Chapter 1574: Here, To The Death
<Very well. I will grant you that.> said Quintess. He then stole a glance at Fulgardt, then at Boron. <I do hope that your fate... rather, your Direction still exists after all this.>
Sause, suddenly cooled off, gave a small smile.
"As you said, I’m tethered to someone else now, ahaha." He looked below, at Skullius. "I don’t imagine he’ll lose, but even if he does... I won’t be too distraught."
The Hybrid Warmoth cursed him.
Quintess finally gave a boisterous laugh. Sause had to dig himself into the ground with Nitros to keep from flying off.
<I like the show of faith.>
Right then, a brand appeared on Sause’s forehead, gleaming in golden white, and he was warped away to the Empyrean Bosom.
’Well, I would have appreciated a better show of faith and confidence,’ Skullius (who had swiped Sause away just now) thought just as Quintess raised his arm from the mountain. ’Though, I guess the odds do look to not be in my favour.’
In an instant, he scanned the world. He’d sensed Pherdanta and the others appear on Aigas just minutes before. He hadn’t marked his Unlimited Stars or Stark Troops to stow them safely into the Empyrean Bosom before the battle began, but he’d done so for every other mortal on Aigas. The combatants with Pherdanta were marked, but the seal on their foreheads hadn’t activated to warp them away. Skullius had sensed some resistance. It all had to do with the fact that they were in Pherdanta’s Territory. From what he could tell, Cogent Stark Order had changed drastically.
Thus, trusting Pherdanta with all these people, he allowed them to stay by her side. That too would be a test for her ability as a Commander.
’Now, all those who remain unaccounted for – besides the Spirit Wardens – are Eaniss, the Mad Bishop, Em-Sul and those they had following them. They must be in a Cluster or something given how weak their signatures are. Could it be that new kind of Cluster Kintar talked about? I can’t pull them into the Bosom like this.’
But then the chance for all these extraneous thoughts and actions ended.
Quintess marched his way towards Listafelle. Soon, he and the Deitess were staring down Boron.
However...
"Well, that was an interesting tangent," said Fulgardt as he turned back to Skullius. "How about we get on with our little bout?"
"You’ve decided I’m an easier time than those three?" Skullius spat from the corner of his mouth. (He still had the Exora Mead skin between his lips.)
"You’ve demonstrated that you’re an easier time than those three," retorted the Immoral.
Skullius cursed. Just barely, when Fulgardt took a step forward, he heard the argument brewing between the Deities. Boron’s voice was especially loud.
<Do you take me for a fool? You think I don’t recognise why you chose to stuff me under Aigas instead of duelling me to the death? I do, Parrhaya. Ever the visionary. I could hardly believe it myself when I considered your reasons beyond spite and pride.>
Skullius took a breath to turn his attention back to the task at hand.
"Araeyn. Weaver," he said and issued commands to them mentally. "I’m counting on you."
The two Apostles boldly marched forth to meet the Immoral. Fulgardt was surprised.
"Are you sure you want to do that?" he asked with a sly smile.
Right then, Boron answered Quintess’ infuriating response (which Skullius had missed), voice rising. A vain laughter was spilling from his lips.
<Was it compassion that made you decide I had something to learn? The only thing you knew about me was that I did not see the joy in creation. I loathed the idea of forming lesser versions of me. So, you took it upon yourself to force me to do it, didn’t you? You wanted me to value weaker critters made my hands. Hence why you made it so that the only way to get rid of my seal was to use creatures weaker than I was. Hahaha. Do you think I absorbed the enlightenment you handed to me on a platter? I did not enjoy creating the Cavern.>
Almost immediately after Boron spoke, Skullius scoffed at the Immoral’s response.
"I’m not sure you know what you’re in for, Fulgardt," he said.
Suddenly, Araeyn pushed both his hands forward.
"[Micro-Dimensioning]!" he declared.
"Hmm?"
A small portal opened up behind Fulgardt, and in a blink, he was sucked into it. Immediately afterwards, Araeyn and Weaver rushed after him, diving into the portal and disappearing along with it.
Skullius breathed out a hefty sigh. Part of him had feared Fulgardt wouldn’t be caught off-guard and sucked in; a valid concern. Luckily for him, it worked. Now, Araeyn and Weaver would buy Skullius some time in the numerous Null Remnants Araeyn could travel through.
The blaring voices continued to contend above him.
<So, you refused to learn anything, hm? But you do have an entire species under you, though, even if you did not enjoy making them.> argued Quintess.
<They are mere subjects of convenience, and they all know it. You know it too. I cannot pour my heart into something as dull as creation. That was never my intention for reaching Deification. The Cavern served their purpose and that is all.> retorted Boron. <Even their purpose isn’t as valuable as everything I missed because of you. Everything you took from me.>
<And what is it that was taken from you, Ciumin?> Listafelle butted in, sounding annoyed. <Love? Come on. Kaella was never yours. She had goals before she met you. And you only tagged along with us to stay by her side without mustering some investment into our interests. You paid the price for trying to get in the way in the end.>
<Right. A price to pay. That was all fair, was it?> scoffed Boron. <I can stomach the idea that being imprisoned was a valid choice. I was a mild enemy. But do you think I don’t know that you diminished me among your creations on top of that? You used my name to increase your renown and your strength. You turned me into a creepy bedtime story for little humans and little Sif to behave. Boron of the Under. Boron of the Darkness.The Traitorous Deity defeated by the three righteous gods. The faith of your people brimmed through their souls and made you stronger while I had counter my weakening powers by creating beings with their own faith in me. Heh. Sure, it was fair. I paid with my FREEDOM.>
<Freedom?> said Quintess with a frown. <We create in order to survive. No one is exempt. Not really. You think the higher ups were going to let you roam freely without attaching yourself to a project? You’re as headstrong as I am, so I know you weren’t going to take their authority without a fight. A foolish choice, really. I at least gave you the chance to create beings on kinder terms. You’d have come out of all this a better man if you actually decided to learn something during your imprisonment.>
Boron looked incredulous.
<Spare me your graces. You did me no favours. Who said it’s impossible to thrive without making worlds upon worlds upon worlds?>
<...> Quintess’ face hardened.
<Of course, you would consider that an eligible path.> said Listafelle.
<Indeed, I would.> Boron stood his ground, the butt of his halberd hitting the ground hard. <I’m a simple man, after all. A simple man with simple goals.>
Quintess drew in a deep breath.
<So? What now?>
<Now, you will fight me to the death. And you have no choice but to do so here.>
Quintess scanned the surroundings. He must have seen something that most others couldn’t.
<So it seems.>