The villagers' village was nestled in the remote forests, hidden from the prying eyes of the outside world. For the past year, the villagers had been sacrificing humans to worship Orexis in order to protect themselves from being killed by the Orixas.
The villagers were slash-and-burn farmers, eking out a meagre living from the land, constantly living in fear and hiding from the wrath of Orexis. As Liam, a young man from the village, approached the gathering, he could hear the murmurs and hushed whispers of the villagers. "Please, just go on your way!" one of the villagers cried out, a sense of desperation in his voice.
"Go! Go!" the villagers shouts in unison, their voices tinged with fear and anger. Liam remembered how, when he was just a child, the villagers had despised his attempts to save them from the clutches of Orexis, believing that he would only bring more destruction upon them.
Suddenly, a prophetic old woman emerged from the top of the mountain, her voice carrying a sense of foreboding. "Orexis will kill everyone here," she warned, her words echoing across the valley. "Everyone's blood, flesh, and organs will be spread all over the ground." The villagers shuddered in fear, the sound of birds screeching in the distance adding to the ominous atmosphere.
"That man will bring Orexis here and get all of us killed." The villagers murmured among themselves, their voices laced with terror. Liam, undeterred, responded, "I am here to kill Orexis, and anyone who stands in my way will be beheaded on the spot."
The villagers fell silent, their faces etched with uncertainty. Liam told them that he would hunt for Orexis on the mountain, but the villagers vehemently disagreed, knowing that if he angered the monster, they would all perish.
As the afternoon sun scorched the land, the soldiers continued their search, convinced that the villagers' belief in Orexis was nothing more than a rumour. Suddenly, the villagers ambushed the soldiers, their fear and desperation fueling their attack. The sound of clashing weapons and the cries of the wounded filled the air as the battle ensued.
Amidst the chaos, Liam caught sight of a young lady in a red gown, the same woman who had saved him seventeen years ago. He pursued her through the wheat field, finally catching up to her. "You did not die that day," Liam said, his voice tinged with disbelief. "Nor have you aged," he continued, realization dawning on him. "You are Orexis."He said boldly with disbelief.
An arrow whispered through the air, its sharp tip finding its mark in the young lady's back. Liam's soldiers had fired two shots, and as she turned to flee, Liam stepped in the way of the third, shielding her with his own body.
"We are descending the mountain immediately," Liam commanded, ending the search.
As night fell, Liam lay in the camp, his eyes clenched shut. He had a short memory from his past life. The young lady's blade, piercing his heart in his dream, jolted him awake. With a heavy sigh, he rose and began to wander the camp.
Approaching the tent where Blair and their son stayed, Liam heard their hushed conversation. "I'm sorry about my eyes," the boy said, his voice thick with sorrow.
"Stop saying that," Blair replied, her tone gentle and filled with care.
"Father does not like me because of my eyes, right?" the boy continued, a tremor in his voice. "He hates me, right? He has never let me stay by his side. I have never held my father's hand. I do not know how he looks when I can picture your face so well. It is because of my eyes." Tears streamed down the boy's cheeks as he reached out to touch his mother's face.
Blair's heart broke as she wrapped her arms around her son, her own tears falling. "It's not your fault," she whispered.
Liam's chest tightened as he listened, the weight of his past decisions bearing down on him. He remembered the argument with Blair when he had vowed to free their son from the curse – the curse that Liam himself had inflicted. "You will free my son from your curse when you have never embraced him? Not even for once in his life? You hate him. You fear him. You do not deserve to be his father," Blair had said, her words cutting deep.
The boy's afflicted eyes, a reminder of Liam's own darkness, had kept him at a distance, afraid to confront the price of his actions. But now, the sound of his son's pain tore at his heart, and Liam knew he could no longer hide from the truth.
As the night cloaked the camp in darkness, Liam ventured out alone, a flickering lantern casting a warm glow on his path. His footsteps echoed against the rocky terrain as he searched for Orexis, his jaw set with determination and fury.
"The last thing I will do will be what a father ought to do," he muttered under his breath, his words carried away by the gentle whisper of the wind. The curse of Orexis weighed heavily on his mind, and he knew that putting an end to the monster grudge might be the only way to break the spell.
Steeling himself for the confrontation, Liam descended into a deep, rocky crevice, the shadows swallowing him whole. "Where are you, Orexis?" he bellowed, his voice echoing against the jagged walls. "Show yourself!"
As he searched, Liam's thoughts turned to the young woman who had saved him all those years ago. He deduced that she was Orexis, and he wondered about her motives – why had she tried to protect him, and what did she want from him now?
The flickering lantern cast an eerie glow on the surrounding rocks, casting dancing shadows that seemed to taunt Liam's every step. The air was thick with anticipation, and Liam knew that his confrontation with Orexis would be a test of his courage, his determination, and his death,he accept the consequences of his actions.
.
.
.