I will return

19

I'm in my apartment, looking at the museum plans that cover almost the entire wall in front of me. The room is barely lit by a lamp, enough so that I can review for the thousandth time every entrance, every chamber, and every guard patrolling that damn exhibit. Among them there is one that interests me more than all the others: Luis. Another one that got trapped in my body during my transformation. He doesn't know it yet, but he will be the first to fall.

Next to me, on the table, is a cloth mask that will cover my face. A small arsenal of tools is prepared: lockpicks, explosives, everything needed to get the job done. Outside, the rain falls incessantly, the sound of thunder reverberates in the distance, but there is no wind. The atmosphere is perfect. The storm will be my ally tonight.

I'm excited, I can hardly contain myself. I approach the photo of Daemon Ritus that I have stuck on the wall, that damn pyramid that changed me forever. "You and I, we'll get back together soon," I murmur as I run a paw over the image.

My mind travels to that day, so long ago, when I first found him. It was right after Mistery Inc. kicked me out like I was worthless. The very ungrateful ones didn't appreciate what I did for them, my loyalty, my potential.

I remember how I wandered along the road, asking for hitchhikes, but no one deigned to stop. My suitcase, heavier with each step, made me stop every so often. And then it started to rain, like now. With no shelter in sight, I ended up in a deep, dark cave, where the cold and loneliness seemed to devour me.

I sat, shivering and soaking wet, growling about everything Mistery Inc. had done to me. "They don't know my worth...they don't understand my power," I told myself, as anger grew in my chest.

And that's when I saw her. A light, weak, but striking enough to awaken my curiosity. I got up, cautiously, and moved deeper into the cave. The light took me to a set of ancient ruins, carved into the rocks, covered in demonic images that seemed to watch me. And there, at the center of it all, was the Daemon Ritus.

I didn't know it at the time, but when I touched it I felt an energy that went through me immediately. It was as if the device was choosing me. My paws were shaking, but my mind was filled with power. "What are you?" I asked him softly, but I received no words. Just another burst of energy that brought me to my knees. "The Daemon Ritus," I whispered, not quite understanding what it meant.

The memory fades and I find myself back in my apartment, looking at the photo of the Daemon Ritus. The rain continues to fall outside, lightning illuminates the room every now and then."It's about time," I murmur, with a smile I can't help. My heart is pounding, the excitement of what is about to happen fills me with energy. "It's about time you came back to me."

I put on my mask, grab my backpack, and head out into the storm. My plan is in motion.