Asterion lives in Kreuzberg, a lively neighborhood in Berlin known for its mix of cultures, street art, and fun nightlife. The streets are filled with old buildings and cool cafes, creating a unique and creative atmosphere. There are art galleries and small shops next to trendy bars, showing off the area's artistic vibe. Parks like Viktoriapark offer a green space for locals to relax and enjoy the outdoors. While the neighborhood buzzes with energy, Asterion finds quiet spots in the cafes to think about his first job.
He thought about how, at the age of 19, he had finally graduated from a prestigious university.
He was finally getting on his own feet. His parents, now in their 80s, had adopted him after he was left as an orphan. All he had back then was a bad stigma of bring misfortune because of his olive skin and striking ruby eyes. Over time, he had transformed into a young man with pale skin from countless hours of studying at home. He had everything he desired—a sponsorship and a great, loyal girlfriend. Now, he was being hired by a company that would pay millions just to have him as a researcher on their vaccine and virus projects. He could easily quit after working for few more years.
He contemplated how the research he conducted with Dr. James had led to a cure for Huntington's disease.
His mother Margarete had developed it in past 3 year.
Margarete is an 86-year-old woman with a kind smile and gentle eyes that still twinkle with warmth, despite the challenges she faces. Her silver hair is always pulled back into a loose bun, and she often wears comfortable sweaters and floral skirts. Though she has a slight stoop from age and displays the subtle tremors associated with Huntington's disease, her presence remains comforting, like a cozy hug.She was person with a strong will and it showed how much she endured raising him alone and it showed how he had now turned into a young healthy man under her gentle care .
And his father who never really showed much Affection but loved him in his own way.
Wilhelm is a distinguished 88-year-old researcher with a sharp mind and a gentle demeanor. He has thinning gray hair and a neatly trimmed beard, often sporting round glasses that rest low on his nose. His warm, brown eyes reflect his intelligence and curiosity, always searching for the next breakthrough in his field.
Though age has slowed him down, Wilhelm remains passionate about his work, often found surrounded by stacks of books and papers in his study or in office inside a laboratory at his workplace.
But it didn't matter anymore. When Asterion started working at the company, everything seemed wonderful—great colleagues and good pay. However, the twelve-hour shifts were brutal, making it borderline impossible to maintain a work-life balance. Despite this, he loved his work and was passionate about it. This continued for a year until a virus broke out from one of their lab's experiments, leading to widespread infection and chaos. The virus released was a rare variant of rabies.
It led to the media and government scrambling to maintain control, but it was impossible. Infected individuals began biting anyone who wasn't infected, resulting in mass panic. Eventually, the situation was contained after numerous lockdowns and precautions were implemented. Researchers from around the world gathered to develop a vaccine, and Asterion was among them. He had just received the Nobel Prize after three months working at the company for his breakthrough in a cure for Huntington's disease. This recognition propelled him to work alongside others to create a vaccine, but just as they were on the brink of a breakthrough. He was given a day off to celebrate his birthday.
He was traveling home like any other day, though it was very late. It was his birthday, and he felt happy, eager to celebrate with his family. He also thought about proposing to his fiancée, who had been his girlfriend prior to their engagement.
When he arrived at the farmhouse, he was greeted by the three people most precious to him in the world: his father, mother, and fiancée.Then his eyes landed on his fiancée, "Gloria" looking even more beautiful then he remembered.
After sharing stories about his workday, they entered the home and began preparing for dinner and the cake-cutting.
{(Gloria was 29 year old but still looked like she was 25.)Asterion thought}
Gloria approached him and whispered that she was pregnant. A wave of happiness washed over him; at the grand age of 22, he was about to become a father. Filled with joy, Asterion savored his time with his family before retiring to his room with his fiancée for some personal time.
However, at around 2 AM, everything changed. He was suddenly picked up and thrown to the floor as masked figures in black body armor rushed in, subduing him in a chokehold. The shock sent him into a panic attack. Bound and helpless, he was dragged to the main hall of the house and thrown to the ground, unable to move without risking injury.
His head was yanked up by his hair, forcing him to watch the terrified faces of his parents and Gloria, mirroring his own fear and panic. One of the men spoke with a hint of pity in his voice, saying, "You know too much, and now you have to pay the price." Asterion screamed, demanding to know what they were talking about. His only response was the horrifying sight of his parents throat being slashed, their blood splattering onto him as he was forced to witness their slow, painful deaths. In a desperate attempt to stop them, he screamed and then one of the man pinning him down tried to stop him. So the man dislocated his shoulder.
Just after, he was punched in the stomach, expelling all the air from his lungs. Gasping for breath, he was again grabbed by his hair, forcefully dragged toward Gloria forced to see as her clothes were being ripped apart . Asterion fought against the three men pinning him down, but he was powerless. Desperate, he begged them again and again to stop, pleading for them to do whatever they wanted with him and leave his wife alone. But his cries fell on deaf ears.
He was forced to watch, helpless, as Gloria called out to him for help. Unable to intervene, he could only witness her being raped while she called out for help. Despite her struggles after having their way with her , they eventually cut her throat, and Asterion's heart shattered as she gasped for breath.
As Gloria took her last breath, lying there in her own blood, she was naked while unknown fluids flowed out of her genital area, her body was marked with bite marks and black bruise were present all over her body. Reminding him what she had went through before dying.
Her previously beautiful face, now had a emotion he could describe, it was a mix disgust, saddness, anger, pain and helplessness.
After one of the man let his guard down after seeing Asterion state. He looked like a man who had lost everything but this was his biggest mistake, Asterion summoned all his strength to pull the man holding his arm toward him, causing him to stumble and fall to the ground with his throat exposed. In a surge of rage, Asterion lunged at the man, tearing into his throat blood flowing into his mouth and watching as the man gasped for air before dying.He felt satisfied because at least he got revenge for his wife but it was short lived. Just then, a shot rang out from one of the masked figures in the corner, striking Asterion in the head.
In that moment, he realized he had done nothing to deserve this.His family and him were innocent. They did not even know anything about the knowledge he and his family had so dearly paid for…
He took his last breath while thinking why did this happen to him and his family.