VILLAIN'S RISING

Five year old Sam sat at his desk, flipping through a biology book. His face was slim, cheeks sunken and had sickly pale skin. Wearing a worn out white shirt and blue lower, he was studying to complete today’s quota.

His dark black hair shimmered a deep blue under the light of his study lamp.

Lost in his book, he heard a faint faint sound of footsteps approaching that shook him out of his world.

The sound only grew louder and louder by evening passing second. Sam however was still not done with his daily quota, his hands started shaking with fear, he tried to calm himself down but his body refused to listen.

The sound of footsteps stopped right behind the closed room door.

-Bam!

With a loud thump the door was slammed open, revealing the man standing on the other side.

“Are you done with today’s study?” the man asked. Although his demeanor was calm but his body oozed off a sense of superiority.

The man was tall, wearing a proper black coat suit, around 5’11ish. He had the same black hair as Sam but his were more richer. He had a well toned perfectly built body.

Sam tremblingly turned around from his desk and answered, “N-Not yet b-but I’m almost done fath-“

-Slap!_.

Before young Sam could even finish what he was saying, the man infront of him slapped him right across the face. The force of that slap was enough to make Sam fall from his chair to down on his knees. He supported the fall from his hands and tried to speak again.

“F-Father please liste-” before he could finish or even get straight back up from his bent position, a kick connected to him at the side of his abdomen that sent him rolling a few foot back.

“Gaah!” he tried to gasp for air but he could physically feel the air going just towards his right lung, his left one was smashed by the force of that kick. Needless to say he also broke some ribs.

Sam voilently coughed as he felt something coming up his throat. He didn’t even try to get back up because he knew what the end result would be.

The man he called his father walked up to him calmly as if it was a daily routine for him to beat his kid like that. He grabbed him by the hair and lifted him up.

“Fatha… pease…” He tried to beg but his voice came out in whisper. Resisting was out of question when he couldn’t even feel his left upper side.

An open hand slammed the side of his face this time, causing an ear splitting pain. Blood gushed out of his ear as if a tap was turned open. His eardrum was destroyed by the impact.

Within a few seconds the pain went numb and now he couldn’t feel anything on his whole left side, face or upper half alike.

“Heal.” His father muttered a single world and his deep red eyes radiated a dim violet glow.

Sam’s body began to regenerate itself, his ribs started going back to it’s place, his eardrum was restored and his lung was repaired. The sign of what just happened totally vanished from his body in a matter of seconds.

Instead of feeling fear or terror which he usually feels, Sam felt surprise.

Usually his father would beat him to death, literally, and then revive him to do the whole process over and over again until he satisfies his sense of “parenting”.

The man kneeled down and gently placed his hand on Sam’s shoulder before speaking.

“You know that I don’t have much time left right? You have to get ready Samael, we’re the last of a dying breed. Our Progenitor’s will must live on within us! But you know I can’t do that anymore right? Starsuper has already sensed something is wrong with Newark, he’ll come here anytime. I need to pass on this power to you before he comes here, I need you to be prepared Sam!” He placed his other hand below Sam’s chin and lifted his head.

Sam, who had his gaze down all this time, finally looked in his father’s eyes.

“Tell me you won’t be like your mother. Tell me you won’t leave me. Tell me you understand and tell me you’ll be prepared and, unlike me you’ll fullfill our Progenitor’s dying wish!” His father said, traces of pain and regret lingering in his eyes.

“I-I won’t! I won’t leave you! I will never leave you father! And yes I do understand, I’ll prepare myself and I will fullfill our Progenitor’s wish!” Sam replied in a strong determined tone.

His father hugged Sam instantly after hearing that reply, it’s been a long time since Sam felt his father’s warmth. Tears filled his small eyes to the brim, he wanted to cry, he wanted to let it all out, but he didn’t. He just hugged his father back, he wanted to enjoy this loving embrace as long as he could, for god knows when he will get to feel his father’s love again.

However the love and warmth he felt for his father was soon replaced by terror upon hearing what he said next.

“Why did you meet up with your mother today then?”

“…Huh?” Sam was confused, how did he get to know that! But above all he was scared, scared of what was coming next.

“Wasn’t it to discuss your situation? Did she promise you that she will save you from this hell?” The hug that was supposed to be warm was turning tighter and harder to breathe in for Sam.

“F-Father please! I didn’t accept her offer I swear!” Sam tried to lie, however even he knew this wouldn’t work. His father doesn’t even need to use his mind reading to tell that he was lying.

“What did she tell you? That she will rescue you?! Do you know the reason why she lost your custody to begin with?!” The loving embrace that Sam was in earlier was now just a death trap. He could feel his ribs were at the end of their limit, his ribcage won’t hold on and soon he’ll literally be crushed.

He tried to breathe, but the ammount of air he was able to inhale was getting smaller and smaller everytime the bear hug was tightening.

“Fa-Fathe… I b-beg yo-yo…” He face was turning red, he tried to use his hands to get away but to no avail.

“The reason she lost your custody was because I mind controlled the authorities. And now that she’s trying to take you away from me, I’ll mind control her… or better yet, I’ll mind control her husband! I would make him not want to adopt you! Only then you’ll see, she won’t take you in, she won’t help you out! She will definitely choose her current life over you! She will not leave her husband or her new child, no! She will leave you! There is no one who’ll ever love you! We Gracefells are born with a heart of a demon and it’s our destiny to die alone!”

All the words after that were a total blank for him. His ears shut themselves off. His eyes were starting to loose focus, his vision was turning black. Only on his last breath he saw the sadistic smile his father had on his face as he looked at his own son die.

He heard a laughing voice somewhere deep back in the background. Initially he thought it was his father, however his lips weren’t moving. No it wasn’t him. Then who? But before he could figure that out, darkness took over his vision. One by one he lost all of his senses and his consciousness faded into the darkness akin of a deep abyss. Sam… died.

***

“What if I tell you I’m the Progenitor?”

“Huh? What are you saying dummy, that’s not something to joke about!” Kiara slapped his hand away from the side of her face.

“…Yeah, haha, forget I said anything.” Sam said with a dry laugh.

“Okay sure weirdo.” Kiara replied while rolling her eyes and turning away to walk to her room.

Not before she even took a few steps, Sam spoke again;

“You’re thinking what is it’s true right?”

Kiara stopped dead in her track, without turning around to face Sam, she replied with a fake laugh, “Haha! What are you doing now? Mind reading? You and I both know you don’t possess that ability.”

“Now you’re thinking how did I know that, you’re panicking. Well honestly I can’t blame you Kia. Even muttering the word “Progenitor” is banned in this world, yet here I am, claiming myself to be him.” Sam walked up to Kiara amd stood right behind her.

“Sam enough with the jokes, yes you’re right I’m panicking. Not because you’re madly claiming to be the Pro-Progenitor… but because I’m worried about you! I know the last two days have been stressful but take care of your health will ya?” Kiara said while turning around to face Sam.

(Would you look at that, she is not lying! She genuinely is worried about you. Although, will she still be when you’ll confirm your claim?!)

“Mhmm you’re so kind Kia, this is the reason I fell for you. In my world there’s only endless terrifying darkness, but you shined your light on me, you became my sun.” Sam said with a warm smile as he remembered the times when Kiara saved him from his own self.

“Sam please don’t go there, I know you’ve always liked me okay! But I can’t return your feelings! You’re like a family to me, you’re my friend, my best friend and that’s all! Don’t make this complicated!” Kiara tried to stop Sam of whatever he was going to say next, although Sam didn’t stop.

“However that light is not enough now…”

“Sam stop!”

“This warmth is not enough anymore!”

“Sam please stop please don’t say anything else! If you do, we won’t be able to return back to normal!” Kiara widened her eyes, she went ahead to place her palm on his mouth but Sam grabbed her hand and kept on speaking.

“Tell me Kiara, even if you can’t reciprocate my feelings for you, I need to know, will you still consider me your family even after knowing the truth about me? If your answer will be yes, then I’ll wait for you to fall for me, even if that takes an eternity. However if your answer will be a no, then… then what’s the point right?” Sam said the last part with a bittersweet smile.

“Wha- What are you even talking about Sam? Is this a trending way to propose a girl? Honestly I think you’re way too tired coz that proposal didn’t even sounded like a proposal!” Kiara said in a genuinely concerned tone. She was about to speak more, but before she could, Sam’s eyes glowed with a bright violet hue.

“You will forget the conversation we just had, you’ll go back to your room and resume your normal activities. However, once everyone goes to sleep, you’ll meet me at this location.” Sam ordered while handing her a slip of paper.

Without asking any questions as he had ordered her earlier, she took the slip, turned around and walked back to her room quitely like nothing happened.

(Sam… why? You know her answer, she is far too weak to know the truth. You’ll only hurt yourself by doing this.)

“I need to know… I need to know whether what he said was true? Can really no one love a demon? Are we destined to be alone?”