Chapter 33: Hunger At A Price

Hunger, something most people die from, was nothing I ever had the karma of facing. I was never born to be hungry for food. What I thirsted for was power—power beyond my wildest dreams. I sought out those who could grant me even a glimpse of supernatural power, and thus I turned to religion. I sought out the most powerful of entities.

It began innocently enough. I visited churches, temples, and mosques, listening to sermons and absorbing the teachings. But the more I learned, the more I realized that these paths offered only a fraction of what I desired. The promises of divine intervention and blessings were not enough. I craved something more tangible, more immediate.

My search led me to the darker corners of the spiritual world. I found myself in dimly lit backrooms, speaking with mystics and occultists who whispered secrets of ancient rituals and forbidden rites. They spoke of beings that existed beyond the veil of our reality, entities that could grant unimaginable power—for a price.

One name kept resurfacing in these conversations: Azrakel, an ancient demon known for bestowing great power upon those who summoned him. The stories of Azrakel were filled with both awe and terror. Those who successfully made a pact with him were said to achieve greatness, but the cost was always high.

Desperation drove me to seek out the ritual to summon Azrakel. I gathered the necessary components: rare herbs, a silver dagger, and an ancient tome bound in leather. I prepared a hidden room in my home, drawing the intricate sigils on the floor with meticulous care.

On the night of the new moon, I began the ritual. The air grew thick with anticipation as I chanted the incantations from the tome. The room grew colder, and the flickering candlelight cast eerie shadows on the walls. My heart pounded with a mixture of fear and excitement.

As I completed the final incantation, the room plunged into darkness. A chill ran down my spine as a deep, resonant voice echoed through the air.

"Who dares to summon Azrakel?"

I swallowed hard, my voice trembling as I replied, "It is I, seeking power beyond mortal comprehension."

A figure materialized before me, shrouded in shadows. Azrakel's eyes glowed with an otherworldly light, and a sinister smile played on his lips. "Power comes at a cost, mortal. Are you prepared to pay it?"

"I am," I said, my voice steady despite the fear gnawing at my insides.

Azrakel extended a clawed hand. "Very well. We shall make a pact. In exchange for the power you seek, you shall offer me a piece of your soul. Each time you use the power, a part of your essence will be mine."

I hesitated for only a moment before taking his hand. A searing pain shot through me as the pact was sealed. I could feel a part of my soul being torn away, but with it came a surge of power unlike anything I had ever imagined.

Days turned into weeks, and I reveled in my newfound abilities. I could command the elements, bend others to my will, and achieve feats that defied logic. But with each use of my power, I felt a growing emptiness within me. The cost was steep, but I refused to stop.

The hunger for power consumed me, driving me to seek greater challenges and push the limits of my abilities. I became feared and respected, but also increasingly isolated. The more power I wielded, the more I realized how much I had lost of myself.

One night, as I stood at the edge of a cliff, contemplating the darkness below, Azrakel appeared once more.

"You have become a shadow of your former self," he said, his voice tinged with amusement. "Is this the power you sought?"

I looked at him, my eyes hollow. "I have everything I wanted, but nothing I need."

Azrakel's laughter echoed through the night. "Power without purpose is a curse, mortal. You sought power for its own sake, and now you see the price."

I fell to my knees, the weight of my choices crashing down upon me. "Is there no way to undo this? To reclaim what I've lost?"

Azrakel shook his head. "Once the pact is made, it cannot be broken. But perhaps, in your suffering, you will find a new purpose."

With that, he vanished, leaving me alone in the darkness. The power I had gained now felt like a burden, a constant reminder of the price I had paid. I had become a prisoner of my own ambition, forever haunted by the hunger that had driven me to seek out the most powerful of entities.