Author Note: The story starts in chapter 1. The prologue introduces the MC and his background. If philosophy isn't your cup of tea, feel free to skip it, but as the author, I recommend reading it.
Achlys was born into privilege—a mansion, wealth, and every resource imaginable. Yet, his life was anything but idyllic. Raised under the iron of his father, a military veteran with an unyielding demand for obedience, Achlys' childhood was stripped of innocence and joy.
His days were filled with rigorous training, calculated tasks, and exposure to dangers no child should face. Love and compassion were foreign concepts, replaced by cold directives and relentless expectations.
At five years old, most children are free to explore their creativity, their innocence preserved in scribbles and laughter. Achlys, however, was raised like a soldier, his existence dictated by the whims of his father. Isolation became his reality—no friends, no carefree moments, only the sterile world his father constructed.
Documentaries on war and revolution replaced cartoons, and illegal tech became his toys. He learned to manipulate, to smile on command, and to suppress the natural curiosity of a child.
His father's resentment was palpable, stemming from the death of Achlys' mother—a woman he never knew and felt no connection to. Achlys often wondered how people mourned strangers, but grief was an alien concept to him.
Life was a monotonous grey, devoid of excitement or problems, leaving him with no reason to complain. He had everything, yet nothing that truly mattered.
Exposure to other children revealed the stark contrast between his life and theirs. Their innocence, their laughter—it was a world Achlys could observe but never belong to. He was an outlier, his intelligence and wisdom making him seem unnatural.
While other children played, Achlys honed his skills, mastering literature, war strategies, agility, and endurance. His father's demands ensured there was no hidden potential left untapped.
Achlys grew up in a world where morality was dictated by his father's will. Right and wrong were irrelevant; his upbringing shaped him into a calculating, detached individual, capable of navigating the complexities of a world filled with political assassinations, espionage, and corruption.
Yet, beneath the surface, Achlys grappled with the question: Was he a victor or a victim? Could success ever justify the cost of losing one's humanity?