Son Of Fate

Forbidden Ritual

Marcus awoke in a state of extreme disorientation.

His gaze fixed upon an unfamiliar wooden ceiling. Glancing beside him, he saw Anne asleep, clutching his hand while seated in a nearby chair.

Slowly rising and rubbing the back of his head,

"Ugh... What happened?" Marcus murmured,

His disorientation lingered, clouding his thoughts.

Anne stirred, awakened by his movement, and her gaze met Marcus, now sitting upright. Before he could ask the question, 'Where are we?' she preemptively lunged at him, wrapping her arms tightly around his neck,

"Thank goodness you woke up!" Anne cried, feeling relieved at the Marcus's recovery.

"Mmm... What happened?" Marcus uttered, his words muffled and disoriented.

Entering through a door to the right of the bed, positioned centrally along the wall, Rebecca walked into the room.

"Your blood pressure suddenly spiked, causing your lung injury to reopen," she explained calmly as she approached.

"I suspect the recent accumulation of stress and anxiety has taken its toll on your body, both mentally and physically," Rebecca added, her words carrying concern.

Marcus's blank stare focused on the bandages enveloping the scar on his right side, his mind lost in thought.

"Rebecca, I want to know how much longer I have left... I want to do the ritual..." Marcus said, a sense of hopelessness lingering in his voice.

"Marcus! How could you request for something so dangerous!?" Anne interjected, her face marked with concern.

Turning towards Anne, Marcus mustered a weak smile, attempting to convey reassurance. He reached out, cupping her cheeks with his hands, and declared,

"Anne, I love you with every fiber of my being... but you know my death is drawing near."

Anne, her eyes welling up with tears, stared at Marcus in disbelief.

"How could you say that?" she exclaimed, her voice trembling under the weight of restrained emotions.

"Anne... I need to confront the reality of how much time I have left," Marcus stubbornly argued.

"I can no longer hide from the truth," he added,

"Please, Anne?" his tone sorrowful and gentle.

Anne wept softly, torn between her own feelings and the pressure to comply with Marcus's request. Reluctantly, she muttered hesitantly,

"Fine..." Her face wore a frown, tears streaming down her cheeks.

"Thank you," Marcus whispered, gratitude evident in his weakened expression.

Meeting Rebecca's gaze, Marcus nodded silently, displaying a resolute determination.

"Very well, then," Rebecca acknowledged.

"If you insist, there is little I can do to dissuade you."

"I will commence preparations for the diagnostic ritual."

"However, remember that this ritual is forbidden for a reason. It delves into the dark arts, and even if successful, it carries consequences. Should anything go wrong, your consciousness will be trapped in a state of limbo until your physical body perishes."

"Are you confident in your decision, Marcus?"

Marcus contemplated hesitantly for a second, until he became certain.