"That Enki... of course he doesn't understand."

The golden textures flashed above the head of the Custodian, multiple holograms beaming from the terminal in front of her. Her eyes switched between each screen in quick succession, each one displaying some sort of celestial body or cluster that the woman had been investigating for some time. Sure, her plans were all involved with Earth, but it didn't hurt to check if any of the life they sent out to other planets survived.

For some reason, every other experiment ended up in failure, though none of it was her fault. The life they'd send to these other celestial bodies wouldn't live long, no matter how many precautions they took. Every rewrite of their very being was just counteracted by the planets themselves, as if they were telling them that they were evolving just to remain uninhabitable. That left Earth, the only place where the Yggdrasil System could be placed with results.

Beside the woman sat a black dragon, perched atop a post that stood eye level with the God. It had seen these arguments between these divine beings multiple times, but with this one in particular, it was always a losing battle. How many years had it been since she started this? Hundreds? Thousands? It could very well have ranged in the millions if they thought about it long enough, but to them, time's meaning was very diluted.

"You expected someone with a human companion to understand the logic behind using humans as terminals?"

Nidhogg commented on the woman's gripes, pointing out exactly where the woman's arguments were failing. The "Remodeling Surgeon" knew how to restructure life, yet for some reason, the power to restructure her own argument from the ground up was beyond her. She was intrinsically weaved into the lives of humanity, even down to the very concept of their words. They were Gods to them, which only made her angrier that two of those supposed Gods were against her, especially one she thought so highly of. "That's all they're good for," she snapped back.

The dragon heard this time and time again and this time was no different. Had she tried to appeal to anyone other than the two she was "closest" to, they might have agreed without a second thought. However, the choice to appeal to a God with a human companion and a woman who was considered a "fence-sitter" was probably the worst thing she could have done. Every time it was brought up, it would be the same song and dance, the same retort that they gave her that invalidated everything they worked for.

"This is the first time we made this much progress in a while. Do you really want to ruin it that badly," they would ask.

That condescending tone made her livid.

"No offense, but it doesn't sound like you thought about your plan that much," the dragon said, its tone flaring up the Surgeon. The woman turned her head, the very concept of language not being able to express her anger, no matter what words she used.

The draconic creation was another thing she despised among her peers, this living tome being something she had no hand in conception. From what she was told, it was there to record the Gods' successes, their failures and everything in-between. Even if there was something that didn't feel that it needed to be captured, those fangs would be sure to hold that data, just in case. However, with such a useful tool came a personality, another thing the Surgeon had no influence over. If it were her choice, the dragon would be silent. Alas, its ability to speak was granted as a way of livening things up as another voice of reason.

To Shem-ha, it was just another annoying voice that tried to sway her into complacence with their choices.

"The fact that she let you speak like that makes me think none of you thought about this."

She spouted her words annoyedly, putting her hands out in a choking manner. Had the dragon not shown those incorporeal features, she would have dealt with it a while ago. However, it was another countermeasure put in to make sure the Surgeon wasn't going AWOL. At least, not far enough to jeopardize their progress. "Using these lower beings will further evolution beyond comprehension. How do you, of all creations, not even see that?"

She aimed a finger at the dragon, who merely sighed. Sure, she was right that using humanity would push progress by a tremendous amount, far faster than the speed they were working right now. However, there were two issues with it, one of which Nidhogg spit out in response to her cries.

"Because that evolution is not sufficient."

Shem-ha never understood this, but Nidhogg was more than happy to explain where her plan would fall apart. "If you further evolution by merely using them as puppets, how will they do it on their own?"

"Tch..."

The woman clicked her tongue, turning back around to see the terminal. Nidhogg's words were the exact same sentiment as its creator, noting how that type of progression only stilts evolution rather than actually progressing it. It was a reason they'd have to play the long game, waiting for the humans to evolve at their own pace or let them destroy themselves. On top of that, Shem-ha's thoughts of evolution were more linear than exponential. The more powerful the tools humanity created were, the easier it would be for them to evolve, which creates a drastic curve upward. There wasn't a reason outside of vanity that she would want to do this.

"I'm sure even someone like Finé could think of that."

Within moments, the woman had her finger in the dragon's face, her brow furrowed as that cursed name entered her mind. Even if it wasn't entirely her fault, that woman was a heavy influence in eyes of her associates. If Enki hadn't fallen for her...

If he hadn't fallen for a human...

"Bring her up again and I'll make sure you won't gather another record for the foreseeable future."

The Surgeon swiveled on her heel, her golden vambrace just itching to slash through the dragon's form. Alas, no matter what she did, even with her Outer Physics, the Relic would remain unperturbed. Turning back around, she rubbed her temple with a groan.

"It's like she gave you speech strictly to get on my nerves."

The dragon knew that she would think that, seeing how she had a vendetta with its creator and her indecisiveness. She'd much rather hate the woman for directly opposing her rather than opting not to pick a side. However, the Deciding Factor wasn't one to insert her own opinions into serious topics like that.

"Of course you would think that."

Nidhogg spread its wings, lifting itself into the air and flying onto the side of the terminal. The moment its feet tapped the terminal, it began to glow a bright white, an indication of the system's record being gathered and stored within the dragon. All the information of those planets, those stars, those galaxies, all retained into a beast that stood no taller than ten inches.

"But then again, you never could agree with her on anything, could you?"

The snores that echoed throughout the room roused the dragon from its sleep, the room only being lit up by the moonlight that peeked through the curtains. The dream the dragon had wasn't exactly unpleasant, only being a recollection of memories from before the downfall of its previous owner. There weren't such things as bad memories to this Relic, its indifference extending not just to the current world, but to the past as well. It rarely ever showed emotion, but since its awakening, things... changed.

The girl whom the dragon laid against continued her routine snoring, her rough sleep leaving her with a blanket halfway off the bed and a trail of drool falling down her lip. It was a common thing for the dragon to see while in her bed, her tossing and turning rarely leaving her in the position she fell asleep in.

The dragon stood up, stretching its hind legs before leaping over the girl's body. It wasn't worried about waking her, knowing that even shaking her violently rarely worked to open her eyes. Very few things woke the girl, but since she didn't plan on waking up at a certain time, her body took the chance to put her into one of those deep sleeps.

Unlike other nights, the dragon that was woken was now wide awake, unable to sleep. Usually, the dragon would simply make a quick rotation, adjustment of any sheets, then close its eyes once again. It was never difficult for Nidhogg to fall asleep, but there were those times where sleeping showed no benefit, even to quench its boredom. During a night like this, the dragon decided to do something that took its mind off everything.

The air was crisp, the night sky lit up with thousands of stars that littered the cosmos. The dragon knew each of these stars by heart, already having that information logged long ago. Between those stars, its eyes could track various items, bouncing from star to planet to asteroid to satellite. The skies themselves may have had thousands of miles between each body that floated in space, but from the balcony of the Noires' abode, they were close enough to be squished together with two fingers. They were beautiful sights, a scene that would take millions of years to fade away. But unlike the stars, humanity truly hadn't lived for that long.

It made the dragon wonder just how far back it was locked away, knowing that everyone that the dragon knew personally had perished.

"To think that she locked me in there for that long..."

While the dragon contemplated the world, a familiar voice spoke in the background, bringing the dragon back to reality.

"You're in the way," Leia remarked, her voice overpowering the chirping of the insects that roamed within the grass below. Nidhogg's head turned, its eyes meeting the girl's as she carried a large box in her arms that was nearly as tall as her.

Unlike her usual attire, her outfit was much more adjusted to the night air, sporting a dark blue sweater that blended in with the darkness. While her leggings seemed innocuous, a black band wrapped around her left leg, a design sewn into the fleece bottoms that kept her legs warm. For someone who mostly dressed like a "bum", in the words of Chris, it was a pleasant surprise to see.

However, seeing how it was nearly one in the morning, the dragon had thoughts about her presence here.

"What do you think you're doing up this late at night?"

The girl was silent, but with the way Nidhogg read her mind, it was clear that she couldn't keep anything from it. She originally figured to not respond to it, but with how late it was and how dead set she was on being outside, she couldn't even formulate a response that was different from anything else she would use. Dragging a chair, she took a seat at the glass table that sat against the railing the farthest end away from Nidhogg, which led the dragon to a taunt.

"So you don't have a retort this time."

The brunette rolled her eyes, opening the box on the table and revealing the contents inside as she began to connect them. First, a three-pronged stand. Next, the lens. Following that, the viewing port. It made sense why this device wasn't set up inside and why she was outside at this time of night, the result being a telescope aimed at the heavens. As long as the dragon had been with them, a telescope was not something that it expected the Noires to have, especially one that was in pristine condition, even though it was nearly a decade old, as stated by the label. Sure, Laya would have been the type to stargaze, but not the girl who spent day in and day out in a room full of tech.

"Just leave me alone."

"You shouldn't be saying that to someone who saved you from a life-altering decision."

Setting the telescope on the flooring, she adjusted the dials on its side, the stars she gazed at coming into focus as she looked into the glass.

The stars were something that she always enamored, those large balls of gas that, from a distance, looked like nothing more than a speck of light. However, for some reason, each miniscule glimmer brought joy to her eyes, something she hadn't shown for years. For the first time since the dragon was released from its prison, it watched as a smile, a real smile, came across her lips. It wasn't a twisted one born out of combat or a forced one for the necessity to get along. Instead, this one felt the most genuine, something the dragon could feel after diving into her thoughts. No hostility, no complacence. Just unbridled curiosity.

Just like all those years ago.

"Yet again, without a response."

She shot the dragon a pout, one that was too out-of-character to be on her face. If anyone else saw it, they might have even called it adorable.

"If you're going to be up here, I'd like it if you didn't pester me."

Hearing those words, the Relic related it back to its old partner. While its last partner didn't show off the qualities that could been seen as appealing in her expressions, the tone she spoke in was nearly identical. It seemed like no matter how things changed, they remained the same in some respects. "Funny, you sound just like her."

Hearing that, Leia questioned its response, not knowing who the Relic was referring to. "Her?"

"Shem-ha."

Leia had heard about this Shem-ha character, not just through Nidhogg, but through S.O.N.G. as well. A God whose goal was to unite and control humanity through language. She understood that as the reason why she and her sister were so connected that day the Yggdrasil System rose from the earth. However, to be compared to a narcissist like her...

"I don't know if that's a good or bad thing."

The dragon gave a chuckle, another first within this night. The dragon's speech was usually monotone or mocking, but this time, it revealed a lighthearted nature, one that related to her concerns. Much like a friend.

"Both."

Leia rolled her eyes, directing her eyes back into the telescope as she tilted it up slightly.

"Wow, really nice to hear."

With a turn of one of the dials, the Cassiopeia constellation was within view, that W shape being one that she loved to look back at from time to time. As she got closer to the viewing lens, the Relic stepped along the balcony railing, all to reach the stargazer whose mind was lost in the skies. Surprisingly, she didn't show annoyance when it stood within arm's reach of her after its comments. Instead, she felt a bit happy to feel its presence, having that company that she didn't know that she wanted.

"However, you're much more pleasant to speak to."

For some reason, the words the dragon spoke sounded a lot more conceited, even if it still gave off that friendly nature. "Gee, thanks," Leia responded, acknowledging the dragon before she went back to the lights in the sky. Knowing how the girl thought, the dragon plopped itself down, not falling over the railing as it looked up where she was looking.

"In a good way," Nidhogg clarified, its eyes hitting that constellation that Leia was so entranced with. Just like Leia, the dragon could see the stars, but in much clearer detail than any telescope or satellite could capture. There was a thought to ask her to transform, just so it could share that sight with her, but it didn't want her to do that so late. Maybe if it were just an hour or two earlier...

"Unlike her, you're much more down to earth. Perhaps it's because you were born human and not as a Custodian, but you..."

A pause in its speech captured Leia's attention, an action that Nidhogg knew would pull her in. "You can recognize your faults."

The girl remained silent; her eyes focused on the dragon now after taking them away from the stars. As distracting as Nidhogg was, she still had a slight interest in its commentary whenever it spoke. She found it annoying at times, seeing how often its concern has an inflection that teeters on being condescending. Its personality, while remaining the same for the most part, was influenced by her own mind, so it made her wonder if she really got the short end of the stick when it came to the twins' manifestations.

The dragon continued, "Even Gods have faults, but I know you're-"

"I'm not surprised."

Leia finished the dragon's sentence, not allowing the dragon to relay her thoughts when she could already speak them herself. She already came to that conclusion a long time ago, when she was first introduced to the concept of religion. No matter which "God" created them, the fact that the world turned out the way it was, as well as the way her life had gone up to this point, it all told her that whatever made them knew about those flaws in the first place. And if the saying was true, then that meant that all her hypotheses were right on the money.

"After all, if they didn't, humanity wouldn't exist the way it would now."

Leia's words left the dragon quiet now, the sounds of crickets chirping and Leia's breathing being the only sounds that lingered in the air. Her remark gave the dragon solace, even if it knew deep down that Leia was already aware of this.

"That's... a way of putting it."

Leia provided her own stance on the theory, tilting her telescope once again ever-so-slightly. This time, her guidance would lead her sights to the constellation of Andromeda. It was ironic, "the Chained Woman" being the set of stars the most memorable in her mind. "They always say that humans were made in God's image..."

Gamma Andromedae, then to Mirach, then Alpheratz. Each star was uniquely fascinating to her, even the smaller ones that the average person wouldn't even put on their notes. Perhaps it was the part of her mind that was focused on alchemy that made her so fascinated with the stars above, their existence making her wonder exactly what lay beyond. It was common for alchemists to want to find the source behind everything, even the most powerful girl in the world wanted to dissect the world and understand everything it had to offer. But another part of Leia just liked to marvel at the beauty of it all, knowing that no matter how infinitesimally small they were within this wide universe, they could still bask in the glory of a night sky riddled with lights.

After falling on one of the stars on the end of the constellation, the girl's genuine smile broke through once again. "So, I'm assuming that even temper tantrums are something they do often."

The dragon could see the girl's smile, but after her theory was out, Nidhogg wanted to dive a bit deeper into her thought process. It wondered if the sincerity behind her words were talking about herself or not, knowing that she was coming to peace with the decisions she made. Normally, it would read her mind, but it seemed like even she questioned it, knowing that their last events were nothing more than what she knew as a "temper tantrum". She looked back at the help S.O.N.G. offered, only to deny them for no reason out of pride. If that wasn't a tantrum, she didn't know what would qualify.

Without thinking too hard about it, the dragon leapt down from the railing and into the girl's lap. Surprisingly, she didn't move to push the dragon off, nor was the dragon in her way due to its incorporeal form. Its body faded into a dark haze as her arms grazed it, its eyes closing as it relaxed into her grasp. It could only give another reassuring sentence as it nuzzled into her comfortably.

"You have no idea."

The Nidhogg chapters are a bit more disconnected than the twins', seeing how these tell two different events rather than being two chapters being continuations of one long event, like the mission or the maintenance! However, this one was probably my favorite one to write! Tune in next week for the true final chapter of the arc!