The speed of the fall into the abyss of despair was growing; the pain began to return with renewed force. Kopii felt his balance slipping away. He jerked convulsively, vainly trying to grasp the elusive reality, and collapsed onto the cold stone floor. A desperate thought pierced his consciousness.
«I can't! I can't stop! I must!»
He tried to rise, but his disobedient body refused to obey.
– Get up, damn body, move! - Kopii shouted into the void, realizing that losing consciousness was equal to death within these cursed walls of the dungeon. If not from monsters, then from blood loss. He tried to stand again, but for his body, it was no longer possible.
He could not believe what was happening; he had managed to avoid death by some miracle, killing all the ants. And now, when salvation was so close, his body had betrayed him.
The only thing keeping Kopii on the edge of oblivion was an all-consuming thirst - the thirst for life, the thirst for more.
But even this insatiable thirst could not heal his wounded body. Hope, like a fragile sprout, was breaking through the thickness of despair, but its light was not enough to dispel the darkness. Kopii did not give up. Pain no longer mattered. If his legs had failed, his arms remained. He began to crawl forward, leaving behind a bloody trail of scraped skin and scraps of clothing. He simply wanted to rely on luck, on a fleeting encounter with adventurers - that was his only, ghostly hope for salvation.
«It hurts. It hurts so much.»
Pain surged in a new wave, destroying step by step his hope for survival.
Kopii's fingers were worn down to the bone, but he continued to crawl, clinging to life with his last strength. He wanted to live, wanted to laugh, wanted to taste food, he wanted to love, but hope for salvation was melting with every second. His body went numb, his senses dulled. He could no longer hear anything, no longer see anything.
And the last drop was that even his arms abandoned him. He could no longer feel his body.
«I... am dying.»
His consciousness slowly began to fade, plunging him into the abyss of darkness.
– Everyone has a fate, Kopii. The hero dies protecting everyone; that is his fate – said a woman, gently taking his small hand and leading him back to the orphanage.
– They don't want to play with me… Is that my fate too? – Kopii said with sadness in his voice. And he squeezed the caretaker's hand tighter.
– Yes, Kopii. That is your fate.
These words only made him feel worse. But before he could say anything, she continued.
– When you were born, your fate was already predetermined. And not only yours; it exists for everyone, even for the gods.
– For the gods? – Kopii whispered in surprise.
– Yes, Kopii. Fate is boundless, it is everywhere. It is everything in this world. Without fate, no living being can exist.
– And… I… if I don't like my fate, can I change it? I don't want them to tease me, I just want... them to play with me too. – Raising his eyes and looking at her with hope.
– Fate is immutable, Kopii. – After these words, Kopii grew even gloomier. – But you must try to befriend them. Maybe your fate is to befriend them in the end. After all, in the future, you will become best friends; perhaps that will be your fate.
But these words brought no comfort, and the caretaker, noticing his sadness, hastened to add:
– But I heard that fate can be changed if you believe in it. Just believe in yourself and never give up. – She stroked Kopii's head.
After these words, he looked at the caretaker's face with an offended expression.
– But you just said it was immutable... You're lying to me. – Tears began to appear at the edges of his eyes. Seeing this, she immediately spoke, trying to calm him.
– Yes, you're right, but you know, Kopii, if you believe, you could even become a god. So don't be upset.
– You're lying to me again! – Kopii turned away, crossing his arms.
– And I wanted to give you some candy, but since you're upset, I'll have to eat it all by myself.
– I'm not upset! – His answer followed immediately.
– Haha, alright. – She laughed softly.
– You won't lie to me again?
– Of course not. How could I lie to such a cute boy as you?
Kopii grew embarrassed by such words and turned away so she wouldn't see it.
– Oh, look who's blushing!
Hearing this, Kopii blushed even more.
– That's a lie! I'm not blushing! Lies, lies! – the boy shouted indignantly. She merely laughed sweetly and said:
– Alright, Kopii, you're not blushing.
Kopii raised his face and, looking into his caretaker's face, proudly declared.
– Yes! That's right! I'm not blushing!
The caretaker smiled and, taking Kopii in her arms, entered the orphanage. Inside, it was warm and cozy, smelling of freshly baked bread. She sat him down at the table, where plates with supper for the other children were already set. Kopii, somewhat encouraged by the caretaker's words, glanced at the children sitting across from him. They were animatedly discussing something, paying him no attention.
He gathered his courage and quietly said.
– Hello.
In response – only a brief glance and silence. Kopii felt the hope that had barely been born in his heart begin to fade. He lowered his head and began eating, trying not to pay attention to the laughter and conversations around him.
«We used to be friends… Why can't they play with me now? Is it because of how the village treats me?» Kopii chewed without appetite, poking at his plate with a fork. Memories of the past, when they all ran after each other and played hide-and-seek and shared candies, now seemed like a distant dream. What had changed? Why had they grown so distant? Was it all because of the adults' whispers, their sidelong glances and warnings?
He stole a glance at one of the boys, with whom he had once been inseparable. That boy was now enthusiastically telling something to the others, and seemed not even to notice Kopii. Everything inside him clenched with hurt and disappointment. The caretaker's words about believing in himself and the possibility of changing fate echoed in his head, but now seemed empty and meaningless.
Having finished his supper, Kopii got up from the table and quietly left the dining hall. He wanted to hide, so that no one would see his tears. He headed to his room, where semi-darkness reigned. He sat on the bed, wrapped his arms around his knees, and wept quietly.
– Why is it like this? What did I do wrong? - he whispered through tears.
The caretaker, seeing this from the very beginning, simply watched Kopii cry. She could not force the other children to play with him. She knew that the village children had said that if they played with him, the others would no longer play with them. She understood why he was treated this way. He differed from the other children: he had hair as dark as darkness and eyes just the same, he was physically stronger even despite his thin body.
When Kopii ran to her in tears and complained that he was being bullied and called names, he simply fought back. And they complained to their parents, and he was always the one to blame.
Parents came to the orphanage and complained about Kopii. She could do nothing about it. After all, their orphanage depended on this village; because of that, her colleagues punished him.
The caretaker quietly approached him and sat down beside him. She embraced him and pressed him to herself.
– Hush, Kopii, hush. - She whispered, stroking his head. – Everything will be fine. You are strong, you will manage.
She knew that her words would not change the situation overnight, but she hoped they would give Kopii at least a little comfort and hope.
Kopii pressed himself against her, and his tears gradually subsided. He felt the warmth and care of the caretaker and knew that she would always be there, no matter what. He raised his head and looked at her with his dark eyes, full of gratitude and trust.
– You lied to me… again.
At these words, everything clenched in her chest. How many more times would she deceive this boy. She did not know, but she knew it would be very many times. But even understanding this, she decided to stand her ground to the last.
– Kopii, you cannot change your fate so quickly. You must try and move forward, no matter what, and then your determination and desire will be able to change fate. Nothing in this world changes so easily. So just try and never give up.
– Why do I have to try, and they don't?
– ...
She did not know what to say to him about that.
Kopii turned away from the caretaker, his shoulders trembling again.
– Why do I have to be patient? Why can they play and laugh, while I have to wait until my fate changes? That's unfair! Why do I have to, and they don't!
The caretaker sighed. She understood his hurt, but she could do nothing about it.
She simply embraced him; she did not want to say anything, for every word he would consider another lie.
– ...
– ...
They remained in this position for several minutes until the boy calmed down.
– Tomorrow will be a new day, and you will have a new chance to change your fate.
– Oh, look, someone's lying there.
– What terrible wounds! – examining his injuries. – He's breathing!
The girl was surprised, not believing what was happening, but who could believe it; there was almost nothing left of him, yet he continued to breathe. This could not but surprise the two girls.
The other girl looked at the trail of blood that stretched from him, disappearing into the darkness.
«Monstrous endurance... How could he have lost.»
If this boy had managed to crawl so far in such a state, it indicated his willpower and the endurance of his body. Then how could he have lost with such attributes?
Meanwhile, the first girl began using magic, attempting to heal the youth.