His name was Azakiel.Since his childhood, he had been a slave, sold by his parents for a cheap price out of greed for money. They exploited him, receiving a monthly payment from those who bought him. Azakiel worked in the mines, the stables, and herding sheep. His parents had convinced him that he would only work for a short period, but more than five years had passed, filled with suffering, hunger, beatings, and insults from those who owned him.
He had not seen his parents for years.One day, Azakiel was sick with a fever and extremely exhausted. Despite that, he was still working. While carrying stones in the mine, he dropped them due to his weakness, and one of his supervisors began whipping him mercilessly. Everyone watched as he begged him to stop, but he showed no mercy.
At that moment, for the first time in years, Azakiel saw his parents in the mine before his eyes. They were receiving money from the man responsible for distributing payments. While he lay on the ground in pain from the beating, he reached out his hand toward them, trying to call them. His father's eyes met his, watching him being beaten without any reaction. He pretended not to see him, took the money, and walked away.
At that moment, Azakiel felt something growing inside his heart—hatred and resentment he had never felt before. While everyone watched him suffer, he cried for the first time… crying in anger, shedding tears over the betrayal of his parents who had exploited him for years for money, while his life had been sold.
Azakiel's body became weak and frail after enduring all kinds of abuse, as he was no longer able to work due to his physical and psychological condition. He was abandoned and thrown out after being physically exploited by those who had bought him, while his parents had earned a great deal of money for more than seven years from exploiting their son.
Azakiel did not know where to go after becoming weak and frail. He crawled toward home, even though it was far, hoping that his parents might embrace him once again. That hope stayed with him.
Finally, Azakiel arrived home. He found it had changed—it had become larger and well-built, with a stable full of sheep and horses. His family had become middle class because of him, because of years of exploitation.
Crawling to the door, Azakiel knocked, calling out to his parents.A small child, about five years old, opened the door and was terrified by Azakiel's appearance, screaming, "Mom! Mom!"
The mother rushed to the door, saw him on the ground, and said, "What are you doing here? Who are you? Go away, we have nothing to give you."
Azakiel replied, "Mother… it's me, Azakiel, your son, from your own flesh and blood. How can you not recognize me?" His eyes were filled with shock and on the verge of tears.
"What are you saying? My son? Haha! I don't remember having a son in such a state. Go away, you beggar!"
She took her new child—whom Azakiel knew nothing about—and closed the door in his face.
Azakiel kept knocking and calling his mother, but to no avail. Soon, his father arrived on a fine horse, wearing elegant clothes he had never worn before when they were poor.
The father got down from his horse and noticed Azakiel at the door. Standing behind him without being noticed, he said, "What are you doing here, Azakiel? Why did you come?"
Azakiel, still on the ground in miserable condition—dirty, torn clothes, thin from hunger—replied, "Father… it's me, your son Azakiel. What is happening? Why have you been avoiding me all these years? Why didn't you ask about me? Why has mother become so cruel to me?"
His father answered, "Azakiel, you no longer have a place here. Don't forget your status—you are just a slave, and we have now become people of high standing. Look at our home, at our stable. Do you intend to stain our family's dignity, the family that will rise even higher one day?"
"What are you saying, father? I am your son! Weren't you the ones who sold me? Because of me, you reached this status! How could you do this to your own son?"
"Azakiel, you must understand—rising requires sacrifices. And the sacrifice was you. Because of you, our family will rise to a higher position, but you will not be part of it. Leave now and find another job. There is no place for a slave in my noble family that will only tarnish our status."
Azakiel became extremely angry. It was visible on his face—hatred for everything, for the miserable position he had reached, for his shattered dignity. His eyes revealed it all.
His father noticed and said, "What are those looks? Leave before I throw you out myself, you trash! Didn't you understand? You are just a slave. You have no place here."
After hearing this, Azakiel's anger grew intensely—so intense that the weather suddenly changed. Heavy rain began to pour, and thunder struck. The mother rushed outside to take in the laundry without paying him any attention, stepping past him.
Azakiel noticed that. Each step she took increased his anger.Suddenly, a man in a black cloak appeared before him, his face covered.
He said, "Such hatred… such anger… fascinating. I have never seen anything like it, Azakiel. Come to me… unleash yourself. Tell me, Azakiel—do you seek power? Do you want to destroy everything?"
Still consumed by anger and fueled by hatred, Azakiel replied, "I want to destroy everything… everything that led me to this state."
The man in the black cloak answered, "Then so be it. Show me what you are capable of. If you succeed in this test, you will become my right hand, and together we will rise to rule the world."
After those words, Azakiel felt something within his body growing stronger, and he stood up.
His father said, while his mother was still gathering the laundry in the storm, "Azakiel, have you gone mad? Talking to yourself? Hahaha! And you want to be part of this family? What a joke. Leave now and do not return."
Every word increased his anger.Azakiel ignited with a red aura unlike anything seen before, shocking his father, his mother, and his little brother who stood at the doorway.
To be continued …