***
"Hm, hm. Hmm~ hm. Hmmm." Ambling along the hull of the broken star cruiser i hummed a gentle hymn in my madness. Steadily readying my mind to repel the aether it was submerged in.
[multiple skills have stopped casting]
With a snap of my fingers the abyssal dreamscape of illusion i had created faded. Vanishing the fake dimension I had trapped the star cruisers in. Letting shining glimmers rain down from Idaten's yellow sky again as the warped sunlight shone upon my body.
Revealing the cleanliness of my body despite the blood bath i made in the bridge of the conjoined star cruisers visible in the distance.
[skill: horizon chain — sanity anchor!]
"Urgh!" Like a mallet hammering a stake into the floor i felt my sense of self cram back into my head as my madness flowed out my skull as a colourless cloud in the air. "Thats always fun." I announced dryly with my recovered sense of reason.
"You're telling me." Flying down from the sky Thorn shrunk his body and landed on my scalp. "Nearly lost you there, dumbass. You gonna be okay to jump off world?"
Clenching and unclenching my right fist I observed my situation. "Thanks to the aether from the empyreans in my heart, my recovery is pretty much complete. That tension between my soul and body has faded thankfully. It's should be fine to use [mach void] to leave Idaten."
"Should?" Thorn asked in a slightly scared tone. "The last time you said that we crashed head first into an Outer God hive world."
"Stop being such a coward, Thorn. Your the one always telling me to live on the edge." Continuing my stroll across the broken hull of the giant space-cruiser i looked up at the yellow sky and the fleets of galleons encircling the planet.
"I mean on the edge of trouble. Like getting drunk and so on." Thorn stated starkly. "You for some bloody reason infer that as the edge of insanity and death! Thinking skinny dipping on a freaking star is a good vacation!"
"The natives of
"Not the point, princess!" Sighing after having enough of my erratic thoughts, Thorn slumped down across the magenta beanie covering my head. "Whatever. Lets ditch the joint already. I'm eager to do something other than fight and flight."
"Mmm. I guess we've had enough fun for a few years. Lets just make one more stop before the [stigma] resets properly."
Reading my thoughts Thorn huffed unsurprised by what i was thinking of. "Really? Might as well since it has been a while since we could properly talk."
A little later Thorn and I were walking across the flattened remains of Idaten-II's prime city, Justinian.
Steadily we approached the small base that had been set up there and from where i stood i could see all its command staff working away.
Already waiting for me just outside the outpost was Propheira, standing alone at the periphery of the small base.
Behind Propheira, Corvus along with an officer woman were talking. It's regrettable I'm still not allowed to kill him. I wonder how long until the future finally becomes the past again?
[skill: horizon chain — mind freeze]
With a slight pulse of aether, multiple chains shot out from the ground wrapping around the heads of all the people inside the mini-base except Propheira. All those people were now frozen in place as their minds got stuck at a point in time. They wont have even realised whats happened when I'm done here.
Raising my hand i showed a box off to the woman watching me in the distance. "I brought sushi from Chikyū. You still like that, right?"
The woman smiled while brushing her black hair behind the side of her head. "Do you still remember the taste of the fish from
Chuckling at Propheira's words i lowered my hand down. "My tastebuds aren't as developed as yours."
[skill: conceptualisation — matter shift]
With a slight tap of my right foot. A silver table with two seats built itself up from the floor made from a glass substance that was smooth to the touch but durable enough to bear my weight as i sat down with Propheira at the opposite end of the table.
Shaking her hair about Propheira revealed the two cat ears she had hidden under her long hair. A characteristic of the panther-like therianthrope species she is. On the world her current body is from i think they called her race Fanshi.
"Ah~. It's so nice to act normal like this." Letting all her stress out on her breath Propheira continued to warmly greet me. "It's been thirty-thousand years, Strife. You look well. Time seems almost afraid of you with how little you've changed."
Delighted by Propheira's short comment, i slid over the box of sushi across the table letting her open it. "Thats the shame of immortality. Unlike other kralscell's, i can't shed my body for a new one when i die."
"Hehehe." Giggling at my words Propheira got comfortable as she took the first bite of her sushi. Eating some unagi mixed with rice using a fork before she spoke. "That's not what i meant, Strife. You're still the same idiot who doesn't understand a woman's advances, or your own heart."
"Ain't that the truth." Perched on the edge of the table near Propheira. Thorn slowly shuffled his way closer until he was within arms reach. "How have the last seven-thousand years been for you, circuit-chick?"
Reaching her hand out Propheira petted Thorn's feathery back. "Better without your witty words, vermin." Sharing a piece of her sushi with the crow the cat-like woman enjoyed my and Thorn's company as we talked. "And quiet without your wry remarks, Strife."
Rolling my eyes at Propheira i could tell she was being cheeky. "Just because i have a monotone voice doesn't necessarily mean I'm always being sarcastic."
"And despite that you keep finding ways to be." Grinning ear to ear Propheira enjoyed herself before laughing subtly. "Hahaha..." becoming serious in her expressions Propheira forget her happiness to speak. "You... after the Zodiac War, after you escaped from the
Asking a question i was hoping not to hear. Propheira showed how eager she was for my reasons. Placing my hands down i spoke only truth, like always. "After a few million years exiled from my home universe the idea of murdering people who were only doing what they thought was best seemed trivial to me."
"Million?" Looking confused the woman put down her fork and stopped eating her sushi. "But... you were only gone for just over twenty-three thousand years."
"Thats what it seemed like here. Thorn told me." Gesturing to the crow near Propheira, he simply ignored me and laid down on the table. "Inside the
"But! Even the kralscell of adventure at that time said she didn't know where she had imprisoned you. How could they have that kind of authority to send you somewhere like that?"
"They don't. I used the product of all the empyreans combined in their final shape to give her a boost. It was like you all said, one being holding all that power was far too dangerous. I had planned to exile myself somewhere in the Untamed Domains to get used to it but then i was attacked by the CGA. You're lucky that Ishtar talked me into imprisoning myself, i was close to using the [finality gem] to overcharge my archon-state."
Unable to properly digest all this new information Propheira held her hands over her face at the table before sighing. "I suppose thats who you are, Strife. The traveler unafraid of change, the mad knight that navigates the stars, and the last blood of the ancient leviathan's. Or should i say the only leviathan left in all of creation? You're less of a homunculus compared to when we first met and now a primordial beast."
Tilting my head i chuckled fraudulently. "I guess thats right. It would be a lie though to hide my artificial origins as a homunculus. It's precisely because of that i can't go into my true body as a leviathan as i please and can only mimic it within my archon form. The strain on my three hearts puts me to sleep for months after all."
"And yet you still cant handle more than a few minutes in the sheets." Thorn sniggered and Propheira slapped her hand down on the table to hit the insolent crow but missed as he vanished black into my chest. My disappointment seeped out in my thoughts making Thorn mentally question me. 'What? Not my fault you two never worked as a couple.'
As Thorn said 'couple' my thoughts suddenly reminded me of someone else. Someone who my relationship with did flourish into something possible.
Noticing my change in expression Propheira became uncomfortable. Recognising the reminiscent face i made. "...you can ask me about Vitrena if you want, Strife."
The discomfort on Reveluna's face was understandable. After all, i had settled down with Propheira for 30 years of life together as a couple. An experiment on both sides. Even despite that time together I chose someone else who I can only describe as perfect.
Propheira and the lord of
After a moment of hesitation from me i finally did ask. "...how is, Vita?"
Huffing in an annoyed manner Propheira leaned back on her chair and spoke robotically. "The Zorain of White continues to only care for her planet working for its isolationist policies. The other Zorain's and officials have complained about her stubbornness to the black echelon's. Saying she's hoarding the rare resources of her home world."
Jumping out of my chest, Thorn grinned in sync with me making a comment. "Thats my girl. But if you think about it thats just really in line for her species, isn't it?"
"Thorn."
"Yeah, princess?"
"Spoilers."
"Oh right, shit. My bad."
Agape at the short conversation Thorn and i just had. Propheira was obviously running equations in her head trying to figure out what secret code if any was used between us before she gave up realising that was just the two of us talking. "Should i assume you were talking about some prophecy?"
"No. Just us being ambiguous." Tapping the table i signalled to Thorn it was time to go as i stood up from my seat. "It's been nice catching up, Propheira. Ah, before i go. Could i ask a favour?"
Curious the cat eared woman looked up at me. "What is it?"
"Just keep a tight leash on the Zorain of Gold for one-to-four centuries." I requested calmly. "There might be a risk of another [time collapse] if he heads to a planet called Laegii prematurely."
Standing up from the table as well. Propheira got ready to part ways. "I'll assume this is important then. The last time you asked me a favour Earth was just discovered in the
Glancing up at the yellow sky i quickly saw the encirclement of the cruisers in the planets atmosphere to try and capture me hadn't changed. "After Earth's upending forty-seven years ago. I could feel i was getting close to my original time. The
Unsurprised by this knowledge as it was something i had already told her, Propheira simply shrugged where she stood. "Very well. In return for this favour, i think I'll demand... a hug."
"Really?" Thorn and i questioned full of doubt in unison.
"Yes! Get over here." Walking over Propheira forcefully wrapped her arms around me pressing her cheek into my shoulder while i was just annoyed by her touchiness. "Your supposed to hug me back, Strife."
Hovering my arms in the air still, i glanced at Thorn who had furious envy writhing within his eyes. With a sigh i lowered my arms and patted Propheira's back. "There. Can i go now?"
"No. Tell me where you are going first." Making things difficult for me again, the woman pressing her body against my chest refused to let go of me.
"I'll meet up with my compatriots first then I'm heading to Earth. There, happy?"
Finally letting go of me Propheira looked up seeing the indifference on my face before pouting. "You really are heartless. Anyone that gets hugged by a beauty like myself should at least be having a mini heart attack." Seeing me unshaken by her complaint Propheira tossed her head to look away from me. "Fine, you are free to leave."
Not looking at me Propheira marched away with an anger in steps going back to the mini base with all her people in it.
"Would you like it if a robot pretending to be human hugged you?" Asking Thorn i wondered what i did to offend her.
"Tsk! Of course! She's still cute, dumbass!" Flying up Thorn slapped his wings in my face while i blocked with my arm. "God fucking dammit! It should have been me~! What I would've given to be pushed against her chest!"
"But i got her sushi. Wasn't that enough?" I asked.
Perching his talons atop my sleeve Thorn had enough. "Very funny. You could at least entertain her ideas you know? It would give me something to snack on at least."
Turning around i snapped my fingers releasing the frozen people around Propheira as the chain's disintegrated. "Now if i did, that wouldn't be filial of me. I am bound in matrimony after all."
"Forced matrimony." Thorn scoffed, before i bolted off to the distance. Getting ready to leave Idaten at last.