Then, in a vastly different place, Nahira dug her eyes into the cosmic darkness as if reading a death poem, rising above the edge of reality, floating in an infinite distance of stars. Behind her stood a group of her assistants, and beside her was Smith—her personal assistant—standing with a respectful composure that concealed a clear anxiety in his very core. A short silence ensued, and then Smith said, calmly, "Is there something wrong, my Lady?"
Nahira looked at the cosmos lying before her like a strange piece of honeycomb. A cold smile visited her lips before she answered in a soft but decisive voice, "Not yet. I just want to savor the moment. To relish the scent of collapse, the sight of disintegration when a weak world crumbles under my finger—like a fragile piece of cake crumbling into a single piece, or melting if you cover it with tea."
Smith stepped forward faintly, measuring the edge of madness with his question, "Yet, don't you think three months is a long time for a journey of destroying universes? Doesn't duty call us—I mean, shouldn't we return now to your own world and see what has happened?"
Nahira did not answer immediately. She raised her hand, the dark purple color of her hair waving in a space not hidden from the flame of the stars. She mastered the pleasure of destruction as a symphonist masters his playing: she slowed her breath, squeezed her fist slowly, and closed it on the air like one clutching a small heart. The universe labeled "1066" vanished in a flash; a broad glow formed, and then everything evaporated as if it had never been born at all. She had destroyed 1066 universes completely in a short period, solely for her pure pleasure.
Nahira laughed—a laugh in which the dreams of mercy shattered—she laughed a hysterical laugh, and said in a piercing voice, "How exquisite this scene is! I have no desire but to return every day to watch their downfall."
Smith stared for a moment into the empty space, then said with increasing caution, "My Lady… I know your fascination with power, but don't you think that granting absolute authority to a young man like Arios—a powerful fighter, yes, but he does not yet possess the experience of cosmic leadership—is a risky matter? It might ruin everything. Perhaps it is better for us to return before his passion corrupts us or his recklessness leads us to complete ruin."
Nahira looked at Smith with eyes that never lost a single gleam, "Are you afraid for him or are you afraid of me?" she asked, then added with a smile that dissected all caution, "Don't worry, Smith. The plan is going exactly as I want. And today's pleasure alone justifies all the waiting. Return to their location, and let me know when Arios takes his next step. As for me, I have more time than three months to savor the stillness of extinction."
Smith hesitated and then bowed; his departure was quiet, but his head was throbbing with dark thoughts. Nahira let him walk away, her eyes returning to the void—to the insatiable pleasure. The universe, to her, was a theater, and she—with her purple claws—was the director who rewrote the ending whenever she was satisfied.
Nahira looked at Smith with a cold, polar gaze that almost shattered the man's nerves, and said with deadly calm, "Listen to me well, Smith—if I find upon my return that what is going through your head is true, and that Arios is trying to bypass my will or exploit my gift for his own benefit, I will make him live the exact same hell he lived... in the past, and more."
Smith trembled slightly before whispering inquisitively in a voice that did not hide his anxiety, "Do you mean that, my Lady?"
Nahira nodded slowly, a thin smile passing over her lips like a knife, "Yes. My granting him authority and status is nothing but a test of his loyalty. Every mistake he makes is counted against him. Three months are enough to reveal his true nature to me—will he prove that he is with me, or is he hiding a cunning that will lead to my betrayal? If his attempts fail, the result will be my anger and wrath, and I will make his reckoning terrifying."
Smith raised his eyes before that coldness, then bowed and withdrew. Nahira remained floating above the void, her eyes catching the glow of the empty universe, then she said with deadly indifference, "But now—I am not satisfied yet. Let us move to the next universe." And the two vanished into the crowd of clouds, swallowed by the dark horizon.
The next morning, the dome of Nahira's palace rose as if it were breathing in the daylight and swallowing its sound. The orderly guards stood like rows of metallic wax, and the wide gate stared at every newcomer with an eye that never blinked. Across the grand corridor, Ramin took one step after another, his heart pounding in his chest with slight speed—the fear of a novice entering a world larger than him, and the fear of a friend who does not want to disappoint his brother.
Arios received him at the courtyard with an enthusiastic smile from recent times, as if wearing the heart of hospitality over the heart of authority. He gave him a warm, friendly handshake and said in a hearty voice, "My brother Ramin, I have been waiting for your arrival with absolute impatience."
Ramin's gaze met the eyes of the high officials surrounding them—faces masked with routine and experience, their armor shining like white papers in stormy weather. Arios calmed his friend's hesitation with a gentle step, then led him toward the massive meeting hall, where everyone sat around a circular table of black stone that reflected their faces like a dark mirror.
Ramin sat beside Arios, his chest throbbing twice before he held his breath. The whispering of the attendees faded, and everyone leaned forward like one listening to the tick of a clock before dawn. A slight rustling unsettled the room, then silence prevailed, while Arios raised his head with artificial dignity and cast a comprehensive look at the familiar faces: leaders, officers, resource and training officials—all were here.
Arios said in a stern voice filled with self-praise, "I will tell you the reason for gathering you here—it is a matter of utmost importance. What I will announce today will change the face of our responsibilities and rearrange priorities. Listen carefully, for this moment will determine the fates of many."
The words broke in the air just as people's breaths break upon hearing heavy news; faces tightened, and hearts leaped. In the corner of the hall, a hidden light slipped through its high windows, as if measuring the weight of the decision to be made in this meeting.
Silence gathered in the hall, almost extinguishing the breath of those present, when Arios's voice rose, stern and confident, like one anchoring a bridge over a torrent of doubts. He saw in their faces a mixture of curiosity and caution; the past weeks had plunged them into violent confusion over the distribution of resources and the organization of armies, and they were waiting for a decision that would restore the balance of a leader, or lead to more chaos.
Arios stepped forward, like one handing over the briefcase of responsibility to a fate greater than him. He said with controlled calmness, "As you know, throughout the previous weeks we were standing before many obstacles: exhausted armies, scattered resources, and plans that bear no fruit. I have not come today with words of no effect—but with a practical solution."
The attendees exchanged quick glances followed by a faint murmur, so one of them asked inquisitively in an audible voice, "And what is this solution, my Lord?"
Arios smiled a short smile, then announced with unmistakable confidence, "I have decided to appoint a personal advisor. It is not an honorary position, but a central one; the one who will lead the accounts and extract solutions with the required temporal precision. From this day forward, Ramin will be my official advisor."
Some of them erupted into questions to test the decision, and signs of unconvinced skepticism crept onto stern faces. One of the leaders said in an anxious voice, "There is no objection to your decision, my Lord, but have you chosen the right person?"
Arios looked at Ramin with a coldness mixed with a hidden warmth, then turned back to face the audience, saying, "Trust me; Ramin is not a random choice. I will make him focus on both economic and military files, and he will possess broad powers to implement what he sees fit. I expect his creativity—and I am confident he will not let me know failure."
The whispering reached Ramin's ears, and he felt the weight of the moment falling upon his shoulders; how could a leader he knew as a shepherd and a companion suddenly become a guide for sovereign decisions? The beginnings of shyness trembled on his face, then he uttered a stammering speech, "I... am just a simple soldier, how can I be worthy of such a thing?"
Arios laughed, a light laugh not erased by seriousness, and dismissed his hesitation with one decisive word, "You are more than that. I know what is inside you; I know your talents and your ability to think clearly. I do not say this as a compliment—but with certainty."
The echo gradually subsided, and the attendees left one by one, leaving the two men in the hall. The stone corridors remained reflecting their steps as faint echoes, so Arios rose toward Ramin and whispered, "I will provide you with everything necessary, and you will possess my authority whenever you see fit."
Ramin looked at his friend with eyes full of gratitude and confusion, then answered with a stammering softness, "If I accept—can I really do it?"
Arios answered in a voice carrying a hidden malice and clear determination, "Yes. Start now, my loyal advisor."
And as Ramin made his way out of the hall, there was a thought in his chest digging into his ability to prove to himself and to everyone far and wide that he was not just a low-class soldier—but a mind capable of making a real difference. As for Arios, he remained standing, smiling the smile of one waiting for a coming chapter, while on his face appeared the features of a plan that had begun to bear fruit.
The audience withdrew one by one until the hall was emptied for the ringing of internal voices. Arios remained standing with his calm steadfastness, then turned to the servant and said in a decisive voice, "Stay with Mr. Ramin and execute everything he orders you to do—now. I want no disturbance." The servant lowered his head in respect and answered in a faint voice, "Your command, my Lord." Then he left the corridor like a shadow performing its duty.
Arios did not waste a second; he called out away from sight, "Dark." The shadowy companion appeared, walking silently as was his custom. Arios nodded and requested, "Open the rift." The rift opened as if the silence of time had responded to him, and it swallowed them both, Dark leading him as if he were a map revealing a gate breathing in the depths of darkness.
They stood before a massive gate, steadfast as a stone guardian. Dark whispered in a low voice, avoiding the air, "This is the library, my Lord... but it is fortified—defensive technologies that cannot be easily breached." Arios smiled a short laugh that did not hide his relief, placed his palm over the surface of the gate, and said calmly as he addressed his secret, "The domain of nothingness."
Space suddenly altered: a dull coating, the gleam of barriers vanished, as if the hand upon which the seals hung had touched them and a leaf was opened. All protection mechanisms disappeared in a magical manner, turning the silence into a bright path. "That was easy," Arios said, smiling a short smile that knew no mercy. Then they entered.
The inside was grander than they had imagined: endless rows of shelves, shadows between one shelf and another, and eras of time's dust embracing the edges of manuscripts. The library—was not just a storehouse for books—but a reservoir for all the unknown, for all the silenced pages of this world. Every corner in it was a whisper of a history that died but was not forgotten, and every volume was a window to events that no one should turn a blind eye to.
Dark looked at Arios and asked in a cautious voice, "My Lord, what do you want here? What are you looking for among these paper souls?" An expression of awe and determination combined appeared on Arios's face. He said while staring at a spectrum of old titles, "I came to know everything. Everything that happened in this world since a long time ago—since thirty-three years before Nahira summoned me here. The achievements of the rulers, the secrets of history... but not only this. There is one specific person I am looking for. Prepare yourself, Dark. We will dig for a name that might change everything."
And the hall disappeared behind two shadows walking between shelves breathing memories, and in Arios's heart was a spark that never ceased to glow: a key, a question, a promise that might lead to a terrifying revelation—or to a salvation he had long awaited.
The silence of the library was dense, so much so that the air between the shelves seemed still, watching Arios as he ran his fingers over the covers of the old books like one waking a sleeping memory. Every book he touched left a faint trace of energy around his fingers, like a flash reflecting his calm curiosity. After a moment, he stopped before a high shelf, pulled out a book heavier than the others, and began flipping through its pages with deliberate calmness, his eyes devouring the lines while his mind ran far beyond the words themselves.
But time there was slow, and the amount was countless. He closed the book with his hand, his gaze sharp and cold, then muttered in a faint voice, as if the idea had suddenly settled in his mind:
"Come... appear, my followers."
In the next moment, light erupted throughout the library. Echoes resonated across the stone hall, and dozens of energy bodies formed out of the void—different in shape and form—some with wings, some with glowing halos, and others with eyes shining as if made of sparks.
Arios raised his hand and said in a stern, balanced tone:
"Listen to me well. I want you to read every single book in this library, without exception. All the knowledge it contains… I want it to become mine."
The crowds moved immediately, and the soldiers scattered among the shelves like luminous shadows, each holding one book or more, the sounds of papers and their pages overlapping like a mysterious hymn of knowledge.
Arios then sat on the grand stone seat in the middle of the hall, rested his chin on his palm, and said in a satisfied tone to Dark, who was standing beside him:
"This is better. Everything they read will turn into a memory in my mind… as if I were the one who read it. We have bypassed a tremendous effort."
Dark bowed slightly, his low voice carrying a constant respect:
"As you see fit… my Lord."
At the same time, at the top of the luxurious palace belonging to Nahira, the sky was raining dim light when Gelius descended with his scouting squad, returning from the mission assigned to them by Arios a month ago.
Fatigue was evident on their faces, but their steps remained confident as they crossed the iron gate. A number of soldiers advanced to receive them, so one of them bowed in respect, while Gelius said with a short smile:
"It is good that I am back… now I must deliver the report to that scoundrel, Arios."
After passing the courtyard, he stopped one of the servants and asked him in a formal tone:
"Where is Arios? I need to meet him right now."
The servant answered after a slight hesitation:
"In fact, Mr. Arios is busy at the moment… and requested that no one disturb him. But you can meet his new advisor."
Gelius's eyebrows rose in visible surprise:
"An advisor?! And since when does he have an advisor? Where is he now?"
The servant said with professional calmness:
"He is in the backyard with the military resource officials… discussing some details there."
Gelius moved with quick steps toward the back, a mixture of curiosity and annoyance in his eyes.
When he arrived, the yard was bustling with movement—soldiers lifting resource boxes, voices of commands intersecting, and the smell of iron filling the air.
He raised his head and saw Diner standing talking to a man of strange features, who appeared calm and prestigious at the same time. Gelius approached and called out in a clear voice:
"Diner! Tell me… what is going on here?"
Diner turned around, smiling with a slight surprise, and said:
"Ah, Mr. Gelius! I did not expect your return today."
Gelius replied in a somewhat sharp tone:
"In fact, today is the scheduled date for my return from that cursed place.