"How so?!" Damien asked, his curiosity piqued.
Thaumiel sighed, a hint of exasperation in his voice as he continued,"This being is particularly troublesome. We've tried to deal with him.... twice before ; this will be our third attempt!"
Damien was taken aback. He glanced at Thaumiel, disbelief etched across his face. How could beings of such immense power struggle against just one entity? It seemed absurd.
"It's not that simple," Thaumiel replied with a knowing smile."This being hails from a higher realm known as Elysium Prime,a world brimming with wonder and boundless energy. He thrives on destruction and chaos, born from eons of accumulated turmoil and resentment. The first time we sent chosen ones to eliminate him, they failed; although he was sealed away, the seal weakened over thousands of years, allowing him to escape once more. He unleashed wars that decimated seventy percent of Elysium Prime's population and nearly tipped the balance of the universe! We sent chosen ones again; while they managed to contain him, they couldn't destroy him, only seal him once more."
"So now the seal has weakened again?" Damien interjected.
"Yes," Thaumiel confirmed gravely."And this time, when he emerges, he may truly become a god himself—capable of challenging even us old gods! Killing him will be no easy feat."
Damien frowned in confusion. "But you're gods! How can it be difficult. Can't you just snap your fingers and erase him?"
Thaumiel chuckled softly but shook his head."Remember what I said: this being is different from the rest. Other entities seeking godhood were lifeforms from various races; if he were human or similar, becoming a god would mean certain death at our hands. But this creature is born from chaos and negativity itself,death, destruction, resentment—all those dark emotions coalesce within him! Technically speaking, he cannot be killed; he can merely be reborn elsewhere."
"Ahh… I see! So he's kinda like a concept " Damien nodded slowly but then furrowed his brow in concern."If killing him is impossible because he can just come back... how do you expect me to defeat him? This sounds like an impossible mission!"
Thaumiel smiled knowingly at Damien's growing apprehension."That's why the Celestial Pantheon has united to select special Apostles like yourself! Each Apostle will receive a Shard of our Divine Essence along with access to a Special Divine Formation that can erase this being completely from existence."
Despite still feeling bewildered by it all, Damien caught something in Thaumiel's words that made him raise an eyebrow.
"When you say the Celestial Pantheon came together to chose Apostles... do you mean literally?" Damien asked cautiously.
When Thaumiel heard this, his expression faltered for just a moment. Even Kaelos, who had been glaring at Damien, looked strangely perplexed. He turned his head away, feigning interest in the magnificent architecture of the Chaos Hall.
"Well... my situation is quite complicated," Thaumiel admitted with a bitter twist to his lips. "In short, I was kicked out of the Pantheon for being too chaotic!"
Damien blinked in disbelief before chuckling softly. "So it's like you're the rebellious child in the family, kicked out for causing trouble, huh?"
Thaumiel's lips twitched at Damien's remark.
"Pfttt!"
A soft laugh escaped from Kaelos's direction. Both Thaumiel and Damien turned to see him shaking with barely contained laughter.
Thaumiel shot Kaelos an annoyed glare, his irritation palpable.
Damien stood there, momentarily stunned by the bizarre dynamics unfolding before him. It seemed that this god of chaos and destruction was unlike anything he had ever encountered.
Turning back to Damien, Thaumiel sighed and said, "This is the basic information regarding what I need you to do. Do you have any other questions?"
"Yeah!" Damien nodded eagerly. "Why can't you guys just go down there and smite him into pieces with your grand plan to erase him completely?"
"That's not how things work," Thaumiel replied with a chuckle that held an edge of seriousness. "You see, we gods are bound to the universe; we can't descend to mortal worlds without facing unimaginable consequences—we might even get killed on the spot! Remember: gods are not invincible."
Damien nodded slowly as he processed this information. "So instead of descending physically, you send maybe a portion of your divine essence or soul? Something like that?"
"Exactly! But there has to be a catalyst,a summoning formation created by our believers," Thaumiel explained with a smile. "And not just any believers; they must possess immense faith energy."
Rubbing his chin thoughtfully, Damien asked again, "But how can you be sure I can complete this mission? I'm just an ordinary office worker with little combat experience! I've never even killed a chicken before! And why did you choose me out of millions who die every day? Why am I on your list?"
A brief silence hung in the air before Thaumiel responded thoughtfully. "To answer your first question: being sent to Elysium Prime doesn't mean I'm dropping you off right in front of that being! You will have time and resources to grow stronger, every Apostle sent down is given ample opportunity before facing such beings. So don't worry about lacking combat experience; believe me, you'll accumulate plenty until you're exhausted from it!"
At this point, Thaumiel's smile twisted into something more sinister as chaos danced in his eyes.
Damien flinched at the sight of that smile. It was so sinister and malevolent that it sent goosebumps rippling across his very soul.
"As for your second question," Thaumiel's smile morphed back into something gentle, "why did I choose you out of all the possible candidates? Well, let's just say your life on Earth was quite miserable. In fact, you might just be one of the most unfortunate mortals I've encountered in my entire existence!" He cast a sympathetic glance at Damien, his eyes brimming with pity.
Damien's lips twitched at that expression. Sure, his life had its share of challenges, but to be labeled among the top miserable beings by a god who had lived for who knows how long? That felt a bit excessive! Anger bubbled within him.
"And besides," Thaumiel continued with an unsettling cheerfulness, "your next reincarnation was destined to be even more wretched than your first! So really, I'm doing you a favor by offering this opportunity! Your past lives were hardly exemplary either."
"What do you mean by 'previous past lives'?" Damien interjected sharply, catching onto Thaumiel's slip.
A shadow passed behind Thaumiel's eyes. He waved a dismissive hand. "Forget I mentioned it. Some knowledge is....premature ".
Damien scrutinized Thaumiel's gentle demeanor for a moment before shaking his head in disbelief.
"How can you guarantee that going to Elysium Prime won't lead me back into misery?" he challenged.
"I'm a god, remember?" Thaumiel pointed to himself with a grin. "And trust me when I say that Elysium Prime is an incredible opportunity! Instead of being trampled on and bullied like before, you might find yourself in a position of power—perhaps even bullying others! Don't you want to experience what it's like to stand tall and look down on those who once looked down on you? That feeling is truly delightful!"
Damien shivered again at Thaumiel's sinister yet enticing smile. Deep down, he knew there was some truth in what he said. His life on Earth had been chaotic; even his death was nothing short of tragic. And if his next reincarnation promised only more suffering... perhaps starting anew in an entirely different world wasn't such a bad idea after all.
He glanced up at Thaumiel, who beamed brightly at him.
"So what do you think? Do you accept the mission?"
"Yes!" Damien replied decisively.