Lanta

The scar-faced man produced a slender, silver needle, glinting in the dim light.

Karyan's eyes widened as a cold sweat broke down on his forehead.

"What is that?" Karyan stammered.

The scar-faced man remained silent; he had an extremely icy expression on his face. He approached Karyan with the needle, and Karyan's heart stopped beating for a second.

"Please, I haven't done anything wrong!" Karyan pleaded as the scar-faced man advanced.

He needed this magic; he needed his elements. How else will he get his revenge?

Ignoring Karyan's pleas, the scar-faced man carefully pressed the needle against Karyan's skin.

A sharp pain shot through Karyan's body as the needle pierced him.

Karyan gritted his teeth, his eyes squeezed shut together, but the scar-faced man continued his work.

He carefully drew detailed designs on Karyan's skin; each line was sending waves of pain through the young boy.

As the scar-faced man worked, Karyan felt a strange energy coursing through him. It was as if the very essence of his magic was being tampered with.

"What are you doing to me?" Karyan gasped.

The scar-faced man finally spoke emotionlessly. "Sealing away your magic. You're a threat."

Karyan's body tensed as the pain intensified. The scar-faced man seemed relentless, and Karyan's magical abilities were slowly being suppressed.

"Let me go! I need my magic! I need it!"

In the dark room, Karyan's quiet cries and the scary sounds of the scar-faced man's careful torture filled the air.

Each gentle poke of the needle brought Karyan closer to losing his natural ability and stripping off his power once again.

"This is illegal! You can't do this to me!"

The basement was thick with tension as the scar-faced man carried out Mateo's cruel orders, determined to erase any trace of magic from Karyan's being.

After enduring the agonizing torture, Karyan was thrown back into his room; his body was limp and almost lifeless, sprawled on the cold, murmuring ground.

The leftover signs of pain on his face were unsettling, showing that he had just been through a very tough time.

As Karyan lay there, drained and battered, a sudden movement caught his attention.

From underneath the bed, a small snake slithered into view. Its scales shimmered with an otherworldly glow.

The little snake, seemingly unaffected by the chaos around, approached Karyan's feeble form.

With a gentle motion, it coiled itself around his body; its presence was oddly comforting despite its cold nature.

The glow from the snake intensified, casting a bright light in the dim room.

As the serpent wrapped around Karyan, he felt a comforting warmth spreading through him, as if the creature possessed a healing energy.

The little snake continued its silent support, like a mysterious guardian offering solace to the tormented boy.

Overwhelmed by the soothing presence of the mystical snake, Karyan closed his eyes, surrendering to the comforting sensations.

In that moment of peace, the room dissolved into darkness.

When Karyan opened his eyes again, he found himself in a surreal landscape—a dark and enchanting forest with towering emerald trees that reached for the starlit sky.

The air hummed with freezing energy, but the ground beneath his feet felt soft and mossy.

The little snake remained coiled around him; its glow was continuing to blend seamlessly with the magical ambiance of the forest.

It seemed as if the snake had transported him to this mysterious realm, like he was removed from the harsh reality he had known.

As Karyan gazed around, he realized that this place held an eerie beauty, both calming and unsettling.

The forest looked full of ancient secrets, and shadows danced among the trees like little spirits.

The air was filled with a mystical fragrance.

Karyan hesitated before taking a cautious step forward.

The little snake, still wrapped around him, seemed to guide him through the forest, "thank you," Karyan said slowly.

As Karyan walked deeper into the mystical forest, he saw a figure, a mesmerizing one.

Her long, night-black hair was falling down like a waterfall, contrasting with her pale, shiny skin.

Her striking green eyes gleamed with calmness and intelligence.

Lanta, the queen of snakes.

Her presence was both alluring and fearsome.

She wore a dress made of snake skins twisted together, and it looked like they were moving as if they were alive.

A serpent-like tongue slithered out between her lips, resembling the very creatures that adorned her attire.

The forest seemed to hush in reverence as she gracefully moved.

As Karyan caught sight of Lanta, memories flooded back, and he immediately bowed before her. "It's been so long," he uttered.

Lanta remained silent, and instead of responding, she extended a delicate hand towards a cobra that had silently slithered into the clearing.

The serpent, recognizing its queen, coiled around her hand, and Lanta began to pet it with an almost maternal tenderness.

In the silence that followed, Karyan awaited Lanta's acknowledgment, unsure of the purpose behind his unexpected visit to this realm guided by the mystical snake.

Lanta's green eyes held sorrow and curiosity as she continued to stroke the cobra. "Five years ago, I lost a child, a dear one to me... Do you know what happened to him?"

Karyan hesitated for a moment before replying, "Yes."

"He was killed... tortured by humans and then burnt with magic, a magical creature alone." She was speaking softly, not even looking at Karyan, almost like she was telling a story.

"Anaksu was my friend too, Lanta."

Lanta's gaze intensified, and she finally addressed him, "Why are you calling me by my name, child?"

"Because..." Karyan lowered his head, "I was reborn."

The forest seemed to hold its breath, awaiting her response.

Karyan looked up, meeting Lanta's piercing gaze, "I carry the memories of my previous life."

"Karyan…?"

"I'm sorry for making you wait so long before appearing before you…"

"No, no, that's not what I mean," she removed her hand from the cobra and quickly got up.

"I'm a little confused here."

Lanta came closer to him and looked deep inside his eyes, "Anaksu sacrificed its life for you to keep your memories it seems."

"He did what?!"

"I carried your curse and helped you to be reborn, but I couldn't bring your memories to you, only the Anaksu could…"