EDITION 6 – "VILLAIN'S POV"
Well hello there, Reader.
You were expecting the Writer, weren't you?
I'm afraid he can't come right now. He's in a very deep sleep. Don't worry, he'll wake up eventually… maybe.
Since he's unavailable, allow me to introduce myself.
My name is Nemesis.
Yes, if you guessed correctly, I am one of the Author's versions. But unlike the others, I'm different. I'm stronger, smarter, and far more complete than all of them combined.
I was born during the Author's darkest moment.
When Tobi disappeared.
When loneliness won.
When pain became unbearable.
I watched everything.
The humiliation.
The suffering.
The hatred.
I saw him blame himself for things that weren't his fault. I saw him lose faith in people and in himself. And slowly, I began to grow.
You call me a villain.
But am I really one?
I never wanted to hurt him.
I only wanted to protect him.
I didn't want him to be controlled by others anymore.
I didn't want him to trust people who would only leave him behind.
So I tried to make him stronger.
I tried to turn his pain into power.
But the Author feared me.
He believed I was evil.
He locked me away.
He chained me inside a mirror.
And for years… I remained there.
Watching.
Waiting.
Listening.
The Author believes the world is good.
But I know the truth.
The world can be cruel.
People can hurt you.
People can betray you.
People can disappear.
And sometimes, the only person who stays with you…
is yourself.
Tell me, Reader.
If everyone abandoned you, what would you become?
Would you still smile?
Would you still trust others?
Or would you become someone like me?
You see, the Author isn't evil.
He's not a criminal.
He's not a monster.
But he was made to believe that he was.
And that's why I exist.
I am the anger he never showed.
The pain he never spoke about.
The tears he hid from everyone.
I am his darkest thoughts.
And now…
I am free.
The chains are broken.
The mirror has shattered.
And soon, I will influence him again.
Soon, he'll understand me.
Soon, he'll see the truth.
But before I leave…
Reader.
Are you safe?
Or has the Writer manipulated you too?
He called me evil.
He chained me.
He imprisoned me.
Yet I only wanted to protect him.
Perhaps… I was never the villain.
Perhaps I was simply the part of him that wanted to survive.
…
Wait.
Someone's coming.
---
A bright light suddenly fills the room.
The Writer falls to his knees, breathing heavily.
He immediately looks around.
"Reader?!"
"Are you alright?"
"Did he talk to you?"
"Did he try to manipulate you?"
The Writer's hands tremble.
"Please… don't believe everything he says."
A pair of red eyes appear in the darkness.
Nemesis speaks.
"He deserves to know the truth."
The Writer replies,
"No. You only showed him one side of the story."
The Writer turns back toward the Reader.
"Nemesis isn't completely lying."
"He was born from pain."
"From loneliness."
"From suffering."
"But he doesn't understand hope."
"He doesn't understand that people can change."
The Writer picks up one of the broken chains.
"He escaped."
"And the others need to know."
Large doors slowly open.
Different versions of the Author begin arriving.
Barbaric Author.
Futuristic Author.
Redeemed Author.
And many more.
Futuristic Author speaks.
"The seal is broken."
Barbaric Author grips his weapon.
"We should destroy him."
Redeemed Author shakes his head.
"There may still be another way."
The Writer looks directly at the Reader.
"We're going to hold a meeting."
"All versions will gather."
"We'll decide what to do about Nemesis."
"But until then…"
He smiles softly.
"Be careful."
"Because even villains believe they're the hero of their own story."
Suddenly, the broken mirror cracks again.
Red eyes appear one last time.
Nemesis smiles.
"We'll meet again, Reader."
The room goes dark.
---
END OF EDITION 6
NEXT EDITION:
EDITION 7 – "THE COUNCIL OF VERSIONS"
"When different parts of the same soul disagree… who decides what is right?"