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Evangeline

Darkness

At least that was the only thing I could see around me. Pure nothingness, no stars, no air, nothing at all. Where am I ? I tried looking at my own hand, but nothing came into my vision `What is going on?! Is this what happens to all after death? Am I about to be reincarnated? I... mean I would love that but why? why now?! I still want to see Papi... why must it be that way?`

I wanted to cry, but even if the extreme sadness was felt deep into the core of my soul, nothing manifested on the physical plane. The flood wasn't released, no tears, no blurry vision. I didn't notice until now but, I couldn't even hear or feel my heartbeats. As if I was incorporeal. The realization fell on me like a cold shower, I didn't exist anymore.

`Maybe it's what death feels like huh... Eternal life in nothingness, no Heaven nor Hell.. no reincarnation... Just my soul wandering? Am I even moving?` I thought, depressingly.

No! I can't accept this kind of ending! What have I done to be forced to suffer this kind of fate?! I was enraged. Enraged of being so powerless

But every attempt I made to manifest something, anything, into this void, just to prove that I still existed, it was in vain.

`Okay... let's say I don't exist anymore, there should be something somewhere around me right? I can still think, so I can't be non existent right?` And for hours? Days? I looked around me, searching for any imperfection in this mesh of pure nothingness.

***

Months? Years? Decades? I don't know anymore, it's been a long time that I've been left with my thoughts.

I kind of accepted my fate, and to pass time, I decided to imagine myself inside of the numerous isekais and fantasy light novels I've read.

There was also memories of the last 6 years of me with Papi. Happy memories, sparkled with chouquettes and sweets.

Suddenly, specks of colorful orbs manifested around me, their only similarity with each other was how they shared an ominous purple hue that shrouded their being.

Voices, each as if thousands but one in words, spoke to me.

"Ohhh what do we have here? hehehehe~"

"A lost soul?"

"I can't discern its race sadly."

"Finally an interesting find."

I tried speaking, but it didn't reach them. Fearing that I will one of the sole opportunity to finally have someone to speak to, my mind fell into chaos ` What do I do?! I cannot speak but they can? How do they see me? AaaAAAAAaaah!`

"How Pitiful ̴~ look! it's fidgeting like those thoughtless Void slimes!"

"It doesn't seem sentient; we might have stumbled upon the soul of a random animal, maybe a cat? Let's make it our pet!"

"You dimwits, it's the soul of a magicless, we all know they never did magic during their lives! What did you expect it to do when seeing us? Greet us like some elf soul?"

"Poor thing, a life without magic? That's depressing..."

"Let me solve this then, and we'll see, if it starts meowing though, it will be my pet, and mine only hehehehehe "

A searing agony spred through what I felt like the very essence of my being. Savage talons ruthlessly tore through my soul, leaving only fragments that it cruelly rearranged. The claws, as if enticed in a grotesque dance of torment, inflicted pain without interruption. After what felt like hours, I screamed. For the first time of this long stay in the empty void, something came out. A gut ranching scream of pain, sorrow and sadness.

"Kyah~ music to my ears~ you didn't have to~"

"aw.. that's not a meow"

"Good job Ạ̴́ͅk̵̤͓̆̚h̵͎͌̉͘l̷̡̹̉̇ẙ̶̰͋͂s̵̠͙͂́̅ now speak little one"

I could feel something spread in me, as if a fire was coursing veins I never knew I had. Even if it was painful, I was still grateful, they gave me magic right? `They gave me magic! Yippee!`

The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.

"It's fidgeting again, I think this thing is a monkey's soul or something. Bo~ring~"

"Wait ... It must be in a state of shock or it is confused... Listen to me little one... Imagine yourself talking. Then when you feel your being tingling a bit, expell it outside"

`Oh yeah, focus Eva, they want to talk with me. Talk! With people? Aliens?Spirits? Ugh, let's not think about this kind of minor details` I thought, and as instructed, I attempted what the deep blue orb told me to do.

"H...h... Hi, erm, I'm Evangeline, who... Who are you guys?" I asked, hesitangly.

"This thing isn't a monkey wow ! Looks like we found what we were looking for L̵̼̳̐ǔ̸̪͗ĉ̶̞̰͈̓į̸̬̱̌͛̓f̸̡̠̊͘ę̸̛͠r̶̩̥̰̿̅̕ !"

"Great, atleast my intervention in this manaless environnement was worth something."

"So... I can go back home now ? *yawns*"

"Indeed E̵͙̬̚c̸̬̼̈́́ḧ̶͈̰̱́͝î̷̬͔͜d̵͓̪̎̄n̴̛͔͆̓ą̷̘̟̌͑, I thank you all for helping me out but now, it is time for you all to get back to your duties, I will deal with it alone."

"Heeeee? But it just started to become interesting? can't I stay a bit pleeease?~"

"Silence. Obey or be punished. Ạ̴́ͅk̵̤͓̆̚h̵͎͌̉͘l̷̡̹̉̇ẙ̶̰͋͂s̵̠͙͂́̅, you will receive a supplementary boon for your contribution. Now go."

The previously small dark purple orb started growing larger, tendrils shot out of its form and opened portals near the other colours. The other orbs immediately went through the portals, leaving me alone with dark purple. Its metamorphosis was reaching the final stage, at least from what I could see, since the lines defining his humanoid form were getting clearer and clearer.

After a short minute, a tall and imposing figure draped in shadows that seem to dance around him was standing before me. His skin, a deep and lustrous shade of dark purple, glows with an ethereal radiance, subtly shifting in hue. He had eyes, the color of smouldering embers, that were burning intensely.

Long, flowing locks of black hair cascade around his shoulders, in his back, a pair of majestic wings, reminiscent of those depiction of demons, extended from his back... `Oh fuck he's hot` I immediately thought. `Must... not... drool... must... not drool! `. Before my imagination went completely bananas a deep commandeering voice broke my thought process.

"Even in your current form as a mere blob of light, I can sense your desires. Concentrate. I have numerous questions, and your responses will determine your destiny."

Without even waiting for my confirmation he immediately began interrogating me.

"What were you before your death? Which world?"

"I was a human, on Earth" I answered.

"Good. Do you wish for power? Become someone that Kings envy?"

`What? did this guy just skipped every other question and just went straight to the point? He did not even introduce himself! ` Even if he acted outrageously, I felt like I had close to no room for negotiate and getting any information from him seemed difficult. But staying idle also meant giving up, so I asked a question regardless of how forceful he was, since we were talking about my own fate for fuck's sake!

"Errm... I mean I don't mind all those reincarnation stuff and all, but can you at least tell me who you are please? and what is going on." I asked timidly.

The demon started laughing.

"Even if I told you, it has no importance."

Without any warning, he seized me with one hand and extracted a fragment of my essence with the other. I sensed a sharp diminution in my energy. Within the hand that touched my soul, a glimmering speck was visible.

He proceeded to consume it while looking thoughtful, as if he was savouring a peculiar snack. `Did this guy just took a part of me and ate it? The heck is wrong with him?! ew, even if he looks good, he definitely is a creep...`

After finishing his meal, he stared straight at me. I almost felt naked in front of him, as if he could see everything. After an awkward staring match, he restarted speaking, this time, his tone was magnetic and charming.

"You wish to be in control, right? What a sad life you had back in Earth. If only you knew everything was not your fault but someone else's. The K̴̤̆̓r̷͔̔e̶̺͘a̵͚̱͒̚t̵̜̮̏̓͑͜o̷͕̩͑́͜͠ṙ̴̘̇̾ wronged you, he left your world to rot. His failed experiment. We both share this unjust treatment. That is why I will give you power. Magic beyond those books you read and realise whatever you wish"

`Uh oh, every red flag just went up in my head, oh frick, that's definitely a trap. I guess I'm fucked huh, let's hear this guy out I guess` I sighed internally. This guy was bad news, he acted like those Evil powers that grants you endless power and riches in exchange of your soul and free will. But what other choice do I have now? I decided to state the obvious, just to try the waters:

"This is definitely an offer of a lifetime but... it sounds too good to be true, what's the catch?"

The demon was perplexed and stated bluntly

"Well, obviously, your eternal adoration and servitude, of course!"

`I am so fucked... Quick, I need to stall for time until I find a way to escape` was the first thing I thought. My plan was simple, since mister demon was in front of me, I now had a clear landmark, and could see if I was able to move. I also remember that one of the other orbs said I was fidgeting. This count as movement.

"I mean, eternal servitude isn't really how I want to live my life, is there any way around that?" I tentatively asked while pushing a small amount of mana in my back.

He answered with mirth in his voice: " You mortals outside of my domain can't understand how meaningful a life of adoring and serving me is..."

He then sighed, as if exasperated by my cluelessness and with an almost comical confidence, continued his monologue

" I am the greatest being you'll ever get to meet anyway, why the sudden hesitation? All my servants live long fulfilling lives, they sing praises when they see me and overtly show their affection at any given time”.

`A creep and a megalomaniac. G-reat! ` I thought, cynically. While he was praising himself, I observed that was now a bit closer to him. He did not move, so it must be my mana's work! `So if I expel mana in one direction, I get propelled like a rocket! ` My short moment of joy was broken by the demon gaze falling on me again. `Did he notice...? `

"Enough of me. Now is your moment. Do not worry too much, I came prepared". Out of nowhere, a long parchment appeared in his hand.

"Now that you've had a glimpse of my greatness, it is time for you to do your part"

Unrolling the parchment, he gestured towards the very bottom of what seemed to be an extensive contract, brimming with text, reminiscent of those confidentiality clauses back on Earth.

"Just channel your mana here, then pledge eternal fealty to me and me alone. In return, you'll be transported to my palace, where I'll bestow upon you a new body, a significant position, and boundless power."

I felt completely cornered. This guy did not leave me any room for thoughts or protestation. He just went straight for what he planned to do from the beginning.

`Someone...Anyone... Help me` I begged internally.

And since no one answered to my plea, I decided to run for it. In the blink of an eye, I mustered all the energy I had in me, to project it straight at the demon face, and hopefully blast me as far as possible from him. The last image I had of him was the demon's confident expression morphing into deep anger. But before he could act, his figure quickly disappeared from my sight due to how fast I was distancing myself from him. Now, I all alone again...

"I'm so tired..." I muttered as my eyes slowly began to close, in between the blinks of my vision fading, a golden portal materialized before me, a hand emerged, swiftly pulling me into the portal as darkness enveloped my senses.