Amon's eyes snapped open as his body jerked upright. He gasped for breath, clutching his chest. He felt like a complete mess, and the deep sense of dread refused to leave his body.
But a few minutes later, he finally calmed down, taking slow, deep breaths and using Cogitation to stabilize his fractured mental state.
What… happened? he thought, disbelief and horror twisting his expression as the memories of his encounter with his past self resurfaced.
Everything was confusing. How was that even possible?He said he was "what was better left unseen"… Did that mean he would appear again?
Amon didn't know, but he still tried to connect the dots using Decryption, hoping to understand the situation with the little information he had.
Not to mention… the Evil Spirit. He was definitely an evil spirit trying to possess his body, which meant he would definitely appear again. Back then, Amon had been vulnerable; his essence was almost drained. Well… it still is. He only had half of his core left after using all those abilities.
The point was: whenever his essence was drained, he would always be at risk of being absorbed by the Evil Spirit.
But that wasn't all… my flaw makes my mind more vulnerable, and he exploited that loophole to almost destroy me.
Meaning… because of his depleted essence and corrupted psyche, he would be vulnerable and unable to resist the Evil Spirit.
…Okay, this was confusing too.
Amon decided to keep calling himself Amon, and his past self, if his theory was correct, the evil spirit version of his past self, Evangelo.
Not just that… How did I survive? He didn't know, but he was certain he couldn't have survived on his own. He didn't remember anything after Evangelo grabbed his hair and lifted him into the air. After that… it felt like someone flipped a switch. Everything went dark.
Someone intervened. Most likely. Someone definitely interfered in his clash with Evangelo and banished the evil spirit.
But who… or how?
That, he couldn't deduce.
He gritted his teeth and tried to stand up, but his legs gave out and he crashed back onto the cold stone. His expression twisted with frustration as he tried again, this time summoning the Midnight Shard and using it as a cane.
With its support, he managed to rise and scan his surroundings. The entire spire was a mess, but it wasn't destroyed. Good. That meant the gateway was still intact.
Raven was an Awakened Devil, he could last a week or two without any sacrifices being offered.
Amon knew this. His original plan had been to become a soul conduit himself, but Raven was strong enough to replace that role.
He knew what he was doing. Everything had been planned from the start.
Still, he couldn't relax. There was always the possibility that some Nightmare Creatures had survived.
And it looked like his prophecy had come true… just not in the way he expected. When he used Divination before the battle, he had seen himself struggling against an invisible enemy. But that invisible enemy… was not a creature.
It was Evangelo.
Haaaa… I messed up. U thought it was a Nightmare Creature. Who would have thought… my own past self would try to kill me?
Still, that wasn't what worried him the most.
There was something far more important right now.
Barely able to walk in the darkness, Amon clenched his teeth and forced himself forward. He had to find Raven.
Just be safe, you dumb chicken… just be safe, he thought, anxiety filling his eyes as he followed the faint mystical connection between them.
Raven was seriously injured, and he didn't have much time.
Coughing, he pushed the smoke aside with his hand, covered his mouth with a scrap of cloth, and continued deeper into the ruined spire.
A few minutes later, his eyes landed on a normal-sized Raven lying on the cold stone. The bird's breathing was heavy and ragged. His dark feathers were soaked in blood, and one of his wings had melted like candle wax. The other wing was at least intact. His body was covered in scratches and deep cuts, and one of his legs was twisted unnaturally.
Looks like before he passed out, he shrunk himself to reduce the fall damage… Amon let out a pale, exhausted smile. Smart, for a chicken that was born yesterday.
He knelt in front of Raven, gently lifting the vulnerable bird into his arms. Using all the essence he had left, he activated one of the basic applications of Flesh and Blood Magic to close the fatal wounds. He couldn't restore the melted wing, but at least Raven's life was no longer in danger.
Flesh and Blood Magic is gone too… ten minutes are up…
Amon sighed, holding his cracked ribs and damaged diaphragm. Every breath sent pain through his chest. That bastard had beaten him to a pulp.
He scoffed, remembering how Evangelo had destroyed him with just two strikes.
Still… it didn't matter. Painful, yes but he would survive.
What mattered was Raven.
Although… he had to admit he messed up. Because of his flaw, he made a fatal mistake by using Nephis's ability to heal himself. He should have used Luna's instead. That way, he would still have Nephis's Soul Flames to fully heal Raven.
I was rash. That's improper for an Error pathway Beyonder to act this recklessly… That fucking flaw…
He clicked his tongue in irritation and limped away from the ruins. Judging by the environment, not much time had passed. Maybe twenty minutes since he blacked out.
So where were his subordinates?
He narrowed his eyes and used Decryption to locate them and assess their condition.
The answer made him freeze.
They all passed out? Why? Because of Evangelo? Hmmm… too many questions, and almost no answers… shit.
He groaned and kept moving.
Pity I didn't manage to steal Gemma's ability… That man was basically immortal. If I had that, things would be so much easier.
So, he was left with: Destructive side of Nephis's Soul Flames, Medici's area-of-effect flames, Luna's Flesh Cloak, Sid's physical enhancement, And that Sleeper's (whose name he forgot) rapid recovery… though it only restored stamina.
Good enough, I guess. Useful when escaping or if someone ambushes me after battle.
At last, he found Kai on the upper floor. The beautiful archer was leaning against the wall, unconscious. Even covered in filth, blood, and dirt, he was… well, still annoyingly beautiful. Amon almost laughed.
Hmm... Barbie of the Forgotten Shore, huh? Heh heh.
Smiling faintly, he picked Kai up and started carrying him downstairs. After making sure Kai was safe and there were no immediate threats, he went to retrieve the others.
Next was Harus, snoring on the stairs.
Then Kido, then Gunlaug, Caster, and lastly Aiko.
Aiko was especially hard to find… for obvious reasons. Hahaha… Amon joked in his mind, mostly to distract himself from the overwhelming despair that still lingered after facing Evangelo.
Then he started making camp and preparing a meal. Medici had taught him how to do it, so he was able to make a decent base. He smiled faintly, remembering Medici teaching him when they traveled together… and then his smile dimmed.
Why was he so angry? What did I do? No, scratch that… why does everyone hate me?
Amon was frustrated. He was still human, after all. And he had saved their lives too. Sure, he had his own ambitions and motives, but he never lied about them. So all of this… just because I was honest about my desires?
Amon looked down, dejected. No matter what a person does, people always find a reason to hate you. He knew it too well. Even if you were the kindest man alive, people would still hate you for it.
Was it because kindness was like a mirror? Showing others their own malice, insecurities, and fears? Maybe that was the case.
In Amon's case, though… they hated him because they could never be him. Because of his power and cunning. No one likes to become a chess piece on someone else's board, after all.
He sighed and looked at his pocket, where Raven was sleeping, and smiled softly. He was worried… too worried, in fact. When he thought Raven was dying, it felt like something important was ripped out of his very soul, something so vital and essential that his existence itself felt fragmented and wrong.
It was an inexplicable feeling… just like no one can truly explain what love is.
"At least you're with me, buddy… For ten years, a hundred years, a thousand years… an eternity of endless adventures. It doesn't sound so bad, right?"
Amon sighed, then stood up and started cleaning Raven's bloody, dirt-covered body. After that, he dried his feathers and wrapped him in clothes near the campfire.
Once he was done, Amon glanced at the others who were still sleeping. He wondered why they hadn't woken up yet, but from the limited information he had, his theory was that it had something to do with what Evangelo did. And because Amon was an Awakened Devil, he was able to recover much faster than them.
Walking out of the spire, Amon looked around and started using Theft on the corpses of thousands of Abominations, collecting their soul shards.
Soon, he grew exhausted and stopped, seeing hundreds of shards at his feet. Throwing them into Fraud's bag, he walked back and emptied it, letting the shards spill onto the cold stone.
At that moment, he noticed his subordinates stirring. The first to wake was Harus, his expression blank, his bleak, hollow eyes narrowing as a weapon instantly appeared in his hand. He didn't move, merely observing his surroundings.
If he was alive, that meant whatever abominable horror had dragged his body from the stairs didn't intend to finish him yet. So he could pretend to still be asleep and strike when the opportunity arose. But after noticing the camp, his friends sleeping, and Amon staring at him, he sighed and let his chains dissolve into a rain of white sparks.
The second to wake was Caster. He jumped up from the floor, his jian materializing in his hand as his anxious eyes darted around in vigilance. When he saw Harus standing and Amon smiling at them, he blinked, then a look of relief appeared on his face.
"So we survived? That's great…" he muttered, sounding dejected since he already knew about Amon's plan.
Harus and Amon nodded, both of them exhausted. The others weren't in good shape either. They were the strongest sleepers of the Forgotten Shore, but even they had limits.
Next was Gunlaug, who yawned. The smell of alcohol was so strong that Amon wondered what would happen if the two of them sat down and competed. Though, with his current body, Amon couldn't handle alcohol as well as his previous one.
Then Kai and Kido woke up as well. Kai just lay there, his expression blank, while Kido cracked her neck, her expression a bit irritated, but overall, she was fine.
Lastly, Aiko yelped as she summoned her knives, making them float in the air as she took a stance with a serious yet panicked look.
"Get away from me, beasts!" she shouted, her voice trembling.
The others stared at her. Slowly, their mouths began twitching, their shoulders shaking, and within seconds, they burst into laughter. Even Kai had a small smile on his face, even though he couldn't move.
Gunlaug was having the most fun, pointing at Aiko while laughing loudly. The scene was hilarious, a giant laughing at a short, petite girl who was angrily trying to punch him, but Gunlaug just held her head in place while her fists couldn't even reach him.
After bullying Aiko, they all sat down near the campfire. The food was already ready, and they started eating without saying a word.
Amon sat with them, though he didn't touch the food, just played with a stick. He remembered how he used to play with Lazare, pretending sticks were legendary swords. A small smile appeared on his face… but was soon shadowed by melancholy.
At last, they finished eating. Now it was time to discuss their next course of action. Kai looked down, his expression relieved but also fearful.
"So we saved everyone… That's great… Though we're stuck here," he muttered, a bit bitter that he couldn't return. "But I don't regret it. We did what was right."
Harus scoffed at his naivety, his expression annoyed as he took Endless Spring from Amon and gulped down some water.
"Right, my ass. We need to think of ways to escape now."
Kai smiled in understanding, glancing at Aiko, who shifted a little awkwardly. He remembered how he wasn't able to protect her back then. Because of that, he had been ashamed of himself. But now… he had done something to be proud of. Indeed, he was proud of the actions that saved so many people.
But not everyone shared his opinion.
Before things could escalate, Amon stood up. His expression was calm yet thoughtful as he said:
"We all walk our own paths. That doesn't mean any of them are right or wrong. Even if those roads lead to chaos or our own doom, they are still our choices, and we should not regret them."
Caster nodded, humming in satisfaction.
"Yeah. That's what Mr. Error taught us. Every path is different, but none of them are wrong."
Amon's mouth twitched as he looked at Caster. Why aren't you showing that much respect to me, little speedster? Hmm? I and Mr. Error are the same person… he thought in amusement.
He had fun pretending to be a God. But he also taught his followers real things. One of them was to choose their own paths. He didn't want blind, fanatic followers. They were his subordinates, sure… but they were also his friends. He wasn't like Medici, Luna, or Nephis. He just wanted endless adventures and fun, after all.
"That is true. But Mr. Error also taught us to walk our own paths to reach our peaks, yet do so with wisdom. Wings of pride… will burn in the heat of ambition. Do you understand, Caster?"
Caster's expression grew solemn as his fingers touched his face… and felt a beard.
He was growing older, his time was running out, eventually… he would die.
But even if he was afraid, he didn't have that many regrets. Sure, this year spent in the Forgotten Shore was hard and full of suffering… Yet, he felt most free here.
And he met Mr. Error here. So the Forgotten Shore still held a special place in his heart. Like a place filled with darkness… where he still found warm light.
"I know… But Mr. Error will save me," he muttered, reluctant to restrain himself.
Amon smiled, shaking his head.
"On that much, we agree."
The others watching them couldn't contain their curiosity anymore and finally asked about Mr. Error. They always heard Caster and Amon talking about this mysterious deity, praising him constantly.
Seeing their interest, Caster lit up with joy. He began recounting his experience—how he met Mr. Error, how "He" was the only deity who still lived to this day.
Well… he was biased.
He started bragging that even if every god teamed up, they were still nothing compared to Mr. Error. That "He" would save him no matter what.
He proudly revealed "His" honorific name and talked about how God granted him the authority to write the holy Bible. He seemed especially proud, declaring he was the chosen one.
It was amusing to Amon… but honestly? It wasn't even wrong. He did choose Caster. He ignored Nephis, Cassia, Sunny, and the others even when they recited his honorific name, after all.
Haaaaa… being a God is so hard, he thought and shook his head.
After Caster finished explaining everything, the cohort remained skeptical. But Caster just laughed and told them to pray, they would find out soon enough.
Amon, however, wasn't in the mood for prayers, and Harus stared at him blankly, having forgotten to answer his question earlier.
"Let's do that later… For now, we need to discuss our next course of action."
They all nodded. Kai accepted the reality that they might not return anytime soon or might even die. Harus's expression remained dark, his head lowered, his piercing eyes cold and bleak. He had thought he would leave this place, yet here he still was… after all these years. Aiko, meanwhile, trembled, tears brimming in her eyes, on the verge of sobbing for not returning home.
Caster, Gunlaug, and Kido, for some inexplicable reason, were laughing.
The others stared at them in confusion. Harus, especially, was not in the mood; his expression was grim.
Kido wiped her eyes, tied her brown hair back, and hugged Aiko. The little woman squirmed in her arms, trying to escape, but Kido held firm.
"Don't worry, Aiko. If we die, we die together."
Caster and Gunlaug nodded, their expressions gleeful, almost mischievous.
Amon stared at them, dumbfounded. Then his eyes widened. Did those idiots hide a plan from them? Seriously? A prank? Who does something like that in a situation this serious? Grow up, guys! he thought in outrage, shaking his head in disbelief at their immature behavior.
"Calm down… We aren't dying or staying here forever," Amon muttered, sighing.
Aiko's eyes brightened, her expression shifting from despair to hope.
"Wait… But Caster said that the gateway was destroyed? We can still leave this place?"
Amon nodded solemnly, looking down, then his mouth involuntarily curled into a small smile at the hopeful look on her face.
"Of course. The gateway is still available… And yes, we will leave this place."
Aiko jumped from Kido's arms, laughing, her relief shining through. Harus and Kai shared the same reaction, looking up with renewed hope.
Amon watched them, his shoulders trembling slightly, then looked away, whispering to himself.
"After two months… we will…"
***
[A/N: Okay, guys, I'm tired, so I don't have much to say. If you have any questions, feel free to ask here.
[Questions]
That's it for now. Enjoy!]
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