It’s the third hour of the day and you can't sleep. You’re sitting on the bed of the man who has become your all.

THE MAN! Came from nothing, built everything. To many people he is the great business tycoon, others say he is the god of success but to you, he is mentor.
And dad.

You totally adore him totally and for good reason. He raised and trained you singlehandedly. You're only disappointed that his "magic touch" could not keep mom from dying while you were only 5.

But You cannot remember him ever failing at anything else; hardworking, strong, relentless, brave. You’ve watched him rule his world all your life and you have been proud. You're sure he is the reincarnation of Arkad from "the Richest Man in Babylon".

You're proud of his accomplishments, he's the wealthiest man you've ever known.
And he is very humble, never proud. That's the part of him you don't yet get, he works hard for his money, he earned everything he has, he deserves it, he has the right to be proud?

But not you. You don't.
You are ashamed of yourself. You stand in sharp contrast to your father. He has taught you all his principles but you never get the same results he gets. You have been exceptional in copying him, but your results are worlds apart.

It breaks your heart and your colleagues do not understand. They don’t get why you should be sad. One in ten of your ventures succeed, this is how things work, this is normal.

But you don't want "normal". The man dying on the bed before your eyes did not get 10% right, he got all of it right, every time - and you want that. And you await it as he lay dying.

“Dying of cancer” they say, but you know there is more to it.
After all he had refused expert involvement even though he could afford the best medical help available, but he had declared he was “done here,” whatever that means.
You have been thinking of that since he called for you to fly in from Sydney to stand by his side “one last time.”

You have always been his most trusted and loved protégée and you know it. It’s all he considers you as, but to you he is daddy too and his condition is saddening.

However, he seems sure he will die soon and has probably called you to declare his will, but there’s nothing else you want more than his secret for success, he knows that, and you hope he reveals it. You will lose all the money & crash to the top of average if he doesn't tell.
He had been hesitant to share & its frustrating but you're not frustrated today, you're just sad.

And excited.
Excited because he had promised to give you his secret when you have mastered the natural principles for success, and you believe you have. Maybe this is the time.

But what exactly will he give? What is his secret? What is the magic touch?

The cough from his coarse voice wakes you from your thoughts and drags you back to this sad, lonely room.
He looks at you and expresses his joy at seeing you “one last time.” He goes on to say how he is happy about the man you have become and how proud he is that you’ve learnt all the systems and principles for success.

“But you cannot go more than the average trial-and-error, mediocre man”, he says;
as if you do not already know from experience.

All your applications of principles and strategy and expertise had only kept you at the top of the average, far from your father.

His cold hand grabs your arm, “my time is up, Marmret is here” The terror in his eyes frightens you.
“What...? Who is Marmret?” you ask confused.
“the reason I always win. Now listen”

He presses a cold key into your left palm, looks deep into your frightened eyes and say his last words:

“inside that box there is a bowl, replace your mother’s head with your wife's and pledge your allegiance to Marmret at midnight, he will be waiting. You have till the end of tomorrow, son”

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