Mortal

"You truly are a foolish being—a slave from the very start. And even now, you remain an ignorant pawn, clinging to a desire you know deep down will never come true."

"I said, who are you?! How do you know all this?!" Ryan—or whatever had taken control of him—screamed, his voice cracking under the weight of his confusion.

She didn't answer immediately. Instead, she gazed at him, her eyes calm yet piercing. After a moment, she smiled and reached for the pendant around her neck—a small, heart-shaped charm that Ryan hadn't noticed before. It seemed insignificant at first glance, yet the way her fingers curled around it told a different story.

"Do you even know why she made you do all of this?" she asked, her tone sharper now. "To drive him down a path she knows he would never willingly walk. To push him toward a fate he resists with every fiber of his being. Do you even understand why she obsesses over him? Why you were made to stoke his hatred, to feed him those memories over and over again?"

Ryan—no, the entity within him—shifted uncomfortably in the chair. Its voice, normally filled with arrogance, now carried a hint of fear. "What are you?"

"I told you before," she said softly. "I am the villainess. You should know that already, especially since you've been trying to pry secrets of the future from him. Isn't that right? You're unsure if she will keep her promise."

Selena leaned back slightly, her smile deepening as she watched the creature wrestle with her words.

"Do you know the FUTURE?" it demanded suddenly, desperation slipping into its tone. "Would—?"

"No," she interrupted. "I don't know the future. But I do know this: you will never become a primordial god."

"LIES! She promised!" it snarled.

"Then why do you doubt her?" Selena's question was calm, yet it cut through the air like a blade. The creature fell silent.

"Let me tell you a story," she continued, her voice taking on a darker, more ominous tone. "There was once a mortal who sought absolute power. He began as nothing—just another speck in the vast tapestry of fate. But he conquered everything that stood in his way, driven by a singular purpose. As his strength grew, so too did the fear of the gods. They watched as he ascended beyond the limits set by destiny itself, beyond their control, beyond even their understanding."

"This mortal was different. Unlike the Children of Destiny, whose potential is vast yet ultimately confined by the WILL, he was bound by no such chains. His growth was limitless, and that terrified them. They knew that if left unchecked, he would rise to challenge even the primordial gods themselves. So, they devised a plan.

"First, they sent lesser gods. But to their horror, those gods fell. But he defeated them all. Gods, once thought immortal, were slain. Their very essence—erased. That was when they realized the truth: he wasn't just a mortal. He was something far more dangerous. So more lesser gods were dispatched, and the Fates themselves wove intricate coincidences to end him. Yet all their efforts crumbled. This mortal stood above them all.

"But then…" Selena's voice dropped. "But then… one goddess proposed an idea… an idea that could be the only way to destroy this mortal,"

"...The records were brought forth, and all gods infused their essence in the creation of one being. A being which was not made to be powerful; rather, that being was made to embody fragility. That being was created, but it was then they realized that the plan was doomed to fail, for a reason they all knew too well. But there was a way to still make it work, and that way was for a certain goddess to sacrifice half of her essence, part of herself, for its creation,"

She paused, her gaze fixed on the trembling creature before her. "Now, do you understand why she made you do all this?"

The entity quivered, the pieces slowly falling into place.

"You still don't see it, do you? How unfortunate." Selena sighed, lifting her hand. Symbols, ancient and ever-shifting, began to form in the air. Bluish strands of glowing runes spiraled around her fingers, each one pulsating with an unearthly energy.

"Wait… WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!" the creature shrieked, panic surging through its voice.

But it was too late. The symbols shot forward, embedding themselves into Ryan's chest. His golden eyes dimmed, turning ashen as the light drained from them.

"I'm rewriting the story," Selena whispered, stepping closer. Her face was mere inches from his now. "And for that to happen… you can no longer be a part of it."

She leaned in, her lips stopping just shy of his.

"It's going to be interesting,"