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Chapter 55

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Breathing in the fresh air of this beginning towards the morning dew, where seagulls flew throughout the windy atmosphere, everything around him seemed to hit him like a freight train, from the light of the sun shining through his closed eyes to the breeze of the air brushing against his skin.

Once he managed to overcome this feeling of surprise, Seth then tried to relax himself and allow common sense to enter his mind before opening his eyes in reaction to waking up to these nostalgic surroundings. "This is..." He recognized that this isn't indoors anymore.

Standing on top of the many towering pillars above the calm ocean in his surroundings, he asks, "Where am I?" Seth inquired curiously about his sudden arrival in this calming place compared to the previous areas, which were comprised of danger and dread at having to watch his back every now or then.

A large smile crept upon his lips as he looked upon the sky with brightened eyes while enjoying the warm sensation of the sunlight upon his skin. He was thrilled by the sight, as despite knowing deep down he is still in that demon's dimension, having familiarity with the outdoors is always pleasing.

What really caught his eye was when he looked down, seeing the glistening water below where he stood. This view was absolutely breathtaking, a true piece of art that could have been found within a painting or drawing, "beautiful." I breathed out an audible whisper from this wonder.

He is never a nature type, but looking behind the diseases, dirt, and dangerous predators that roam throughout the wilderness, the sights of trees, rivers, and forests were aesthetically pleasing for him to enjoy. Especially this moment of having to witness the scenery of the ocean filled with brilliant shades of blue as well as the faint, sparkling stars above.

Looking above while his hair danced from the calm, blowing wind, he was pleased to see many twinkling stars still persisting in the sky, a sight to behold if he was being honest. The first time he saw these constellations, he was amazed at how many there are and how complex some of them are, although there are some he couldn't identify.

He is no astrologer or anything of the sort, but sometimes when a person is plagued by the issues of life, the only relief that keeps them sane is their own stimulus provided by the nature that can only be found within their surroundings, always present but ignored most of the time.

Seth never understood why human beings attached themselves to worldly pleasures, not seeing the point of basking in what was always there to begin with, but now he realizes how foolish he was to ignore something so wonderful and extravagant.

For everything has beauty to behold, from the sea of twilight to the grandeur of the rising sun and the moon, life itself is a blessing that cannot be taken for granted. Just glancing upon these stunning environments is proof enough that there is a reason to continue living in this cruel world full of bloodshed and suffering.

"You never change, do you?"

Recognizable voice he heard as Seth turned around in shock at his appearance. What the door was replaced with was Asmodeus himself, the prince of lust. "You!" The boy shouted in response, wary and shocked at seeing the demon standing before him.

Amused by the expression, "surprise to see me?" Inquired with a grin on his lips, "I should have guessed," chuckling at this child's predictability, "now it appears that my efforts to sway you into our ranks were...failure," the demon admitted in defeat but nonetheless maintained that gentle and elegant smile.

Surprised by his words, "was that really the devil?" Asked in anticipation, wondering to himself if this information is true, as he wouldn't fathom the idea of being the lord of all demons in deciding to mess with a random teen who holds no importance.

Laughter came from the prince of lust: "Oh, you didn't know?" Finding it incredibly comical that the boy was ignorant of meeting the literal king of the underworld, "Ahh, sadly for you, it was me; remember the time you encountered that spider creature?" Referring to the labyrinth the teen had to endure.

Saddened by the news, Seth stared down at the ground with pure dismay. "So everything you said, including about hell and the afterlife, was fake?" In disbelief of being deceived by this entity, "all those terrible things—was that supposed to be a lie or something?" He raised his voice at him in utter anger and confusion over this event.

Sigh escaped from the demon's lips, "Aside from the subject of us creating hell, that is true...however," pausing for a second before continuing, "the rest was a mix of lies, and it is far too complex in elaborating on what happens after creatures die," stating in being honest with his words, "but this isn't what I came for," changing the topic entirely.

Dramatically shifting his posture in order to compose himself, "since my last attempt at corrupting you wasn't successful," gesturing his hands at the child while smiling politely to the boy as he began to speak with a subtle, alluring tone of voice, "let me remind you of how cold and dark the outside can be. How insignificant you are to the world around you, Seth, how lonely your life truly is, and how everyone will abandon you the moment they are given the opportunity to do so," pointing out the most crucial flaws.

Firmly gripping his holy crucifix, he shook his head with a sign of annoyance and said, "Shut up." Growled with venom and frustration in the invasive words, "none of what you said is true," denying his claims of reality and living in a delusion of believing anything coming from a demon in all places.

"Hmph," he said, staring down at the boy with disdain in his eyes, "if you truly believe that, then let me show what I can offer!" As he yelled at the top of his lungs, spreading out his own arms as if he were a performer displaying his show, he caused the very oceans to shift violently from the action.

"What's happening?!"

Seth screamed in shock and horror at this unsettling phenomenon, trying to maintain his balance where the very ground itself was suffering from a mild earthquake of such magnitude. Even the very pillars that kept him in place trembled uncontrollably as he lost his footing, tumbling down onto his knees.

An echoing laughter of insanity emerged from the prince of lust, amused at the sight of terror displayed on the child's face. The waves below violently shook to the point it made him wonder what was going on in the first place, frightfully confused about what Asmodeus was even doing.

Then a golden city made of buildings and roads ascended from the body of water with a divine appearance. Despite its incredible size and structure, there is no one in sight after the ocean itself has completely disappeared into thin air.

What was a beautiful ocean is a city made of gold, where statues of Seth are present in every corner of it, along with a palace that stands at the center of the city. A colossal castle that is twice as large as any house, maybe even triple as big. Its shape is reminiscent of the one in the medieval era, with multiple towers reaching towards the heavens, built with a combination of marble and metal.

Standing up and looking over at the edge of this pillar, his mouth fell in pure disbelief at this revelation. The whole area before him is now occupied with this golden city full of treasures, making any person fantasize about becoming rich overnight just by imagining owning such a place.

A cold touch of his right should startle him, turning his head to the side in seeing Asmodeus smiling sinisterly at the city. "All of this, I can give you," he proposed with a persuasive and suggestive tone, "a paradise for you and all your friends, family, and loved ones. Nobody will suffer from pain again," tempted the child from this opportunity.

"What...?"

Baring his rotting teeth in delight, the demon continued his sweet talk: "I can give you anything, not just this, all of your dreams and wishes; my servants will be more than happy to fulfill them. From wealth, fame, and even love that will stay with you for an eternity, including eternal life for you to experience the wonders of what is to come," suggests accepting this deal in exchange for something greater.

"Anything...I want?" Seth's eyes widen from this new offer: "I...can get anything I want if I accept your deal?" Doubt lingered in the voice of his question. While he had denied his previous offer, this was...tempting to say the least in wanting to relive the life he had always dreamed of.

Everyone accepts himself for who he is, living in the comforts of home and spending days with his loved ones without the worries of hunger, dangers, and struggles. It would be a shame if he said no to this, but at the same time, he can't immediately say yes to it.

With so much suffering and evil he has had to experience throughout his life, wouldn't it hurt to live away from the harsh reality he is thrust into? Is it too greedy and selfish for a mere fourteen-year-old boy like himself to be asking this in return from someone, no less a demon, who is more generous than God?

Seeing some doubt in the boy's eyes, Asmodeus decided to push this a bit more: "With endless resources at your disposal, you can use them for good," emphasizing to motivate him, "Think about it: a place for refugees, an army for protecting your village, and even hospitals for the sick and the poor. Isn't that what God wanted from you?" Questioning his morality in helping others.

Those words struck a cord in his heart: "those..." Pausing for a moment to reflect on the issue before looking at the city with stern determination of this decision, "That's great and all, but the only problem is. What will happen if I accept your offer?" While he learned that every demon wants to take a person's soul, something told him there was more to that than meets the eye.

But what the child didn't expect was hysterical laughter from this question as the demon walked backwards with his hands over his stomach, unable to stop himself from this surprising statement of innocence he always hears whenever a human or demon wants to make a deal.

"Your soul?" Stopping himself before facing the boy with a smirk, "to think that you are worried about such things," the demon chuckled in amusement before gesturing his left arm towards him, "I am unlike the petty lower demons who only want your soul as compensation," shaking his head sideways with pity for the teen.

Worry spread across the boy's face. "Really?" Having doubts about his words, "So what is it you want?" Wanting to get the bottom of this offer that he was getting, he was rather surprised that this peculiar demon was not asking to have his soul for something in return.

"It is quite simple," he stated with composure in his voice, "by bowing down and worshiping me as your God, then everything will be given to you," smirking while his eyes glowed with a soft yellow shade. "That's all you have to do, child," urging you to take this offer.

"You want me to..." He couldn't believe what he was hearing: "Pray to you?" Seth can't imagine life without having to pledge himself to this unholy entity. "I...why?" I am confused by this request in general and unable to understand the meaning behind it.

Confident with a raised eyebrow, Asmodeus explained his reasons: "Believe it or not, has your God ever confronted you physically or mentally? Has the Lord ever spoken to you or shown signs of caring for you?" I inquired of this curious child as his voice echoed through the vast space they were in.

"N-No..." The boy hesitated a bit in giving that answer, "He never had..." admitting of this embarrassing fact in having to say it in front of him, "But that's because he is too busy running everything!" Trying to explain and defend his God once more, "I'm sure he still hears my pleas and—"

"Can't you admit that he is also tyrant?" The demon interrupted the boy while maintaining a polite demeanor, "placing silly laws on mankind while judging his creations through his flawed judgment, and you call that benevolent?" Raising a valid concern about this behavior, "Don't you see what I'm offering is much better compared to him sending anyone to hell for those who don't follow those said laws?" Making a comparison to this deal and what people have to do in order to achieve God's favor.

Although Seth found himself at a loss for words, unable to argue against him for everything the demon said is true once more, feeling his faith so dimmed that what was once a candle lit with fire in the darkness is reduced to a mere ember threatening to blow away.

"Your silence says it all," Asmodeus pointed out with a mocking tone, "my offer is genuine; everything you want can be achieved," making it sound like a perfect world with the small price to pay, "just bow down and accept me as your savior," urging the teen to agree to this deal.

However, the boy still held onto his belief in the Lord, saying, "You don't understand," shaking his head with a gloomy frown on his face, "I told you once, and I will tell you again. There is more to the Lord than you'll ever know." Seth's faith then grew strong again. "Even though I don't understand what is going on with him or the reason why he allows certain events to pass, that doesn't mean he is a tyrant, for it is said he allowed free will," hope started to build up within him.

A growl escaped from the demon's lips: "You are such a loyal disciple, are you not?" Tilted his head at him with exasperation in his eyes, "Are you saying you will remain loyal to being that will never speak to you directly nor answer your pleas of desperation?" Anger and annoyance were expressed within his words: "Accept my deal, and you will be free from such tyranny!"

"Never," gritting his teeth at the demon, "for I will find the truth of God by myself, no matter how long it takes. And until then, I will rely on what is left of my faith, which is little as it is, to guide me through this ordeal!" Declaring having to believe in God and refusing to be corrupted by his tempting words and empty promises.

He was in disbelief of the human's own stubbornness. "Truly pathetic," the demon mumbled under his breath, finding him annoying and irritable. But at the same time, he enjoyed their brief conversations, for he found the boy amusing despite how tiresome it was.

But before Asmodeus could continue this tempting, the smell of perfume entered their presence, alerting him to the coming of Muriel. "Tsk," he said, clicking his tongue in slight distaste. Not particularly of how the angel is going to ruin the fun, but of how she will drag this out for an unnecessarily long period of time, "very well, it appears I have to send you home and leave the blond child," allowing Seth to finally get his desired rest.

Surprised by the words, "Your sending me back?" Joyful at the news, "why again?" He probably knows why because he too can smell the powerful perfume, knowing his own guardian angel has finally arrived in times of need whenever he feels like he is close to losing all of it.

"Listen well," he then spoke to Seth with indifference. "As I send you back to that whore's dwelling, you will realize how generous I am to you after seeing a sample of my power," he sarcastically smirked with pride. "Goodbye for now... my child," he snapped his finger as reality itself turned dark.

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by 3 Armored Kittens · Prodromos v.1.1 - World Anvil 0.9.15.042 © 2017-2024 [en] | Anvil Time: 18:18, Nov 8 2024