— Diana —
Diana was mid-flight when it happened. Just traveling, truthfully. Her presence had been requested to deal with an ancient foe. A monster from her own mythology. Such things happened now and again. Currently, a minotaur (thankfully, not The Minotaur) had managed to set itself loose in Alexandria, Egypt.
She would deal with it quickly and without much hassle, Diana was sure. The unnamed minotaurs were only a threat to mortals and civilians. A warrior of her prowess and fame would have no trouble with the mythological beast. She needed not to be Theseus for a simple minotaur without a labyrinth to call its own.
When she first heard the call, she, of course, went straight to Athens to check that another Labyrinth had not sprung up in the modern age. That would've been a disaster in the making. And a suitable challenge. It was almost a shame, for Diana would've happily embarked on a quest to conquer the Labyrinth Reborn. But it was not to be, and that was for the best. This way, no mortals would find themselves trapped within twisting corridors and hostile chambers, hunted by a beast of legend.
Finding Athens empty of both the legendary Labyrinth and the minotaur she sought, Diana began to track the unnamed beast. From her investigation, the minotaur had indeed emerged in Athens. It sprung from the ground and rampaged through the city for a day and a night and no more. Then, it set out into the Aegean Sea, bloodlust unsatisfied.
Diana tracked its trail through legendary waters. Though that age had long since passed, mythology remained in the Aegean under an immortal veil. And tracking a minotaur on the quest to earn itself a name, it was as if the Age of Olympus had never passed, as if it had never faded as it did. Everything considered, however, Diana's hunt was uneventful. She was no fledgling hero — neither in the mythological or modern sense of the title.
She quickly determined her quarry's final destination and began to catch up. That was when the mysterious 'it' happened. Beside her, the very air warped, split, and opened up. She prepared for the worst, of course. Some god or monster interfering with her current hunt. Some magical interference from a meddlesome wizard, witch, or sorcerer. Some interdimensional or alien interference. Nothing would surprise Diana of Themyscira.
Yet… only feelings of peace, friendship, and amusement came from the sudden portal. Through it, Diana saw the interior of the Dead End bar, and a certain Mr. Barkeep waving her way. She blinked. Perhaps 'something' would surprise Diana of Themyscira after all… She was certainly not expecting such an odd and mischievous announcement of Sean's return.
Before she could slow her flight or truly turn to respond, the portal fulfilled its purpose. Then, just as suddenly as it waxed itself into existence, it waned to nothing out of the ordinary again. All it left behind was a curious sword that now flew along beside Diana.
The sword was not European in style or make. Certainly not Greek as Diana was used to, as her own sword was. It was long, straight, and relatively slim. A… Chinese Jian…? The crossguard was styled as widespread wings and the blade's material was not any metal Diana immediately recognized. It shined as readily as silver or steel, yet the color was a glossy black like obsidian.
Most curiously, however, was the power Diana could sense from the strange sword she'd been suddenly gifted. It kept up with her flight without struggle or trouble. Already, an unusual feat for a sword. And… there was a Will there. Not intelligence, not as such. But certainly a Will, an Intent. The sword wished to cut, to slice and slash, to fulfill its killing purpose before anything else.
"Hmm, a nobly spirited blade makes for a noble gift," Diana hummed. "I suppose that means Sean is back from his vacation. Very well. How say you, Sword? Will you help me with my current quest before we visit your maker in the days to come?"
*SCHWING~!* The sword's answer was a cut of agreement, and Diana couldn't help but smile. Oh, yes, she did think she could come to enjoy Sean's sudden returning gift. She couldn't remember fighting with a companion not just by her side, but in her hand. It was an intriguing prospect, and Diana couldn't help but wish to try.
IIIII
— Raven —
Raven was in meditation when it happened. But she didn't notice immediately. Deep within her own mind, Raven went undisturbed. Recently, her mindscape had become rather different than it once was. After shaking the chains of her father — for good — only two halves of Raven remained. Her prime aspect — the flat exterior that the world saw. And… her Passion — all of her emotions in one, the spirit to her soul, and something of an overwhelming pain in Raven's ass.
'Sit.' Raven THOUGHT/COMMANDED/DEMANDED.
'The only thing I want to sit on is goth dick!' Passion ROARED/WHINED/CACKLED back.
'This is entirely unproductive. I'm… working on it.'
'Work harder! No, better yet-! Let me!'
'That can only end in disaster.'
'Or Nirvana!'
'…'
'Bah! You're useless!'
'I'm not. I just want an actual plan instead of running in half-cunted. Like some sort of desperately stupid slut.'
'But we are!'
'Doesn't mean we have to make it obvious.'
'If Sean doesn't already know, I'll eat Didi out!'
'Wow, such a sacrifice. Not like you win either way.'
'Exactly!'
'We're getting nowhere. Just… sit and shut up so I can think for once.'
'You can't resist the desperate horni forever, Me!'
Returning to reality, Raven muttered to herself, "I don't intend to…"
Raven stood and put her Passion in the back of her mind (literally). At the very least, she had time. Sean was on vacation right now. Raven could plan for his return to her Passion's content. But looking around her sanctuary, her room in Titans Tower… Raven saw it'd been breached. Not maliciously. More like… a letter slipped through the proverbial mail slot.
The breacher hadn't tried to hide anything, and low-level dread mounted within Raven as she felt them out with her magical senses. There was only one being who matched that signature…
On the table beside her bed, Raven found a scroll of all things. It was plain… yet damn near physically brimming with power and knowledge. A note was there with it and Raven read.
'Didn't want to disturb your meditation, but I have a gift for you. The scroll contains everything I know about Qi Demonology. Summoning, binding, contracts, and best of all, exploitation. It's… mostly safe. But I trust you to not get carried away. It'll help that the Demons written about in the scroll should see you as some kind of distant kin. A cousin or something. Use that to take them for everything they're worth. They deserve it, the bastards.'
'P.S. Didi and I are back from our vacation, by the way. Drop on by the Dead End whenever you feel like it. You and your friends are always welcome, of course.'
'P.P.S. Oh, I may have given Beast Boy a never-ending noodle bowl as well. You might want to keep an eye on him to make sure he doesn't eat himself sick.'
Slowly, Raven set down the note. Only one word escaped her lips, "… Fuck."
Her Passion wasn't nearly so reserved, "Yeeeeessssssss~! Daddy's home~! No excuses now~! Jump him~! Jump him real good~! Get moving, Me~! We've got a return party to join~!"
IIIII
— Damian —
They were in a League briefing when it happened. Damian dutifully sat and listened… but he would really rather be doing anything else. Practicing his blade, tending to his animal companions, stamping out scum, anything. Unfortunately, it was not to be.
Instead, Damian — the ever-dutiful son, the best of his father's children without a doubt — focused his mind on Father's words. The meeting concerned the Dead End, Sean Caine, and his current vacation. In Gotham, there's been a noticeable but not necessarily significant uptick in crime with Mr. Barkeep's absence.
It was expected to an extent, and Father was already preparing for the next one. Due to the topic, all of Damian's siblings were in attendance, along with those League members who'd had the most contact with the Dead End. Yet, surprisingly, there was less chaos abound than Damian had expected.
Even Cass (the rival…) was keeping herself mostly under control — if bored — as she sat with her feet up and made faces at the ceiling in a silent rant.
"(⇀‸↼‶)ᕗ "
"(`°̥̥̥̥̥̥̥̥ω°̥̥̥̥̥̥̥̥｀)"
"(ᗒᗣᗕ)՞"
"(*ΦωΦ*)"
From what Damian could 'hear', the rant had something to do with Cass' frustration at being left behind by Mr. Barkeep and She Who Gives Exquisite Headpats. And… her determination to rectify that 'atrocity' for the next time. Damian found himself agreeing with her arguments and plans. He'd have to see about joining her plea when the next Mr. Barkeep vacation rolled around. It was somewhat boring to be left behind like this…
Father's briefing continued apace as if Cass wasn't ranting her head off, "-Something to consider. Perhaps someone should be assigned to temporarily replace Sean Caine in his role while he's gone. It might help maintain the new normalcy and keep a few more of the bar's regulars off the streets."
"Not it," The respectably murderous brother, Jason, deadpanned.
"Not it," The repressed wench, Barbara, did as well.
"Oh, I'm so in!" The insufferably competent idiot, Dick, eagerly agreed in their place.
"I wouldn't mind giving it a shot, too," Dame Kara offered, smiling. "I could even tell a few stories of Krypton before the Fall!"
"That… sounds wonderful, Kara," Sir Clark smiled.
"Acceptable," Father nodded. But before he could continue, true chaos broke loose.
A series of portals opened up above the meeting table. Out fell… things, many and varied. And a statement from a familiar voice.
"I'm back~…" Sean singsonged. "And I bring gifts!"
That was the only communication they got before the portals disappeared once more. Damian knew Father wouldn't be happy about the League's security being so easily breached. But truly, he shouldn't have expected anything less from Mr. Barkeep. He received a gift as well. Compensation, at the very least, Damian figured.
More keenly, however, Damian focused on the gift delivered unto him. It was a sword, one of almost transcendent quality. Forged in the style of a Chinese Dao and curved similarly to the favored swords of Damian's homeland, its black blade shined despite the color or surrounding light. There was a palpable sense in the air, a sense that the sword was everything a Sword should be. Quintessential and embodied by something Willful. The Sword's Intend was unmatched. A finer blade, a finer gift, Damian could not have asked for.
"An honor," Damian bowed to his new blade.
*SHH~CHHK* The blade politely sheathed itself in thin air in turn.
"I suppose that means Mr. Barkeep has returned," Damian considered aloud.
"Hng," Father grunted, paranoia pushing him to examine the gift he'd been given as well.
It was a ring, simple and unadorned, hardy and practical. The note that came with it was read over by Father twice, and then once more for good measure. Then, satisfied with the ring's safety, Father utilized it. The League tablet in front of him disappeared within. It was withdrawn just as easily, just as quickly. Damian could only nod in approval. A ring of magical storage, in Father's hands? There could be nothing better.
Despite himself, Father agreed as well, "… Useful."
Across the table, Dame Kara and Sir Clark had been bestowed with grand scrolls that shined with inner sunlight. Damian could sense their power, their potential from where he sat.
"Cultivation… manuals…?" Sir Clark read aloud.
"Oh! Sean told me about this!" Kara exclaimed. "According to him, Kryptonians are naturally proto-cultivators. I suppose he wanted to cross that 'proto' out of the term."
"'How to set the sun upon your brow…'" Sir Clark continued. "That… Okay, I can see how that might suit us."
Brother Jason and Wench Barbara received scrolls as well, though much less grand than the 'Cultivation Manuals'. Jason began to unravel his… and continued to do so, seemingly without end.
His eyes lit up, stunned and eagerly curious in equal measure, "O-Oh… So much history… The untold foreign history of a whole other world-! Damn, Sean… Just damn."
Barbara's scroll was smaller and as she opened it to read, her cheeks began to flush. Damian couldn't resist peeking over her shoulder.
'Her Dao Heart couldn't resist him, that doomed fool. Though he challenged the Heavens, he wished to do so with her at his side. How could a poor woman — of perfect body and heart — hope for anything more romantic? Even if they failed, she could at least readily claim that his spear pierced her Heavens…'
"How vulgar. How smutty," Damian deadpanned at Barbara, cutting deeply. "Positively obscene. Be ashamed of your amorous repression."
"Wha-?! I didn't-! T-That's-!" Barbara sputtered before eventually settling on a groan. "Ugh, dammit, Sean!"
Then, there was Rival Cass, who broke the trend of inanimate gifts — sword, ring, and scrolls. A living being was bestowed upon her. A cat that stood on two legs with the intelligence of a man. Instantly, Damian knew envy. Made worse when Cass cocked her head at the cat and it spoke back.
"(゜.゜)" 'Who…?'
"Butters-nya, mistress~!" Though the reply came in purrs and chuffs and meows, it was perfectly understandable. Just like Cass' usual manner of speaking… "I'm a Palico! Best nya-ang assistant a good hunter could ask for! You nya-ake the bodies, I strip 'em down to the bone~! The good master bought out my contract for you, so don't ya worry nya-ne! You've got me for a good five years before renewal rolls around!"
"(Φ ͜ʖΦ)" Cass grinned wide beneath her mask. 'Oh, you're perfect~… I think we'll get along just fine… To good hunting, Butters!'
Slowly and purposefully, Father stood from the table, "… I'm just going to ignore that for now. I believe this meeting is best adjourned. It seems the Dead End is in business again. Someone get eyes on Sean Caine down there. Lord knows I don't want to…"
"(◕ヮ◕)ﾉ*:･ﾟ✧" Cass leaped at the chance. 'Dibs~!'
Damian, the ever-dutiful son, took responsibility for watching her, "I shall accompany you. Also… second dibs."
IIIII
— Sean —
"I came as soon as I heard!" The door to the Dead End was blasted open by force and enthusiasm. "My friend, my rival, MY BROTHER! You have RETURNED!"
"Hello, Savage," I said, waving him in. "Make yourself at home. This is perfect, actually. You of all people should really meet my guests for the night. My friends — old and new — meet Vandal Savage, Immortal Man. The Oldest Living Human. "
"Oh, woe," Zhong Hong drawled. "How do you deal with it? The tedium of immortality?"
"Tedium?!" Savage scoffed. "There is ALWAYS something new to see, even after 50,000 years! Truly! Sean proves that existence will always be bigger than one being could ever comprehend alone, be they immortal or even Endless!"
Zhong Hong simply blinked at being rebuffed so firmly, "Truly?"
"Oh, yes," Didi nodded in agreement. "Sean drifting into my lap opened my eyes to 'everything outside', not for the first time, but certainly for the 'best' time."
Immediately upon Savage's arrival, Shen Yu was taken. His eyes were wide with awe and admiration. Savage was exactly the sort of man Shen Yu would idolize most.
"Another Senior Brother…" Shen Yu murmured to himself before bowing deeply and shouting. "This lowly Rising Blade greets his second Senior Brother!"
"Shen Yu…!/Fool…!" Xiao Ge and Minyan hissed at him in warning simultaneously but it was already too late to stop that ball from rolling…
Savage grinned, "Good! Be youthful, be bold! You have the makings of my kind of man, Rising Blade!"
Shen Yu nodded firmly, "I shall strive to forge myself so."
"Oho?" Savage examined him with interest. "I say, Sean, where did you find these guests?"
"Cultivation reality," I answered. "A reality ultimately defined by the pursuit of power, immortality, and enlightenment."
"Simply put but accurate," Xiaodan nodded along.
"We really shouldn't expect anything less from Sean," A new voice at the bar said.
"When did you lot get here?" Harley cocked her head.
Penguin, Riddler, and Two-Face shrugged as one, "Door was open. We let ourselves in."
I smiled, "Well, it's good to have you boys, as always. You, too, Cass, Damian. Don't think you can slip past me."
"（＾Ω＾）ᕗ" Cass knocked herself lightly on the head with a closed fist. 'Teehee~!'
"We ported in," Damian said. "Forgive us for the intrusion."
"Contract established, Boss-nya!" Butters — the Palico from Rose's tribe that I recruited as Cass' gift — reported with a genuine salute.
"Sir Butters?" Rose asked, furrowing her brow in confusion. "I was unaware you accompanied us. I suppose your organization is spreading its branches to new sunbeams?"
"Got it in one, Young Mistress! I'm on the job again, nya-ow!"
"Well, that's just adorable," Ivy commented in the background. "And professional, as well. How impressive."
"I see the party has already started," One last voice — a deadpan one — said as Raven floated into the bar through a portal.
"You know it~!" Harley chimed. "It's GOOD to be back~!"
"Sean," Raven fixed me with a stare. "Demons? Really?"
I raised a surprised eyebrow, "You didn't like it?"
Raven glanced away, "… I didn't say that."
"Demons…" Bi De clicked his beak. "Despicable beings."
"As you know them? I couldn't agree more," I said. "That's why Raven's gift was a how-to guide for swindling and robbing them out of hearth, home, cultivation, and soul."
"Hmm, acceptable," Bi De nodded.
After another short round of introductions — where Cass practically glued herself to Su Chen's side, Raven found a sort of easy comradery with Xiaodan, Savage became the Youngest Generation's newest role model, and Damian humbly bowed his head to the mightiest cock in existence as a student of Bi De's slashing spurs — the Dead End was essentially back to business as usual. Tonight's guests were ridiculous, even by DC standards. But this was the Dead End. The best thing anyone could do was settle in for a new story to blow their minds wide open.
And considering the cultivators I was currently hosting, I had just the setting, just the life in mind, "Now, my old friends, I think I owe you a tale from Samsara as I promised."
"Prince Sean?" Waver cut in. "What is Samsara? Is it relevant to the tale you tell?"
Liang Ye scoffed half-heartedly, "It's too grand a term for anything concerning the Drunkard, that's what it is."
"Heh… As I'm using the term? It refers to my Endless cycle of reincarnation," I chuckled at 'Uncle Leafy's' thorns but still took the time to answer Waver. "I live. I die. I live again. On and on and on. Until I met Didi, at least. But since you asked, it is relevant. Usually, I would just say 'reincarnation' but 'Samsara' fits this particular life very well. Existence is infinite with distinct and non-distinct realities. Yours is one. This is another. The one I'll be telling you all about had… certain influences spread throughout its fabric."
"How so?" Waver curiously pressed.
"Well, this is mostly for the regulars, but…" I misdirected slightly, answering Waver's question but not in a way he'd fully understand. "See how my cultivator friends here have a distinctly Chinese inspiration about them?"
There was a general round of nods (and confusion from the cultivators), and I continued, "Well, this reality was also one of cultivation. Or at least, very, very close. Its 'inspirations', however, were more Hindu and Buddhist than Chinese and Confucian."
"Huh…" Hecate muttered, considering that. "Now, that certainly seems… rather rare for your usual stories, Sean… and rather intriguing as a result, I must admit."
"'Kay, but, like, how?" Harley asked.
"I've never quite figured that out myself," Didi admitted, considering aloud. "Certain ideas seem to spread past the Source Wall quite frequently. Influences and inspirations that persist despite the usual borders of existence."
I smirked, "Oh, some things just have a way of spreading throughout existence. But that's a bit above even our pay grade, my Death."
"… WELL, THAT'S A TERRIFYING THOUGHT," Long'un rumbled softly.
Ophis fed Long'un another candy cultivation pill to soothe him and then one for herself as well, nodding in agreement, "Un."
"٩(＾◡＾)۶" Cass struck a cute little pose. 'Good thing I purposefully keep myself too stupid to get caught up in existential crises~!'
Zhong Hong chuckled, "The wisest of us all, young one."
"I suggest limiting your questions to topics that don't stump even Endless Death," Raven deadpanned Waver and Harley's way.
Waver slowly nodded, "… That's probably for the best, as much as it pains me to admit."
"No promises~!" Harley singsonged.
"[No DATA]…?" Simmy pouted.
"Not for that question, my dear," I said, shaking my head. "But I'll be sure to give you some [DATA] that won't make your Shard explode. Now, back to this one life of mine. There, we must begin with GOD…"
"As you do," Penguin nodded matter-of-factly with good humor.
"Indeed," I nodded back. "GOD was known as YISUN. Sexless, perfect, and imperfect. YISUN was everything that was and everything that was not. It was all of reality and nothing at all. Its first commandment was thus: 'Let there be no Genesis'. GOD has always and never existed. And with it, that reality itself."
"Wait, but-…! How-?! That makes no sense at all!" Waver exclaimed.
"You've grasped it so quickly," I smirked. "Contradiction is at the core of YISUN's being. It is and is not. It lives forever and not at all. Such was that reality. Enlightened confusion. Profound denial and acknowledgment. That is how this story will go. Get used to it now, I'll warn you..."
"A Drunkard like you should not be telling such a profoundly transcendent story," Liang Ye grumbled.
"This story with torment and try all of our minds, won't it?" Xiaodan drawled, exasperated.
"In the extreme," I confirmed.
"Eh, that sounds about right for the Dead End," Two-Face just grunted and shrugged.
"And as always, we'll just sit back and enjoy the tale," Ivy shrugged back. "Don't go trying to wrap your head around Sean's bullshit, especially not this time, it seems. I'm sure he'll lay everything out in a way we can at least follow, if not comprehend."
"There is wisdom in those words," Xiao Ge nodded. "Alas, I cannot abide. Already, I am as intrigued as I am confused, as stimulated as I am lost. This lowly student must humbly ask for guidance."
The Phoenix Prince nodded along with his friend, muttering, "Tales of GOD from a whole other reality… How could we turn away?"
"The Heavens are fundamentally unknowable, even to those born to them," Su Xing offered, commiserating with the Youngest Generation. "Worlds apart, and yet, we still find ourselves in the same position. We are peers in our ignorance, no?"
"┐(´～｀)┌" Cass simply shrugged. 'Eh, it's not that deep, though, right? Capital G-O-D is everything and nothing. And that's its prerogative. Don't go questioning things that don't need to be questioned. In the end, does GOD even matter much at all?"
The Youngest Generation stared at her, their mouths agape. By their expressions, they didn't know whether to be offended or awed, whether to laugh or cry. She had the right of it, though. Comprehend and consider all one liked. In the end, it only mattered as much as one made it matter.
"You would do very, very well in that life I lived, Cass," I chuckled. "YISUN was everything. It was reality itself and everything 'not' around it. Its being was circular and peerless. A life most wretched, most cursed in its pointlessness. Imagine infinite stories to tell and no one to tell them to. Such was the torment of YISUN's being.
"In a single, eternal moment between nothing and everything, YISUN lived and languished and lost itself. Immediately and eventually, it came to reject singularity and circularity. Then, YISUN made the first, greatest Division: the Division of Self. YISUN committed divine suicide to give life to everything else in reality."
"Tough shit," Harley nodded along.
"Crude but poignant," Bi De commented.
"A noble cause to die for," Zhong Hong declared.
"A curse it imparted upon us all," Xiaodan argued.
"Existence, as always, is the worst blessing and the best curse," I stated. "Both and neither, for how can one boil it down so simply?"
"I can," Damian said flatly.
"Yeah," Raven agreed. "I rather like existing."
"Can-! Can it truly be so simple, though?!" Waver asked in rapid-fire. "Does existence not bring pain? Does it not bring pleasure in equal measure? Everything great and everything terrible? But without, is there a point? Is there a point 'with'?!"
"Calm yourself, Waver. Simply listen. There's no need to answer everything immediately," Rose soothed him.
"It is what it is," Savage said wisely, and calmly for once. "Don't drive yourself to a broken mind, boy."
"Overthinking…" Ophis' whisper resounded for all to hear. "Try not thinking at all."
Long'un bobbed his noodle-like head, "INFINITE WISDOM FROM INFINITY."
Su Chen cocked her head ever so slightly, "Should we all strive for an empty mind?"
"Never…" Grundy rumbled. "But sometimes… there is no point filling… it with worries and pains…"
I continued as if my story wasn't already causing existential crises, "With divine suicide, YISUN birthed 'nothing' — the White Aspect of UN, Master of All That Is Not — and 'something' — the Black Aspect of YS, Master of All That Is. They were duality — Lord and Mother respectively. They saw each other in the wake of divine suicide and were horrified by their opposite. They warred for seven years. Then, they made love for seven hours. For the second time, there was Division."
"My kinda relationship~!" Harley grinned and teased.
"From Lord UN and Mother YS, the Multiplicity was born," I said. "777,777 gods. They went on to raise a city of iron and red stone at the center of reality. Throne. There, they warred and ruled and warred even more for eon after eon."
"Godly wars, as you do," Penguin nodded matter-of-factly once more.
I barked a laugh, "'As you do', indeed! When the warring gods grew tired, four orders of inheritors came after. Some were forged by the gods themselves. The Craftsman God Koss grew downtrodden and overworked by the age of divine war. Thus, he cast about in the corpses of Lord UN and Mother YS for four Immortal Flames, embers of what was once YISUN…"
Savage leaned forward in his seat, "Oh, we love a good creation myth!"
"Creation 'truth', perhaps?" Zhong Hong posited, leaning forward all the same.
"I 'smell' Humans on the horizon," Hecate predicted.
"The first Flame Koss found was white and ferocious," I told the tale. "But it was rigid and burned terribly cold. Koss flung it into the void. The second Flame was black and vicious. It was hungry and burned simply to burn. Koss flung it into the void as well.
"Thirdly, Koss found a second black Flame. It was gentle enough to hold but curious. Oh so terribly curious… Koss kept that third Flame, but he wasn't satisfied. Finally, he found a second white Flame. It was cool. Stable. Pliant. Koss returned to his workshop with the last two Flames. He worked the cool white Flame for a year and a day. When it was perfect by Koss' reckoning, he took his chisel to it. The Flame cracked! The first order of inheritors sprung forth. Servants and Spirits. The Sustainers.
"The other gods were awed by Koss' miracle of creation. But terrified as well, for the Sustainers were made from the Flame Immortal, part of YISUN's infinite Heart and Soul. They were filled with that terrible thing called Will. They grew rebellious, and Koss returned to his workshop once more.
"There, Koss reached back into the void and retrieved the first white Flame. They still burned too cold for reality, but Koss was clever. He smothered them in the ashes of his forge. The second order of inheritors was born, clad in ashen armor. And before Koss' mistake could repeat, he seized them and beat good ol' Law into each one with hammer and chisel. Thus, the Aeons were born. Angels. The Protectors. Living nuclear explosions set into ashen armors. With Law, they set Throne back in order, existing in equilibrium with the Sustainers.
"Koss was praised, but another grew jealous. Pree Aesma, wicked of heart and jealous, the Master of Want. She hid herself within Koss' workshop and when the time was right, stole his favored chisel and the last Flame Immortal that Koss held. That warm and curious black Flame, Aesma beat upon it without skill or thought to consequences. She shattered the Flame Immortal before she could be stopped.
"It spread throughout reality. Where it fell, life sprung. Man. The Perceivers. They were imperfect. Impermanent. In her idiocy, Aesma created mortality and the Gift of Death. And the other gods could only bow with awe, for the tiny, insignificant lives of men burned with meaning they couldn't touch. Meaning and potential forged from inherent limitation and the fires of YISUN's Will. Each man was a universe to himself, of Himself. They were perfectly imperfect in their lies and struggles and wants and deaths. They were — some say — what inspired the Multiplicity to their suicide by Division as YISUN once did…"
Only one word emerged from everyone's lips as my tale trailed into a pause once more, "… Damn."
Awe was, of course, elaborated upon, Riddler shaking his head, "That was a damn-near religious story."
"It was religious," Raven snorted. "The main characters were gods and it was about the creation of Man, Spirits, and Angels."
"And… And it was true, Father?" Su Xing asked.
"As true as anything could be in that reality," I confirmed. "Aesma and Koss certainly existed. As did Man, Spirit, and Angel. Something must've happened, no? That was the tale everyone knew and accepted, told by immortal beings that were there when it was conceived."
"A reality dominated by immortality as the default," Didi shook her head. "How dull, how unchanging. Honestly, I can only thank Aesma for her so-called 'idiocy'."
"I liked the part about Man's simple existence awing the gods," Shen Yu smirked somewhat smugly.
Savage grinned, joining, "As did I! As you should! 'Perfectly imperfect', was it? 'Each a whole universe unto himself, of Himself'? Beautifully, splendidly, quintessentially put!"
"( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡° )" Cass smirked as well. 'Haters will say it's fake~! But we're just built different~!'
"What happened to the fourth order of inheritors?" Hecate cannily asked.
"Ah, the hungry black Flame," I nodded and clarified. "They weren't forged by the gods. No, they were forged by Man. From the void, Man summoned them forth, naming and masking them. They were the Devils, the Destroyers. So it was, the four orders of being were set to inherit Throne."
"Ah, yes, the city at the center of reality," Zhong Hong drawled dryly. "Let us linger there for a moment, no?"
"It was an awesome and awful place," I gravely intoned. "When the Multiplicity committed the third divine suicide by Division, they sat along its edges and ledges, looking outward. All 777,777 of them began telling their stories and continued until self-annihilation.
"Each story burned a line out into the rest of reality, and each line a spoke, and all the spokes, a wheel. The Wheel of Reality, of 777,777 universes for the 777,777 stories of 777,777 gods, and Throne as its center axle. Throne was — quite literally — a city of divine corpses, built within, overtop, and around as the inheritors seized it for themselves."
"B-By the Phoenix and the Heavens…" The Prince just barely managed to whisper through his awe and horror, emotions that were far from rare amongst the cultivators.
The Dead End's regulars, however, were adjusting much better, Alice simply nodding, "Sounds wicked."
"Fucking cool," Raven flatly agreed.
"Stupid awesome~!" Harley chimed.
"(シ_ _)シ" Cass feigned a bow. 'I freely submit to the brain-shattering dope-ness of a multiversal city built on dead gods."
"[Depiction?]" Simmy requested.
Hecate was quick to nod her agreement, "Oh, yes. This is something we simply must see."
I nodded in understanding, "Then, behold, and feast your eyes on… the city at the center of everything."
The mirror behind the bar sprung to life as if painted — intricate and gorgeous. The scene there first was one of clouds and dead gods. Some of the clouds rushed and raged to and fro like waves of water, and just as liquid. Others formed solid ground, unknowable scenic lands where even the gods would lose their way.
And from it all, from the cloudy waves and rapids, from the cloudy mountains and canyons… rose a great many figures of stone. Corpse statues that were once much more. Their faces were set in death — some somewhat human, others with more than one face, fierce and compassionate, and others still that bore no resemblance to Man. Each sat in eternal vigil, burned out from the inside by divine suicide and told tales.
Yet even dead, the divine corpses bustled with life. Scavengers within stone flesh. Squatters of the dead divine. A city of the present built atop, within, and around the remains of an age past. There were homes and apartments, markets and bazaars, dens of crime and pleasure, nobles and homeless vagrants, slaves and merchants, all of Servant, Spirit, Man, or the rare Angel. Beasts of burden and magical, pseudo-futuristic vehicles swam through the clouds, waltzed through the air, and hovered over streets of petrified flesh.
It was magnificent. Awesome and terrible. Lively and inert. A slice of THE City. All roads ended at Throne. There, reality gathered. Reality prospered and languished, swelled and fell. There, reality lived and died. All atop the carcasses of gods long forgotten but never gone.
Penguin let out a low whistle, "Oh, daaaamnnn…"
"It's…! It's beautiful!" Minyan exclaimed, so awed that her usual, composed, cultivator mask had broken.
Shen Yu nodded along, "Beyond words. A monument most grand…"
"MY FRIENDS, SUDDENLY I HAVE A REQUEST…" Long'un intoned seriously. "WHEN I PASS… MAKE A CITY FROM MY FORM."
"Badass, Noodle Dragon," Harley nodded and smirked her approval.
"That is only a small slice of Throne," I said. "Here, another."
The scene in the mirror shifted to another slice of Throne. The second scene was damn near modern in vibe. There, the divine corpses were integrated into a seemingly infinite expanse of skyscrapers, hab-complexes, and towering megacorp guild headquarters. Billboard ads and neon signs filled the skyline. Rooftop bars contrasted with monks sitting in meditation. Wooden barges flew alongside giant, people-carrier pigeons. In that slice of Throne, past, present, and future blended seamlessly.
I continued, "Once, it was Heaven. What you see now is the ruins of that Heaven. But the city's people haven't gotten the memo. They persist. They pick the divine corpses clean. They have pierced Heaven, and now, they roast its carcass over an open flame so they may feast eternally."
The scene in the mirror pulled back and out until all of Throne was seen from the void. A view few if any would ever see. The whole of the massive city was set upon a great disk, floating upon nothingness. A broken sun hung above, stuck forever in one place. Seven minor cities orbited the disk, alongside a moon. And in the center, the Red City itself rose as a seven-tiered circular step-tower, packed with dead gods and teeming living masses. Outermost was the district of Ashton, then the Old King's Road, the Furnace, the Spires, the Palaces, the Sanctum, and finally, the Sacred Spoke.
"Throne rotted just as it thrived," I said. "Despite the Angels, Law means little to the people of Throne. Their day-to-day grinds are ruled by the Guilds, incomprehensibly vast syndicates, of whoremongers, of slavers, of butchers, of drug-peddlers, and of bankers, accountants, and lawyers worst of all… Be they Servant, Angel, Man, or Devil, everyone in Throne desperately struggled for a piece of power to call their own."
"Father…" Su Xing's voice came out raw and aching to understand. "How… How did it come to such lows? The city of gods? Heaven itself? How could the fall be so great, so all-consuming and corrupting?!"
"How…?" I fixed my newly-reunited son with a serious stare and time seemed to linger on that moment. "There is a language that all of reality understands, my son. It is violence. It is not the only universal language, but it is one of the most key. One can only reach Heaven through violence, for there will always be another already attempting to do so. And when you meet them… you will have to do violence unto them or they will simply do it unto you first. So when that time comes, my son, don't go dying to another without a fight."
Su Xing stared back at me with wide eyes, seeing a glance of TRUTH, even comprehending it… but that's what struck him so speechless.
Su Chen reached over to nudge him, "… Told you so."
"╰(● ⋏ ●)╯" Cass 'exclaimed'. 'I'm ready! I'm so freaking ready! Let's get to killing~! Rip and tear all the way to godhood~!'
"Harsh wisdom but wisdom all the same," Xifeng'er nodded. "Thank you for being the one to impart it upon our son. I could not have borne doing so myself, Sean."
The Youngest Generation were all wide-eyed and stunned. Only Rose managed to speak for them, "Reach Heaven Through Violence…"
"Even plants know violence to a certain degree," Ivy pointed out. "Nature on the whole most definitely does."
Hecate sighed, "It's certainly one way, I won't deny that."
"That can't be the only way," Raven deadpanned.
"It's not," I conceded. "But sometimes, you don't get a choice as to the way you rise."
"A man shouldn't be solely defined by the strength of his arm, but he shouldn't let that strength languish in mediocrity, either!" Savage loudly declared. "Turning away from violence is turning away from life itself!"
"…" After a short moment of thought, Damian nodded to himself. "I will need to practice my katas threefold."
"Now," I brought the conversation back on topic. "As to how Throne specifically fell so far… well, it'd been left open for the taking by divine suicide. So someone decided to do just that. They took it. The Conquering King Zoss took GOD's empty Throne through sheer, overwhelming, HUMAN violence."
Savage's grin could've been seen from space, "Human, you say~?"
"Human," I confirmed. "Zoss was Human. A whole new kind of dominion and domination from what Throne was used to. The Prime Angels guarded Throne in the wake of their masters' divine suicide. Zoss came with violence in his self of selves and smashed them all. He toppled towering colossi. He broke immortal ashen armor. He quelled the cold, nuclear Flames of the void at the Angels' cores.
"In the end, he laid low Metatron 1, GOD's Scribe. From that ancient being, Zoss extracted YISUN's true name, the true syllable of Royalty. Then, he set that Royalty unto his brow as the true Key of Kings. He became the first and greatest of the Demiurges, the Royal inheritors of Throne and reality beyond.
"Imitators followed in his footsteps. A great many, almost all now forgotten. The Universal War ensured they were wiped from the cosmic records. Once more, the 777,777 universes were conquered, not by the gods of old, but by the Demiurges of new. Seven emerged to establish themselves at the end of the war, and Zoss disappeared.
"In the new order, each of the Seven ruled a seventh of reality, stalemated against each other. They set Kingly Keys in their brows as well. Just as Zoss had. The Seven's Keys tuned themselves to the seven-part name of YISUN, of Royalty: YS A-TUN VR-AMA PR-ESH. 'The Glory, The Tower, The Flame, The Diamond, The Blade, The Mind, The Beast', such was one translation. The Seven each bore a word that tuned their Key to 111,111 universes."
I paused to let that sink in. Even my Endgame friends were visibly stunned. Everyone was leaning forward on the edges of their seats. It was the conquest of a multiverse and the Royalty that allowed the victors to rule. The Heavens themselves wouldn't miss the story.
"But the Seven's Keys were all missing… something," I continued, speaking with a deep, rolling gravitas that drew my audience in. "They mimicked Zoss, but none could rival the True Key of Kings. For Zoss hadn't used the seven-part name of YISUN to forge his Key. No, he used YISUN's most secret name. A name spelled out in the shape of reality. Some claimed the shape of reality was somewhat like a wheel. But from another angle, turned on its side… The Secret Name of GOD was 'I'. And Zoss harnessed that most singular, most secret, most sacred syllable for his Key of Kings."
"[Recorded!][Chronicled!][Progress…?!]" Simmy eagerly dinged in report.
"Mmm," Penguin hummed his appreciation. "Very nice, very YHVH."
"( ๑‾̀◡‾́),V" Cass hit a smug (and slightly sinister…) peace sign. 'Heh~! We know the secret name of god! I definitely won't use this for any wicked and devious mischief~!'
Su Chen and Alice nodded along, "Yes, no mischief at all…/Nope, none, why do you ask?"
Fondly amused and playfully exasperated, Didi ruffled all of their heads in turn, "Just make sure you don't break Creation, dears."
"'I'…" Waver considered aloud. "Could it truly be anything else…?"
"So after all of this…" Damian flatly began. "Were you Zoss?"
"Fair guess," I chuckled. "But no. I didn't even want to rule a seventh of reality, much less be the one true ruler of all of it. No, I spent my time in Throne as a somewhat humble knight, with a geas vow to help whores and pleasure slaves in any way I could. Usually, that just happened to entail quite a bit of violence, and the pleasurable rewards that followed…"
"I was a master of the blade," I told Su Xing, Shen Yu, Savage, and Damian.
"Both blades~…" I playfully wiggled my brow at Xiaodan, Xifeng'er, Harley, and Didi.
"I was an oathsworn defender of the downtrodden," I said seriously to Bi De, Su Chen, Ivy, and Raven.
"And I had a cool-ass magical mech suit," I finished with a knowing and smug smirk Cass, Alice, Riddler, and Penguin's way.
"Mecha! In the multiversal city!" Riddler excitedly exclaimed.
"(╯•ᗣ•╰)" Cass pouted. 'Wah~! Sean always gets the cool stuff! I want a magical mech suit!'
"Defender of whores…" Ivy considered for a moment before nodding. "Acceptable."
Su Chen just nodded in smug satisfaction, "… My father has always been someone most impressive. Good."
"I must see this mastery," Damian said seriously and unflinchingly.
"Wait, wait, magical mech suit first!" Riddler requested.
"I, too, am interested in this 'mech', especially to distract from… Sean," Xiaodan calmly agreed, giving the impression of fondly rolled eyes at my 'both blades' comment with words alone.
"Sean?" Didi asked, amused. "Just Sean as a whole?"
Xiaodan gave a single, telling nod, "Just Sean."
"I'm enjoying my time with Father so far, Mother," Su Chen quietly argued on my behalf.
"As am I, this reunion," Xiaodan said but still sighed. "But Sean will be Sean."
"Accurate," I grinned. "I am who I am. Nevertheless, I think I can satisfy both sides at the same time. Everyone interested in the sword, gather around and read this. Everyone else, let me just call up the memory…"
I set an unassuming, unadorned journal on the bar. Immediately, Damian, Savage, Shen Yu, and Su Xing, plus Rose, ever-curious Waver, a begrudging Liang Ye, and the proudly erect Bi De flocked to it. 'Somehow', they could all read without getting in each other's ways. And as they were doing that, I summoned the memory of my mech as an illusion made real beside me.
Though it was a mech, it was one that walked the line between mech and power armor. Worn, it clung to the user like a second skin. Just… scaled up a touch for good measure. Where I stood 6', the mech stood 8. It was lined with lithe and corded techno-magical muscles, covered by advanced armor plates, sensor and stealth systems, and fully sealed for the user's protection. A railgun rifle was slung over the shoulder, while a long, straight, single-edged blade was wielded in one hand. Trophies from various hunts and a crimson cloak decorated the exterior.
"(✦ ‿ ✦)" Cass stared at the mech suit with sparkling eyes. 'Woah~… Cyber-magic ninja~…!'
"I suppose it's still a mech…" Riddler grumbled half-heartedly.
"Impressive," Raven commented, her voice flat but not necessarily deadpan.
"Oh~ yeah~" Harley grinned. "I can fuck with that~! YOU can fuck with that~! That thing just FUCKS~!"
"Now, imagine it creeping through a debauched den of smoke and pleasure… turning a carnal house into a charnel house for its own cruel masters as it goes," I smirked.
"Hmm~…" Ivy hummed, smiling. "That is a pleasant mental picture."
"This… is my Atlas," I proudly and properly introduced the mech suit. "There were none like it. And this one was mine. The world I was born into in that life was far into the sci-fi stages of Humanity. Fabricators, mechs, FTL travel, particularly eldritch AIs, and all. I could likely tell whole stories about that one universe alone, but I digress. It was only the tip of the iceberg. Because, of course, Throne awaited…"
"City at the center of a multiverse," Hecate nodded in understanding. "A place where past, present, and future are bound to blend. By Magic, what I wouldn't give to see, to explore…!"
A moment later, we were interrupted by the sword heads, my son reading out of the journal with awe in his voice, "'To train with the sword, first master sweeping. When you have mastered sweeping, you must master the way of drawing water. Once you have learned how to draw water, you must split wood. Once you have split wood, you must learn the arts of finding the fine herbs in the forest, the arts of writing, the arts of paper making, and poetry writing. You must become familiar with the awl and the pen in equal measure. When you have mastered all these things you must master building a house. Once your house is built, you have no further need for a sword, since it is an ugly piece of metal and its adherents idiots'…"
"Wait, that actually kinda slaps…" Alice muttered.
"'Your stance must be wide. You must not be spare with the fluidity of your wrists or shoulders. You must have grip on the handle that is loose and unstrained. I heard it said you must be tender with your sword grip, as though with a lover. This is patently false. A sword is not your lover. It is a hideous tool for separating men from their vital fluids.'," Shen Yu read another passage, contemplative. "Words from a true master."
Savage, grinning wide and manic, read yet another, "'You must strive for attachment-non-attachment when cutting. Your cut must be sticky and resolute. A weak, listless cut is a despicable thing. But you must also not cling to your action, or its result. Clinging is the great error of men. A man who strikes without thought of his action can cut God.' YES! YES! MAGNIFICENT! CUT GOD!"
Damian, quiet and considerate, read two more, "'8: You must never make 'multiple' cuts. Each must be singular in its beauty, no matter how many precede it. You must make your enemies weep with admiration, and likewise should your head be shorn off by such an object of beauty, you must do your best to shed tears of respect.'… '9: When decapitating an enemy, it is severe impoliteness to use more than one blow.'. This… This is a master I can eagerly follow…"
Liang Ye nodded along, "'A man who finds pleasure in the result of cutting is the most hateful, crawling creature there is. A man who finds pleasure in the act of cutting is an artisan.' Indeed, the difference is starkly clear."
"'Closing… 1: It is said the greatest warrior-kings may sublime violence and forget all they learn about the sword. This is true. But the only true path to kingship lies through regicide.'," Rose read. "'2: Moreover, only the worst kind of idiot strives to be king.'..."
"'Reach Heaven by Violence'," Waver finished, sounding so much like he'd glimpsed a sliver of enlightenment.
"( ;ↀ⌓ↀ!)" Cass let out a low whistle. 'Wow~… Sounds like the real deal.'
"Calling Meti's teachings just the 'real deal' is a grave understatement," I teased faux-seriously. "Meti was the greatest, grumpiest, brokest and most broken swordswoman in reality. She lived in a clay jug in an unnamed market square and was habitually drunk. Her sword could cut reality itself."
"… Mood," Raven simply said.
"Queen," Ivy added.
Xiaodan nodded, "Truly, the Great Meti has mastered more than just the sword."
Zhong Hong chuffed, "All true masters deserve to be as 'grumpy' as they wish. We earn the right by living to reach noble and loathsome old age."
Chuckling, I wrapped things up, "All true. Now, I think I've taken the floor for long enough. There's more to tell from that life, but I think I'll leave ALL-YI-SUN's story for another time… This is a reunion after all. My stories can't be the only ones we hear tonight. Does anyone else want the spotlight?"
Zhong Hong put on a great, half-hearted sigh, "Well, I certainly can't surpass that. But I shall try to entertain at my own means. I've still seen many a thing throughout my long life in the Heavens. I'm sure I have a story or two to share."
"Oh!" Su Xing perked up as well. "I can tell you about my conquest, Father! Err… Conquest-in-progress, that is…"
I didn't have to consider my decision for more than a second, "Sorry, Old Swan. My son's story and plight are going to take precedence here. Go on, champ, tell the room about the troubles you've encountered and the progress you've made."
Liang Ye scoffed, "Hmph, perhaps you'll make a half-decent father after all, Drunkard…"
While Su Xing was visibly psyching himself up to tell his tale, Su Chen nudged him, "Want help…?"
"I can-!" Su Xing began to refuse. He stopped himself with a breath. "… Yes, that would be appreciated. You've seen my failures so far better than anyone, Sister. And I trust you to share my thought process and reasoning."
"Right…" Su Chen nodded before turning back to the rest of the room with a blunt deadpan. "Elder Brother keeps getting himself caught up in diplomacy. The native tribes and city-states of his chosen world are taking grievous advantage of his mercy as a result-…"
"Sister-!" Su Xing sputtered. "No, no, no! Let me tell the tale in full first! It's not so simple-!"
But already, the others were cutting in with their own personalized advice.
"Less talking, more CONQUERING, boy!" Savage helpfully declared. "That is your issue! Worry not, for I have much experience in the matter! Your Uncle Savage with teach you!"
"(≖_≖)▬Ι═══ﺤ" Cass 'advised'. 'Assassinations and subterfuge.'
Damian, of course, nodded with her, "Agreed. A dagger in the back solves many problems."
"Become a paragon they will leap to follow," Xiao Ge suggested.
"Fuck that, just smash 'em into submission~!" Harley maniacally cackled.
"Do the city-states have a criminal organization you can take over to get your foot in the door?" Penguin asked.
"Mm…" Ophis hummed. "Bribe with sweets."
"Have you tried a mixed approach? One of respect and force?" Rose inquired.
"Magical domination and control of their leaders," Raven deadpanned. "… But you didn't hear that from me."
Su Xing was left still sputtering and now very much overwhelmed by the flood of good intentions and questionable guidance. And me… I couldn't contain my laughter or smile if I even cared to try in the first place. This was right. This was how it should be. And glancing at Didi to find her glancing back at me, I knew she felt the same. Even in Death, Family reigned supreme.
IIIII
[AN: This chapter was a lot of fun to write. A bit too many characters all in the same scene, but I think I managed them decently well. And for the story, Kill 6 Billion Demons is just peak. Seriously, I cannot recommend reading it for yourself enough. The art is gorgeous. The story is enthralling. And the lore is DEEP. If you find yourself liking the little taste of it I gave here, please, please check it out (https://killsixbilliondemons.com/)
Also, there's a small easter egg in this chapter lol. So, the author of K6BD is a guy called Abbadon. He also does a TTRPG named Lancer that's all about mechs. Sean's Atlas mech is from Lancer (and Sean himself in that life) and I headcanon that the Lancer 'verse is one of the 777,777 universes in K6BD. Anyway, just a cool little tidbit I included lol.
As of this chapter, I have the Dead End planned out until the start of the next vacation arc. Coming up next will be a fluff chapter, another story from a new Sean life, and one more story that will likely be from a life Sean's already mentioned. Then, I'm, like, 98% certain the next vacation will be 'Bat-Fam in RWBY with Professors Didi and Sean Caine-Arc'. That one should be more character-focused than the worldbuilding focus most of the first vacation had. We'll get a couple more bar stories before then, though :]
[Edit: There probably won't be another chapter this Sunday. I've gotten kinda behind with my writing and I feel the need to rebuild my backlog for my patrons. Just the way things go, unfortunately :/ The normal posting schedule will resume next week. But if you start fiendin' for a chapter, my Patreon (patreon.com/dryskies_btb) is always there.]