Requiem Of A Failed Hero

Chapter 331 Evolution

Raith was thrown into deep thoughts. Before now, his convictions stood strong as, thoughts like he was ready to die if it would sever his bond with the abyss and make it suffer for deceiving it, he didn't care what happened to him as long as the abyss didn't get what it wanted to permeate his mind.

But now that it came to it, fear gripped his mind like a fearsome terror that had been subtly eating away his brain. He shook and stepped back absent-mindedly.

Luckily for him, Fel here understood the intense fear that came with losing that bond. Both he and Raith and every one the abyss has always used has that same story. Hopeless in the world, rejected and ostracized by society, scorned and deemed useless by the entire world, almost to the extent that it creates an anguish in them, one so strong they wouldn't mind covering the world in a sea of blood.

But beneath those was a greater reality that a great potential lay within them, if not the abyss wouldn't choose them. And for Raith, he was exceptionally impressive. To be able to overcome death was a tour de force, one that anyone is bound to easily get addicted to.

If Raith should lose it, he was pretty much-losing everything. So Fel understood if he said no. But this was also a 50-50 thing. But he didn't feel the need to elaborate on that part so it wouldn't give Raith false up in any sort of disguise. If he would do this, Fel wanted it to be that he was ready to lose that very thing.

After a few seconds of silence and looking at the hesitating Raith.

"If you do not make the decision, you might die," Fel said with a sorry expression calmly sitting on his face.

Raith lowered his head and pulled his brows together.

'What the hell am I hesitating for?! Do I want to submit myself to the will and plan of the abyss all because I am scared of dying?!!'

He clenched his fist tightly and ground his teeth.

'Raven Raith! You are better than this!! Make a decision!!'

He forcibly spat out the last words belatedly realizing he did, a wash of embarrassment covered his face and he looked away with a slight frown.

"I admire you in fact. There is no need for you to feel angry or embarrassed with yourself. It is a very dreadful thing what the abyss does to us. It feeds us power and makes us think that this is the best we can have."

Fel took a second to breathe and touched his forehead as he lowered his head and shook them with deep pity exuding from the subtle shake.

"I have been all over the universes, I have met strong people, some I have befriended while some have beaten me like a baby. I too thought I had it best until I began to meet other races, the asuras, guardinals, and high elves. There is so much you don't know. The abyss will only continue to prey on you and limit your potential while giving you power that it can control. It surrounds you with a concept for you to gain strength and lose it."

The next few words came out with strong conviction and a calm face.

"I say to you, my friend. Free yourself from the hold of the abyss."

Fel walked closer and touched Raith's shoulders.

Bowing his head in respite, Raith bit his lips till blood slowly dropped. This obviously pained him, he didn't know how he would channel the world after this, or what would happen to him. He'd probably have to get defensive skills now and be careful with the challenges he accepts, would he be able to even defeat the gate he promised Ruan Zhaohui? A lot of thought ran amok in his head.

But amidst it he raised his head, his sorrowful face transitioning to a pit of calmness, with a backdrop of grief and anguish.

"Do it."

Raith spoke the words, wishing he could eat them right back and have another way at this.

Fel placed his hand on his chest, asking one last time:

"Are you sure?"

"Just do it"

Raith spoke with haste, almost yelling in fact.

He wanted it to be over already so that he wouldn't change his mind and decide to stick with the abyss or say to Fel that he would find another way to do this. Because for real, he didn't want to let go of the only thing that had made him who he is today.

What was to become of him after now?

Raith shut his eyes tightly and Fel's hand seeped into his chest like his body was a mass of penetrable thick liquid. The guy chanted something as he slowly sank his hand deeper into Raith's chest, the chants were not loud enough to be recognized by Raith. Even the ones he heard, he had never heard the language before.

Raith's eyes stayed shut while he expected something somehow to happen. Just when he was getting bored as he waited in the lonely darkness of his closed eyes.

A mad pain struck him from his back, threatening to tear his entire body. Blasting his eyes open to let out a sickening scream Raith found the scenery before him changed. And the pain had completely disappeared before he could cry.

"Huh?"

Moreso, Fel was just a standing skeleton before him.

Raith frowned as he turned his gaze to digest the endless dark sea that spread across his vision. The sky was so dark that it strangely the sea with the shadows of nothingness. One would literally think what lay beyond was pure dark space if not for the subtle ripples that formed every now and then. His feet up to ankle level were submerged in the dark water.

With a slight movement backward, the skeletoned Fel crumbled to a pile of bones.

Raith touched his face and all over his body.

'What happened to me? Am I still alive?'

Thoughts rushed into his head while he tried to make sense of what was happening now.

Weak in the legs, the moment he tried to walk, he fell to his knees, realizing that the water wasn't even that deep, at least the part he was standing.

Raith sat into the water and lifted his face to the dark sky, he couldn't see anything... no clouds... no stars. The sky felt so empty and sad.

"What am I supposed to do now?"

He said to the sky.

And then it occurred to him.

Fel said he was going to do a memory-to-memory transplant of how to assimilate with the sin of greed. That he should do before the abyss takes away the sin of greed. After all, it was the abyss that gave it to him as a reward, there's no telling what could happen.

Raith repositioned himself, sitting his his legs crossed and back straight. He gently placed his hands on his leg to be comfortable then he closed his eyes and began.

Meanwhile_

Beelzebub watched as Bal continued to melt into Raith. It made no sense, the sword was merging with his body. Even Bal did not expect this to happen and had screamed the moment Raith's crystalline blood began to absorb him into his body.

But there was nothing Beelzebub could have done, his hand was still torn from pulling the sword the time before. He was certain that nothing he could have done would help.

So he decided to stand there as moral support as Bal continually cursed Raith while the sinking sun created an enchanting orange backdrop cascading far and wide over the mountains.

Raith's body was suddenly covered by a cocoon of black smoke that thickened to form a solid mass like a stone.

Beelzebub's eyes widened as he saw this.

"Impossible... he is evolving?"