The Damned Demon

Lying prostrate on the ground, his body wracked with unending pain, Asher teetered on the brink of complete surrender.

The realm of agony Lubac had conjured was relentless, each wave of torment crashing over him with more intensity than the last.

His vision blurred, and the edges of his form began to glow with a sinister heat, signaling the onset of the molten transformation that would seal his fate as a statue of eternal agony.

In this crucible of suffering, his mind spun chaotically, grappling with the pain that threatened to unravel his very essence.

It was in this darkest moment, as he felt his resolve melting away and about to drown in a sea of agony, a hand suddenly caught him.

As his head slowly surfaced from the sea of agony, he saw Rowena holding onto his hand, followed by Isola, Naida, Amelia, Ceti, and Merina…all of them trying to pull him up and looking at him with warmth and love.

"Remember who you are, Asher. You can't let your pain consume you," Rowena said softly, her tone imbued with warmth and strength.

Asher's expression grew complicated as he looked at her face. She was the one who saved him from the sea of agony he was in when he first woke up in this world. Without her love, he would have forever been trapped in a cage of his own agony.

Another hand, gentle and reassuring, grasped harder around his, "You're not alone. We will share your pain together," whispered Isola, a smile in her voice despite the spectral form she now took.

She was right…Isola was the first one who understood his past and his pain and yet stuck with him despite how flawed and broken he was. Without her, he wouldn't have found his way back.

"We will always be there for you," Naida and Amelia said with a gentle smile as they tugged at his arm.

Asher knew that was true…Naida and Amelia, both of them believed in him and loved him despite being someone who went against the beliefs of the world they lived in.

"You better not drown on my watch. O-Or we will follow you to the Seven Hells if we have to," Ceti said with her cheek puffed up while Merina nodded with her lips pressed together, "Master, you can't give up. Use our strength just like you gave us yours," Merina said as she tried to pull him up along with others.

Asher softly looked at both Ceti and Merina. Ceti taught him how to remain unshakeable in one's beliefs no matter how difficult things get.

Despite the harsh circumstances in which he met Merina, she wholeheartedly served him and was his pillar of support whenever he needed it.

Each touch, each word, fortified him, weaving a thread of memories and emotions that countered the desolation Lubac inflicted.

With each memory, the pain became a little less unbearable, the heat a touch less searing.

They reminded him that despite everything he lost in his past life, he gained so much in this life.

His loved ones were his anchor, preventing him from sinking into the oblivion that Lubac sought to consign him to.

They kept him safe from getting haunted by the ghosts of his past. They reminded him what it was like to feel loved and cherished.

Bolstered by these connections, Asher's spirit reignited. He found within himself a sea of resolve he hadn't known he possessed, "I am Asher Drake, and my pain has shaped me, but it will not define me," he declared, his voice echoing defiantly through the mental landscape Lubac had crafted.

With a monumental effort, Asher stood, pushing through the molten agony that sought to claim him.

The enlightenment he experienced wasn't just an escape from pain but an acceptance and understanding of it as an intrinsic part of life—one that he had mastered and could now wield. His agony was no longer a weapon against him but a tool that he commanded.

As he rose, the spectral forms of his loved ones faded with smiles of pride and relief, their parting gifts clarity and courage. He felt the agony around him begin to ebb.

His body cooled, the glow of molten transformation receding as he regained control over his physical and mental state. The landscape of torment Lubac had created began to dissolve, replaced by the stark, barren reality of the dimension they occupied.

He found himself still in the heart of Lubac's realm but no longer a victim within it.

He stood tall, the trial's pain lingering but his mastery over it complete.

Lubac, observing the transformation not of body but of spirit, let out a low, rumbling laugh. "So, you begin to see. But understanding is only the precursor to mastery, mortal. Can you rise above the agony you now know so intimately?"

He locked eyes with Lubac once more, this time not as a victim but as a challenger, "Agony shapes me, but I won't let it destroy my life. I am defined by how I overcome it. And I have…thanks to certain people in my life."

"You have shown resilience beyond what I expected, mortal," Lubac conceded, its tone reflecting a mix of respect and reluctance, "Few have turned their deepest pain into a wellspring of power. But don't get too arrogant...Relying on others can make you weak as well. You might find out the hard way one day."

Asher's eyes momentarily flickered. But then he faced Lubac with a calm demeanor, his earlier despair replaced by a steely resolve, "I will make sure that day never comes for there will never be me without those I love."

The monstrous serpent nodded slowly, its massive head bowing in acknowledgment, "Very well, Asher Drake. No matter what you believe, you have passed my trial. Take this knowledge, and the power it grants, and see how it shapes your destiny. And make sure…your enemies feel the agony hiding within their soul to the fullest. That is what my power exists for," Lubac finished with a malicious grin.

"That I will," Asher said with a smirk as the dimension around him began to fade, and not long after, he could feel the surroundings of his Damned Dimension.

[ You have gained a Talent ]

[ You have gained a Skill ]

Talents:

Talent (Inactive: Lubac -> -30% STR ): [ Mind Sear: Your victims' pain stemming from their mind fuels you, regenerating your HP and STR by 2% every 3 seconds while Gaze of Agony is active. Gained power will linger for 10 minutes (0/20) )

Skills:

Skill (Inactive: Lubac): [ Gaze of Agony: Invoke the malevolent spirit of Lubac through your eyes. The closer you are to your victim, the more powerful it will be. Those caught in your dreadful gaze experience their worst nightmares made manifest and lower all their stats by 1% of yours every 3 seconds. While this skill is active, your mana and senses will be locked to this ability and your victim (Cost: 3000 MP/ second) (Cooldown: 20 minutes) (Cast time: Immediate) (0/30) ]

Asher had his brows raised upon seeing the new Talent and Skill he had comprehended. They were definitely broken abilities, and he felt more confident of taking on Lori with Lubac's powers.

Since it was just a 1 v 1 situation, he can weaken Lori enough to defeat her.

However, seeing the condition that his mana and senses will be "locked" to the Gaze of Agony ability, it made him wonder if this meant he wouldn't be able to attack or sense anything happening in his surroundings while he used this ability.

If that was the case, he definitely couldn't use this if he was facing multiple enemies.

Bolstered by his new mastery over Lubac's formidable abilities, Asher resolved to confront Lori once more.

With a determined breath, he vanished from the eerie quiet of the Damned Dimension, reappearing in the shadowy depths of Lori's lair.

To his surprise, the vast cavern was hushed, the only sound the gentle, rhythmic breathing of the colossal serpent coiled at its center.

"Sssss....I knew you would come out from whichever hole you were hiding in," Lori hissed without opening her eyes, her voice dripping with disdain.

Asher's eyes narrowed, his gaze fixed on the massive serpent as he responded with calm confidence, "Are you sure you want to do this? You might regret it if you are going to stand in my way of leaving."

At his challenge, Lori's eyes snapped open, glowing dark purple in the dim light of the cavern. She let out a sinister hiss, rich with malice, "Ssshhh, I should be telling you that. Look who I found while you were hiding and licking your wounds." With a flick of her enormous tail, she revealed a figure wrapped within its sinuous grasp.

"Lysandra..." Asher mumbled in shock and worry. He hadn't expected Lysandra to venture into such peril, especially given her previous condition and what she told him.

Lori's tail held her gently but firmly, the barely conscious figure of her looking worse for wear.

"This poor draconian queen ventured in to save your bony head. But what baffles me is that she already was poisoned by an inferior version of my venom, and yet she came all the way here for you. You naughty brat…Don't tell me you have been sharing your little 'snake' with your mortal enemy..." Lori's words slithered through the air, her suspicion evident as her eyes narrowed menacingly and mockingly.

Asher rubbed his forehead, frustration evident on his face and wondered where this old thing even learned to speak like this.

As he opened his mouth to respond, Lori cut him off with a hiss, her tone aggrieved and mocking, "If you have no qualms copulating with your enemies, then you should have no problem becoming my breeding vessel!"

Asher exhaled slowly, his patience wearing thin, "Just shut it with the breeder stuff, will you? Let her down now before you really piss me off," He said as his dark yellow eyes briefly gleamed with a chilling light.