Fog rolled over the valley, thick and cold, curling between trees and swallowing the small village in its white embrace. Lanterns flickered in the wind, struggling against the mist. The stars above twinkled, distant and indifferent, as if they didn't care about the tiny life unfolding below.
Life on Earth had always been ordinary… until tonight.
The gods, after creating the universe, spinning galaxies, forming planets, oceans, skies, and finally humans, had grown bored. They had watched humanity kneel, pray, build temples, repeat the same rituals every day. Faith had become routine. Worship had become predictable. And that bored them.
So, they decided to play.
And the victim? A newborn child, born in a quiet, nameless village at the edge of the world.
Seven gods gathered, invisible to mortal eyes, stretching across the sky. Their forms were immense, incomprehensible, and their eyes burned with arrogance and amusement. The village slept unaware, except for the mother holding her newborn, rocking him gently, humming a soft lullaby.
Curse 1 – Bad Luck (God of Misfortune – Sad & Subtle)
The infant cried, tiny lungs screaming into the cold night. The God of Misfortune leaned close, voice soft, almost mournful:
"May misfortune follow you… quietly, painfully… a shadow at every step."
A candle toppled and shattered on the floor. Outside, a cart wheel broke, spilling its cargo into the mud. A dog barked wildly, startling a child in another house. Even the mother shivered as a chill ran down her spine. The child's life was now marked: simple acts would bring chaos, small steps would lead to suffering. Misfortune clung to him like a gentle, sad whisper, unseen but undeniable.
The infant blinked at the candle shards, unaware, yet somehow… sensing the tremor in the world.
Curse 2 – Time (God of Time – Serious & Stern)
Before the first curse could settle, the God of Time extended his hand, eyes cold and focused.
"Time itself will betray you. Days will pass in a heartbeat; minutes will stretch into centuries. You will linger… but never truly belong."
The child's tiny fingers twitched unnaturally. Growth would be uneven. Some nights he would sleep for what felt like an instant; some days stretched endlessly. Friends would come and go, memories would blur. He would watch the world move on without him, trapped in a loop of moments that didn't belong to him. Even the gods hesitated slightly—time was their domain, after all. Yet the child absorbed the curse, untouched in body but marked in soul.
Curse 3 – Painful Truth (Goddess of Flesh – Sharp & Piercing)
The Goddess of Flesh leaned closer, her words slicing the night air like fine knives:
"Let every lie pierce you, every truth burn. Know everything, yet be powerless to change it."
Even as an infant, the child's mind felt pricks of awareness. Every hidden thought, every deception in the world would stab him. Humans would lie. Gods would lie. And he would remember it all. His innocence already tasted of fire, tiny hands gripping the blanket as if trying to hold on to something pure.
Curse 4 – Hunger (God of Hunger – Cold & Distant)
The God of Hunger, pale and still, placed a hand near the infant.
"May your soul always crave… yet never be satisfied. You will hunger for love, for safety, for life itself… and find emptiness."
Even as a baby, the child felt a strange void—not physical, but deep in his spirit. Love, comfort, warmth… all would slip through his grasp. The hunger would follow him everywhere, a constant companion. When he grasped at his mother's chest for comfort, the warmth felt fleeting, a whisper that vanished too quickly.
Curse 5 – Shadows (God of Dominion – Arrogant & Commanding)
The God of Dominion's shadow stretched unnaturally around the child, dark tendrils curling like living things.
"Let darkness cling to you. Let it whisper. Let it hide what you must see… and show what you should fear."
Shadows twisted in the corners of the room. Even the mother felt them, fleeting, like icy fingers. No matter where the child went, shadows would follow, hiding dangers and revealing secrets, feeding fear. The child would always feel watched, unsafe, as if reality itself was conspiring against him.
Curse 6 – Memory (Goddess of Fate – Cryptic & Mysterious)
The Goddess of Fate's threads twisted violently, caressing the child's aura.
"Remember everything… yet lose yourself in it all. Every face, every glance, every fleeting moment will be yours forever… yet never truly yours."
Even as an infant, the child's mind stored echoes of the world: fleeting expressions, whispered secrets, passing footsteps. Every memory burned into him. He would remember all, yet belong to none, trapped between the present and eternity.
Curse 7 – Unknown (Oldest God – Calm, Terrifying, Unknowable)
The oldest god, silent until now, stepped forward. His voice was deep, calm, almost bored… but it carried weight that made even other gods hesitate.
"This final curse… not even I can name it. Not even I know its shape, its effect, or its end. It will awaken in time, and when it does… it will change everything."
It attached itself to the child like a shadow with no edges, a whisper with no sound. Its essence was unknowable, even to the gods.
The infant yawned. He did not cry. He did not panic. He only stared into the night, wide-eyed, calm… aware.
Seven curses had fallen, each god's power and voice reflected in the effect. Seven gods had laughed at their own cruelty. And yet, the first tremor of defiance had already begun.
The child was cursed… but he was not helpless.
He was aware.
And he would grow.