1 Chapter 01: A Blessing In Disguise

The day begins, and the first signs of sunlight start to make their presence felt in the county of Herefordshire (England), in the town of Moordale. 

Amidst the trees, in this place filled with natural beauty that exudes a grand tranquility, we see a house, a home. More precisely, the home of the Milburn Family.

In this residence lives one of the most unique mother-and-son pairs you could imagine. Otis and Jean Milburn deviate from the standard norm, which was to be expected, given that Jean being a Sex Therapist did not aid in the upbringing of her son and created even more problems for the now teenager, Otis.

It doesn't mean Otis had a bad childhood, nor lacked the essentials to live; his mother was always attentive and loving towards him. However, after divorcing her husband, Reimi Milburn, Jean was a bit overly cautious with Otis; perhaps this led to his occasionally spoiled and socially awkward behavior.

However, not everything was bad; his gift of words was passed on to his son, who, despite being introverted, had knowledge and maturity beyond his years.

On this morning, while Jean sleeps with her new boyfriend, Jakob, in a room on the first floor, often mistaken for the bathroom, resides the main character of this drama, Otis. He slept peacefully in his bed, unaware of the changes about to unfold; he may not be ready now, but with a snap of destiny's fingers, anything can happen.

* Snap *

Otis opens his eyes, puts his hands to his head, and tries to scream, but nothing comes out of his mouth. It feels like his head is being split in two as if something is being pushed into a place that couldn't contain it. 

But as quickly as it came, the pain dissipated. Otis collapses back onto the bed unconscious. If someone were nearby, they would notice a faint glow on his body, further emphasizing the mystery of what just occurred.

-------•×•--------•×•--------•×•--------•×•------

On the same morning, in an old-style wooden residence with a bell as a doorbell, in a specific room, not so peacefully slept a girl named Ola Nyman. She tossed and turned in her bed, her dreams remaining a mystery, she opened her eyes to the sound of the alarm clock, with anxiety and a touch of confusion in her gaze. 

After a few moments, she turned off the annoying alarm, and the clock showed that it was already past 7:00 in the morning. She sits on her bed with her hands on her forehead, she seems to be lost in her thoughts deeply.

"I need to break up with Otis!" she murmurs in a way that only she would hear. Her expression was firm because in her heart she had already made her decision, she just needed to go talk to her future ex-boyfriend. It would be a difficult conversation for Ola because from what little she knew of Otis, he wouldn't react very well. But that didn't matter, for weeks she had considered whether she liked Otis, she even thought she loved him. 

However, deep down in her heart, she knew the answer was no. She knows she doesn't love him, and... well. It was quite obvious now that she realized it. And the same could be said for Otis, he doesn't love her. It's hard to ignore the looks of longing for a certain girl with painted hair.

"Argh, how did I not realize it wouldn't work out? He called her a lioness and me a domestic cat!" She says frustrated. 

'You can't control the heart, and at the moment, I must follow mine.'

She starts to laugh, happy with her discovery and excited about the new perspectives that her feelings can bring to her. Since that online test, she began to understand some parts of herself that she didn't realize before, feelings that should have been present when she was with Otis, didn't exist. But with one specific person.

It may not work out, but it's better to live a painful truth than a pleasant lie.

"Okay, just be direct. Don't beat around the bush, and simply speak!" She says decisively, with her hands clenched and a determined look.

-------•×•--------•×•--------•×•--------•×•------

"Turn around!" says Eric Effiong. His face was a mixture of anxiety and longing.

He was gazing intently out the window at his former bully, Adam Groff. Who would have thought that the person who humiliated him the most and treated him so badly could be such a sweet person? 'And gay.' That never crossed his mind, or anyone else's. Who could imagine such a thing? Adam acted as homophobic as possible.

But now everything has changed since they kissed during that detention. There had always been a longing exchange of glances between the two.

'And just when they were going to talk about it, his father goes and puts him in a military school.' 

A fleeting thought crosses his mind. But now he was back, and Eric was undecided about who to stay with. But he's just enjoying the moment. 

At night, going out, broke things, and getting to know sides of Adam he had never seen before. And during the day, going out and talking with Rahim.

Adam looks at the window where Eric is looking at him, his expression confused. There is no way to imagine what might be going on in his mind.

"He looked back!" Eric smiles and joyfully climbs the stairs to his room, and throws himself on the bed keeping the smile. 

From his pocket, he takes out a shard of porcelain, a memento, from his secret moments with Adam. 

Eric places the shard on the bedside table, next to the other shards he had collected from each night.

*sigh*

With a smile on his face, Eric tries to rest a bit until it's time to go camping with Otis and his father.

"I have to remember to bring the laptop charger."

-------•×•--------•×•--------•×•--------•×•------

"Hey, Dad!" Otis says, clearly excited about the idea of spending time with his father.

"Oh, Hey. Nice hat," his father says with a smile on his face, appearing to be as excited as he is.

"Good morning, Jeanie."

Jean just nods in response to her ex-husband's greeting.

"Alright, let's hit the road, buddy!"

"Yeah."

"Where's your partner?" Remi says as he packs Otis's backpack into the car trunk.

"Uh, he should have been here by now."

"You know, if you're on time..."

"He's late. Haha." Otis completes the quote with a laugh. And at that moment, Eric arrives. With his always colorful clothes, reflecting his whole essence in them.

"Hey."

"Hey, dude."

"Sorry for being late, packing disaster."

"All right."

"Good morning, Jean." Eric greets his friend's mother with a smile on his face, and Jean smiles back and greets him in return.

While Eric was putting his suitcase in the car, Otis decided to question the clothing choice his friend made for a Forest Walk.

"What are you wearing?" Eric doesn't respond and returns the question. "What are you wearing?"Before Otis could answer, he noticed something else that caught his attention.

"Why did you bring a laptop charger?"

Eric pauses for a moment and responds.

"Because we're going camping, right?"

"No. We're going to the forest. Hiking, I told you."

"Ah, so should I have brought my Espadrilles then?"

Their conversation is interrupted by Remi, who with a smile on his face says to his son's best friend.

"Eric, you will enter the forest as a boy and come out as a man, as a man of nature. Mark my words."

"Let's go, let's do this," Otis says, and Eric agrees with his own words. 

"Haha, let's do it."

Before Remi gets into the car, Jean questions him.

"You'll take care of them, won't you?"

"Oh, Jeanie. Relax, they're perfectly safe in my hands!"

And so they headed to the forest, to the sound of generic pop music. It was a good trip. Until Otis received a message, it was from Maeve. He hadn't managed to get over her yet, but he had already decided to move on.

'I'm sorry, I feel like an idiot.'

That was the message Otis had received and he still didn't know how to respond. Not to mention that Ola had demanded that he stop talking to her. His expression turned grim, anger shone in his blue eyes. 

This was something he didn't want to do. He didn't want to hurt her, not again. And, more than that, he hated being backed into a corner with such a demand.

'Huh? Since when do I feel this way?' 

His expression softened for a moment, he couldn't remember the last time he got angry like this. At least, not over something similar.

Eric noticed all the changes in expression that passed on his best friend's face, to him, it was never too complicated to guess what was going on in Otis's mind. His best friend was like an open book to him.

"Have you told Maeve that you won't be able to see her anymore?"

"No. But Ola won't talk to me until I do. But I don't want to hurt Maeve. I don't want to stop talking to her." Eric's expression becomes irritated, he always rooted for Maeve, and he never hid that.

But as he wanted to see his friend happy, he hoped that this relationship with Ola would work out somehow. But that was becoming a difficult task.

"So... are you going to tell me who this Maeve is that you talk so much about?" Remi speaks in a neutral tone. Concealing the growing curiosity in him about his favorite son's Romantic affairs.

"She's nobody..." Eric begins to speak but is interrupted by Otis who calmly explains.

"She's a friend. I'm in love with her but I want and will overcome it, now that I'm with Ola. Speaking of her, my girlfriend is demanding that I stop talking to Maeve and I don't want to give in to that."

'Hmm, who would have thought his love life would be so lively? It's as they say, the quiet ones are the worst. Haha.' Remi thinks for a moment about it.

"Well, if you want advice from your old man. Never give in at any moment in the relationship, however small it may be. You don't want her to control every aspect of your life." The older Milburn says wisely with a deep voice.

Silence settles in the car, Otis tries to take a piece of wisdom from his father's advice, although he doesn't agree with everything he said. He knows that what was said has a grain of truth.

'What? Since when does Otis admit his feelings so easily? And speak so calmly too? I've never seen him speak so clearly and concisely, well, except when he was advising someone. But then... WHAT DID I MISS?' 

Eric thinks amidst small surges, with wide eyes and a confused expression on his face.

Never before had he seen this open side of his friend, so... brave. The blue-eyed teenager had always been so repressed, this is quite a change for the old Otis.

The trip goes smoothly until Eric's phone rings. It was Rahim. His expression sinks at the same moment.

'Sigh, I'll think about it later!' 

Eric ends up deciding to just hang up the phone.

With his eyes now on the road, Eric tries to get back into the mood to enjoy the trail. 

Otis, seeing his normally cheerful friend's apparent discomfort, decides to remain silent. Respecting his moment.

-------•×•--------•×•--------•×•--------•×•------

"Alright, according to the Happy Camper's Manual. We're supposed to camp near a water source," Otis begins to say as he reads the book in question, but before he can elaborate any further, his father interrupts him.

"Otis, my boy, put down that book. We have all the information we need." He stops walking and looks at his son while pointing to his head. 

"Right here."

'For some reason, I doubt that!'

Otis thinks, reluctant and still seriously doubting his father's abilities, he puts the book back in his backpack. While Remi and Eric watch a Nightingale, which... Otis grabs the binoculars and observes the bird.

'Rare bird! he says, that's just a damn common crow!' 

We're walking aimlessly with my dad who I'm almost certain doesn't know what he's doing! Otis awkwardly laughs.

'We'll get lost soon. Argh, I need a drink.'

The blue-eyed teenager tries to relax and when his father offers him a sip of his drink, Otis doesn't think twice and takes a sip from the canteen.

"This is strong!"

"That's my boy! Let's go! Leave the tents on the ground, it's time for our first hike!" Remi says as he looks at his compass.

"You with me, Eric?"

"Yeah, sure!"

"Good lad!" Remi says as he takes the lead on the trail. He continues to talk, now louder than before with joy. "Can you smell the wild garlic, Eric?"

Eric runs after the older Milburn while shouting excitedly. 

"Yes, I can. Remi. Yes, I can!"

Otis shakes his head at his friend's manner. But follows them soon after.

-------•×•--------•×•--------•×•--------•×•------

"It's all about you, Erin. I wasn't asking for forgiveness, it was just another excuse. You don't end up in bad situations, you make bad choices," Maeve says to her mother and then leaves the meeting she was in with Erin. 

But as she leaves the building, she encounters her "new" neighbors again.

After being called "Body Slammer," the girl with now black hair shows her middle fingers to the jerk. She kept walking until Isaac "accidentally" dropped the books on the ground while saying,

"Oh, dear." Isaac looks at Maeve as if he wants her to pity him and continues, "Can you give me a hand, please?"

"And why would I do that, idiot?" Isaac realizes that his act has been uncovered and says, "Come on, it was funny, wasn't it?" Maeve nods and goes to help him.

"What are these books for?" She asks as she helps him.

"Why don't you come in and find out if you're so curious?" With an inviting smile, albeit a bit crooked, Isaac invites Maeve.

"I'm not curious!" Maeve says as she walks back to her house. 

But she stopped when she heard the same noise again followed by Isaac's voice.

"Oops."

Maeve smiles slightly as she turns to look at the cheeky boy.

"Yeah. It'll be easier if you accompany me inside!"

'Stupid boy.' She thinks as she helps him carry the books into the building.

-------•×•--------•×•--------•×•--------•×•------

"I'll start, I'll start. I've never had to choose between my girlfriend and the woman I'm obviously in love with!" Eric says and then takes a sip of Remi's strong alcoholic drink.

"Oh, this is about the girl Maeve, huh? Come on, Otis. Tell your Old Man everything."

"I already told you, Dad. It's about what I said in the car. But I already know what I'm going to do, don't worry." Otis says as he looks at his father.

"Oh, I've been in a similar situation before. But know this son, the heart wants what it wants."

"Is that what happened between you and Mom?"

"Yeah, and sometimes, you're just with the wrong person, Otis."

Remi walks a little ahead and looks around, looking worryingly lost.

"Are you alright, Dad?"

"Yeah, just, you know, just getting... my bearings." Remi looks at the compass for a moment and can't figure anything out. "Do you have a map, Son?"

"Mm-hmm!"

"Um, don't you guys want to use my phone?" Eric asks, seriously concerned about the older Milburn's trail skills. Especially after a few drinks.

"No, the map is fine!" Otis looks at Eric due to the slightly bad situation. "Let's go... this way. Yes. This way."

Eric looks at Otis and admits.

"Okay, I guess drinking those drinks with your dad wasn't a good idea."

At that moment, as if it were a sign that everything could get even worse, the two best friends hear thunder signaling the arrival of a torrential rain.

-------•×•--------•×•--------•×•--------•×•------

"Ever had an erotic dream about someone, Adam?"

Adam remains silent and continues to restock the items on the shelf.

"Hello, I'm talking to you." Ola continues trying to talk to him. "I had an erotic dream about another girl, have you ever had an erotic dream about a guy?"

The boy in question almost drops what he's holding, but manages to keep a neutral face and Ola doesn't notice his reaction.

"I don't dream! I think I smoked too much weed!"

"What could it mean? She even told me she 'killed Otis!'. Any idea what that should mean?"

"That you don't love him anymore! Now you love someone else!" Adam says, feeling a bit petty. "Idiot."

"I already figured that out, just wanted to confirm if that's it. You know, a second opinion!"

"We're not friends! If you want to know about these things, just Google it like a normal person." Adam says as he walks to the back of the store.

Ola shrugs, she already knows what she wants to do. But a second opinion doesn't hurt, right?

-------•×•--------•×•--------•×•--------•×•------

"Cynthia said she left a few years ago. Addicts are the worst."

"She's been clean for two years," Maeve says with a sense of protection for her mother; she always seemed to be a cold person, but she was very protective of those close to her.

"Ah, I know this story well..." Isaac says and is immediately interrupted by Maeve. 

"You don't know me... or my mother, okay?"

"Oh, I thought there was a connection between us, orphan to orphan."

"You're wrong," Maeve says, and then Isaac speaks.

"Okay, didn't mean to cross the line. But it's what they say, isn't it? Once an addict, always an addict!"

Maeve can't believe the audacity of this boy. But she limits herself to say.

"You're a jerk, you know that?" And leaves without giving him any more satisfaction.

Isaac is left alone with his thoughts; beneath this facade of a poor disabled person, there is a manipulative and obsessive person. 

Capable of questionable actions to get what he wants.

-------•×•--------•×•--------•×•--------•×•------

"In short, yesterday was a crappy day. I woke up with the worst headache of my life; my girlfriend cornered me; I'm in love with someone else who didn't want me before but does now.

I thought, it can't get worse, right? But it did. The hiking trail failed, surprise, and it started pouring. A lot.

We went to a hotel since there was no way to camp in that rain; we decided to spend the night there.

And then, I found out my dad is still a jerk who cheated on his new wife, now ex-wife. And he came here, not to see me like he said.

The next day, here we are, me and Eric, sitting in front of the hotel, waiting for my mom to arrive, since, by an even greater irony, a piece of the tree destroyed my dad's car.

This has to be the worst day ever.

"I have to tell you something, but don't get mad because I didn't tell you before." My best friend's voice interrupts my thoughts; it seems he's ready to talk now.

"We're friends, you know you can tell me anything!"

I see my friend smile a little nervously and fidget his hands a lot, the attitude of someone nervous. The next moment, he seems to have found some of his courage and starts to say.

"Do you remember, I got detention last year... With Adam?"

Because I went through a traumatic situation because I abandoned you? Of course, I remember. Why did I do that again? Of course... Maeve.

I nod for him to continue the story.

"He... He gave me a head."

'What the hell? What do you mean, Adam Groff?'

Although inside my thoughts are racing a mile a minute, I can't say anything while Eric keeps talking.

"And we've been on several night outings where... We break things and kiss each other... A lot. And it's been wonderful."

But...

"But then were all those years of bullying just misunderstood feelings?"

"I don't know, Otis. But he's different, he's changed!"

"And Rahim? He wants to be your boyfriend, do you know what you'll choose? Night dates with your ex-bully or a serious relationship with the new student who treated you well from the start?"

I'm being hypocritical, I know. But I can't help but worry about my friend, Adam hurt him a lot, both of us. And that's bothering me now more than ever.

I won't allow that ever again.

"You're being an idiot, Otis. He's changing, I know that. And you can't say that to me when you can't even choose the woman you love, and you keep lying to yourself in your relationship with Ola! At least I'm following my heart."

A few times I've seen my friend truly irritated; it seems Adam got to his heart to that point. Okay, I'll let him see for himself this change in Adam, until then, he's still the same idiot bully.

"You're right, Eric. If you say he's changed, I believe you!" I say and see his face soften from his expression of anger." And I'm sorry, I'm just worried you'll get hurt."

Eric finally smiles before putting his arms on my shoulder and saying.

"It's okay, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have talked about your relationship with Ola; if you're happy, I'm happy too."

I laugh at the resolution of our little fight, I know I can always count on Eric.

"I noticed you're different, Otis. Something changed?" Eric asks while looking at me, trying to find something strange on my face.

I was confused, how so... Different?

"Different how?"

"You're calmer. More sincere. The Otis I know wouldn't have admitted his feelings for his dad so easily. And wouldn't be so calm now. I was already thinking you were going to explode because of what I said about Maeve."

I think a little about that, and he's right. Eric can perceive the small changes in me since...ever. But honestly, I don't know where this came from... Maybe it's puberty! Yeah, that's the answer.

"Puberty!" I respond with joy in my voice as I raise my hand as if I were in a classroom.

Eric just starts laughing a lot at my response, and I start laughing too.

As if waiting for a cue, my mother arrives to pick us up.

Finally, this shitty sequence comes to an end.

.

.

.

.

.

"We have to break up!"

I just had to curse myself, didn't I?

"Ola, what's the problem? Why are you breaking up with me so suddenly? What did I do?"

"Otis, I don't love you... I'm sorry. I think we've confused things. I think we should be friends. And... I know you don't love me either!"

Damn, was it that obvious? Thinking about it, it was. It just wasn't obvious to me, or I just didn't want to admit it.

"We're too different, I like to live in the moment and you're so... You know?"

Ola keeps talking as if she's not speaking to me but to herself. It seemed like she was reaffirming something.

"Just a moment, you demanded that I stop talking to my friend out of your insecurity and now you're breaking up with me? What if I had stopped talking to Maeve? Hurt her?"

Her fear is quite reasonable and her request to some might even seem reasonable, but... After waking up this morning, I know I would have never accepted it.

But well, she doesn't need to know that. Since we're breaking up, the goal is to cause as much emotional and psychological pain as possible. Yes, I'm that petty.

"My insecurity? Otis, you're clearly in love with Maeve! It's obvious to everyone."

"My past relationships shouldn't affect ours. If you're not ready to accept that people have emotional baggage, you shouldn't date anyone!"

Ola doesn't expect a response from me, not a reaction that isn't accepting and nodding. She seemed lost and without an answer to the situation.

"I... I'm sorry, Otis." Ola finally says something, and it is an apology.

Apologies? I don't need your pity, damn it. Time for the Grand Finale.

"Sorry is bullshit! Get out of here now, damn it."

Ola freezes, not knowing how to react. It seems like my performance is good.

She just lowers her head and leaves my room.

Argh, finally alone. And now single. Thank goodness I didn't send that message to Maeve.

Maybe this breakup with Ola is a blessing in disguise. and maybe... just maybe there's still time for us?

///////////////////////////////////////////////

Hey, what's up guys, all good? come on, err... firstly sorry for disappearing for so long without answers. adult life is desperate and difficult to deal with. Children are difficult to raise, but that's beside the point.

The news is, I'm not going to continue with Zagreus. It doesn't suit me anymore and I can't give the story any more continuity. 

I tried to at least finish the arc to some satisfaction but I can't do anything remotely satisfactory.

Now I'm here, inspired by hatred and disgust towards the original protagonist. (More precisely because I saw a lot of myself in it.) I decided to make this AU to see what happens and end this story with a happy ending and completely the way I want it to be.

It won't be a long story, I don't know how many chapters it will have, but I intend to end the story and I already have a path or summary of what I will write until the end of the story.

 A guide so I don't get lost like what happened with Zagreus.

Well, I hope you like it and give this story a chance, thank you very much.

From your favorite obscure and little-known author...

AbelWizard.