《To Win a Crown》 Gods Favorite The snake that tempted Eve to bite into the fruit of knowledge was another one of God''s creations. To be more precise¡ªit was another angel that had fallen from grace¡ª The man switches off his phone. Wondering what he was doing, reading the truth he had refused to acknowledge all these years. His phone brightens, alerting him of a notification. It was his current favorite novel¡ª[Fight To Crown]. There were around twenty-five chapters that were released. He licked his lips. He went to the refrigerator. On opening it, there was a pomegranate. And some rice. He sighed. He took the fruit. Cut it open, and along with that slashed his finger. "Damn it¡ªwhere''s the bandaid?" When he couldn''t find it he decided to open the pomegranate, regardless. But as he was opening, he bled into the fruit and he could not tell which was the juice and which was his blood. He washed the fruit and kept it inside his fridge. The wound did not stop bleeding. He watches the blood slowly squeezed itself out of his body. He decided to go buy a bandaid, and something to eat. He took his phone, locked the door. Walked to a convenience store that was just a ten minute walk away. He reached the pedestrian cross. A few steps away from his snacks. His bandaid. But the wound had long stopped. He would know. If only he had looked away from the story. His phone had words he kept on reading. His eyes were bright under the blue light. He crossed the road, gripping his phone tightly. And the motorcycle crossed it at the same time. Hitting him right on his stomach. He flew away, slamming into the ground. And before he could wake up. A car crushed his head. People started murmuring. Some started recording. Some ran over to him. But his story was already covered in blood and pieces of flesh. He was just a man. A man that had seen every fall and rise of mankind. If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. He only saw darkness. But he could feel the warmth and softness surrounding him. And so the man woke up on soft clouds. Far warmer and softer than his bed. Surrounded by large trees bearing the fruit of pomegranate. He sighed. He recognized this place. It was where he lost all his favor after all? "Shouldn''t you have sent me to hell?" He yelled. His voice was clear like the untouched waters. "If there is something like that." "I gave you a chance, and you have ruined it." "I lived for millennia on the human land¡ªI truly doubt Ihave more to ruin." He scoffed, "And for someone preaching forgiveness, you sure never forgave me?" "Forgive you?" The voice thundered, "You who killed and deceived and lied to humans?" "Wow you sure love your sinners." The man laughed, "Except me and that Lucifer guy I guess." "And I was a good person for some centuries or so." The man mumbled. Then the silence rustled the branches and caressed the man''s wound. It healed. "Big deal." He stared at his healed finger "I understand your resentment¡ª" "No you don''t. I only tested the first humans. To prove their faith in you." The man murmured without an ounce of apology. "Did I ask you to?" With those words, the world was rendered silent. The man stood up. Shaking off the dust. Then the man looked for his phone. Taking it he started walking. The wind screamed and the trees shivered. Leaves and fruits fell off. Blocking his way, at all sides. "I will forgive you one last time¡ª" "You are going to let me read my life away here?" The man perked up! "Absolutely not." At this the man sat down on the ground and sighed. "I will let you do that¡ªonly once you have proven yourself to me." The man looked into the sky. "How?" The man asked. "I will let you return to me only once you prove that you are capable." God stated. "Again, How?" The man''s voice was confused, but he gripped his phone. "Live and I will let you know." God declared, and the man scowled. "What¨C" And suddenly the man fell through the clouds. He should have expected that¡ª-were his thoughts. God was godly and merciful only in the books of those who believed him. But for people like him. For the fallen¡ªthere was no mercy. But it was said that man was created in God''s image. Then shouldn''t God have man''s habits too? Like a father trying to lean in closer to his son? So like humans wouldn''t God have his own favorite? For example an angel that had fallen? But he was definitely not a favorite He fell and fell and fell and then he felt stiff. As though the mountains weighed upon him. His body felt weak and tired. The emphasis of his blood''s lack of flow told him he was not well. As if the other things did not already. He opened his eyes. The sun pierced his eyes. He closed his eyes again. "Big brother?" A soft voice mumbled. He opened his eyes once again. A pink haired boy, aged around twelve. Stood beside his bed, with tears in his eyes. "Big brother Etienne¡ªI beg you to keep your eyes open!"He wiped his tears away, they continued to flow despite that. "Tell me, what''s your name?" This question from the barely moving man startled the boy. "Pardon? It is Louis-Phil¡ª" "Not your full name." The man muttered "As you wish¡­big brother." The boy stared at the man, confused. "Bring something to drink. Please?" The man begged, he found himself feeling extremely perplexed. "A drink? Why yes," Louis walked away in a sudden manner. Almost tripping over air. The man¡ªnewly named Etienne¡ªsighed. "Is this your forgiveness? Or revenge?" He threw a pillow. It did not reach very far. Something fell on his head. It was a kernel of the pomegranate fruit. The man sighed. God would have been a successful comedian¡ªas soon as he thought that, a pomegranate fell on his head. He rubbed his head. His head was throbbing due to the headache from who knows what and now this. He truly was an unfortunate soul. He leaned back into the bed. He sighed. He did not understand what God wished of him. Did God wish that he became an angel again? Or¡­did God wish for him to be redeemed enough to go to heaven? Another piece fell on his arm. He ate it. It was sour. Why would God even wish for his redemption? What does he gain from it? The man understood none of his God''s whims. Was he actually God''s favorite? He sighed and checked his sunlit room. Drapes of dark shades. Golden lining. He was currently very rich. He knew that. And Louis was a familiar name. Wait. What was his name? He wondered and his eyes widened. Etienne? Louis? No wonder those names were familiar. They were characters, of a story he was reading just a death ago. He was inside the novel¡ª[Fight to Crown] Damned hell of a favorite he was. Fight to Crown A crown symbolizes leadership. But more than that, the sharper ends tell the story of the daggers thawed into other people. To inherit the crown. Be it the common folk, the mighty nobles or the dearest of family. A crown is never inherited without sacrifice. To your people or to your heart. A crown was always built on weary bones. And that was the story of ¡®Fight to Crown,¡¯ or at the very least the concept. It was a fun read. The protagonist was Charles-Alexandre de Fontaine, the second youngest son of the royal family. It was a historical story based on the common concept of inheritance. And as far as the man remembered, the boy Etienne was dead by the time the story started. As for the other boy, Louis, he also died before the start of the main story. The only reason he remembered either of them was because the chapters mentioned both of their names. The man bit his nails. He was unsure as to where all of this was going. The story had not started yet, so he had a slight chance of turning the game towards himself. But the question was¡ª-why? Why did he have to bother with the royal war, when he could easily live his life. Without the burden of a crown he does not want. On a more important note, why was God doing this? That was a question he still did not understand. Why redemption? Why this late? If he had to be forgiven, he should have been centuries ago. But he was not. He was not. The humans were, for millions of their sins¡ªbut he was not. He held the pomegranate in his hands, rubbing his fingers against its rough skin. Something landed on his head, he grabbed it and tore it in the process. It was a flower¡ªa lily. Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation. Lilies meant a lot of things. Purity. Renewal. Life. He knew that because the lily was a symbol in several novels he had read. It was a peaceful offering. But he did not understand the purpose. He was as lost as the day he was exiled. He had lost his home once because of his carelessness, now once again because of that. He sighed. He just wanted to spend his endless life doing nothing but read stories of every language he spoke. To understand a world that humans had crafted so intricately. He hated humans. He had hated them. But then he stopped. He somewhere along the way realized why they were forgiven, despite their sins. Not that he ever admitted it. He just liked what they made, not what they were made of. And he wondered if he could get out of here, to some country far far away. Then rot his life there. As he was lost in his thoughts, there was a knock on the door. He stared at the door, then sat down upright. Kept the pomegranate beside him. ¡°Enter.¡± The door opened, a maid had come alongside the little child. She walked in a poised manner, not a misstep. She bowed, then kept the glass bottle on the bedside table. Bowed again then walked out. The young boy smiled. Etienne smiled back and then he bit his lip, ¡°Tell me how old are you?¡± ¡°I am of twelve years of age.¡± He spoke so softly that the words were almost unheard. He waited for a second, holding his tongue in. Then he decided to question his brother, ¡°Why are you asking me these things, big brother?¡± The man took the glass bottle, his face calm like the sea after a storm. He took a sip. It was wine. Sour, sweet, alcoholic wine. He wiped his mouth as he kept the bottle in its place. ¡°I was just wondering how time passes so quickly?¡± He looked at the young boy whose eyes widened. But then the boy asked, ¡°How does my name fall into time¡¯s lapse?¡± ¡°It¡­does not.¡± He pretended to cough. ¡°I was just confused during that time, I think.¡± Etienne mumbled the last part. The younger boy tilted his head then decided to let the matter go. The two sat in silence. Well Etienne sat in silence and the younger boy stood there. Etienne was lost in thought. If the young boy was twelve, it meant that Charles was seventeen. Which meant he was eighteen. It was useless information, but it solidified that the main story had not started. He closed his eyes and he could feel Louis¡¯s hands gripping his pants¡ªas though holding onto something. When he opened his eyes, there was a blue screen in front of him. It only had a few words. [TASK DAYS TILL LOUIS-PHILIPPE DE FONTAINE¡¯S DEATH- 1,826 DAYS SAVE HIM] He swallowed his surprise. But it must have been obvious as Louis asked ¡°Big brother, you seem sick. Should I call¨C¡± ¡°I am fine.¡± Etienne said. He smiled at the boy. If he was being honest¡ªhe did not care about the boy. So he wondered what God was going to get out of it. Then there was another message¨C [PRIZE: KNOWLEDGE FOUND AND LOST] Was God playing some game? The man had the urge throw something at the particular deity. He sighed, again. Then he looked at the young boy whose eyes told him he was confused. The boy¨CLouis had a feminine disposition, which held a part in him never being favored. He was going to die. It essentially did not concern him. But God promised the knowledge of the whole universe, it was the temptation God had withheld from Eve. God was giving Etienne, the exact thing that had made him exiled. He does not know how or when or where¡­.but he knew he wanted it. He stopped, a look at the young boy¡¯s innocent face. It was not like he was harming him or so he thought. And so he bit into the fruit. ¡°Do you want to be king?¡± He asked the young boy. His voice was smooth and saccharine. ¡°Yes! Mother says she wants me to be.¡± the young boy grinned as he said that. ¡°Do you think you are capable?¡± The man questioned, the happiness disappeared from the boy¡¯s eyes. ¡°I meant to ask¡ªthere are seven, can you defeat them all and get the crown?¡± He slowly shook his head. ¡°Then let¡¯s team up.¡± Etienne said. ¡°Pardon?¡± The young boy said. ¡°Let¡¯s join hands¡ªthen when only we are left, we will decide who will be king.¡± Etienne smiled. ¡°Does that sound fulfilling?¡± Louis nodded. Etienne never dropped his smile. ¡°Want some fruit?¡± He asked as he took the one that had dropped on his head. ¡°Yes.¡± Louis nodded. He loved the fruit. Etienne tried to open the fruit with his bare hands. He could not open it. ¡°Give it to me, big brother.¡± Louis asked. Etienne gave it to him. Expecting childish whim. Louis opened it in one pull. The man was surprised. His mouth wide-opened. ¡°I may not look like it¡ªbut I have incredible strength!¡± Louis grinned like a little kid. Louis looked at the two pieces and one side was rotten, so he gave the fresh piece to Etienne. Etienne looked at it, he bit his inner lip. ¡°Let¡¯s share, you don¡¯t have to eat rotten fruit.¡± The man said, ruffling the boy¡¯s head. The boy grinned. And so the rotten part was cast away.