"Kekekekekee… Everything is finally falling into place," the room filled with dim light, and the cloaked man cackled in an eerie manner. As the silhouette emerged from the shadows, its eyes, once devoid of color, regained their piercing black irises. It was the soul of the young man, finally free from its ethereal confines.
With a renewed sense of purpose, the young man's soul soared through the air, drawn to the burnt, lifeless body that once belonged to him. There was an undeniable connection, a yearning for reunification that transcended the realms of the living and the dead.
Without hesitation, the soul merged seamlessly with the charred remains, infusing the body with its essence. A surge of dark energy enveloped the lifeless vessel, knitting together the torn flesh and mending the scars of the past.
In an instant, the young man's eyes flickered open, now alive and reborn. He drew a deep breath, feeling the newfound vitality coursing through his veins. The darkness that once consumed him now became his source of strength, a catalyst for his transformation.
He stood up, his body infused with a blend of both light and darkness. His eyes, now a mesmerizing fusion of black and radiant energy, held a depth that mirrored his journey of resilience and rebirth.
The serious face of a young man now bore an expression utterly devoid of emotion; his features twisted into an unsettling mask. "Arden Valorheart," the cloaked man taunted, relishing in his triumph. "So, you have finally succumbed to his influence as well?"
"Don't call me Arden Valorheart. That name no longer holds any meaning to me," the young man retorted, his voice laced with determination.
The cloaked man's laughter resonated through the room, a chilling sound that seemed to seep into every corner. "Kekekekekekee… How fascinating. The transformation is complete, then. You have shed your former self, embracing a new identity."
The young man stood tall, his stance resolute. "I have relinquished my past, my weaknesses, and my doubts. I am no longer bound by the constraints of who I once was."
The room fell into an eerie silence, interrupted only by the sound of the cloaked man's heavy breaths. Finally, he spoke, his voice dripping with a sinister tone. "And who are you now? A mere vessel for darkness? A pawn in his grand design? The one that embraced darkness for the sake of pleasure? The one that pursues the absolute truth?"
A flicker of defiance gleamed in the young man's eyes as he responded, his voice resolute and unwavering. "I am not a vessel, nor am I a pawn. I have embraced the darkness within me, harnessing its power to forge my own path. But unlike you, I am not driven by sadistic pleasure. I am here to bring satisfaction and relief to those who have been forgotten, those who bear nothing but pain."
The cloaked man's laughter erupted into a maniacal frenzy, a cacophony of deranged amusement that filled the room. "Kekekeke... AHAHAHAAHAHAHHAHAHA!" His sinister grin widened, his eyes gleaming with malice. "So, you discard the virtues you once preached? What about your beloved Goddess Celeste, whom you once fought for?"
As the words spilled from the cloaked man's lips, the young man's expression remained unchanged. His resolve is unshaken, he spoke with unwavering conviction. "I was mistaken. I see that now. The path of virtue alone cannot mend the wounds that plague this world. My purpose now is clear. I am here to create a world where pain becomes a distant memory, where true salvation is found. Do not mistake me for someone like you, driven by selfish desires. My mission is to bring an end to suffering, to pave a path towards a brighter future."
"Kekekekekekekekeke!" The same creepy laughter sounded once more. "Then, you don't strive for revenge? To destroy the one that had taken your life, the one that burned you alive? Callius Augustride?" With his smile still on his face, the man asked.
A fierce determination burned in the young man's eyes as he met the cloaked man's gaze. "Callius Augustride... The one who took everything from me, who left me scarred and broken. Yes, revenge has crossed my mind. But my purpose transcends personal vendettas. It is not vengeance that drives me, but the pursuit of justice and liberation."
A solemn silence enveloped the room as the young man's words hung in the air. The weight of his past and the pain he endured were palpable, yet his resolve remained unyielding. "I will not allow myself to be consumed by hatred. Instead, I will harness the darkness within me to confront the injustices of this world, to ensure that no one else suffers as I have. Callius Augustride will face the consequences of his actions, not as a vessel of revenge, but as an agent of righteous retribution."
The room fell into an eerie silence, the air thick with tension. The cloaked man's laughter slowly subsided, replaced by a chilling calm. "Very well," he hissed, his voice dripping with disdain. "But remember, darkness has a way of consuming even the noblest of intentions. As you tread this treacherous path, be prepared to face the consequences of your actions."
As the man that once laughed had an expression of seriousness on his face, he clapped his hands. "We do not have any time left to play…. That bitch is coming close." He said as the spatial fluctuation could be sensed around. "Come." As his word echoed, he signaled the young man to come towards himself.
Hearing this, the young man nodded his head as he approached him while the cloaked man had already started making his preparations, releasing a bunch of shadows from his hand.
As the shadows started emerging in the room, slowly, the engravings of the ritual disappeared one by one, entering the void inside the vortex. However, that was not the end of all.
/PUFF/
With a puff sound, a body appeared inside the room as the shadows covering it dissipated. A body that looked burnt. A body that was a copy of the one that had just been there before.
"With this, now we are finished. Let's go." As the cloaked man said, the surroundings went dark, and they both disappeared.
This was the tale of how the young man who wanted to destroy evil entered the dark side….
-----------------A/N--------------------
I know we hadn't seen MC for a while, but these chapters are necessary to foreshadow the ambitions of the main antagonist, as I have pictured them like some mindless heretics before.
Hope you liked the chapters.
Aside from that, the fucking electricity was gone for ten fucking hours today, so I just finished the chapter now. I was planning to write more than two chapters today, but I couldn't because of that.
Hope you are safe! Thank you for reading me thus far!
Guys, if you can buy the next two privileged chapters (1-coin only), it would help a lot since the privileged chapter purchases for the win-win mission is now around 9800, and we don't have much time left for 10k.
Thanks for your consideration!
