Chapter 2
Touched By Fate
Walking through the portal, I then found myself in a snowy wasteland. Noticing a floating castle in the distance, I saw that it bore some resemblance to Chaldea's base. "I knew you'd return some day.", Kirito's voice said as he walked out of a radiant white portal that promptly closed behind him. "Kazuto, where are we?", I asked. "Shouldn't that be obvious? Why, this is the world of Xenos Ultima that you abandoned long ago.", Kirito replied. "I thought this world was called Aionios, not Xenos Ultima.", I said. "Regardless, what you did was very irresponsible, abandoning our world to be consumed by the Gloom. Still though, at least I'll get in some combat practice before bed!", Kirito said as he summoned a katana to his hand and rushed at me. Gripping Gram tight, I gathered dark red energy around it and slashed at the same time Kirito slashed, parrying his blow and giving me a vital opening to strike. Taking the opportunity to do so, I unleashed a violent slash that I followed up with a flurry of dark magic blasts. Kirito in turn responded with an equally fast flurry of slashes that I easily countered with a powerful blast of darkness. "You're still holding back. Don't. Succumb to your hatred and unleash the darkness.", Fafnir's voice said inside me. At this, I was then covered by a fierce black and dark red inferno, causing my eyes to turn red. Grinning, Kirito then unleashed a fierce onslaught that I countered with a very furious flurry of slashes. "Yes, just like that! Unleash it! Succumb to your hatred!", Fafnir's voice said as the inferno surrounding me turned into the red electricity of the Negative Speed Force, causing my attacks to speed up exponentially. Screaming with rage, I clenched my right fist tight, causing me to unleash the power of the Azure Grimoire. "No way.", Kirito said as I unleashed a violent slash of dark energy that Kirito just barely managed to dodge.
As my sword clashed against Kirito's katana, I then felt myself become consumed by rage. Unleashing an utterly violent onslaught, I then heard another voice say, "Do you control your powers or do they control you?". "Shut up! Shut up, shut up, SHUT UP!", I roared as a black and dark red tornado consumed me. As the tornado dispersed to reveal Odin, I then unleashed a black and dark red explosion of darkness, causing me to immediately de-prime and unleash an extremely fast and furious flurry of slashes that Kirito had trouble keeping up with. Suddenly, my rage disappeared just as I brought down Gram, unleashing a dark explosion that vaporised Kirito's katana and forced Gram to dematerialise. "Huh?", I thought, not noticing the large crater that the explosion had created. I then promptly dodged an attack that Kirito had launched with a spiked metal whip he had summoned out of thin air. Then, I unleashed a giant storm of black and dark red energy that dispersed to reveal a suit of black draconic armour. "So, to think you already had such control over Fafnir's power is absolutely terrifying.", Kirito said. "Why? Oh, I see; you're jealous of my Azure Grimoire's power.", I snarled. I then resummoned Gram to my right hand and promptly rushed at Kirito, who also rushed at me in turn. Once I got within striking range, I then unleashed a violent onslaught that Kirito just managed to keep up with. This was then followed up by a razor sharp beam of black and dark red energy that Kirito dodged just in time. Taking the opportunity to launch a counterattack, he then dismissed his whip for a greatsword made out of black steel that seemed to have bloodstains on it and promptly unleashed a powerful slash that I parried with a single slash before continuing my attack. Preparing to strike, I then saw Gram disappear yet again alongside my draconic armour. Oddly, so too had Kirito.
Wondering where Kirito had gone, I then saw a mysterious cavity that led underground. As I walked down, I saw a strange purple mist. Suddenly, I then found myself in a strange living room with a roaring fire in the fireplace. "Where am I?", I asked. "You really don't remember?", Mitsuba's voice said. "Remember when we used to play here as children?", Mordred's voice said. "Wait, what do you mean?", I asked. Getting no response, I then found myself outside the Happy Hotel again. Strangely, the doors were open as if the hotel itself was beckoning me to come in. "Seriously, though, what does the hotel have to do with me?", I asked. "Oh, the answer to that will come sooner than you think.", Husk's voice said. "We're all waiting for you. Please enter.", Shadow's voice said. Before I could enter the hotel, I then found myself in a strange bedroom with the blinds closed. Sensing a strange power from the room itself, I walked over to the bed and raised the covers, seeing a strange note. The note read, "Subject continues to resist all mind control procedures carried out. Tampering with the subject's food and use of mind manipulation magecraft has failed to turn the subject into the tyrant we want him to become. Will have to resort to more forceful measures if subject continues to resist.". "Why would people want to brainwash me? It doesn't make sense.", I thought before I caught yet another whiff of a pungent smell of rosemary. "Wait, this is what was in Cecilia's house. So why is it here?", I asked. "You ask questions to which you already know the answer. Such an inquisitive mind is unbecoming of the Sovereign.", Ultima's voice said. "What could possibly be so wrong with seeking knowledge and information?", I asked. "See, you're doing it again. We really need you to stop doing that and just crush all those who oppose you. No mercy, no sympathy, no kindness.", Charlie's voice said. "In fact, you did so back when you were a child, didn't you?", Edelgard's voice asked. "What are you saying?", I asked. "Don't try to deny it. You killed the people who 'cared' for you when you were young. Not that I blame you for doing so.", Eggman's voice said. "Well, we say 'cared' but in reality YHVH sent them to abuse you and plunge you into the depths of despair. You see, when you were born, you were indeed adopted by Artoria and Gilgamesh shortly after your birth but complications prevented them from actually picking you up. You were intended to be sent to Noah and Mio so they would look after and protect you but due to a shift in the dimensional fabric, Magilou instead sent you to another world where you would be looked after by a Duncan Martin Arnold and his wife Suzanne Julie Arnold. Or that would have been the case had YHVH not pre-empted this and replaced them with the angels Adam and Lute who had been shapeshifted to look like them. Eventually, the abuse they placed on you prompted you to kill them.", Tomoe's voice said. "And I personally couldn't be happier.", Charlie's voice said. "How so?", I asked before the room became distorted. Suddenly, a bright flash filled the room, bringing me to Chaldea yet again.
Looking around the room, I then came across a strange book. As I read it, I then saw visions of a strange demon with deer horns fighting against a motley crew of fighters in a dark throne. After the vision faded, I then saw a man covered in dark red fire leave the room. Chasing after him, I then saw that Chaldea itself had become very temporally and spatially distorted with a lot of Gloom infesting the hallways. "Just who would allow Chaldea to become so infected by the corruptive substance of Gloom?", I thought. Walking forward, I then saw that parts of the floor had just collapsed and were literally descending into the depths of the planet. "What are you waiting for? Descend into the Depths and prepare for your rebirth, just as we did.", Kadoc's voice said. "Wait, are you implying what I think you're implying?", I asked. "That's right. We took the holy power of both Gloom and the Silent Core into ourselves and allowed them to rebirth us in holy light. You meanwhile were thoroughly corrupted by the vile Infinity Core that is horridly protecting you when it was supposed to be dispelled by the combined holiness of both Gloom and the Silent Core.", Darnic's voice said. "But I thought that Gloom and the Silent Core only corrupted people. If anything, Julio and Komba's testimonies are proof of that.", I said. "You really believe that fertiliser? And I thought you were actually intelligent.", Fiore's voice said. "But if you really want to keep living a lie, then be my guest.", Daybit's voice said. "Just don't expect us to help you when you need it.", Angelica's voice said. Undeterred, I then found myself in CHALDEAS's chamber, where a sinister black and dark red orb was surrounding it. As I touched it, I then saw a vision of Yasuhiro talking to Geralt, Madoka, Mai, Frederick, Harry, Ezio, Logan, Sonic, Futaba, Goku, Barry and Snake. "And that's about it. I hope you all cooperate and help to complete the Aionios Waxing Moon Ritual.", Yasuhiro said. "But what about the Evils of Humanity? What if they decide to participate in the Ritual?", Barry asked. "And we're also missing the Avenger-class Servant we were promised.", Snake said. "I believe the Avenger shall come in time. As for the Beasts, I will devise measures preventing them from interfering.", Yasuhiro said as the vision faded. Suddenly, I then became overcome with a strong sense of anger, the Negative Speed Force itself bursting forth from my body. As my langer faded, I then heard a sharp knock on the door. Opening it, I then saw Tomoe wearing a lavish black and dark red kimono. "I think we need to talk about something.", she said.
The story continues in the next chapter.