Chapter 233 Young Child 2



Mother... NOOOO!" A heart-wrenching cry echoed through the realm of eternal darkness. In this desolate void, where no glimmer of light could penetrate, a single soul flickered with a gentle radiance. It remained still, suspended in time and space, encapsulating the essence of its departed owner.

"STOP! STOP! STOP!" The anguished voice reverberated, pleading desperately for the attention of the divine. "Goddess Celeste! Someone, please!" With each utterance, the voice weakened as if drained of its vitality.

Gradually, the bleak surroundings began to transform, mirroring the state of the radiant soul. The solitary light, once vibrant and resolute, started to dim and lose its brilliance, fading into shades of gray. Meanwhile, on one side of the ethereal realm, a luminous beam of white radiance enveloped the orb, attempting to shield it from the encroaching darkness.

Yet, on the opposing side, the abyssal depths fought fiercely, eager to devour the fading light, to corrupt and seize control. The malignant forces surged, their tendrils stretching towards the diminishing glow, intent on extinguishing the last remnants of the departed soul.

In this bittersweet spectacle, the dichotomy of light and dark played out, locked in an eternal struggle. The fate of the soul hung precariously in the balance, its essence teetering between salvation and corruption. Will the light endure, repelling the darkness with unwavering strength, or succumb to the ever-encroaching shadows, condemned to eternal oblivion?

Only time, and perhaps the intervention of a higher power, could decide the ultimate destiny of this departed soul and its unwavering light. At least, that is what should have been supposed to happen.

Just as the tension reached its peak, a new voice pierced through the darkness—a voice that dripped with malevolence and malice. "Do you wish vengeance?" it whispered, its tone cold and devoid of any empathy. It resonated with the essence of darkness itself, sending a shiver down the very core of the radiant soul.

"Vengeance?" The soul's voice once filled with anguish, now echoed with a resolute determination. "Don't make me laugh... Vengeance is a path chosen by the wicked, by those who embrace evil." The light within the soul burned brightly as it spoke.

The cold voice remained unfazed, its tone mocking and relentless. "Do you truly believe that?" it retorted. "Do you think your virtuous path offered solace to your mother? Happiness in life? A peaceful death?" The darkness spread, encroaching upon the light's brilliance. "Your virtues brought nothing but pain."

"SHUT UP! Do not dare speak ill of my mother!" The radiant soul's voice surged with renewed vigor, defiant and protective. "This suffering is not her fault... It is not the fault of the teachings of Goddess Celeste. There are forces beyond our control, beyond virtue or malice."

"Is that really what you think, what it is in your heart? Don't you think she could help you, help everyone around you?" The same voice echoed.

A brief silence filled the void as the cold voice considered the soul's words. Then, it spoke again, dripping with disdain. "You cannot answer, can you? Because you lack understanding. You lack the answers to why your mother, the villagers, and your friends all endured such pain. Where was the mercy of your precious Goddess Celeste then?"

"B-Because..." The light stuttered, grappling for an explanation in the face of relentless doubt.

"You stumble because there is no answer," the cold voice interjected. "Because the world is not as black and white as you wish it to be. Virtue does not guarantee protection, and darkness does not always equate to evil. Life is a tapestry of complexity, woven with both light and shadow."

As the radiant soul quivered, grappling with its beliefs and the harsh reality presented by the voice of darkness, the battle between light and dark intensified.

"In your heart, you always knew that this world was ruined…. It was broken…. This world is not something that one is supposed to live inside….." The cold voice kept talking as the battle between light and darkness in the soul intensified.

"Wake up to reality. Nothing ever goes as planned in this accursed world. There are no gods that wish you well, no one that wants you to be happy. The more you live, the more you will see that the only things that truly exist in this reality are merely pain, suffering, and futility." The words poured out as the darkness in the void intensified. 

"….." The bright light that was shining started losing the fight as the darkness started taking over the reins. The voice that was defending brightly lost its color with each passing time, as it had no words to refute. 

"What do you think would have happened if this world had not existed from the beginning? Why were you the one that had suffered? Why weren't the gods the ones suffering? Why it always had to be the weak? Why does the strong reign supreme? Why was your mother assaulted by that man?" The questions filled the void as the cold voice kept echoing. 

"The Goddess of Light that always said to bring salvation but brought nothing but heretics. The prideful Goddess of Nature discriminated against the other races as she only gave her blessings to beautiful elves. The God of Blacksmith Vulcan, whose legacy did nothing but make weapons in order to kill." As the cold voice almost finished its words, the darkness in the soul was on the verge of winning.

"I am ? The one that is absolute. The one that brings justice, different from those fake gods you believe. Arden Valorheart. Do you wish to join me in our order? The one that will bring justice to the world, the one that will purge the pain from this world. The one that will be the leader for those who wish to relieve the pain inside their heart. The one that will lead the world from this false sense of happiness to the reality…." As the words of the cold voice finished, the darkness had already finished the fight, as the soul was now pitch black.

"Yes." As the voice echoed inside the pitch-dark world, the surroundings crumbled, and the void disappeared….