A few days back...
"Don't you remember? I am you, and you are me," the figure said, a cheerful smile spreading across his face. "The me I know is a fighter, a survivor. Now, let's rise together and take back what was stolen from us."
Damian felt a surge of determination. "You're right. We won't give up. We'll fight, and we'll win."
"But there's one thing I don't understand. How am I able to converse with you?" Damian asked, his mind puzzled. "Also, I don't really understand this 'I am you' stuff"
Hearing that, his other self revealed a wide, creepy smile. "I am the manifestation of the anger that you bury within," Damian's other self said.
"What do you mean, the anger I bury within?" Damian asked.
"Oh, would you cut the crap already?" his other self snapped, the cheerful facade dropping. "All you do is talk big when, in fact, what you really want to do is forget about everything. You say you want to face her and get revenge, but in reality, you're too afraid of meeting her again. You want to run."
Hearing this, Damian's determination started to crumble.
"You can lie to yourself all you want, but you can't lie to me!" his other self shouted, eyes blazing with anger.
"What?! Can't you respond, or are you so shocked that everything I said was true?"
Damian stood there, stunned into silence. His other self's words cut deep, each one a painful truth he had tried to ignore.
"Although you want to deny it, deep down you know it's true," his other self continued, the creepy smile returning. His eyes reflected pure disgust. "You are a coward, Damian."
"I feel disgusted with myself, knowing that I come from someone like you"
"You are angry, you created me, yet you hate "You are angry. You created me, yet you hate the idea of seeking revenge," his other self sneered.
As he spoke, the white space around them shifted, morphing into the village that had once tried to enslave Damian. Here, Damian found himself face to face with a monstrous figure, a grotesque blend of beast and human.
Of course, this figure was Damian's transformation in his berserk state.
"Shocked?" his other self's voice echoed, mocking. "Well, don't be. This is what happens when you reach your breaking point."
" You lose all control and hand all of it over to me. And when that happens... you can now see the result for yourself."
Damian watched in horror as his other self unleashed unspeakable torment on the villagers. When it came time for the village chief own torture round, Damian was already on his knees, clutching his stomach, trying to hold back the bile rising in his throat. Tears streamed down his face as he reached his limit.
"Why are you crying, Damian?" his other self sneered, leaning in close, the creepy smile never leaving his face.
"Is this not what you wanted? You were screaming ' I'll kill you all ' weren't you? And now, I've fulfilled your wish. Shouldn't you be grateful?"
"No!" Damian screamed, his voice raw with anguish. "This isn't how I wanted it!"
"If you didn't want things to end like this, then why allow yourself to reach up to this point"
"This all happened because you were weak," his other self spat, the words cutting deep.
"Too weak to let yourself be consumed by anger."
"Too weak to fight back when it mattered most."
"Too weak to stand up for yourself when they tried to enslave you. You let them break you, and now look at the consequences."
"Hellll... You were even too weak to not have a proper relationship. If you were stronger, then Emma would have never left you.This is the result of your cowardice."
Damian's other self leaned in closer, his eyes burning with disdain. "You can lie to yourself all you want, but deep down, you know it's true. You failed because you were too weak to do what needed to be done."
""Then what can I do to get stronger, so strong that I never face any of these things ever again?" Damian asked, desperation in his voice.
His other self's eyes gleamed with satisfaction.
"To become stronger, you must embrace every part of yourself, even the parts you fear."
"You need to harness me. Use me as a fuel to drive you forward. Use me to fulfill every single wish you desire."
"You must train your body and mind relentlessly. Push beyond your limits every single day. Learn to fight, to defend yourself and those you care about. Knowledge is power, so seek out wisdom and skills that will make you formidable."
"Face your fears head-on. The more you confront them, the less power they will have over you. Each victory, no matter how small, will build your confidence and resilience."
"Surround yourself with allies who will challenge and support you. Use them to learn from their strengths and let them help you grow. And then, when that's done and dusted, you can dispose of them if you see fit. Be prepared to stand alone when necessary."
"Never allow yourself to be complacent. Always strive for more, for better. The moment you stop pushing forward is the moment you start to weaken."
"And most importantly, believe in your own strength. Trust that you have the power within you to overcome any obstacle. Believe in yourself and in me ."
"But before using me, build up your body, or what awaits you is a drastic end"
Damian listened, absorbing every word.
His determination growing with every second, you could literally see the fire in his eyes.
The fire of determination burned brighter within him. He would become stronger, just for himself, and not for anyone else. He would rise, and he would never let himself be broken again.
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"So this is what he meant by a drastic end," Damian muttered to himself with a resigned sigh, realizing that the source of his injuries was the backlash from wielding a power far beyond what his body could endure.