Defiance of the Fall

Chapter 1255: Destiny

Zac reeled at the series of revelations. The rise and decline of Eras wasnʼt natural but something the Eternal had devised. At the cost of her and the other supreme existencesʼ lives, not to mention all the normal beings living during the Lost Era.

”The Stellar Wanderers took the perfection found in the mist and crafted a new Heavens. The Gurus codified the four Laws to safeguard the cycle of Samsara. The Eternal imbued it with her potential, granting it Eternity.”

A deep hum reverberated through the Lost Plane, and Zac briefly thought he could hear the distant claps of thunder. Was it the System sensing its plans being interfered with? The old custodian glanced into the distance, no doubt seeing more than Zac. A large breach appeared the next moment. Zac could feel fateʼs powerful pull from within, confirming it was the gate heʼd tried to reach.

”Our time is at an end,” WalʼZo said.

”Why did you tell me all this?” Zac urgently asked as an unavoidable force acted on his body. The crumbling realm was rejecting him. ”What does it mean?”

”Voidʼs nature is elusive. It will forever elude you unless you understand its origin and purpose. The Ultom Courts represent that opportunity.”

WalʼZoʼs platform was getting further than the distance to the breach could explain. He, too, was retreating from the Systemʼs advance. Soon, the only thing Zac saw was WalʼZoʼs eyes shining in the darkness, the white orbs resemblant to the stones lining Ultomʼs Courtyard.

”Eight have reached the heights necessary to leave a lasting mark on the slopes. Of them, four passed through my halls. Prove yourself worthy, and you will grasp the power of your bloodline.”

The last glimpse from the Lost Plane was drowned out by purple darkness. Strength and memories surged in as the link between bodies was restored. Zac steadied himself while his mind became whole. It only took a second, at which point the breach had already closed behind him, preventing any further leakage. Only a few minutes had passed since the group was spat out, and all but Zacʼs Draugr half still lay sprawled on the ground.

His other side was busy channeling the Void to drive out the large amounts of corruption from the others. They were back in the base as planned, placed before a bridge crossing a chasm so large Zac couldnʼt see its floor or ceiling. A large number of constructs floated within, the smallest the size of a skyscraper. They appeared to be in perfect condition, thrumming with power.
As far as Zac could tell, they werenʼt weapons. Rather, they were formations supporting the structure in the chuteʼs center. Their bridge led to an octagon-shaped building in the chuteʼs middle. It was the size of a small city and radiated something Zac hadnʼt sensed thus far in the Centurion Base: Imperial Faith.

Perhaps that aura was why the large space was void of any corruption. His shared memories showed it was already that way before his human side caught up and the gate closed. Of course, the details werenʼt as important as the intense pull of fate Zac felt coming from within. As if the Imperial Faith wasnʼt clue enough.

Theyʼd reached the Centurion Beacon, and not a moment too soon. The tremors were far worse than inside the Polaris Vault, proving how reinforced the octagon and chute were. Still, the large runes engraved on the chuteʼs walls flickered precariously, struggling to hold back the attackers.

Their time was limited. Zac glanced in the direction of the beacon, deliberating whether he should go ahead alone. A slight creak interrupted those thoughts. Zac disappeared in a spatial flash, moving into the Shrine of Kanba just before a wave of spirituality swept through Katorʼs warbones.

The reaver sat up, glancing at Zac before resuming his rotation of the [Starfall Scripture] to drive out the corruption. Among the four, Zac had obviously put the least effort into cleansing Kator. ”What happened inside the fallen realm?”

”Iʼm not sure,” Zac said. ”A huge projection appeared and overwhelmed everything else. I escaped through the breach just before passing out.”

Kator glanced at the three still lying on the ground before taking in their surroundings. ”Whereʼs the breach now?”

”Was gone when I woke up. I think our presence destabilized the Lost Plane,” Zac shrugged. ”Focus on recovery. Weʼre at the final stretch.”

ʼYouʼre back!ʼ a harried voice greeted him inside the shrine.

”Iʼm back.” Zac looked at Esmeralda with bemusement. The toad had shrunk her body to the point she looked like a pebble at the bottom of her swamp. ”I donʼt think the mud will protect you from the corruption.”

”What corruption? Iʼm hiding from body snatchers,” Esmeralda furiously signed while rising from the viscous waters. ”One moment youʼre here, holding back the nasty gunk like youʼre supposed to. The next, you disappear without leaving a trace. It was like your existence had been erased.”

”Some things happened. Itʼs dealt with now,” Zac said.

”For how long? Thereʼs never a break with you,” Esmeralda lamented, her enormous mouth agape in lingering fear. ”Iʼve faced more calamities in the last months than during millennia of being hunted by Supremacies.”

”Well, risks and opportunities go hand in hand,” Zac said as he sat down with a grunt.

”Then why is my pouch empty?”

”Empty?” Zac scoffed. ”Did you think I couldnʼt sense you snatching two treasures when the pillars sank into the ground? How could your technique have worked without me releasing my ability? Without me positioning myself properly?”

”Donʼt get any ideas!” Esmeralda glared. ”I got those with my own abilities. Theyʼre catastrophe compensation.”

”I didnʼt say anything,” Zac said. ”Was there anything I might need? We could trade.”

”There is one item youʼll like, and my price is very generous,” Esmeralda said with a crafty look in her eyes. ”I want to know what happened to you.”

”Thatʼs it?”

”Thatʼs it,” Esmeralda looked extremely eager. ”I sense something… valuable… on you.”

”You do?” Zac scanned his body, finding nothing out of the ordinary.

”It was a wisp of energy that made it seem as though you stood in multiple realities, where you could decide what future would occur. I felt if I had that power, I could have stepped right out of my cursed cycle of reincarnations,” Esmeralda said. ”Itʼs gone now.”

”Multiple realities?” Zac mused.

Didnʼt that sound exactly like the Stellar Wanderers? While Starcladʼs memories had mostly faded already, Zac still remembered its appearance and small snippets. It was clear that the wanderers were a higher-dimensional entity, a being existing in multiple planes and times at once. They werenʼt peering into the future to see they had no choice. They lived in all futures already.

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And Zac carried a hint of that power? Zac scanned his body again, still failing to spot any hidden energies or changes. Could it be an illusion left by the wandererʼs memory, or had he actually been imprinted by something?

A sticky prod by Esmeraldaʼs tongue brought Zac back to the present. He gave it some thought before agreeing. The things WalʼZo shared werenʼt something that needed to be kept hidden. And if he could trade some intelligence for one of the Polaris Vaultʼs treasures, why wouldnʼt he?

”The Eternal, is it? Such generous spirit. Too generous, almost,” Esmeralda snickered after Zac had finished narrating his talk.

”First, pay up,” Zac said.

”Bah,” Esmeralda complained before taking out a bundle of straw from her cheek.

Zac felt a tremendous fleshy power from within, and even his Draugr body on the outside trembled with desire. ”Whatʼs this?”

”Not sure, except itʼs related to body tempering. And very, very rare. There are hints of Law inside,” Esmeralda said. ”It should help you continue what you started with that chair.”

”Not bad,” Zac nodded, carefully stowing it inside one of his best treasure boxes. ”You donʼt buy the story?”

”The way youʼre describing the origins is off,” Esmeralda said, looking frustrated. ”Thereʼs something… I just canʼt remember what.”

”Certain parts appear suspicious,” Zac agreed. ”If the Stellar Wanderers were helpers in her undertaking, then what are the Thrones? The path they represent seems to directly go against their master plan.”

”Maybe half of them objected to the idea of becoming building materials,” Esmeralda shrugged. ”I know I would. If I were one of those wanderers, Iʼd head into the beyond for one final journey. Iʼd either succeed or die.”

Zac nodded. The Stellar Wanderers appeared similar, but that didnʼt mean all would make the same decision. It was the same with the third race of Ancient Arcana. Rather than codifying the Laws, the Eternal could just as well have killed them and extracted their power.

”Thereʼs more. The caretaker said there are a few at the Eternalʼs level each Era,” Zac added. ”So why has nothing changed in all this time?”

”Why hasnʼt someone else come along with a better idea and remade the Multiverse again?” Esmeralda echoed. ”Or sacrificed it to step into True Eternity. Thereʼs no lack of ruthless characters at the peak.”

”It seems like the Eternal cut off the path to Eternity,” Zac said. ”But was that to protect her interests or ensure no one undid her work?”

”Why not both?”

Zac suddenly remembered the words of caution spoken in the Systemʼs emotionless voice. Beware the Terminus. Could it be warning him not to get involved with the Eternal? In a sense, she represented the Terminus if WalʼZoʼs story was true. The custodian hadnʼt said it outright, but he admitted he preceded the concept of Destiny.

It only made sense the Eternal became the Cosmic Destiny if the other two races of Ancient Arcana formed the Dao and Laws. That brought the Systemʼs motives into question. Emperor Limitless would certainly have known about these matters at the height of his power. And still, heʼd formed a separate Imperial Destiny that went against the natural order. It almost felt like an act of war against the Eternal, yet WalʼZo talked about the Emperor like he were an old friend.

And what was the reason for holding Flameseeking trials? It didnʼt escape Zacʼs notice that WalʼZo never mentioned that part. He only dropped cryptic hints and dangled a carrot before leaving. A carrot Zac had a hard time ignoring. The old man clearly knew which buttons to push, and he wasnʼt spouting nonsense about that final part.

Zac recalled the eight powerful auras heʼd sensed just before the System pulled him back from the Void Mountain and the terrifying beyond. They had to be the eight lasting marks on the slopes WalʼZo mentioned. Zac previously guessed they might be the Systemʼs eight pillars. Could they instead be marks left behind by extremely powerful Void Cultivators? Could he really ignore the opportunity to understand the Void and his bloodline?

His only other lead was the Sindris Clan. However, visiting their homeland at the Multiverseʼs edge was bound to be extremely dangerous. There wasnʼt even any guarantee they had what he was looking for. Karz didnʼt seem like the type to leave behind a heritage, which tracked with Leandraʼs explanation. Would Karzʼs methods even be useful to Zacʼs corrupted bloodline?

Zac scratched his head, desperately wishing that he couldʼve discussed these questions with Ogras while the memories were fresh. For now, the toad had to do. ”What do you think? Do we need to change our plans?”

”Because of some old story? We still donʼt know anything. At least it doesnʼt look like the old ghost took offense by my presence,” Esmeralda lazily said. ”You can go ahead and throw your hat in the ring. Iʼm not too interested in the Eternal Heritage.”

”Youʼre not?” Zac said with surprise. ”If true, the courts precede everything we know. Even the Dao.”

”Why does that have to be a good thing? Wouldnʼt their treasures have turned to dust, and their heritages be so alien theyʼve been rendered useless? They might have gotten the ball rolling, but a lot has happened since then. Let me tell you from experience; it doesnʼt matter how grand the origins are if all that remains are ruins. Just look at this broken base,” Esmeralda said. ”Besides, Iʼm a thief. I donʼt participate in trials. I steal what I want.”

A tremendous shockwave outside interrupted their conversation. The force punched Zac to the ground, and blood trickled down Galauʼs ear. Zac felt as though they were standing inside a war drum being hit by a giant. The impact was far worse than the constant trembles. They would have been grievously wounded if not for the runes absorbing most of the impact.

Katorʼs meditation was interrupted, and he solemnly looked up at the large crack that had appeared on the chute. ”The attackers must have managed to break through one of the defenses. Peak Monarchs, possibly stronger.”

A second shockwave forced Zac to activate [Profane Exponents]. It was followed by an eerie silence, feeling like the calm before the storm. Kator seemed to feel the same and sprung to his feet.

”Thereʼs no time to rest. You need to activate those puppets, or itʼll be too late.”

Zac hesitantly looked down at the still-unconscious trio. Heʼd barely stabilized their state, and a significant amount of corruption was still lodged in their bodies. Their Daos were instinctively fighting back, but Zac wasnʼt certain if theyʼd reached a point where they could take care of themselves if he stopped helping.

It was not just their safety to worry about. Zac could feel how the culmination of multiple threads of fate waited on the other side of the bridge. Only having Kator by his side was a recipe for disaster. Unfortunately, the attackers wouldnʼt give him the time needed. They really needed to set out.

”I say leave them. But Iʼm sure you wonʼt,” Kator said as he stepped onto the bridge.

Zac wrapped the others in chains after confirming [Loveʼs Bond] was fine. He caught up to Kator, their steps reverberating through the chute now that the tremors had stopped. Their cautious walk turned into a sprint as the unsettling atmosphere grew more urgent. Zac felt like his Danger Sense wanted to scream at the top of its lungs, except something was covering its mouth.

The source of their growing unease didnʼt hide for long. A deafening tear ruptured Zacʼs eardrums, but the pain was nothing compared to the terror of seeing a finger the size of a mountain dig through the chuteʼs reinforced barrier like it was made of clay. A whole side of the chamber was ripped off, causing dozens of floating arrays to crumble, and an unbearable pressure forced both him and Kator to a halt.

”Urgh—” Zac wheezed as he hopelessly looked up at their attacker.

It was one of the giants heʼd briefly seen in the burst of scenes—a Foreign God. The messy and broken features on its face, like third-degree burns, suddenly made sense. It wasnʼt the fallout of forcing its way through a hostile sun. It was a futile attempt at mimicking the head of a Stellar Wanderer. There was no way it could exist in multiple realities as their processor, so they looked like lumps of flesh held together by brute strength and Dead Dao.

The attacker clearly considered them nothing but ants, its attention fully on the octagon that radiated unyielding faith. Zac wanted to take the opportunity to rush forth, but nothing worked. The Foreign Godʼs cruel aura was powerful enough to keep them locked down. He couldnʼt even activate [Void Zone]—the nullification sphere was being forced back into his cells, unable to compete with the pressure.

A blinding eruption of stellar wrath overwhelmed all else, and Zac realized he was able to move.

”Go!” Kator roared, putting both of them in a bubble of accelerated time.

Zac endured the uncomfortable vertigo of temporal instability again as they sped across the bridge. They were entering the belly of the beast, but what else could they do? A single swipe from an enemy that large would wipe out everything for dozens of miles, possibly more. The blinding light abated, giving Zac a chance to see what gave them the opportunity to turn things around.

It was a fleet of ancient warships that had flown right into the Foreign Godʼs head, releasing a wave of destruction with their collapse. There had to be over thirty of them who sacrificed themselves to push back against the invader. Zac thanked his lucky stars that some of the baseʼs defenses remained intact as they rushed into the unlocked structure.

Waiting inside was the very same scene heʼd seen before—a miniature sun floating atop a spire. And within that sun was the final piece of his Flamebearer seal.