Chapter 423 A Thousand Memories, A Thousand Feelings
As Raziel entered the familiar confines of his home, time was ticking down to the inevitable horror he knew was coming. Only an hour was left and nobody here would ever see it coming.
The atmosphere in the house was peaceful, a stark contrast to the dread filling his heart. He saw his mother sitting in her favorite chair, her hands gently cradling her memory mirror. Despite her blindness, her face was serene, a soft smile gracing her lips as if she were lost in a pleasant memory.
Raziel's approach was quiet, but Aurelia's keen senses picked up on his presence. She turned her head towards him, her smile widening as she prepared herself to get up, "Son, you are here? Were you with Matron Selene? I didn't know you would be coming a bit earlier. Otherwise, I would have prepared something for you to eat."
Raziel, his heart heavy, managed a faint smile as he made her sit again and sat beside her, "There is no need, mother. I am not hungry," he replied, his voice barely above a whisper. His eyes then drifted to the memory mirror she held so tenderly.
"But I always wondered why you always hold onto it even if you can't see my image," Raziel asked, a mix of curiosity and melancholy in his voice.
Aurelia's smile turned warm and affectionate as she ran her fingers over the mirror, "I cannot see it as everyone does. But to me, this image is more than a thousand words; it's a thousand memories, a thousand feelings, all of you, my child. "
Raziel's heart ached with a mixture of love and regret as he listened to his mother's words. He could no longer hold back the flood of emotions that surged within him. With a complicated smile, a facade to mask the storm brewing inside, Raziel leaned in and embraced her tightly. His head rested gently on her shoulder, tears welling up in his eyes as he whispered, his voice laden with sorrow, "I am sorry, Mother. You suffered a lot because of me, and I might cause you pain in the future as well. I wish I knew how to stop it, but I ended up being a burden to you."
Aurelia blinked her eyes upon sensing her son's distress. But then her expression softened as she gently caressed his head. With a voice filled with warmth, she whispered, "I don't know why you are feeling sad about being my son suddenly. If anything, I always fear that I would be a burden to you and that I might be holding you back from achieving great things."
"You could never be, mother," Raziel said fervently as he continued to hold her firmly.
Aurelia's warm smile remained as she said, "The same goes for you, my son. Even if you think I suffered, every hardship pales in comparison to the love and happiness you've given me. I am ready for any suffering I might face in the future as long as you continue to be my son."
Raziel's expression became resolved, nodding and firmly declaring, "I will never let you go no matter what happens."
His voice softened as he smiled reassuringly, "Forget what I said earlier. I will never give up until I find a way to make you happy forever."
Aurelia, sensing the determination and warmth in his words, reached out with her hands, searching for his face.
Gently cupping his cheeks, she said with a warm look, "You don't have to because I already am," Her words were simple yet profound, reaching deeply into his soul.
She then leaned forward, and with a touch as light as a feather, she kissed his forehead. As Raziel basked in the warmth of the moment, his eyes closed in a serene smile. However, the tranquility was short-lived. In the blink of an eye, he found himself abruptly transported back to the cold, rocky surface of the mountain. Kneeling there, he felt the stark contrast of the chilling air against the warmth he had just experienced.
Raziel became bewildered, the cold wind biting at his skin. His gaze lifted to meet the enormous, glowing crimson eyes of Drakaris above him. With a shake of his head, filled with confusion and a hint of defiance, he questioned as he stood up, "Why did you bring me back?"
Drakaris' voice resonated with a calm yet imposing tone, "You didn't do as I instructed. Do you truly not desire to end this?"
Raziel's gaze fell, his fists clenched tightly as he said, "I can't do what you asked," he confessed, his voice resolute yet heavy with emotion, "I could never destroy the people I love just to save myself. It completely betrays the very reason I ended up here."
Drakaris' eyes seemed to narrow as he probed further, "Does this mean you are willing to endure this suffering for eternity?"
Unwavering, Raziel lifted his gaze, his eyes cold yet burning with determination, "Yes. I would rather destroy myself than harm them. Without them, your power holds no value for me, nor would my life."
Drakaris' response was tinged with a mix of disbelief and curiosity, "How foolish. Anyone would eagerly accept my power rather than endure a perpetual nightmare with those doomed to perish."
But Raziel remained steadfast, his expression hardened by his resolve, "I may be a fool, but as long as my people are with me, it can never be a nightmare," he countered.
Closing his eyes, Raziel braced himself for the inevitable cycle to continue, "So you can send me back," he said firmly. "I will keep trying to save them, no matter how hopeless it is. I will never give up on them."
"Finally...I found a worthy one to become my successor," Drakaris said with a deep hum.
Raziel opened his eyes and his brows raised, his emotions a whirlwind of confusion and disbelief, "What are you talking about?" he asked, his voice echoing his bewilderment.
"You passed my test, boy," Drakaris declared, his voice resonating with a deep and profound sense of finality. Raziel's eyes widened in shock, unable to comprehend the turn of events.
"I don't understand. I failed to do what you said. You told me that was the only way I could pass your test. You said my ambition for gaining power wasn't enough to be your successor," Raziel stammered, his voice tinged with surprise and confusion.
Drakaris hummed thoughtfully before explaining, "Yes, and the only way to pass it was to not do what I told you to do. I never wanted someone with blind ambition to gain power at any cost. They wouldn't hesitate to destroy our world if it would gain them power."
Raziel blinked his eyes as Drakaris added, "I sought someone who would never abandon their faith, their roots even if it meant their own destruction. You almost broke, but then you remembered what mattered to you most and why you were doing this. You reaffirmed your beliefs and never succumbed to your nightmare. You have grown stronger, far beyond what I anticipated."
Raziel stood there, dumbfounded, as he processed Drakaris' words. The revelation that the supreme being had intended for him to fail as a test was unexpected and profound. He realized that only a being of great wisdom would devise such a trial.
Yet, amidst this understanding, a wave of sadness washed over Raziel, "Does this mean that I am not going to ever see them again?" Even though Raziel felt greatly relieved that this nightmare really ended and that the souls of his loved ones could finally rest, he still felt a heavy sense of loss and emptiness upon knowing he wouldn't see them again.
Drakaris's voice resonated, "You already know the answer to your question. All the iterations of this day were simply how reality would have unfolded differently based on your actions. But the outcome of this day was always destined and has already passed. Even if you can reverse time, nothing would change. However, now you have the chance to let their souls rest in peace."
Raziel nodded, a sad smile gracing his features, "You're right. I know they are with me, even if I can't see them beside me." He then asked with a curious look, "Then what would you have done if I really killed one of them?"
"Then I would have burned your soul until nothing was left for failing my test," Drakaris calmly replied, yet Raziel felt a chill passing down his spine.
He didn't know if he should be surprised to see that the supreme one was more ruthless than he initially appeared to be.
His expression shifted, a steely cold resolve taking over, "I can't express enough how grateful I am for giving me this chance. But I need your help to carry out what I came here for. I will be honored to become your successor and will carry out your will till my last breath."
Drakaris hummed approvingly and conjured a glowing drop of his own potent bloodforce. The drop, sizzling, and emanating fumes floated ominously toward Raziel as Drakaris said, "This is a potent drop of my blood force equivalent to the power of a Deviar. Passing my test is one thing, but absorbing this is another. It's powerful enough to destroy you easily, given your inferior bloodline. Anyone would say it's impossible, even more so since you are a vampire who has a natural weakness to flames. Just this single drop could burn you away until not even your bones would be left behind. Given all this, are you ready to risk it all to become my successor?"
Raziel eyed the drop of scorching blood, sensing its overwhelming dark power warping the very space around it. Yet, undaunted, he declared without any hesitation, "I have endured far worse, O Supreme One. Nothing can faze me now, not even the prospect of death."
The drop of blood then began to approach Raziel's glabella while time seemed to slow down, heightening the tension in the air.
Drakaris's voice echoed, "Then may you come out stronger if that is what your fate wills."
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