Zeta was born into the Golden Leopard Clan as the daughter of the Clan Head.
(Originally named Lilim, we will use “Zeta” for clarity).
The Golden Leopard Clan is a powerful beastkin tribe with a long and illustrious history.
As the daughter of the chief, Zeta possessed a brilliant mind from a very young age.
She read voraciously and understood things far beyond her years.
Her father often consulted her when faced with difficult problems, frequently praising her as a true genius.
Life was peaceful.
Everything changed in Zeta’s twelfth year when she discovered black lines appearing on her stomach.
At first, she ignored them, but as the patterns spread, panic set in.
She sought her parents for help.
When her father saw the markings, his face turned deathly serious.
“Father, what is this?” “It is Demon Possession.” Having read so many books, Zeta knew exactly what that meant.
It meant the death of a family’s hope.
It meant the parents would be implicated.
Seeing the profound sorrow on her father’s face, the mature Zeta made a decision.
“Father, kill me.
If I die, everything will be fine.
Otherwise, I will drag the whole family down.
For you, for Mother, and for my little brother…
I cannot let my existence ruin you all.” Her father stared at her, stunned that such a young child could speak of self-sacrifice so resolutely.
“Do not be hasty.
Trust your father.
I will find a way!
I remember elven texts mentioning treatments!” He began flipping through books with a frantic, desperate energy.
But Zeta had read those same books.
She knew the truth: they contained no cure.
“Mother, please persuade him!
Killing me is the only way!” Her mother looked at her but could not bring herself to agree.
She chose silence.
They loved Zeta too much to ever harm her.
“I found it!
It says it here!” Her father held out an elven book, his tears dripping onto the pages.
The book stated clearly that Possession was incurable.
Zeta had never seen her father cry before.
He pulled her into a tight embrace.
“Believe in me.
I *will* find a way.” The next day, her father left, promising to return in a month.
Her mother wrapped Zeta’s markings in bandages.
“Stay inside, Zeta.
Wait for your father.” A month later, a commotion erupted outside.
Her mother led her out to find the clan members gathered with torches.
Her father was bound and forced to his knees in the center.
Zeta’s heart sank; she realized the secret was out.
She had doomed him.
“What are you doing?
Do you intend to betray your Chief?” her mother shouted.
A figure emerged from the crowd–the leader of a branch family.
“Hmph.
There is filth within the main line.
Demon Possession must be purged.
That is the law, is it not?” The branch leader thrust a sword into her father’s shoulder.
“Tell me!
Who is the Possessed one?” “I don’t know,” was his only reply.
The leader stabbed his other shoulder.
He knew the Chief was a hard man, but he also knew the culprit was likely watching.
He looked at Zeta.
Zeta remained silent and expressionless.
She was smart enough to know that revealing herself wouldn’t save her father; it would only lead to both of them being killed.
Seeing no reaction, the leader scoffed.
“How boring.
This man has betrayed the tribe.
I am the new Chief now.
A Priest from the Holy Church informed us that the scent of Possession was here.” A man in priestly robes stepped forward, looking every bit the righteous official.
“Filth must be cleansed immediately, or it will spread to the whole village.” “You are lying!” her father rasped.
He looked at the Priest.
“Demon Possession is a lie concocted by the Church!” “What nonsense are you spouting?” the branch leader barked.
“The Golden Leopard Clan is an ancient lineage,” her father continued.
“Our first ancestor was the Hero Lili, one of the Three Heroes.
They were women, not men!
And the ‘Possession’ is not a curse–it is a blessing!” “A fairy tale!” the leader laughed.
The crowd joined him, mocking the “delusional” Chief.
But the Priest wasn’t laughing.
His face turned pale and ugly.
“So you claim the curse is a blessing?
You would endanger the whole tribe with your delusions?” “It is the truth,” the father insisted.
The branch leader began pummeling him.
Zeta trembled, her vast knowledge useless without the power to act.
“Tell me where the filth is, or I’ll burn you all alive!” “You’ll do that anyway,” the father replied.
“Fine!
Burn them!” “No!
It’s me!” Zeta stepped forward, unwrapping her bandages to reveal the black rot.
“I am the one.” Her father looked at her.
“We are the descendants of Lili.
We have a mission.
Zeta, you carry the blood of heroes more strongly than anyone.
You are my pride.
Go East…
to the Midgar Kingdom.
There is someone there who can heal you.
That is your destiny!” “Father, I–” “Take her and go!” the father shouted to the mother.
“You think you can escape?” the branch leader sneered.
“Go!
I will hold them back even if it costs my life!” Suddenly, the father’s body began to creak.
Mana erupted from him.
“This is the ancestral blood of the Golden Leopard Hero!
I will show you the meaning of fear!” His hair grew wild, shifting back into a beastly form–a forbidden technique known only to the Chief.
He threw a punch toward the East, the sheer force of the mana blowing away dozens of clansmen.
“Go!
This technique will turn me into a mindless monster!
Run!” The mother scooped up Zeta and her baby brother and vanished into the trees.
The Priest watched, grinning.
“Interesting.
I thought this was a simple recovery mission.
I didn’t expect such a grand show.” Zeta’s mother moved through the forest with uncanny silence, hiding her strength.
But the pursuers were close.
“They have trackers with keen noses,” she whispered.
She stopped.
“Zeta, we must split up.” “No, Mom!” “Listen to me.
I will lead them Southeast.
You take your brother, cross the river to hide your scent, and head East.
We will meet in Midgar.” She handed the baby to Zeta.
“Be a good girl, Zeta.
You’ve brought us so much joy.
Your father always called you a genius.
You are our reason for living.
Only when you are safe can I fight without worry.” “I…
I promise.
We’ll meet in Midgar.” Zeta ran, clutching her brother.
She saw two figures flying in the sky–one with golden hair–but she hid until they passed.
Her body burned with the pain of the Possession, but she pushed on.
As dawn approached, she reached the coast.
The sight of the endless sea gave her a flicker of hope.
She tasted the water.
*Salt.* The winter air was freezing.
She was stiff, exhausted, and in pain.
Looking at the tiny life in her arms, she exhaled a white mist.
“We have to cross the sea.
Father said East…
Mother will be there.” She spotted a fishing village in the distance.
“Hahaha!
So, here you are.
Where did you think you were going?” The Priest appeared before her, swinging a blood-stained chain.
“Stay back!” Zeta hugged her brother tighter.
“Let me guess…
where is the Possession hiding?” The Priest pulled out a severed head.
“Is it him?” It was her father.
Zeta’s world turned grey.
Memories of him flashed through her mind.
The Priest tossed the head to her feet.
“Or perhaps…
her?” He pulled out another head.
Her mother.
Zeta opened her mouth, but no sound came out.
Her mind was a chaotic void of grief.
“Not them?
Then it must be the one in your arms!” “No!
Don’t touch my brother!” Zeta screamed, her mind clearing in a flash of terror.
“Then who is it?” “It’s me!
It’s me!
Just don’t hurt him!” “What a good girl.” The Priest patted her head with hands stained with her parents’ blood.
Zeta forced herself to endure it for her brother’s sake.
“Don’t worry,” the Priest whispered.
“If he isn’t Possessed, he’ll be fine.
So…” In the next second, he snatched the baby away.
Zeta, frozen and weakened by the curse, had no strength to resist.
“I won’t let him suffer,” the Priest said.
“I’ll kill him instantly.” Right before Zeta’s eyes, he tore her brother’s head from his body.
Blood sprayed everywhere.
“Hahaha!
What a wonderful day!
A high-quality specimen of Possession.
I am High Priest Petos.
We are going to be spending a *long* time together.” Zeta’s soul shattered.
“I’ll kill you…
I’ll kill you…
I’ll kill you…” “Excellent!” Petos laughed.
“Hatred is a wonderful motivation to stay alive.
This is perfect!”