“Life’s greatest twist is the forever unknown possibilities of each dawn.”

“But I love y—”

Swish—

The King’s razor-sharp blade silenced the villainess, abruptly leaving her last words unfinished forever and denying her even the slightest chance to utter another word. Yet, as she fell, a wicked smile lit up her face. It was as if she sought to assert that she had no regrets.

A rumor would later transcend that Mancai died before confessing her unrequited love for the King, painting her ending as a tragic love story. Others would say that it was only another ploy to manipulate the hearts of everyone, even after her death. Nonetheless, her destiny was sealed after the King gained awareness that she was behind the Kingdom’s almost-downfall and of the future Queen’s incurable illness.

The final battle had been brutal, spanning relentless years. The King emerged victorious even after Mancai had managed to harness the forbidden powers of the god Supay. However, these powers remained a mystery to the kingdom until the very end.

Mancai had possessed the ability to defy mortality and had resurrected herself time and time again. With each one, her powers grew stronger, as did her ego. To her, life became a game, a game where she could manipulate all the pieces, including her life and death, giving her a sense of invincibility. But little did she know that this would be her last chance to defy mortality.

The extent of her bestowed abilities had met their end, or rather, they were snatched away due to her misinterpretation of their might, leading to her eventual demise. And so, her destiny now rested solely in the deity who had bestowed upon her these powers.

A ray of hope shimmered over the kingdom after the guards were able to find the cure for Queen’s Sami illness rather quickly inside Mancai’s quarters. It was almost as if she had made no effort to conceal it and instead proudly displayed it as a trophy for everyone to see.

“Why would she do that?”

“Was she always aware of her impending doom?”

“In love or not, she was evil!”

“Is she really the mastermind behind the war?”

“She tried to kill us all—that is unforgivable.”

“Did she become evil out of love?”

“Maybe she felt lonely, and her jealousy toward Sami, our future queen, became irrationally evil.”

“I can’t believe she deceived us all.”

These questions and statements would be whispered throughout the townspeople; some would speculate that everything was just simply gossip without facts; others, captivated by passion, would say she did it out of love for the King; others would proclaim her a villain with a heart; however, not everyone would be swayed by her actions and would profoundly declare that her actions were only a testament to her unwavering belief in her own power.

Mancai became a complex villain for many; her actions were incomprehensible; perhaps that was how she was able not to be perceived as the mastermind of the war itself for so long; after all, she was able to ensnare the hearts of even the most perceptive ones and perceive her as innocent. She truly was a master of manipulation and deception, for even after her death, she was able to cast doubt upon her actions.

After enduring tumultuous times filled with chaos, the kingdom could finally rejoice at the break of dawn the next day, as King Illary and Queen Sami vowed their eternal love and sealed their bond in marriage. Truly, only happier days were coming as God Inti, bless be upon him, had given them his blessing by drenching them in his pure divine, the radiance of the sun itself. Such a blessing only ignited the people even more, and only sounds of laughter, music, and joyfulness could be heard in the kingdom of Sumaq, a celebration that demanded to last for several days.

Their story became a story of triumph and of love, having won against all odds. King Illari and Queen Sami had not merely rebuilt the kingdom from the brink of collapse; they had forged a legacy of unwavering resolve. Their union became a symbol of prosperity.

As time passed, the name Mancai carried a sinister significance as it became synonymous with treachery, deceit, and evil, immortalizing her as such in the annals of history. Mancai’s devious tale traversed beyond the Kingdom of Sumaq.

The End.

************

“Finally! I’ve finished!” With an exultant cry, Sami proclaimed in triumph, stretching her arms into the air.

“My hands are tired, but it sure was worth it; I’ve written a masterpiece!” she muttered, a smile escaping her lips. As her eyes darted to the clock hanging on the wall, with an exasperated outcry, she exclaimed, “By the stars, already three in the morning!? How!?” With a speed that would rival a cheetah, she rapidly closed her notebook, placing it in her nightstand drawer.

The room then fell into complete darkness as she turned off her lamp. She then settled herself into bed, replaying the last scenes of her story in her mind.

“If only my life was like the one in my story…” Sami whispered wistfully before surrendering to her sleep; meanwhile, a magical transformation was happening unbeknownst to her.

As her bedroom transformed itself into an enchanting world.

************

“Should we wake her up?” Whispered a voice, tinged with a wisp of concern.

“If you wish to die a prompt death, then by all means go ahead, and wake the sleeping demon,” retorted a man in a hushed voice.

“Ughhh..” I groaned, being abruptly awakened. Did I leave my phone turned on again? I pondered groggily, trying to make sense of the unfamiliar voices.

A few droplets of my drool escaped my lips, falling onto the bed sheets. I couldn’t help but feel grateful that nobody could see me right now, pulling the covers around me tighter and wiping my drool with it.

“Ehhh, did that just happen?” asked in a quivering voice with a mixture of confusion and disbelief.

“Yeah, I think so…” came the response, accompanied by an incredulous tone that mirrored the same disbelief.

“Where is my cellphone?” I mumbled, clumsily stretching my right arm towards the top of my nightstand. “I need to find it to stop the video replaying itself, as only then can I finally go back to sleep.”

“That’s strange; where could it be? I cannot find it. I’m pretty sure I left it here,” I exclaimed, a hint of worry in my voice. With a sudden surge of urgency, I pulled upwards, relying on my left elbow to support my weight as I frantically rummaged around, all while still refusing to open my eyes.

“Alright, that’s it!” I muttered under my breath, irritation coursing through my veins. Turning myself around and mustering my morning strength to pull myself up in a sitting position on top of the bed, “when I’ll find you, I uttered with determination, “I will—.”My words suddenly trailed off as my gaze became fixated on the figures right in front of me, as I had finally opened my eyes.

The room became eerily silent, broken only by the ragged gaps of all of us. I also noticed that they were shriveling, possibly caused by the chillness the room held or out of sheer fear.

As I kept staring curiously, they slowly took some steps back; their wide eyes were full of terror. I had gotten my answer; they did fear me.

“What? How?—” I muttered, yet my astonishment proved to be too prompt as I took in the scene before me. The room I was in mirrored exactly how I had pictured and meticulously described it in my novel. From the same grimy walls and bed covers to the pictures hanging on the wall, every corner and cranny was exactly the same— it couldn’t be.

I then launched myself from my bed and dashed straight to the standing mirror covered in dust. A gasp escaped my lips as I took in the sight before me, my eyes widening in disbelief. For what stared back at me was a sight that defied all logic and reason. My heart was racing fast, as if I was in a marathon.

Many questions flooded my head, but before I could process any of them, a wave of terror washed over me. I then let out a piercing scream—a guttural cry that echoed throughout the room.

“No!—it cannot be, it cannot be, it cannot be.” I repeated myself. Fear was coursing through my veins as my hands unconsciously touched my now face.

“I—… I’m Mancai,” I stammered, my voice trembling. “And I look exactly like her!

“NO!” I screamed out in desperation, “No, no, no, no.” I mutter, shaking my head.

“This cannot be happening!” I cried out. I suddenly couldn’t breathe—gasping for breath. My hands started to shake uncontrollably, spreading throughout my entire body, causing my heart to race and my chest to feel tight, constricting me. The world around me is becoming blurry. I needed to calm myself down, but how could I? I was having a panic attack!

I stood in utter disbelief, frozen. I cried out, “Was this a cruel trick of reality?” Yet, I couldn’t tear my eyes away from the mirror, for the face staring back at me was the one that had tormented me for years—my bully Mancai, and also the wicked villain of my story, who ultimately meets her demise at the very end.

I then felt my body falling, but just before I could reach the ground, the two men from before caught me. My eyes met theirs for a fleeting second, and I couldn’t help but notice the concern in their gaze.

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Supay is a deity in Incan mythology who holds dominion over the realm of death, "Ukhu Pacha," the Incan underworld, and is also the ruler of the race of demons. Also, Supay is portrayed as an androgynous figure; thus, when mentioning Supay, I will use the pronoun "they."

Inti, is the Inca Sun God. 

Quechua is the language of the Incas and indigenous people in Peru. 

Illari means "sunrise, resplendent, dazzling" in Quechua. 

Mancai means "fear" in Quechua. 

Sami means "lucky, adventurous, successful, happy, and blissful" in Quechua. 

Sumaq means "beautiful, pure" in Quechua.

Please note that the meanings of the names I've used and researched might not be completely accurate or might not be the exact translation. 

Also, my cover drawing was originally for a different story I had in mind; therefore, I might change it or keep it as is. 

Thank you for reading until the end!