Chapter 647: Chapter 648: Two Bad Men, That Wished To Be Good
[Dauntless Page]
Type: [Cursed]
[Description]
Truly, I hate the play of fate and its countless whims. Do not point hands at the heavens when your choice brought you here. I see not fate, for I am not its pawn, but karma will always be reaped.
[Effect:]
A single page torn from the Unknown God’s journey book. Oaths signed in this book cannot be broken. A binding vow made under the promises of the Unknown God and by his power all agreements will be enforced.
Damon dropped it in front of Xander, who frowned at the sight.
"What’s this... an oath scroll?"
There was a chilling smile on Damon’s face.
"Something worse. I’ve written down my terms. I will help you with Amon, but I make no promises to kill him for you. That is up to you."
His tone grew darker as he leaned forward.
"Second, I will prevent Amon from killing you until the day you find his face...and see his truths."
Damon took a deep breath, steadying his words.
"Third, win or lose, I will guarantee that no one of your lineage will die by Amon’s hands.
"Fourth,The contract can be terminated if both parties agree."
His eyes glimmered with a cruel promise.
"Lastly, I will give you your chance, Xander. The chance to face Amon with a very real possibility of killing him. With all masks gone and all truths laid bare, on that day you can make another choice. I will make sure at least fifty percent of Amon’s power is gone. That is my part—my half in this... a fair chance."
Damon didn’t say the rest aloud.
’Because on that day, if you fight me, I will act with the intent to kill you... my former friend.’
However, Damon’s words said at least fifty percent it could be more; he could very well be weaker...as long as it gave Xander a fair chance of killing him.
Damon understood that and so did Xander.
A fair chance to kill amon.
Xander narrowed his eyes.
"Is that it...."
Damon nodded.
"Yes. That’s it. You don’t want me to kill him for you, do you? I’ll give you a fair chance to face him on your own. To live or to die... that will be up to your strength."
Xander glared at him.
"And how are you going to guarantee that?"
Damon smiled calmly.
"I do not know what tomorrow holds. I only know tomorrow will come."
The page from the Unknown God’s journey book would enforce that agreement, so whether Damon wanted it or not, it would take effect.
Xander clenched his fist.
"Very well then. I only need to face him when he is half strong or less. That’s your agreement, right?"
Damon passed him a dagger. Xander cut his thumb and imprinted his bleeding mark onto the page.
"My firstborn is yours. From the moment they speak their first word, you may take them."
Damon did the same, imprinting his bleeding thumb. The agreement was sealed, and the page vanished into nothing.
Xander stood up to leave.
Damon’s voice echoed behind him.
"Revenge is bittersweet... but oftentimes, bitter."
"We wish to be good but fail to forgive."
This was human nature.
Unforgiveness produces bitterness.
This was human nature.
Xander Ravenscroft was a human, and so was Damon Grey, except they both represented two different types of humans.
One that had been good, and one that was evil.
What else could you call someone who had failed to forgive?
It is easier to focus on the wrongs done to us, to nurse anger, and to hold onto grudges rather than letting go of the pain.
That was a natural instinct.
The depth of the wound often correlates with the difficulty of forgiving; deeper hurt can make forgiveness feel impossible.
To some, it was impossible. Damon was a weak, weak man... and Xander was just as weak. Neither of these humans could forgive the wounds left so deep.
Humans wish to do good but produce pain. We preach peace and fight wars. We talk of love but spread hate.
We say never again but repeat the same horrible atrocities.
We speak of humanity as if it were a benevolent concept but forget to mention the vile things humanity has done.
Cruelty was as much a human concept as kindness. Then why do we act as if kindness is more human? Our instincts are often cruel.
At our core, we are beasts.
Though we still wish to be good.
That wish is what makes us human, and that wish is what we call humanity.
Revenge was a cycle.
Today you are the victim, tomorrow the villain.
Yesterday, Godric was the villain and Damon his victim. Today, Damon was the villain and Xander the victim.
Damon was left in silence. He did not know how this oath would affect him, but he knew it would. Because as of this moment, no matter how powerful he became, as long as he was fighting Xander whether as Amon or as himself with the condition that Xander was after his revenge, then Damon had a fair chance of dying against him.
"Well, that’s fair... a handicap... against someone who wants me dead... suppose I’m not a death seeker for nothing."
He sighed, rubbing his temples.
"What am I even gonna do with his kid... I asked that because I thought it would make him think more about his actions."
Clearly, someone blinded by hate wouldn’t stop to think of love, and Xander was just a child himself.
He could choose not to have any children, but Damon knew that was a slim chance. Xander was heir and only son. While he had a sister, it was his duty to carry on his bloodline, so he would most likely have a child.
"Ahhh, I just offered to raise his kid too...."
As for how the child was raised, that was up to Damon.
Xander did not know what sinister designs Damon had, but he also didn’t care.
Love had been forgotten, replaced with hatred.
As Damon sat there, his heart was gripped by darkness that began to fester deeper within. The seed of depravity he had gotten from Ashcroft fed on Damon’s negativity his vile actions, his emotions, his resentment.
His failure to forgive fed this seed, and slowly it began to grow larger. A small crack appeared, and from that crack a sliver of demonic energy was released into the stream of his mana and his blood.
Change was a gradual process, but this change Damon could feel.
In the end, a demon was one who had let themselves fall into depravity.
Damon Grey was one who was depraved. He could not forgive. He was truly one on the path to becoming a demon.
He would not forgive, and as long as he did not, his seed of depravity would continue to grow.
Forgiveness is the hardest of virtues.
We are trapped in the prison of resentment.
He was trapped.
Damon stood up, his figure casting a long shadow across the ground. With a single step, he disappeared into the night.
His arrangement with Xander would be tomorrow’s problem to solve.