A/N: Hi guys I created a new account where I have an ongoing harem novel title: Zero's Harem: clone Lust Nexus... Check it out and support the novel please
The fluorescent lights in Hollowbrook High School flicker and blinked, giving the place a dull, lifeless air about it. While students filled the hallways with laughter and chatter, Ego walked slowly in the shadows, practically invisible to everyone. He held his books tightly as if they were his only defense against incoming embarrassments.
Ego was what you would call a social reject, a looser, if you will. His white hair hung low, like a curtain meant to shield his emotions from the world. He walked with his head down and a slumped posture, trying to make himself smaller and less noticable.
"Hay guys, it's our resident freak. Ego." A mocking voice sliced trough the air as Brad, the leader of the school bullies pushed Ego into a row of lockers. Books scattered across the floor, and Ego's glasses fell to the tiles.
"Leave me alone Brad. Don't you think I've suffered enough already," Ego mumbled, his voice barely audible. He didn't look up; he knew better than to meet their eyes.
Brad, with his crew of bullies, circled Ego like sharks out for blood. "Oh what the matter Ego, are you gonna cry for your mommy now."
Ego's cheeks burned with embarrassment. He'd heard the whispers about himself—Ego the coward, Ego the weakling. The torment was relentless, but he couldn't bring himself to fight back. He just wanted it to end.
As the day wore on, the torment escalated. Taunts turned into cruel pranks, and Ego found himself tripping over hidden objects and slipping on puddles of water. Each humiliating incident etched a deeper scar on his already fragile self-esteem.
Lunchtime was the worst. Ego sat alone in the corner of the cafeteria, his tray of food untouched. The bullies weren't far, their laughter ringing in his ears like a cacophony of cruelty. He stared at his sketchbook, a cherished refuge from the harsh reality that surrounded him.
In the midst of his solitude, Ego's mind drifted to the world he yearned for—a world where he could be free, where his talents were celebrated, not ridiculed. His sketches told stories of bravery and adventure, of a hero who triumphed over adversity. He longed to be that hero.
But reality crashed back in when a tray of food splattered across his sketchbook. Laughter erupted as Ego's drawings were smeared and ruined. A surge of anger and frustration welled up within him, but he clenched his fists and remained silent.
The final bell rang, signaling the end of the school day. Ego hurried to collect his belongings, determined to escape the tormentors. As he reached the exit, he felt a sudden push that sent him sprawling onto the pavement. His books scattered, and pain shot through his side.
Brad loomed over him, a sinister grin etched across his face. "You'll never fit in here, Ego.
**********
Ego had became an orphan since his parents died in a car accident, leaving just him with no one to care for him, and his education was being paid for.
**********
Ego's vision blurred as tears welled up in his eyes. He'd had enough.
Ego's vision blurred even further as tears welled up in his eyes. He'd had enough of the relentless beating from the boys who had cornered him. Desperation surged through him, and with every ounce of strength he could muster, he pushed himself off the ground, determined to escape.
But as he stumbled away, the world around him became a chaotic blur. His broken glasses made it impossible to see clearly. Panic set in as he veered onto a nearby road, unaware that a speeding car was approaching. The screeching of tires and the blaring horn merged into a cacophony of fear.
In the next horrifying moment, the car collided with Ego, sending him sprawling onto the pavement, lifeless. The sudden, tragic end to his ordeal left a haunting silence in its wake, as bystanders rushed to the scene.
In the next horrifying moment, Ego opened his eyes and before him was Tall and imposing, the stranger wore dark robes that seemed to absorb the dim light of the evening. His presence radiated an eerie power.
The stranger, known as Asmodus, the Demon King of Lust and Desires, approached Ego's weak body still lying on the floor. His eyes, a mesmerizing shade of crimson, bore into Ego's soul. With a voice that oozed temptation and darkness, he whispered, "A life cut short, a soul burdened by torment. Ego, I can offer you a second chance."
Asmodus' offer hung in the air, like a sinister melody that threatened to ensnare Ego's very essence. The young orphan consciousness drifted in the void between life and death, and he could feel the weight of his decision pressing upon him.
"What do you want from me?" Ego managed to murmur, his voice weak and tremulous.
Asmodus' lips curled into a chilling smile. "I seek an apprentice, Ego. Someone to wield the powers of the magical realm, to fulfill desires and fantasies beyond mortal comprehension. In exchange, I shall grant you life anew, free from the torment that has plagued you."
Ego's mind raced as he contemplated the implications of Asmodus' proposition. The allure of escaping his earthly torment and gaining extraordinary abilities was undeniable. Yet, the stranger's aura exuded an unsettling darkness, a sense that this pact would come at a price.
Asmodus extended a hand towards Ego. "Accept my offer, Ego, and embrace the power you've always yearned for. Leave behind the pain and weakness of your former life."
The seconds felt like hours as Ego grappled with his decision. The memories of his tormentors, the isolation, the pain—they haunted him like vengeful spirits. He thought of the sketches in his ruined sketchbook, the dreams he had dared to nurture. Could this be his chance to become the hero he had drawn?
With a trembling hand, Ego reached out and grasped Asmodus' outstretched hand, sealing the ominous pact that would change the course of his existence forever.
And in that fleeting moment, the world around him blurred into darkness, and the whispering promises of power and redemption became his reality.