Chapter 1: The Thirteenth Child

In their ramshackle hut in the edge of the woods. A husband and wife were in despair.

The woman just given birth to their thirteenth child, and the growing family was quickly running out of food and money.

The poor man sat on the edge of his bed, staring at the bundle of blankets in his arms. His wife, exhausted from the birth, lay beside him, her breathing slow and steady. The man couldn't help but feel a sense of awe and fear as he looked at his thirteenth child.

Twelve mouths to feed, twelve pairs of hands to work. He knew that life would be hard for this child, just as it had been for all of his others. But something about this child felt different. This child was his last, and he knew that he had to do something special for him.

He made up his mind and carefully laid the baby in his wife's arms. "I'll be back soon," he said, kissing her forehead before leaving the small, cramped cabin. The father then walk through the wood to ponder their problem.

As he walked down the dirt road, the man couldn't shake the feeling that he was being watched. He looked around, but saw nothing out of the ordinary. Still, the feeling persisted, growing stronger with each step.

Suddenly, a figure appeared before him. It was a man dressed in white, with a kind expression on his face. "God," the man said, falling to his knees.

God looked at the man with a kind expression. "I will be honored to be the godfather of your child," he said. "But know that I cannot guarantee that your child will never suffer. All men must face hardship in their lives."

The man was disappointed but he thanked God for his offer and continued on his journey. He knows that god passed down judgment on mankind.

As he walked, he came across another figure, this one dressed in black. "Devil," the man said, taking a step back. The devil had the appearance of a normal man, nothing out of the ordinary, yet wrong.

The Devil smiled wickedly. "I will give your child wealth and power beyond your wildest dreams," he said. "But know that the price will be steep. Your child will have to sell their soul to me."

The man knew that he couldn't accept such a deal, he thanked the devil and continue walking. He knows the devil offer a tempting deal, but in the end all happiness will turn into sufferings.

As the sun began to set, the man came upon a figure dressed in a hooded cloak. It was Death.

"Death," the man said, feeling a chill run down his spine. "Will you be the godfather of my child?". The man knew that the only being that not passed judgment to man, is death. Everyone is equal in the eyes of death.

Death looked at the man with a cold, emotionless gaze. "I will," he said. "But know that I am not a benevolent godfather. I will take your child when the time comes.

The man returned home, his heart heavy with the weight of his decision. He knew that choosing Death as his child's godfather was not a popular choice, but it was the only one that made sense to him. He couldn't bear the thought of his child suffering, and Death had promised him that the child would never have to experience hardship.

As the years passed, the man watched his child grow into a strong and healthy young man. But there was always a sense of unease in the back of his mind, a feeling that something was not quite right.

One day, the man's son came to him with a strange request. "Father," he said, "I have been experiencing strange dreams. In these dreams, Death comes to me and tells me that I am destined to become a physician. He says that I will be able to cure any illness, but only if I follow his instructions."

The man sat in silence, staring blankly at the candles that flickered in the darkness. He knew that Death was not a being to be trifled with, and he feared for his son's safety. But his son was determined, and the man knew that he couldn't stand in the way of his child's destiny.

He couldn't deny the fact that it was he who had sought out Death as a godfather for his son. He had wanted to protect his child from hardship, but in the end, he had only led him down a path of destruction. The man couldn't shake off the feeling of guilt as he watched his son train to become a physician, known throughout the land as the greatest healer of all time. People came from far and wide to seek his help, and he never failed to cure them.

But the man couldn't understand how his son was able to cure illnesses that had always been considered incurable. And he couldn't understand why Death always seemed to be lurking in the background, watching over his son's every move.