Chapter 1 :
[Prologue – Deep within the Memory]
The world was submerged in a hazy blur of indistinct colors. The only thing piercing through the void was the ear-splitting cry of a newborn, shattering the silence of the plains. Wrapped in a white swaddling cloth, the infant found no peace in his mother's warm embrace. Suddenly, a pair of powerful, bony hands tore the child away.
As if presenting a sacrifice to the dark, overcast sky, the figure raised the infant toward the heavens—as though to boast of his existence to the gods themselves.
A deep, gravelly voice resonated through the air, sounding as if it had emerged from the very depths of history:
"Behold... He shall be the Strongest."
[Present Day – Mazar-i-Sharif]
Sudais's eyelids flickered.
The vision vanished like cigarette smoke in the cold air of the room.
In the dim twilight of his small chamber, he leaned against the bare concrete wall. His eyes, cold and indifferent, remained fixed on the irregular cracks in the ceiling—cracks that looked like a roadmap to nowhere.
His lips moved. A faint voice, trembling and laced with yearning, escaped his throat:
"If only I could... If only it were possible..."
He thirsted for that power. He craved to be the strongest.
But the reality of these naked walls wrapped around his neck like an invisible chain. The words "not enough" pierced his soul like a thorn.
Thud!
The sound of the door opening shattered his heavy solitude. A faint light from the hallway spilled into the room, revealing his mother's tired face in the doorway.
She wore a gentle smile, trying to mask her exhaustion.
"Sudais, my son? Are you awake? Won't you come and eat?"
Before he could answer, his elder sister peeked from behind their mother, a frown on her face.
She held a tangled wire in her hand.
"Sudais! This charger is broken again! What on earth are you doing with these?"
Sudais slowly pulled his gaze away from the ceiling, as if emerging from the depths of a freezing ocean to the surface. He looked at his sister and said in a voice that struggled to sound normal:
"Don't worry... I told Father. He said he'd bring a new one from the shop today."
[The Copper-Smiths' Alley]
A short distance away, in the beating heart of Mazar-i-Sharif, where the scent of metal and dust mingled, a different world was in motion. The deafening, rhythmic clanging of hammers striking copper served as the soundtrack to everyday life.
Amidst the roar of the bazaar and the bustle of people struggling for their daily bread, Sudais's father sat in his small, ancient shop. An old man whose hands smelled of hard labor and iron, he remained oblivious that his son—in that dimly lit room—carried a secret as vast as the universe within his chest.
[The Departure]
Sudais stepped out of the house. The narrow alley was deserted, swallowed by the silence of the approaching dusk. He walked slowly; every pebble and every mud-brick wall felt familiar, yet distant. It was as if his soul had departed from this place years ago and had only now returned to this body. He had told his mother he would be back soon, but his legs felt heavy.
Suddenly, a sharp gust of cold wind struck his face. Sudais stopped and tilted his head toward the gray, overcast sky. He didn't just feel the wind on his skin; he felt it deep within his bones. He let out a heavy sigh, releasing the entire weight trapped in his chest.
Right then, the vibration of the phone in his pocket shattered his wild solitude. He looked at it with surprise—it was his mother.
"Yes, Mother?"
His mother's energetic yet worried voice filled his ear. "Where are you, Sudais? Come back quickly! Your uncle has invited you and your father to a dinner tonight. Come take a bath and put on your new clothes so we aren't late."
Sudais moved his lips in a sign of surrender. A shadow of hesitation flickered in his eyes.
"Alright, Mother. I'm coming... just please, have my clothes ironed."
He ended the call, gripped his phone tightly in his pocket, and slowly turned back to retrace his steps. His eyes grew cold once more as he whispered to himself:
"Facing them once again..."
[The Reflection]
Sudais returned home. Under the shower, droplets of water streamed through his hair, hitting the bathroom floor with a rhythmic thud. Amidst the rising steam and the sound of falling water, he was once again submerged in his own dark world. He turned off the faucet. The sudden silence felt heavier than ever. He wiped his hand across the fogged-up mirror, but his reflection remained blurred and indistinct—just like his future.
[Outside the Luxury Apartment]
The car pulled up and stopped. The towering, glitzy facade of the apartment complex shimmered under the city lights. Sudais and his father, Mr. Dafid, stepped out. For a moment, Sudais stared at the height of the building; a cold, indifferent gaze that held no trace of admiration.
The entrance door swung open, and Hamid, his cousin, greeted them with a smile of questionable sincerity.
"Welcome! You've brought light to our home."
Sudais and Hamid followed behind Mr. Dafid. Hamid said in a playful tone, "Come on, you traitor! You never check up on us anymore. It's like you've forgotten you even have cousins!"
Sudais let out a dry smirk. "You're a busy man, Hamid. What do we have to do with your world?"
[Inside the Banquet Hall]
The hall was filled with the scent of expensive perfume and the clinking of silverware. The four Rashidzada brothers and their families had all gathered. As Sudais entered, eyes momentarily flickered toward him. With a calm and dignified composure, he greeted everyone and took his seat among his cousins.
In a corner of the hall, two guests watched Sudais with curious eyes. One nudged the other. "Who's that boy everyone is being so warm with?"
The other replied with a mocking undertone, "That's Mr. Yunus's nephew. Dafid's only child."
The first one asked in surprise, "He must be quite powerful, right? It's unlikely for anyone in the Rashidzada clan to be weak."
The second let out a snicker, lowering his voice. "Quite the opposite! I've heard there isn't a single drop of Mana in his veins. A total commoner... he's just carrying a big name."
Sudais, sensing the weight of their gaze, didn't even turn his head. He smirked to himself. They've been spinning tales for an hour. They think I don't notice... if only they knew.
[The Sovereign's Arrival]
Amidst the roar of conversations, the hinges of the hall door let out a sudden groan as it swung open. No one seemed to notice at first, but Sudais felt a faint vibration in the air—the entry of a heavy presence.
When the door closed and the figure stood facing the crowd, silence fell over the hall like a heavy shroud. The two guests who had been gossiping about Sudais stuttered in a whisper: "It's him... Khaled!"
Khaled, the strongest of the Rashidzada clan.
He stood with a straight posture and an aura that seemed to occupy the entire space. A faint, crimson haze danced around his body like hidden embers, a testament to his overwhelming power. Everyone was captivated by him, except for Sudais—who didn't even lift his head.
With absolute dignity, Khaled walked forward. After greeting the elders, he sat directly next to Sudais. The atmosphere of the hall shifted under the weight of his presence. Khaled spared a side-glance at Sudais. "Welcome."
"Good to be here," Sudais replied coldly and briefly. No other words passed between them.
[The Exit]
After dinner, the vibration of Sudais's phone broke the silence between them. It was a call, but the signal was weak. Sudais stood up to head toward the balcony or an open space. Rahman, his cousin, said in a mocking tone, "Where to? Come sit back down, Sudais!"
"No signal," Sudais said without stopping. "I'll be right back."
But just as he reached the threshold of the door, he heard a sneer from behind him: "Let him go... nothing ever comes out of him anyway!"
Sudais paused for a split second. His fingers tightened around the door handle, but without turning back, he stepped straight out.
A few minutes later, in the open air, Nisar (his older cousin) came looking for him. "Why are you standing here alone?"
Sudais stared into the darkness of the night. "Nothing... the hall was just boring."
Nisar nodded. "Come back inside. Your father is calling for you."
Sudais took a deep breath and whispered, "Fine... let's go."