★251
Time had passed since I became a Nova, an Omni, and yet, very little in my life had changed. The Shadows handled most affairs, leaving me with more silence than I cared for.
I raised my hand and looked at my palm. The tattoo was still there, unmoving, yet it felt heavier now, as though it carried something I had yet to understand.
Something was wrong. This could not be just a curse. My fingers tightened into a fist, the mark shifting slightly against my skin as I clenched it.
I had lost Azure Art, power I hadn't even realised I possessed. I was left with this unknown Art carved into me, something I could neither control nor fully comprehend. And because of it, I had been unable to awaken, unable to take the next step towards a Mega Art.
The more I thought about it, the less it made sense. Nothing about this felt simple. Nothing about it felt accidental.
Even Lord Acamar said it wasn't a Dark Art. Although he's omniscient, the only thing he said was...
"It's a curse."
"I already know it is."
"A curse to be placed on something."
'Something? That's new... I need to know...'
As if to read my thoughts, he replied.
"No, you don't."
He cut me off.
"This is a puzzle you must solve alone.. or with people, I guess."
That's the only thing he kept saying each time I brought it up. He's not telling me everything, but I'm sure he's giving me some hints.
'To be placed on something. A puzzle I must solve alone, or with people. These aren't random. He's trying to tell me something.'
I turned my palm and looked again, seeing the tattoo change from Black and Azure.
Achernar took mine away, so I knew this had something to do with Azure. I called forth the Shadows right away and told them to bring me everyone who could use Azure.
However, they came back with nothing. Given the absence of Achernar, I anticipated this since it was uncommon for an Azure Star to emerge without an Azure God, a Founder. Since the older ones are out of sight and most likely busy, I chose to ignore them.
Additionally, I would rather not engage with Sabaki's domain. Even though there's a possibility a Dwarf Azure Star might be there.
Even though I knew it was uncommon, I had to wait for Classes. The gap between the two Classes is extremely long, I had to wait for four Classes, including mine, so using the word ETERNITY to describe my wait is irrelevant.
When Lord Acamar announced the M-Class, I started looking again. The way the Omnis described this generation made the M-Class appear to be the start of a new world. A lot of foresights was discussed, which gave me more hope for in this Class. An announcement that altered everyone's expression ended the meeting.
Although Twin Stars are the rarest among all Stars to have ever existed, Lord Acamar had stated that one would be born in the next Class. Their rarity was beyond comparison; even Azure Stars meant little beside them.
Still, the birth of a Twin Star often drew others with it. Azure Stars could appear alongside one, as if pulled in by the same force. That alone was enough to give me something to hold on to.
So I placed my hopes on the next Class and I waited.
When the time came, I sent them out once more. The same order, the same expectation as before. But this time, it was different.
For the first time in history, they did not return empty-handed.
Umbra returned first. As their leader and strongest, he stood at the front with a single child beside him. Ash and Velric followed, empty-handed, while Morven arrived last, and his success was impossible to ignore. Four Azure Stars stood behind him, their presence bright and steady, drawing attention without effort.
Astrum, a Giant Star. Azurin, a White Dwarf. Caeli and Lumina, both Dwarfs. Their divinity had only just begun to bloom, raw and unrefined, and for a brief moment I found myself missing that stage, the simplicity of it.
I stepped forward and greeted them. Their eyes shimmered as they looked at me, filled with awe at the presence of a Nova. All but one, a child stood apart, dressed almost entirely in black, his hair and eyes just as dark. He did not look away, nor did he lower his gaze. He was standing all small and confident for a youngstar like him.
Something about him made me pause.
Before I could speak, I turned to Umbra. His face was unreadable, but there was a stillness to him that didn't sit right. I dismissed the others, along with the Shadows assigned to guide them, leaving only the two of us and the boy behind.
"What's wrong, Umbra?"
He dropped to one knee without hesitation, his head lowered. It was not something I had seen from him before.
"I brought a child who may not meet your expectations."
He said, his voice tight, carrying a weight that felt closer to pleading than a report.
"But I would like you to see for yourself."
I rose and walked towards the boy, my attention settling fully on him.
"What is your name, Star?"
I asked.
He met my eyes without hesitation.
"Atlas, a Dwarf."
His voice was steady. There was nothing outwardly remarkable, yet something about him felt familiar in a way I couldn't place.
I studied him a moment longer, that faint sense of recognition refusing to leave.
"Azure or Mega Arts user?"
"Mega Arts."
He replied, slowly raising his hands as if to show me more.
He didn't explain further. Instead, a black circle formed beneath his fingers, quiet and steady, and he let it speak for him.
From it, small black birds emerged, one after another, their forms delicate yet wrong in a way that was hard to ignore. They moved with a faint, unnatural grace, circling before settling. One drifted towards me and landed on my outstretched finger.
I stilled, the realisation hitting me.
'This boy… this isn't ordinary Art.This is death. Necrotic Grasp… at his age?'
The control wasn't perfect, I could see that much, but the foundation was there. Given time, he would grow far beyond what most could reach. Perhaps even rival Umbra.
I could not ignore that. I stepped closer, my gaze fixed on him.
"Let me guess… society rejected you because of this?"
"Yes."
He answered without hesitation.
I lowered myself slightly so we were level, then placed a hand on his shoulder. He didn't flinch. For a moment, I simply looked at him, that same sense of familiarity lingering, stronger now.
"You are much more like me, Atlas. I was not given preference because I could not use Mega Arts, and I lost favour when my mentor took away everything I owned, including my newly acquired Azure, and left me with his unidentified power."
The bird that appeared when I raised my palm was similar to his, but it was leaking uncontrollably with the aura of death.
His face was glowing, and I saw admiration instead of fear.
"T..this is.."
I nodded.
"Just like yours, right? In addition, I possess the ability to control death without using Mega Art Necrotic Grasp."
(Necrotic Grasp is a Mega Art Alnath created.)
"So does that mean I have learned a Mega Art unknowingly?"
"Perhaps you can control death by neglecting the use of Necrotic Grasp?"
"Yes."
"Well, I'll try my best to keep you up to speed. For now, I'd like you to stay with me here."
"No problem."
Atlas, along with the other children, then started living with me in Morke Helvede.
Every day as we train, Ash and Velric took turns noting what we do and how, and I knew right away that I was correct. Although the patterns are not always the same, the tattoo responds to Azure and my curse.
Instead of developing in a straight line, the tattoo creates fractally repeated patterns with minor variations. Each time Azure is channelled into it, it shifts slightly or completely, or it returns to normal, with one key altered or split into glyphs.
Additionally, it reacts to one's mood and emotional state in addition to the stars pouring Azure and me using my curse. For example, when Lumina was able to solidify her Azure, her feelings were mirrored in the tattoo, and she claimed to have felt a connection to it that day. We tried to fake happiness the following day, but it did not work.
A concord point is triggered at random or after adhering to a configuration that Ash or Velric have predicted. When completed, the tattoo expands, leaving me with a burning sensation despite my resistance to heat and burns.
Due to the incredibly large pattern, these occurrences are uncommon and very unpredictable. However, when activated, they quickly progress the tattoo's decoding.
A combination that causes an expansion can not be repeated indefinitely, as if it had a mind of its own, which I firmly believe. However, over time, we were able to visualise the entire process.
Every expansion exposes a new facet of Achernar's vulnerability to me alone. Sometimes, a weakness from his past, and other times, a weakness from his present. Which got me thinking: this tattoo is currently associated with Achernar, tracking and storing his vulnerabilities.
Actually, not only are his weaknesses revealed, but his present abilities are also noted, and even if he changes, the tattoo will still give off a subtle glow.
Before I knew it, my arm was covered in glyphs and other tattoos. Each one had a weapon, countermeasure, or phrase that contained an energetic frequency that could be used to avoid, interfere with, or destroy a particular layer of Achernar's being.
After thousands of years, we have finally investigated and analysed every tattoo and glyph. With all of this being the final step toward releasing the real deal. We took a break, and as usual, I summoned Atlas, and we trained.
Of course, I did not forget about him; ever since they arrived, I have had different times where I attended to them all, so it was balanced.
'Achernar is now a Void Dragon. Not just any Void Dragon but the usurper of Abyssal Calamity, Vhaegon, taking the Family crown for himself.'
"How greedy."
I muttered.
'Deep down, I know he's not a Dragon. It's more like he rules them and decides to have one draconic form for himself. I know each weakness he possesses. If we're to fight now, I'll end him in a flash. But....'
I clamped my first, which contained the tattoo, onto my throne's armrest. The floors underneath us were destroyed as the impact passed through the throne.
The Shadows appeared at once, dropping in front of me without warning. Their sudden presence broke the stillness, and for a brief moment, I saw it in their eyes, shock, then fear.
"Satan."
They bowed in unison. I almost dismissed them outright, but the surge of energy within me stirred, threatening to slip. I held it back. Instead, my aura answered for me.
It spread without effort. Their bodies tensed, trembling under its weight. No words were needed. They understood that much. I can curse them even if I don't want to, so it's best to stay silent.
One by one, they vanished, leaving the space empty again.
"I want to kill you so badly."
I muttered under my breath.
"Not a day passes without me thinking of ways to end you. But…"
My aura flared, darker this time, the waves spilling outwards.
"Did you really think I'd be foolish enough to use what you left behind for that?"
My eyes burned, the anger rising again, sharp and relentless. For a moment, it threatened to take over, to drag me back into that same state.
"Pathetic."
The word left me quietly.
I drew in a slow breath and let it out just as carefully, forcing the tension from my body. The rage receded, piece by piece, until only a faint echo remained. The air settled. The space returned to calm.
I stood and made my way to the balcony, the night stretching endlessly beyond it.
"I will not fall again."
I said, my voice steady now.
"So when the time comes, Achernar… face me."
...
..
.
To be continued...