Birth of "The Devil"

Location: A cave on the banks of the Asfa River

[Inside a dark cave]

Ahtesham lies unconscious near the river’s edge. Slowly, his eyes open.

Ahtesham (thinking):

Where... where am I?

What am I doing here?

Oh yeah... Saim pushed me off the mountain. Maybe the river carried me here.

I have to go back—

Aaahh! I can’t move... My legs feel broken. My arm too.

Wait...

What’s that light?

He notices a glowing green light coming from a stone nearby.

Ahtesham (thinking):

It’s warm... a soft green light.

Coming from that stone...

I should rest here… just for a while…

---

[Later]

Ahtesham opens his eyes again, groggy but alert.

Ahtesham (thinking):

Did I pass out?

I... wait—my arm? My legs?

They’re healed… I don’t feel any pain anymore!

How is that even possible?

The green light has vanished.

Ahtesham (thinking):

The light… it’s gone.

Was it… that rock?

Was it just a hallucination?

But no… I was badly hurt. That’s real.

What just happened to me?

---

[Suddenly, from outside]

(Sound: Gunfire, Screams)

??? (distant voice): Help! Somebody help me, please!

Hooler Soldier 1: Why are you running, old man?

Hooler Soldier 2: Pay your taxes and we’ll let you leave. There’s no point in running—you can’t escape. No one’s coming to save you.

Old Man: Please... I don’t have any money. Spare me... I’m begging you.

Hooler Soldier 1: No money? Then die.

He raises his gun—

Hooler Soldier 1: Partner? Hey, Peter—where’d you go? Quit joking around!

He turns and sees his partner's body floating in the river.

Hooler Soldier 1: What the—?! Peter?!

Hey old man! You saw something, didn’t you? Who did this?!

Tell me now—or I’ll kill you too!

Old Man: Please, I swear! I didn’t see anyone!

Hooler Soldier 1: Then DIE!

Suddenly—

(Sound: Gunshot… then silence)

Old Man (blinking): …I’m still alive?

Ahtesham appears, gripping the soldier’s gun arm tightly.

Hooler Soldier: Who... who are you?! Let go of me!

Do you have a death wish, freak?! You monster!

Ahtesham: Didn’t your mother teach you…

Never bully the elderly.

(Sound: Bone cracking, followed by screams and another shot)

---

Old Man (shocked): Thank you, young man!

My name’s Moiz. You're so fast—so skilled. Are you from the army?

He gasps.

Moiz: W-What happened to your face?

Ahtesham: My face? What do you mean?

Moiz: Look… see for yourself. In the river’s reflection.

Ahtesham looks down. Half his face is badly scarred, burned by the river’s fury and the battle’s chaos.

Ahtesham: I… I look like a devil.

His voice turns cold, low.

Ahtesham: They’ll pay for this.

For what they did to me.

To my country.

Saim…

Ahtesham: Moiz, take care of yourself. I have to go.

Ahtesham (thinking):

Saim… wait for me.

Everyone… please be alive.

---

[Later – Near the Village Gate]

Ahtesham (thinking):

That’s the gate!

Just a little further…

Why is there so much smoke?

Ahtesham:

Saim! Sofia! Ali! Elder Joan!

I’m back! Say something! Anyone!

Hooler Soldier: Stop right there! Who are you?! Go back or I’ll shoot!

Other Hooler: He’s got a gun!

Ahtesham (coldly):

You’re still here?

Then I’ll finish what I started.

(Sound: Gunfire)

Hooler Soldier (shouting):

How’s he dodging bullets?!

He’s too fast—AAAHH!

Surviving Soldier: You’re a monster!

You killed my brother!

Ahtesham:

No.

The real monsters are you.

You killed innocent people—

And now, it’s your turn to die.

(Sound: Screams, gunfire)

---

Ahtesham (thinking):

They… they burned my village.

Everything’s gone.

Ahtesham:

Saim? Elder Joan? Sofia?

Please! Say something! You can’t be gone!

(Sound: Crying)

Ahtesham (furious):

I swear... I’ll kill them all.

For my home… for everyone!

---

[Inside His Burned Hut]

He pushes open the cracked wooden door.

Ahtesham:

They murdered my people…

Burned my village…

For some damn money?!

He falls to his knees. In the wreckage, he sees a familiar object.

Ahtesham (softly):

That… that’s Father’s hunting mask.

He lifts it gently, trembling.

Ahtesham:

It’s all my fault, Father…

I couldn’t protect him.

Forgive me.

Ahtesham (thinking):

Now’s not the time to cry.

I have to rise.

I will avenge them.

He puts the mask on. Tears fall behind it. Then he screams into the sky, voice echoing across the broken village.

Ahtesham (shouting):

Saim! Sofia! Elder Joan!

Is anybody still alive?!

Answer me!

Tell me you’re okay!!

YAAAAAAAAAHHHHH!!

---

But no one answers. His brother, his friends, his elder... All gone.

Ahtesham:

I swear by your memory, Father…

I’ll take revenge.

Every Hooler soldier… inspector…

Everyone who took part in this—

—will face the hell I’ll create for them.

From today…

My name will be “Devil.”

To Be Continued…

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