Ronald opened his eyes to find himself in a damp, decaying dungeon, shackled by heavy chains that weighed down his wrists. Before him lay a moldy loaf of bread and a cup of murky water, both emitting a foul odor. A faint candle flickered on the wall, casting dancing shadows that seemed to watch him in silence.
Ronald (in a hoarse voice):
"You cursed being! You worthless creature, are you here, or have you gone to reserve your seat in Hell?"
A heavy silence fell over the place, broken only by the sound of water dripping from the dungeon ceiling. Suddenly…
The Demon (in a calm voice filled with dark wisdom):
"You wonder, Ronald… Do you think you're better than me because you're human? Let me tell you a truth: We refused to bow to Adam, but we never denied the existence of the One God. Yet you humans have associated partners with God in worship."
Ronald (struggling to free his hands from the shackles):
"How can a cursed demon speak of divine unity?"
The Demon (laughing bitterly):
"Because we know the truth better than you. We were created from fire, and you from clay, yet you worshiped stones and trees while we worshiped only the One God."
Suddenly, the iron door of the dungeon creaked open, revealing an old man holding an ancient lamp. His eyes gleamed in the darkness with a mysterious wisdom.
The Old Man:
"You could have used this time to discuss how to escape instead of engaging in theological debates."
Ronald (surprised):
"Who are you?"
The Old Man (placing the lamp on the ground):
"I am the guardian of this dungeon… and I have had the honor of guarding many like you."
The Demon (in a displeased tone):
"Oh, it's the great sage… here to save the day, as always."
The Old Man (ignoring the Demon and turning to Ronald):
"This dungeon is not a real prison but a test for your soul. The shackles you see are merely manifestations of your inner constraints."
Ronald (confused):
"What do you mean?"
The Sage (touching the shackles, which turn to dust):
"True freedom lies not in breaking constraints, but in understanding that you were never truly bound in the first place."
Light began to flood the dungeon as the Demon gradually faded away with the shadows. The Sage extended his hand to Ronald.
The Sage:
"It is time for you to learn the difference between knowledge and wisdom… between faith and action."
Ronald (hesitating before taking the Sage's hand):
"Where are you taking me?"
The Sage (with a mysterious smile):
"To where the real story begins… to the heart of the magical house where Aona and the children await you."
The light shone brightly, dissolving the entire scene, leaving behind endless possibilities…
Then the sage left, leaving Ronald alone in the dungeon as if he had come to bring him news of an imminent joy or a dark fate awaiting him. He walked out of the dungeon laughing, saying:
"Death is your gateway to a better life, and the more you struggle with your demon, the more you will find your peace."
Ronald sat in the corner of the dungeon, staring into the darkness that seemed to swallow everything around him. Suddenly, he heard the demon's voice, but this time it was different—calm, sad, as if carrying the burden of centuries in its tone.
The Demon:
"You know, Ronald… after all these years, I've come to consider you a part of me."
Ronald (in an exhausted tone):
"What do you want now? Do you want to drag me back into the pit of despair again?"
The Demon:
"No… this time is different. I taught you everything I know about strength, but I never taught you about weakness."
Ronald (laughs lightly):
"Weakness? You're talking about weakness?"
The Demon (in a calm, sad voice):
"Yes, because true strength is not about never falling, but about the ability to rise again. And I… won't be there to help you rise again."
Ronald (stops laughing, falls silent for a moment):
"What do you mean?"
The Demon:
"Every journey must end, and every companion must depart. The time has come for me to let you face your destiny alone."
Ronald (in a trembling voice):
"Wait… you're not abandoning me like this? After everything we've been through?"
The Demon:
"Sometimes the greatest proof of love is departure. I will miss our arguments, our struggles, and even our moments of despair together."
Ronald (stands up, reaches his hand into the darkness):
"Don't go! You… you are a part of me."
The Demon (his voice begins to fade):
"That was always my mistake… I thought I was a part of you, but the truth is, you were always complete without me. Farewell, Ronald… be the man I taught you to be, but without me."
Ronald (screams):
"Wait! At least tell me why?"
The Demon (his voice almost a whisper):
"Because some heroisms require sacrifice, and some journeys must be walked alone. This is the final gift I give you… freedom."
The voice disappears, and Ronald feels a strange emptiness in his chest, as if a part of him has been torn away. He falls to his knees, and tears fall onto the earthen floor of the dungeon for the first time in years. Not tears of fear or anger, but tears of farewell.
Ronald (whispers into the darkness):
"Thank you… you damned friend."
The Demon:
"You're welcome, you wretched human. I have one final gift that I will leave for you at the end, and you will not hear my voice or whisper again until the moment you receive my farewell gift."
In the darkness, it seems as if the echo of a sad laugh reverberates for the last time before complete silence takes over.
A deadly silence fell over the dungeon. Ronald waited in vain for a response from his demon. Suddenly, the dungeon doors creaked open, and members of the Baba Raga organization entered. They began removing the shackles from Ronald's hands, saying:
First Member:
"The time has come to open the Eight Suns Gates."
Another member spoke:
"Are you ready for this?"
Ronald:
"Yes.I have nothing left to live for."
One of the organization's men replied:
"Now you have a cause to die for."
Ronald responded:
"Death for a cause that doesn't serve me is better than living in the mirage of a better future."
A deadly silence fell over the dungeon. Ronald waited for a response from his demon, but to no avail. Suddenly, the dungeon doors creaked open, and members of the Baba Raga organization entered. They began removing the shackles from Ronald's hands, saying:
First Member:
"The time has come to open the Eight Suns Gates."
Another spoke:
"Are you ready for this?"
Ronald:
"Yes. I have nothing left to live for."
One of the organization's men replied:
"Now you have a cause to die for."
Ronald responded:
"Death for a cause that doesn't serve me is better than living in the mirage of a better future."
As Ronald left the dungeon with the organization members, he stopped at the door and cast one last look at the dungeon where he had lived his worst moments. Then he whispered final words before the door closed forever:
Ronald:
"I hope my freedom… is the price that will buy a better future for everyone."
An organization member (in a mysterious tone):
"The price will be paid by all… but you are the one who will decide the value of what they receive."
The door closed slowly, letting the darkness swallow the dungeon forever. But before the scene disappeared entirely, a faint shadow moved in the corner of the dungeon… as if something remained there, waiting.