//SHIFTING POINT OF VIEW FROM [SEBASTIAN CORMIER] TO–

//WARNING.

//WARNING.

//THE OSSUARY IS NOT A PLACE FOR MORTAL EYES. ACCESS DENI–

//OVERRIDE ACTIVATED: CLEARANCE LEVEL: //NULL.

//SHIFTING POINT OF VIEW FROM [SEBASTIAN CORMIER] TO [THE END].

//INITIATING TEMPORARY SHIFT.

The End cracked its back and stood from its throne, a mass of starmatter that was warm enough in the cold emptiness yet not so hot that it grew uncomfortable when the Ossuary found itself in the comforting embrace of true existence. The End still held the form it had borrowed from Sebastian, as it had no reason to change up until now.

Investigator stood hunched over a board of constantly shifting dots and the threads connecting them, a dull trill emerging from it that spoke at the deep concentration it was in. The End walked past it in silence, leaving the creature to its irreplaceable duties to make way towards the single part of the Ossuary that would touch existence. It was beyond rare that The End stepped out into an existence that wasn’t fraying at the seams or worse, so as Sebastian’s feet melted away into the mass of wire and ethereal cloth that was The End’s true form, it breathed a sigh of satisfaction.

“It is hauntingly beautiful, is it not?” Guard said wistfully, scanning the simple disk of dark blue light that would transfer them to the summit. “To witness something that does not have its sunrises numbered.”

The End nodded in agreement, its wires twisting and gathering cloth to form something reminiscent of a bipedal form. A long, flowing robe settled over the puppet-like figure, its featureless head hidden in a hood of dark blue cloth that cast unnatural shadows while its arms were sheathed in flowing sleeves that dragged along the ground. The End could make itself more presentable, of course, but there was a certain expectation of the most feared and reviled Embodiment of them all.

//I AM PREPARED, GUARD.

//INITIATE THE TRANSPORTATION SEQUENCE.

A small smile crept across Guard’s ashen face, the deep scars cut into their flesh breathing a dull white light as it knelt down and pressed its forehead and palms to the dark blue floor. The End knew its amusement was from the connection The End had formed with Sebastian, the same way that every resident of the Ossuary chuckled and smiled when they saw The End was not stoic and statuesque for once.

The End didn’t mind in the slightest. To finally take a chosen thanks to the failures of another Embodiment, and to do so in complete secrecy, had proven infinitely more enjoyable than it had expected. To form a connection to a being that hadn’t met its true and final end wasn't something The End had ever expected, yet all the pieces had fallen together oh so perfectly in a mockery of probability and chance.

At this summit, there would be one additional Embodiment announcing its chosen. The End couldn’t wait to see Flux and Stagnation’s reactions when it added a third to the primordial Embodiments’ retinue, even if it was mere indignity at having their tiebreaker removed for another competitor. But The End had known those two since before Time took its first toddling steps, and it knew that indignation would pass within minutes to make way for excitement.

It was the others The End was worried about. Flux and Stagnation’s chosen had needed extreme protection for decades and centuries respectively, but they’d been public knowledge. Sebastian was not. The End could let him blossom on his own time, and if he grew beyond the man The End knew he could become, the other Embodiments would fear him one day. Him and the unwitting priestess of Moricla he’d somehow become fast friends with.

Guard raised its head and stepped towards the archway that had quietly appeared in the exact center of the dark blue platform, a shimmering mirror of silver so white it barely deserved the name. Guard pressed its hand to the metal, its reflection shattering and twisting into someone else; a woman with mostly human proportions except for the coronet of stained glass that hovered above her head. And the eyes that shimmered and refracted to match it.

She gasped and fell back, all vitality draining from her midnight black skin as she scrambled backwards at the sight of The End and Guard. Guard held its side of the promise and said nothing, stepping through the active gateway to lead the way for The End.

//I APOLOGIZE FOR STARTLING YOU, YOUNG ONE.

//DO YOU REQUIRE ANY ASSISTANCE?

The End’s words flowed over the startled Embodiment, creeping into her mind and taking hold like a clutch of spiders. She shivered and turned away, trying not to create a scene while also having as little contact with The End as possible.

“No, primordial. I apologize for my behavior, primordial.” She quickly said before rising to her feet and tripping over herself to hurry to where the human Embodiments had gathered, drawing The End’s attention to the Embodiment who had unwittingly delivered Sebastian into The End’s embrace.

Guard noticed The End’s attention shift and sighed, pressing a hand to The End’s flowing robes to get its attention. “We have to meet Flux and Stagnation before the human Embodiments announce their chosen. You’ll have time to mingle once that is over.”

//YES, YES. OF COURSE.

The End gently brushed off Guard’s touch and let itself be led through the opulent gathering to the closed-off section where Flux and Stagnation waited, their own retinues speaking in hushed tones just outside of the precipice. The End nodded to the two beings, one of which was a pristine amalgam of metal and flesh in perfect harmony, the other a rough-faced being who wore a militaristic uniform with singed holes and frayed threads, and walked straight through the door that led into the soundless room where Flux and Stagnation waited.

“Ah, good, you’re here.” Flux said cheerily, its voice like the tinkling of infinite glass windchimes working together to reproduce vocal chords. “We were just about to discuss which human Embodiments will need our protection. Sit, sit; your chair is undisturbed, as always.”

The End stared at the glassy figure that was Flux, a rainbow of coloured winds howling inside its form and leaking out at points to give colour to hair, fingernails, bony wings and wicked talons at the end of powerful legs. In human culture, Flux would have been described as something of a centaur, but its bottom half wasn’t any creature that humans had ever seen. It had far too many mouths, far too many teeth, and far too many constantly shifting eyes.

“Well, if you count the switch from arguing to a pleasant conversation ‘just about to’, then yes, you are correct.” Stagnation sighed, its voice deep and ancient like the shifting of continental plates. It leaned on one elbow, seeming to be half-asleep as it spoke, but The End knew better. Stagnation was infinitely more alert than it showed. “A brand new batch of chosen is something that happens once every dozen centuries, if that. From the way they were launched into the collective existence, they’re going to need an abundance of help.”

Stagnation simply looked like a stone statue covered in fine silks, tendrils of bone running down its back before winding into a dress-like covering of its legs. The stone was both darker than possible and weathered from age, and the twin embers of deep violet light that was its eyes shone with an intelligence honed over unknown millennia.

The End took its seat between Stagnation and Flux, across from the empty seat that would remain that way forever more. For the better of all existence. The one forgotten by all but the three who sat at the perfectly square table of starstuff.

No longer having to worry about its voice harming the others, The End spoke for the first time in centuries.

“I witnessed the end of humanity. The rot spreads even now, so long after its death, and the gift we gave humanity might add up to naught.” It said, its voice a perfect average of each and every speech-capable being who had ended throughout existence. “We must push for humanity to be left alone for at least two decades so they have sufficient time to build and adapt to the collective existence.”

Flux and Stagnation shared a look, then nodded in agreement.

“They have not had enough time to grow and flourish.” Flux said, spreading its hands across the table and causing the surface to shift and bubble. Landmarks grew from the starstuff, things from human myths and legends along with the crown jewels they’d managed to create on their own. “The land they’ve been given is young, influenceable, and needs time to settle on what it will become. Until that time, humans will be at an insurmountable disadvantage thanks to their lands’ hazards.”

Stagnation waited patiently for the landmarks to fall back into the table, then pressed its own hands into the piece of furniture. This time, humans appeared. Emperors, kings, queens, soldiers, tribal people, average modern citizens, and many more crowded the surface like ants.

“There are far too many of them who remember nothing of their history. Or who didn’t learn in the first place.” Stagnation rumbled, pressing its fingers down on a few individuals that meant nothing to The End. “Some are unknown to all, their teachings and lessons dead and buried under centuries of propaganda and war. They need time to explore the hazards and retrieve the treasures and knowledge they deserve. Until they have, they will be at an insurmountable disadvantage thanks to their peoples’ ignorance.”

Stagnation and Flux turned to The End as if waiting for its input, but it knew they had already made up their minds. There was no tie to break here; even if they spoke of different reasons, humans needed to be protected. The few chosen who retained their memories from the gift Flux and Stagnation gave to the human Embodiments wouldn’t be anywhere near enough to raise them to the universal standard.

“We will push for a grace period for humanity.” The End decreed, receiving nods of agreement from Flux and Stagnation. “A time for them to build, learn, and grow powerful enough to stand a chance in the collective existence. But now that that’s done with…”

Stagnation and Flux visibly relaxed, a deck of cards materializing from the table with the markings of humanity’s most common suits. The End reached over and shuffled the cards, then distributed five to each of the primordial Embodiments. It placed the remaining cards in the center of the table, then flipped over a card right beside it. It was the eight of hearts, so The End placed it somewhere in the middle and flipped over another card.

“So how’s Esvec doing? He’s what, nine now?” Flux asked, the question directed at Stagnation who smiled wide and pinched the table right in front of him.

A young man smiling wide with sharp, chipped teeth appeared out of the starstuff, and Stagnation sat back with pride as they began gushing. The End smiled and nodded along as Stagnation spoke of their chosen’s multiple-dozen-times-great grandson, then Flux did the same of theirs, a young woman who was just about to be admitted to her people’s most prestigious university on the all-world.

But this time, when the two other primordial Embodiments finished gushing and went to resume the game, The End didn’t play a card on its turn. Instead, it reached down to touch the table and pulled out a figure armored in blue and white that held a sword in one hand and a whirlpool of power in the other.

“My oldest friends,” The End said with a pride it never expected to feel, “I have someone to introduce to you.”

//POINT OF VIEW RETURNING TO [SEBASTIAN CORMIER].

//SYNCHING…

//COMMUNICATIONS INTERRUPTED.

//POINT OF VIEW SHIFTING TO [TAREL OF HUMAN WILL].

//INITIATING TEMPORARY SHIFT.