NOVEL NEXT Chapter 273. Fucked up
A magnificent castle stood tall, pulsing with otherworldly beauty, shimmering with lights under the brilliance of the moonlight.
Bryce and company passed through the gates of the castle. The sound of music, quite some distance from where Bryce and company were, resounded in their ears from the main entrance to the building's interior. The moment the group appeared at the door, they were let in respectfully by two female guards standing at the exterior of the building.
The sight that greeted Bryce shook him to his core. Several individuals held others in their hands, sucking the life force out of them, with immeasurable glee on their face—the screams of their victims, futile attempts, drowned in the malice of their predators. He watched as sentient lifeforms were being turned into husky skeletons in his presence. No one needed to tell him what was going on. He had been introduced into a society of vimodial contractors.
So this was what he had landed himself into? Becoming a vimodial contractor? Heh, how pathetic! No matter how much he was willing to sacrifice for power, he would never sell himself to a vimodial. After all, what would be the point of making so much sacrifices when at the end of the day, another entity will completely take over his faculties and erase his existence?
Well, that was what he would have said if he had any idea that this was what he was getting himself into before he had accepted to meet Vesper Locke. But now, he was trapped. There was no way out. He could only forge his path forward.
"I've really fucked up big time." He sighed, thinking to himself. "Even if I kill Kailen, even if I kill father, what's the point? A vimodial will completely erase my consciousness one day and take over my being. Ahahahahhashaha!"
Bryce started laughing maniacally, his voice laced with pain and suffering, causing several contractors to turn towards his direction. They realized he was not a contractor, some of them licking their lips at the chance for having a good meal. However, Vesper sent them an expression that made them realize this guy was probably here to be made a contractor, and had been brought in by Vesper, someone those here at the moment didn't want to mess with.
As for Vesper, he turned to look at Bryce—currently laughing maniacally. He knew that the fellow was now coming to terms with the reality of what he had gotten himself into. Bryce was probably coming to terms with the fact that he was about to gain temporal power for long-term bondage and future, predestined death.
"Heh, enough sulking, let's head up." Vesper's voice snapped him out of his self-depreciating laughter.
Bryce accepted reality quickly, nodding to Vesper as he followed him up the staircase. He was just feeling extremely depressed. He wanted to gain power to get what he wanted, but that same power would make him lose it in the end, and it was an inevitable fate? He would still kill Kailen Darkhaven and kill his father of course, else what would be the point of going through all this crap? When what he would gain for killing them would be taken away from him in the end?
Well, he comforted himself with a depressed sigh, at least, he would have some centuries or even thousands of years to enjoy his fortune before he gets to the Dao level, where vimodials usually take over the beings of their contractors.
"Why did you accept this offer?" Bryce asked Vesper, shocked.
"I was at the bottom of the food chain, a prey with no resources, no opportunities to leave that life behind, and I grew tired of it. Children from rich families will not understand how it feels like to be born in slums and poor regions of the empire. Compared to this life, where I enjoy power for a while till my life gets snuffed out by a vimodial, I'd say this is heaven and that life is hell."
Vesper's words cut straight to the point, causing Bryce to nod in understanding. To Vesper, this was a much more better life than the life of his past. But to Bryce, he had fucked up big time with no way out of this situation, only forward.
He sighed.
Vesper stared at Bryce, who wore his thoughts all over his face.
"Stop being a downer. At least if you manage to kill Kailen Darkhaven, you will certainly have more years to enjoy your life than if you take the normal route to power, which is obviously Kailen Darkhaven growing extremely strong in a manner you can't keep up with, then killing you and your father very soon.
However, with the power of a vimodial, not only can you nip Darkhaven in the bud very soon, you can also kill your father and enjoy your life for a longer time than you would have. I don't see any situation where you come out alive, but at least, with a vimodial, you get to live longer."
Vesper spoke his honest thoughts as they rounded the last staircase to their destination. He wasn't trying to comfort Bryce. He was just being honest.
Bryce nodded, it was true. He was doomed either way. It's just that he could live for longer in this situation than in the former.
Very soon, they reached their destination. The vimodial floor.
Vesper said, "On your own now. Enter through that door. The vimodial interested in you is there."
A figure that seemed like a mix between smoke and gas, pulsing with malevolence, revealed itself the moment Bryce opened the door into the room.
"Bryce Darkhaven. You hate Kailen Darkhaven, and I want his life force. He has the most potent life force I've ever come across. I encountered him in the slums of the capital, where he killed my contractor. Since then, I took a liking to him. Since I want his life force for the sake of the foreseeable future—where it will aid me greatly after I erase your consciousness and take over your body—and currently you need power to kill him, why not skip the needless part where I try so hard to convince you to be my contractor?"