill using that primitive power?

    (The Zorath said, disappointed)

    The disappointment in his voice was palpable. With a snap of his fingers, the roots of the ground lifted, holding Iliana with crushing force. The Zorath moved closer to her, his gaze inspecting every part of her body with morbid fascination.

    ¡ªYou¡¯re a very bad girl, Iliana. And I¡¯ll make sure to teach you a good lesson...

    (The Zorath said perversely and lustfully)

    He snapped his fingers again. The trees around them began to move, rising from the ground and intertwining, forming a gigantic monster made of wood. Iliana looked in horror as the monstrous tree rose, a colossal being, while Ariel and Adam were trapped beneath its imposing arms, unable to do anything.

    ¡ªIt¡¯s a shame... I wanted to play with him a bit more, but I have to teach you a lesson, my naughty girl. Sorry, my sweet Ariel, but don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll take very good care of her.

    (The Zorath said in a macabre manner)

    The Zorath touched Iliana¡¯s body, rubbing it in a repulsive manner, smelling it, licking it. Each touch, each lick was a violation of human dignity. It was a scene simply revolting.

    ¡ªDon¡¯t worry, my sweet Iliana, I¡¯ll take care of you... very, very well.

    (The Zorath said while licking Iliana¡¯s face)

    ¡ªStop, please! Help me, please!

    (Iliana screamed, crying uncontrollably)

    ¡ªIt¡¯s time to go, my sweet Iliana. Much fun awaits us...

    (The Zorath said with that macabre smile)

    With another snap of his fingers, Adam began to crawl toward Ariel. The slow motion of their movements only increased the agony. Iliana could see the monster¡¯s arms drawing closer, ready to crush her parents.

    ¡ªAh... so this... this is the punishment I deserved for what I did...

    (Adam said, accepting his fate)

    Adam¡¯s voice faded as the monster¡¯s arms fell upon them. The impact was devastating. A tremor shook the earth. Iliana, broken, cried inconsolably, completely lost.

    ¡ªDon¡¯t worry, my sweet Iliana... Now that it¡¯s just you and me, we can have all the fun we want...

    But before the Zorath finished his words, something changed in the air. A shiver ran through the atmosphere, and suddenly, the Zorath felt a pressure, something that confused him. In the spot where Ariel and Adam had been, a man appeared, holding the monster''s tree arms with strength.

    ¡ªWhat the hell...?

    (The Zorath said, confused)

    The being that rose before him was covered in pink armor, which ran all over his body, even to his tail. Horns grew from his head, and his face, barely visible, was a whirlpool of fury. His eyes, deep pink with touches of black, shone with a fierce and penetrating intensity. A chill ran down Zorath¡¯s spine, for the first time in his life, feeling true danger.

    With an imposing voice, the man, whose presence was almost divine, spoke, filling the air with unstoppable energy:

    ¡ªAztlan, first representation... Emperor of the cycle.

    End of the chapter.

    Next chapter: Scarabaeus sacer.

 Scarabeus scacer

    Aztl¨¢n: First Representation, Emperor of the Cycle

    The Zorath watched with a mixture of disbelief and growing fury. That young man, with pink hair, was stopping the colossal arms of his monster with a single hand. His face showed no effort at all, as if it were as easy as stopping a breeze.

    With a deep sigh, the young man pushed the monster¡¯s arms upward with such overwhelming force that the gigantic being of trees lost its balance. It fell with a deafening roar, breaking everything in its path¡ªtrees, rocks, earth. The scene was a mixture of absolute power and pure indifference.

    "Comrade, may I ask what you are doing?"

    (The Zorath said, irritated.)

    His tone was filled with frustration, as if he no longer had the patience to wait for an answer. But the pink-haired young man did not say a word. He remained motionless, indifferent to what was happening around him.

    "It seems you didn¡¯t hear me. I asked you what you are doing."

    The Zorath¡¯s voice grew harsher, like a restrained roar. His anger was palpable, and he looked increasingly irritated.

    Morgan, as if he didn¡¯t care about the tension, turned his gaze toward Ad¨¢n and Ariel. He analyzed them carefully, evaluating them with an unsettling coldness. Then, he shifted his attention back to the Zorath and, mechanically, repeated the phrase he had said before.

    "Aztl¨¢n, First Representation, Emperor of the Cycle, Insectoid Branch, Specimen Number One, Scarabeus Scacer."

    The Zorath, however, was unimpressed.

    "Comrade, I do not know why you are interfering in my path, but I will ask you only once: leave and do not meddle in my affairs."

    (The Zorath said in a hostile manner.)

    The threat in his voice was unmistakable, like the shadow of a scythe ready to fall upon the pink-haired young man¡¯s neck.

    Ad¨¢n, who had remained silent until then, finally spoke, his voice trembling, full of uncertainty.

    "What¡­ what are you doing here? Why did you save us?"

    Morgan looked at Ad¨¢n again. There was nothing human in his eyes, only a cold void. His pupils had disappeared, leaving only lifeless pink eyes, as if he were lost in another plane of existence. Ad¨¢n saw something in his eyes that froze his blood: that young man was no longer human. He was no longer there.

    The Zorath erupted in fury, his face twisted with rage and contempt.

    "Do you dare ignore ME? ME, Lord Etelgan?! I don¡¯t know what damned race you belong to, but first, you interrupted my sweet moment with Iliana, and now¡­ now you dare to ignore me, you damn nobody?! Unacceptable! Unacceptable! UNACCEPTABLE!"

    (Etelgan said, filled with rage.)

    His voice became rougher and more beastly, revealing a more aggressive side, like a monster burning with fury.

    With a sharp snap of his fingers, the titan of trees rose again, its gaze fixed on Morgan¡ªhe was now its target.

    "It seems you need to be punished as well¡­ Ah, you¡¯ve put me in a very bad mood. But don¡¯t worry, when I¡¯m done with this, I¡¯ll have a little fun with my sweet Iliana¡­ and maybe we can have Ariel join our little game. Ah, how exciting, how exciting¡­"

    This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.(The Zorath said, his voice filled with twisted delight.)

    The colossal being, imposing and terrifying, took a few steps toward Morgan, making the ground tremble with each movement. When it was close, it lifted its foot with the intention of crushing the young man.

    "Alright, let¡¯s finish this and get back to what we were doing."

    (The Zorath said, his voice devoid of any compassion.)

    Suddenly, a piercing scream cut through the air.

    "MORGAN! MORGAN, PLEASE, HELP MY PARENTS! I BEG YOU, I PLEAD WITH YOU! I¡¯LL DO WHATEVER YOU WANT, BUT PLEASE, HELP MY MOM AND DAD!"

    Iliana screamed, tears streaming down her face, her body trembling with pure terror as she begged for help.

    The Zorath approached her with a cruel, malicious smile. He covered her mouth with one hand, gripping her face tightly, and looked at her with monstrous coldness.

    "No, no, no¡­ Good girls shouldn¡¯t cry. So stop, my sweet Iliana, or I¡¯ll have to punish you too. And I don¡¯t want to do that, do I? Do I? Please, stop crying¡­"

    (Etelgan said coldly.)

    The Zorath¡¯s voice grew more venomous, like poison crawling under the skin.

    He positioned himself behind Iliana, still covering her mouth, preventing her from speaking, and whispered into her ear.

    "Look, this is what happens when they make me angry."

    Morgan, still with his impassive expression, watched as the monster was about to crush him. But he did not move a single inch. His face showed nothing¡ªno trace of emotion.

    "Alright, let¡¯s say goodbye to our friend¡­ goodbye, goodbye."

    The Zorath murmured mockingly, grabbing one of Iliana¡¯s arms and moving it left and right like a broken toy, making a waving gesture with her hand.

    With a diabolical smile, Etelgan raised a finger and pointed at Morgan, violently signaling downward. The titan of trees brought its foot down with force, like a hammer, to crush Morgan. Iliana tried to scream, but the Zorath¡¯s hand prevented her. Tears continued to stream down her face, her soul shattered.

    "I told you to stop crying."

    The Zorath whispered in her ear, a threat wrapped in poisonous sweetness, his cold gaze utterly terrifying.

    The monster¡¯s foot crashed into the ground with a deafening sound, but Morgan did not move. Not a single inch.

    "Alright, now let¡¯s get back to our business."

    Etelgan couldn¡¯t hide his frustration. He smiled again, but this time, his smile turned into a grimace of confusion.

    The pink-haired young man was there, holding up the monster¡¯s foot with a single hand¡ªwithout any effort.

    "Impossible! I thought the first time was just luck, but¡­ this guy is preventing himself from being crushed with pure brute strength."

    (Etelgan said, worried.)

    "What damned race does this brat belong to? He has no fur, no ears, his tail is different, and he has no fur¡­ Drakaris? No¡­ He¡¯s not one of them, he has no wings. Then, who the hell is he?"

    (The Zorath thought, confused.)

    His twisted mind was incapable of finding answers¡ªhe had never seen anything like this before.

    Morgan stopped holding back the monster and lifted it with both hands. The strength with which he threw it was such that the monster was sent flying through the air like a mere doll.

    "Alright¡­ If that¡¯s how you want it, I¡¯ll take this seriously. I¡¯ll show you my Karma."

    (The Zorath said, his voice laced with cold, calculated hatred.)

    "No matter how strong you are, I can see that you were not blessed by it. So I¡¯ll be kind to you¡­ I¡¯ll show you what true power looks like."

    (Etelgan said, smiling arrogantly.)

    Then, with a calculated gesture, he revealed his wrist. A grotesque tattoo covered his arm¡ªtwo intertwined roots that seemed to move with a life of their own.

    "Tremble, trash, before the manifestation of my Karma! Elder Gra."

    Etelgan blinked, and his gaze shifted. Morgan was no longer where he had been before. Instead, a deadly embrace trapped him from behind.

    The young man no longer had his armor, nor his horns. Now, his body was covered in white fur, and his hands were coated in jet black. Two sharp mandibles protruded from his mouth.

    Etelgan froze, staring into those empty, pink eyes, which expanded to fill his entire eye sockets, and terror immediately overtook him. His once-imposing body now felt completely vulnerable.

    Then, something worse than terror seized him. Morgan¡¯s insectoid wings emerged, and a suffocating heat began to engulf them. The air grew dense¡ªalmost unbearable.

    "What is this?! It burns! It burns!"

    The Zorath screamed in palpable desperation, his arrogance now reduced to pleas, his smile turned into tears of pain.

    And with a voice that would chill anyone¡¯s blood, Morgan whispered:

    "Aztl¨¢n, Fifteenth Representation, Golden Sky Monarch, Specimen Number 231, Apis Cerana."

    End of the chapter.

    Next chapter: Nightmares.

 Nightmares

    "LET ME GO, LET ME GO, LET ME GO ALREADY!"

    (Etelgan screamed in desperation.)

    Etelgan felt his organs slowly melting, one by one, inside him. The pain was unbearable, as if something was burning every fiber of his being. His insides burned with unimaginable intensity, and his blood, like boiling lava, coursed through his veins, overwhelming his body. The infernal heat emanating from Morgan didn''t just burn him¡ªit consumed him, destroyed him.

    The torture seemed endless. When Etelgan extended one of his arms to try using his power, he saw how Morgan''s tail moved dangerously, like an animal stalking its prey. In the blink of an eye, the tail''s stinger brutally pierced his hand, a violent impact that ripped a scream of terror from him, pure agony, a scream that resonated deep inside him, echoing in his soul.

    Morgan withdrew his tail, leaving the stinger embedded in Etelgan¡¯s hand, but with wide, horrified eyes, Etelgan watched as Morgan¡¯s tail grotesquely split in two, as if he were some inhuman creature. The stinger remained lodged in his arm, but that wasn¡¯t all. The pain, the suffering¡ªit wasn¡¯t enough. Etelgan tried to smile, seeking some solace in the hope that this would set him free. But when he saw Morgan¡¯s face, his smile froze. There was no trace of suffering in his expression. Only indifference, coldness. When he looked down, his face paled even more as he saw that Morgan¡¯s tail had already fully regenerated, a new stinger in place, ready to kill.

    Etelgan, on the brink of despair, raised his head to the sky and let out one final, harrowing scream that echoed throughout the forest¡ªa scream that conveyed all the anguish of his being. Morgan finally released him, letting his body fall heavily to the ground. But Etelgan was no longer alive. Pink and red fluids oozed from his body, a gruesome display of his melted organs. His face, a mixture of despair, helplessness, and horror, reflected the end of his torment.

    Morgan slowly turned his head toward Iliana, who watched the scene with a horrified, shattered expression. But in his unconscious state, Morgan completely ignored her and instead focused his gaze on Adam and Ariel. Seeing that both were gravely wounded, he calmly approached, step by step, until he stood before them. Adam lay unconscious, his life hanging by a thread.

    Ariel, her face pale, lifted her gaze while holding her husband in her arms. Her voice trembled, and with fear, she spoke.

    "S-s-stay back, monster..."

    Morgan, showing not a trace of emotion, observed them both carefully and, with a cold voice, continued:This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there.

    "Aztlan, seventh representation, molluscoid branch, lord of the sacred ether, specimen number 4, Cornu aspersum."

    At that moment, Morgan¡¯s body began to transform once more. A spiral shell appeared on his back, his hands softened, and his tail expanded, dominating the air. Two antennae sprouted from his head, and his skin became coated in a pink slime.

    Without saying a word, he wrapped Adam and Ariel in his arms and tail, covering them with the pink slime seeping from his body. Ariel, confused, barely able to comprehend what was happening, asked between sobs:

    "W-what are you doing?"

    Her doubt vanished quickly as she began to feel her wounds¡ªand Adam¡¯s¡ªstarting to heal. The scars disappeared, the injuries closed as if they had never existed.

    "What is this? How are you doing this?"

    (Ariel asked, completely shocked.)

    Morgan finished healing them, his slime covering them entirely, sealing their wounds. He observed them with indifference, assessing their condition. When he was sure they were better, he spoke once more, his voice cold, devoid of all emotion:

    "The trial period is over. Animal instinct completed."

    With those words, Morgan collapsed, falling to the ground. His mind shut down, plunging him into deep darkness. But not for long. Different images began to flow in his head, as if his consciousness was slowly returning. Morgan blinked and saw himself standing, holding someone''s hand. That person held him firmly while walking ahead of him. He tried to see their face, but something dark¡ªblack and white scribbles¡ªcovered it, preventing him from recognizing them. He could only see their long, straight, jet-black hair.

    He felt at peace, as if he were in a state of absolute calm, guided by that mysterious figure. He decided to follow, without question. But then, the scene changed again. Now, they were in a park, beneath a tree. Face to face. Holding hands. She had taken both of Morgan¡¯s hands, but, just like before, the scribbles obscured her face. They began spinning in circles, holding onto each other¡¯s hands.

    Morgan couldn¡¯t help but smile. This feeling, this connection, felt so familiar, as if he had experienced it before, though he couldn¡¯t remember when or where. Everything felt so perfect, so serene. But suddenly, the scene faded into shades of gray. Morgan lowered his gaze and, with horror, saw an immeasurable amount of blood flowing from the girl¡¯s wrists, staining the ground red. With a start, he let go of her hands quickly, and as fast as he did, he woke up.

    Morgan awoke in a panic, his heart pounding as if it were about to explode in his chest. He gasped for air, sweat dripping down his forehead as he breathed heavily.

    "Are you okay?"

    (Iliana asked, concerned.)

    Iliana had laid him on her lap so he could rest, but she was startled to see him wake up like that, as if he had just had the worst nightmare of all.

    "Y-yeah... it was just a nightmare."

    (Morgan said, running his hands over his face.)

    Morgan sighed, wiping the sweat from his face.

    "Just a nightmare..."

    End of Chapter.

    Next Chapter: The Cruelty of the New World.

    Thank you for reading this chapter! Sorry for not updating this week¡ªI was a bit sick, but I just recovered, so I''ll be posting regularly again. Don''t forget to follow me on Instagram @mr.nigth12 where I share more updates and details about the story. See you in the next chapter!

 Until we meet again

    Morgan took a deep breath and let it out, managing to calm down a little. Then, he looked around, observing all the destruction he had caused.

    "What... what happened?"

    (Morgan asked, his voice filled with confusion.)

    As he analyzed everything around him, his gaze finally landed on Zorath¡¯s lifeless body. The state in which that being had been left completely shocked him.

    The impact was so strong that Morgan, terrified, quickly crawled backward to get away from the body. With a trembling voice, he asked:

    "What happened? Who did this?"

    "Don''t you remember? It was you."

    (Iliana replied, confused.)

    Morgan''s face turned pale upon hearing that he was the one who had left Zorath in such a horrible state. With some fear, he asked:

    "Was it me?"

    "Do you really not remember what happened?"

    Iliana didn''t understand how Morgan could claim not to remember what he had done, but when she looked at his face, she realized he wasn¡¯t lying. He truly didn¡¯t know what had happened. So, she approached him, sat beside him, and tried to calm him down.

    "What is the last thing you remember?"

    (Iliana asked, trying with all her sweetness to soothe Morgan.)

    Morgan held his head, desperate, trying to recall what he had done.

    "I... I only remember sitting on the rock. Then, the ground started shaking, and I ran to see what it was. I saw Adam and Ariel about to be crushed by that monster, and I ran to try to help them. But when it was about to crush us, everything started moving slower. I just thought that I had to help them, that I had to save them... and then... nothing. I don¡¯t remember anything else, everything went black."

    Once again, Morgan started getting agitated. It seemed like he had done something terrible, but he couldn''t remember it. At that moment, Iliana¡¯s father suddenly appeared, and upon seeing the young man¡¯s state, he approached to check on him.

    "What happened?"

    (Adam asked, concerned.)

    "I don''t know... he woke up and says he doesn¡¯t remember anything."

    (Iliana said, unsure of what to do.)

    Adam touched Morgan¡¯s forehead and noticed his temperature was rising. He also realized that he couldn¡¯t stop staring at Zorath¡¯s body in horror.

    "We¡¯d better get away from here."

    (Adam said as he lifted Morgan.)

    Adam quickly picked up Morgan and carried him away to help him calm down. The three of them went deeper into the forest. Ariel, who was collecting water, saw her husband carrying Morgan, who looked terrible, so she quickly approached to help. They sat him on a rock, and Ariel offered him some water.

    "Here, drink this."

    (Ariel said in a calm voice.)

    Morgan, with trembling hands, took the container and started drinking slowly.

    "What happened to him?"

    (Ariel asked, worried.)

    "I don''t know, he just says he doesn¡¯t remember anything, and he got like this when Iliana told him he was the one who killed it."If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.

    (Adam responded, confused.)

    Ariel took Morgan¡¯s hands and noticed how strongly they were shaking.

    "Hey, look at me... look at me."

    (Ariel said firmly.)

    Morgan lifted his head and met her eyes.

    "Take a deep breath and exhale... look at me and do the same."

    (Ariel ordered, breathing slowly.)

    Ariel began inhaling and exhaling repeatedly. Slowly, Morgan started to imitate her.

    "That¡¯s it, like that... slowly... slowly."

    (Ariel said kindly.)

    Little by little, Morgan regained his composure and calmed down. It took some time, but he finally managed to relax.

    "Good, well done."

    (Ariel said, smiling.)

    The whole time, Ariel never let go of Morgan¡¯s hands, only releasing them when she saw he was feeling better.

    "I¡¯ll be right back. I need to talk to my husband about something."

    (Ariel said, standing up and taking Adam a bit further away so they wouldn¡¯t be overheard.)

    Iliana approached Morgan, sat next to him, and in a sweet voice asked:

    "Are you feeling better now?"

    Morgan looked at her, and despite her voice conveying warmth, she showed deep concern. Not wanting to worry her more, he simply smiled and said yes.

    "I didn¡¯t thank you before for letting me rest on your lap when I lost consciousness... so, thank you very much, Iliana."

    (Morgan said, smiling.)

    Iliana didn¡¯t seem happy about this¡ªon the contrary, she looked frustrated. In a low voice, she responded:

    "No!... You¡¯re wrong."

    Morgan, confused, asked why. Iliana stood up, positioned herself in front of him, and knelt down. Then, she lowered her head and pressed it against the ground.

    "Thank you, truly... thank you."

    (Iliana said, sobbing.)

    "Eh... what are you doing? Raise your head!"

    (Morgan said, worried.)

    "No! Really, thank you for saving us, for saving my parents... for saving me."

    Morgan didn¡¯t know what to do in this situation. He didn¡¯t even remember doing it. At that moment, Adam and Ariel appeared.

    "Ah, look, your parents are here. Come on, get up, please."

    (Morgan said, embarrassed and nervous.)

    "Come on, come on... Could you tell her to get up?"

    (Morgan said, looking at Adam and Ariel.)

    Both Adam and Ariel understood what their daughter was doing. After exchanging brief glances, they both knelt in front of Morgan and pressed their foreheads against the ground, imitating their daughter.

    "Thank you. There are no words to express how grateful I am for what you did for me, my husband, and my daughter. Forgive me for treating you so badly. I truly regret it... I don¡¯t know how to repay you for what you¡¯ve done."

    (Ariel said through tears.)

    "Yes, despite telling you what I did and accepting that this was my punishment, you still decided to help us. Even when we didn¡¯t deserve it, you risked yourself for us. I will forever be in your debt."

    (Adam said, also in tears.)

    Morgan felt deeply embarrassed. He didn¡¯t know what to do or say. He simply extended his hand and, with a warm and kind voice, spoke to Adam.

    "Even if you did unforgivable things in the past, and maybe you deserved what could have happened to you today, I am different. I will not abandon anyone in need. I will never leave anyone behind or look away. So please... lift your heads. There¡¯s no need to thank me. Even if today repeated itself 100 times, I would choose the same thing and help you again."

    Morgan stood up and climbed onto the rock where he had been sitting before. With a big smile, he said:

    "And do you know why I would do it? Do you know why I would choose to help you again? Because once, a great man said that everyone deserves to be saved... and that includes you and those around you. So, stand up, hold your head high. Never forget what you did. Live with it and atone for it. From now on, if someone needs help, you must help them, no matter who they are or what race they belong to. That will be the price you pay for what you did. Agreed?"

    "Yes, I will. I definitely will."

    (Adam responded, crying.)

    "Good, that¡¯s how it should be."

    (Morgan said, proud.)

    "So, what will you do now? Your house was destroyed."

    (Morgan asked, somewhat saddened.)

    "I know. We can¡¯t stay here. Ariel and I decided to flee to the northern forests. We¡¯ll hide there and start over."

    (Adam replied, wiping his tears.)

    "I see."

    (Morgan said, smiling.)

    "And what about you? What will you do?"

    (Ariel asked, a little worried.)

    Morgan fell into deep thought at this question, as he hadn¡¯t considered it before.

    "Would you come with us?"

    (Iliana asked timidly.)

    "Yes! Come with us. We¡¯ll have a great time. You can stay with us forever if you want... What do you think, my love?"

    (Adam asked excitedly, looking at Ariel.)

    "Yes, of course. Come with us, you can be part of our family. You won¡¯t lack anything¡ªneither food nor a roof over your head."

    (Ariel responded, smiling.)

    "Yes, yes, yes! Come, Morgan, come!"

    (Iliana said, very excited.)

    Morgan smiled at the idea of staying with them. They truly reminded him of his mother, father, and sister. But he also thought about the stories he had been told about this world and what Adam had experienced. He couldn¡¯t believe a world could be so cruel. He had to see the truth with his own eyes.

    "Thank you, truly. I would love to go with you, but I need to learn more about this world. I need to understand what¡¯s happening here."

    (Morgan said with determination.)

    The three of them looked saddened by his response. When Iliana seemed about to say something, her mother stopped her.

    "It¡¯s okay, we understand what you¡¯re saying."

    (Ariel said with a melancholic tone.)

    "Just... take care of yourself, okay?"

    (Adam said, trying not to cry.)

    "Yes, I will."

    (Morgan replied, smiling.)

    The family began gathering their belongings to take with them. When everything was ready, they spoke to Morgan one last time.

    "We have to leave now. Someone from that Zorath¡¯s family might come after us."

    (Adam said seriously.)

    "Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll make sure no one follows you."

    (Morgan replied confidently.)

    "You¡¯re definitely different from anyone I¡¯ve ever seen before."

    (Adam said with a wry smile.)

    Ariel approached Morgan, took his face in both hands, pressed her forehead against his, and closed her eyes. Morgan was surprised by this sudden act, but after a few moments, Ariel pulled away.

    "What was that?"

    (Morgan asked, confused.)

    "A prayer, so she may protect you on your journey."

    (Ariel replied with a warm smile.)

    Iliana stepped forward, took off a silver bracelet from her wrist, and handed it to Morgan.

    "Take this. I¡¯m giving it to you so you never forget me and so that we can see each other again."

    Morgan took the bracelet, smiled slightly, and put it on.

    "I promise I¡¯ll take good care of it."

    (Morgan said cheerfully.)

    "If you follow this path in a straight line, you¡¯ll be able to leave the forest."

    (Adam said, pointing the way for Morgan.)

    "Alright, thanks."

    (Morgan replied confidently.)

    The family began walking away, going deeper into the forest. When they were already quite far, and Morgan started walking in the opposite direction, he suddenly heard Iliana calling his name.

    "MORGAN, I PROMISE WE¡¯LL SEE EACH OTHER AGAIN ONE DAY!"

    Morgan turned around and saw Iliana waving at him from a distance. He smiled and, in his mind, thought:

    "You really remind me of her..."

    The family kept waving for a while before disappearing into the forest.

    "Alright... I guess it¡¯s

    time for me to go too. What kind of world awaits me?"

    The young man ventured into the forest, walking among the trees, searching for the exit... and seeking the answers to this mysterious world.

    End of the chapter

    Next chapter: The Cruelty of the New World

 The cruelty of the new world part 1

    Morgan followed the path Adam had indicated to get out of the forest. He walked and walked until, along the way, he found what appeared to be a navy blue and gold carriage, with silver wheels and two black horses tied to it. It looked quite luxurious¡­ too much so for being in the middle of nowhere.

    Filled with curiosity, Morgan approached the carriage to inspect it, wondering what something so elegant was doing in such a remote place. He stroked the horses, who reacted surprisingly calmly to his presence.

    "Wow! I''ve never seen horses this big¡­ What are you doing here, friends?"

    (Morgan said kindly.)

    While observing the carriage¡¯s cabin, he peeked through the windows to see if someone was inside. Sure enough, there was a man with short, slightly wavy, reddish hair, dressed in humble, simple clothes. He was kneeling, covering his head and turning his back to Morgan, as if praying for his life.

    "What is he doing¡­?"

    (Morgan said, confused.)

    Intrigued, he began tapping on the window to get the mysterious man''s attention. As soon as he touched the glass, the man jumped in fright and, with slow, trembling movements, turned his head. When their eyes met, Morgan, wearing his best smile, gave him a friendly thumbs-up.

    Instead of relaxing, the man became even more startled and jumped back, hitting his head against the carriage wall.

    "AAAAAHHHHHH!"

    (He screamed, terrified.)

    Morgan, clueless, also started screaming and frantically looked around, trying to figure out what had terrified the man.

    "W-what¡¯s going on?! Where?! Why are we screaming?!"

    (Morgan said nervously.)

    "Please, don''t hurt me! I beg you! I have a wife and a child on the way!"

    (The man cried out, trembling with fear.)

    This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.

    Morgan, feeling a little offended, pointed at himself incredulously.

    "Me??"

    The man nodded frantically.

    "Ah¡­ I just had d¨¦j¨¤ vu¡­"

    (Morgan said, remembering his first encounter with Iliana.)

    To calm the situation, Morgan stepped away from the carriage and, using his kindest tone, tried to reason with the terrified man.

    "Come on, friend. I won¡¯t hurt you¡­ You can come out."

    The man slightly raised his head, revealing half of his face through the window. Morgan smiled and waved at him, but the man still didn¡¯t seem convinced.

    Morgan noticed his distrust and started thinking of ways to gain his confidence. Suddenly, what seemed like a brilliant idea (to him) crossed his mind.

    "I got it! Maybe this will work!"

    (Morgan said, snapping his fingers.)

    He moved even farther from the carriage so the man could see him completely.

    "I¡¯ll show you I¡¯m not dangerous!"

    Striking a dramatic pose, he stretched out his arms, stood on his tiptoes, and, with all the confidence in the world, shouted:

    "TRANSFORMATION!"

    Morgan held his heroic pose¡­ but nothing happened.

    The man inside the carriage stared at him in utter confusion.

    "What is this guy doing¡­?"

    (The man thought, puzzled.)

    An awkward silence filled the air. Morgan¡¯s proud expression slowly turned into one of pure embarrassment.

    "O-o-one more time¡­"

    (He muttered, blushing.)

    "TRANSFORMATION!"

    (He shouted louder.)

    But again, nothing happened. The color in his face shifted from red to deep burgundy.

    The man, who had been terrified before, now only felt secondhand embarrassment for Morgan.

    "I think he¡¯s lost his mind¡­"

    (The man whispered to himself.)

    "W-what¡¯s happening...? I was supposed to¡­ I should be able to transform or something¡­?"

    Morgan collapsed to his knees and buried his head in the ground, feeling utterly consumed by shame.

    "Ahhh, how embarrassing! What did I just do¡­?"

    (He said, completely mortified.)

    The redhead, seeing his state, opened the carriage door and, with a hint of compassion in his voice, asked:

    "Hey¡­ buddy¡­ Are you okay...?"

    "Ahhh, I want the earth to swallow me whole right now!"

    (Morgan screamed, burying his head even deeper into the ground.)

    The man approached him and began patting his back, as if comforting a child.

    "There, there¡­ It¡¯s okay, it¡¯s okay¡­"

    (The man said, with a mix of pity and amusement.)

    "Ah¡­ now he pities me¡­"

    (Morgan thought, feeling even worse.)

    He slowly lifted his head from the ground and, with his dignity in pieces, asked:

    "Are you¡­ not afraid of me anymore?"

    The man, now more relaxed, smiled.

    "No¡­ I¡¯ve definitely never seen a Zorath act like you in front of a human."

    (The man responded calmly.)

    "Oh¡­ well."

    (Morgan replied, more at ease.)

    "Also, don¡¯t worry. We¡¯ve all been through that stage."

    (The man said, patting him on the shoulder.)

    "Huh...?"

    (Morgan asked, confused.)

    "Yeah, you know¡­ that whole¡­ ''TRANSFORMATION!''"

    (The man said, imitating Morgan¡¯s pose.)

    Seeing the imitation, Morgan immediately slammed his head back into the ground, feeling more humiliated than ever.

    "JUST KILL MEEEEEE!"

    (He screamed, dying of embarrassment.)

    The man couldn¡¯t help but burst into laughter.

    "You¡¯re quite a curious one, my friend."

    (The man said, still laughing.)

    "So¡­ what¡¯s your name?"

    (The man asked between chuckles.)

    The young man with pink hair, still with his pride in shambles, lifted his head from the ground and

    replied in a defeated tone:

    "Morgan¡­ My name is Morgan¡­"

    End of the chapter.

    Next chapter: The Cruelty of the New World - Part 2.

 The cruelty of the new world part 2

    -Oh... I see. Well, my name is Mani, a pleasure.

    (Said the man with a smile as he extended his hand to Morgan.)

    Morgan took Mani''s hand and stood up.

    -Sorry for how I reacted earlier... It''s just that I saw what you did to him. But now that I look at you closely... you look completely different compared to a while ago.

    (Said Mani, eyeing Morgan from head to toe.)

    -Different?

    (Said Morgan, confused.)

    -Yeah! You had a stinger on your tail, some kind of fur... and those weird wings.

    (Said Mani, impressed.)

    Morgan was perplexed. He didn''t remember any of that... but deep down, he knew he had done something.

    -By the way... what happened to the people who were there? I brought the old man here because he was looking for a woman... What became of her?

    (Said Mani with a worried tone.)

    -Don''t worry, they''re fine. They said they would go far away from here.

    (Said Morgan with a smile.)

    -Really...? You were protecting them?

    (Said Mani, surprised.)

    -A-ah... I guess...

    (Said Morgan, a little nervous.)

    -Wow! I''ve never seen a Zorath like you...

    (Said Mani, impressed.)

    -I''m not a Zorath!

    (Said Morgan, somewhat offended.)

    -Impossible! You must be one.

    (Said Mani, still impressed.)

    -If I were one of them... then why could you say my name?

    Mani fell into thought, his expression somewhat comical.

    -Shit, you''re right! I could say your name!

    (Said Mani, very impressed.)

    -But... but if you''re not a Zorath, then... what are you? What kind of creature are you?

    (Said Mani while inspecting Morgan closely.)

    Morgan struck a heroic pose, lifting his finger to the sky with pride.

    -Uhum... I am Morgan, the axolotl!

    (Said Morgan proudly.)

    At that moment, his body began to glow. His clothes fell to the ground, and he returned to his original form.

    -Ahhh! What''s happening?!

    (Said Mani, scared and impressed.)

    -Hahaha! I did it! I went back to my original form! Now she won''t be able to make fun of me...

    (Said Morgan, very proud.)

    Mani approached to get a closer look.

    -Incredible! Is this what you wanted to do a while ago?

    (Said Mani, impressed.)

    -Impressive, right?

    (Thought Morgan arrogantly.)

    But his pride didn''t last long... Reality hit his mind like a rock.

    -Are you... a fish? But... don''t fish need water?

    (Said Mani, confused.)

    -Oh, that''s right!

    (Said Morgan, scared.)

    Morgan started jumping frantically.

    -Water, water, water!

    (He screamed desperately.)

    But Mani just watched him, not understanding anything.

    -Ah... are you dancing?

    -I''m dying! I''m dying! Human! Human! Human!

    (Thought Morgan in despair.)

    Morgan''s body glowed again, returning to his humanoid form. He collapsed to the ground, gasping for breath.

    -Ah... I thought I was going to die...

    (Said Morgan, afraid.)

    -Oh, oh! Ahhh! That was fucking incredible! I''ve never seen anything like that!

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    (Said Mani, very happy and excited.)

    -I''m glad my near death entertained you...

    (Said Morgan sarcastically while dressing again.)

    -Sorry, sorry... Well, then... what will you do now? Do you have anywhere to go?

    (Said Mani friendly.)

    -Ah... I hadn''t thought about it... Actually, I don''t even know where I am...

    (Said Morgan, a little embarrassed.)

    Mani thought for a moment.

    -Well... In your situation, I think the best thing would be to go to Fallen Crown, the capital of all the kingdoms. It''s where the other Zorath races live.

    (Said Mani with a more serious tone.)

    -Is it far from here?

    (Said Morgan, thoughtful.)

    -A little... Three days by carriage. I have to return to Nytrhindor to report what happened with the old man. If I don''t... they could do something to my wife... Sorry...

    (Said Mani, sad.)

    -Don''t worry... I understand.

    (Said Morgan kindly.)

    -I won''t reveal your name... and I don''t have to give a very specific description either. I can say you were that creature with a stinger and weird wings.

    (Said Mani with a smile.)

    -Thank you... That helps me a lot.

    (Said Morgan with a smile.)

    -Oh, I know! Nytrhindor is in the same direction as Fallen Crown. If you want... I can take you as close as I can.

    (Said Mani with a smile.)

    -Really? Thank you!

    (Said Morgan, very happy.)

    -All right... Then let''s go.

    (Said Mani enthusiastically.)

    Mani climbed onto the carriage and took the reins of the horses. Morgan sat beside him.

    -Onward!

    (Said Mani, excited.)

    The carriage began to move, starting their journey toward Fallen Crown. Along the way, they talked as if they had known each other for years. Mani told him about his wife, how they had been separated, and that he could only see her once a year with the promise that if he worked hard, one day they would live together.

    -And tell me, what''s your purpose, Morgan? I can call you by your name, right?

    (Said Mani, friendly.)

    -Yes... of course... And my purpose...

    (Said Morgan, confused.)

    -Well, mine is to work hard to live in a house in the woods with my wife and child. I work every day enduring what those bastards do to me... but I do it for them.

    (Said Mani with a big smile.)

    -If you don''t have a purpose now... don''t worry, friend. I''m sure one day you''ll find it.

    (Said Mani, patting him on the shoulder.)

    Morgan smiled.

    -I hope so...

    (Said Morgan sincerely.)

    After several hours, the sun began to set.

    -Soon we''ll see a road that splits in two... You''ll follow the straight path. If you walk, you should reach Fallen Crown in about two days.

    (Said Mani cheerfully.)

    -It''s a shame... I would have liked to meet your wife. I''m sure she''s a great woman.

    (Said Morgan with a smile.)

    -She is, friend... she is. She has long mint-colored hair and eyes like two beautiful rubies... Besides, she looks adorable with her pregnant belly. She''s very funny... To me, she''s simply the perfect woman.

    (Said Mani with a warm glow in his eyes.)

    -Wow... You really love her, huh?

    (Said Morgan, happy for him.)

    -Like nothing in this world... And soon my son or daughter will come... I don''t know what it will be, but I''m already looking forward to it. I''m sure it will be the most beautiful thing in the world... But I''m a little afraid of not being up to the task.

    -Don''t worry, Mani. You''ll be a good father, I assure you.

    (Said Morgan with a big smile, giving him a thumbs up.)

    -I hope so, my friend... I hope so.

    (Said Mani, sighing as he looked at the sky.)

    Finally, after a while, they reached the fork where their paths would separate.

    -Well... This is where we part ways. Just follow that straight path. When you see the floating castle, you''ll have arrived.

    (Said Mani kindly.)

    -Thank you for bringing me this far, Mani. I hope we meet again, and this time you introduce me to your wife and child.

    (Said Morgan with a big smile.)

    Morgan jumped off the carriage and prepared to continue his journey, but Mani stopped him with a firm gesture.

    -Wait... Let me give you something.

    (Said Mani, as he climbed down.)

    The man slid a ring off his finger: a silver jewel with a ruby cut in the shape of half a heart embedded in the center...

    Then, he took Morgan''s hand and carefully placed it on his palm.

    -Here. This is my engagement ring. My wife has the same one; she carries the other half of the ruby in hers. It¡¯s not much, but if it helps you... use it, sell it... or whatever you need.

    Morgan stared at the ring in awe. It was too valuable, too meaningful. He tried to return it, almost indignant.

    -No! How can you say that? I can''t accept something so important.

    (Morgan said, visibly ashamed.)

    Man¨ª smiled serenely, a genuine expression of affection.

    -Take it, please. Even if you don''t use it, keep it safe until we meet again. Consider it a promise.

    (Man¨ª said with a warm smile.)

    Morgan, with a lump in his throat, clenched the ring in his fist.

    -I promise I''ll give it back to you.

    (He said with complete certainty.)

    Man¨ª nodded, satisfied.

    -Good... that''s fine.

    (Man¨ª replied with pride.)

    -Well, it''s time for me to go.

    (Morgan said, with renewed determination.)

    -Yes... Good luck, my friend. Just promise me one more thing.

    (Man¨ª said, his expression now more serious.)

    Morgan stopped and looked at him curiously.

    -Yes...?

    (Morgan replied with expectation.)

    Man¨ª took a deep breath, as if every word he was about to speak weighed heavily on his soul.

    -This world is a horrible place, Morgan. The beings you''ll meet are true monsters... Promise me you won''t become like them. Promise me you won''t be one of them.

    (He said with concern and a hint of pain in his voice.)

    Morgan smiled, with the confidence of someone who has never seen true horror.

    -Don''t worry. I don''t know what I''ll find out there, but I promise I''ll never stop being who I am.

    Man¨ª exhaled with relief.

    -Good... I''m leaving now.

    (Morgan said with a faint smile.)

    -Farewell, Morgan... the Axolotl.

    (Man¨ª said, returning the smile.)

    Morgan continued his journey as Man¨ª climbed back into the carriage and took the detour that would separate them forever. Before entering the forest, Morgan turned his head and saw Man¨ª in the distance, waving goodbye. He did the same until he finally disappeared among the trees.

    Morgan walked and walked until night fell quickly, wrapping the forest in a cloak of shadows. Tired, he approached a crystal-clear river and drank some water. As he leaned over, his reflection stared back at him: his gills, his eyes, his hair... his face.

    -Ahhh... I wonder what my mother would say if she saw my new appearance.

    (He murmured with melancholy.)

    Morgan sighed and closed his eyes.

    -Well... I guess it''s time to rest.

    He focused his mind on the image of an axolotl. Slowly, his body began to glow. His clothes fell onto the damp grass and, within seconds, his humanoid form disappeared, leaving behind a small axolotl that slipped into the water.

    -Well, it seems it worked.

    (He thought to himself as he swam among the aquatic plants.)

    He found a small bed of algae and lay down, letting the fatigue consume him. His eyes closed slowly... until a metallic, pungent smell pierced his senses.

    The stench was so strong it woke him immediately. His instinct screamed danger.

    The water around him began to darken. He couldn''t distinguish the color in the dim light, but he knew something was wrong. He quickly swam to the surface and regained his humanoid form, dressing hastily.

    He began following the river, moving cautiously toward the source of that nauseating smell. He walked a long stretch until he finally saw it.

    Something floated in the water, sunk at the bottom. The darkness didn''t let him see it clearly.

    He raised his gaze. In the distance, a small cabin stood by the riverbank. Next to it, three much larger structures, made of reddish wood. They looked like stables.

    A bad feeling gripped him.

    As he approached, the putrid smell became unbearable. It was as if death itself had permeated the air.

    He stopped in front of one of the stables. The air was hot and heavy, as if something inside was fermenting in the dark. His heart pounded in his chest, part of him screamed not to open the door... but he did.

    And then, hell unfolded before his eyes.

    Bodies.

    Dozens of human bodies hung from the ceiling with rusted hooks piercing their flesh. Some were split open, their organs exposed, dripping a thick, dark liquid into wooden buckets. Others had been dismembered, their limbs tossed to the floor like waste.

    The sound of decomposing flesh filled the air with a wet, nauseating squelch. Flies buzzed over the bloated corpses, their wide eyes reflecting the horror of their final moments.

    Men. Women. Children.

    Some bodies still had recognizable faces, eyes wide open in eternal terror. Others... were just unrecognizable lumps of meat.

    Morgan felt the world sway around him. His legs trembled, his stomach churned violently, and without being able to stop himself, he vomited on the floor.

    Cold sweat ran down his back. His hands clutched his chest, trying to control his breathing, but it was impossible. His heart raced, his mind spiraled into panic.

    And then, a deep, elegant male voice broke the silence.

    -Excuse me... who are you, and what are you doing in my stable?

    The tone was calm, almost polite, as if nothing happening there was out of the ordinary.

    Morgan turned his head, terror etched on his face.

    A tall, slender man, dressed in an impeccable red and white suit, watched him with a faint smile. His long black hair cascaded over his shoulders, and his crimson eyes glimmered with a sharp gleam. His pale skin was almost translucent under the moonlight.

    -Are you alright, friend? Are you lost?

    (The man said, tilting his head slightly with sincere curiosity.)

    Morgan tried to answer, but his voice refused to come out. He could only stammer, terror gripping his throat like an iron claw.

    The man stepped forward, his presence becoming more imposing.

    -Wow, wow... friend, you look quite scared.

    (He said with a soft laugh, as if the situation amused him.)

    Morgan finally managed to stammer out a few words between gasps.

    -W-w-what is this...? W-what the hell is this place...?

    The man raised an eyebrow, genuinely confused, then smiled kindly.

    -What do you mean, esteemed gentleman? This is clearly a stable. Here, the meat is cut and separated... from the animals.

    Morgan felt his skin crawl.

    That tone.

    That calmness.

    As if he were talking about something as ordinary as preparing breakfast.

    Then, a glimmer in the darkness caught his attention.

    He looked up...

    And he saw her.

    Her body hung from a metal hook piercing her back. Her long mint-colored hair fell over her pale face. Her eye sockets were empty, her eyes ripped out. The skin of her stomach was punctured by a huge hole that went straight through.

    But what froze Morgan''s blood was her hand.

    On her finger was still the ring.

    A silver ring... with a heart-shaped ruby.

    The memory struck his mind with crushing brutality.

    "My wife has the other ring. She has beautiful eyes... like two rubies... and long mint-colored hair."

    An echo from the past whispered in his head:

    "She''s pregnant... we''re expecting a child."

    Horror turned into something deeper.

    Something worse.

    The man in red noticed his reaction and smiled softly.

    -Oh... are you interested in this piece, gentleman? What a pity, there are no good parts left.

    Morgan''s body went numb. His vision blurred. His ears buzzed.

    But the man wasn''t finished.

    Suddenly, he unfurled a pair of black wings from his back, beating them elegantly. He rose into the air and, with a simple motion, tore the woman''s corpse from the hook.

    Her body fell to the floor with a dull, wet thud. Like a sack of meat.

    Morgan wanted to scream, but he had no breath.

    The man landed gently beside the body and, with a casual motion, raised one of his hands.

    Then, with brutal force, he plunged his arm into the woman''s chest.

    The sound of flesh tearing and bones cracking echoed like a macabre symphony in the darkness.

    A second later, the man extracted something bright and red.

    The heart still dripped fresh blood.

    The man observed it with curiosity, as if evaluating the quality of a fruit at a market. Then, with a kind smile, he extended the hand toward Morgan.

    -It may not be enough, but if you''re a good cook, I assure you it will be exquisite. Besides, it

    will help keep your skin healthier.

    He winked playfully.

    Morgan couldn''t take it anymore.

    His legs buckled. His hands trembled uncontrollably. His stomach clenched so hard he could barely breathe.

    A gut-wrenching scream erupted from the depths of his soul, echoing into the night like an infernal lament.

    One he would never forget.

    Neither him...

    Nor that monster with the gentle smile.

    End of chapter

    Next chapter: They''re Just Animals.

 They are just animals

    Morgan''s scream was a heartbreaking and terrifying shriek, as if his very soul were being torn apart. That scream shook the Zorath, who jumped slightly in surprise. Morgan rushed out of the stable, but his legs gave way, and as he tried to run, he collapsed to the ground. He tried to stand up, but he fell again. The man in elegant clothes with pale skin emerged from the stable and began to walk toward him. Morgan, paralyzed, could only retreat, crawling in desperation.

    "Are you okay, sir? What¡¯s wrong? What made you react this way?"

    (asked the Zorath with that sweet kindness)

    Morgan couldn''t believe how this being, who had brutally ripped someone''s heart out, could speak to him with such kindness. He stood there, motionless, with his head lowered, as the Zorath calmly approached. Finally, the silence was broken with a question that froze the air.

    "Why?"

    (Morgan said in a broken voice)

    The Zorath frowned, confused by the question. He didn¡¯t understand what the young man with pink hair was asking.

    "Why? What do you mean, sir?"

    (the Zorath replied, now visibly perplexed)

    "Why did you do that?"

    (Morgan asked through sobs, his voice broken with pain)

    "Sir, forgive me, but I don¡¯t understand..."

    (said the Zorath, genuinely confused)

    The Zorath didn¡¯t understand the young man¡¯s reaction. He saw him affected, but didn¡¯t know why. Morgan raised a trembling hand and pointed toward the stable with a finger, his broken voice echoing in the air.

    "What did they do to deserve that? Answer me."

    (Morgan said in a whisper)

    The Zorath turned, following the direction Morgan pointed, and saw the bodies inside the stable.

    "Sir, I repeat, I don¡¯t understand what you''re referring to. Are you talking about those animals? Well, we simply did what any being would do with them. We cut, separated, and then exported. Maybe you¡¯ve done the same thing before when eating meat from an animal, you take off the skin, the organs, to cook it later."

    "Animals? Do you think they are animals?"

    (Morgan asked, his voice trembling with rage)

    The Zorath let out a soft, almost mocking laugh.

    "What else could they be? Their lives are so tiny and insignificant that they should be grateful we used them for something."

    (said the Zorath with a disgusting pride)

    "Thanks to us, their lives have a purpose, a meaning, beyond just being insects crawling on the ground."

    Morgan was petrified at such a level of evil, unable to comprehend it. But the Zorath, as if nothing was happening, continued speaking, satisfied.

    "Ahh, I''m getting a bit thirsty. I think I''ll have something to drink."

    While Morgan remained kneeling, paralyzed, with a vacant and lost look on his face, the Zorath began to walk elegantly toward another stable. He opened the door with almost supernatural grace.

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    Inside, men and women still alive were in deplorable conditions. The screams of terror from the prisoners filled the air as the Zorath entered, his gaze full of malice as he examined each one of them. However, his attention focused on a woman in a corner of the stable, protecting two small children. The woman tried to hide them from the Zorath''s gaze, but as he noticed, he slowly walked toward her. Unlike the others, she didn¡¯t look at him with terror but with a calm defiance, without doubt or fear, only security and bravery.

    The Zorath approached her until he was in front of her, his eyes gleaming with palpable malice. The woman extended her arms, protecting the children, while the Zorath smiled.

    "I like you. I like you very much. I think you¡¯ll come with me."

    The woman took a deep breath, accepting her fate, but without hesitation.

    "If you¡¯re going to take someone, take me. You won¡¯t take any of them."

    The Zorath, somewhat surprised by the woman¡¯s bravery, smiled with satisfaction.

    "How interesting... I like you."

    (said the Zorath with that malicious smile)

    Having said that, the Zorath turned to continue his path but then turned his head to look at the children once more. The youngest, terrified, trembled so much that his clothes were soaked. The Zorath, seeing this, smiled grotesquely.

    "I¡¯ve changed my mind."

    The woman turned toward the children, but before she could react, the Zorath slapped her, throwing her to the ground. Then, he grabbed the smallest child by the hair, and when the girl tried to stop him, he gave her another brutal slap that knocked her down. The Zorath began dragging the child, who screamed and cried uncontrollably.

    The Zorath pulled the child out of the stable easily, as if he weighed nothing, and lifted him. The woman tried to stand, but the blow had left her weak. When the Zorath looked at the child, he was still crying, terrified. The Zorath smiled, a smile so cold and kind that it would freeze anyone''s blood. The woman, crawling, raised her head.

    Then, in a brutal act, the Zorath bit into the child¡¯s neck, tearing the flesh with savage violence. The child¡¯s screams of pain turned into an indescribable, horrible wail.

    "Ahhh... I must admit, that woman probably tasted delicious, but this... this is unbeatable. Blood tastes much better when fear is present. It¡¯s an indescribable pleasure... so addictive I just can¡¯t stop."

    (said the Zorath in ecstasy)

    The woman, once defiant, now only watched in desperation and horror. The Zorath didn¡¯t pay attention to her suffering, continuing to devour the child¡¯s neck. At that moment, Morgan, completely shattered, couldn¡¯t process what he was seeing. He knelt, hugging his knees, covering his ears to block out the heart-wrenching screams.

    Time seemed to stop until, finally, the screams ceased. The child had died, his neck destroyed, leaving only the exposed vertebrae.

    The Zorath, euphoric, began spinning in circles, holding the lifeless body of the child in his arms, enjoying every second of his pleasure. Finally, he dropped the body and focused on the girl, the last survivor.

    Morgan, still paralyzed by terror, couldn¡¯t move, couldn¡¯t scream. His mind was trapped in the darkness, wishing he could do something, but completely powerless in the face of such monstrosity.

    "I want to help, I want to do something... stop, please! Enough!"

    (he screamed in his mind, crying inside)

    But in the middle of his desperation, footsteps reached him, echoing in his mind. Morgan looked up and saw a young man with long, black hair with spectral blue highlights, brown skin, and clothing similar to the gods he had seen before reincarnating. This young man approached him, his eyes, a glowing blue, even his eyelashes and eyebrows had this color, but his eyes were filled with rage.

    "If you¡¯re not going to do a damn thing, then I will, pathetic."

    (said the being with anger)

    The young man began to walk away but turned his head to look at Morgan once in that pathetic state. Seeing him, he could only click his teeth and continued his way, disappearing into the darkness.

    The Zorath, immersed in his ecstasy, lifted the girl, now completely overwhelmed by pleasure.

    "More! I need more!"

    The woman, broken, begged him to stop, but the Zorath, mercilessly, stepped on her head and rubbed it into the ground, in an act of complete dehumanization. When he was about to devour the girl''s neck, he looked at Morgan and shouted at him, with a poisonous smile.

    "Come on, sir. You should also..."

    but he couldn¡¯t finish the sentence.

    A brutal blow hit him at such speed that it slammed him into a tree with devastating force. The woman, surprised, looked toward where the Zorath had been, and saw a young man with pink hair, his insectoid armor covering him, antennas falling down, and spines emerging from his hands.

    "I hope you liked it too, you piece of shit."

    Morgan, now fully transformed, had a deeper voice, full of authority. His gaze was cold, unrelenting, full of superiority.

    "Aztlan, representation number 1200, insectoid branch, specimen number 688303, autarch of the emerald spear, Cicindela hudsoni."

    End of chapter.

    Next chapter: Two in one.

 Two in one

    The air shifted suddenly, as if an invisible force was crushing everything. A heavy pressure filled the area. Morgan''s gaze hardened; his personality had made a complete 180-degree turn.

    The woman on the ground trembled, bewildered. Questions flooded her mind nonstop.

    "Who is this person? Why did he hit that Zorath?"

    But the question that tormented her the most was:

    "Will he hurt me?"

    Morgan glanced at her, his expression cold enough to freeze the air. His voice came out serious and icy:

    You¡¯d better go back inside¡­ Things are about to get very messy around here.

    As he spoke, his gaze shifted toward the darkness of the forest. From the shadows, the Zorath emerged slowly. Its grotesque, disfigured body regenerated before their eyes. Muscles twisted, growing back, and skin reformed over them in a nauseating display.

    Why¡­? Why did you do that, sir? That was¡­ quite rude.

    (The Zorath spoke with a mocking smile, though its voice remained cold).

    Morgan didn¡¯t answer. He simply crossed his arms, his expression radiating pure superiority.

    The Zorath stopped a few steps away. It sniffed the air, as if trying to recognize him.

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    I smell something different¡­ You¡¯re¡­ not you.

    (The Zorath said, visibly confused).

    Who are you?

    (Its tone shifted to one filled with menace).

    Morgan smirked, his grin crooked.

    No one... Let¡¯s just say I¡¯m someone who¡¯s going to put an end to all your crap. And you¡¯re right¡­ Let¡¯s say I¡¯m ¡°someone different.¡± Let¡¯s leave it at¡­ I borrowed the keys.

    (He said, adjusting his neck with a dismissive gesture).

    Put an end to what?

    (The Zorath¡¯s grin turned wicked).

    Wait¡­ Don¡¯t tell me you plan to help those animals.

    The Zorath burst into laughter, loud and echoing through the forest.

    Ah, ah, ah! I¡¯ve never laughed this hard¡­ One of us, worried about these animals? Now that¡¯s a good joke!

    (It said, trying to stifle its laughter).

    Morgan decided to play along. His smirk dripped with arrogance.

    Well, well¡­ In my family, we were taught that small mistakes must be corrected immediately. Otherwise, sooner or later, they¡¯ll lead to a much bigger one¡­ So I¡¯m afraid, sir, that your existence is¡­ a small mistake. And it¡¯s my duty¡­ to erase it.

    Before he could finish his sentence, Morgan vanished in an instant.

    A thunderous roar, like a divine strike, shook the area. The impact was so violent that the ground behind the Zorath was left scorched.

    The monster was sent flying like a broken doll, crashing into a tree. Its mangled, charred body reeked of burnt flesh. Some limbs had been completely disintegrated. A massive hole gaped in its chest, instantly cauterized.

    Morgan remained in his attack stance: sideways, fist extended forward. He exhaled slowly and walked toward the Zorath, stopping right in front of it.

    You... finish me? Please, don¡¯t make me laugh. Trust me¡­ you would¡¯ve been better off dying from the first hit.

    (Morgan said, his voice oozing superiority and disdain).

    The Zorath barely managed to lift its head.

    Maybe¡­ if that other guy were still in charge, you¡¯d have a chance. But unfortunately¡­ we¡¯re two in one. And as long as I hold the keys¡­ neither you nor anyone else will stop us.

    (Morgan grinned, confident).

    But suddenly, his body began to glow. The armor, the antennas¡­ his entire transformation vanished in a flash.

    What the hell¡­?!

    (Morgan stared at his hands, panic setting in. His expression shifted from confidence to fury).

    At that moment, a wall of blood erupted from the ground in front of him, rushing toward him. Morgan barely managed to leap back in time to avoid it.

    The Zorath regenerated once more. This time, its voice boomed, filled with rage.

    You... YOU! You interrupted me again¡­ I¡¯m definitely going to get rid of you!

    Morgan¡¯s expression darkened. He noticed something on his arm ¡ª a tattoo in the shape of an hourglass appeared. Above it, glowing golden words pulsed:

    "Cincidela hudsoni: Transformation time: 4 minutes. Time expired. Recharge time for new transformation: 10 minutes."

    Rage exploded in his eyes.

    Are you fucki

    ng kidding me?!

    (Morgan shouted, furious).

    End of chapter.

    Next chapter: Race Against the Clock

 Race against the clock

    Morgan or whoever was controlling his body was furious. His power, against all logic, seemed to have a time limit.

    ¡ªHey, hey¡­ Since when does my power have a time limit?

    (Said "Morgan" with disdain.)

    He had no time to process it. A wall of blood violently erupted in front of him, this time covered in twisted spikes that shot toward his body with lethal intent. Morgan jumped at the last second, dodging them by an almost impossible margin.

    ¡ªI''m surprised¡­ he dodged it again.

    (Said the Zorath, slightly impressed.)

    "Morgan" grimaced in disgust as he watched the monster regenerate once more, its body rebuilding itself as if nothing had happened.

    ¡ªWould you do me the favor of dying already, please?

    (Said Morgan, his voice laced with barely contained fury.)

    The Zorath let out a wild, uncontrolled laugh, his voice tearing through the air.

    ¡ªHa ha ha¡­ die!? No, that''s technically impossible. My race was blessed with the gift of immortality. Blood gives us life, gives us vitality¡­ the more I drink, the more alive I am. Though it¡¯s curious ¡ª you should already know that.

    Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

    (Said the Zorath with false curiosity, his eyes glinting with mockery.)

    ¡ªAfter all, being one of us, you should understand it.

    (Added the Zorath, with a confused expression.)

    "Morgan" frowned, annoyance and confusion battling on his face. He didn¡¯t care about the monster¡¯s arrogance ¡ª the only thing he wanted to know was why it wouldn¡¯t die. He had struck it twice with his most powerful attacks, and both times it got back up like nothing had happened.

    ¡ªNow that I think about it¡­ I don¡¯t see your Dharma anywhere. Do you have it somewhere hidden from plain sight?

    (Asked the Zorath, inspecting Morgan''s body with a piercing gaze.)

    ¡ªHuh? What the hell is that crap?

    (Responded "Morgan" with disgust.)

    ¡ªHa ha ha¡­ fine. If you don''t want to show it to me, that''s okay. Either way¡­ we''ve wasted enough time. It''s time to continue.

    (Said the Zorath, his voice suddenly cold and serious.)

    "Morgan" immediately went on guard. He knew another wall of blood could appear from anywhere. But this time, it was different. The Zorath extended one hand and, with the other, tore into it brutally. Blood fell to the ground like dark rain. He repeated the process with his other hand. Finally, without hesitation, he slashed his own jugular in one swift motion.

    Blood gushed like an endless fountain, flooding the ground until it reached Morgan¡¯s feet. What was once solid ground turned into a bubbling, crimson lake.

    The Zorath twisted his head in an unnatural way, the sound of his bones cracking echoing like a sinister symphony. His eyes glimmered with an indescribable madness.

    ¡ªSamsara¡­ Opening Mode: River of Laments.

    The Zorath¡¯s voice was cold and jagged, as if it came from the depths of the abyss itself.

    At that moment, the air grew heavy and suffocating. Morgan felt the world itself turning against him. A wall of blood surged beneath him, but when he tried to jump, a deformed hand made of blood grabbed his leg, yanking him down.

    The wall struck him square in the stomach. The force was brutal. He coughed up blood as his body was launched through the air. The moment he hit the ground, another wall erupted from below, catapulting him back up again.

    The scene repeated itself.

    Over and over again.

    Each time he touched the ground, a new wall slammed into him, hurling him in another direction. There was no mercy, no reprieve. His body was tossed between the walls like a ragdoll, with no chance to fight back. An endless cycle, like a cruel torture device.

    Morgan had become a human pinball.

    The Zorath watched the scene with a twisted grin. He had Morgan completely at his mercy. He extended his palm, revealing a blood-red tattoo. The image depicted a wall from which a face, contorted in agony, screamed eternally.

    ¡ªCome on, come on¡­ let¡¯s have some more fun, gentleman!

    (Said the Zorath with a malicious smile, his voice dripping with sadistic pleasure.)

    End of the chapter.

    Next chapter: Karma  Transition Mode.

 Karma transition mode

    The Zorath made the walls appear and disappear, over and over again, moving his hands as if he were conducting a macabre orchestra. He did all this with a smile of satisfaction and ecstasy on his face. The blood pouring from Morgan¡¯s body stained everything around him. It was in that very moment when the Zorath raised both hands to the air and, with a voice full of joy, exclaimed:

    <ul>

    <li>It¡¯s time for the grand finale!</li>

    </ul>

    Once again, he thrust Morgan¡¯s body upwards with great force, but above him, another wall had already appeared, fast as a storm, coming towards him with immense speed, hitting him with even more fury. Morgan was slammed back to the ground with absurd force, and beneath him, another wall awaited him, with four sharp spikes, ready to impale him. And so it was¡­ Morgan¡¯s body was pierced by those spikes, embedding his flesh into the wall.

    The Zorath, with a delirious expression on his face, lifted the wall that had Morgan impaled on it and set him upright, approaching him slowly. He examined his body with a macabre fascination, as though studying a new, unique species.

    <ul>

    <li>I must say, you surprised me at first, but well¡­ this result was inevitable.</li>

    </ul>

    (Said the Zorath in a cold, almost disinterested voice.)

    <ul>

    <li>I still have doubts about what to do with you¡­ You¡¯re definitely a strange creature¡­ What should I do with you, huh?</li>

    </ul>

    (Said the Zorath in a grotesque, almost childish manner.)

    Suddenly, the Zorath¡¯s gaze fell upon the blood dripping from Morgan¡¯s body. A flash of curiosity sparkled in his eyes. Slowly, he brought his face closer to Morgan¡¯s side and inhaled deeply.

    Upon doing so, the Zorath suddenly jumped, losing his balance. He fell to the ground. His face was flushed, his eyes wide, and he began to pant as if something had consumed him from the inside, entering a state of total ecstasy.

    <ul>

    <li>This smell! This smell!</li>

    </ul>

    (Said the Zorath, panting, almost unable to contain himself.)

    <ul>

    <li>I¡¯ve never, never smelled anything like this.</li>

    </ul>

    He struggled to his feet and tried to approach Morgan again, but something had changed in his demeanor. Now, he kept his distance as if Morgan had become something forbidden, almost divine.

    <ul>

    <li>We¡­ all of us smell the same. Our blood has the same scent, no matter our race. Only the human race had a different scent, a scent¡­ delicious, exquisite to us. But your blood¡­ Your blood smells so¡­ so sweet!</li>

    </ul>

    The Zorath reached out his hand, attempting to touch Morgan, but immediately withdrew it, as if what he was touching had become dangerous, something forbidden to him.

    Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings.

    <ul>

    <li>So sweet!</li>

    </ul>

    (Said the Zorath in a whisper, as if speaking to himself.)

    <ul>

    <li>No, no¡­ Mother must try this first. No one else but her must try this first.</li>

    </ul>

    (Said the Zorath, struggling with himself and his desire.)

    <ul>

    <li>But¡­ but it¡¯s so irresistible...</li>

    </ul>

    The Zorath moved closer to one of Morgan¡¯s arms and, once again, inhaled deeply, falling into total ecstasy.

    <ul>

    <li>I know I shouldn¡¯t, but¡­ but just a little¡­ Just a little.</li>

    </ul>

    (Said the Zorath, excited, panting uncontrollably.)

    He slowly opened his mouth, saliva dripping from it, extending his tongue towards Morgan¡¯s bleeding arm, but just as he was about to taste the blood, Morgan¡¯s tail moved swiftly, trapping his arm with brutal force. Surprised, the Zorath looked up and saw Morgan. With a terrifying smile on his face, Morgan said, in a cold, terrifying voice:

    <ul>

    <li>I¡¯ve got you.</li>

    </ul>

    Grotesquely, Morgan detached himself from the spikes that had impaled him and, with a fierce leap, pounced on the Zorath. Both fell to the ground, but Morgan quickly climbed onto his back and, with terrible precision, locked him in a chokehold, squeezing with all his strength.

    The Zorath began to feel the air escape him, and in desperation, tried to throw Morgan off using all his strength. But the force Morgan exerted was too much.

    <ul>

    <li>You know, it¡¯s true that the human body is physically weak¡­ but if you push it to the limit, if you corner it to the point where it feels its life is in danger¡­ there will be an adrenaline rush that will make it do impossible things. It will cling to life at any cost, no matter the price. And you¡­ you¡¯ve pushed this body to the limit, where it will fight for its life until the very last second to prevail.</li>

    </ul>

    (Morgan spoke with a terrifying look in his eyes while struggling to breathe due to the pressure.)

    <ul>

    <li>So, tell me¡­ who will fall first? Will I run out of strength before you suffocate, or will it be you who suffocates before I run out of strength? I don¡¯t know¡­ But we¡¯ll find out.</li>

    </ul>

    The Zorath, terrified, saw Morgan¡¯s gaze, and when he tried to use his only free hand to attack the wound in his side, he saw that the wound was already gone, there was no trace of blood.

    Morgan, with a malevolent grin, began to laugh maniacally.

    <ul>

    <li>Hahahaha!</li>

    </ul>

    (Said Morgan with a proud laugh.)

    <ul>

    <li>I know what you were going to do¡­ but this is courtesy of my species. Which is capable of regenerating damaged organs...</li>

    </ul>

    (Said Morgan, smiling proudly.)

    The Zorath, desperate, screamed in fury and impotence. His scream was so loud it froze the blood of the humans hidden in the stables, who were watching in horror as the two wild beasts fought. It was then that the Zorath screamed with all his might:

    <ul>

    <li>KARMA! MODE TRANSITION!</li>

    </ul>

    And then, Morgan and the Zorath were swallowed by the blood covering the ground. The Zorath¡¯s hand began to glow with an intense red light. The tattoo on his hand changed shape, expanding into a cube, with grotesque and strange shapes emerging from its faces.

    Morgan released the Zorath and jumped quickly, while the Zorath¡¯s body was completely submerged in the blood. That same blood rose, forming a perfect cube around them.

    Morgan looked around, but the darkness was absolute. He could only hear a distorted voice echoing from all directions.

    <ul>

    <li>Karma, transition mode¡­ eternal sarcophagus!</li>

    </ul>

    END OF CHAPTER.

    Next chapter: ¡°The one who sees without using eyes.¡±

 He who sees without using his eyes

    "Morgan" strained his eyes, trying to see something, but it was impossible. The darkness that had now taken over the place was so dense that he couldn''t even see his own hands, and his breathing grew heavier with each passing minute.

    "Where is it? Where is it?"

    (Morgan said, irritated).

    Morgan turned his head in every direction, trying to hear, smell, or feel something. Suddenly, he felt a breeze pass behind him, as if something had crossed at high speed right behind his back. "Morgan" turned quickly and threw a desperate punch, which hit nothing. Once again, he felt the breeze pass behind him, and with a groan of frustration, he turned again, throwing a punch with even more force than before.

    "Damn it, show yourself already!"

    (Morgan shouted, furious).

    A malicious laugh began to echo through the place, growing louder and bouncing off every wall. The echo of the laughter resonated inside "Morgan''s" head, making him cover his ears to try and block it out.

    "Shut up, shut up!"

    (Morgan said, irritated).

    Suddenly, the laughter stopped. "Morgan" slowly lowered his hands. That¡¯s when he felt someone standing behind him, touching his shoulder before whispering in his ear:

    "This is just the beginning."

    "Morgan" felt something strike his back. The blow was so brutal that the sound of his bones cracking echoed throughout the space. The impact was violent, and the speed at which Morgan''s body was thrown was simply monstrous. He only stopped when he crashed into one of the walls of the cube governed by darkness. "Morgan" tried to react quickly, but he felt several hands emerge from the wall, wrapping around him and anchoring his body to it. Before he could do anything, a powerful blow landed on his stomach, followed by a rain of punches hitting him square in the face. Then he felt himself being grabbed by the hair and lifted into the air at high speed, only to be smashed violently into the ground. Upon impact, he felt small thorns embed themselves all over his body.

    "Come on, come on, do something or this won¡¯t be fun anymore. You even made me release my Karma. Stop looking so pathetic and do something."

    (The Zorath said with joy).

    "You may not see it, but the face you''re making right now is the best. It¡¯s simply beautiful."

    (The Zorath said in a repugnant tone).

    "But what kind of face am I making? Ahh, I wish I could see my face right now. It feels so good..."

    As he spoke, the Zorath grabbed "Morgan" by the hair again, smashing his face into the ground over and over without rest.

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    The Zorath lifted him and slammed his face into one of the walls. But this time, he lifted him several feet into the air and began dragging his face along the wall at high speed, from top to bottom, corner to corner.

    "Ah¡­ this is bad, really bad."

    (Morgan thought).

    The entity that had taken over Morgan¡¯s body wondered what to do, how to get out of the situation. He couldn¡¯t tell how much longer until he could transform again. His regeneration was slowing down. Even though he wasn¡¯t feeling the pain from the beating, the real "Morgan," who was trapped in a dark corner of his mind, was. The pain he felt was immense, indescribable. Tears streamed down his face as he writhed in agony. His expression would have drawn pity from anyone.

    Finally, the Zorath lifted Morgan high into the air and said in an excited voice:

    "Ahhh... it¡¯s been so long since I had this much fun. Thank you for making me feel this way. Thank you, thank you! Don¡¯t worry... when we¡¯re done, I¡¯ll take you to Mother. I¡¯m sure she¡¯ll love the idea of playing with you. But first... before that, I must... I must taste this."

    The Zorath licked "Morgan¡¯s" bloodied face and let out a repulsive scream, as if having an orgasm.

    "Ahhh! Incredible... indescribable... this taste... this taste is simply magical, glorious... No... there¡¯s no flavor like this. Ahhh! More, more, more!"

    (The Zorath said, both terrifying and thrilled).

    "Mother! Mother, you have to taste this! Quickly! We have to take you to Mother. She must try this!"

    The Zorath dropped "Morgan," and with a snap of his fingers, giant, thicker thorns emerged from every wall, all growing toward Morgan. The fall felt eternal¡ªeach second like a year. And just when it seemed everything was over, Morgan¡¯s arm began to glow, and a voice said: "Cooldown complete. Representations now available."

    "I can¡¯t see it! If I can¡¯t see it, I can¡¯t hit it. What should I do? Do? What should I do? What should I do?"

    The entity was frustrated, angry. He couldn¡¯t figure out what to do, or what form to take. The thorns were getting closer, but he just couldn¡¯t come up with anything. Then, in the darkness of the mind of the body he had possessed, he felt someone grab his foot. He quickly looked down and saw that it was "Morgan" who had crawled over and grabbed him.

    The entity, filled with rage, screamed at Morgan:

    "WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING?!"

    But he couldn¡¯t finish his sentence, because suddenly memories that weren¡¯t his began to flow through his mind. He was experiencing them through someone else¡¯s eyes. He saw himself in a very green place. Trees were all around, large ones with vines hanging everywhere. The air felt humid.

    "Am I in a jungle?"

    (Said the entity, confused).

    In front of him stood a dark-skinned man with slightly long hair. He wore strange beige clothes and a cap for the heat. He had shorts and boots.

    "Look, son. I want to show you something."

    (The man said cheerfully).

    The man crouched and placed "Morgan" in front of him, wrapping his arms around his waist.

    "Look over there."

    The man pointed to a tree branch. "Morgan" looked up and saw a small animal hanging upside down.

    "That, son, is the fastest mammal on the planet. It might be small, but it can reach 160 kilometers per hour. And not only that¡ªit can also see in the darkest night without using its eyes. It emits sound waves that bounce back to show it the way, even detecting things underwater. It might be small, but it¡¯s amazing. Don¡¯t you think?"

    (The man said, proud and happy).

    "Let¡¯s just say that little animal is the one that can see without using its eyes. Its name is..."

    The memory ended abruptly. The thorns were just centimeters from "Morgan¡¯s" body. His body began to glow intensely, bright enough to light up the entire place. The light blinded the Zorath for a moment, and then a deep, intimidating voice echoed throughout the space.

    "Aztl¨¢n. Tenth Representation. Mammalia branch. Chiroptera. Specimen number 12345: Tadarida brasiliensis."

    End of the chapter.

    Next chapter: One day you¡¯ll regret it.