Bitter memories

And as Miron and General Udariv continued their destructive attacks, the latter remembered his past life and all the emotions that had ever inhabited him, tormented him, torn him apart until that day. And that with a naturalness that surprised him,

He had been born in the kingdom of Dirius, also known as the city of ashes, and that was because of the dark colors that the people took deeply. Even the blazing rays of the great sun of Ashellion had a dark hue as they fell upon the great city in love with the shades of night, and that made them famous throughout the magical world. He was endowed by his star of destiny with a wealthy family, wise and graced with great beauty, he had also inherited from his mother the sandy color of his curly hair. The three of them should have had a happy and open life. But for his misfortune, the first one he had ever known in his life, his parents, who were so much in love with each other, did not inherit either of them the parental fiber. Udariv had never for a moment remembered a moment when he knew tenderness in that home so rich in dark colors. No gift made from the heart, no affectionate smile, no story told with the aim of offering him a soothed, supportive and open mind, painted with those shimmering and clear colors that Dirius ignored.

In short, Udariv had no memories to hold on to. No certainty, however small, in the very meaning of the word family. But when they discovered his exceptional aptitude for magic, they changed completely. Their son, flesh of their flesh, yet so indifferent to their hearts, was able to do whatever was asked of him, no matter how hard, how long, how strange. His magic dominated all those of his generation and propelled him at a very young age into the ranks of the great master mages. At first, not caring what their son was doing, or how he might have felt about such carefree and unselfconsciousness, his parents were intrigued by the rumors that began to circulate about their son's undeniable talent for mastering magic and the power of his magic, but they took a keen interest when Udariv won first place in a prestigious contest that opened the doors to fame. His parents, narcissistic, insensitive and egocentric, but above all with a sharp mind, dreaming only of fame and fortune, of unwavering prestige, immediately saw the immeasurable opportunity that their child's extraordinary gifts would bring them.

It was a sublime woman, with tears in her eyes, a true image of the loving and proud mother of her only child that his mother came to the stage where Udariv was standing, clutching the cup in his cold hands, and watched her come towards him as if petrified. Which was normal since it was really the first time

. The scene lit up by all the flashes that crackled everywhere, the mother Udariv who was moving inexorably towards him, the two delicate hands placed on her chest as a sign of deep emotion, soon spread them wide open to finally take her son in her arms and hug him to her heart with all her strength. But it did not stop there, no. She still took the trouble to kiss the face frozen by the surprise and another feeling that he had to identify later. A rain of incessant kisses poured on his icy skin and one was enough to suffocate him, then his mother told the whole kingdom how blessed she was to have such a fantastic and gifted son.

At first, Udariv couldn't believe what was happening to him. All the good things had come to him at once. Then, when his mind regained its reflective abilities, he understood how he was endowed by the gods with diverse and immeasurable talents since even his magic and skill had succeeded where his whole life himself had failed despite his helpless and desperate wish, to make his parents love him.

He wished so much for everything to be true that somehow he managed to make his wishes come real and create a world where they would last forever.

When everything was over, the festivities were over, the words of congratulations and the countless appointment cards distributed, the promises given, the three of them returned home painted with a dark garnet and for the first time also, Udariv noted, the pain had not woken up. The loneliness had finally dissipated.

Udariv couldn't conceive how much the mind was capable of denying reality.

Just before going to sleep tonight, his mother came to tuck him in and hugged him again.

"I love you so much Udariv."

"Really mother?"

"Yes. You are the most beautiful, the most prodigious child in all of Dirius."

"If I am to you, nothing else matters mother, even if I am not."

Her mother's embrace tightened around his already imposing body.

"But if you are, even if you don't quite realize it yet. And the day will come when everyone will know it too. Dirius and all the kingdoms of the magical universe."

So she kissed him on the forehead, stroked his hair again tenderly as light as her own, and whispered to him again before leaving.

"And when all this is done, you will join the immortals of Zeog. But until then, sweet dreams.

Everything that followed from that day on was. Wonderful, intense, unforgettable dreams, but in the end as false as the bright affection his parents had for him.

Udariv accepted various missions, each more important and complex than the last, which brought him everything that could make his parents happy. Money flowed freely. The fame was growing and spreading throughout the cities, the respect and admiration, the cult was a certainty that was inexorably approaching and would soon be established never to collapse.

Udariv was only seventeen years old when he reached the coveted and illustrious position of director of the company of Golos, which allowed him to take care of everything that could interest anyone and made him earn money until he did not know what to do with it.

At that age he had also reached the ultimate size of his giant body, which he had covered with protection and revitalization spells, coveted by women he took by the thousands, envied by men so inferior to him, by mages who would never know the world in which he evolved.

He was already on top.

What an irony, if all those blind fools knew how much he envied them for possessing so abundantly and without any need for collateral, what in the end nothing had the power to buy, and which he would never get.

It took him a long time to finally admit it.

And mostly because of this person.

This being so powerful and clear-sighted who saw the world as it was and did not hesitate to take advantage of everything it had to offer, whether it was good or bad, and this with a fierce and unlimited greed.

The first time he saw him was at the exit of a posh nightclub in which a whole room was entirely dedicated to him, and that he was accompanied by two beautiful young women who would help him to finish the night in his apartments.

The wizard crossed the street then turned to him and said with a natural tone.

"Why do you bother to run away, go to the source of the problem and settle whatever the price is. It's so liberating."

And he concluded by looking at the two women with an obvious contempt before continuing his way and disappearing into the night.

"No, but what am I meddling with! "exclaimed one of his companions.

"Yes, he thinks he's so superior, but I bet he's one of those who pay for his pleasure!

"Yes, he is..."

The two friends continued to complain indignantly at the way the stranger had treated them, but Udariv knew deep down what he had been trying to tell him.

"