What is the greatest sin a human can commit??
Is it stealing the money of the poor??
Is it raping a virgin woman or deceiving and scamming others??
Or is it killing the dearest person to him?
The girl: It seems this is your deepest secret.
He looked toward the enchanting bell-like red voice speaking to him and saw a girl who should not have appeared in this time and place.
The girl: O Atbah.
Atbah was shocked by her sudden appearance.
He smiled with a warm smile—??: Isn't the world of memories a beautiful world? No matter how much a human tries to forget the worst moments of his life, he cannot do that, yet it also wants you to forget what happened to you… isn't it a strange world?
Atbah remained silent and confused.
The girl: You have no words to say, right? But that is normal for people like you. When people discover the truth of monsters and their abilities, they lose their ability to speak out of fear. Now you are just a little boy in my birdcage. But there is something confusing—some of your memories have been erased for some reason. Your mind is filled with distortions, yet there is still one memory shining brighter than the others… and as I see it, it is a memory about a tunnel?
Upon hearing these words from her delicate lips, his heartbeat pounded with excitement and hope, but his words were the opposite of what he felt inside.
Atbah spoke with a trembling voice and terrified features: W-what… what did you see in that tunnel?
The girl looked at him with an amused gaze in her captivating eyes, as if she had found a new toy to play with.
The girl: Interesting… it seems my little dog has caused many problems for me, just like for you. I suppose I must take responsibility.
She waved her hand as if commanding the sky to move, and reality reshaped itself into a new and different world. Stones rained from the sky, yet they did not fall on them; instead, they formed and became a passage resembling the tunnel he had been in before.
Atbah looked at the familiar tunnel with eager and excited eyes, searching for the reason that brought him there.
The girl: Let's see what secrets you are trying to hide here.
The girl moved her hand in a circular motion counterclockwise, and the events that happened in the tunnel replayed until the severed head appeared.
The girl: Oh my… it was truly terrifying for a boy like you, wasn't it? Tell me, what do you feel now, my dear?
What was he feeling at that moment?
He felt many things…
But there was one feeling that overshadowed all the others…
He felt deep disappointment.
Atbah spoke sadly: Unfortunately.
Atbah stood up, held his face in disappointment, and the trembling tone disappeared from his throat, replaced by a pessimistic one.
The girl: W—
The girl was surprised by the sudden change in the young boy, whose features had become cold and disappointingly emotionless.
The girl: What did you say?
Atbah: I did not order you to speak.
The beauty froze from his arrogant and contradictory behavior, but what increased her tension was the appearance of a massive red eye above the boy, and one of his eyes changed to resemble it.
The girl's features turned more horrified: What is that in the world?
Atbah: What is that? Let's just say it's a small gift left to me by the person whose head I crushed… or the reason that made me crush his head. Don't you see it as a worthy sacrifice to help the prophesied hero… isn't that right, Tris?
Tris became tense upon hearing her name: H-how do you know my name?
Atbah: It's simple. I saw some of your memories. Tris, you are truly a kind girl, saving war victims and sheltering them.
Her expression turned into extreme horror: B-but how?
Atbah: These eyes allow me to copy any technique or magic used on me.
Tris collapsed after realizing the truth behind allowing her to enter his memories.
Tris: You deceived me… you were just playing with me!
Atbah: Don't say that… you're making me look like a devil here.
Atbah approached Tris with confidence and arrogance.
Tris felt fear: What are you going to do to me?
Atbah coldly: Just change some of your memories so you can become the hero's companion.
Before the girl could finish speaking, Atbah grabbed her head. She tried to resist with everything she had, but it was too late. Blue threads of bright light emerged from her eyes, illuminating the entire world.
The cloaked man: My lady, are you alright?
The girl: What—oh yes, I'm fine. It seems we misjudged this boy. He is not a spy, but one of the victims of war like the others. Please take him to the refugee room gently, he is dear to me.
The cloaked man looked at his lady with slight suspicion: As you wish, my lady.
He unlocked the chains from the boy's hands and legs and carried the unconscious boy to the refugee room.
Loud noises
He heard the voices of many people of different ages. Atbah opened his eyes to find himself in a very large room filled with many families of different races.
??: Oh my, it seems you have finally woken up.
He heard a voice from his right and saw a female imp around his age, with green skin, pointed ears, long black hair, and purple eyes.
??: Everyone, the new boy has woken up!
She shouted loudly to inform everyone in the room.
??: Really?
??: Where did you come from?
??: Can you tell us your name?
A group of children of different ages and races gathered around him.
Atbah was surprised by their number: My name??
Imp girl: Yes, what is your name?
He looked around before answering.
Atbah: My name is Atbah… just Atbah.
All: Welcome, Atbah!
Each child introduced themselves with enthusiasm and kindness. The imp girl was called Tala Qatad.
They all welcomed him happily as a new member of their family, but Atbah saw them only as side characters and wanted to think about his next move.
Atbah pretended to be tired and said: I want to get some air. Can you guide me to the exit?
??: I know the way out, I will guide him.
A human boy younger than him, with dark skin, black hair, and hazel eyes—his name was Falco Falim.
Atbah followed Falco to the exit. He looked around; everything was made of light clay or bricks the color of the desert, but when he passed through the gate, his view changed completely.
The entire place became a beautiful green garden filled with flowers and plants that did not suit a desert kingdom, as if he had entered another dimension.
Falco: Isn't this place very beautiful? Me and the other chi—
Atbah: Can you leave me alone for a while? I need some time by myself.
Falco: O-okay.
Falco tried to start a friendly conversation, but Atbah refused. The boy returned to the shelter with the other children.
Atbah thought to himself: So this is the place where the sorceress brings the refugees from the great war that happened 100 years ago. Even after all this time, its victims are still affected… She must have great talent in magic to create such an illusion of a green garden.
He touched the flowers and grass—they felt real. He smelled the scent of white roses and enjoyed these calm moments.
Tris: My dear boy, could you give me a bit of your time?
He heard the bell-like sound ringing in his ears and looked toward the red-haired girl waving at him.
Atbah approached her calmly and found her sitting elegantly at a table with teacups and an extra seat on a slightly elevated hill.
Tris: I hope you accept my request to join me for tea.
Atbah sat gracefully and took a sip of tea.
Atbah: ??
His expression slightly trembled as he realized that this time, his sense of taste had been taken—not a memory.
Atbah (to himself): (Oh… so it's taste this time.)
The girl: Are you alright, my dear?
Atbah: Don't worry about it. Let's just say something happened that I didn't expect.
Tris: I only wanted to tell you that we are trying our best to learn about the seven kings and the tunnel you are searching for, but our small numbers prevent us from gathering much information.
Atbah: That's fine. I truly appreciate what you are doing for me.
Tris: Don't say that, my dear. After all, it is an honor for me to work with a prophesied hero like you.
A sadistic smile appeared on Atbah's face as he held the teacup and took another sip.
Atbah: That's right… I am the prophesied hero, after all.