Chapter 38: Once again, Daragura

He stood in the middle, once again in the familiarity of the vast hall, the bright light that poured through the stained glass above, the rows of shattered statues, the polished floors and untainted white walls, He was back in a place he could never forget. Once again, Rylan found himself in the reverie of unending dreams, Everything just as he remembered and at the end of the long hall sat the deity responsible for the burden he now shouldered, Daragura, his large form unmoving, glowing eyes fixed on Rylan with superiority, head resting on his fist and legs crossed, A perfectly portrayed picture of nonchalance.

A shaky breaths left Rylan, he began walking but stopped a few steps after.

“Why, why am I here? Why did you bring me here again?” His voice echoed through the silence but Daragura remained stagnant, expression unchanged. Rylan took another step forward. “What do you want!?” It came out a lot more frustrated than he'd wanted it to but still Daragura remained silent, Rylan's jaw tightened, he molded his hands into a fist, fingers digging into the flesh of his palm till he could feel the familiar sting of a cut, Blood dripped. “What the fuck do you want?!!” This time he didn't even try to hide his frustration as he shouted the question, every second he spent in this place was a reminder that the reason why so many people had died, and why so many more were suffering was because of a selfish decision made by the being before him. “You're a piece of shit you know.” His tone relaxed as he turned his eyes to the marble floor. “My world is in shambles because you wanted to save yours, people…innocent people are dying and here you are.” His voice shook. “Not a care in the world, just sitting there like it doesn't concern and now you dare not answer, You. Are. A piece of…Shitttt.” For the first time, Daragura shifted slightly.

“Why are you upset, Rylan?”

“Are you serious? Are you seriously asking me that? Are you seriously asking me why I am agitated?” Rylan shouted with frustration, the veins on his forehead visible as he spoke.

“I am.”

“Do you know what has become of my world?”

“I do.”

“And still you ask why I'm agitated.” A chuckle escaped him. “Fuck you, fuck that stupid throne, fuck this place and fuck this freaking power.”

Silence fell over them and stretched before Daragura spoke. “I don't understand, where the people of your world not giving power to combat this new world?”

“They never asked for th—.”

“That was not the question, Answer the question.”

Rylan's shoulders dropped. “They were.” He answered quietly, as if ashamed of his own words.

“Then you have no right to blame me or my choices.”

“They didn't ask for this.”

“Do people ask for tornadoes, do they ask for tsunamis or earthquakes?”

“No.”

“Do they come regardless?”

“Yes.”

“Do they give time to prepare?” Rylan didn't respond. “Do they bless your people with a means to survive?” Still Rylan remained quiet. “Do they?!!!” The angelic voice echoed.

With his head down, Rylan answered. “They do not.”

“If I had not informed you of what this was, you would treat it just like every other natural disaster. My mistake was thinking you were strong enough to do what needed to be done instead of looking for someone to blame But I was wrong, here you stand, raising your voice like I didn't give you the power to protect your people, I gave you power that would make you a god and still you remain worthless.” He stood and stepped down the altar, his form casting a dark shadow over everything before him. “You are…A failure.” He turned back and was about to walk back to his throne when Rylan said.

“I'm not a failure. I didn't ask to be saddled with this burden. You chose me.”

“I chose you, I do not regret that choice nor do I think I made the wrong one. You are the one who thinks yourself unworthy, isn't that why you drag that boy around.”

“I'm protecting him.”

“I do not doubt that that is what you think you're doing, but deep down you know, You're doing it so you can have an excuse to remain weak.”

“You think I like being weak, you think I like that every fight I'm in is a struggle.”

“I never said anything about you liking it, You don't think you can accomplish the task I gave you, so you gave yourself an out. After all…nobody can blame you for being weak if you never got a chance to be strong.”

“That's not true.”

“It is, You think yourself a failure, If not what other reason do I have to be here.”

“How should I know, you called me here.”

“I did not.”

“Has the time you've spent in here made you senile.” Rylan said with a mocking tone.

“You jest, But do you not remember what I told you the last time we met? After I give you this power, I will cease—”

“To exist.” Rylan completed, his eyes wide as he stared at Daragura's back. “Then how am I seeing you.” He asked, his mouth agape.

“You are not seeing Daragura, what is before is a mere imitation you created to torture yourself.” Daragura moved and took his seat comfortably on the throne, his voice had lost it's angelic property and the reverie it's life and color.

“What?” Rylan asked softly.

“All I am is a fragment of your imagination you created to distract you from the truth.”

“What truth?”

A wicked smile curved Daragura’s lips as he answered the question with a joy that couldn't be faked. “You left that boy, in the middle of that forest with nothing to protect himself.”

His eyes widened as he heard the words, the length of the room stretched then immediately contracted as everything went dark. He opened his and jerked awake. “PETER!” He shouted.