God… Why was I born cursed?
The day I opened my eyes to this world, people already feared me.
My hair was ashen gray… and my left eye—burning red like a demon's flame.
Whenever someone looked into it, they trembled.
My mother, Elira…
Even she looked at me as if I were something terrifying.
My father, Elandor, always kept his distance, barely speaking to me.
They never allowed me outside.
To them, I wasn't a child—
I was a danger.
But one night…
Curiosity overcame fear.
I slipped out through a small window, stepping into the cold night air. The world felt so vast… so free.
Until someone saw me.
"A DEMON! A CURSED CHILD!"
A scream tore through the quiet streets. My heart froze.
Not knowing what to do, I ran—ran back home with shaking legs.
Mother was already awake.
She glared at me, her voice sharp with terror:
"WHAT HAVE YOU DONE?!"
Her face twisted—anger and fear mixing into something monstrous.
I burst into tears.
Then Father rushed in.
The man who always kept his distance suddenly held me close.
"It's fine… You're okay. Hush," he whispered.
But morning came…
and so did the voices.
"CURSED CHILD!!"
I rushed to Mother.
"What's happening?" I cried.
Elira grabbed my shoulders.
"Riven, get inside. NOW!"
Outside, the shouting grew louder.
"Hand over the cursed boy!
And no one gets hurt!"
Father stepped outside, his voice fierce:
"I would rather die than give you my son!"
He threw a rock at them.
That only enraged the villagers more.
Mother pulled me into a closet, her hands trembling.
She cupped my cheeks and whispered:
"No matter what happens… stay silent."
Then she shut the door.
I watched through the cracks.
Father pushed against the door, trying to block them.
But they grabbed Mother first.
Her screams tore through the walls.
She begged for mercy—
—and received none.
Her body hit the floor…
lifeless.
I wanted to scream.
But terror strangled my voice.
Then Father burst inside, grabbing me.
"RUN, RIVEN!"
But I didn't want to leave Mother.
I reached toward her…
Father's grip tightened.
"Live… please… live," he whispered.
That was the last time I saw her.
That night, I made a vow:
I will kill them all.
The villagers.
Their families.
Their entire world.
They would all burn for what they did.
---
We escaped into the woods.
I cried until my throat was raw.
Anger and sorrow clashed inside me, twisting into something darker.
But another need soon overwhelmed everything—
Hunger.
My stomach clawed at itself.
Then I heard it…
a chicken clucking weakly in the bushes.
I stalked closer.
Silent.
Desperate.
I grabbed it—
and tore into it.
Warm blood. Raw flesh.
Disgusting.
But I devoured every bite.
"Mother would scold me…
She'd laugh too…
I miss her…"
My tears soaked the dirt as I curled up under the cold trees.
"Revenge…
I need revenge…
That's why I will survive…"
My eyes grew heavy.
---
A dream—
or something worse.
White void.
Silence.
Then a voice:
"Do you desire vengeance?"
I spun around.
"Who are you!?"
The voice laughed—low and echoing:
"I am the Demon King."
"What!? Why are you in my dream!?"
"Your thirst for revenge has called to me… Riven."
"How do you know my— AAGH!!"
My left eye burned—like it was being ripped open from the inside.
"Ah… sorry. Too much, too soon," the voice whispered mockingly.
I fell to my knees, screaming silently.
The voice slithered around me:
"This… is only the beginning."
My eyes shot open.
Cold sweat drenched my skin.
"What… was that?"
My curse…
had awakened.
And there is no turning back.
---