Pov Samara:
I was looking at Irina. We were outside the Temple of Urd, but Irina, who called into form, was silent. Even so, I could see the weight in her eyes from sleepless nights and her tired Aura.
"Just say it." ()
"You were responsible for Hatred being here?" (Irina)
"What are you talking about? I spent decades trapped in hell without being able to get out." ()
"You know, many of us scattered initially because of the initial plan, but as the plan changed, we all chose different short-term objectives." (Irina)
"What I chose was to investigate the Ascended's plans, just like Erica and my other stepmothers." (Irina)
"In the data collected by the Ascended, we were able to find two individuals who were marked by the Ascended as Holes 1A and 2B, the designated numbers of their rooms." (Irina)
"These are the cases where the emptiness within them overflowed." (Irina)
"They were experints, imprisoned and used in laboratories because of their conditions. They went through many horrible things, from what we've learned through the experint reports." (Irina)
"I still don't understand what this has to do with ..." ()
"..." ()
"This isn't the first ti you've been here, is it?" (Irina)
Co to think of it, I've been to the Ascended universe before, on more than one occasion, actually, if I rember correctly. Hell never stopped from ssing with them; I did it several tis.
I rember transforming an Ascendant who was accompanying into a Demon of Lust. I also used miasma on one of their planets to see how their Ascendant Laws handled it. There was even a case where I perford Sacrifices using invaders to generate an Infernal monster at their request. This was one of their attempts to generate controllable weapons for their war raids. I made the monster too strong, and it destroyed three planets before the three Ascendant leaders could stop it.
"(She ntioned two individuals who were used in experints...?)" ()
I tried to look back more carefully. Honestly, I've been to many of their laboratories. They liked to use Infernal power in their experints, as well as the power of life, so I had to co here a few tis as part of their negotiations with Hell.
I saw many experintal subjects; rembering two of them like that was kind of impossible for , but if she's talking about hatred, I think I rember sothing, which made sweat run down my face thinking about the possibilities.
"(No, he can't bla for that; he wasn't even born then, and I was still under Hell's command...)" ()
"I can see you rember, so tell , what did you do?" (Irina)
Irina grabs my shoulder, and I can see the anger in her eyes. The innocence of these people is almost endearing. Sotis I'd like to tell her so of my past mischief just to see her horrified reactions. I just don't because the master is too unpredictable with his reactions.
"I don't rember everything exactly. It was just a brief encounter. I was in one of his labs on business and passed by one of his observation cylinders." ()
"I rember my eyes eting his. I felt a brief killing intent. I found it interesting. I also sensed his emotions being suppressed, and his Aura was fragile, showing that there was almost no ego within him. So I played a ga with the Ascendants." ()
"What did you do?" (Irina)
"I released his suppressed emotions and let the hatred consu them all. Then I left him there. I even left a Demon Seed inside him. I thought he would transform into a Berserk Demon or sothing. It was fleeting. I didn't even look at his face for a long ti." ()
"Why did you do that?" (Irina)
"Your question is wrong. It should be 'why wouldn't I do that?' I don't know if you noticed, but I'm not a particularly good person. After being forced to serve in hell and going through tornts you can't even imagine, empathy disappears. In its place, what I have is a need to make others suffer, which strangely diminished greatly after the master placed in his care." ()
"You did this... he beca an Avatar of Hate, at least that's what we believe." (Irina)
"I didn't plan this, but I've encountered subordinates of hate before; they're amusing and short-tempered." ()
"This is no joke, Samara! We're talking about a victim who, because of you, beca a monster!!" (Irina)
Her incoherence is laughable. I couldn't help but curl my lips; her thought process is so simplistic.
"Your innocence may be cute, but don't act like you understand the imnsity of it all. Victims aren't entirely good. A victim of sothing can just be soone's point of view, seeing what they want to see." ()
"Even though it was pressing, I took an interest in him. It was because of his darkness. What I did was just give him a push. He was already a monster; his claws are cut and his body is trapped." ()
"All I did was give his darkness freedom and opportunity to develop." ()
"There are people who embrace darkness, Irina. I'm one of them. Sotis all it takes is one bad day to transform the purest mindset into a malignant Will." ()
The anger in his eyes is getting a little tireso, especially considering what the master might do. I hope you don't mind too much, but I honestly don't know what to expect from him.
"Now we've confird what happened to these two. One of them is with War, the other with Hatred because of you." (Irina)
"Thank you for considering so capable, but what I did shouldn't have been so strong as to attract Hatred's attention. It takes insane levels of hatred to attract this Entity's attention, far beyond my ability to accomplish. That's why I say that at most I brought forward sothing that was already ant to happen." ()
"Good and evil aren't as simple as you think, justice doesn't exist either. Sotis all decisions are bad, even the best ones." ()
----------------------
Pov Davoth:
I was tired. Everything here has been one absurdity after another, all my plans destroyed, the multiversal reform being set aside, the Ascended being spared, and the Ascended Laws being maintained instead of being erased from existence.
"Stop sighing like a child, this doesn't suit you." (Urd)
"Have they arrived yet?" ()
"Not yet. They're trying to separate from the other Ascended without attracting attention. If they all leave at the sa ti..." (Urd)
"I see..." ()
"How did they react?" ()
"As you expected, many were close to going insane. So even wanted to start a massacre to be killed, taking as many Ascended as possible with them." (Urd)
"So nearly fell into a deep depression and tried to take their own lives. Fortunately, almost half acted more calmly and adapted to the situation. However, they still seek to end their lives after this is over." (Urd)
"That's not what I promised them, I can't guarantee they'll obey. What drives them is a sense of purpose born of hatred, anger, and sadness..." ()
"We are now telling them that the targets of these feelings will be saved. We are telling them that all Ascended will continue to exist, and the Laws created through the blood spilled from their universes will also continue to exist." ()
"You're angry." (Urd)
"HOW COULD I NOT BE ANGRY!!??" ()
"IT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE SIMPLE! USE THE ANOMALOUS DRAGONS TO BALANCE THE ASCENDANT LAWS AND REMAKE THESE UNIVERSES!" ()
"KILL ALL THE ANOMALOUS DRAGONS AND THE ASCENDANTS IN THE PROCESS!!" ()
"ERADICATE THESE DAMNED ASCENDANT LAWS CREATED AND DEVELOPED FOR THE SOLE SELFISH PURPOSE OF CONTROL, BEING FORGED IN THE FLAS OF MILLIONS OF UNIVERSES!!!" ()
"THAT'S WHY I NEVER WANTED TO FOLLOW YOUR PLANS! YOU WANT TO SAVE THESE BASTARDS, YOU WANT TO KEEP THE FILTHY ASCENDANT LAWS ALIVE!" ()
"Davoth..." (Urd)
"CONGRATULATIONS, URD!!" ()
Applause! Applause!
"You have everything you ever wanted now. You can reform all these filthy wretches without them having to pay for anything they did. You can save the universes and still keep these Ascendant Laws in harmony with nature. All your wishes are granted..." ()
Sigh
I'd like to cry, but what I feel isn't sadness, it's just anger, an anger that Urd doesn't deserve, and I know it.
I thought I was used to it. I've seen many horrible things over the ages. I've seen universes being born and dying, I've seen civilizations being destroyed for no reason, I've seen others heading for destruction for idiotic reasons, I've seen indivisible things being done, and I've seen many injustices happening.
But what the Ascended did was far beyond that. The destruction they caused, the death and suffering they caused was beyond anything I've ever witnessed. They no longer even cared about what they were doing. It was so much so that not even Death and Life could bear to see it continue, so they helped with my plans.
Now, after all this, knowing that their legacy will continue like this, knowing that all the destruction and misfortune they caused will not be repaid, and even their Souls will be saved.
"Do you feel better?" (Urd)
"No!" ()
"No one understands what you're feeling more than I do. For , it was like seeing it up close. I could see through their eyes, hear their thoughts and feel their emotions, all while these horrible acts were being carried out over and over again." (Urd)
"But this can't continue. The cycle of hatred, revenge, and anger brings nothing good." (Urd)
"What I always wished you could see was this: your plan would save these universes, but only this." (Urd)
"What I seek goes beyond that. I want these universes to prosper. I want these Souls to redeem themselves by saving those who lost their universes. I want to create a place for new beginnings." (Urd)
"You're right to not think this is fair, but we both know justice doesn't exist. All we can do is act as best we can." (Urd)
"This is the best I can... I hope you can co to terms with this, because I'll need your help to prevent your subordinates from seeking a bitter end by not accepting this." (Urd)
"This is an injustice I'd like to prevent. They deserve more than just this hatred and sadness..." (Urd)
"..." ()
Reviews
All reviews (0)