[T/L: A thank you note to my good friend luukkk for rewriting this entire chapter himself (he is the GOAT). Check his works out though I am pretty sure anyone that has read LOTM or Shadow slave fanfic on this website already knows him. I'll tag one of his fics here ]
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The gray fog welcomed Ethan like an old friend.
He opened his eyes to the impossible space between dimensions, the Sefirah that existed because twenty-two fragments of a single soul needed somewhere to meet. The vast table stretched before him, dark wood absorbing what little light the drifting motes provided, twenty-two chairs arranged in their familiar configuration.
Most were already occupied.
Ethan took his seat and surveyed his other selves. Three months had passed since the last gathering, months permeated with the struggle for advancement and pain, time spent walking the path of ascension toward the domain of the subsidiary god. Sequence 2, where they would shed their mortal skins completely and embrace the divinity of their future, angelic state.
The faces around the table were the same as before, yet there was a difference in their expressions, subtle as it may have been.
A few showed signs of immense confidence, the kind that sat one fine line away from arrogance. Some seemed exhausted, their eyes dim and half-lidded, while others seemed cold as dead or as detached as machine. It was abundantly clear that their pathways were altering their personalities, fusing in traits aligned to whatever sequence they'd reached, until they were molded like clay into the deities they were meant to be.
Black Emperor, overseeing the others, announced deeply, his imperious bearing somehow more pronounced than before. "Ladies and gentlemen, shall we?"
Before anyone could give voice to their thoughts, Sun let out a sigh and raised his hand. "Actually... I need to go first and share my experience, which believe me, isn't pleasant in the slightest."
Every pair of eyes turned to him, awaiting the news he was about to share, some with curiosity, some with concern and some with irritation.
Fool, which was no surprise, looked delighted at the prospect of drama, smiling mischievously.
But the more composed Hermit cast a sharp look at Fool, and gesturing for Sun to start, leaning back with his unsettling gaze fixed on him with analytical intensity. "The floor is yours."
Taking a deep breath, despite the lack of any need for air in the Sefirah, Sun collected himself and spoke. "I think I've figured out which universe I'm in. And if I'm right, everything is about to go to hell."
"Elaborate." Black Emperor demanded, not losing his cool while the others fell into a silence born of concern.
"Three nights ago, I encountered a vampire in Metropolis. The parasite was feeding on a human in an alley, sucking the poor man dry. I hit it with everything I had, bathing it in the light of purification, and I barely managed to put it down before Clark arrived."
"Vampires exist in many DC continuities." Hermit observed. "That alone doesn't narrow the possibilities significantly."
"It's not just the vampire. It's the timing." Sun's hands clenched on the table's edge. "It matches exactly. I landed in this universe five years ago by its calendar. The vampire appeared now, three months into my active patrol work. And in my past-life memories, there's a specific DC storyline that fits these exact parameters."
"Which one?" Darkness asked quietly.
"DC vs. Vampires."
The Sefirot went quiet the moment the words left his lips. Several of his other selves shared the same fragmented memories of past-life media consumption. They knew what that title implied.
"The one where vampires infiltrate the superhero community." Fool said, his usual humor absent. "Where they turn heroes into thralls. Where civilization collapses and everyone has to face the big bad of DC."
"The one where almost everyone dies or becomes an enemy." Abyss added grimly. "And I thought the Dark Multiverse was bad."
"I don't remember the whole storyline, and neither should any of you, since none of us actually read it." Sun admitted. "The only reason I could even piece it together is that one comic panel keeps repeating in my head, over and over. And we both know whose work that probably is."
"But you know it's coming." Hermit said. "Within a few years, based on your estimate."
"Within five years of my arrival. Which means anywhere from now to three years out, depending on how the timeline maps." Sun leaned forward. "I need to prepare. And for that, I need help."
"What kind of help?" Mother asked, her voice carrying the particular warmth that defined her pathway.
"I need a biological solution. A food source that can sustain me during extended operations without requiring me to stop and resupply." Sun looked at Hermit, then Paragon, then Mother in turn. "You three have the pathways best suited to this. Hermit for the theoretical framework. Paragon for the biological engineering. Mother for the life-generation aspects."
"Explain the specifications." Paragon said, his attention suddenly sharp. "What exactly do you need this food source to do?"
"Fast growth, a week or less from planting to harvest. High energy density, enough to sustain intense physical activity for extended periods. And reproducible, of course. I need seeds that can be planted to grow more of the same." Sun ticked off the requirements on his fingers. "If the apocalypse scenario plays out, I won't be able to stop acting. I'll probably even have to help people, since that ties directly into my advancement. Which means I can't afford to spend every two days scrambling for supplies."
"You're planning to operate continuously through a civilizational collapse." Hermit said slowly. "Using your advancement requirements as both purpose and survival strategy."
"The Sun pathway gives me an absolute advantage against vampires. My purification burns them like nothing else. If I can sustain my energy levels, I can potentially make a real difference during the outbreak. Save lives. Advance rapidly. Maybe even help contain the spread."
"Or get yourself killed." Darkness observed.
"That's why I need the food source. Reduce the risk by reducing the dependency, help people where I can, and pray I don't get killed in the initial slaughter."
The three pathways he'd addressed exchanged glances. Some wordless communication passed between them, the kind of understanding that came from being fragments of the same original soul.
"It's theoretically possible." Hermit said finally. "The Hermit pathway's knowledge synthesis could map the biological requirements. Mother's intuition for this kind of thing should shorten the timeline considerably. And Paragon's grasp of optimization could ensure maximum efficiency."
"How long?" Sun asked grimly.
"A year," Paragon answered. "Maybe less if we prioritize it. The challenge isn't the concept, it's the cross-pathway coordination. We'd need regular contact, shared research, iteration on the design."
"Do it. Please." he managed to say at last. It was better than nothing, even if he wished for a quicker acquirement of product.
Mother nodded slowly, her expression sympathetic. "We'll make it work. When the time comes, you'll need to set up a receiving ritual on your end. The Sefirah can serve as a transport medium, so don't forget to prepare that beforehand."
"I remember." Sun felt some of the tension in his shoulders ease. "Thank you. All of you."
"We're all in this together." Mother said simply. "Your survival improves our collective chances of reaching Sequence 2."
"Plus, designing a super-plant sounds significantly more interesting than my current research projects." Hermit added dryly.
"What are your current research projects?" Fool asked.
"You don't want to know. But I'll give you a hint, it's going to give a huge middle finger to someone."
"Now I definitely want to know."
"Moving on." Black Emperor cut in, his tone brooking no argument. "Sun's situation is noted, and assistance is being arranged. Next report. Door?"
All eyes turned to one of the flickering figures at the table, the version of themselves whose edges seemed perpetually uncertain, as if he existed in multiple locations simultaneously.
Door shifted uncomfortably under the collective attention. "I, uh. I have news."
"Good news or bad news?" Fool asked.
"Good news. For me, anyway." Door cleared his throat. "I became a Speedstar."
For a moment, everyone stared at him blankly, lips pressed thin, until that synchronized silence broke into a deafening outrage of protest.
"WHAT?"
"Oh, come ON!"
"Lucky bastard!"
"The Door pathway doesn't even have combat applications at low Sequences! This should actually help him!"
The booing was immediate and relentless. Fool threw a wadded-up ball of fog at Door, which somehow existed despite the Sefirah's fog not otherwise supporting solid objects. Darkness made a sound of pure disgust. Even the normally composed Hermit looked visibly annoyed.
"It wasn't luck!" Door protested, raising his hands defensively. "Well. Okay, it was partially luck. But I also worked very hard!"
"Worked hard at WHAT?" Sun demanded. "The rest of us are grinding through acting requirements against genuine resistance. What did you do, find a door that needed opening really badly?"
"I did actually. Opening that door during that time actually made me become a Speedstar plus my universe has a lot of dimensional instability. Weak points between realities, for some reason, and as far as I can tell, I'm the only one who can even feel them. They seem to be recovering, which should take some time, but until then, with my Uniqueness, I'm practically invincible at running away."
"So you got lucky with spawn location AND pathway synergy." Fool summarized. "That's double luck. That's luck squared."
"I prefer to think of it as strategic optimization of available resources."
"You can prefer whatever you want. We're still booing you."
"Fuck you guys."
The good-natured resentment continued for another minute before Black Emperor called for order. Door accepted the mockery with equanimity. they all knew it was more performance than genuine anger. Every advancement brought them closer to Sequence 2. Every success, even one that belonged to someone else, improved their collective odds.
But that didn't mean they couldn't be annoyed about it.
"Red Priest." Black Emperor said, moving on. "Your status?"
The version of themselves who radiated ecclesiastical authority leaned forward, his expression carrying a weariness that seemed bone-deep.
"I'm leaving the academy."
"Which academy?" Darkness asked.
"THE academy. The magic academy. The one I've been trapped in for two years." Red Priest's composure cracked slightly, revealing genuine frustration beneath.
"Context?" Hermit requested.
"I landed in what I'm now absolutely certain is one of those academy genre worlds. Young prodigies gathering to learn magic. Rivalries between noble houses. Tournament arcs. Prophecies about chosen ones." Red Priest made a sound of pure disgust. "The political maneuvering alone is giving me migraines. Everyone wants something. Everyone has hidden agendas. The teachers are all former adventurers with tragic backstories. There's a RANKING SYSTEM based on magical potential that practically tells students to bully whoever ranks below them."
"That sounds entertaining." Fool said.
"It's EXHAUSTING. I've had to navigate social hierarchies, dodge assassination attempts from demons who seem to attack the academy every two days and always succeed somehow, despite the Headmaster supposedly being one of the strongest people alive, sit through mandatory combat evaluations, and attend classes on subjects I already understand better than the instructors. All while trying to complete acting requirements for the Red Priest pathway."
"Hence the plan to leave." Sun observed.
"Hence the plan to leave and return to my kingdom. Yes." Red Priest's expression shifted to something more calculated. "There are people at the academy from the Empires who outrank me completely. If I try to provoke them just to fulfill my acting requirements, I might as well book myself a one-way ticket to hell."
"That's a good idea." Hermit said, understanding dawning. "The academy isn't exactly suited for the Red Priest."
"Exactly. Once this semester ends, I'm leaving immediately. I'm not looking back. And if everything works out, a succession crisis will break out, one I intend to use as my excuse to get out of this academy for good."
"You've been engineering a succession crisis while attending magic academy?" Darkness asked, sounding impressed.
"Time management is essential for advancement."
"White tower." Red Priest continued, turning to address the pathway directly. "I'll need assistance. Political strategy. Historical precedents for theocratic monarchies. Information on maintaining legitimacy through a regime transition. Your knowledge synthesis would be invaluable."
White Tower nodded. "I can provide research. We'll coordinate through the Sefirah."
"Appreciated."
"Visionary." Black Emperor said, continuing around the table. "Status?"
The version whose eyes seemed to contain impossible distances took a moment to respond. When he spoke, his voice carried a quality that was difficult to describe, as if the words came from somewhere farther away than his mouth.
"I've subdued a monster tribe recently. They work under me now."
"Monster tribe?" several voices asked at once.
"My universe is unusual. High fantasy. Multiple sentient species. Constant territorial conflicts." Visionary's gaze drifted toward something none of them could see.
"At least you're a dragon." Fool said.
"Being a dragon creates complications." Visionary said flatly. "The Visionary pathway requires me to engage with sentient beings in the lower sequences, and to become the hidden mastermind behind the scenes in the later ones. Dragons don't typically do either. We're expected to hoard treasure, terrorize villages, and occasionally get slain by heroes. So you can understand my problem, and why I'm stuck at Sequence 8 without any real progress."
"So the monster tribe?" Hermit prompted.
"A clan of lesser creatures occupying territory adjacent to my lair. Goblins, mostly, with some kobold auxiliaries. They'd become a nuisance, so I subdued them. Now they serve me." Visionary shrugged, an odd gesture on a form that was clearly not entirely human, even in this mental representation. "The issue is that I still need more time before I can properly act on my pathway requirements. The dragon soul's legacy at least helps with that."
"Such as?"
"Polymorph magic. Humanoid infiltration of civilization." Visionary's distant gaze sharpened slightly.
"A dragon running to human society." Fool mused. "That's actually kind of brilliant."
"I thought so."
The reports continued around the table. Each clone shared their progress, their challenges, their strategies for advancement. Some had found niches that suited their pathways perfectly. Others struggled against circumstances that seemed designed to hold them back.
Darkness had built a network of informants in his universe's criminal underworld. Fool had pursued a comedy career after switching from being a famous diviner. Hanged man had somehow infiltrated a cult and was already held in high regard by its members.
Then they reached Paragon.
"I've found something interesting." Paragon said, his voice carrying an undercurrent of excitement that made several other clones exchange wary glances.
"Define interesting." Hermit said carefully.
"During my Sequence 8 requirements, I discovered certain things. About my universe's power structures. About the way abilities manifest and evolve." Paragon's eyes gleamed with an intensity that bordered on unsettling. "If I'm interpreting this correctly, and I believe I am, I may have found a path to accelerated advancement that exceeds anything the rest of you have achieved."
"Faster than Door?" Fool asked skeptically.
"Significantly faster. If my theories hold, I may reach Sequence 2 before anyone else at this table."
With that, Paragon laughed. It began as a small chuckle before crackling into something wilder, his head thrown back as he laughed in a somehow crazed manner.
The others waited for him to finish his idiotic nonsense, as ridiculous as it sounded considering he was supposed to be the wisest among them.
They had all learned, over the course of these meetings, that the pathways affected personalities in subtle but accumulating ways. The Paragon pathway emphasized perfection, optimization, the pursuit of absolute excellence in all things. Extended immersion in that mindset tended to produce... eccentricities.
Not exactly a trait born of the pathway itself, but more a mutation, born from the fusion of his original personality with the characteristics of the Paragon he was merging with.
"He's doing the thing again." Fool murmured.
"Best to let it run its course." Hermit agreed.
The laughter continued for nearly a full minute before gradually subsiding. Paragon wiped tears from his eyes, his expression settling into something that was probably meant to be reassuring but came across as slightly manic.
"Apologies." he said. "The implications are simply magnificent. The things I'm going to accomplish. The perfection I'm going to achieve. It's overwhelming."
"Maybe share the details at the next meeting?" Sun suggested diplomatically. "Once you've had time to verify your theories?"
"Yes. Yes, that's probably wise. The research is still in its early stages, I shouldn't get ahead of myself." Paragon took a deep breath, visibly composing himself. "But I wanted to mention it. So you all know that hope exists. That at least one of us may reach the finish line sooner than expected."
"We appreciate the optimism." Black Emperor said, his tone suggesting he appreciated it somewhat less than his words implied. "Anyone else have major updates before we adjourn?"
"I'm establishing a Justice League." someone said, and every head turned, most of their expressions blank, no longer even surprised by one of their own's bizarre adventures at this point.
The speaker, of course, was the Justiciar. He sat calmly under the collective scrutiny, apparently unbothered by the sudden attention.
"You're doing WHAT?" Fool demanded.
"A Justice League. A coalition of heroes united by common principles and mutual defense agreements. My universe had no such organization, so I created one."
"How?"
"The Justiciar pathway requires establishing systems of justice and maintaining order through legitimate authority. I couldn't do that as a lone vigilante. But as the founder of an organization, as the architect of a new paradigm for heroic cooperation?" He allowed himself a small smile. "The acting requirements practically fulfill themselves."
"You're building institutional power." Hermit observed. "Not just personal advancement, but structural influence."
"Precisely. By establishing a Justice League, I become not just a hero, but the conceptual foundation of heroism itself in my universe. Though no one's actually joined yet."
"That's either genius or megalomania." Darkness commented.
"The two are not mutually exclusive."
The meeting continued for another hour, covering logistics, resource sharing, and coordination protocols. By the time Black Emperor called for adjournment, they had established timelines for the biological food project, arranged knowledge transfers between several pathways, and updated everyone on potential threats in their respective universes.
Sun sat quietly through the final discussions, his mind already racing ahead to the preparations he would need to make. A year until the food supply was ready. Maybe three years until the vampire apocalypse began. Somewhere in that window, he needed to reach Sequence 7 at minimum, preferably Sequence 6, if he wanted any real chance of surviving what was coming.
The Sun pathway's radiance burned hot inside him.
Vampires feared the sun. Feared light. Feared warmth and purification and everything his pathway embodied.
When the darkness came for this Earth, Ethan intended to burn it away.
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Previous chapter question
Question: Ethan made a mistake here. What do you think it was?
Answer: He said he didn't know about Vampires here. This reveals much info he doesn't want to reveal
Aman_Kumar_3635 got it correct