Chapter 77: Pleasure

Boredom, often dismissed as a trivial emotion, unveils profound insights into the human condition and our relationship with time, meaning, and fulfillment. At its core, boredom emerges from a disconnection between our desires and our current state of engagement. It signals an inner restlessness, a yearning for stimulation or purpose that is not being met.

Boredom raises questions about the nature of existence and the pursuit of meaning. It suggests that merely existing is not enough; we crave experiences that resonate with our deeper selves. Boredom challenges us to confront the fundamental question: What truly satisfies us and gives our lives significance? Is it the pursuit of pleasure, the fulfillment of duty, the quest for knowledge, or something else entirely?

Boredom exposes the tension between freedom and constraint. On one hand, it arises when we have too much freedom, when the infinite possibilities of existence fail to captivate one. On the other hand, it can stem from too much routine, when our lives become predictable and devoid of novelty. Thus, boredom highlights the delicate balance between spontaneity and structure, autonomy and commitment.

Boredom was all he knew in life, since he was born and gained consciousness. But there was pleasure in the world to explore, not just from women or wealth. No, it was in battle, a test of might against an opponent. A fight to the death between two adversaries, where he could find this fading thing called pleasure.

He lived solely for his own pleasure, the joy that battle brought. He cared for nothing else. Who died and who lived was of no consequence to him. He was pure, unadulterated chaos given shape.

And so he watched, his tall figure perched atop a building, observing. The prince had no care, qualms, or reservations about good or evil. All that mattered to him was what pleasure he could derive, such a fleeting feeling it was. So he watched with his dull red eyes as civilians were shot down by soldiers under his command, he watched as demons devoured the innocents.

The smell of blood permeated the air, the iron-like scent reaching him as well, along with the smell of burning flesh. So he watched on, doing nothing but observing. He could participate in this slaughter, perhaps it would help ease his boredom, but killing the weak was no fun.

But then something caught his eye.

She ran through the partially destroyed streets, her magic destructive. Waves of flames eradicated tall buildings along with Vel'ryr troops and demons. Waves of rigid ice spread rapidly through the streets, killing all who attacked.

He knew very well who she was, the second princess, Mirabella. How odd that she was in Emberreach of all places. But perhaps this was an opportunity. Why settle for waging war on just Verdantis? Where was the fun in that? Killing a princess of Galadriel would no doubt put both Galadriel and Verdantis against them, especially if said princess was killed by him, the crown prince of Vel'ryr.

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The snow-covered streets of the city were bathed in an eerie crimson glow of mana as Agatha stood against the Chaosmaw Asmodai. The demon's eyes burned with malevolent intensity as he raised his hand, and a wave of pitch-black destructive flames erupted from his fingertips. The flames billowed forth like a living entity, their dark tendrils twisting and curling like a living serpent.

As the flames engulfed the city, the sound of screams and panicked shouts echoed through the streets. The air was filled with the acrid smell of smoke and burning wood as the flames consumed everything in their path. Buildings crumbled beneath the inferno, their wooden beams crackling and splintering as they succumbed to the infernal power. The once-snowy streets were now a scene of utter devastation, as if the very fabric of reality had been torn asunder.

Agatha's eyes blazed as she raised her own hands, summoning a shimmering barrier of magical energy. The barrier burst forth around her, a shimmering dome of light that deflected the flames and sent them careening harmlessly into the surrounding buildings. The heat was intense, but Agatha's magic held strong, protecting her from the raging ire.

"This is bad, really bad," she thought as her shield strained under the force of the magic. "Even with another person, this demon was impossible to defeat." She cursed her luck as the flames died down, Asmodai dismissed them with a flick of his wrist, and a new wave of destruction descended upon the city. Dozens of large, black arrowheads materialized in the sky, their tips gleaming with an otherworldly energy. The arrowheads hovered in mid-air, their motionless forms seeming to absorb the light around them.

With a sudden burst of speed, the arrowheads launched towards Agatha, their trajectory unerringly precise. The air was filled with the deafening sound of supersonic projectiles, their high-pitched whine piercing the air like a scream of rage. Agatha's remaining creation, the Azure wolf, charged forward to defend her against the onslaught.

The wolf's jaws snapped shut around an arrowhead, but it was too late. The arrowhead exploded in a shower of sparks and mana shards, tearing through the wolf's body like paper. The beast let out a pained howl as its form burst into naught but particles of mana.

Asmodai cackled with glee, clearly enjoying the chaos he had unleashed.

"You're no match for me, little sorcerer," he taunted, his voice dripping with malice and, for some reason, a hint of anger. "I won't be playing around like last time. My only goal here is to kill that masked one."

("Mikoto? What could he want with him?") she thought as her face twisted with frustration. She summoned more of her magic to defend herself against the relentless onslaught of arrowheads. She conjured up a series of tiny shields made of swirling energy, each one deflecting or absorbing an arrowhead with a burst of sparks and light. But there were too many to count, and Agatha was forced to retreat step by step across the snow-covered streets.

As she stumbled backward, Agatha could feel Asmodai's dark mana coursing through her veins like a poison. The onslaught momentarily stopped, but Asmodai was already preparing another spell.

Asmodai raised his hand and unleashed a bolt of lightning. The air seemed to shimmer and distort as the magical energy erupted from his palm, striking the city with devastating force. More buildings crumbled, their wooden beams splintering and shattering as the blast ripped through the streets. The sound of shattering glass and screams filled the air.

Agatha, her eyes fixed on Asmodai, gritted her teeth as her body tensed. With a swift motion, she raised her hands and conjured another shimmering barrier of mana. The barrier erupted around her, a swirling vortex of light and color that seemed to pulse with her own life force.

But it was too late. Asmodai's lightning bolt had already struck the city, its energy coursing through the streets like a living thing. The barrier was breached, and Agatha felt the blast's power wash over her. She stumbled back, her eyes widening in pain as she felt her body absorb the impact.

The city around her was in chaos, buildings reduced to rubble and flames licking at the edges of the devastation. Agatha's vision began to blur, but she knew she couldn't just lie over and die. She glared ahead and focused on maintaining her magical barrier, determined to keep herself alive.

"No use, spawn of Isadora," Asmodai started. "You're more suited for support, not combat on this scale," he stated as he pressed his attack. He raised his hand once more, and a large circular glyph materialized behind Agatha. The air seemed to distort and ripple as a beam of dark, destructive mana shot forth from the glyph.

And then, something strange occurred. A spark of inspiration ignited within her mind, and Agatha's eyes began to glow with an otherworldly energy. She raised her hands once more, and a lone, illuminating shield materialized before her. The shield pulsed with an ethereal light, its surface etched with intricate runes that seemed to shimmer with power.

The beam of mana struck the shield, but it held fast against the assault. The air seemed to crackle and hiss as the two energies clashed, Agatha's shield absorbing the destructive force of Asmodai's attack. The shield glowed brighter as it absorbed the mana, its runes pulsating with an intense blue light.

But even as Agatha's shield held strong against Asmodai's attack, it began to weaken. The beam of mana wore it down, slowly draining its energy until it finally dissipated into nothingness. Asmodai's eyes gleamed with triumph.

The demon raised his hand once more, unleashing another beam of dark mana towards Agatha. But just as it seemed certain to strike her down, a figure emerged from the chaos behind her.

Captain Asaun, the knight captain, stepped forward with a stride. His sword flashed in the dim light as he brought it down in a precise arc, cutting through Asmodai's beam of mana like a hot knife through butter.

The blast of mana died down, its energy dissipating into the air as Asaun stood firm against its force. Agatha stumbled back, her eyes fixed on the knight captain in gratitude. Odd as he was, she knew she had to thank him for saving her life – but for now, she could only focus on staying alive.

Asmodai's eyes narrowed in anger as he realized he had been foiled once again by an enemy.

"Apologies for being late," Asaun spoke, his tone low and his gaze steely as he studied the destruction the demon caused singlehandedly.

"Captain Asaun," Asmodai spoke in acknowledgment. "Of the ten knight captains, you hold the title of the most unorthodox fighter."

"I fail to see if that is praise or an insult," Asaun murmured as he glanced at Agatha. "Tell me, can you still fight?"

"I-I can," she answered as she stood up. "I don't know how much use I'll be."

"Do not worry," Asaun gave a reassuring smile as he pointed his silver blade at Asmodai. "It is a closely guarded secret of our great nation, but there is a method to gain Arcane Ascendance."

"What?" she looked at the knight captain confused. "I thought it was something you needed to be born with."

"It is merely thought so, but it is a delicate method Verdantis holds close to their chest," Asaun gave a sheepish smile. "Given the circumstances, I'm sure they'll forgive me if I tell it to you. This demon is just too powerful." He glanced at Agatha. "You must have felt it, that bout of inspiration."

She did.

Her magic had randomly skyrocketed, she had created something. A shield that managed to ward off Asmodai. She was so close to death so she did not question it, could that be the key?