" However, all good things cannot last forever... Azahiel's dreams were haunted by a terrifying monster that hid under the form of a small and cute cat. Sometimes, it did nothing but watch passively and play innocently. But more often, it turned the most beautiful dream into the worst nightmare. "
" Azahiel couldn't count the number of times he saw the death of his own family in the jaws of a monster he had never met before. No matter how hard he tried... no matter how hard he fought... it always... but it always ended the same way... He could only lie back and watch Lushia and his two beautiful daughters die. "
" As if that weren't enough, Azahiel could sense an ancient evil lurking deep in the forest. More than once, Lushia caught him staring into the tree line with clouded eyes. He could have sworn on his life that he felt some being calling to him. "
" His reliable instinct told him that the roles were reversed this time. It would be up to him to play the infamous role of the prey upon which the predator lurking in the bushes was baring its teeth. "
" As the strongest representative of the human species, it was hard for him to accept the predetermined fate. "
" Who would have thought an innocent encounter with a seemingly normal-looking kitten could have such terrible consequences? "
" In order to find answers to his questions, Azahiel went to the village headman. The adventurer considered him a being who knew the answer to almost every riddle. "
" You must be wondering how someone like that can exist. "
Ramiel nodded innocently.
" The answer is simple. The village chief wasn't human. Azahiel discovered this long ago, but for the sake of the public, he didn't bring up the matter. As long as he could live safely and the old man didn't cause trouble, he didn't mind. After all, if he had any ill intentions toward the villagers, he would have realized them long ago. "
" Unfortunately, Azahiel's hope died even faster than it appeared. Instead of clear answers, he received even more riddles and a warning to avoid looking for problems where there were none. "
" As he resignedly left the village chief's hut, he received one more piece of advice from him. "
" Azahiel, you are strong and wise. I hope you know how to judge the strength of what you will face... and what to do if you can't handle it. Remember, I won't count how many times the world has already seen how arrogance consumes even the brightest shining stars... If you want to listen to an old man who is already talking foolishness... then don't wake the one who sleeps deep in the forest. Let dreams remain just dreams. Don't think about them. Let them pass away like leaves with the autumn wind. Sometimes when people forcefully try to find a link between visions and the real world, they open doors for them that no one should ever touch. "
" Azahiel took the last advice of the aged old man to heart. More years passed, and there were no changes in the man's life. It was even worse. Nightmares intensified. If it had only affected him, there would have been no problem. In the past, he had come to face much more demanding tasks. However, the magic of bitterness overflowed when his daughters tearfully told him one night about the visions and dreams plaguing them "
" The next day, driven by extreme emotions, Azahiel went deep into the forest in search of a solution to the problem. His intuition screamed that this was foolish and extremely dangerous. However, common sense and wise counsel are gone where emotions come into play. "
" On his way, Azahiel encountered all sorts of monsters and monstrosities. However, none of the obstacles that awaited him could compare to the brutal and unparalleled force. In the face of it, even a rushing and agitated river became a quiet and obedient stream. "
" The man didn't even notice when a small kitten joined him. When he first saw him, he had a strong Dejavu, but for the love of the world, he couldn't remember where he met him. "
" Azahiel's first trip ended in failure. He returned home after two weeks empty-handed. Still, it wasn't as bad as he expected. At least the grim visions had stopped plaguing his family. "
" For Azahiel, this was enough to prove the validity of his actions. From time to time, he repeated his expeditions deep into the forest. Each time, an inseparable friend and companion waited for him at the edge of the village. It never occurred to the adventurer that he might be the deadly threat the village chief had warned him about. "
" Everything changed when Azahiel found the ruins hidden deep underground... or a more accurate statement would be to describe them as an unexplored prison. Then, our hero saw through it. "
" So, it was you from the beginning, right? "
" As if by the touch of a magic wand, the helpless cat transformed with a squeak into the form of a familiar monster. It was he who had led him to the ruins, and it was he who... haunted him in his dreams. "
" The monster smiled surrealistically, showing rows of teeth gleaming in the sunlight. A black spot formed behind his back, from which the snow-white silhouettes of three women peeked out. They were entangled in seemingly indestructible chains that turned the air into chunks of pristine, transparent ice. "
" Azahiel abandoned any attempt to resist. There was no point in doing so when his family, or more precisely, the souls of the women dearest to him, had become hostages. "
" With no other choice, he entered into long and grueling negotiations. As he expected, the monster turned out to be a brilliant being. He could even speak the ancient language of the first humans, of which only a trace remained on the pages of the book containing the history of the creation of the universe. "
" The monster expected nothing more than to be released from the prison in which he was imprisoned. In return, he was expected to free Azahiel's family. He also promised that he wouldn't even touch their fingers. "
"The sweet promises of the deceitful monster fooled the emotionally unstable Azahiel. The concern for his family that raged in his heart drowned out the voice of common sense. "
" Mobilizing every ounce of dormant energy inside his body, he created a spell known in legends as the beginning of the end. The world shook in its foundations, defying Azahiel's will, but he remained steadfast. No matter how much opposition he faced, he remained steadfast in his actions. "
" Under the spell's influence, the space surrounding Azahiel and the mysterious monster disintegrated into a fine poppy. Astronomical amounts of mana, together with chaotic energy made their way into the outside world, bending the existing laws once again. "
" The whole thing ended with a spectacular explosion that destroyed the prisons, along with the barrier protecting the village. "
" Streaks of dark matter buried the monster alive, penetrating every cell of its body at the molecular level, including the mana circulating inside its body. "
" When Azahiel finished his task, he tried to back out of the potential danger zone undetected. As soon as he turned his back on the monster, a rough voice reached his ears. "
" Azahiel... you can be sure your name will be cursed forever. History will remember you as one of the greatest fools who has contributed his hand to the downfall of the world as we know it today. "
" Perhaps years of captivity, or being tied to a man, has softened the monster whose name once inspired fear. Only he can answer that question.
" Ehh...If I were you, I wouldn't stand here like a fool. You should be somewhere else right now. Don't blame me for what happens. It's not like I have any influence on them. Consider the small piece of advice as a reward for freeing me. "
" Before the man had time to react in any way, the mysterious entity vanished into thin air. Only when the threat had evaporated did Azahiel realize what he had done. An unbearable sense of guilt haunted his heart. "
" But could he have done otherwise? A vicious monster took his dearest family hostage... "
" Soon, Azahiel returned home, but what he found there horrified him. The village was literally wiped out. The smoldering ruins of once magnificent huts lay everywhere. The adventurer couldn't believe what he saw. It took him only half a day to return from the ruins. "
" In a panic, he searched hut after hut. It wasn't until he reached the village chief's house that he found something resembling a shelter. As he went deeper and deeper into the dark corridor, his heart was beating like crazy. The deeper he ventured, the more pronounced the unmistakable stench of death became. On the tip of his tongue, he could taste the metallic aftertaste of blood. "
" Although Azahiel foresaw what could have happened, his mind didn't allow for this possibility. With a fading spark of hope, he moved ahead in search of his family. "
" Unfortunately, life doesn't always go our way. When Azahiel reached the end of the corridor, a massive door opened before him, revealing a spacious cave. Along with the soft glow spread by the ball of light, a growing hatred and rage filled the air. "
" Inside the cave, a herd of monsters was feasting at its best, which was an exact copy of the creature released from inside the ruins. Maybe not such an exact one, but there was one very important difference. They were incomparably weaker than what he was dealing with. "
" Azahiel inflicted a quick death on them, even though they didn't deserve it... "
Ceti's ominous words hung in the air. At the same time, the purple matter forming a pleasant background for the novel dispersed.
After a few seconds, its particles came together to form the chilling figure of a monster. Its green eyes shone in the darkness, releasing its disproportionately long front paws from the embrace of gloom. Its black and razor-sharp claws subtly slid out of its fingertips, sending shivers down the spine of little Ramiel.
The boy involuntarily snuggled into Ceti's warm body, trying to give himself a little courage.
Despite the tiny seed of fear born at the sight of the shaping monster, he couldn't take his eyes off it. His eyes fixed on the creature's ashen gray fur, the tips of which were transforming into plumes of dark smoke disappearing into the air. Its powerful and massive jaw presented rows of long and gleaming teeth in the soft light.
For a second, he wondered how Azahiel could fight such a thing!
On Ramiel, what impressed him most were the monster's three tails. They seemed no different from a fluffy cat's tail, but when he looked at them more closely, he saw significant differences. The fur covering the tails resembled millions of tiny and moody needles.
Driven by childish curiosity, the little rascal reached out his hand to touch them. This was the first time Ramiel learned that curiosity is the first degree to hell. As if scalded, he tore his hand away from Ceti's magical creation, and tiny red spots appeared on his fingers.
Although the burning was unbearable, Ramiel gritted his teeth and endured it as befits a brave boy. Ceti's attention hadn't escaped the child's behavior, but she turned a blind eye to it. Sometimes, a little rascal will learn nothing without the proper punishment.
The mysterious figure of the monster grew from second to second in Ramiel's eyes. The process continued until it didn't match the size of a grown man.
Ba-Thump Ba-Thump Ba-Thump Ba-Thump Ba-Thump Ba-Thump
The boy sat as if on his eyelashes, feeling awe at the monster facing him. Despite the fear that filled his heart, he didn't avert his eyes from it. It was quite the opposite. A small spark of determination and a desire to protect what is precious and important to him was awakened in him. This defined his future and what kind of man he would become.
Unaware of her actions, Ceti created humanity's greatest defender... or the greatest threat the world will ever face. Even the goddess of fate couldn't answer the question of who the boy would become. She had no choice but to watch the events unfold.
Just as Ceti was about to lift the spell, something happened that she hadn't expected. Little Ramiel stood on her lap, his arms outstretched in front of him. The woman's amethyst irises reflected the image of the boy's small back. One would have to be a fool not to understand his intentions.
For a split second, Ceti could have sworn she saw the space surrounding Ramiel distort and curve the image of the boy. Although it was strange, it made her feel safe. It was as if all the worries consuming her were gone, as if by the touch of a magic wand.
" Ramiel, what are you doing? "
" I am fighting a dangerous monster that was in Azasiel's dreams! I can't let it appear in yours! "
If Ceti could have seen the eyes of the little rascal, he would have seen small flames in them, at which the bloodlust of serial killers hid deep in a corner.
The woman was simultaneously filled with pride and a faint feeling of fear. She wasn't quite sure what to think about it. On the one hand, she was proud of Ramiel, but on the other, she feared for his safety and future. Since, at the age of five, he is trying to face an overwhelming threat on his own, what will he do when he grows up? This question terrified Ceti. She didn't want him to come to any harm. If it were possible, she would forever lock him in a glass bubble and not let him out until the end of the world.
" Ramiel, sit down. The monster you see isn't real... it is I who created it... "
" Are you sure? "
" Definitely ... now sit down and don't bother. Unless you don't want to hear the rest... "