Forced to Change the Story

"My gift is a curse, similar to yours," Victor said.

"My gift's a curse?" Abel asked, confused.

Victor had made it sound as if his gift was a blessing something to be grateful for.

But now he was calling it a curse? Which was it? A gift or a curse?

"Yes, a curse," Victor confirmed. "My gift has to do with my mind. It's obsessed with knowledge far beyond human limitations. That's the downside. The upside is that I can think thousands of times faster than even some of the smartest individuals in this world."

Abel couldn't fully grasp just how impressive that was, but it sounded incredible.

"If we were to play chess, and you made a move, I'd instantly be able to see every possible way I could win and every possible way I could lose just from that one move."

Abel's jaw dropped in awe. That was basically like seeing the future. As he thought about it, he slowly started to understand how such a gift could be a curse.

It could attract the wrong kind of people.

"Now I get it," Abel said, a shiver running down his spine. "Someone could find out and want to study our brains in some kind of nasty science experiment."

"If you were to get caught by a crazy scientist then sure."

Abel hesitated before asking, "But I'm sure you didn't always see it as a curse. When did you start to realize it?"

***

"Congratulations, Lady Mercer! It's a healthy baby boy!"

The elderly nurse gently placed the newborn into the arms of a pale, beautiful young woman. She held the baby with infinite care, as if one wrong move could mean losing him forever.

The baby's cries echoed through the luxurious room.

"Oh, my baby, don't worry. Mama will take care of you," she whispered with a gentle smile.

Another hand joined hers, softly caressing the baby's cheek.

The man had smooth purple hair pulled back neatly, accentuating his sharp yet elegant features. His piercing black eyes, usually unreadable, were now filled with warmth as he gazed at his wife and newborn son.

"Let's name him Victor," he said. "Victor Mercer."

Fifteen Years Later

Victor beamed with excitement as he held the glowing rainbow gem in his hands.

"Finally! This will make Mom and Dad stronger than the Supremes!"

Without wasting a second, he sprinted to his father's office.

"Dad! Look, look!" he called eagerly.

His father barely glanced up from his desk at first, but the moment he saw the gem in Victor's grasp, his expression shifted. His sharp gaze locked onto the object, sensing the immense power radiating from it.

"Victor, what is that?" he asked, his voice measured but tense.

Victor smiled, expecting praise. "This gem will make our family stronger than the Supremes! It will break your limits for a full minute, giving you access to limitless power!"

But instead of pride, his father's face darkened. His black eyes bore into Victor's very soul, and for the first time in his life, Victor saw something terrifying his father's unrestrained anger.

"Victor!" his father roared. "How can you be so stupid?! For someone so smart, you really couldn't see how dangerous an invention like this could be?!"

Victor flinched. "Of course I did! But once you use it, no one will be able to oppose us!" he argued, his voice trembling.

His father exhaled sharply, pinching the bridge of his nose in frustration. When he finally spoke, his voice was calmer but firm.

"Victor, power is just a means to an end. It is not worth starting a war over. You'll understand one day, when you take control of this family." He sighed, patting Victor's head.

"But for now, say nothing about this gem. No one must know."

Despite their secrecy, worrd got out. By the next day, their worst fear became reality.

The demons came.

Not a few. Not dozens. Thousands.

An army led by four Devils the pinnacle of demonkind, each as strong as or stronger than a Supreme.

The Mercer estate, once a peaceful land, became a battleground. But it was a battle that lasted barely an hour before they were erased from the face of the Earth.

Within the wreckage, Victor hid inside a rune protected chamber, shielded from detection.

Through a small opening, he watched in horror as the demons feasted upon his parents.

Their limbs were torn apart. Their screams of agony filled the night.

And all he could do was watch.

A day later, when the demons had finally left, the rune weakened, setting Victor free.

But there was no family left to return to.

***

Victor sat across from Abel, his expression unreadable.

"My gift and my selfishness got my parents killed," he said. His voice was calm, but the weight of his words was crushing.

Abel remained silent, deep in thought. He had just heard a story of unimaginable loss, yet Victor still stood strong, still fought against demons.

"How are you not afraid of them?" Abel finally asked. "Especially after experiencing something like that?"

Victor leaned forward.

"There are two reasons I told you that story," he said.

"One, you need to understand that your gift is both a blessing and a curse. It only becomes a curse when you flaunt it when you believe it makes you superior to everyone else. That arrogance? That's what got my family killed."

"The second reason? I wanted you to know that I, too, once faced demons when I was weak. Demons hundreds of times stronger than the one you fought in that dungeon."

Victor let out a humorless chuckle.

"I was terrified during the invasion. Shit, I pissed my pants. Maybe even shitted myself. And you know what? I'm still afraid of demons. Especially the ones stronger than me."

Abel's eyes widened. "Then how do you—?"

Victor cut him off.

"It's okay to be afraid. Fear is what makes you human. But you can't let it stop you. If you can't overcome it on your own, then find something or someone worth fighting for. That's how I get through it every time."

His voice hardened. "I think about what they did to my family. And my desire for revenge overshadows my fear."

Victor stood up and walked to the door. Before leaving, he paused.

"If you're willing to overcome that fear and fight for your own survival, I'll be waiting at the guild with the rest of the crew." Then, without another word, he left.

Abel sat in silence, his mind racing. His gaze fell upon the untouched food Victor had left behind. Without thinking, he picked it up and ate, mulling over Victor's words.

Later, when he returned to his apartment, his eyes landed on the armor leaning against the wall.

Flashbacks of his fight with the demon flooded his mind.

He clenched his fists, took a deep breath, and walked toward the armor.

Without hesitation, he put it on.

"Fuck it." Abel muttered.