"So let me get this straight," Nephis said. "Not only were you summoned by the King? The King told you to join the war as one of its smiths, and you accepted?"
She asked carefully.
Sunless looked at her with a nervous smile.
"Well, that's one way to put it," he said.
It was nighttime, with the moon looming overhead. Nephis and Sunless were sitting together on the porch as Orphne had once again fallen asleep while the two enjoyed mugs of hot chocolate.
It appeared Orphne's habits were clinging to them, and they quite liked this little ritual of sitting here together every night they could.
Sunless had just finished telling Nephis about his meeting with Anvil. While he was at it, he had decided that maybe he could slip in the fact that during his first meeting at the castle—the day he met Anvil for the first time—he had also engaged some Legacies for being rude to him and Orphne.
Naturally, Sunless had phrased it in a way where he did not reveal that he had been forced to accept going to war, and used the revelation to soften the blow about the Legacies, which was nearly forgotten already.
Nephis stood up.
"I'll go and talk to the King, Sunless. Don't worry. I'll tell him to retract the decision. I'll do something about it," she said as her eyes darted around in thought.
Sunless stood up and put his hands on her shoulders.
"Calm down, my lady," he said gently as he pulled her back down.
Nephis followed his direction as she sat down and thought.
Sunless, standing there, looked down at her expression and decided to do something about it.
Nephis was lost in thought, worrying about Sunless's life, about Sunless and Orphne's peaceful life being dragged into war.
And not only that, but they had been offered two choices.
Either Orphne could live in the castle, where she wouldn't be able to meet either her or Master Sunless, or she could go to the war herself.
'She's a child.'
She should stay away.
Even if the Ivory Tower would stay safe and work as a massive moving safety zone, Orphne should stay safe. She should stay away from the battlefield and not be close to it.
And she was a child.
Nephis was already feeling bad about staying away from Orphne right after taking the role of being her mama, whom Orphne adored so much.
She'd already have to go to war, and Nephis was coming to terms with the fact that she'd have to break the news to Orphne.
And now she was learning that Master Sunless and Orphne would be dragged into the war themselves.
Worse, if Master Sunless was dragged into the war, then Orphne would have to stay away from both Sunless and Nephis.
'No, that can't happen.'
Her train of thought was cut off as she felt lips press against her own.
Master Sunless, standing before her, had leaned down and kissed her lips.
Startled and surprised, but not unhappy, Nephis kissed him back before he pulled away.
Nephis looked up at him with worry.
"Master Sunless, I—"
She was cut off again as Sunless raised a finger to her lips and stood there for a moment.
Then he took his hand back and sat down.
His right hand held Nephis's left as he squeezed it reassuringly.
"My lady, you don't have to worry about this. I don't actually mind going to the war," he said.
Nephis blinked and frowned faintly.
"Master Sunless, you don't have to—"
Sunless cut her off.
"My lady, you know I don't lie. I told you, right? I don't lie," he said.
Nephis stopped and thought for a moment before nodding in acceptance.
Sunless did say that, and she never really had a reason to think that Sunless was actually lying to her, though she could tell that sometimes he was hiding information.
It was never exactly serious.
Most of the time, he was hiding the fact that he was making something for her, preparing a surprise, or planning a date in recent days.
Sunless brought the back of her hand to his lips and kissed it gently.
Nephis let out a smile despite herself as she looked at Sunless's gentle manner.
He looked at her and held her eyes for a moment.
"My lady, please trust me when I say this. The truth is, I did want to be involved in the war to a certain extent," he said.
Nephis's eyes widened as she turned to him fully.
"Master Sunless, what are you saying?"
"My lady," he cut in. "You have to understand, you're going to war, and you're not just Changing Star, Nephis. You're my lady. Do you truly think I would have been able to sit here peacefully and just wait for you to come back in a few months, knowing how dangerous the battlefield can be?"
Nephis quieted down.
She couldn't exactly argue with it.
She herself didn't want Sunless to go to the battlefield because she was worried about him, and he wasn't even going as a fighter.
So naturally, Sunless must have been worried sick too.
He smiled at her.
"I was thinking of ways I could send my weapons your way, or at least help you in some way I could. But alas, I'm but a café owner who can do a bit of smithing," he said.
Nephis nearly snorted.
'A bit of smithing?'
He rivaled the King of Swords himself.
His weapons were some of the best she had ever held, if not the best themselves.
Clearly, the humble Master persona was going a little too far.
They both managed to let out small smiles through their discussion as they looked at each other.
Nephis's brow creased again.
"But Master Sunless, what about Orphne?"
"I was thinking," Sunless said. "I don't exactly mind Orphne being in the Ivory Tower if it's come down to it."
Nephis blinked.
Sunless continued.
"The Ivory Tower is not only your Citadel, it's an extremely strong structure capable of independent transportation through the air itself, with so many of your capable Fire Keepers who are exceptional even by the standards of nearly every Master alive, some of the best Awakened being recruited every now and then, alongside the likes of Lady Song of the Fallen."
He paused.
"I'm not exactly worried about her safety."
"As for her upbringing, I highly doubt she'd like to stay away from me after having a mama. Her mama, whom she adores so much."
He smiled faintly.
"Moreover, even I wouldn't have been able to focus on my life here while you were at war. You have to..."
His other hand came to hold hers as well.
"You have to understand, my lady. You're not just my lover who's going to war. You are my lover. I love you, and Orphne loves you. Birdy loves you too."
His expression softened.
"So you have to understand, you just going to war doesn't make an absence. It would make a void. It would make a void in Orphne's heart, where she'd be worried about you."
He paused.
"And as much as I didn't..."
His brow creased a little.
"As much as I didn't want to put it on you, Orphne does fear being left behind by her mama. She grew up without one, and now that she has one, if you suddenly leave, even if for a war, she might come to think that you're leaving because you didn't want to be around."
Sunless looked at her.
"And I know that's not true. But still, she is a child who's afraid of being abandoned."
Nephis's expression softened.
She understood what Sunless meant.
While they hadn't exactly sat down and talked in detail about Orphne's emotions, Nephis had understood a lot from simply being around Orphne herself, which was perhaps more insightful than just sitting down and learning everything from Sunless.
Sunless himself had explained that despite the fact that Orphne grew up without a mother and didn't have one, Orphne couldn't help but feel a sense of being abandoned by her actual mother, despite the fact that she had never met her.
Nephis looked at Sunless, then looked away with a sigh.
"Still, that doesn't mean I have to like it," she said.
Then she turned toward Sunless.
"But promise me, Master Sunless, you'll be careful when you're there, and you'll take care of Orphne more than anything, okay?"
Sunless let a light chuckle escape him.
"Ah, yes, of course. But don't look at me if I work a little extra hard. After all, Orphne isn't the only one important to me now, right?"
He tilted his head with a gentle smile.
Nephis smiled herself as she looked away, this time happy and somewhat embarrassed, as she scooted her chair closer.
For a moment, silence settled.
Eventually, they started talking about the details of Sunless's deployment alongside Nephis.
He was going to stay by her side as her personal smith and would live in the safety of the Ivory Tower alongside the Fire Keepers and take care of Orphne, as he had chosen out of the options given to him.
If he so wished, he would be provided with all the materials required, though he hadn't filled in the details.
Apparently, he had something planned.
A surprise he was keeping to himself for now.
Nephis smiled yet again.
Eventually, the conversation drifted to some of the more peaceful aspects of their lives.
Nephis and Sunless talked about the things that had happened, the dates they had gone on, and teased each other about how much they had been dancing around their feelings for each other, eventually getting to the point where they were exchanging words of gratitude for the other accepting them.
Eventually, a moment of silence settled.
A peaceful and gentle one.
Sunless looked up at the sky when Nephis spoke.
"Master Sunless?"
Sunless turned to her with his usual gentle smile, gesturing for her to continue speaking.
Nephis let out a nervous exhale before she spoke.
"Master Sunless, there is something I wanted to talk to you about," she said.
Sunless, hearing the tone, turned toward her.
Nephis's ears reddened faintly.
"The thing is, Master Sunless, since until now I was under the impression that I'd be gone for a long time... I was feeling a bit nervous about us. About..."
Sunless blinked and frowned faintly in confusion.
"My lady, can you explain a bit more?"
Nephis looked away for a moment before glancing back.
"Well, you know, I was a bit worried since while we've become very close, I still felt as though there's a bit more we can do when it comes to being close... in all senses," she said, adding the last part a bit hurriedly as her face warmed.
Sunless blinked, having a light hint of realization about where this was going, but he wasn't very sure.
Nephis looked back.
"Well, you see, Master Sunless, I was thinking, and after thinking for a long time, there was something I wanted to do before I left. But I was on the fence about it because I wasn't sure."
She trailed off, unable to finish.
Then Nephis felt his hand getting her attention.
When she turned her head, her breath caught in her throat as she looked at Sunless.
He was once again looking at her with his gentle, understanding expression and soft eyes as he held her hands.
He didn't say anything.
He didn't need to.
Nephis already knew that look.
He would patiently wait, and she could take her time.
Nephis took a deep breath and looked at him.
Her face was flushed.
"Master Sunless, the truth is, I wanted to share something special with you before I left. Just in case of the worst scenario, or in case you had grown tired of waiting and didn't like me once I returned," she said in a low tone.
Sunless frowned faintly.
Then he frowned a bit more as he squeezed her hand.
"My lady," he said, nearly getting out of his chair. "I'm not going to say that you were unreasonable or wrong in thinking that. Insecurities take place all the time."
He took a breath to compose himself and settled down, still holding her hands.
"I was nervous about my appearance too, so I won't say insecurity is a bad thing. But if it's reassurance you need, then please bear in mind—nothing, absolutely nothing, can take away my emotions for you," he said.
"It's not just affection for me or attraction. I love you. I love every bit of you, from the way you behave, the person you are, and everything about you. I deeply care for and admire everything about you. It's not something that can disappear just like that."
He smiled as he squeezed her hand.
"So don't ever worry about something like that, okay? A little bit of time away isn't going to take away the fact that I already want to spend the rest of my life with you," he said.
Nephis froze.
Her breath caught in her throat as she heard the words.
Something inexplicably, undoubtedly warm took root in her heart as she looked at Sunless.
The smile that came to her face couldn't have been a more alive one.
Even if it wasn't large, it couldn't have been more alive.
'His whole life.'
Master Sunless wanted to spend his whole life with her.
What more could she ask from this man, who ever since coming into her life had brought nothing but peace and joy for her, as well as introduced her to the wonderful bundle of joy that was little Orphne?
If there was any doubt in her heart, it washed away in that moment.
Nephis turned to Sunless as she squeezed his hand back.
"Master Sunless, there's one more thing. The thing..." she said.
Sunless listened carefully, with his full attention.
"Master Sunless, the thing that I wanted to share with you earlier... I wasn't sure because, deep down, I didn't know if I was doing it out of fear. Out of fear of not having a second chance, or because I actually wanted to do it," she said.
Sunless froze for a moment, realizing where this was going, but he didn't interrupt.
Nephis smiled softly and shyly as she looked away.
"But now I'm sure, Master Sunless, and I have a request for you," she said.
Sunless let a soft smile come to his lips.
"Whatever you desire, my lady. If I can do it, I'll do it for you," he said.
Nephis smiled back.
It was so normal for Master Sunless to promise her everything he could give her.
She'd never abused such care, but tonight she did want a little extra, even if it may not be a problem.
It certainly was a lot, at least to her.
At least it meant a lot to her.
She smiled softly and shyly as her face warmed more.
"Master Sunless, will you spend the night with me?" she said.
"Will you hold me tonight?"
Sunless looked at her for a moment as neither spoke.
Then, his face melted into a gentle and tender expression.
"Ahh, well, I'm glad you were able to make a decision and don't feel you were forced to," he said as he leaned forward with some concern.
"But are you sure? I don't want you to have the slightest bit of doubt when doing this..." he said.
Nephis smiled at him reassuringly.
"I am, Master Sunless... I know what I want and why I want it. This, us."
Sunless looked at her for a moment before his expression weakened.
"Do you remember what I told you? About my secrets?" he said.
Nephis blinked, her chin lowering faintly as she gave a small nod.
Sunless hesitated.
"I'm still worried... you might regret even meeting me when I tell you—"
"Sunless," he was cut off gently.
"I will never regret meeting you. Whatever past you have, whatever you did... I don't care. I know you—the person sitting in front of me, and how wonderful you are. To me. To Birdy. To everyone around you. So whatever you did in the past that you're so worried about, it shaped you into the amazing person you are now."
She leaned forward as well.
"And I don't care what you say, I'll never regret meeting this person that you are, Sunless."
She caressed the back of his hand.
"I love you, Sunless, and I want to be with you always... My life won't be easy and certainly never safe, but if you're willing, I want you with me all the way."
"Then you have me," he said before she could finish.
She paused.
Then she smiled and leaned in, her lips meeting Sunless's in a tender kiss before pulling back.
For a moment, she saw a hint of hesitation in Sunless's eyes and held his hand.
Sunless looked at her, their eyes meeting again.
"I'll never hate you... never. And if you're worried something happens, then know this—even in the worst world imaginable, I will love you more than I can even hate you."
She smiled.
"And then I'll have to hate you as I hold you, till again I can only hold you as I love you."
A moment of silence passed.
"Sunless," she called again.
"Yes, my lady?" he said softly.
"Will you hold me tonight, Sunless?" she asked again.
Sunless smiled. Then he closed his eyes and stood up.
He offered his hand for her to take, and she did, standing up with him.
"I want to hear you say it," she asked as she began to smile.
Sunless blinked.
Then his soft smile returned.
"My lady," he called.
Nephis smiled more.
"Yes..."
Sunless smiled at her tenderly.
"It'd be my honor to hold you tonight..." he said. "And every moment you allow."
Nephis smiled more as she stepped closer to him.
Sunless guided her to the bed.
The very one she'd once imagined Sunless waking up in when she first came here.
'...?'
Nephis sat at the edge of the bed as Sunless crouched down on one knee.
His eyes remained fixed on hers as a small smile stayed on his lips. Gently, he held her ankle with the tips of his fingers as his other hand removed her footwear.
Slowly and calmly, he moved to the other one and did the same, the entire time keeping his eyes on hers.
Then his fingers grazed her leg lightly as they trailed upward. With his fingers, he brushed up her tunic just enough for her left knee to become visible.
Nephis took in a faint breath as her face remained warm.
She looked at Sunless with anticipation.
Instead of doing anything drastic, he leaned in and gently pressed his lips just below her knee.
Nephis took a sharp breath as her toes curled and her body warmed.
The gesture was so simple and somehow so effective.
She looked at Sunless as her fingers dug into the edge of the mattress.
'Was this how the entire night was going to be?'
She wondered with anticipation and embarrassment.
Sunless stood up and placed his left knee on the bed beside her as his hand gently came to rest on her waist, where it always did.
His left hand intertwined with hers as he looked at her.
"Would you like to move to the center?" he asked softly.
Nephis looked at him, then nodded faintly.
Slowly, he guided her as she moved toward the center of the bed on her own.
Soon, the back of her head rested against the center of Master Sunless's pillow as she looked up at him.
Sunless's right hand, still on her waist, gently caressed her as his eyes traced the features of her face.
"Are you sure?" he asked once again.
Nephis smiled and nodded.
"I haven't been more sure about anything in my life, Master Sunless," she said with a smile.
Sunless answered with one of his own as he leaned in and kissed her forehead gently, pressing his lips against the crown of her head.
Nephis smiled more as he pulled back and settled properly on his knees.
He raised her hands and pressed his lips against the back of both her palms.
Then, as Nephis's smile turned into a light giggle, he kissed the top of her left wrist and slowly followed along the inside of her forearm.
He moved to the other hand and did the same as Nephis giggled quietly.
Soon, his hands rested on either side of her as his face came close to hers.
Suddenly, the giggling stopped as the soft heat between them increased.
They both looked at each other as their smiles softened and their expressions grew more serious.
That didn't mean they weren't happy.
It only meant they understood what they were doing and how much it meant to them.
Sunless leaned in, his nose brushing against hers slowly. From the tip of her nose, he traced toward her cheek as his lips hovered close to hers without actually touching them.
Eventually, their lips pressed together softly.
His left hand remained on her wrist, a faint pressure resting there.
Nephis could tell that Sunless, too, was feeling exactly the same passion she was.
She opened her eyes as Sunless looked at her.
Then he leaned in and kissed her again.
Nephis kissed him back.
Their lips remained together for a moment, moving rhythmically for a few short seconds before they pulled apart again.
Their eyes were somewhat hazy, as though they were slowly getting lost in each other.
Sunless leaned in once more, and Nephis met him, her hands almost rising to gently hold his head.
However, Sunless's other hand came to her wrist and intertwined their fingers as he rested her hand beside the pillow with next to no strength, as though merely placing it there.
Nephis didn't mind.
Her other hand came up to his shoulder and traced his chest gently, as if examining his physique. It moved around to his back before returning to rest against his abdomen.
Her hand gently grabbed the sash around his waist before she pulled it open.
The tunic opened as Sunless's body came into contact with the cold air once again.
But this time, there was no water.
Neither was there a lake.
And nor was there any reason not to appreciate it.
She pulled her hand free, and Sunless let go without hesitation as both of her hands came to rest against his abdomen.
She pressed her palms against him, examining and feeling his body beneath her touch as Sunless shifted faintly, adjusting himself.
She looked up at his lips.
They were glossed and somewhat wet from their passionate kisses.
And his beautiful black eyes held a look she had never seen in him before.
It didn't seem demanding.
But there was something there.
Something that gaze desired.
And she knew what that something was.
It was her.
And she didn't mind it one bit, because she knew she was looking at him the same way.
She didn't shy away as her hands rose beneath his arms, ready to pull him closer.
"Sunless," she whispered.
She breathed his name.
The name alone was enough for her to feel something in Sunless change.
He leaned in and pressed against her again.
This time, it was different.
It was as if her body was blazing with heat as her arms wrapped around Sunless.
His lips didn't merely press against hers.
It felt as though they were molding together.
When his tongue brushed lightly against her lips, she didn't wait before welcoming the deeper kiss, her own passion meeting his.
Sunless's hand moved to her forearm again as Nephis's other arm wrapped around his body, pulling him closer.
His remaining hand came to the sash on her garb and pulled it open.
Unlike Sunless's, Nephis's garb didn't fall open at the sides, but it certainly loosened.
When Sunless pulled away from her lips, Nephis let out something close to a whimper as he moved lower and pressed a kiss against her neck.
Her head rolled back slightly.
She didn't mind.
Her hand moved higher along his back as she pressed him closer, giving him better access.
"Sunless," she breathed.
"Sunless," she whispered again.
The name almost left her lips like a prayer, and each time she said it, something about Sunless moved with more vigor, as though encouraging her to continue.
And he kept going.
Nephis kept loving every moment of it.
His lips trailed along her neck in slow, lingering kisses, each touch drawing another soft breath from her.
Nephis's head shifted instinctively, giving him more room as her arms kept him close.
Sunless's hand rested against her waist as he drew nearer.
Nephis pulled him closer still.
Deeper and deeper into their embrace.
There was a fire burning within her.
A flame that she needed Sunless to feel.
Like she was.
From her to him.
From Nephis to Sunless.
Nephis needed Sunless to feel her flames of desire.
...
The hall was quiet for a long moment.
The sight of so many dead Gods was horrifying.
Taking another moment to compose himself, Eurys looked at the others.
"This Greatest of Abominations... there couldn't have been a more horrifying name for this thing."
He spat out the last word.
"But I have a question."
No one reacted, their gazes simply turning to him again.
"Where was this... being?" he asked, his eyes narrowing.
"I may be a Supreme only, but I know the main pieces of the war. Even if he hunted all these beings one by one since they all came into being... how could this thing not have been known before the Doom War? Where was it even in the Doom War?" he asked.
"You're asking why you don't know where the Greatest of Abominations was during the Doom War and before that," the Seer of Paths summarized.
The Keeper of Fate shifted, getting comfortable.
"The Greatest of Abominations... they were busy most of the time preparing other... things, getting stronger to fight the Great Gods, or rather, the Forgotten God," he said.
Eurys looked at him.
"This thing had to get stronger?" he asked.
The others gave him a look.
Eurys scoffed.
"Still..." he said. "How is it that there was no appearance of the Greatest of Abominations before the Doom War? Did they really just stay hidden until they showed up in the war itself? Even Weaver was known across the realms despite there being so little about them."
The others regarded the question.
Then—
"The Great Gods..." the Lord of Shadows began as the attention shifted to him.
"The Greatest of Abominations did not operate in the open for a very long time. Their will was imposed through us. Everyone was pursuing their tasks, and they were doing theirs."
He paused.
"However, when they appeared... things happened..."
Eurys narrowed his eyes.
"Things?" he repeated.
"...The Great Gods went to extensive measures to make sure their existence was not known, much like how they erased the existence of the Forgotten God," he said.
Eurys's eyes sharpened.
Not a fraction of that statement could be taken lightly.
For the Great Gods and Daemons to hide an entire existence...
"..."
Eurys considered everything.
"But that means they did appear, right?" he asked.
The others looked at him.
"They appeared once before the Doom War, at the least. What happened?" he asked.
The seven did not speak for a while.
Then—
The Keeper of Fate's gaze turned upward.
"It was during the assault on the War Empire when the Greatest of Abominations appeared for the first time."
"After that, most of the battles took place during the Doom War itself."
The Keeper of Fate's eye turned toward the shadow projection as an image appeared.
It was something from his memory.
Eurys watched carefully.
"During the Doom War, the Greatest of Abominations had become one of the most powerful enemies of the Gods and Daemons alike," he said.
An image appeared.
A dark Shadow God and, next to him, a white, blazing figure appeared.
Eurys's breath caught in his throat.
"The Shadow and War Gods..." he muttered.
His eyes narrowed.
Something was wrong.
These two Gods already disliked each other enough that them battling was not something strange that could happen. So much so that one could call them enemies.
Yet they were standing shoulder to shoulder.
Facing the same way...
Eurys didn't want to imagine what he had already concluded.
He didn't have to.
The image widened, and the back of another being appeared, standing before them.
The back was humanoid, impossible to identify. However, Eurys could tell the figure resembled a man. Nor did the Greatest of Abominations presenting the avatar of a man prove they were Sacred or Divine in this image.
One arm was raised, holding something like a dark blade, while ethereal golden strings floated in the air around them.
Despite the fact that it was an image, Eurys could practically see the confidence in that man's silhouette itself.
Eurys couldn't believe what he was seeing.
"The Greatest of Abominations was one of the greatest threats in the Doom War," the Cursed of Truth said.
"So much so that, on many occasions, the Great Gods had to join hands to fight."
The Lord of Shadows threw one leg over the other as he smirked behind his mask.
"The Daemons and Great Gods that were fighting each other, the cowards had to join hands on the battlefield of the Doom War to keep up with him."
Eurys stared at him for a long moment, not being able to believe such a thing.
However, he had to.
So far, what he had learned matched his own knowledge of existence, though now his own knowledge felt abysmal, to say the least.
"Just what is this being capable of? And what of you all? Any comparisons?" he asked.
The Lord of Shadows turned to him, then back toward the projection as he raised his hand.
Eurys looked back.
"I was able to keep up with beings above my Rank and Class, yes," the Lord of Shadows said as the screen changed.
Images shifted.
Different battlefields.
Different enemies.
Different eras.
"I was only able to do so because of the battle art I used."
The Lord of Shadows's gaze remained on the projection.
"A battle art created by the Greatest of Abominations."
Eurys's attention sharpened.
"Shadow Dance."
A pause.
"It was capable of allowing me to perform things that should not have been possible for someone of my Rank."
The projection changed again.
The Lord of Shadows moved through several opponents at once, his movements shifting with each one.
"Shadow Dance does not merely teach one how to copy a technique."
His voice remained calm.
"It teaches one how to understand what they are shadowing."
Another image appeared.
A swordsman moved.
The Lord of Shadows moved with him.
Then another.
Then another.
"The first stages concern battle arts. Movement. Rhythm. Essence flow. Intent."
He paused.
"With enough understanding, a technique stops being something foreign."
"It becomes something you understand well enough to reproduce."
Eurys narrowed his eyes.
"That explains swordsmanship."
The Lord of Shadows glanced at him.
"It does."
The projection shifted once more.
"However, Shadow Dance does not stop at swordsmanship."
A being moved across the battlefield.
The Lord of Shadows's movements changed with it.
Not merely imitating the technique.
Something deeper.
Eurys's expression slowly changed.
The Lord of Shadows continued.
"At higher stages, one stops shadowing the battle art."
A pause.
"One begins shadowing the being."
Eurys remained silent.
"The way they move."
"The way their essence flows."
"The way they think."
"The way their soul expresses itself."
The projection flickered.
For a moment, the Lord of Shadows seemed almost identical to the creature before him in movement and presence.
Eurys's gaze sharpened.
"...Attributes?"
The Lord of Shadows looked at him.
"Eventually."
Eurys stared.
The Lord of Shadows turned back toward the projection.
"That was as far as I was capable of taking it for a long time."
The screen changed.
A darker figure appeared.
Not the Lord of Shadows.
Something else.
Something familiar.
Eurys's expression hardened immediately.
"The Greatest of Abominations..."
"Yes."
The Lord of Shadows's voice became quieter.
"He went further."
The projection showed a Sovereign.
Will descended.
Reality bent.
Then—
the figure opposite him moved.
Something impossible followed.
The same principle.
Not identical.
But close enough.
Eurys slowly leaned forward.
"What... was that?"
The Lord of Shadows did not answer immediately.
Then he spoke.
"At the height of Shadow Dance, the Greatest of Abominations learned to shadow more than battle arts."
A pause.
"More than Attributes."
The projection froze.
"Concepts."
Eurys said nothing.
"And the expressions of Will belonging to Sovereigns."
Silence stretched.
The Lord of Shadows lowered his hand.
"That was how he fought things he should never have been able to fight."
Eurys stared at the frozen image.
"You're telling me..."
His voice dropped.
"...he could copy Concepts?"
The Lord of Shadows's mask turned toward him.
"Not without limits."
A pause.
"But yes."
Eurys was silent for a long moment.
Then—
"What the hell kind of battle art is that?"
The Lord of Shadows looked back toward the projection.
"The kind created by the Greatest of Abominations."
The Keeper of Fate was the first to speak.
"Among all beings who ever wielded a weapon, only the Goddess of War and Nether, the Daemon of Destiny, possessed skill great enough to stand at the absolute peak, rivaled only by the Lord of Shadows."
Eurys's gaze shifted faintly toward the silent figure.
The Keeper of Fate.
"With the sole exception of the Greatest of Abominations."
The Lord of Shadows remained motionless.
The Seer of Paths spoke.
"Throughout the Golden Age, no mortal had ever defied the curse of the Great Shadow God and overcome the fate imposed upon them as the Harbinger of Ruin had when he slew Khatakhana."
A moment of silence passed.
"With the sole exception of the Greatest of Abominations."
Eurys's expression grew more serious.
The Cursed of Truth continued.
"No mortal had ever fought beings above their Rank and Class so consistently, surviving battles that should have been impossible and overcoming enemies that existence itself placed beyond them, as the Lord of Shadows had."
The hall remained quiet.
"With the sole exception of the Greatest of Abominations."
The Crown of Grace smiled faintly.
"No mortal had ever stood against the direct power of the Great Gods and remained capable of fighting afterward."
His smile faded slightly.
"With the sole exception of the Greatest of Abominations."
Eurys said nothing.
The Child of Erasure spoke.
"No mortal had ever crossed from Sovereignty into Sacredhood within the span of a single moment."
The air seemed to grow still.
"With the sole exception of the Greatest of Abominations."
The Keeper of Fate lowered his gaze slightly.
"No one other than Weaver had ever reached such heights in the sorcery of Weaving that the very fabric of existence itself could be treated as something to be understood, altered, and stitched together."
A pause followed.
"With the sole exception of the Greatest of Abominations."
Eurys's eyes narrowed.
The Seer of Paths continued.
"No one other than the Great Gods and Weaver, the Daemon of Fate, had passed through the Gates of the Void before the Doom War and returned."
This time, Eurys visibly stiffened.
"With the sole exception of the Greatest of Abominations."
Silence settled over the hall.
Then the Lord of Shadows finally spoke.
"No being within all of existence or the primordial Void had ever truly defied the Tapestry of Fate."
His voice was calm.
Absolute.
For a long moment, no one said anything.
Then the Keeper of Fate finished the thought.
"With the sole exception of the Greatest of Abominations."
...
For a moment no one spoke-
"You filthy bastard. You ended up giving me more questions, but fine. I'll bite."
Eurys looked forward.
"Give me two answers first."
His gaze moved across the seven.
"How the hell did this thing need to get stronger? What Rank did it even start at?"
He frowned.
"You said Sacredhood. So did it not come into existence as a concept like the Daemons who were born Sacred? Was the Greatest of Abominations born a Sovereign? A Transcendent? Or did is exist outside the normal ranks to begin with?"
Eurys clicked his jaw.
"And if it still needed to get stronger, then how much stronger did it need to become?"
He pointed toward them.
"Those are the two answers I want first. Why did it need to get stronger, and what exactly was it born as?"
His eyes narrowed.
"And don't think I forgot about the Paradox. You're still explaining that."
The Keeper of Fate regarded him for a moment.
"Well, naturally they had to become stronger."
Eurys frowned.
The Keeper of Fate continued.
"After all, they were not born Sacred." A pause.
"Nor were they born a Sovereign."
Another pause.
"Not even a Transcendent."
Eurys's expression shifted.
The Keeper of Fate's voice lowered.
"The Greatest of Abominations was much like any ordinary mortal."
The hall became quiet.
"Unlike the Great Gods, who possessed some of the greatest powers in existence from the moment of their creation, or the great Daemons, who were born Sacred beings—spirits of Concepts themselves..."
He paused.
"The Greatest of Abominations was born human."
Eurys stared at him.
"A being of normal flesh. a Mundane."
The Keeper of Fate's golden eye remained still.
"A Dormant."
...
"A Dormant?"
For a long moment, Eurys said nothing.
He simply stared at the Keeper of Fate.
Then his gaze slowly moved across the other six.
"So..."
His voice came out quieter than before.
"You're telling me the Greatest of Abominations was born a mundane human?"
No one answered immediately.
Eurys continued.
"Just like any other human, it walked the path of Ascension. Step by step. It became stronger and stronger until it reached a point where the Great Gods themselves had to cooperate against it."
His expression tightened.
"And not only the Gods. The Daemons and the Gods, beings that were slaughtering each other across the realms, had to join hands just to deal with the same bastard."
He paused.
"And somehow, after starting as nothing more than a mundane human..."
His eyes narrowed.
"...it became strong enough to defy Fate itself?"
The Seer of Paths seemed faintly amused.
"That's accurate enough."
Eurys stared at him.
Then he slowly leaned back.
"...Damnation."
These was no hint of amusement, naturally. Only disbelief and acceptance.
He went quiet.
For once, there didn't seem to be an immediate insult or another question waiting to leave his mouth.
He was still trying to comprehend the answer he had already received when the Keeper of Fate spoke.
"Now that I believe your first two questions have been answered..."
Eurys looked toward him.
"...I believe it is time I explain the part that should cut through much of your remaining confusion."
The Keeper of Fate rose from his throne.
His robes shifted quietly as he began descending the marble steps.
Eurys watched his back.
"The Greatest of Abominations will grant us an audience soon."
Eurys's jaw tensed at those words.
The Keeper of Fate continued walking.
"So I would rather explain these matters to you myself than have them waste their time doing so."
He reached the bottom of the stairs.
"Two matters remain."
The Keeper of Fate's golden eye shifted toward Eurys.
"The Law of Paradox..."
A small pause.
"...and the Three Paradoxes."
Eurys leaned forward again.
However, before he could speak, the Keeper of Fate turned away from him.
His gaze passed across his six companions before eventually settling on the great tree looming within the hall.
"Although..."
He seemed to consider something.
"Before explaining the Paradoxes, perhaps I should give you a brief account of what we accomplished."
Eurys raised a brow- or rather socket?
The Keeper of Fate smiled faintly.
"A small tale, if you will."
He glanced toward Eurys.
"One of the Nine was meant to sing of the deeds of his companions, was he not?"
Eurys's expression shifted.
"Omer."
"Indeed."
The Keeper of Fate turned back toward the center of the hall.
"Then consider this something similar."
He raised one hand.
"I have already told you what the Gods did."
His golden eye glimmered.
"You know what the Nine did."
A pause followed.
"Now..."
"Allow me to tell you what we did."
Something shimmered in the air.
Eurys's attention snapped toward it.
Lines of golden runes slowly manifested before the Keeper of Fate.
They were not threads.
There was no grand Tapestry stretching across the hall.
Simply runes.
Ancient words suspended in the air, shimmering softly beneath the branches of the enormous tree.
The Keeper of Fate stood before them.
One of the others shifted from their throne behind him, but Eurys barely noticed.
He couldn't.
His eyes were already moving across the glowing words.
Line after line.
Each one seemed to clarify something he had learned...
and somehow make everything even more confusing at the same time.
The runes began.
...
[A soul descended into an Age of Immortals.
One became eight.
Eight became seven.
...
One was hunted by War thrice.
It was on their third meeting—
that War learned its place.
...
One followed the trail of a Daemon and hunted the spawn of a Vile Thief in search of freedom.
Yet in the end, he condemned himself to the sight that revealed the chains of Fate.
...
One caught the eye of Gods and Daemons alike,
desired by powers far beyond comprehension.
All the while, beneath his charming grace—
his hand fashioned a trap for the Divine.
...
One defiled the Tomb of a Daemon... and was cursed with knowledge.
Burdened with forbidden Truth no being was meant to possess—
in the end, he turned that knowledge against the Daemons.
...
One sought the power of Erasure...
and was condemned to its greatest desire.
And through Oblivion—
he destroyed all knowledge one could desire.
...
One received the command of War—
a blow meant to end him.
Yet he survived.
And from the weapon of his execution...
he fashioned ruin— turning the judgment of War against the Divine.
...
One was hunted by the youngest of the Daemons.
The master of Destiny pursued him across paths without end—
until the wanderer learned to create paths of his own.
And at the end of the road of his creation...
Nether found only its end.
...
Seven remained.
After the seven—
emerged the first.
Their sword cut through existence.
Their will slew Gods and Daemons.
The Slayer of Weaver and Defiler of Fate.
The Third Paradox.
The Greatest of Abominations.]
...
The runes remained suspended in the air.
Eurys stared at them.
For several moments, he said absolutely nothing.
His gaze moved back upward.
Then down again.
Then once more to the beginning.
"One became eight..."
He muttered.
"Eight became seven..."
His eyes narrowed.
Then they moved toward the final lines.
"The Slayer of Weaver..."
His voice became quieter.
"...and Defiler of Fate."
Eurys slowly looked toward the Keeper of Fate.
"And you're going to explain how any of this was possible?"
The Keeper of Fate smiled.
"That is precisely what I intend to do."
The runes faded.
Golden light dispersed into the air.
The Keeper of Fate turned toward the great tree.
"Everything you have learned until now tells you what happened."
He walked toward it.
"It tells you what the Gods did.- What the Nine did."
"And what we did."
"And what the Greatest of Abominations eventually became."
He stopped beneath the great branches.
"But none of it explains why such a being could exist in the first place."
Eurys's attention sharpened.
The Keeper of Fate slowly turned.
"So allow me to explain the law that forced even the greatest forces of existence to contradict themselves."
His voice became softer.
"The Void."
"The Flame."
"And Fate itself."
The hall seemed strangely still.
"The Law of Paradox."
Something changed.
The great tree before them shimmered.
The surrounding marble seemed to fade into darkness as another place slowly emerged around it.
A grave.
An ancient tree.
And beneath its branches...
a sarcophagus.
Eurys's expression changed.
He recognized enough to understand that what he was seeing was no meaningless illusion.
The Keeper of Fate stood int he hall as the giant tree glowed in what seemed like a step away to a dimension.
"And what better way to explain the Three Paradoxes..."
His golden eye turned toward Eurys.
"...than with the remnants of the very conversation in which the Third was first conceived?"
Eurys stared at him.
The Keeper of Fate turned toward the sarcophagus.
"A conversation between Weaver, the Daemon of Fate..."
His voice softened faintly.
"...and the sister they adored."
Golden runes began to manifest once again.
"Oblivion, The Daemon of Erasure."
Eurys's gaze immediately moved toward the words.
The first line appeared.
His eyes darted across the passage.
"!!!"
The more he read, the more he had to keep reading. Soon, his expression shifted into disbelief and astonishment.
And when he reached the last line, only a strange feeling remained—a mixture of fear, disbelief, bewilderment, realization, and acceptance.
As well as the realization...
"T-This is really an abomination unlike any other..."
...
In the night, within Bastion, Sunless and Nephis sat on the bed.
Nephis's clothing rested loosely on her shoulders, though it wasn't really meant to cover much.
She was sitting up, her cheek against Sunless's chest, while the man's arm remained wrapped around her. His fingers moved through her hair, curling the strands faintly.
Every now and then, he leaned down and pecked her cheek or hair as he smiled at her.
Nephis raised her hand tiredly as she smiled at him. Her fingers traced his jaw, and Sunless smiled before leaning in to capture her lips in another passionate kiss.
This one was gentle and lasted only a few moments.
Compared to the others that had left their lips somewhat bruised and sensitive, it was tender.
Nephis let out a tired exhale of bliss as she nuzzled into Sunless's chest.
Sunless wrapped his arms around her and kissed her head again.
"I suppose it's time for bed now," he said as he kissed her head once more.
"...Right," she murmured.
Sunless chuckled quietly and nuzzled his nose into her hair.
His chin rested atop her head as he embraced her.
The blanket had fallen from her shoulders, leaving his upper body exposed, but his lower body remained beneath the covers while his embrace allowed the blanket to cover hers.
His back had quite a few scratches, as if nails had been dragged across it without restraint. The front of his shoulders bore similar marks, alongside a few red hickeys forming on his collarbone.
Nephis's own collarbone remained much redder, covered in far more bruises and soft bite marks, with some along her neck and side.
Sunless's doing.
However, he was thinking about something as his head rested against hers.
"You know I never lie," he said as he held her close.
A faint chuckle followed.
"In fact, I'm the most honest man in the whole world. Two worlds, even."
Nephis was tired, so she didn't talk much.
"You always say that, huh..." she murmured.
Sunless smiled more.
"Well, it is true."
"Will you tell me why you say that? Or is that a secret too?" she asked, growing sleepier.
"..."
Sunless wrapped his other arm around her.
"Well, among other things, it is. But I suppose I will tell you soon now. Tomorrow, maybe?"
"...Okay..." she said.
His expression softened.
"I love you..." he said.
"I love you so much I can't put it into words, and I will never say I understood my feelings from the beginning. But when I met you, you made a special place in my heart."
Nephis smiled into Sunless's chest.
"And I knew the moment I accepted my feelings that I never even wanted to let go of you. And when you chose me... it... made me so happy I'll never be able to put it into words," he said.
Nephis smiled more.
"I... love you too, Sunless. But I'm not that good at speaking..." she said.
Sunless let out a light, amused chuckle.
"That's fine," he said. "You don't even have to say anything. Just... just look at me the way you do... It tells me all that I need to know."
He smiled as he caressed her cheek.
"And call me handsome every now and then too. It keeps my heart safe," he said jokingly.
Nephis smiled and looked at him.
"I'll call you the most handsome every day," she said.
Sunless smiled and pecked her lips again as he guided her beneath the sheets.
Nephis lay down as Sunless hovered over her with a smile.
"I'll love you forever, I promise... No matter how long, no matter where, no matter what..."
He leaned down and brushed his lips against her forehead.
"You can trust that..."
He paused as his eyes opened.
However, he was not looking at her.
But at the runes.
His own.
[Flaw: Clear Conscience.]
"After all..." he murmured.
[Flaw Description: You can't lie.]
"There's no one more honest than me."
Soon, he sat on the porch as the moonlight illuminated the land.
He looked at the rippling water reflecting the light as he enjoyed the cold breeze.
His head turned to glance at Nephis, who was sleeping peacefully under the covers.
He looked forward again, remaining there for a few moments.
With his eyes closed, he enjoyed the peace for a moment.
Then—
A smirk came to his lips.
"Huh? A mere Sovereign ordering me around?" he muttered.
His eyes opened.
"How annoying."
He pushed himself off the chair as he looked at the lake.
"Ah, my lady... I have many secrets which I will tell you soon. However, first I have some more things to take care of," he said.
He stepped off the porch and onto the grass as the doors and windows shut safely behind him.
...
Eurys once again read the conversation between the two Daemons.
["Tell me, oh Demon of Fate," said Oblivion. "How can fate be changed?"
The Demon of Fate laughed, looking at the great tapestry of fate with wonder and fear.
"Why would you want to change fate? Fate cannot be changed. Fate cannot be bargained with. Fate cannot be escaped, either, because fate does not know the distinction between the past and the future. Everything that has ever happened, is happening, and will happen is inscribed in the threads of fate, because fate is great, and there is nothing greater than fate."
The Demon of Fate looked at Oblivion and said in a nebulous tone, "Mortal men are powerless in front of fate. We, the daemons, are just as powerless as mortals. Even the great gods bow their heads to fate, and those who dwell in the Void are not above it either. Fate rules all, is above all... it is a force that looms above the Flame and the Void, governing both — encompassing all of existence."
The Demon of Fate smiled bitterly.
"How can the future be changed if time itself is merely a weapon created by the gods, and the gods are powerless against fate? Fate cannot be changed because it doesn't know time. It exists in the flash of a single moment. Fate is not something that is happening; it is something that has already happened. It is an axiom, immutable and inalienable. How are you going to change something that has already transpired, sister? That is impossible."
Hearing the Demon of Fate, Oblivion shook her head.
"It is possible."
The Demon of Fate scoffed and said in a tone of amusement, "What makes you so sure?"
Oblivion leaned forward then and said, her voice echoing in the darkness, "The Void is everchanging, and therefore, in its endless permutations, it eventually gave birth to something unchangeable — to the Flame of Desire. That is the paradox of Chaos. Fate is no different. If it truly governs all possible events and encompasses all possible outcomes... then it will give birth to something that cannot be encompassed or governed one day. It will give birth to the paradox that will destroy it. Creating such a paradox — that is how fate can be changed."
The Demon of Fate seemed appalled.
"A third paradox? What kind of treacherous being can summon it into existence? That thing would have to possess the power of a great god, the curse of a daemon, and be the avatar of fate itself on top of that. Do you think I can create such an abomination, sister?"
The Demon of Fate grinned.
"Is that a challenge?"]
The final words remained suspended beneath the tree.
Silence.
Eurys did not move.
His eyes remained fixed on one particular line.
A third paradox.
The power of a Great God.
The curse of a Daemon.
The avatar of Fate itself.
Slowly...
very slowly...
his gaze moved away from the runes.
Toward the Keeper of Fate.
The Keeper of Fate was already looking at him.
Eurys's expression changed.
"...No."
No one answered.
His eyes returned to the glowing words.
Then toward the final lines of the earlier record.
The Slayer of Weaver and Defiler of Fate.
The Third Paradox.
The Greatest of Abominations.
Eurys stared at the words.
For perhaps the first time since entering the hall, he had no insult ready.
No joke.
No question.
Only realization.
The Greatest of Abominations was not merely a creature powerful enough to oppose Fate.
Its existence itself was the contradiction.
The Third Paradox.
"But..."
Eurys's eye narrowed.
"That doesn't make sense."
The Keeper of Fate glanced toward him.
"If this thing was created as Fate's contradiction, then shouldn't the outcome already be decided?"
He gestured toward the runes.
"If Fate itself had to create something capable of destroying it, doesn't that mean the Greatest of Abominations was always destined to win?"
"No."
The answer came immediately.
Eurys frowned.
The Keeper of Fate looked back toward the great tree.
"A paradox does not guarantee victory."
The runes shifted.
"The First Paradox is proof enough of that."
A distant flame appeared among them.
"The Void was everchanging, and from that endless change emerged something immutable."
"The Flame of Desire."
"The contradiction of Chaos."
His golden eye narrowed faintly.
"And yet the Flame did not destroy the Void."
Eurys remained quiet.
"The struggle continues even now."
The Keeper of Fate raised one hand.
"The Flame gave rise to existence. To the Gods. To the laws that separated creation from the primordial Void."
"But existence itself carried imperfection."
"The creation born from the Flame possessed its own Flaw, and through that imperfection, Corruption found a path into what the Flame had created."
Eurys's expression hardened.
"The Paradox of Chaos existed."
The Keeper of Fate lowered his hand.
"Chaos did not therefore lose."
He looked toward Eurys.
"A paradox creates the possibility of defeating what should otherwise be absolute."
"Possibility."
"Not certainty."
Eurys's gaze returned to the glowing runes.
"And Fate was the same?"
"Precisely."
The Keeper of Fate turned toward the shimmering words.
"The Third Paradox could become something Fate was incapable of completely governing."
"But possessing the ability to challenge Fate and possessing the strength to defeat it are two entirely different matters."
Eurys stared at him.
"Then Fate knew this thing would appear?"
"Not in the manner a person knows something."
The Keeper of Fate considered the question for a moment.
"Fate could not simply exclude its own contradiction. If Fate truly encompasses every possible event and outcome, then somewhere among those possibilities must exist the conditions for something Fate cannot encompass."
Three lines shimmered once more.
[The boon of a Great God.]
[The curse of a Daemon.]
[The avatar of Fate itself.]
"Those were the conditions."
Eurys's eye moved between them.
"The boon of a Great God."
"The curse of a Daemon."
"And the avatar of Fate itself."
"Yes."
The Keeper of Fate's gaze settled on Eurys.
"You Nine should understand the last condition particularly well."
Eurys stiffened.
"The Nine were marked by Fate."
A cold understanding crossed his face.
"Chosen pieces."
"Pawns."
"Pieces given [Fated] so they would arrive where Fate required them."
The Keeper of Fate nodded.
"The Greatest of Abominations shared that mark."
"But the Nine were pieces upon the board."
His golden eye returned to the three conditions.
"The Greatest of Abominations was the vessel in which the conditions of the Third Paradox would eventually converge."
Eurys said nothing.
"And therein lay Fate's problem."
The Keeper of Fate turned fully toward him.
"If the vessel destined to become its contradiction entered existence already possessing tremendous power, it could resist the path prepared for it."
The runes changed.
"So it entered existence weak."
Eurys slowly leaned forward.
"The Greatest of Abominations was born Mundane."
The statement settled heavily over the hall.
"Weak. Fragile. Human."
The Keeper of Fate's expression remained calm.
"That was the play."
"Fate did not have to prevent the Paradox from existing. It only had to ensure that the vessel remained controllable until its purpose was fulfilled."
Eurys's eye narrowed.
"Let it grow."
"Guide it."
"Give it what was necessary."
"Place enemies before it when enemies were required. Place opportunities before it when opportunities were required. Bring it closer and closer to the conditions necessary for the Third Paradox."
The Keeper of Fate's voice grew colder.
"And once those conditions were fulfilled, destroy it before the contradiction could mature beyond control."
Eurys stared at him.
"That's disturbingly clever."
"It would have been."
The Keeper of Fate looked toward the runes.
"The problem was that the Paradox kept surviving."
Once.
Again.
And again.
Every arrangement meant to advance its purpose also strengthened it.
Every enemy placed before it became another lesson.
Every calamity meant to corner it taught it another method of survival.
And the final condition took far longer to complete than Fate could have preferred.
"The curse of a Daemon," Eurys said.
The Keeper of Fate nodded.
"Once that condition was finally complete, all three existed within the same being."
The three lines burned brighter.
[The boon of a Great God.]
[The curse of a Daemon.]
[The avatar of Fate itself.]
"The Third Paradox was complete."
Eurys stared at them.
"And then it could defeat Fate."
"It could fight Fate."
The Keeper of Fate corrected him without hesitation.
"Do not confuse the two."
Eurys looked back at him.
"The Flame is capable of opposing Chaos, and yet Chaos remains."
"The Third Paradox is capable of opposing Fate."
"That does not mean victory was ever guaranteed."
Eurys grew quiet.
The Keeper of Fate continued.
"That was when Fate's position became increasingly untenable."
"So long as the Greatest of Abominations remained part of the Tapestry, its continued existence had to remain accounted for."
"Every battle it survived."
"Every enemy it overcame."
"Every future event through which it still had to pass."
"If Fate continued arranging a path for the Paradox, then Fate would inevitably continue producing the circumstances through which the Paradox could survive."
Eurys's eye slowly widened.
"And surviving would make it stronger."
"Exactly."
The Keeper of Fate looked toward him.
"Eventually, preserving the path would require creating the conditions for the Greatest of Abominations to reach true Divinity."
Eurys became still.
"And then Fate would have raised its own executioner."
The Keeper of Fate inclined his head.
"So the strategy changed."
The golden runes trembled.
"When the proper moment arrived, Fate struck at the connection itself."
"Not merely the body."
"Not merely the soul."
"The Paradox was severed from the Tapestry."
"At the very end of the Dooms War, the moment the Great Gods and daemons had died, Weaver was on their last legs, and the Greatest of Abominations was at their weakest."
Eurys's expression shifted.
"Fateless."
"Yes."
The Keeper of Fate's voice remained even.
"The intent was simple."
"Cast the Third Paradox outside Fate before Fate was forced to continue strengthening it."
"Leave it weakened."
"Leave it without the path that had carried it forward."
"And let something outside Fate finish what Fate itself could no longer safely touch."
Eurys stared at him.
"So becoming Fateless wasn't a victory."
"No."
"And it wasn't Fate winning either."
"No."
The Keeper of Fate looked toward the runes.
"It was an escape from the board."
"For both sides."
The Greatest of Abominations survived the severance.
Fate no longer had to weave a future capable of sustaining its contradiction.
And the Third Paradox lost the very path that had repeatedly driven it toward greater heights.
"Then that should have been the end of it," Eurys said.
"It should have been."
The Keeper of Fate's expression changed slightly.
"The strike had been arranged carefully. The Greatest of Abominations was already vulnerable. Another great existence had been forced to expend an enormous portion of its power. The moment chosen for the severance was one where being thrown outside the Tapestry should have resulted in death."
"But it didn't."
"No."
Even weakened, the Greatest of Abominations fought back.
The severance succeeded.
The expected death did not.
Enough preparations had been made.
Enough pieces endured.
Enough remained for survival.
Eurys was quiet for some time.
Then he looked toward the darkness surrounding the hall.
"So Fate created the contradiction, guided it until the conditions were fulfilled, realized that continuing to guide it would eventually force the thing to become Divine, and threw it outside Fate instead."
The Keeper of Fate nodded once.
"That is a crude description."
"But accurate?"
"Accurate enough."
A dark chuckle came from above.
Eurys's eye shifted.
The Lord of Shadows remained seated upon his throne, one hand resting against the side of his mask.
"Pathetic little thing."
Eurys frowned.
The Lord of Shadows's voice carried quiet contempt.
"After all that work, Fate could do nothing more than cast the Greatest of Abominations into a blind spot and hope something beyond its sight would kill them."
The Keeper of Fate glanced toward him.
The Lord of Shadows continued.
"Do not mistake blindness for helplessness, though."
Eurys's gaze sharpened.
"Fate cannot properly see or govern the Greatest of Abominations anymore."
A faint, humorless amusement entered his voice.
"But it can see everything around the blind spot."
Eurys understood.
"It can move other pieces."
"Precisely."
The Lord of Shadows leaned back.
"It can drag beings still bound by Fate toward the darkness."
"It can arrange calamities around it."
"It can place something sufficiently destructive on the battlefield and hope that, once released, it destroys everything nearby—including the one thing Fate itself can no longer properly see."
His chuckle returned, darker this time.
"So no."
"The battle did not suddenly become safe."
"Nor did it become easy."
"If anything, Fate has become less precise."
The Lord of Shadows's mask tilted faintly.
"And desperate things are often far more troublesome than precise ones."
The Keeper of Fate looked back toward the great tree.
"The Flame is the paradox of Chaos, yet Corruption still threatens existence."
"The Third Paradox is the contradiction of Fate, yet Fate remains."
"And beyond both..."
His golden eye hardened.
"...the Forgotten God still sleeps."
Silence returned to the hall.
"Being a paradox means the impossible can be challenged," the Keeper of Fate said.
"It does not mean the battle has already been won."
Eurys remained silent for a long while.
Then his eye narrowed.
"What is Fate?"
The question was surprisingly simple.
The Keeper of Fate regarded him.
"Fate is the authority held by the Seventh God."
Eurys's expression changed.
The Keeper of Fate continued.
"It is their power. Their law. A law so fundamental that even the other Great Gods were forced to exist beneath it."
He raised his gaze toward the shimmering runes.
"But that relationship was not one-sided."
Eurys frowned.
"If Fate was the law of the Seventh God, then the laws established by the other Great Gods were laws the Seventh God was forced to accept as well."
The Seer of Paths leaned forward slightly.
"That was precisely why the Doom War was arranged so carefully."
Eurys turned toward him.
"The opening of the Void. The deaths of the six Great Gods. The deaths of the Daemons. The return of the Forgotten God."
His expression became serious.
"All of it had to occur at the correct points."
The Keeper of Fate nodded.
"Fate wrote the script."
"But the script still had to obey the laws of existence."
Something shifted within the shadows surrounding the hall.
Eurys's eye widened faintly.
A realization had started to form.
The Lord of Shadows noticed.
"So you finally see it."
Eurys slowly looked toward him.
"The boon of a Great God..."
His voice became quieter.
"...was never arbitrary."
"No," the Lord of Shadows answered.
Eurys looked toward the runes once again.
"If the Third Paradox was created to eventually oppose the Forgotten God..."
He paused.
"...what greater boon could it possess than the boon of the God who governed Shadow and Death?"
The Lord of Shadows remained silent.
That was answer enough.
The Keeper of Fate continued.
"Death was one of the laws the Forgotten God was forced to acknowledge."
"The authority belonged to Shadow."
"But there remained another problem."
The Crown of Grace tilted his head faintly.
"The Tapestry."
"Precisely."
The Keeper of Fate raised his hand.
Golden threads briefly manifested between his fingers.
"The power of Shadow could not simply reach into the Tapestry of Fate. Fate was not Shadow's authority."
The threads slipped between his fingers.
"So another component was required."
Eurys's gaze sharpened.
"The curse of a Daemon."
"Weaver," the Cursed of Truth said.
Silence briefly fell.
The Keeper of Fate looked toward the distant tree.
"The Forgotten God was forced to create their own Flaw."
"The Daemons."
"And among them was Weaver."
"The one who looked upon the Tapestry and understood that there was no victory to be found by simply following the course of the Doom War."
Eurys listened carefully.
"Weaver rejected the call to war."
"Rejected the path followed by Nether and the others."
"And instead created something that could survive beyond them."
The golden threads multiplied.
"Their lineage."
"Divided."
"Hidden."
"Scattered throughout the Tapestry, where neither the Gods nor the Daemons could simply gather it again."
The Keeper of Fate closed his hand.
"Waiting for the day Fate itself would be forced to bring those pieces to the chosen vessel of the Third Paradox."
Eurys's expression darkened.
"So Fate assembled its own enemy."
"In the end, yes."
The Child of Erasure spoke from his throne.
"That is what makes the whole affair amusing."
Eurys glanced toward him.
"The very mechanism attempting to prevent the contradiction was also the mechanism forced to complete it."
The Keeper of Fate nodded.
"The boon of Shadow provided the authority."
"The lineage of Weaver provided the means to interact with the Tapestry."
"And [Fated] bound the vessel closely enough to Fate for the final condition to exist."
Eurys looked between them.
"But merely touching Fate isn't enough."
"No," said the Harbinger of Ruin.
His arms remained crossed.
"Power still matters."
The Keeper of Fate turned toward him before continuing.
"Consider Ascension."
"A Sovereign possesses Will."
Eurys nodded faintly.
He knew that much.
"A Supreme does not merely strike the world with essence. Their Will forces reality around them to acknowledge what they demand of it."
The Lord of Shadows spoke.
"If a Supreme's Will is rooted deeply enough in death, they can command something sufficiently beneath them to die."
Eurys's eye narrowed.
"Just like that?"
"Within limits," the Lord of Shadows answered.
"A Sovereign cannot look at everything in existence and simply decide it is dead. The stronger the target, the greater the resistance. Rank, Class, Will, authority—all of it matters."
The Keeper of Fate continued.
"But Sacredhood changes the relationship entirely."
His golden eye seemed to brighten.
"A Sacred being does not merely command a Concept from outside it."
"They become intertwined with that Concept."
"The foundation of their Aspect becomes something they embody."
The Cursed of Truth quietly added,
"A Supreme tells reality to listen."
"A Sacred being becomes part of the reason reality behaves as it does."
Eurys was silent.
"And at Divinity?" he eventually asked.
The Lord of Shadows answered this time.
"At Divinity, the distinction becomes far less forgiving."
His voice was low.
"The Greatest of Abominations carries the boon of Shadow."
"Should that boon reach its true Divine height, Death would no longer merely be something they invoke."
"It would become an authority they could govern at the level required to contend with the law of another God."
Eurys slowly understood.
"Weaver's lineage lets it touch Fate..."
The Keeper of Fate nodded.
"And Shadow gives it the law required to wound what governs Fate."
Eurys stared toward the runes.
"So the Third Paradox reaches into the Tapestry..."
"And imposes Death upon it," the Lord of Shadows finished.
The hall grew still.
"Not easily," the Keeper of Fate added.
"Never easily."
"It would be a clash of Will."
"The Will governing Fate against the Will carrying Death."
"The outcome would depend upon strength, authority, control... and which side proves greater when the two laws collide."
Eurys rubbed the side of his skull.
"So that's why it had to become stronger."
"Among many other reasons," the Seer of Paths said.
Eurys's eye narrowed.
"And [Fated]?"
The Keeper of Fate looked toward him.
"That was what ensured Fate could not simply discard the vessel before the conditions were complete."
"The closer the vessel came to fulfilling the Third Paradox, the more dangerous that relationship became for Fate."
"Once the Greatest of Abominations became Supreme, their Will could already begin imposing itself upon existence."
"At Sacredhood, that Will became far more deeply rooted."
The Seer of Paths smiled faintly.
"The stronger the Paradox became, the harder it became for Fate to simply arrange a convenient end."
"And once Divinity became possible..."
The Lord of Shadows chuckled darkly.
"Pathetic little Fate."
Eurys looked at him.
The Lord of Shadows leaned back against his throne.
"It raised the blade itself, only to realize rather late that the blade was eventually going to become sharp enough to cut the hand holding it."
The Crown of Grace's lips curved faintly.
"That is one way of putting it."
"So now all the Greatest of Abominations needs to do is become strong enough and kill Fate?"
"No."
The answer came from several of them at once.
Eurys blinked.
The Keeper of Fate sighed softly.
"That would be wonderfully simple."
The Child of Erasure rested his head against one hand.
"And therefore reality would never permit us something so convenient."
Eurys scoffed.
"Of course."
The Keeper of Fate continued.
"Our immediate problem is not merely defeating the Forgotten God."
"It is reclaiming Fate."
Eurys stared.
"Why?"
"Because killing the Forgotten God does not destroy Fate."
The Keeper of Fate looked toward the golden runes.
"Shadow God died."
"Death did not cease to exist."
"The Divine being governing the law disappeared. The law itself remained."
Eurys's expression slowly changed.
"The same applies to Fate."
"Precisely."
"Killing the Forgotten God removes the Divine entity capable of exercising its authority."
"It does not erase the Tapestry."
"And currently, that Tapestry is corrupted."
The Cursed of Truth leaned slightly forward.
"Leave it untouched, and existence remains tied to a corrupted foundation."
The Crown of Grace added softly,
"Destroy it outright, and existence loses one of the pillars upon which it rests."
Eurys looked between them.
"So either way..."
"Everything dies," the Harbinger of Ruin said plainly.
Eurys stared at him.
"...Wonderful."
The Seer of Paths seemed faintly amused.
"Quite."
The Keeper of Fate returned his attention to the tree.
"The purpose of the Third Paradox was never simply to break Fate."
"It was to make changing Fate possible."
Eurys fell silent.
"With Weaver's lineage, the Greatest of Abominations can interact with the Tapestry."
"With the boon of Shadow, they can bring Death to that which would otherwise be beyond Death's reach."
"And once the Forgotten God is slain..."
His voice grew quieter.
"...the authority governing Fate becomes vacant."
Eurys's eye widened.
The Keeper of Fate looked directly at him.
"Someone must take hold of it."
Silence.
"The Greatest of Abominations," Eurys said.
"Eventually."
The Keeper of Fate nodded.
"Death and Fate."
"Two of the great pillars upon which existence rests."
"The authority to end what must end..."
"...and the ability to alter the script that determines what comes after."
The Child of Erasure spoke quietly.
"Only then could the corrupted portions be removed without simply allowing the whole structure to collapse."
The Keeper of Fate continued.
"Only then could the Tapestry be rewritten."
"Corrected."
"Changed so that existence no longer marches inevitably toward the awakening of the Forgotten God and the triumph of Corruption."
Eurys remained motionless.
"So defying Fate was never the end."
"No."
"It was merely the prerequisite."
The Keeper of Fate's expression became grave.
"One cannot govern the Tapestry while standing completely outside it."
"To fulfill the conditions of the Paradox, the Greatest of Abominations had to escape Fate."
"To finish what the Paradox exists to accomplish..."
His eye narrowed.
"...they must eventually return."
Eurys stared.
"Take Fate back."
"Yes."
"But only when they are strong enough."
The Harbinger of Ruin spoke again.
"Attempt it too early and Fate crushes them."
The Seer of Paths added,
"Attempt it too late and the remaining paths may already converge upon catastrophe."
The Cursed of Truth smiled without humor.
"And there are truths concerning the Forgotten God that make failure rather undesirable."
The Crown of Grace sighed.
"That was an understatement."
From another throne, the Child of Erasure quietly said,
"We have had worse plans."
Everyone looked toward him.
He paused.
"...Perhaps."
For the first time in a while, Eurys almost laughed.
Almost.
Then his expression became serious again.
"So that's the next step."
The Keeper of Fate inclined his head.
"Become as strong as possible."
"Prepare every remaining piece."
"And when Fate is no longer stronger than the one meant to oppose it..."
The Lord of Shadows finished for him.
"Take it back."
Silence settled over the hall once more.
Eurys looked across the seven.
The Lord of Shadows.
The Keeper of Fate.
The Harbinger of Ruin.
The Crown of Grace.
The Cursed of Truth.
The Child of Erasure.
The Seer of Paths.
Seven beings who had fought Gods, Daemons, Fate itself, and whatever remained beyond all three.
And yet none of them spoke as though victory was assured.
Perhaps that was what disturbed Eurys most.
"So after everything..."
His voice was quieter now.
"...the fight hasn't gotten easier."
The Lord of Shadows gave another dark chuckle.
"No."
The Keeper of Fate turned toward his throne.
"It has merely become possible."
One by one, the seven began returning to their seats.
The Harbinger of Ruin sat first, folding his arms.
The Crown of Grace settled gracefully into his throne.
The Cursed of Truth leaned back with an almost cheerful expression.
The Seer of Paths watched the pathways of the hall with mild interest.
The Child of Erasure disappeared into the darkness of his seat without bothering to comment.
The Keeper of Fate climbed the marble steps.
Last of all, the Lord of Shadows returned to his throne and rested one hand against the armrest.
Eurys watched them.
Then—
the shadows at the entrance moved.
Every gaze in the hall turned toward them.
Darkness gathered together.
Not wildly.
Not violently.
Almost obediently.
The mass of shadow elongated, condensed, and took shape.
An orb formed as shadows swirled at the appearance of another enity it.
The seven became still.
The Keeper of Fate settled completely into his throne.
A faint smile touched his lips.
"The audience begins."
...
The lake was calm, disturbed only by faint ripples as Sunless took steady steps forward.
His expression remained composed, as it always was, yet there was something different about him now.
Something heavier.
Almost dominating.
As he took another step, his ordinary clothes dissolved into pale sparks.
Yet before his body could even be revealed, shadows rose around him.
They curled across his form like living darkness, weaving themselves together as they climbed over his body.
Black fabric formed beneath them.
Layer after layer settled into place, elegant and severe, wrapping him in dark robes fitted closely around his frame before loosening into long, flowing layers around his legs. A broad sash bound his waist, while darker pieces settled across his shoulders and arms, giving the attire a refined yet martial appearance.
The remaining shadows streamed behind him, merging with the long fabric that swayed with every step.
Within moments, the transformation was complete.
Sunless continued walking forward.
Dressed entirely in black.
Calm and elegant.
And somehow far more imposing than before.
...
Within the hall, the sphere of darkness continued to swirl.
Eurys watched as the shadows gathered together, slowly taking the outline of a person.
Then something else caught his attention.
The shadows belonging to the dead Gods stirred.
The great beasts lowered their heads.
Those that retained humanoid forms sank to one knee.
Eurys's eye widened.
The waters surrounding the hall shifted.
From beneath them emerged seven Transcendent Titans, enormous forms circling the lake in silence.
Then the sky darkened.
Another seven Transcendent Titans appeared above, taking the forms of colossal, vile birds as they circled overhead.
Soul Serpents.
Creations of Weaver.
Then something far above moved.
Something colossal.
Something whose presence alone seemed to press against the world.
It did not descend.
It merely acknowledged the arrival.
The swirling darkness finally parted.
Eurys stared.
A man stepped forward.
There was nothing monstrous about his appearance.
That was almost the disturbing part.
His form seemed unnaturally pristine, as though every imperfection had simply been removed. Pale skin contrasted against the black clothing wrapped around his body, while long dark hair moved faintly behind him.
His expression was calm.
His steps were measured.
Yet every shadow around him moved as though answering an unspoken command.
Eurys did not need an introduction.
The moment the man appeared, the seven masked figures rose from their thrones.
All of them.
At once.
Their attention settled upon him.
Sunless did not look toward them.
He did not look toward Eurys.
Nor did he acknowledge the dead Gods kneeling around him.
He simply walked.
Step after step, he ascended the marble stairs toward the grand throne.
The shadows flowing through the hall stirred around his feet.
They rose along the marble.
Danced across the pillars.
Gathered behind him like an endless black tide.
As though the realm itself welcomed him home.
Sunless reached the throne.
He turned.
The long layers of his black clothing shifted through the air before settling around him as he calmly took his seat.
Only then did he raise his eyes.
Eurys stared.
The Law of Existence.
The Defiler of Fate.
The Being of Divinity.
The Third Paradox.
The Greatest of Abominations.
Sunless had arrived.