Chapter 35
The Warrior of Darkness
Knuckles braced himself as he looked into the black and dark purple portal. To his surprise, I staggered of the portal with a black and dark red orb in tow. "That's the last time I slide into another dimension for now.", I muttered to myself as the portal closed behind me. "Jack, is that you?", Knuckles asked. "Yeah, it's me.", I replied. Looking at the dark orb accompanying me, Knuckles asked, "Well, what's this orb you've got with you?". "Oh, Knux, you won't believe what I found in that world.", I said. "That doesn't answer my question though.", Knuckles said. "Oh, that. Well, what you see beside me is what I want to replace the Embryo, allowing the Ascension Project to finally die.", I said. "Come to think of it, I heard Z and Seteth arguing over activating the Embryo in Cyber Space, allowing it to act as a cradle for the Sovereign and the Maiden as the new world is created. Why Z thinks it's a good idea to activate the Embryo in Cyber Space, however, I don't know.", Knuckles said. Noticing a dark red pulse from the dark orb beside me, a look of concern entered Knuckles' face. "Ignore that.", I said. "Incidentally, have you given this orb a name?", Knuckles asked. "Yes- the Black Cradle.", I said.
Meanwhile, Juniper entered a grey mechanical chamber. There, she saw a catgirl with long pink hair tied into two pigtails with a yellow ribbon and gold eyes wearing a white hoodie with long paws for sleeves open at the catgirl's midriff, red jeans and white slippers. Accompanying the catgirl was a young woman with shoulder-length red hair and red eyes wearing a pink choker, a red crop top and a pair of red shorts; both her face and hair were covered with white and black stars. Turning to face Juniper, the red-haired woman said, "Oh, Juni! How's life for ya?". "Relatively fine, Yunaka.", Juniper said to the red-haired woman. "Typical. Just typical.", the pink-haired catgirl said. "Why do you have to be like that, Kokonoe? What's eating you?", Juniper said to the pink-haired catgirl. "It's just that I can't understand why Jack is so insistent on defying his destiny and rejecting his place as the Sovereign. I know he has very severe imposter syndrome but even people with that overcome it eventually. I really don't understand why he can't just accept his place as our ruler.", Kokonoe said. "Maybe he feels like he doesn't deserve the position. After all, Alphen did just name Jack as his heir apparent just out of the blue. But you're right; it really isn't normal for someone like him to keep rejecting his destiny as our Sovereign, a destiny I feel he deserves.", Juniper said. Suddenly, Asuka rushed in, panting heavily. "Asuka, why are you here? Aren't you supposed to be helping Alfred, Diamant, Ivy and Timerra with the Ascension Project?", Yunaka asked. "Actually, that's why I'm here. Diamant sent me here to find you.", Asuka said.
As this was happening, I looked around the hangar as the Black Cradle flew up to a giant Ferronis modelled after a red samurai wielding a mighty flaming lance. I then called a similar yet different black and purple sphere – the Embryo – to me. Shrinking the Embryo down to a size where I could comfortably hold it in my hand, I then crushed it. "That should delay them for a while.", I said to myself. I then walked out of the room, finding myself in a mysterious looking library filled with books as far as the eye could see. There, I saw Ivy sitting down in a chair as though she was waiting for me. Turning her head to look at me, Ivy then smirked, saying, "Come, Jack. Come and join me.". Seeing no reason to refuse, I walked over to where she was and sat down in the chair facing her. "So, you wanted to see me?", I asked. "You could say that, yes.", Ivy said. After a brief yet awkward silence, Ivy then said, "Jack, it has come to both my attention and the rest of the Sovereign Empire's attention that you are perpetually refusing your holy duty and responsibilities as the Sovereign. I do not know why are you refusing but you really have no reason to do so.". "Is this about my imposter syndrome?", I asked. "It is.", Ivy said. "It's just that all my life I was brought up to think that I was inferior just because I was by my very nature. Besides, I didn't really earn my position as the Sovereign anyway. I think Yuito would be a better choice as Sovereign.", I said. "Not this again.", Ivy said. "It's the truth though.", I said. "Because of a past you should never have experienced. YHVH should never have done what he did to you.", Ivy said. "I deserved it though.", I said. "Bullshit.", Ivy said, a flash of anger in her eyes. "What do you mean?", I asked. "You really have no idea how irresponsible you're being. Alphen chose you to succeed him and no-one else. Certainly not Yuito.", Ivy said. "B-But I-", I said before I noticed an infinity symbol in Ivy's right eye. "Why do you think I obtained this symbol in my eye? I'll tell you- it was to make sure you would fulfil your duty and become our Sovereign. I made a deal with Z to ensure that you would succeed Alphen, no matter what. Besides, while Yuito is a good man and a good soldier, he's not necessarily a good ruler. But you, you're ten times the Sovereign that Yuito could ever be.", Ivy said. "Alright, I get the picture.", I said. "Do you though? Do you? The way I see it, I see a child running from a destiny that is rightly his. And you certainly can't stop both YHVH and the Sin Eaters how you are now. Not just the Sin Eaters, but also the Hierarchy of Laguna, the Forces of Law that Michael, Raphael, Uriel and Gabriel are part of and the Maykrs. If you don't regain the drive you showed when you came to Aionios, then you can kiss your future and the Multiverse goodbye.", Ivy said.
Suddenly, I found myself in a vast desert like the one spanning the entirety of Mahag Saar. Noticing a town in the distance, I rushed over to see if there was any life there. Entering the town, I saw a family consisting of a father, a mother and a daughter being attacked by a coterie of angels wearing nothing but white robes; not only were the faces made of solid gold, but they had no limbs as well. Strange gold lines ran down their faces and robes. Noticing me, the father of the family said, "Please, Mr. Hero, save us! Destroy these Maykr Drones!", indicating the angels wearing white robes with the strange golden lines on their robes and faces. Suddenly, I felt a strange black and red darkness painfully erupt from my body before forming a black and dark red katana in my right hand. Not knowing what was happening, I then felt my body slash at the Maykr Drones on its own, violently ramming the sword into the gathered drones there before dispersing the sword in a giant beam of red and black darkness which then disintegrated the Maykr Drones much to my horror. Vomiting on the ground, I wondered how I was capable of such violence. Suddenly, a collection of golden ship-like angels arrived, much like the ones I fought in Vigrid. "Mommy, are those things Kinships?", the child asked her mother. "Yes, they are, Daughter.", the mother said. As the Kinships descended, another burst of black and crimson darkness painfully burst forth from my body. Noticing Yuito in the distance, I called out to him, saying, "Please, Yuito, help me! I'm not strong enough to stop them!". "Yes, you are.", Yuito said before mysteriously vanishing. As the darkness continued to burst forth, I heard a strange voice in my head say, "Yes, Jack. Let your Eikon take hold. Become the Warrior of Darkness.". "No! Shut up, shut up, shut up!", I said, clutching my head in pain. Suddenly, the gathered darkness then expanded, destroying the attacking Kinships.
Snapping back to the library, I then fell to my knees, panting and weeping heavily. "Do you see now? You have no choice to become our Sovereign if the Multiverse is to survive against the Army of Heaven.", Ivy said. Looking at my hand, I said, "But those angels I killed, they were people.". "No, they were monsters. They're a threat to the Multiverse and will not stop until reality is completely destroyed. You really do need to stop running from yourself too.", Ivy said, leaving the library in a huff. Getting back up, I looked around the library and saw a partially open book. Walking over to the book, I then heard a deep voice behind me say, "Ivy is right. You really do need to stop blaming yourself for everything that happens.". I turned around to see a bald man with very pale white skin and a red tattoo going up from his lower body and up to his face. He was also wearing bronze and dark red armour and had two serrated blades chained to his arms. "And who are you?", I asked. "Ah, I don't think you ever really knew me specifically. My name is Kratos of Sparta.", the man said before vanishing. Turning my attention back to the book, I touched it, only to receive a vision of Shulk discussing something with Ragna and Velvet. "So, I know that the plan is to ascend and create a kingdom of death, but when shall we carry out the bulk out of the plan?", Shulk asked. "Well, given that our Lord YHVH is to acquire all seven Chaos Emeralds, we should carry it out as soon as we can.", Ragna said. "And what of your son Jack?", Shulk asked. "Well, he can die for defying our Lord.", Velvet said. The vision then faded, leaving me panting just as heavily. Ragna then entered the room. I turned to face him, saying, "Dad, how long have you and Mum known about YHVH's plan to destroy the Multiverse and replace it with a world without freewill?". "Why, from the very moment we met Him.", Ragna said. "And how long have you been carrying his will?", I asked. "Why, from the very moment we met Him as well. Why?", Ragna said. "So you're a disgusting traitor.", I said, a strong sense of anger welling up inside me. "Don't be like that, son. You know that YHVH shall bring salvation to us all.", Ragna said. "No, he won't. He will only bring destruction, aided by the Flood of Light. And I must destroy the Flood of Light if the Multiverse is to survive.", I said, surrounded by black and red darkness. "Now listen here. You are being absolutely irresponsible with your lack of loyalty towards our Father.", Ragna said. "YHVH is not anyone's father, but a destroyer.", I said. "Fine, have it your way.", Ragna said, leaving the library. Sigurd then walked in, a vacant look on his face. "Sigurd, am I the Warrior of Darkness?", I asked. "You are.", Sigurd said. "And who is my true Eikon?", I asked. "Odin, the Warden of Darkness.", Sigurd said. "Just as I thought.", I said.
Suddenly, I found myself outside the Grave Marker of Bases. Sensing someone inside, I walked in, ready to face my past.
The story continues in the next chapter.
