Chapter 2: The Devil
I opened my eyes.
As expected, 'the Devil' was waiting for me.
"This has been your 276th life now," his voice was deep, so terribly demeaning and condescending. If this had been my 275th life, or any other life, I would've been chilled to the bone to be in the presence of something so monstrous. But this was no longer a shocker to me.
Is this what 𝘩𝘦 saw me as? Is this what 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺 saw me as?
He sat cross-legged, one hand resting on his shoulder, the other atop his knee. He sat so casually in front of an existence like me—a true display of his seemingly insurmountable power. He wasn't even, in the slightest bit scared to show his face.
Perhaps it was because he knew my memory would be wiped yet again, or because he didn't even consider me as fearsome as an ant. However, I have convinced myself it was the latter option.
Countless times, I have made vow after vow to burn the image of his face into my mind, for revenge, the center of my woes and rage, but I've never once successfully recalled it.
Everything came flooding into me, every moment with this damned creature. To survive, I have to play the clueless fool I always was.
"W...where am I? Loop?" I dumbly stuttered out.
I gave my best impression of a scared man. I had to rely on such piteous tactics to get by, but now was not a good time to let my ego get ahead of me. In fact, it was possibly the worse moment to do so.
The Devil gazed down at me wickedly, I could see all the mechanisms churning in his head, whipping up yet another scheme to torment my soul. However, he was far too cryptic for me to comprehend. No matter how much I scrutinized him, I only seemed to get more lost.
"You are in hell, with me, The Devil."
That irritable grin was plastered on his face. I just wanted to bludgeon him right now, on the spot, to smash him into an unrecognizable mess of shit. However, I had to hold back my feverish, boiling anger...for now. It was threatening to seep out and go ham on the demon in front of me. I was just barely resisting the urge.
But if it was not for the fact that the person in front of me is 'The Devil', aka the most omnipotent thing I know, I wouldn't have been able to keep myself from doing so.
He reached out and gently tapped my right cheek playfully. His grin reached from ear to ear as if it was saying 'go right ahead! Punch me, I dare you!'
It made me sick to my stomach the first time I've seen it, so it doesn't help that this is my 276th time now.
"This is the 276th time you've been here. You have failed to complete your role...again."
He squinted his eyes, leaning in a bit closer.
"Oh, but it seems like something is different now? Your eyes...they are a little 𝘵𝘰𝘰 knowing."
Fuck! Fuck! FUCK! I'm dead! I'm dead fucking meat! Is this how it all ends? Because I've been caught in such a stupid manner?! I still want to live! I still have unfinished business with this bastard!
His face was close enough that I could feel his breath tickle my skin...well...if he breathed in the first place. But I guess someone as omnipotent as him would not even need carbon to exist.
I was sweating bullets, genuinely. This was not my improv, nor was it an act.
This...genuine terror.
It's so familiar.
"Whatever! You are fated to be my plaything for all eternity anyways!" He snapped back into his childish tone.
I subconsciously heaved a sigh of relief. Oddly enough, I found comfort in him only valuing me as a 'plaything'. The thought that he would keep me alive for as long as possible...as long as I was still entertaining...
...am I going insane? No, that can't be it...maybe...I'm starting to doubt myself. No, no...I am definitely losing myself.
"Such is the fated villain, I suppose!"
You don't have to tell me that again.
"F-fated villain?"
"Hah...I don't want to have to tell you this again...!" He pouted childishly. "Well...I have been keeping up this farce for a while now...I'm starting to lose my patience, but I suppose..."
He closed his eyes, as if in deep thought.
"I have cursed your soul into an endless loop. First, you come to me. A little while after, I send your soul into the cycle of reincarnation, where there is a 100% chance of you becoming a 'villain'!"
He motioned his hands in the air as he gave his brief explanation. His eagerness beamed through his twisted face—it was palpable. It was disgusting.
'This is all your fault! All of it!' I want to scream.
No, think rationally! Don't get ahead of yourself!
He opened his mouth again to ramble further.
"When you were just an oh-so-naive...Ah! I should stop talking! That would ruin the fun!"
What?
I don't remember this part...
I need to push further.
"W-what do you mean?"
I need answers!
His playful smile suddenly disappeared from his face. It morphed from the irritating grin, to 'The Devil' I've come to know. It was that face that penetrated into my very soul, it was that face that taught me nearly ineffable fear—the ugly face of the epitome of evil.
How many times have I seen it? At least 276 times. I should have grown accustomed to it by now.
So...why...why am I still trembling?
"Don't. Pry."
I retracted all thoughts toward the matter. Fear has taken hold of me. I am...I...still the pathetic self I was so long ago. But I refuse to believe so...not now.
"Ah, it seems like your time is running out."
He stared absently into the void for a few moments. Then, he extended his arm, pointing his forefinger outwards.
"You see that?"
I nodded.
There was a crack, only a few centimeters in diameter, growing larger and larger by the second. By the time he started his next line, it was already big enough to fit a building through, let alone just a puny soul.
"Go now. Go toward your destiny. Once you go in, you will forget everything."
This was an order, not a request.
"I'll be watching."
I took a step forward, my eyes staring blankly at the...beauty it lead to. How do I describe it? Really...I don't know. All I can think about I going toward it. It just got more and more endearing as I approached closer, my body giving way to my primal instincts.
I loathe this feeling! Every time! This keeps getting me...
Entranced...strangely...
I don't remember when or how, but at some point, I took the final step.
And yet again, I have been sent back into the cycle.
Now it is only I and my 277th loop.
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