Blessed to be the Villain

Ethan'sheadthrobbedviolentlyasheopenedhiseyes,hisvisionhazyandunfocused.Adullringingfilledhisears,drowningouthisthoughts.“What’shappening…?”hethought,hismindsluggish,strugglingtocatchupwithreality.Onemoment,hewasasleep—oratleast,hethoughthewas—andthenext,searingpainforcedhimawake.Hisvisionswam,shapesblurringtogetherinadisorientingmess.Butthen,mufflednoisesfilteredthroughthehaze—frantic,panickedsounds.Someonewastryingtoscream,theirvoicesmothered,chokedbysomething.Acoldshiverrandownhisspine.Ashissightgraduallysharpened,Ethan'sbreathhitched.Hewasonallfours,loomingoversomeone.Agirl.Herbodytwistedandwrithedbeneathhim,ropesbitingintoherwristsandankles.Hermouthwasgagged,mufflinghercries.Herwidebrowneyes,brimmingwithfearandfury,glaredupathim.Ethan'sbodylockedinplace,hisbloodrunningcold.“Whatthe…?”Hismindreeled,thoughtsslammingintoeachotherinchaoticdisarray.“Whatkindofbizarredreamisthis?”Panicclawedathischest.Hisbreathcameinragged,unevengaspsashescrambledbackward,onlytorealizehislimbsfeltsluggish,uncooperative,liketheydidn’tbelongtohim.“Isthis…isthissomekindoftwistedfantasyIneverknewIhad?”Asickeningthoughtslitheredthroughhismind,makinghisstomachchurn.Thegirl'sfranticsquirmingslowedforamoment,hergazeflickeringwithconfusionasshetookinhisexpression—histremblinghands,hiswide,horrifiedeyes.Butthefearreturnedjustasquickly.Shestruggledharder,herbodyarching,hermuffledscreamsrisinginpitch.Ethanwantedtospeak,tosaysomething,anything,butbeforehecouldforceoutaword,aglowingbluewindowmaterializedbeforehiseyes.Hisbreathcaught.Atranslucent,hoveringscreen?“What…?”Linesofglowingtextscrolledacrossitssurface.---[SystemActivated…][HostConfirmed.][SimulatingPreviousData…]Ethanawakensinamysteriousworld,shackledbyacursethatcloudshisjudgmentanddriveshimtowardchoicesheneverwishedtomake.Burdenedbyguiltandresponsibility,hemustnavigatethefalloutofhisactionswhileunravelingthetruthbehindthecurse—andhisplaceinthisenigmaticnewreality.