a new life

The man gave an evil grin, his eyes gleaming with some twisted satisfaction. "I need them for the mastermind plan I have," he said, like a villain straight out of a cheap movie.

I clenched my fists, trying to keep my cool. "Leave them alone, you bloody moron, or else—"

Before I could finish, he cut me off with a smug smile. "Oh, baby boy, cursing is bad. Didn't your mother teach you any manners? Or maybe she didn't care enough to, seeing as you're adopted."

That last word hit me like a punch. Sure, I'd always known I was adopted—I mean, it was obvious. My parents had different skin tones, different hair colors, different eyes... everything. But hearing it from him, in this twisted moment, was unsettling.

I took a deep breath, steadying myself. "Okay, so what?" I shot back, my voice cold. "At least my mother raised me like a decent human being. You, on the other hand, are more of a donkey in my opinion."

His grin faltered, and I could see the annoyance flicker in his eyes. Good. I wasn't going to let him rattle me that easily.

He gave me a smug look and said, "Hmm, so you wanna just argue with me, or do you actually want to save your parents, x981?"

I blinked, completely confused. "What's with all those names? First baby boy, now x981? You got a whole roster of dumb nicknames lined up or something?" I shot back. "And yes, I want to save my parents. I already know where this is going—you're gonna ask me to do something in exchange for their safety, right?"

He smirked, clearly pleased with himself. "Such intelligence. I expected this much from you."

I frowned. "Do you even know me?"

"Oh yes," he said, the smugness dripping from his voice.

I leaned forward, my eyes narrowing. "When did I meet you?"

There was a moment of silence, and that stupid grin of his didn't waver. The mystery only deepened, and I felt that familiar sense of dread creeping in.

The man's smirk widened as he leaned back, and with a wave of his hand, a magical screen appeared in front of me. On the screen, I saw my parents—tied to chairs, bruised and battered. Their faces were pale, and it was obvious they needed medical help from the accident.

Rage boiled inside me. "Hey, you bitch! They need treatment!" My voice came out like a snarl, and I could feel a dark aura swirling around me, growing stronger by the second. The room felt colder as my anger intensified.

He looked completely unfazed, casually glancing at me. "Oh, I'll give them treatment... but even if they get it now, they'll die."

His words hit me like a punch to the gut. My breath caught, and I could barely contain my fury. "Why the hell would they die?" I demanded, my heart pounding in my chest.

He hummed, as if amused by my reaction. "Hmm... because they've been infected by a micro-bomb. A nice little device that can explode whenever I want it to."

My blood ran cold. The darkness around me pulsed with my emotions. My parents—who had always taken care of me, raised me—were now at the mercy of this psychopath. And I was powerless to act... for now.

I gritted my teeth and said, "Speak. What do you want from me?"

He leaned in, still smirking like he had all the time in the world. "You're just going to return to the place you belong," he said, his voice low and smug.

I frowned, trying to make sense of his cryptic words. "Is that all? And where is that place? Why do I even belong there?"

He chuckled, raising his hand like I was some kid asking too many questions. "Hey, hey, slow down with the questions. I'll tell you."

I felt my patience wearing thin, but I knew I had to stay calm. "First, release my parents. I'll do everything you say," I said, my voice sharp and serious.

His grin widened. "Good," he replied, almost pleased with himself. "Now, we can begin."

He flicked his wrist again, and the screen changed once more. It now displayed my parents being attended to by some people who looked like they were doing their best to stabilize them. Despite the relief that they were getting care, my heart felt heavy with dread for what was coming next.

With a casual gesture, he released me from the chair and guided me into another room—dark, cold, and eerily sterile. I couldn't shake the feeling that I was walking straight into a nightmare.

He turned to face me, a wicked grin on his face. "So, you want to know where you belong?" he asked, his voice oozing malice.

I nodded, swallowing hard, trying to prepare myself for whatever twisted explanation he was about to deliver.

"You're not just any ordinary kid," he began. "You are the result of a long, complex experiment—a perfect blend of all five major species."

I felt a shiver run down my spine. "Five species? What are you talking about?"

His grin widened. "You see, you have traits from all of them. The strength of humans, the magic of elves, the grace of fairies with their eagle-like wings, the adaptability of mermaids, and the shapeshifting abilities of, well, shapeshifters."

I stared at him, my mind reeling. "Wait, so you're saying I'm some kind of... hybrid?"

"Exactly," he said, clearly enjoying my reaction. "You're not even born normally—more like a science experiment gone awry. And now, you're stuck with all these powers and characteristics."

I tried to wrap my head around it. I'd always known I was different, but this? It was like the world had turned upside down. "So, what does that make me?" I asked, my voice trembling. "A freak of nature?"

He chuckled darkly. "Well, you're certainly not a typical child. And you're going to find out just how special—or rather, how useful—you are."

I tried to laugh, but it came out hollow. "Great. So I'm a freak with a bunch of powers and no choice but to serve you. Is that it?"

"Oh, there's more," he said, almost cheerfully. "You're going to be subjected to intense experimentation, tortured, and forced into all sorts of shady activities. This is just the beginning."

The weight of his words hit me like a ton of bricks. The idea of being tortured, experimented on, and coerced into doing whatever these people wanted was almost too much to bear. I felt my anger surge. "You think you can just break me and use me however you want?"

His grin didn't falter. "Oh, I don't think—I know. You'll learn soon enough that resistance is futile. You belong to us now."

I clenched my fists, trying to keep my emotions in check. The darkness around me seemed to pulse with my anger and fear. My thoughts were a chaotic mess. I wasn't just Lior anymore; I was a product of some twisted experiment, a puppet for these sick individuals.

Despair threatened to consume me, but I forced myself to stay focused. My parents were still out there, and as long as they were in danger, I had to stay strong. No matter how much this situation sucked, I had to find a way to protect them and escape this nightmare.

For now, I had to play along and bide my time. The thought of what was coming next filled me with dread, but I refused to let it break me. I wasn't just some experiment. I was a person with a will to fight, and I wasn't about to give up.