The Damned Demon - Chapter 415

Chapter 415: I Am Not Coming Back

Time seemed to stand still as Raziel gazed into those ancient, all-seeing eyes, feeling an overwhelming mix of awe, fear, and a strange sense of reverence.

Before he knew it, he knelt on the cold, rocky summit, his entire being engulfed in the presence of Drakaris. The dragon’s voice, deep and resonant, seemed to reverberate through the very air around him,

"Boy... Did you risk your life coming here to seek my power to help you, just like everyone else has tried?" Drakaris’s voice boomed, sending tremors through Raziel’s body.

Raziel, momentarily taken aback by Drakaris’ imposing presence, gathered his courage and spoke, "O S-Supreme One, as you already know... I seek retribution against those werewolves who slaughtered my people and everyone I loved. I beg you to please punish them—."

"Why should I help you?" Drakaris’s tone was calm, but it carried an edge of indifference that shook Raziel.

Raziel’s voice was filled with desperation, "Because you are the Supreme One, our guardian, our deity. We pray to you, we worship you..."

Drakaris interrupted him, "I never asked for worship nor proclaimed myself as a deity. The belief in me as a guardian is a creation of your own. My existence is not to serve or protect the whims of people who exist below me."

Raziel’s heart sank. He never expected the supreme one to be so indifferent to their plight and that his people’s faith might be in vain, was a crushing blow.

It shattered all the hopes and beliefs he had clung to with his life as he tried to climb up here.

Raziel’s gaze dropped to the ground, his fists clenched tightly as he struggled to comprehend the enormity of what he had just heard. "But... my people... they suffered," Raziel stammered, his voice barely a whisper against the overwhelming silence, "They died while still believing in you. They looked up to the skies, praying for your guidance, your protection..."

Drakaris’ eyes, glowing orbs in the darkness, remained fixed on Raziel, unblinking and unyielding, "Your pain, your loss, while regrettable, is a part of the natural order. Our world is built on a cycle of predator and prey. It is not my place to intervene in this order."

Raziel’s heart pounded in his chest, a mix of desperation and disbelief swirling within him. "Then... then what is the purpose of our prayers? Our sacrifices?" he pleaded, his voice cracking with emotion.

"The purpose you assign to your rituals and beliefs is your own," Drakaris replied, his tone unchanging, "You seek meaning, comfort, hope... but these are creations of your own mind. The universe does not bend to the whims of individual desires. By your logic, if your enemies worshipped me, I should be helping them eradicate you and your race. But no...it doesn’t work that way. It never should."

Raziel’s heart pounded in his chest. Reliving the most painful and horrifying day in his life seemed like a cruel and unusual punishment instead of an opportunity to prove himself.

"Wait...how can I prove myself by doing this? What is the purpose of making me go through what happened again and again?" Raziel asked with a grimace.

"That isn’t for you to know. I told you it won’t be so easy and you don’t have to accept it. You can go back and forget we ever had this conversation. But once you accept...then there is no going back, no matter how much you beg for it."

Drakaris continued, "With each reset, you might lose a piece of yourself. Your memories, your emotions, even your soul may begin to fade if you aren’t strong enough. And if you aren’t, you lose yourself completely, you will remain trapped in that cycle forever. You may think it is an illusion, but it very well might not be. It will be real for you."

Raziel swallowed hard. The stakes were unimaginable, and he couldn’t understand the true purpose behind this other than being a form of most cruel torture.

But then he asked with a look of hope in his eyes, "Since you said I get to live from the beginning of the day...

wouldn’t it mean I can change what happens to my people? Is that what you are looking for? To see if I can change the outcome? Would I be able to continue living with them if I am able to save them?" Raziel didn’t know the extent of Drakaris’ powers, but since he was like a deity to him, he felt this may not be too far-fetched.

"You underestimate the power of fate. Not even I can change my fate, let alone you. No matter what you do, your people will die. You can change how it happens, but the outcome will always be the same. Your struggle would be futile. And you will keep living that day until I say so, and it very well could be never. So think carefully if you are ready for this," Drakaris warned.

Raziel’s hands trembled, but then he clenched his fists and asked with a hardened expression, "I don’t want to believe that my fate can’t be changed. As long as I have knowledge of what’s going to happen, then I have the power to prevent what might happen. So if...by some miracle, I managed to save everyone, would I be able to continue living with them?"

Drakaris briefly closed his eyes and let out a tired sigh, "It seems like you still don’t understand. But if you believe you can achieve such an impossible miracle, then yes...you can continue living with them."

Raziel’s eyes widened, and his heart shook with newfound hope, realizing he underestimated Drakaris’ power. Maybe he can really turn back time.

He can save them before anything bad can happen.

And the burning desire for vengeance spurred him on even more, "I understand the risks. I accept!"

Drakaris nodded, and a powerful energy surged towards Raziel, enveloping him, "Then I will see you the moment your day gets reset."

"Thank you for giving me this chance, but...I am not coming back..." Raziel mumbled with a steely determination before he felt his vision filling with darkness.