"Screw you, bitch!"
A roar filled with extreme anger echoed in the brightly lit room. It was my roar.
I was angry. I quickly peeked at the mountain of bodies and as i expected, there was no sign of a corpse climbing out of it. Similarly, there was nothing around me but a blood pool.
I am certain that i was seeing an illusion or hallucinations. I don't know how i managed to break free out of it, however that was not important.
Those illusion, they were artificial. It was targeting my mind alot to be natural, and most likely the cause should be that bitch's voice.
As much as i was furious, i couldn't be reckless. Someone like her who could create such surreal illusions cannot be a simple person.
I got my freedom back just a moment ago, so dying because of carelessness is not an option for me after all that crap that i have been through.
It was then, something bizzare occured infront of me. The scene before me was so unforgettable that I won't be able to erase it from my mind even if i wanted to.
A brilliant ball of lights appeared just few steps away from me and in the lights there was a silhouette of a women with wings.
The holy lights emanating from that figure felt just like Sun rays, filled with immense vitality and motherly warmth. The lights were so holy and pure that I had never felt so blessed basking under it, like as if would grow for infinity.
But just like the Sun, although it was blissful under the holy light, when i raised my head to meet the light hiding the face of the women, it felt as if i would burn to ashes.
It wouldn't be surprising for a common man to kneel in worship feeling awe, respect and even fear infront of such a being. But i felt nothing of that sort.
How could i? The one behind that light was just an arrogant scumbag who tried to manipulate me into slavery.
I could never feel an ounce of respect or fear for such a dirty creature.
"....."
The women behind the lights didn't speak even after a while, and it also didn't appear as if she wanted to attack. So i took the initiative,
"Is this also an illusion from you bitch? Why don't you show some balls and appear before me, huh?" I taunted with a contemptuous smile.
The women in the light looked tilted from what i could tell, making me wonder how i could know that when all i can see is a visage of a women.
"I would advice you to not call me such a disgusting name, mortal." She replied with a gloomy voice
It was clearly a warning, but i didn't care.
"What are you talking about? Isn't it obvious to call someone like you, a bitc-"
*SPURT*
I was not able to finish my word, because instead of voice, blood flowed incessantly out of my mouth with some sharp pain as desserts.
I was astounded and tried to close my mouth but then was forced to open it with my eyes wide open.
Something fell out instead of blood this time.
It was my tongue.
I was confused and in pain about what just happened. But i did not had the luxury to ponder on it due to the heavy pressure that fell upon me, as if it wanted to crush me into oblivion.
Then, an extremely arrogant and furious voice graced my ear, only shy away from being a whisper.
"Last warning, Mortal. Insulting an higher being like me, the consequences will be dire next time."
My pupils shrinked and trembled violently, i knew instinctively that it was not empty words.
Because her voice this time had a natural authority to it. An authority that generated artificial fear inside me. And no, it was not the fear of death, but far worse than that.
It was the fear of being erased from existence.
However something very abnormal happened, just as i blinked my eyes, everything returned to how it was before.
The flowing blood was nowhere to be seen, i could feel my tongue again and the heavy pressure disappeared like the wind.
It was something incomprehensible to me. The things that happened to me before were too real for me to dismiss it as illusions, but that just made it more difficult to understand what actually happened.
Then it dawned on me, the being infront of me couldn't be compared to someone like me. We were simply just not in the same plane of existence.
I did not had anymore time to ponder on my thoughts though. Since the being.... no, the Angel infront of me, spoke again.
"I don't know why my Lord chose you of all peoples, but it's not my place to question his decision. So i shall give you two choices as per his wishes and the first one shall be....."
I didn't speak, there was nothing i could do other than listen.
"Obtaining the honour of offering your eternal servitude to my Lord, The God from another world."
Just as i heard the words that i dreaded the most, i shook my head in vain.
I wonder why am i so unlucky, what did i do to deserve this? Why me?
I was only 5 years old when those bastards snatched me away from my mother and was confined to this accursed white room, stripping me of all freedom.
As if it wasn't enough, as if my life, the God, the world and everything wanted to spite me, hell was given to me.
Can you imagine being experimented on as if you were a guinea pig from a young age? Could you have endure the torturous test done to your body every other days?
Can you imagine the feeling of various unknown chemicals injected into your body, not knowing what effects they will cause? Living in unknown fear that you might explode similar to a human bomb just like those failed tests.
Could you have endure all of that with just a vain hope of freedom as you watch your friends slowly lose both hope and mind, turning into mindless dolls?
I can, because i suffered through all that. I survived through hell for this freedom!
But when i finally achieved it, when freedom was just within my grasp, out of nowhere, an Angel appears and says nuh-uh bitch, go back to slavery!
How could i not feel like crying? How could i not feel despair? Isn't it better to just die?
Uncaring of my emotional turmoil, the Angel continued.
"Your second choice shall be.... Death. Choose wisely, Mortal."
Following her words, a line of ethereal golden words floated infront of my eyes.
[The Angel 'Elpis' offers you the opportunity to serve the Unknown God for eternity.]
[Do you accept it? Yes/No.]
I was doubtful up until now, but with those words, it was clear that she really is an angel.
I had learned that, Angels are supposed to be kind and offer comfort like a mother. But this Elpis? Instead of comfort, she came to me with a collar to tie it on my neck. What a cruel angel.
Even her name just happened to be Elpis of all names, how ironic. {1}
But all that aside, my luck really is terrible. It feels like everything just wants me to die today. 2nd choice is death, It's like giving no choices at all. It's obvious what iam going to choose.
My right hand moved, clicking on [No] without any hesitation. I muttered with gloom,
"Death it is."
Iam 20 years old this year, and If anyone asked me, did i enjoy my life? Hell no.
Did i had any regrets? Alot.
Do i want to live? Absolutely.
But then why not live as a slave of that God? I asked myself to reassure my will for death.
I, for once, know that i will never want to live without freedom. It's worse than death, the thought of living with an imaginary collar on my neck just screwed my mind over.
Death seems more peaceful than that, atleast I won't struggle in vain anymore.
But really, if that God has even a little bit of mercy or if reincarnation is really a thing, please let me be reborn as an ordinary person.
As i was giving my last prayers, someone else was trembling unbeknownst to me.
It was the Angel Elpis, she was stunned speechless. The thought of refusal as an answer had never crossed her mind. To her and in her world, serving a God was the utmost blessing and the life purpose of the countless.
She had even made sure to include the 2nd option as death to confirm his servitude. But this was really unexpected.
Drastic methods have to be taken, as her Lord has wished for this Mortal's servitude to him, so how could she return emty handed? Consequences be damned.
"Too bad, Mortal." She muttered ominously.
I had a bad feeling when i heard her voice, it was too ominous. But i wasn't able to do anything as the Angel appeared like a ghost before me.
The holy light emanating from her immobilised me in an instant without any room to even twitch a muscle.
As i watched in horror, she moved her finger to touch the centre of my forehead as she continued,
"I take back my words, Mortal. My lord wishes for your servitude, so you shall be his servant. Willing or not, does not matter."
A brilliant light followed her word, as a stream of warmth flowed through my forehead and into my body. It wasn't painful, not in the least.
But i was mortified, the worst had occured to me. I wished with all my heart, for it to be a terrible nightmare.
However, the Angel did not stop.
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Check out Author's thought for {1}
I will write about these extra explanation when necessary in the author's thoughts so as not to increase word counts unnecessarily.
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{1} Elpis is the name of the God of Hope in Greek mythology. In that scene, Angel Elpis only generated fear and despair instead of hope in Mc's heart. That is why he remark it as ironic.