By ten, Rayen's eyes were open. Not just to betrayal at home or school, but to the wider world.
He saw neighbors pretend to help the poor, while secretly hoarding wealth. He saw teachers rewarding the cleverest liar. He saw a world that celebrated cruelty as long as it wore a polite face.
Humans weren't just flawed.
They were rotten at the core.
Every injustice, every act of selfishness etched itself into Rayen's mind.
And with each observation, a cold, silent fire grew inside him.
One night, he followed a wealthy man who donated to charity, only to find him verbally abusing a beggar behind the building.
Rayen clenched his fists.
He began to understand: the world did not care about truth. It rewarded lies, and punished honesty.