The fight beneath the water ended when the man transformed into a tiny fish and vanished swiftly among the tangled coral reefs, as if they were trying to hide him.
Youssef emerged exhausted, gasping for breath, his body trembling from sheer fatigue. He collapsed on the sandy shore, the salt stinging his wounds.
The girl approached in silence, her teenage son at her side, her face tense, her eyes flashing with suppressed anger.
Youssef, catching his breath in ragged bursts, said bitterly:
— I'm… so tired. What do you want? Have you come to kill me?!
The girl crossed her arms over her chest, her voice cold as a blade:
— I wish I could… What you and your friend did on social media is unforgivable, and it deserves punishment.
Youssef frowned, sitting up with difficulty.
— My friend? I don't think so. Didn't you see? He tried to kill me himself… And who's going to punish me? You… you little thief?!
Suddenly, without warning, Youssef's body began to twist and change. In the blink of an eye, a majestic lion stood in his place, his roar shaking the air.
At that very moment, the boy transformed into a lion as well, smaller in size but standing his ground, staring at Youssef without fear.
Youssef shook his head slowly, as if acknowledging the boy's strength. Then, with a proud step, he backed away, his heavy paws sinking into the wet sand, shaking off his anger.
But the girl's voice pierced the air like an arrow:
— Youssef! Stop! Don't you want to know who cursed you?!
He froze for a second, then swiftly shifted back into his human form and walked toward her, his steps hesitant yet certain.
The young lion stood before him, but Youssef reached out and placed a gentle hand on his head.
Youssef, with biting sarcasm:
— Don't be afraid, little one…
Then he fixed his gaze on the girl:
— Who cursed me? And do you know where they are?
She nodded, her eyes holding true sincerity for the first time—then, in an instant, she turned into a white dove and took flight.
Youssef and the boy followed her, until they reached the heart of a dense forest where leaves swayed in dim light and the whispers of the wind played between them.
As soon as the dove touched the ground, she became human again and walked with confidence toward an old man sitting by a crackling fire. His eyes were deep-set, his voice hoarse.
Youssef froze, then gasped in shock:
— You?! You're the one who visited me in the hospital… What's your name?!
The man's deep voice answered:
— My name is Idris… Why did you fight with Daniel?
— You know him?! He's insane… That's not important right now…
(voice trembling with sorrow)
— Why is all this happening to me? Ever since I left the hospital… I can't remember who I am.
Idris cut him off sharply:
— We made a mistake, Youssef.
— "We" made a mistake? Who do you mean?!
— That doesn't matter now… Find the Seer. Time is running out. If you don't find her, we'll be trapped as beasts forever… and we'll forget we were ever human.
Youssef's face tightened, his teeth gritting in restrained fury. He jabbed his finger toward the girl:
— When you called me, you said we were going to a sorcerer!
(shouting in anger)
— You didn't tell me we were going to solve riddles!!!
The boy stepped forward to block him, but Youssef shoved him hard in the chest, sending him sprawling to the ground.
In that instant, Idris seized Youssef by the neck, slamming him against the trunk of a tree and pinning him there.
Idris, his tone deadly cold:
— If I find out you've attacked any of us again… I'll kill you.
Youssef struggled against his grip, but Idris was like stone.
Gasping for breath, Youssef shouted in defiance:
— Kill me… go on! You can't! You need me… You know exactly who I am!
Otherwise, you wouldn't have searched for me, you and these children following you…
Then, from deep within him, came a terrifying roar—not Youssef's voice, nor that of any beast Idris had ever known.
— Let me go… or I'll kill you.
Idris released him abruptly, staring in astonishment, for the roar was unlike anything he had heard.
And in a flash, Youssef transformed into a massive bald eagle and shot into the sky, disappearing among the shadows of the trees.
Idris remained rooted to the spot, his eyes on the sky, his face stunned.
He knew… every human carried a hidden power shaped by their soul and their surroundings.
And he knew Youssef had never truly been alright—
For a "broken childhood" had made him a wild beast… wearing the face of a man