Machina Arcanis: Two Worlds Collided-Chapter 278. Epilogue + Announcement
Epilogue
"I knew it! Celestius Nyrethein is actually nice!" πππππ¬πππ·ππΏππ‘.ππΈπ
Cartier's voice echoed in the vast beauty of the universe, bouncing against the ever-impressive backdrop of the Hall of Fates.
The only response she received was a toothy snarl on Nyrethein's lips.
The Moirai, Atropaia and Lacheryn, surged forward to greet them. It was only then that Zetius realised the Titanesses were capable of an affable smile. They seemed sincerely happy to see them. It was such a human reaction from the divine entities.
"Champion, Grand Master, and little kitten," Atropaia's voice echoed, resounding effortlessly through the void.
"A curious one, indeed," Lacheryn nodded, ever agreeable.
Zetius, Cartier, and Nyrethein exchanged formal pleasantries before getting on with their objectives. Namely, the loose thread.
For the two weeks since Zetius had left for Valsorda, Cartier had been far from idle. The bookworm rarely stopped consuming tomes and their knowledge; it was as if the scent of old paper was air to her. Apparently, she wasn't alone; she had been using her threads of Noctua to search for the Astral Empress' location.
Despite her efforts, tracking the Underworld turned out to be near impossible, simply because no one who journeyed to the Underworld ever came back to tell the story.
She had learnt some mythology about the legendary three-headed hound, Cerberus, as well as the cyclops and the giants. Yet, that information was in no shape or form steering them closer to Aurora.
There was a discussion she'd had with Zetius, and they had only come to one conclusion: death.
But even dying wasn't going to bring their empress back, even if they did meet her in the Underworld somehow. With their brains picked clean and options exhausted, Cartier had come to a bright idea.
The Moirai.
They would ask the guidance of the greatest, wisest of all.
"O' Wisest, Most Enlightened Ones," Cartier performed a curtsy. "May thee enlighten us humble mortals? Is there a way to descend to the Underworld?"
"It is the simplest thing mortals can do." Lacheryn's lips ticked upward. "Dieβ"
"If I may," Zetius interrupted, smiling dryly. "We'd like to come back from the journey as well."
"Then, you must transcend to godhood." Atropaia smiled, pointing her finger. "The Second Order deities can naturally travel through dimensions beyond your physical plane."
Zetius's jaw dropped. "What does that even mean, Sister?"
"Simple," Lacheryn began again. "You must cultivate your heavenly virtue against extreme hardship. Your soul, mind, and body must be cleansed!" she grinned. Zetius could already see how much she enjoyed this.
"A trial by fire? The path of Heracles?" Cartier blurted, palms flying to her lips. She didn't mean to say that aloud.
"I love it!" Nyrethein exclaimed with joy, her silver gaze directed at Zetius.
His shoulders slumped. "Oh, Gaia⦠Haven't I endured enough already?" he groaned, finding it only partially amusing.
Lacheryn gave a prompt nod, but Atropaia argued, riffling through her ancient tome. "Sister, you must have forgotten. The record states that Heracles was born a demigod. Which none of these mortals are."
"Oh⦠Too many missing ingredients, I see." Lacheryn clasped her chin while Atropaia reconsidered.
"How about the Divine Marriage?" The Sister of the Present blurted, lifting her finger sharply.
"A what?" Zetius choked out. His face had gone pale.
"Yes, yes! We could perhaps find a suitable deity who is open to amalgamating with the Champion here." Lacheryn slapped Zetius's shoulder, giving him a boost of encouragement he didn't need.
"But the only supreme king of gods must give his consentβ¦" Lacheryn eyed her sister, letting out a slightly disappointed exhalation. "There are much, much fewer deities now, let alone the ability to inquire for consent from a fallen king."
Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.
Nyrethein glanced back at him from under her eyelids, teasing. He could only smile and shrug in response.
"Hmm⦠A journey from the one-way flow," Atropaia crossed her arms, contemplating Cartier's request. "Sister, can we tackle the fourth dimension? Perhaps the fifth dimension?"
"What are those?" Cartier tilted her head, frowning.
Lacheryn shook her head as she flicked her arms, coalescing with arcane, "As long as Cronos's seal is intact, time only ever goes forward in a singular line as such." A line of golden thread manifested in front of them, showing the continuity of their timeline.
"This must be governed by the Zensus, O' Moirai?" Nyrethein probed, her tone solemn. The closer she was, the taller and more imposing the figures of the Sisters of Fate became.
"Naturally."
"What is the Zensus?" Zetius mumbled, brows knitted into a deep crease.
He didn't mean to ask it aloud, but thought-actualisation was the inherent nature of the Dreamless Realm. He couldn't quite figure that part out. His knowledge of this place was just a mere snowflake on an island-sized glacier.
"The Zensus is the eternal rules of the universe. The rules of our universe," Atropaia conceded, clasping her horizontal arms.
"I see⦠I've seen the word appear in the ancient Ionian texts a few times!" Cartier chirped, committing it to memory as she gestured the writing in the air.
"Now, now," Nyrethein expressed her polite interruption. "We still need to proceed with our objectives. We should rather not waste your precious time, Ancient Ones."
"Excellent, Grand Masterβ¦ Very wellβ¦" Atropaia nodded, appreciative, before turning to Lacheryn. Her upper sets of arms were still spinning the threads, yet at a much slower pace than usual.
"I believe there is a ritual that can separate the astral part from the body temporarily," Lacheryn grumbled, making a triangle with her fingers.
"Is there?" Cartier's eyes widened with surprise. The gleam in them was the return of hope.
"But we believe it is the lost arcane. Though, close to certain artes in your modern time."
"What is it?" Zetius pried, his curiosity flaring up.
"Necromancy and restoration," Atropaia revealed.
Nyrethein chuckled in satisfaction, prompting a side-eye from Zetius. "I always know those two aren't mutually exclusive after all." The dark elf sized him up like a spectacular work of art. Zetius was indeed the master deed of the great twelve Archmages.
The Titanesses nodded collectively.
"With that, we must part for now. Grand Master." They spared a respectful glance, then looked at Zetius and Cartier.
"We appreciate your kind enlightenment," Nyrethein said, her tone velvety as she performed a curtsy. The rest followed her.
Her silver strands fanned out majestically as she spun. Nyrethein hovered her palms over the empty space. With a soft weave of dark light, a red glowing door manifested in the air.
"Come, we must find Serene and Vivian."
"They'll help us, right?" Cartier asked, frowning at the uncertainty.
Nyrethein sighed. "Vivian will help, undoubtedly." Her gaze fell onto the pristine platform. "But SereneβI'll think of somethingβ¦" Her words became a grumble.
Zetius angled to her side. "Do they hate each other?"
"You picked up fast." Nyrethein wore a brief smug look, only to be replaced with an exhausted smile.
"Serene is a difficult to work with." She conceded.
"More difficult than you?" Zetius blurted, quickly clasping his month in regret.
Nyrethein narrowed her eyes at the man, clearly offended. "That's another problem to tackle for another time, children."
With dismissive wave, Nyrethein disappeared into the portal, leaving Zetius and Cartier to exchange a shrug.
"See you on the other side!" Cartier lilted before walking through the fissure, her fur tail vanished.
Without further ado, Zetius took a stride, only to be halted by a lingering weight.
A presence with so much inertia came near him. His heart hitched, and the hair on his arms shot up. Every instinctive alarm went off at the same time.
His frantic eyes looked around the vast Chamber of Fates.
"What's going on?" he murmured to himself, feeling the unknown presence fade.
His drumming heart returned to normal. He looked at the platform. The Titanesses were already occupied with their tasks; the massive threads undulated into the galaxies and nebulas.
Zetius pulled his silver fringe back. "That's really creepyβ¦" Then, deciding it was best to leave, he proceeded through the portal.
The null greeted him as he felt weightlessness β the absence of light and heat. He closed his eyes, focusing on his meditation. He could never get used to travelling in and out of the Dreamless Realm. The absence of presence was always daunting.
Then, the light of the door came as his body passed through the tunnel, flying at unimaginable speed as all five of his senses were stripped away.
As warmth returned to his skin, sound rushed through like erratic waves. He gasped for air. His palms felt the soft texture of the vibrant carpet floor; he was back in the Earthly Realm. To one of the chambers in Vale Castle, to be precise.
He scrambled to his feet, coughing a few times. His tongue tasted his own saliva again. Such a peculiar sensation now that he thought about it.
Silver locks entered his peripheral vision. Nyrethein's perhaps? His blurry eyes slowly adjusted to the light. There was a voice in his ears, calling him. But he couldn't comprehend it until eventually, he could make it out as his mind now tethered to reality.
"Zetius, it's been a while, hasn't it?"
Zetius's red eyes widened in disbeliefβ¦
