"That hell, damned hell... all of you... I hate you."
"What is it like to always have to run away? A non-aggressive person, in the midst of oppression, tends to lower their head. A person who doesn't possess even a shred of instinct or aggression. A fox in a den of wolves. Small and fragile, it echoed in her mind: "I never wanted that."
The great and beautiful Noble House, the Reixys family — those who grew through merit and power, elevated by the light.
Among the main Great Noble Houses that definitively dominated the world: RyzisX, Kaiwen, Xamã, and Hell, the House Reixys was on par with the main royal family.
Those who emerged perfect, selected by God. The perfect genetics. And, like gods, they hated the technological imperfection that overshadowed the world. With divine reason in their eyes, their contempt was "sovereign."
Tragic home. Tragic home where imperfection came to be born, to destroy a soul, to cast out a small child for being born impure among gods. Causing the world's destruction.
"Hell swallows my soul. I swallow it back, and looking at you, I feel an immense urge to vomit."
Two children were born amidst the celestial hell. The noble House Reixys — nobles whose blood possessed a golden color, infested with refined Arcane — through their veins ran the divine "SanctBlood."
The winter was dense. Within the tall walls of the mansion, the chief watched the birth of his first daughter. Rameliel Reixys observed intently: there, his greatest disgust was born.
— ARRRGHHHH!
A scream of pain, of agony, was heard, which soon transformed into pure contempt.
Disgrace entered the House Reixys that day.
— Damn it!!! She's not stabilizing, sir... I think we're going to lose her.
Perhaps the loss of a life was better than that damned disgust.
There, all the members of the House Reixys were gathered; the birth of the family head's first heir was taking place. All together: Hiro Reixys and his son Kameliel observed. Hiro trembled with envy and blood in his eyes, knowing he would never possess the title of family head. His young son did not understand his father's hatred, but he felt pity. After all, they were cousins, right? Hiro's tragedy was about to end, but his brother's was beginning with vigor.
THE DISGRACE.
A bad feeling ran through the bodies of everyone present; the imposing and powerful eyes — of the much-feared Rameliel Reixys — filled with anguish.
He felt the ground disappear from under his feet; an immense urge to vomit made his head buzz. Neither his wife nor his heirs had died; something much worse was happening in his mind.
ABOMINATION.
The thick snow of that heavy winter surrounded the mansion; the Lovers Púrpura gardens were covered in snow, but still shone in their purple hues. The wind was strong, but that cold did not enter the mansion. Even so, everyone felt suffocated.
ABOMINATION, ABOMINATION. DIE, YOU ABOMINATION!!!!
His head was throbbing; the birth was over, and seeing that in front of him gave him the urge to destroy everything. Never had such an abomination been born inside those gates; his hatred leaked out. Hiro was getting aroused, fully noticeable, in his eyes red with scarlet blood. And in his ears, clogged by the hatred echoing in his head, he only saw and heard one thing. In front of him, the midwife holding that ABOMINATION.
— S-sir... this is incredible... she... she doesn't possess even a drop of Arca...
FLAAASHHH
The innocent midwife's head was brutally severed, in the blink of an eye, by a flaming pink light.
The man's body collapsed on the ground, while blood streamed out, covering the poor baby that was there. The man who should have been the child's father stared with absolute disgust.
He turned his back, while his brother Hiro disguised his malicious laughter, covering it with his forearm.
— My poor brother... hehehe... how could you? Always making a mess, huh? And even worse... your offspring doesn't have the purple flame, apparently... but what... irony...
Tears of excitement were visible coming from the eyes of that noble maniac.
— Silence, Hiro... if you don't wish to be next... put yourself in your place... and get rid of this... abortion...
The powerful and demonic chief gave his command amidst the subordinates and family members.
— Oh... of course, my brother... I will make sure to clean up this mess... and... get rid of this thing...
Hiro stepped forward, ready to exterminate that poor life thrown on the ground with a flash of his purple flame. But, without him noticing, his child stepped forward. The father did not react, he only watched.
Even amidst that hell without a father's love and with a demon's greed, compassion arises amidst the cold and ice.
Everyone stared. The coldness and lack of humanity were laid bare; not even the children were shocked by the situation. The young boy, the cousin of that child thrown on the ground, covered in blood, approached, showing mercy from the cold. The boy picked up that newborn in his arms and looked at her with such warm eyes.
Words of mercy came from his mouth:
— Welcome, Mana Reixys.
Years passed. The little girl who suffered from that "deformity" ended up living longer than expected. She had grown enough to become a small child.
Her life was not prolonged out of clemency from her father, or any pity from her family. Only because of a miserable political game.
The loss of a child in the Reixys family would be unacceptable, especially since it had been announced before her birth that the great leader would have an heir.
Unacceptable.
The condition of the little child was hidden, treated in reclusive, inhumane situations of isolation. They preached a superior good appearance, just a ridiculous facade.
The only one who still risked approaching that "abomination," as seen by the others, was the young talent, a great prodigy, born with a Divine grade SanctBlood, the greatest promise of House Reixys, everyone's pride, everything that Mana was not. Everything that she would come to hate. Her first-degree cousin, Kameliel Reixys.
— So... this is where you were hiding... how predictable and pathetic... truly worthy of you...
The terrifying gaze of that boy, inexpressive, without any traces of humanity or feeling, merely stared emptily at the little soul, thrown in rags on a large Lovers Púrpura mattress in that immense garden.
She listened silently to the words of that boy with such a terrifying gaze.
— Go clean yourself up... as quickly as possible, it's a superior order... make sure to thoroughly wash those disgusting wounds, it's foul! It makes me nauseous, be quick.
The little girl, surrounded by those flowers and her own blood, merely remained silent, accustomed to that more than horrible treatment. She felt her injuries caused purposefully by a simple spell from a lower-ranking member, without any opposition, or even a fight back, pure oppression. A little girl covered in wounds and burns, who was previously sobbing before her cousin arrived. Who, after speaking, vanished like a sound on the wind, leaving a blur of his silhouette.
She observed with hatred, that damned blur, which gradually lost its shape.
She hated everyone, without a doubt, but that damned blur was special. Her infernal hatred, despite being just another child, flowed for everyone inside those gates, but especially, that slightly older boy carried her absolute contempt. The one who would be the symbol of House Reixys, Kameliel of Reixys, the future of everyone there. It was like feeling her skin burn, and her trachea being torn: it was Envy. She hated seeing that damned arrogant being revered just for doing what she wasn't capable of.
But that little child had no idea of the sin she carried, she didn't understand her feelings or herself. What she felt could be mistaken for anger or sadness.
A small broken, distorted soul, with burnt skin, who huddled among those gardens. With fear, and with hope, her greatest sin.
She, lost in her hateful and confused thoughts, struggled to stand up, feeling the injuries covering her skin. She breathed with difficulty and began to walk. Wandering. That was the only place she felt temporary peace, or at least it was the closest thing to it she had ever felt.
Soon that peace was broken. A bright sphere approached the gardens, like flames in a pink color. It touched the ground, completely incinerating everything that glow touched.
The purple flowers that once brought that peace were just another sign of torment.
That impact threw that little soul to the ground, and her injuries worsened, she fell with an immense sensation of pain. But her mind didn't pay attention to that, the only thing she noticed was those laughs, damned laughs. The instructor watched from outside along with the damned children, who laughed and laughed at that pathetic and lamentable situation.
"I HATED THAT DAMNED HELL!!!!
THOSE BASTARDS!!!!
THEY WOULDN'T DARE DO THAT TO KAMELIEL, THEY WOULDN'T EVEN BE ABLE TO, THAT BASTARD WOULD WIPE THEM OUT!!!!
WHY????
WHY ME??? WHY DON'T I JUST DIE ALREADY???
WHY CAN'T I GET FREE FROM THIS HELL????."
No matter how much time passes...
It didn't matter anymore. The little girl was now under the shower, washing her slender and moribund body. Blood ran from the wounds, it stung. She screamed in pain every time the damned water touched those scabs that formed on her burnt skin. The water washed away flesh and blood.
"I won't move forward until I burn down that hell...."
Wandering through the corridors of that damned place, so vast and frightening, when empty, they filled the heart of that poor child with peace.
But he was always there watching, with those empty, soulless eyes. She always felt those eyes she hated so much, piercing her from her blind spot. That was so terrifying. Suffocating...
"I remember... the worst mistake I made was talking to him... In that corridor... that day..."
The poor soul's breathing grew heavy. That damned look that pierced her soul made her tremble.
"I remember... everyone always looked at me, and with that they hated me, but it wasn't always like that... because sometimes I was alone, but whenever I was alone, I felt that, because whenever I was alone, he was there, watching me, he knew who I was. And I just wanted it to disappear."
Her legs trembled, that gaze...
"Why the hell did I decide to talk to him that day?."
— Why?... you always do that... you always...
"I will never forget that... I couldn't regret that day more..."
— So you noticed me...
"Damned... I hate myself so much for starting that conversation... but in the end, without that I wouldn't be here. I should have just run away, like always..."
— I always notice you... watching me, from the dark... that's so...
The young prodigy cut her off.
— It bothers you, doesn't it?...
The little and poor Mana lowered her head, like a fox threatened by an assassin wolf.
Smaller, weaker, without any ability to defend herself, the little fox could only flee.
— ENOUGH!!! Please... I can't take it anymore... you, you always pursue me... because I'm not the same... don't do what you do...
The deafening scream released by the fox, something new. For the first time she yelped, barked back. The little wolf had been startled, because for the first time, a response that wasn't shrinking away.
— I... I CAN'T STAND IT ANYMORE!!! I've always run away... run away from you, in this unbearable way... and you, you are the worst of all, those deep eyes of yours... sharp... as if...
— Me?
The wolf, now recoiling from the fox's growl, emitted a certain confusion. His gaze did not deceive, was he the worst?
He stepped out of the vast darkness that that empty and somber corridor caused. Measured steps, but without caution or any concern. He moved without haste.
Tap... tap... tap...
His steps echoed through those empty corridors. And with every second he approached, his features, clothes, and silhouette became clearer, emerging from the darkness into the light.
And with every step he took towards her, the heart of little Mana accelerated. Anguish, fear, the wide regret of having screamed, of having shown she had noticed him, but now there was no turning back.
— No no no...
She whispered to herself, but it was no use. And with about 6 steps left to be face to face, the distance was cut, like a blur, and there they were, face to face. Looking deeply into each other's eyes. The wolf's gaze emitted calm, control, and coldness, while the fox's, terror, real fear, of her consequences. The simple fact that, this time, she had raised her voice, was for her simply...
"RUN!!!!!!!!. I... should have run away."
— Mana... sorry...
The wolf whispered, staring into the little girl's eyes. He did not emit aggression, it was almost...
"The bastard... he was so... comforting..."
He continued, like a whistle, staring into her eyes. She trembled, but gently, noticing the dread, he placed his hand on her shoulder, as an act of...
"He wanted to show pity... that was before..."
— Please Mana... don't fear me... I just want to... protect you... like a little sister... I just want to...
"Before completely destroying me... he hugged my soul... and then..."
— I just want to take care of you... please... forgive me...
"He devoured me completely."
The heart of the little fox was infested with pure confusion, a bizarre, but so comforting feeling, something she had never experienced before. A simple hug to her heart. Her despair, so easily transformed into comfort.
The little fox felt immersed, and with simple words, she felt loved. Just once, loved, and without even trying to hold back, upon hearing comforting words that she hadn't even heard from her father. She surrendered.
The little girl felt every hair on her body vibrate, and right there, she cried.
A hug so real, between relatives, a feeling so sweet, coming from someone she feared so much. The simple affection a child needs so much was granted to her like a piece of candy. Even if she didn't understand, she saw that hug, and those words, as love.
— Ahh... please... don't scare me anymore... please... protect me...
So sincere is the cry of a small soul.
— It's okay... I won't let you be scared anymore...
"Damned liar..."
A few hours passed after that. Little Mana's heart was no longer so heavy. Even with her body covered in marks, and the pain of her soul, knowing that someone cared for her made her fantasize about love.
Her heart was no longer in such anguish, because she knew, if anyone were to hurt her again, he would be there, for her, as a brother, as a friend, as someone to love and be loved by.
Joy...
She could barely wait for the next time she would find him. Her heart pounded, she didn't understand what she felt, but it wasn't fear, it wasn't bad. She could barely wait to receive another hug, to hear those words of love again.
She couldn't contain herself, and amidst that excitement, her heart almost jumped out in the anxiety of finding him soon, and so it happened.
"Mistake..."
She looked for him on every floor of that mansion, incessantly, without stopping.
Determination, joy, a wide smile on her face.
Everyone looked, as if they were facing an abomination, but no one touched her. They whispered, inaudibly. She realized, no one even messed with her, because of him... through gardens, training areas, libraries, he simply wasn't anywhere.
Her heart accelerated even more, he had to appear. Her anxiety made her suffocate, but hope was revitalizing.
Skipping... smiling... humming...
Her animation made her more and more anxious, until, after searching for hours without finding him, without even a trace, discouragement set in...
"The worst of them all...,"
But then, walking already dejected, through those long corridors, she saw a beautiful flash of hope and love in her mind. There he was, right there, a few meters away, in the dark, in front of a door. It was hard to see, but it was him. She screamed with emotion.
— AHAA, I FINALLY FOUND YOU!!!
The little girl darted off running, almost tripping, but it didn't matter, love was right there in front of her. Closer and closer.
And filled with that emotion.
— How pathetic...
Terror came, when she recognized other figures next to him, hidden in the dark.
— Hahah... I see that really your offspring... ah, forget it, brother, I believe you understood what I meant...
Two demons, wolves, right there, her damned uncle and father, whispered next to the little one who had become her hope.
— Bastard... shut up, Hiro... I'm tired of your jabs... I already have to worry about this damned... this filthy abortion... I don't want you bragging...
Her throat caught, an intense sensation of terror flooded her mind. "Love" had been completely replaced.
— Well well... come on, if it weren't for my son, you wouldn't have a clue about the attitudes of your so-called..."abortion".
An immense urge to vomit. And there he was, now once again, the worst among the wolves, staring at her, with those eyes, absolute and pure terror. Without expressing any emotion, while the adults spoke, that little demon did not show a single emotion or word.
— Enough...
The atmosphere became heavy, the air almost unbreathable.
— I will deal with this damned abortion. The lesson will be valuable, exemplary.
— As you wish... my brother...
They just moved out of the way, and a door was revealed, dark, damp. Mana had understood the message, totally hypnotized by terror, she just, without questioning, was swallowed by the darkness. The three quickly entered after her. And on that day, the horror of House Reixys was marked. The horrible and terrifying screams, which were heard throughout the Reixys territory. The scream of a poor little fox.
"And on that day, I died for the first time."