The Damned Demon
chapter-282

Engulfed in confusion, Asher found himself amidst an ethereal realm that lay beyond mortal comprehension.

Boundless expanses of shifting clouds stretched into infinity, their colors an ever-changing mosaic of pastel hues dancing against the backdrop of this mystical place.

His feet stood upon a seemingly invisible surface, shimmering with starlight and resonating an unearthly hum that echoed through his being.

A strange melody suddenly stirred the quiet tranquility of this place.

The melody swam through the air, a mournful lullaby that filled the place with echoes of certain emotions.

The haunting tune enveloped Asher, resonating within his very core, stirring up a storm of emotions he could neither comprehend nor control.

A profound sadness washed over him, an inexplicable sorrow that wasn't his yet felt undeniably familiar.

He turned towards the melody, his eyes widening in shock as he took in the sight before him.

A graceful woman with long black hair, clothed in a white dress as pure as the surrounding clouds, sat with her eyes closed and played a sitar.

Her appearance looked otherworldly beautiful and youthful, yet her complexion was pallid and sickly, holding a serenity that contrasted starkly with the turbulent tune she played.

But what struck Asher the most was the blazing fire that danced along the strings of the sitar, crackling and hissing with each note she plucked.

Every melody she weaved seemed to strike her body, causing fiery cracks to spread across her skin, yet she did not flinch.

Instead, the serene expression never left her face, even as the flames licked her skin.

Something within him stirred, a concern suddenly sprouting and tugging at his heartstrings, "Hey!" he called out, his voice echoing in the vast expanse. But she paid him no heed, continuing her sorrowful melody as the flames danced along her skin.

A knot tightened in Asher's chest, and he didn't understand why. But he found himself running towards her, the words escaping his lips before he could process them, "Stop! You are hurting yourself," he cried out, his plea slicing through the melody, but the woman remained unperturbed, playing the sitar with a quiet acceptance of the pain.

As he drew closer, he could feel the scorching heat radiating off her, the flames flickering and casting a spectral glow on her calm face.

He realized that this woman couldn't probably hear him and seemed to be in some kind of a trance.

He thought urgently. Seeing no other choice, Asher stretched his hand toward her, but an unexpected force field, a sphere of ethereal energy suddenly manifested around her.

"Aaargh!"

The moment his hand made contact with the sphere, a searing pain rushed up his arm, making him grimace as he recoiled. His hand looked untouched, but the pain echoed in his soul, shaking him to the core.

"What the…" He muttered under his breath, shaking his hand as if trying to fling off the phantom pain, though there were no injuries on his hands at all.

His gaze then fell upon the woman, watching as her skin slowly crumbled into embers, each note from her sitar marking another crack, another flame. Determination sparked in his eyes, and he attempted to transform into his Hellbringer form.

But nothing happened, and looking at his naked ring finger, the shocking realization that he didn't have his ring on him made his heart sink.

However, at this moment, he felt like he didn't have the luxury to think why.

Steeling himself, he gritted his teeth and plunged his hand back toward her wrist, attempting to breach the ethereal sphere once more.

"Urghh…Fuck…."

His grunt of pain morphed into a howl, echoing across the endless expanse, as pain surged from his hand up to his arm, then radiating through his entire body. His veins bulged, standing out against his skin, his nerves screaming in agony as if being set ablaze.

It felt like a million shockwaves were exploding within his body, threatening to make his mind and body crumble down.

In a final burst of desperation, he managed to grip her wrist and pull her away from the sitar, the ethereal barrier around her shattering as he fell back on the ground with a pained groan.

But his eyes were half-closed, his body trembling as the pain persisted, his mind and body teetering on the brink of collapse.

Lying on the ground, body trembling from the unrelenting agony, Asher barely noticed the warmth of a gentle touch on his back.

As if a soothing balm was being applied to his invisible injuries, the excruciating pain started to ebb away, replaced by a comforting warmth.

"Haa…."

His body slackened as he let out a long, strained sigh of relief.

His eyes flicked open, and he sat up to find the woman sitting nearby, her form adorned with fiery cracks that had ceased spreading. Her face was pale, yet it held a serene grace and strength.

Her gaze locked onto his, eyes of ethereal winter gray staring into his soul, exuding unspoken wisdom and countless trials.

It was as if she could see everything about him, every secret, every fear, every scar.

His heart pounded in his chest, a torrent of emotions cascading through him that he couldn't comprehend.

As Asher gazed into her mesmerizing winter-gray eyes, the serene landscape around him shifted. The ethereal clouds and infinite expanse of tranquil sky vanished, replaced by a blinding radiance.

Then…A cold, gruff voice echoed around him, its resonance chilling to the bone.

..

"This abomination will be punished by the hand of the heavens. They will suffer until the end, and let their suffering be a reminder to those who dare to sully the Divine Order. Their fate has been determined, and anyone who interferes will be banished from the heavens and have their soul tormented forever."

..

The ominous proclamation stirred a wellspring of emotions within Asher. He squinted through the blinding light, his heart pounding with a mix of dread and curiosity.

He couldn't remember the last time he felt such dread, and that too from hearing these words.

Yet, before he could comprehend what was unfolding, the radiant light faded, and he found himself back in the ethereal landscape, the woman's hand surprisingly touching his, caressing his cheek.

Her eyes, once tranquil, filled with unshed tears and looking at him with a gaze that seemed unfamiliar yet familiar.

Asher's own eyes trembled, a question forming on his lips, but he was interrupted as the woman swayed, her strength failing. Instinctively, he caught her, easing her slowly until her head rested on his lap.

"You... who are you...?" He managed to stutter, his voice choked with emotion. His hands hovered over her body, uncertain, while his mind swirled with a myriad of questions.

The woman's voice was frail, almost a whisper against the vast expanse of the ethereal plane, "I...I don't remember... I don't know who you are... but you feel...warm..." As she said this, her eyes still never left his.

Bafflement flickered across Asher's face. He shook his head, confusion contorting his features, "The Angels... did they put you here?" he asked, his voice unsteady, "What was the vision I just saw?"

However, the woman merely smiled at him. It was a gentle, serene smile that seemed to radiate a warmth that contradicted her crumbling form, "I wish... I could make your pain... go away..." she murmured, her voice barely a breath.

A strange sensation seized Asher. It was as if she understood, truly understood, the torment he had undergone in his lives. The realization made him freeze, his mind reeling from the implications.

Her hand, shaky but determined, reached for his. She grasped it gently, her touch feather-light, "Thank you... for freeing me...for letting me find peace...at last..."

Her voice drifted off as the fiery cracks on her body widened and deepened. Her form started to crumble, breaking down into beautiful, glowing embers.

Asher's eyes widened, no voice coming out of his throat.

He could only stare as they floated in the air, dancing around like a swarm of fireflies, illuminating the ethereal landscape with their warm, comforting light.

As the embers gradually faded, only a single, glowing phoenix feather remained, suspended in mid-air.

Asher reached out and gently caught it, his movements as delicate as if he were holding something precious. A tear slipped down his cheek, catching the ethereal light, and fell onto his hand.

A sudden touch of wetness on his face made him blink in confusion and shock.

He raised his hand, touching the spot where the tear had trickled down, and stared at the moisture on his fingertips. It felt foreign, alien to him.

This unexpected wave of sorrow and anguish that washed over him was unfamiliar and overwhelming.

It was a devastation, an emptiness that gnawed at him. The last time he felt anything remotely close to this was when he suffered betrayal at the hands of someone he loved.

Yet, he couldn't comprehend why he was feeling this intense grief over the death of a woman he barely knew.

His heart ached with a sorrow he couldn't place, and his mind was filled with questions he had no answers to.

His gaze returned to the glowing feather in his hand, the only remaining trace of the mysterious woman. He found himself lost in its warm, comforting light.

Just then, his surroundings began to dissolve, the ethereal landscape gradually replaced by the scorched lands of Pyro Peak.

He was standing alone amidst the destruction, the phoenix feather still clutched in his hand while Pyrrah, the Blazing Calamity was nowhere to be seen.

He didn't even seem to notice his surroundings change as his eyes were still fixed on the glowing feather.

But his eyes regained clarity as he realized this feather was not ordinary and was about to check it out when,

"Asher! Are you alright??"