As the snake's poison slowly flows through the veins of my broken left arm, I cannot do more than watch the destruction of my home with my worsening eyes.

I can hear the final screams of the villagers alongside the growing hissing sounds.  I will forever remember the vivid stench of blood, burning flesh, and the strong odor of oil carried on the beast.

All I could vaguely see were the silhouettes of multiple giant snakes, each at least 100 meters in length, clad in purple scales now tainted red with blood.

I vowed to become strong enough to protect everyone.  Stronger than my father ever was.

And the man I once looked up to lies dead before me, barely recognizable, shredded apart by the fangs of this monstrous snake.

What truly defines existence in the world?

"Brother, are you alright!?!?"

(Uh no, sister!)

"Sueka!  Where are you!?"

I turn around and try to follow the sound of her frightened voice, but, before I can stand up, a giant pelican plant vine comes out of the ground, blocking me.

On the other side of the vine, I can hear two snakes circling clockwise with increasing speed.

In the middle of these monsters, I can hear my sister yell out with determination in her voice.

"If you harm mi hermano, you'll pay the price!!"

The two snakes collide together, attempting to crush her but, from the heavy breathing I can hear between them, my sister's unnatural strength stopped them.

Until a third one comes up from the ground underneath her and rams her upwards.

"SUEKA!!"

"BROTHER!!"

The three snakes rear up and, with their mouths wide open, rip through my sister's body with their fangs.

"NNNOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!"

Is it fame?  Fortune?  Strength?

At the sound of my sister's final breath, I collapse onto my knees before my father's dead body.

(Father...I'm sorry.  I vowed to protect you two, and I failed you both.)

"Fire Drive: ERUPTION VOICE!!!"

As I yell these words, a beam of fire 3 meters in radius burns through the pelican plant vine and collides with the three snake heads, burning them and my sister's corpse in the process.

I turn around to see the traitorous girl with flowing blonde hair weakly standing up and the flames coming from her mouth.  I cannot see her clearly, though I can tell she's struggling to stand.

Why did I trust that foreigner and let her get close?  Why was I not able to defeat that duo I face now?  Why did my family have to get involved?

The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.

The poison is messing with my thoughts.  Honestly, everything that led up to this point is but a blur in my mind.

All existence is an illusion found in memory.

Looking away from my father's corpse, I turn away to see the snake, jaw agape, rushing towards me.

"Jjjjjjaaaaaaaaa!!!"

(No, not now!)

Using what little physical strength I have left, I begin to stand up and focus.

(Soul Conversion 5...BEAT!)

Once my thought comes to an end, my body begins to surge with newfound stamina, though I feel queasy from the poison's influence.

Memories affect future decisions, embody our truths, prolong our friendships, and sustain our hatred.

A few meters before it hits me, I backflip to the left and barely dodge the rushing beast.  I can hear the smashing of tree trunks behind me and realize that would have been my fate.

Another few meters away from me, four snakes surround the blonde girl and prepare to ram her simultaneously.

"Fire Drive: FLAME PILLAR VORTEX!!!"

A large pillar of flames surrounds the girl within a 5 meter radius and turns the snakes to ash.  Some of their unsinged bones scatter across the field and the ribcage of one barely misses me.

I then notice I've been too distracted to hear another snake approaching me from behind.

(Crap!)

But what can be said for those without memory?

I can hear the snake rearing up preparing to crush me with its weight.

I dodge to the left by rolling.

As it crashes to the ground, it starts to slide towards me, intending to ram me with its side.

I backflip over its purple-scaled body and realize I am getting weak again.

(Soul Conversion 5...BEAT!)

Do they not exist?

Immediately after I complete this thought, two snakes attempt to crush me in between their heads.

As the heads rush towards me, a third one appears behind them and looks down upon me.

"Why resist us?"  remarks the snake with what looks like a smile.  "This is all in the name of revolution!  With your death, our home continent of Angelia will prosper in a glorious new age!"

"Honestly, I'd be crazy to even consider!  Especially after what you did to my family!!"

"Sacrifices must be made for progress!  That's the whole reason your death has value, Selot!!!"

"My name is NOT SELOT!!!"

Is everything they see an illusion?

(Why is my death the key to this?  Truth be told, why am I even worth killing?  What did I do to deserve this fate?  Is it something to do with who I am?)

(Or is this about who I was?  The me I do not know.)

Memory-less souls are the only honest people in life.

I look up to see the girl staying airborne, dispersing flames from her joints, using them as a form of propulsion.

"Fire Drive: MAGMA ORB!!"

Between her two hands, a rapidly expanding fireball begins to appear and spreads across the field with a 10 meter radius.

"TAKE THIS, YOU LYING BASTARD!!!"

She throws the fireball downwards in between the group of snakes, creating an explosion of fire that makes me feel as if I am burning up, even from this distance.  I cover my eyes to block out the blinding light.

(Do you wish to change it?)

Huh?

(Who is there?)

As pelican plants begin to surround me, I look around for the source of this new voice.

(What?)

I continue to scan the area but cannot pinpoint the location of the voice I just heard.  Instead, this voice, this warm, comforting, understanding voice, seems to echo in my head.

(Your fate.)

"Don't you see?" says one of the snakes.  "Look around you. This is what you two will bring about if you live!"

(Live on.  Live to fight.  Fighting is your purpose.  Your reason for existence.)

As soon as the voice says this, I begin to see things I do not recognize.

I see the burning corridors of a marble castle as a mirage over the burning grounds of my home.

"Brother, wait!"

I turn to see the silhouette of a little girl, no older than 9 years old, crying over the body of a teenage girl I don't recognize.

As I reach out to help them, they fade away, and I see a snake rushing towards me.

I roll to the right and see a woman with long black hair, in white armor.  She is holding something in her hand and crying.  The poison must be getting to me.

(Do you wish to change it?  All of it?)

PARIN!!

I turn my head towards the sound of snapping trees, and the blonde girl slams into me, knocking us both to the ground.

Rip!

It seems my full body cloak is starting to come apart.  This cloak I've have worn as far back as I can remember.  It's no doubt covered in blood as well.  Tainted with the same blood covering my hands.

As she collapses next to me, her French braid comes apart, and I see strands of red hair in the shape of a phoenix.  I quickly get up to see that her right leg is bitten and her breathing is labored.

I turn around to see all the remaining snake heads rear up to attack.

"Now...DDDDIIIIIEEEEE!!!" they say in unison.

As they rush towards us, I look down at the girl.  This traitorous woman who aided this beast in all this.

Pelican plant vines sprout all around me, blocking off all exits.

(Do you wish to change it?)

(Do I...wish to...but...)

Without thinking, I jump in front of the girl in a vain attempt to block the snakes with my body.

(Yes!  I wish to change my fate!  But, if I cannot, then I'll change someone else's!  Even if she is the enemy!  I refuse to let these beasts triumph!)

"COME ON!!"

"SSHHHHAAAAAA!!!"

For memories are the true embodiment of lies.

(Then do it!)

As the first snake collides with me, I am slammed into the...

Ground?

"Whoa!!"

CRASH!!!  CRASH!!!  CRASH!!!

(Stone tiles!?)

THUD!!!

The collision causes me to gasp in pain, as I grab my chest with both of my hands.

Wait...both?

"Hmm.  Have another nightmare, hijo?"

(That voice!  Father!?)

"That was a cool entrance, Oren!  Did you sleep well?"

"Sueka!?!?"

I get up to see them with their clothes and faces covered with remnants of salad and sauce.  I then look at the cloak I'm wearing and see that...

I fell onto the breakfast table and scattered the meal everywhere.

My father lets out a hearty laugh.

"So, I guess it's going to be one of those days."