"Whatever you do, don't accommodate the Uniqueness."
And he had done it. Since his awakening, Klein had tried and fundamentally failed in keeping the timeline relatively close to the Original. But this single statement, Klein knew full well, was going to have far unpredictable consequences than any change he has made so far.
Well, I hope it does. In reality Klein still had doubts. If Genie is to be taken seriously, these changes may not be completely outside of Primordial God Almighty's omniscience; even if my existence in this Epoch should be a completely unexpected event in Fate and flow of time… omniscience is still omniscience. Klein looked deeply at Grisha whom had not uttered a single word yet. "His" golden gaze peered emptily at Klein's figure.
Or no. Klein traced "His" vision in detail, finding it settled on the Sacred Emblem of The Fool behind his chair. The Pupil-less Eye and the contorted lines: representing secrecy, and change. Come to think of it, would the 'Feast of Betrayal' still happen? Originally this Sin was caused under the influence of the Primordial God Almighty. The sinners, the sinned, all of them chosen and brought together by the Reasonable Developments written Millennium's ago. This foundation should not have changed.
But if the foundation remains the same, would the outcome remain as well—changing only the path towards it?
Unless the Primordial God Almighty could somehow foresaw the unthinkable and inconcivea— The thought cut itself short. A chill ran down Klein's spine. He raised a hand and covered his mouth, swallowing the unease quietly. Its not like I know how these events unfolded, the Dark Era alone proved that much. I may have much knowledge of the actual Events but the intricacies, the various plots and the hidden conspiracies buried in the depths of History are still shrouded in that same Fog. I am much more unaware than I'd like to admit.
Hehe, this can be exploited…by both of "Them". As if to ease his anxiety, Klein instinctively smiled making use of the symbolism of Clown. He turned once more towards Grisha, the latter also tracing "His" gaze back at him. This time they didn't maintained any silence.
"What about the Sun and Hanged Man Uniqueness?" Grisha asked, tilting "His" head just slightly perking with curiosity. Klein maintained his smile, "How are you feeling right now?" The question sounded almost idle as though asked in passing on some bright afternoon. Grisha didn't answer, or so verbally. "His" silence was all Klein needed to know.
"Even merely holding the other Uniqueness will be dangerous." Klein continued, resting his chin against his palm. "At our level, the will to converge is almost irresistibly strong. The more one resists it, the stronger the pull becomes." His gaze lowered slightly, thoughtfully. "However, as time passes, the will of the Origin slowly fades. Along with "It", the original will within the characteristics vanishes too. Eventually we will be able to ascend and maintain our Unique nature, ideally by the time of apocalypse.
"But that is a well thousands of years from now. Currently the best we can do is prepare. Seize the Uniqueness. Give birth to a new era of stable Sequence 0's. Plough the ancient races and usher in the era of Humanity." Klein paused for just a second, his voice softened. "That will be my suggestion, as well." Grisha's expression remained unchanged, yet Klein could notice something deep in "His" eyes. Something that edged closer to understanding.
In any case, we'll just have to see this through. Betrayal or not…
The two of them remained at stand-still for a while.
…
There once lay a period of tranquility following the world-sweeping apocalyptic quake, which saw all ocean floors reach for the skies. Not even a single trace of this event remained, only the ever bright Sun was a constant. Unlike currently…
The ocean was overturned, exposing a deep trench filled with creatures whose ancestors had never seen the light. They panicked, but for a different reason. The focus of all living beings within a wide radius fixed beyond the pillar of seawater, at the Titanic blue-black eel squirming violently in the air. Its blood couldn't even leak. Its own eyes, each bigger than Cumulonimbus clouds, stared in shock at a comparatively minuscule figure, possessing an incomparable aura.
"His" rugged fingers digged deeper into its flesh, the man's face permanently etched into a scowl, wavered. "His" eyes stared back at the creature's.
"To think there was a time I feared you," "He" uttered slowly, and the creature seemed to understand. It closed its eyes as the man's jaw tightened.
"ROAR!!!"
An earth-shattering raw sounded, not travelling across space, but directly felt in everything within an incalculable range. The environment responded: the displaced ocean returned without causing a mess, the creatures below bowing down to a new master.
The gigantic eel shook a final time, like its soul body was directly crushed by the roar.
"A Sea King means nothing to me now," Leodero said, still floating in the air, "His" grip formed on the corpse like it held no weight.
The great Gulf, was what the humans living in this continent called it. It was an Elven base, through which this mystical race primarily inhabiting the Sonia Sea, could use as a springboard to attack the Phoenix to the south, and occasionally the humans to the north. It was essentially considered a death zone for humanity, prohibiting one of their primary access to the ocean. Until the Sun appeared...
Leodero didn't move, "His" mood still down. "He" had hoped this little intermission would at least marginally improve it.
"Tch, what's with this," an irritated voice drew "His" attention to the coast, far beyond the horizon. Within the ocean and even the land, distance meant nothing to "His" senses.
The Wind Angel's mood only soured further as the red haired stuck "His" fingers into "His" ears and massaged them with a grimace. "Aren't you supposed to have the second best voice among us?"
"Second?" Leodero made "His" darkening mood known as "He" took a single step, appearing by the shoreline without disturbing the environment. "His" terrifying gaze locked on Medici, casually reclining under a Parasol.
"Woah," the Red Angel put "His" hands in front of "His" body, exposing "His" palms. "Didn't know today was that time of the month for you. Sorry, don't mind tongue slip."
Before Leodero could retort, "He" froze as the surroundings brightened.
"God won't be pleased by our behaviour," the melodious, but slightly hoarse voice also attracted Medici's attention to the to a rocky cliff standing slightly above the waves. Water smashed onto the bloodied robes of the hunched man carrying a colossal cross. "His" youthful face, originally always carved with a note of pride, was tuned down to utter reverence. "He" didn't look at them, keeping "His" eyes on horizon.
And the Lord also told us to take our time, you masochist! Both Wind and Red Angels shared a thought. The former's rage quelled a little as "He" let go of the Sea King Eel, its corpse crashing right before Medici who didn't even flinch as "His" hair moved with the gust.
"You aren't planning on burying this guy are you?" Medici addressed "His" colleague, though "He" didn't wait for "His" response as "He" licked "His" lips. "Hmm… I can already imagine the delicious way I can cook it. Humph, Elf Style even…"
"Its body is a treasure trove of spiritually rich parts," Leodero answered in an uncharacteristically light tone. "I'll be using it for the people, you can take the characteristic if you wish."
Medici pouted as "His" excitement died down. "Aren't you supposed to be the Irascible one?" "He" got up, the Parasol and "His" seat melting into ash that dispersed with the breeze. "What about you White?" "He" turned to back to Aucuses.
The Angel in question regarded Leodero deeply. "We should do as Wind says." "His" golden eyes shone and fixed on the Eel's body which shook as a large amount of its spirituality gathered on its tongue. Before it could fuse with the organ, purification separated them. A sea-blue crystal pillar endlessly reflecting the light, was expelled.
Medici drew the characteristic towards "Him" and smiled. "Hmm… We're lacking on some Dragon slave—I mean, Dragon Craftsman." "He" tossed the characteristic into the team's Collective Sea of Subconscious. "The Paragon pathway would aid the humans… people greatly." "He" looked back at Aucuses.
"Due to the modicum of respect I was pleaded to have for you, I didn't asked. Why?"
"He" didn't need to be precise, with Leodero feigning disinterest though "His" ears were very active.
Aucuses stared overhead, directly at the Sun. "His" eyes went deeper, focusing on its concept hanging in the Astral World.
"For us guardians of humanity, we lacked a Shepard."
Medici listened though "He" turned with a smile to Leodero, who simply responded by crossing "His" arms and staring away.
"An endless flock, many among them rose, tainted as they were, to fight the threats beyond," Aucuses didn't seem to notice "Their" interactions as "He" continued. "Time and again, we were constantly at the total mercy of the Usurper of the Sea, Sky, and Land among many others. A single glance, a single breeze was all it'd take for us to come toppling into extinction. Yet, we hung on that tight rope. Generations after the other, growing clearer with the flow time."
"Eventually, figures among the flock were born. Different, pure, strong. They brought hope, as all pinned their survival on them. The supporting rope had stabilised somewhat, thickening even. But to the flock, humanity was now on a fast track to the top."
"His" gaze lowered back to the horizon. "Only these pillars they now wholly relied on knew the truth. We were still insignificant. Most will become painfully intimate with this fact, with some plunging headfirst and never returning."
"In the end, no matter their might, no matter the authority and respect they garnered—they were still part of the same flock as the rest. Humanity needed a true Shepard. And it finally got one." This time, "His" eyes pierced the blue sea, into the darkening sea bed.
"We didn't need to pretend anymore. We could finally jump in freedom as alas, our deepest prayers were answered… But I couldn't." "He" gritted "His" teeth as the weight of the cross on "Him" weighed heavy.
"To think we were privileged even before. Comparatively, most other flocks didn't even get the chance to walk on a tight rope. Rather, they were deeply entrenched with the monsters infesting this realm. Knowing this, how could I simply bask in God's peace? Give up everything and relax, knowing most humans still remain in this state?"
Leodero didn't turn, maybe because of Medici's gaze boring into "Him", or due to actual disinterest. However, the slack in "His" broad shoulders was undeniable.
Aucuses rubbed a hand on the cross "He" carried as "He" glanced up at it. It looked to be made of plain wood and was empty, but "He" could perceive countless wails, shrieks, and screams filled with utter torment, within. They resonated deeply with "His" being, rooting "His" everything.
"Beyond the ritual, I decided to carry this until God's light reaches every section of this realm, much like "He" already does. To never forget the damned as "His" glory is felt by all beings, so even they can bask in it."
"I asked a simple question and I got a sermon," Medici felt a little speechless as "He" shifted to stare at the White Angel. The latter's battered form shone with a light of greater intensity.
"…Could've at least warned me so I could munch on an apple or something… actually no, I didn't even bring anything to eat." "He" muttered, glancing up at the top of the cliff Aucuses stood on. "Well, our stock is finished. Please, tell we'll find something palatable rather than this area's pitiable excuse for fruits." Medici's words caused the other two to look up at the man, the angel king, seated casually atop a rock. With "His" dark Clergyman robes, the Deputy of Heaven, calmly read a book.
"For the 987th time, Medici. The journey, is meant to be fully enjoyed." "He" closed "His" book, only for deep red eyes, only a few centimetres from "Him", to stare back.
"That wasn't the last of the Sherlock Holmes series, was it?"
"What might you be talking about, my fellow angel," the book in "His" hand melted into a deep Shadow as "He" stood up with a smile. "He" ignored the Red Angel who had failed to peak into the book's content, and instead stared at the Wind Angel.
"Given our new status," Leodero gestured at "Himself" and Aucuses, "I can comprehend the Lord's words; "He" wishes for us to strengthen our humanity. However, we could've done all this after completing the meeting in the neutral grounds." "He" held back a tongue click reaching that.
The price of power, this was something "He" had become acutely aware of after stepping into Angel hood. At first, "He" was troubled—the Elves had left a deep mark in "Him", one "He" planned to settle… Only for "Him" to realise that not only did the Calamity Elf from whom "He" had obtained "His" characteristic perished, but also how this mystical race weren't focused on human faction anymore. Then the envoys of that Kingdom made themselves known, only to vanish just as fast before "He" could even blink.
"He" knew the Lord knew better. God was always right. But why was "He" so restless?
The glint in Leodero's eyes caught Sasrir's attention who had remained silent.
At the very least, this three months trip wasn't the worst, Leodero mused. Naturally, "He" had every intention of taking this thought with "Him" to the grave.
Sasrir's smile grew unnoticeably as "He" spoke. "Ask and you shall receive; seek and you shall find; knock and the door will be opened. The Lord's words resonates with all of you. Let us continue on our journey." "He" turned around. "We can't keep Saint Ouroboros ahead of us forever."
Oh? A single brow rose as Medici perceived the change in the auras of both Leodero and Aucuses—the former's restlessness was pacified, while the other brightened further. "He" too, felt "His" own itchy instincts spike.
You mean, there's a chance for action? Medici looked deeply at the dark and tall back of Heaven's Deputy.