It's a boy, Your Highness," the nurse says with joy while holding me in her hands. "Let me hold my child." My mother whispered, unable to catch her breath. The nurse gently places me in my mother's arms. My eyes are fully opened wide. "What's going on?" I thought to myself, trying to speak only to mutter random noises. Staring at my hands, I realized something very disturbing… I, Simon, a 16-year-old student, have now become a baby.
My mother holds me gently with tender hands and a warm, radiant smile, her eyes shining like gold. She speaks softly, yet her words carry such profound strength: "It's incredible what a woman's body can do. I just created a life from inside me
something so pure and beautiful." As she touches my face with love, another nurse enters the room, accompanied by a tall, dark-skinned man with long black hair, rushing to my mother's side with urgency and care.
"Are you okay, my love?" he whispered softly into her ear, his voice trembling with concern. My mother, struggling to find her words, managed to say, "This is our child, our baby boy a life I brought into this world from deep within me." A gentle smile touched her lips. "His name shall be Castiel. I will always protect him," she vowed. But then she coughed, covering her mouth, and when she looked at her hand, blood stained her fingers. The atmosphere shifted instantly her once radiant golden hair and eyes that shined like the sun began to fade. In that heartbreaking moment, everything changed.
From the very first moment I entered this world, I've already brought tragedy with me
I am a jinx."She has died. My highness," the nurse whispers with tears streaming down her face. The tall man's voice trembles as he commands, "Take care of the child. You may use the Black Palace." Then he hurriedly leaves the room, his departure heavy with sorrow. Another nurse quietly gasps, "Did he really just banish this poor child to the Black Palace? The emperor has no heart so cold, so cruel. A ruler without compassion." Looking at me with gentle sorrow, she softly adds, "You poor child, I'll take care of you. Call me Aunt Joy." As she lifts me in her arms and gently plays with my tiny hand, I can feel her warmth and pity, a small glimmer of kindness.
Before long, five years had quietly slipped by. "Castiel, Castiel, take your head out of that book and come eat," Aunt Joy shouted. "Fine, I'm coming, Aunt Joy," I replied, dragging my feet as I left the library and stepped into The Grand Hall. There, I found Aunt Joy and the three maids Anna, Rose, and Bella waiting. "What were you reading this time?" Bella asked, her smile warm and teasing. "The boy should be focused on playing, not reading books he's only five," Rose said, crossing her arms with judgment. "Shut up, you two! Can't you see he's eating?" Anna shouted. I started to laugh at their bickering. "Careful, or you'll choke," Aunt Joy said with a mix of concern and affection. "And you three idiots, can a day go by where you aren't trying to tear each other apart?" Aunt Joy shouted. "Don't worry, Aunt Joy. It's okay I don't mind in the slightest. They make me laugh," I said with a grin, grateful for their lively, messy family moments.
I said smiling and moving on to answer Bella's question, "I was reading a book about the history of the Titan empire." I dipped bread in the sauce, savoring each bite. "Oh, and what have you learned?" Aunt Joy asked with curiosity. I took a moment before replying, "At the very beginning, there was nothing just an emptiness. Soon after, time flew by, creating a new existence. Time was alone in a white, empty space, until that space transformed into reality. Reality and Time bore daughters: Day and Night. Night filled the universe with darkness, while Day shone brightly lighting up the universe, but felt lonely, unable to share her light with her sister, envious that Day shined so brilliantly. Day created Life her beautiful daughter with golden eyes, who brought animals, plants, and all of existence into being. These beings are called the living. Night, consumed by envy, created to her own daughter to destroy all that life had created. Night created Death a woman cloaked in darkness, her eyes glowing dark green. She ended everything she touched, sending souls into a shadowy land named the land of the dead. Life couldn't allow this destruction, so she made a deal with Death: in exchange for allowing Death to take the guilty, she would help souls deemed innocent enter a bright, thriving place what we call heaven. For the guilty, a place called hell was born from the land of the dead, dark and relentless. Mortality was born from this balance death only condemning the wicked. But this process was slow, so Night created the Titans from her own blood, molding with stardust, to conquer worlds in her name, giving the living a fighting chance. Day, longing to protect her daughters creations, made spirits and granted them the gift of order a fundamental force of the arts. Since the beginning, chaos and order have existed manifesting in countless forms, each person's experience unique, their abilities categorized as either order or chaos based on their nature, Chaos Devouring and destroying, Order Maintaining and Creating. Spirits are born with star birthmarks, representing their bond to Day; The Titans, connected to Night, bear crescent moon birthmarks, embodying her influence." I said, "Very well done." Aunt Joy nodded approvingly. "At least someone pays attention to history." She looked at Bella, Anna, and Rose with a touch of disgust. "But, Aunty, what art do I have? My birthmark is a crescent moon, but it has a star in it." I looked at her, confused. "Sometimes people are born with a birthmark; by nature, it has no connection to the arts. It's just a normal thing that happens no meaning." Aunt Joy reassured me gently. "Now, it's time for bed. You have a big day tomorrow the emperor has ordered you to attend school." I groaned softly. "Do I have to go?" I asked reluctantly. "Yes, you do. Now, off to bed." I walked to my room, lay down on my bed, and closed my eyes, drifting peacefully into sleep.