Time stopped. Not metaphorically, not from Genesis's point of view. It just stopped. A concept as elusive as intricate as time itself stopped for a conversation. Not one that decided the fate of the world, time stopped for a simple greeting.
"Who are you?"
[Me. I'm your companion. I coexist with your Fold. I'm a part of your soul now.]
"I never wanted you to be a parr of my soul."
[It doesn't matter what you want Genesis. I have waited eons for your arrival. Now that you're here I won't let your refuse me and my blessings.]
"And what are your blessings."
[Power. I bring to you power. Taken my sword was the first step there will be more to come in your conquest to receive my power. A power that existed even from the First Generation of Folds.]
"What do you mean by First Generation?"
[Folds existed millions of years ago. When I was born I was in the First Generation of Folds. The soul is interesting. Even though I have existed for a millions of years with a god-like status I still don't fully understand it.]
[In some periods of time Folds flicker. It's like every era they decide if souls are worthy of the gifts they bring. Origami Beasts are just the equivalent effect. That is my understanding.]
"So why have you been waiting for me?"
[Questions, questions. You and your questions go in tandem. The reason I have been waiting for you is prophecy. There was a great seer back then. So great she saw your coming. And she was scared. Terrified. She had seen terrible things, things that even scared me, but when she saw those things she didn't as much as flinch. I want to lend my power because of what you will become.]
"What is your power, what blessings do you have to offer me?"
[Glad you asked. My power is my rebellion. My power is my defiance. My power is my fear. And my power is ancient. My power is pure. My power is myself.]
"And who are you?"
[I am the Purposeless Wanderer. My blessings are to be free from Fate. To go against the endless torrent of it.]
"Then make me free from Fate. Make me free of my destiny. Make me fear."
[Your wish is my command, Genesis.]
Time resumed, Genesis's grip on his sword was firm, it was a perfect fit. He spun as gravity brought him down through the King of the Labyrinth. His kaleidoscopic blade slashed through the saws of the King.
He kept spinning, leaving deep cuts in the King. Its internal injuries were puling because of one boy from a slave camp. It was being defeated by one boy from a slave camp. Black, maroon and scarlet showered Genesis.
Who knew a king's blood tasted so good? Who knew a king's blood was so rewarding?
Genesis reached the tail of the King of the Labyrinth. He raised his blade and swung down. Tearing through the flesh, he fell. His eyes stung because of the blood but he didn't care for it.
As he approached the black sand, the heat making the blood on his skin boil. He locked eyes with the Broadsword Frozen in Time. And it locked eyes with him. All the Origami Beasts summoned charged at him but the Purposeless Wanderer's Sword gave him power.
He felt stronger than ever before. His speed was unmatched, his body was in prime physicality. From his cohort's point of view. He was simply disappearing and reappearing to kill the Origami Beasts.
His sword sliced through a wolf, the frost momentarily cooling him down. Then he leaped up to mangle a flying stick bug. Alerts were a constant effect. His Fold couldn't even announce what he had killed before he killed another one. So it gave up trying and let him slaughter.
He had killed all the Origami Beasts the Broadsword had summoned. He could feel the fear from the Broadsword as he walked to it.
As he approached he raised his blade. The sunlight reflected the sword in too many colors. The effect was hypnotising. It was a rush a joy, slaying the Broadsword.
[You have vanquished the Broadsword Frozen in Time. You have completed a great achievement. Your Fold stage has increased to Coexistence. The ties between your soul and your Fold have increased.]
Then came another one, the one he had been waiting for.
[You have completed the quest that your soul gave you. It has forgiven you for abandoning it. Your soul knows you. And your Fold bows to you. Go do what you were meant to do, Absence Bound.]
Then the Purposeless Wanderer spoke.
[How does it feel? Being free from Fate.]
"The power, it feels incredible. My abilities have all heightened immensely. Being free from Fate isn't so bad after all."
Genesis dropped the Purposeless Wanderer's Sword wanted to put the sword back in his inventory but it was already filled. Genesis meditated for a brief moment to see what he had gained from his mad slaughter.
[Item Category: Weapon.]
[Weapon Class: 7 Stars.]
[Weapon Name: Broadsword Frozen in Time.]
[Active Abilities:
Amber Asphyxiation. Suffocate your enemies in a solid or sticky amber. The amber can fossilise depending on your Connection to your blade.
An Autumn in Amber. You can stop all movement in a specific zone of your choosing called an Autumn. Only you and one other person of your choosing can move during this Autumn. You can only have up to one Autumn at a time. The largest an Autumn can be varies on your Connection.
Frozen in Time. Encase yourself in an indestructible amber coating for 50 years. This move can only be used once.]
[Passive Abilities: None.]
Genesis brought the broadsword from his Inventory. It was mostly made of a material that looked like obsidian, with bits of amber at its edges. He turned to his right to see an exhausted Noel. He calmly walked over to her.
"Noel, have this."
"Why?"
Genesis didn't respond he just threw the broadsword at her and hoped she caught it. Then he brought out his kaleidoscopic sword and put it in his Inventory. He checked what it had for him.
[Artifact Category:???]
[Artifact Class:???]
[Artifact Name: ???]
"Purposeless Wanderer are you going to tell me what is happening here?"
Genesis was considerably confused and he had a right to be. His new sword was shrouded in mystery and it wasn't even an item but an Artifact which Genesis had no knowledge of.
[Artifact History: One who Defies.]
[Artifact History: You weren't supposed to have this.]
[Oh, I forgot to tell you. My blade is an Artifact and not an Item. The difference between the two aren't too major. The question marks are just the effects of going against Fate and so is the Artifact History fizzles between what it says and the threats Fate give you. It's nothing to worry about.]
Genesis kept reading, his hands in soul holding his Fold up to his eyes so he could see the small writing.
[Active Abilities:
Center of Attention. Raise your blade up in the sunlight and it will absorb all of it. The amount of sunlight absorbed is shown with how much the blade glows. You can unleash this sunlight to make all Origami Beasts attracted towards you.]
[Passive Abilities.
Hated by Fate. You are probably the most unlucky person on this planet. But your physical abilities are heightened to the above human. This effect increases the more Connection you have with your Artifact.
Mad with Knowlegde. When anything looks at this Artifact for long enough to begin to go mad.
Circumstance. The worse circumstances you are in the stronger you become.]
"So was this sword made for masochist? Because the thing it does is bring pain."
[Pain breed glory. Glory breeds power. Those who seek pain seek glory and therfore seek power.]
"Right."
[You can't even get rid of it because its Soulbound now.]
"What?!"
To his cohort Genesis looked like mad man. Speaking to a Purposeless Wanderer. What a piece of work.
[You heard me my sword is Soulbound to your soul.]
"But Soulbinding only happens when your Connection to your Item, Artifact is at its limit. I barely know you or this sword."
[But our Connection is at its maximum. I have waited for you for too long.]
Genesis sighed and just when on to check his Fold.
[Folds:8]
[Fold Stage: Coexistence]
[Royalty: None.]
[Unfold Percentage: 27%]
[Item Capacity: Minimal]
[Fold Abilities.
Deletion. Delete a fraction of time. Everything that happened during that fraction would have never happened. During that fraction of time you are physicality is increased tenfold.
Absence. You are Absence Bound your soul is tied to concept of Absence. Each action not done is absorbed by you in your a place that called Void. You unleash and absorb these abilities in your Void whenever you please. The higher your Fold Stage is the less energy it takes for you to perform more advanced actions. You can only absorb an Absence that you have thought about.]
Void. This ability can only be used once you reach the highest Fold Stage.
[Passive Abilities. Absence Bound. You feel every action not performed in an Absence. The endless possibilities of actions not performed are your life essence. In your Void you control all Absence.]
[Fold Description: The things that never happened are the things your control. The Absence bows to you. You are not bounded by it, it is bounded to you.]
Genesis smiled. His Fold was really that strong. Anytime something or someone doesn't perform an action he can absorb it in his Void. He just has to think about all the actions that person could have done and he could do it. It means he could absorb Lautaro's magic and Hana's ability to weave golden threads.
He stopped examining his Fold and saw that Hana was treating all their injuries. She had made a small tent and it reminded Genesis of all the times he had to visit Guildford.
He tried to stand up. But the adrenaline rush was gone. His legs gave up and his eyes went dark.
***
Genesis woke up in a hurry. His hands hurriedly ran up his arms and sides, but there were no wounds. Instead he felt his arm fully healed. He turned to see Hana, kneeling at his bedside.
"Sorry, I couldn't kill that thing."
Hana apologised for something he thanked her for.
"It's fine I got a nice Artifact from it."
Genesis misspoke, Hana didn't know what an Artifact was. Genesis prepared for question but and he got them but not the ones he anticipated.
"You know what an Artifact is?"
"You do?!"
"Quiet down. Artifacts aren't just like Items. They aren't common knowledge only those who have them are supposed to know of them."
"And why is that?"
Hana took a deep breath.
"Artifacts are Items from the First Generation of Folds. For those who don't have Artifacts and learn of their existence, there are terrifying consequences."
Genesis reduced his volume to a whisper.
"So you have an Artifact?"
"Well no and yes."
"Elaborate."
"My Fold it isn't really a Fold."
Genesis was understandably confused. How could Hana not have a Fold? She was born after the year 2025, unless she had some ancient power that never let her age. Which was completely impossible.
"My "Fold" lets me create Artifacts and Items alike."
"What? You have at least 8 Folds."
"But my "Fold" is not a Fold. Its something else entirely..."
Genesis was confused then he thought back to the advanced classes. He remembered Head Master's voice as he spoke about a topic that Genesis never expected to hear.
"There may come a day were you meet someone without a Fold. That is because they have something greater. Something ancient, something you should try to control. Something that you should fear. That something is called a...
...lineage."