From the tenebrous void of the abyss, a child crawled out. He was small, malnourished and weak, yet he still gritted his teeth and dragged his tired body forward. His gaze remained determined despite the exhaustion creeping in, slowing him down with each passing second.
He clenched his fists, his nails digging into the ground as he gasped, breathing heavily. He continued crawling, his entire body aching and his muscles burning from pushing his body over its limits. Nevertheless, he couldn't give up.
Everything he had done was to escape the abyss, a revolting place, its entrance hidden in the Fog Sea. A fatherland of devils and sanctuary of malice.
Every devil is unique. Every single one of them exhibits different traits even if they share the same blood. Individuality is the core attribute of all demonic creatures.
And as such, the boy's individuality too was as unbreakable as any other devil's. Because of that stubbornness, he continued moving forward relentlessly, blind and disoriented. His vision blurred, his limbs trembled, and every breath felt like swallowing shards of glass. The weight of exhaustion pressed down on him like an invisible hand trying to force him back into the darkness. Even if he was aimless, even if he was tortured and broken, he had to drag his body forward. His fingers scraped against cold stone, leaving bloody trails behind him. The abyss seemed to cling to him, whispering for him to surrender, to sink back into its depths where struggle would finally end.
But he refused. His jaw clenched so hard his teeth ached. His arms shook violently as they pulled him another agonizing inch forward.
What was he seeking? What was he trying to reach with those tenacious hands and stalwart eyes? What gave him the strength to move forward so steadfastly?
The answer is as obvious as it is tragic.
What's more pitiful than life devoid of light? Every living being yearns for the warmth of the sun, even those bereft of light, born from the loathsome abyss.
Yet he was just a mortal, and to be a mortal is to be a sinner. And thus, doubts began poisoning the clear ocean of his mind, like how humans destroy everything they touch.
The flames of desire that burned with dazzling brilliance started dwindling into pitiful embers, and then into smoldering ashes.
The boy soon stopped struggling, his pained expression growing peaceful as he relaxed, laying in the embrace of mother nature.
This was the end, it seemed. He tried his best, but sometimes it's just not enough.
I... failed.
That was his last thought as the boundary between life and death blurred. His body still breathed, yet his self was beginning to leave.
But before the flames in his heart thoroughly extinguished, he saw a sight that forced light to return to his eyes.
As the oppressive blackness of the fog faded away and the pitch-black ocean disappeared from the vast horizon, he found himself under the radiant light of the sun. And with the emergence of the light, he spotted a strangely isolated cathedral.
As his gaze fell upon it, everything around him seemed to merge into vastness. He felt safe as he looked at the majestic cathedral with pitch-black stone columns in wonder. Inside this cathedral, each column, arch, and dome's surface was embedded with the bones of different races. In the middle stood a cross more than a hundred meters tall. It was as though countless souls were sealed inside. This was a cathedral of corpses, but instead of appearing eerie, it was filled with holiness.
Then the boy saw a man wearing a simple white cloak, with golden hair and beard. On his neck, a silver cross swayed gently as if carried by the wind despite there being none. His appearance was that of a normal priest, but his eyes, golden and beautiful, brimming with innocence and purity, told that the priest was anything but normal.
He was kneeling, his hands clasped in a prayer gesture with his eyes wide open, staring at the cross, his expression solemn.
Slowly, he stopped praying, his gaze inevitably leaving the cross and finding a dirty boy with pitch-black hair and eyes. His skin was pale like a corpse, his clothes torn and his body bare, filled with scars. He was gaunt and brittle, his cheeks sunken and skin stretched over his bones. Under the torn clothes, his ribs were as visible as the sun up in the cloudy sky.
It was clear the boy was dying, but as soon as the priest raised his hand, a gentle light enveloped him. Slowly, the boy felt his body growing stronger, his bones more robust and tenacious, colour returning to his skin and his vision becoming clearer.
Awed and filled with gratitude, he rose from the ground, checking his body in surprise. After confirming he had indeed returned to his peak condition, he glanced at the priest, hesitant and a tad afraid.
The priest's lips curled up at the sight, and he gestured for the boy to come closer. Taking a deep breath, the boy walked to the priest, standing awkwardly in front of him. Undeniably, the boy wasn't familiar with love and compassion.
With a gentle, understanding smile, the priest offered the boy his hand, which he took, surprisingly. Even he felt baffled by his own actions.
Then, holding the priest's hand, they walked inside the cathedral. The boy looked around, his eyes wide with awe, but he was brought out of his astonishment by the warm voice of the priest.
"May I ask for your name?" His voice was pure and calm, like a pleasant melody, making both the boy's body and mind relax.
"It's... Sam." The boy replied, his hoarse voice a stark contrast to the priest's soothing one. "Samael Naboredisley."
"I see..." The priest nodded, as if confirming something in his mind, then added with a smile. "My name is... Adam."
Noticing the boy's silence, Adam closed his eyes for a moment, then asked gently. "I feel that your heart is in great turmoil. Can you tell me why you feel so lost and hollow?"
The boy blinked, stunned by Adam's question. Slowly, he raised his head, looking into his golden eyes, like an ocean of light.
He hesitated for a moment, feeling uncertainty dividing his heart once again as conflicting emotions overwhelmed him. Then, in a low voice, he answered. "I don't know what to do. I lack direction and the future feels bleak and hopeless..."
Adam nodded in understanding. They reached the giant cross in the cathedral and stared at it, the boy with barely concealed reverence and the priest with solemnity.
"It's beautiful, isn't it?" Adam said, his gaze not leaving the cross.
"Yes." Sam nodded. A strange feeling rose from his heart. He felt peaceful and at ease, as if every worry he carried had disappeared.
"The Lord is always with us, Sam. Even when you think He isn't. He is your guiding light." Adam stated calmly, then he raised his hand, proclaiming in a gentle voice. Yet, despite its gentleness, it was filled with unfathomable strength, as if his every word was shaping reality itself. "In the middle of the journey of this life, I found myself in the dark woods where the straight way was lost, yet I moved forward, my faith guiding my steps until I walked out of the dark and stepped into a welcoming light. Glory be to the Lord of the Heavens, whose angels guide my every step in this lightless life."
Then he glanced at Sam, his lips curling up at the awestruck boy's face. "Do you understand what those words mean?"
Sam frowned, his expression growing more thoughtful as he touched his chin, thinking hard about Adam's words. Despite Sam's silence, which lasted for minutes, Adam was patient and understanding.
At last, Sam looked at the cross, his eyes clear, as if he had found an answer, and said. "In life, man found himself lost in despair and sin where compassion and purpose were lost. Yet, despite drowning in sin, man persevered, not letting go of faith and moved forward instead of surrendering. And his faith was rewarded with peace and salvation... Praise the Lord, as He never gives up on us, even if we're filled with evil and darkness..."
"Correct. That was a surprisingly mature answer for someone so young." Adam praised honestly, making Sam a bit awkward since he was unfamiliar with compliments.
"Thank you..." Sam nodded in gratitude. "That means... even if I feel lost, I should trust the Lord, right?"
Adam nodded, arriving before the table and taking an old book in his hand, his gaze fixed on it.
However, he didn't remain motionless any more than this, looking back at Sam and handing him the book. "This is the Holy Bible of the Lord. Whenever you feel adrift, the Bible will return peace to your heart."
Sam took the bible, bowing to Adam in appreciation. He didn't know why, but this book seemed very important to him, like a piece of himself. "That means I have to leave, doesn't it?"
He asked, feeling disappointed. Strangely, he didn't want to leave the cathedral, as if an invisible string of fate tethered him to it.
"Indeed... That is something you must do. If you don't leave your past in the past, it will destroy your future. Live for what today has to offer, not what yesterday has taken." Adam advised softly. Then he took a step forward and placed his hand on Sam's head.
"The Lord has great plans for you, Sam. Have faith, be strong and courageous."
Sam's expression grew conflicted at his words, his grip on the holy bible tightening as he avoided his gaze, ashamed of what he had done.
Yet Adam's confidence in him wasn't shaken but strengthened even more. "Sometimes, the people with the worst past create the best future. God's love is limitless, and you are His chosen. He created you in His image as proof of that warmth..."
Sam's eyes widened as Adam answered his hesitation with unwavering conviction, a golden light erupting from him. Slowly, Sam's eyes grew clearer, turning golden, and his long raven black hair gained a faint hint of blond at the roots.
Sam was filled with questions, as if he was snapping out of a trance. His expression was filled with confusion and bewilderment as he tried to reach Adam. But in less than a second, he was blinded by incandescent light, drowning the cathedral in pure white.
The only thing he heard was the kind voice of Adam, who said gently, "Farewell Sam. We will meet again."
...
"Wake up, cunts! It's time to work!"
A pale young man with pitch-black hair streaked with gold at the roots opened his golden eyes. He was tall, around 1.88 meters despite being no older than 15. He had an athletic body with broad shoulders and a well-defined chest. His lean, chiseled muscles were honed for combat rather than bulk. He also had long arms, and his body was filled with scars.
There was a tattoo of an eight pointed star on his chest, and a necklace on his neck shaped as a cross.
Standing up, he stretched, his face expressionless as he heard his bones cracking from sleeping on wood for a long time.
Stepping out of the open cell, he observed the prison curiously for some time with a yawn, noticing how the guards were preparing a ring.
By the looks of it, he had to fight soon...
"Hmm… let's eat first." he whispered to himself, his pinky in his ear while he scratched his complaining belly with his other hand.
***
[A/N: Hello, everyone. I'm back with a new story. Compared to my previous fanfic, Shadow Slave: Error, this one will be darker, with a lot of tension and a little, tiny bit of horror, I guess. Of course, I love writing comedy, so there will be some of that too.
Now, let's return to our protagonist, Samael. Sam for short. As we can see, he's from the Devil family, and how he escaped from the Abyss will be explained, but not yet. Also, the only thing that can be called a cheat that he has is Adam's blessing, nothing more, nothing less.
So, there's nothing like being chosen by a Sefirot or having any other cheat. He has no knowledge of the novel, so you can say he's a normal Beyonder. The only difference is his knowledge about the world and some other things, since he's from the Devil family.
Oh, and lotm is a big and complex world. So if I forget something or make mistakes, please remind me. I'd be grateful for that.
I think that's it for now. Hope you all enjoy it, and thanks for your support. Enjoy the meal! I'll go drink some wine, XDDDD.]
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