5-57 Undesired reunion

5-57 Undesired reunion

Once again, in a long while, Erin found herself in this all-too-familiar white space that seemed to span endlessly in all directions. She couldn’t remember the last time she was here and she certainly didn’t wish to be in this place again. Being here, in this very place, had dire implications.

“I didn’t think you would return here in less than a year,” said a voice that carried the grace of a lady and the firmness of a gentleman.

Unlike last time, Erin was standing instead of sitting when she was transported to this place. Also unlike before, instead of an orb of iridescent light, it was an iridescent figure that bore an androgynous contour. “Nyx,” Erin muttered.

“It’s been quite some time but… not long enough, I fear.” Nyx shrugged but since her physical incarnation had no facial features, just a blank face, the gesture looked quite comical.

“Why am I here?”

“That’s a difficult question to answer.”

“You don’t know why?”

“Like I said, difficult. You are here because of the Sunderer. But as to why the Sunderer would lead you to this place, I haven’t the faintest clue.” Silence dangled on Nyx’s non-existent lips for a while before she continued speaking. “Well, perhaps I do.”

“Which is?”

“The Sunderer is a weapon capable of slaying gods as you may already know.”

Erin had a recollection of that fact. Aedan had told her before that the Sunderer was capable of hurting the divines and it can leave wounds that will never be healed.

“Wounds that can never be healed,” Nyx echoed Erin’s thoughts. “Revenant rejuvenates your body and draws your soul back into your physical vessel. However, how can your soul be drawn back if your physical vessel can’t be repaired? That’s a contradiction.”

Erin touched her body. More precisely, she touched and stroked the parts where she had received and suffered fatal wounds. Strangely enough, the scars were no longer there and there was no more phantom pain. It should be comforting or reassuring but… it felt unsettling instead. It felt… unreal as if this was not her body. “Does this mean that I’m… dead for certain?”

“Dead? Absolutely. For certain? No. If it was for certain, you would not be here. The Limbo is such a place.”

“I can still return to the world of the living?”

“Of course…. But it’s a matter of how and when.”

“So, that’s a no.”n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

Nyx chuckled. “I never took you for the type to surrender so easily.”

“Who said I’m surrendering? I’m just reading the terrain. If you can’t get me back to the living world, I will find my own way.” Even now, all she could think was Aedan and the others. Without her, she feared they would easily be— No, she told herself. She refused to think they were helpless and weak without her. But still, she couldn’t help but be worried. “I need to get back, fast. If you can’t help me, then I will look for a way myself. You just stay out of my way.”

“I’m not finished, Erin. I never said that I do not possess a way to help you.”

Erin narrowed her gaze. “Why would you help me?”

“Because I’m your—”

“Don’t give me that pathetic shit of an excuse. I’m not a zealot. I don’t believe in charity. Just tell me what you want from me in return. And do take heed, I have never bought your “spreading belief” excuse. So, try again.”

Nyx tittered. “This is why you’re my favourite, Erin. For everyone else, I just gave them a bit of my power and they suddenly have all kinds of delusions. Granted, I do have a hand in it but it is hilarious to watch.”

“Get on with it.” Nyx didn’t have a proper face but Erin could tell that she was smiling.

“I can’t take back the gifts that I have granted.”

Erin frowned. “Is that how it is for every god or just you?”

“It’s just me and I’m ashamed to admit.”

“...Is this why you have so few Apostles?”

“Yes,” came the straight answer from Nyx.

“So… you want me to help you take back the gifts you have granted to your Apostles?”

“Yes,” Nyx answered without missing a beat.

“Why do you want to do that?”

“You have met Marc. That’s enough of an answer.”

"So, it's not just him... Everyone else is out of control too?"

"...Yes. Everyone else too..."

“Why now?”

The answer didn’t come immediately. Everything was quiet and still.

Erin waited for Nyx’s response. She didn’t rush her, or at least she didn’t do so explicitly. Erin scowled and folded her arms.

Finally, Nyx answered. “I made a mistake. For a god to ensure their longevity and survival, the more faith we have, the more authority we have. The belief of Sins is a belief that is naturally integrated into all sapients. They would all come to learn what’s right and what’s wrong. I didn’t need an army of followers. However, I do, at the very least, require Apostles. People that acknowledge and validate my existence. I thought I chose the right individuals.”

“You thought wrong.”

“I thought wrong.” Nyx agreed.

“Well, I get the picture now. So, how do I… return your gifts?”

“Simple. You kill them. That’s all. And it has to be you. No proxies.”

“That’s not simple.”

“It is as simple as it can get. Once they die, my pieces of divinity would naturally flow back into me. That’s all there is to it. You don’t need to do some incantation or a ritual. You just… slay them.”

“What about Aera? Does she need to be… cleansed?”

“Not as long as you can control her.”

Erin sharpened her gaze and she threw another question. “What about me?”

Nyx shrugged. “I suppose you can continue to be my… Apostle. If you wish, I can even appoint you as my… heir.”

Erin snorted. “No thanks. I want none of that.”

“As you wish, Erin. Just remember, my offer is always open. So, do we have a deal?”

“Only if you can return me to the living world.”

“I can, most definitely. But… it is not without a price.”

Erin rolled her eyes. “Here comes the catch,” she muttered. “Whatever, just spill it.”

“Once you are… resurrected, you will no longer be whole. You will be banished from death and the System.”

Erin’s brows perked up from Nyx’s revelation. Her eyes shivered.

“You will no longer be a corporeal being. You can no longer die but make no mistake, you can still perish.”

“What does that even mean?”

“An undead cannot die. It is already dead. You can bore how many holes you wish on it but it will still move. However, you can make it stop functioning by simply cutting off its head. It’s the same principle here.”

“What about the System? What does it mean to be banished from it?”

“You will lose all benefits and privileges the System has to offer. Primarily, Appraisal. But at the same time, you will not be held back by the System. You cannot be appraised. The disadvantages and advantages of level disparity are non-existent for you. Also, you will no longer be able to employ Magic Arts as easily as you do now.”

“...But is it still possible for me to learn them?”

“If it’s you, I’m sure you will make it possible even if it’s impossible.”

Erin huffed. “Never like the System anyway. There are too many complications for so little benefit. Anyway, what else?”

“Those are the gist. As for the rest, you may discover them yourself. I can list out everything for you but… time is of the essence, is it not?”

Erin sighed. “I suppose you’re right. Let’s get it on. Take me back.”

If Nyx had a face, she would be giving a smile of unknown disposition. She approached Erin and wrapped her arms around the Fox-kin, pulling her into an embrace. “You have my genuine gratitude, my dear Apostle,” Nyx whispered softly into Erin’s ears.

Before Erin could respond, everything went dark for a brief moment before returning to the same scenery where Erin had just lopped Marc’s head off. However, instead of Marc’s headless corpse, there was a dragon. A massive one at that. As large as a double-storey house. And the Dragon was nothing but bone as dark as a starless and moonless night.

Instead of fear or urgency, there was only calmness and eagerness in Erin’s heart.

“Just in time.” She grinned and brandished a long sword out of thin air. “Hmm?”

An unexpected change. She could still create weapons out of her Mana but the result was now slightly different. The sword was less corporeal than before. From afar, the long sword would not look any different from normal swords. Though upon a closer look, one could easily tell the sword was made out of Mana.

Erin gave the sword a few swings. A discovery was instantly made. The sword was as light as a feather as if it was weightless. She changed the long sword into a greatsword. The weight stayed unchanged, as light as a feather.

The Undead Dragon finally took notice of Erin. More precisely, it realised Erin had somehow come back from the dead. It turned around and its rider hopped down from the top of its head. The rider was covered in pieces of armour, each engraved with motifs of dragons.

“Lady Erynthea. The rumours do not do you justice,” said the Acolyte of Aerys. “I saw you, dead. But here you stand, alive and well.”

“Alive and well…” Erin mused. “Alive? Maybe. Well? Hardly.”

The Acolyte drew his sword and the blade burst into flame as it was freed from its sheath. “We, True Dragons of Aerys, worship and respect strength and power. The rumours spoke greatly of yours. Allow me to put those rumours to the test.”

Erin tilted her head. “Well, what are you waiting for?” She tried to appraise her opponent but only to remember she no longer had the System. She tried summoning her stats window screen but nothing came out into her view. It was truly gone.

“Here I come!” the Acolyte shouted as he lunged.

Erin met his fervour with a slash. “W-what?” she stammered as she swung her sword, almost too easily.

“Wh—” The Acolyte had the same reaction but his was short-lived as the slash bisected him horizontally in two.

“This is….” A familiar sensation and one that she had not felt for a long time.

The Undead Dragon howled, furious at the death of its rider. It unleashed a breath of darkness at Erin. The breath had a wide coverage. It was impossible to defend against it.

Erin leapt into the air.

The Undead Dragon veered towards her, bringing along its nasty breath.

“Too slow.” She twisted her sword a bit before bringing it around in a complete half-moon.

In the next instance, the breath split apart and so did the Undead Dragon’s head. If it had been “alive”, it would have met its end. But since it was an Undead, it screeched and thrashed around as if it was in agony.

Erin chuckled. “I’m not mistaken. This feeling… It’s real.” She twirled in the air and threw another slash that sliced the Undead Dragon completely in two in the same manner as its rider.

The Undead Dragon stopped squirming and lay motionlessly after its body was split in two.

Erin landed back on the ground and immediately manifested another sword in her other hand. She spun around just in time to block an axe that could split him in two as he did to the Acolyte and the Undead Dragon.

“You’re sharp!” cried the assailant, another figure clad in full armour.

“And you are?” Erin asked, calmly.

“Just an avenger for my fallen brother.”

Erin tutted. “Another Aerysian.”

“Oh, don’t worry. There’s plenty more of us. The false heir will meet his end today.”

“You first,” Erin said and swung her sword.

It was over with just that single swing. The head of the Acolyte came right off his neck, clean.

Erin couldn’t help but laugh. It was a joyous moment. It was the return of her strength and power at her prime, the return of Argon Raze.

“Wait for me, Aedan. I’ll be there very shortly.”