My eyes suddenly began to fill with a dazzling flash of light. Then, as the dazzling flash gradually fades away, a green landscape gently emerges from my field of vision. It's gorgeous. The surrounding landscape, which included rolling hills, lush trees, waving grasses, and an expanse of vibrant blue skies with clouds spread all about, as well as the wind's lovely blowing.
This place is a true heaven for it appears like it has been well-kept and is quite serene.
Then, I had an idea that all men would likewise have: I should explore.
I was completely undressed and without any clothing for some reason. It feels both pleasant and bad to move around on grass. Even when it was rocky or filthy, it still feels wonderful because it tickles and makes me feel like I've attained freedom.
The aroma of blooms and the soft rustling of leaves filled the cool air. I was struck by how peaceful everything was as I made my first steps.
I've been moving around for a while, discovering new things, and taking in the beautiful scenery all around me. This is arguably the loveliest present anyone could possibly have, and I kind of agree.
Misery yet persists despite the beauty of the setting. There will always be darkness in the presence of light. There remains evil in the presence of goodness. Since that is how the world functions, there will always be another side.
This picture-perfect setting quickly began to have a sinister dissonance. A reddish-black cloud in the distance cast a shadowy line across the horizon, standing out sharply against the calm blue sky. It was as though a small piece of chaos had crept into this haven.
I was astounded to see how such a wonderful location could be overtaken by a terrifying view. The commotion that was, I suppose, going on wherever it was originating from made my heart race. I have no idea what is going on there and am unable to make an exact approximation, but turmoil exists. It was disturbing to see the serene beauty contrasted with the approaching darkness.
Such a scene attracted me despite being frightening. It seems as though whatever this occurrence is, my presence is bound up with it. It seems fated for me to travel there and see it for myself.
In an effort to get to the source of the darkness, I ran as quickly as I could. Even though it is windy, and I am completely naked, for whatever reason I don't feel cold.
The verdant environment began to disappear as I drew near, making way for a desolate landscape. I reached a vantage point from where I could see a bustling city located at the foot of a huge mountain, nay. An active volcano. Its soaring pinnacle burst in a chaotic cloud of ashes, debris, and scorching embers that painted the sky in colors of gloom.
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People ran in a hurry, anxiously looking for cover from the approaching tragedy, sending shockwaves of panic and horror across the streets. The chorus of cries, wails, and prayers created an eerie symphony that illustrated how helpless humans are in the midst of nature's wrath.
I was greeted with terrified glances and eyes that mixed agony and desperation once I arrived and ventured out into the streets in the thick of this calamity. And for whatever reason, I was able to grasp the magnitude of their fear at this very moment and how helpless they felt in the face of the volcano's wrath.
I was anxious and afraid of what was happening to me, but I also felt fantastic. I look into each of their eyes as they flee from fear, curious to see how I can read their innermost feelings. It's amazing... Suddenly, a sinister realization hit me. I, the Devil, deliver temptation and deception. My purpose as the Devil is to mislead people and plant the seeds of evil in the minds of the weak and defenseless. I am the Devil, after all. I am lucky today, no doubt about it. I have the chance to deceive everyone in the midst of the pandemonium at precisely the time when they are experiencing their greatest fear.
Adrian chuckled and mumbled, “Ha...Haha,” and then added, “Well... It's time for their end.”
Adrian's lips curved into a menacing grin, reflecting the darkness that suddenly surrounded his goal. He whispered ideas of forsaking principles and savoring momentary pleasures in the midst of oncoming disaster with a glimmer of influence. He stoked the coals of self-indulgence and selfishness by igniting passions that had remained dormant within them.
Adrian's eyes spotted someone fleeing for his life in the midst of this conflagration as he darted through the mayhem. Fear could be seen on the man's distorted face, and his frenzied footfall against the battered ground were like drums. His seeming desperation was what caught Adrian's attention by the way his apparent desperation was written all over his face.
“H-Hey! Remove your hands from me!”, declared the person who Adrian had grabbed.
The moment he saw Adrian's face, the man stopped talking. He didn't notice any horns or grooves on his head, but what he did see was far more foreboding—a pit of gloom, a chasm of darkness that seemed to snuff out all light. Adrian seemed to radiate terror from his very core.
The man's heart pounded in his chest, not solely because of the volcanic eruption that pursued him but also because of the unnerving presence before him. His wide eyes were fixed on Adrian's gaze as he came to a stop, and it appeared as though Adrian's gaze was piercing right through him.
“Say, what do you want?” Adrian’s whisper, smooth as a serpent’s whisper broke the silence along with his eerie smile and dilated pupils.
The man muttered quietly, looking down as he was afraid to look Adrian in the face, “... to live is what I want.”
Adrian's lips twisted into a cynical grin, but it stopped short of his icy eyes. He pondered "to live," as though thinking about the idea.
“You must be blind if you think you can survive while such a scene is taking place, how awful.” Adrian scoffs as he says to the man, crossing his arms, “Yet I believe death by one's own hands is considerably less agonizing than to meet your end in the searing grip of hot, burning lava, don’t you think?”
Adrian's statements seemed to cast a shadow over the man, who began to seem more terrified. His awareness slowly grew as he became aware of his situation and the malicious undertone of Adrian's advice. He had a choice, but it was a choice laced with wicked purpose, offered by the Devil.
The man's eyes began to flood with tears as a result of the volcanic ash all around him as well as the utter helplessness of his circumstance. He was caught between Adrian's frightening presence and the burning mouth of the volcano, a wicked power that appeared to delight in the despair of men.
The man was faced with making the most important decision of his life at that terrifying time as the eruption roared on and everything fell apart around them. Would he follow the Devil's terrible suggestion, or would he keep running in an effort to survive? The choices made while the man and those around him were in the grips of fear and despair would determine their futures. The dance of desperation had only just begun.