The impact of the revolutionaries was not slow to make itself felt. Two years had passed since its beginning; there was no trace of Hesle.
The family had long considered the possibility that he would not come back, but it was not enough to overcome the sadness. The little sister Lytsu was getting mature, the mother tired and stressed, not only by the loss of her husband, but also from the overload of work she had suffered since she became a widow, fortunately, the daughter was always ready to help.
For Herega, just as he had said himself, the situation did not change. He continued to live the wild and free life that he had always lived.
By pure coincidence, one day, when the sun had already been circled by the earth seventeen times since the young man's birth, Herega felt the need to reconnect with something he had lost. Although he was not very close to it, he would have liked to visit his father's tomb.
To the "heroes of the homeland of the revolt" was dedicated a small cemetery outside the town, so he decided to go there, alone, in front of the tomb.
«I don't know how to address you... Dad... Hesle? Mr. Lygarwen? Have we ever talked as a father does to his son and a son does to his father...? Why did you decide to deny our bond? Was the reason really greater than love for a child? So great? I can hardly believe what you did. Yet there should be a reason, right? Then why didn't you ever tell me? Why didn't you ever tell me why you gave up your son's smile?»
The sun continued to shine above his head. A slight breeze made the outside temperature pleasant. The movement of the flowers made the scenery lively. However, Herega could not get anything good out of it. What he could see was just a man who had given life to someone and then ruined it. The young man bent down, holding his torso with his arms resting on the ground, crying.
«If you had just tried to change things, if you had just made a little effort... Did you really deserve this?»
The boy's words were full of theatricality and emotion. His feelings were real, he hated his father, but most of all he hated himself for never trying to change things. If fate had taken this course, it was also his work. Surprised by himself, that he had finally given voice to his true feelings, he walked away, excluding the possibility of returning to that place, which caused him a cry for the first time in his life.
On his way home he felt different, had a strange feeling of amnesia, loss of balance and loss of sense of direction. The road he was on, which he was sure was the right one, did not seem familiar at all. Noises and laments, coming from the unknown, echoed in his ears, leaving him disoriented. It seemed to be a dream, but something suggested that it was not. As he walked on, a fog wrapped around the young man, completely obscuring his view. As he progressed, he noticed some stone walls surrounding him, and that the light had disappeared, as well as the fog. He had entered a cave. As soon as he realized it, a suggestive noise resounded in the great space. A small drop of water had fallen into a large pool, and the others would follow. To their melody, a sinister murmured breath was added, which left Herega in a terrible state of restlessness. In the dark of darkness, he saw, chained to two columns, a devil figure. It resembled a shriveled and dark human torso, with claws in place of fingers, long slender arms, and a large hole where the stomach should have been, which emanated a violet aura.
«Finally, you came...» Incredibly, the entity, without face and mouth, was able to speak. Herega was shocked, afraid of such a presence but, curious and reckless as he was, he decided to be brave.
«What would you be?»
The words came a little shaky, perhaps not much compared to the fear that was eating him up.
«I am not. But I have been, and I can be. But first I must rebuild myself.» Replied the figure.
The young man had already fallen prey to confusion, and that situation was just developing it. The words it chose were too cryptic to decipher.
«Rebuild yourself? What do you mean?» Herega asked still stunned by the events going on.
«My soul is fragmented, and I need to reassemble it... As well as yours, I can perceive it. Young man, rebuild yourself. Find your true self.» It unexpectedly replied. It was a rather bizarre invitation to receive in that context.
«Go to the Central Library of Nustia, there the doors of truth will open before your eyes.» It concluded that.
The entity was still there, but the young man could not feel its presence anymore, to Herega's eyes it was as if it had gone away. Still trying to rationalize what happened, the young man turned back. Out of the cave, the moon illuminated the panorama with a purple silver, and the noble stars graced the celestial design, painted on the great atmospheric vault.
A question, which could have changed his life completely now, was in his mind. It was not a common belief to believe the paranormal in Nustia, but he was sure of what he had seen, despite being stunned. What would he have chosen?
Continue his reckless, daring but monotonous life, or follow the invitation of a strange sinister entity that would lead him on an unknown, dangerous and unique adventure?