What is this weapon saying? It has been waiting for me?

What are you? Some two bit overused template of a villain?

{When we were told that we only need to wait, when we were told time and fate will bring us our salvation, we weren't a believer of such words.}

I have zero idea of what it's talking about. Who's we? Who told you what? And what's with the pronoun games?

{It's apparent our distrust is misplaced. We were wrong.}

Why are you referring yourself with a plural form pronoun suddenly?

{You are perplexed.} It told me.

{Why wouldn't I be?} I retorted.

{From what we are told, the Harbinger is an enlightened individual, knowledgeable, sagacious. I can conclude, you are none of those.}

{Cause I'm might not be the Harbinger?} Why is it switching between we and I?

The lance went silent for a moment. I feel like it's observing in the ensuing silence.

{Why do you refer to yourself as a group and an individual interchangeably?}

{Perhaps we are right in doubting the full credibility of those words.} It ignored my question.

You mean the words that told you I was coming?

It then chuckles as if it had read my mind but I doubt it has such ability. Hopefully.

{What are you? A sentient living weapon?}

{We are of a single mind, comprises of millions of individual souls but we are a single consensus.}

That doesn't answer my question. What is with this lance? What crap is it spouting about being a single mind? You're obviously a single individual unless you're stating that you have a cluster of souls stuffed into a single body.

And its ominous aura, this is it. The negative presence I have been sensing ever since I woke up in that cell, the aura that seems to affect the behavior of mine ever since. This lance right here, is the source.

{And what are you?}

{A single consensus. To the mortals, the apex of aberrations.}

King of aberrations? Would your name happen to be a heart under a blade? But once again, it walked the cliche path of a villain. Perhaps, I phrased my question the wrong way. Allow me to rephrase that. {Who are you?}

Then, the lance rippled like the surface of water. The sight seems almost unreal but I know I'm not in a dream.

{We are an existence of many, we are a world, a universe, a dimension in itself, --

Okay.... here goes....

-- a fragment of the Void.}

O...kay? Void? Doesn't solve any myst.... wait. There's one..... that ability.... Could it be?

I search my memory.

After recalling countless pointless stuff, I arrive at that one memory that matters.

That one ability.

[Void Exalted].

Am I their salvation because of that unique Arcane Art of mine.

However..... I still didn't get its name. Just be straight, please. And I don't mean your sexual preference.

{I'm asking for a name.}

{We have no need of such thing. We are a single consensus, discrimination of any form doesn't exist among us. Any other species than us are only an insignificance.}

{Do you have to make it so complicated?}

{No more words. Release me.}

{Me? What happened to us?} Okay. That sounds a little bit weird when I said it out loud. This is not a love quarrel.

{Though we are a single consensus, a single mind, we are still individuals. Name, albeit unnecessary, this individual does have a name, I am *High Lord*.}

*(A/N: High Lord in Helix is Aedrox.)

High Lord? Aedrox? {Who named you? I don't find it very likely you named yourself.}

{The name is given by a certain mortal who tried to postpone the inevitable.} Aedrox answered.

I guessed this mortal succeeded which explains why this lance, Aedrox is sealed. Well done, whoever you are. I'm sure you save a lot by doing this.

"Argh!" I shouted when I felt my mind being compressed.

This is getting worse with every passing moment. I have to get out of here.

{You cannot leave.}

My head is still hurting. I'm loosing grasp on my patience. My breathing is even accelerating. {Why is that? Are you going to stop me?}

{Force and violence are no influence on the threads of fate. Nothing is. It can't be tempered by mere mortals.}

I am really starting to get piss off from its repeated uses of the word "mortal". And the headache is not helping. {If you're not going to stop me, who and what's to say that I can't just walk out of here?}

The lance fell silent.

I like to think that I won the argument but I know better. So far, it has been wiser than me in words. I doubt I easily won an argument with it.

{If that is truly what you believe, then please, walk away.}

{You really think I'll believe you are just going to let me walk away? What if you attack me when I'm not looking?} Okay.... What am I saying now?

{Remember my words.}

"Something something cannot interrupt fate" was it that? What a load of bull.

{What will happened to you if I leave?}

{If you leave.}

{You said each of you are individuals. What about the others? Where are they?}

{In time, fate will bring you to them.}

Not very cooperative, I see. Damn it. I can't leave this thing alone here.

Who knows, someone else might stumbled into this place and get tempted by an atrocious deal and release this evil.

Ugh....! This is frustrating. Can I just leave?

{Still here?}

I would to like leave but I don't want to. There are things that aren't clear yet.

{Why am I the Harbinger?} Yes. I want to know that.

{A question only fate has the answer to.}

{What is the Harbinger?}

{Our salvation.}

Vague answers again. Should have just said "I don't know", no need to be so long-winded.

{Is that lance your vessel?}

Aedrox, the lance chuckles again.

{It does not matter. Only the true vessel does.}

I narrow my eyes at his vague answers. Should I charge one dollar for every vague answers? What's the point? It's useless.

I turn around and begin to leave but I stop.

I turn back and face Aedrox the lance again.

{What makes you assumed that I am the Harbinger? Or do you simply proclaimed anyone that stumbles into here as the Harbinger?}

{The reason is incomprehensible by mortals.}

I groan at its expected words. Just as I turn around to walk away, I turn back to the lance again. I can't leave. I'm too frustrated to just leave it at that. I want answers.

{Not leaving?}

{Just answer the damn question.}

{You want to leave but you can't. You can't leave this place.}

I can't leave?

Why not. If I want to, I will already be out of here.

{You, like any other mortals, are tied to fate and it has brought you here, to me. You can't leave until you serve the purpose fate had bestowed you.}

I fell silent. Something about his words has shaken me. {What are you trying to say?} My words and tone are unstable.

{No matter how much you desired to leave this place, you will always have a reason to stay. No matter who or what incurred a reason for you to leave, a counter reason would be incurred to make you stay. This is the threads of fate. This is what it means to be bound by it. You can't leave.}

Ah.... I think I see what it meant. A very subtle mind trick, a brainwash. It lets you think you are doing what it wants but in reality, you are doing what it wants. Is this its power? It's terrifying and impressive.

{Do not be mistaken. I'm not the one with the tricks of mind.}

It read my mind. I don't think it could do that so, it might just be a lucky guess for it.

{I understand. You find it difficult, your grasp on reality is loosening. Your mind is disorientated because you attempt to fathom the existence of fate.}

{Are you trying to say I'm not leaving because this is how things is suppose to be?}

{It is not something a mortal can understand.}

Here you go again with two bit villain lines. {Then explain it in a way that a mortal can. I think I deserve that much as your apparent savior after all.}

It went quiet again. I think it's contemplating.

{Fine.} It answered. {The actions that you have took, the path you have chosen, the decisions you have made, every one of those have led you here, to this moment, to this time, to me. An inevitable course. Desires played no part in it. All those things that have happened, not because you wished it to or you wanted it to, it happened because it's meant to be.}

I see.... is this it..... is this how a computer program feels? To let them think they are doing what they want but in truth, it is the will of its operator, not its. Are we just programs for fate to be manipulated?

{What do you think led you here?}

What? What led me here?

It's....

It's....

It's my desire? No, it's not. If anything, I want to get out of this place.

I came here..... because I wanted to....?

No no no no no. That's not it.

I don't know why I approach here. I don't even know where I was heading to. This place, I can feel the danger and yet, I approached this place. Why?

All those time, I have been wandering aimlessly. Was it truly aimless or was it meant to be like what Aedrox said? Was I wrong in thinking that I was simply wandering and hope stumble upon an exit by sheer chance? I truly believed that was the case but now.....

{Fate is an unfathomable existence to mortals. Any attempts to understand it is only an exercise in futility.}

I have lost count on how many times I have heard that line from a villain. Who wrote your script? Fire him already.

{But in the end, none of those is of the essence. You need not comprehend. You only need to surrender yourself to the threads of fate.}

Why should I?

....

Why shouldn't I?

It has always been this way if its words can be trusted.

Should I do it? Should I release it?

Wait. What am I talking about?

It's just a weapon what harm can it do?

No. I shouldn't.

But if I have such power, making it out of this place is most definitely a given.

Stop it! What am I thinking?

It's just a weapon. A sentient weapon. At worst, it will just try to take over me. I just need to not let it control me. It's just like a very typical gimmick in a fantasy story. It should be easy.

No, it won't be. I can't do this. This isn't right. What's happening to me? Why am I thinking like that?

Plus, it's fate. What can I do against it?

Damn it! Don't.

It's useless. I can't fight it. I have to take the lance. It's meant.... to... be....

.

Right before my fingertip touches the hilt of the lance, I can feel time have stopped. I can tell because I have experience a similar thing in the beginning. The drifting pebbles in the air are now just hovering. The air flow have even stopped.

"Stop!" A voice called out.

What the.....

This voice.....

Why.....

Why now?

"I know you're confused but you can't do that."

Is the loli voice.

"Hey! I am not a child, mind you. I'm older than you by a huge margin."

Ah.... a loli baba.

"What!? You insolent.... -- Calm down. Calm down. That's not what I'm here for."

Now? Only now? "Why did you appear now of all times?"

"Why?" The voice asked me back if she herself can't believe I ask such question. "Because you're about to do something that will shift the balance and not for the greater good. What you are about to do will even threaten the Gods."

I figured as much about that but why should I care? "And?"

"What do you mean "and"? Don't you realize what kind of catastrophe is it when it could even threaten the gods?" The voice sounded a lot less calmer than the last time.

"What has it done for me so far? This world I mean. Why should I care? And besides at that time, what have you done for me? As far as I can tell, your advice merely prolonged my suffering."

"I...."

"Playing blind and dumb won't help, loli baba."

"I'm not playing blind and dumb! And my name's not loli baba."

"Then what's your name?"

"Ha.... That's right." The voice sounded disheartened. "You have even forgotten my name but we did talk about that."

"Have we met? "

"No.... Not really...."

"Not really?"

"It's complicated."

For fuck sake. "Nothing needs to be complicated. You can just tell me. Why can't you just tell me?"

"I'm.... I'm sorry. I can't do that."

"You can't tell me your name or you can't tell me if we have met?"

She hesitated. "Both."

"Ha! Just great." I scoffed. I even begin laughing for whatever reasons I have.

"Hyx.... I...."

"Damn it!" I screamed and I kicked at the sand of pebbles on the ground, raising, a small cloud of dust.

"Calm down, Hyx."

"HOW!?" I screamed at the voice. "Do you have any idea of what I had been through!?"

Don't be silent on me now.

"I have almost died on so many occasions. I have literally met with death. And no matter how much I suffered..... I can't seem to even make it all end." Ah.... I see now. Is this why committing never cross my mind because it's not to be for me to die? What kind of sick fucking joke is this?

"Things that I have never thought of seeing in my whole life and I have just seen everything of it. Enough to last a life time and the next and the next." I just keep screaming at the voice. I can't stop even I want to but I don't want to. There's just so much inside of me that I have to get it out.

So tell me, do you know what I have been through?"

Come on, answer me. Keeping quiet ain't gonna help you.

Answer me....

Answer me.

"ANSWER ME!"

"Yes...."

"And you want me to help you....? With what? No. Forget I asked. It's just going be another "complicated" answer."

And as low and as cold as my voice can get, I ask "Are you the one?"

"Am I the one?" the voice sounded confuse.

I scoffed. "Are you the one who transported me to this world?"

"A......"

"Complicated again, huh?"

"I'm sorry. I can't...."

"What are you sorry for? I don't need your sympathy." I told the voice. No, I need answers and reasons but I just can't seem to get those two.

"......"

"You know what? In fact, I don't need anything from you. I don't need you."

"Hyx.... Is not that simple. To tell you everything is.... Please know that it's hard for me too."

It's hard...." I laughed, I laughed like a maniac. "As oppose to mine?"

"If I tell you everything, it defeats the whole purpose you being in this world. It defeats the whole purpose of you being the Harbinger."

"Harbinger.... What has that got to do with me?"

"Everything. You promised, after all. You promised..... You promised to help me."

"Stop it! Stop it with those...."

I was interrupted.

"Hyx!" The loli baba raised its voice. "I'm sorry. I know this is hard. I don't expect you to understand, at least not now, but I begged you.... I begged you...."

Are you.... are you crying.....

There wasn't anyone in front of me but I felt a presence. A warm presence. It made me froze but I froze because of a sudden warmth that embrace me. I felt like.... I was.... hugged.

"....please endure this. I know you're confused. I know it's a lot but this is what you promised. This is all I can do now."

I went silent on hearing those words.

"How can I help you when I can't even help myself?" Is this loli baba delusional? Does she even know what kind of person I am?

"By being the Harbinger, you have already partially fulfilled your promise."

Why did I make such promise? Was I asleep? Was I high? Was there no terms and agreements? "What is the Harbinger? Please, at least tell me that."

"I suppose I can tell you this much."

You have yet to tell me anything, you know? Let alone "this much".

"The Harbinger. The one who will bring forth a great change to the world. A legend among legends. Even some of the Gods believe it to be mere stories. A fable even among Gods."

Cliche.... but.... "Why me? Why chose me to change the world?"

"You won't be the one changing it."

Huh? I won't?

"Perhaps I haven't been precise with my words. The Harbinger is a guide to the one who will change the world. And you are that guide, Hyx Atlas."

"Then.... who is this person that will change the world? That lance whose name is Aedrox?"

"No. Aedrox is just a hitchhiker to your purpose. As for who is the one you will guide, that is a question that only the Harbinger himself knows."

I guess I expected too much answers. At least, she answered some questions.

"So what did this lance want me for?"

"Like I said, you're someone who will guide the...." The voice the loli baba makes while looking for the right words is kinda cute to listen to but my mind is not on that matter right now. ".... game changer."

"Game changer? Is there no official term for it?"

"You as the Harbinger, can decide that. This native of the Void wants the game changer."

I see. It thinks I can bring it a worthy vessel, the "game changer".

"If you are still thinking about using that lance, I implore you think about the ones you care for."

The ones I care for? Does she means my party? "Have you been watching me?"

"Your facial expression is quite obvious, you know? Is not that hard to figure out about you."

That's not a no or a yes to my question.

"My time is up." The voice suddenly announced. "I have spent too much time here already."

I sigh. "I suppose it's fruitless for me to ask the reason of those words?"

"Yes. And I'm sorry."

"Then, humor me with more question, are you a goddess?"

I can tell she smiled. "Yes." I felt something cupping my cheeks. "I'm your Goddess."

"What does that mean?"

"That's another mystery for you. If I remember correctly, you enjoy mysteries, don't you?"

Only in fictions, loli baba.

"Please hang in there, Harbinger. It's all in a hard day's work."

"All in a hard day's work?" I mused. Hmm.... Those words.... they are oddly familiar to me. "I said those words, didn't I?"

"Yes. More times than I can count. I guess it has rubbed off on me." Underneath those words, I heard a low sniff "See you when I see you, Harbinger."

And she was gone, as fast and sudden as she appeared.

It might just be my imagination but when she said "Harbinger", she kinda emphasized it a with high pitch.

Now.... should I trust her or trust my actions?

As I thought of that, time resumes.

{Why did you stop, Harbinger?} The puzzlement in its voice is apparent.

It appears it isn't aware of the conversation that had occurred. Should I tell this lance of my conversation with the loli baba?

Of course not. Why should I?

I don't need some old loli goddess to tell me if I should or shouldn't release such an ominous existence into the world. I might be a forgetful idiot but I'm not stupid.

I turn my back to the lance and started walking away.

{What's this?}

This is me, walking away from you. Huh, I feel lighter now.

{The threads, they have been severed? How?}

Ha? Even my headache is gone. I suppose I should thank you after all, loli baba.

{This is not possible!}

I glance back. {It is meant to be after all.} I offer Aedrox a grin.

And I never looked back after that.

I guess I was the one that is making things complicated after all.

"We're alive?" Muo Li asked as she frantically gazes around.

"Yeah. We're alive." I assured her.

After I came back from the path I went down, I was right on time as Muo Li was regaining her consciousness. Though, Clammis and the others are still unconscious. I don't think there's any danger to their health so I let them be for now. There are things I have to ask Muo Li of.

Is Goblin B sucking his thumbs?

"Are you hurt anywhere?" Muo Li asked me that question when I should be the one asking her that.

I smiled wryly at her concern. I pat her head. "Stupid girl. Who do you think I am?"

She returned my smile as she felt her head getting ruffled.

Come to think of it, she can't feel the ominous presence, can she? She's not reacting to it so, maybe only I can sense it? Did it target me specifically?

"I don't really know who you are anymore, I think." She told me while still having that wry cute smile of hers.

Ouch.... Those words stings, you know. "You saw them, didn't you?"

I thought I would need to explain further of my vague question but she catches on quick. "Yes, I did."

I sigh and I bury face in my palm. "Why didn't you say anything?"

"Because it'll be wrong for me then." As calmly as she can, this is her answer. "I can't really know what you're thinking but I know people don't like being left out. You saved us. It's just not right to shun you just because you're not the same as us."

"Is it obligation that makes you sympathize me?"

"What?" Her eyes froze. "No. No, it's nothing like that. It's...."

"Then why did you kept quiet?" I asked her in Mandarin which I assumed is the same language as the so-called Yuewen.

She looks stunned.

Am I wrong?

She giggled. "What's with the sudden change?" I'm right, after all.

"You know well I ain't human but you persist to talk to me. You refuse to shun me despite your instinct screaming at you to do so, am I right?"

She shakes her head. She then looks at me with a pitiful gaze. "It's just like Tom and the goblins. I didn't completely trusted them too but we were desperate. When we were captured again, I thought they were just giving us false hope because they find it amusing to crush it in front of us. But I realized I was wrong when I saw Tom and the goblins getting punished for betraying their kin."

She grabs my hands, our fingers intertwined.

"They tried to save us. They did it despite knowing full well of the consequences. They gained nothing from saving us. Yet, they still helped us. They did it because to them, it was the right thing to do."

"What are you trying to say?"

"It doesn't matter if you're a human or not. You might be a monster but it doesn't change the fact you saved us. Knowing you, you might have saved us with some reasons other than kindness but you still saved us and you allow us to travel with you when we are just liabilities. You are capable to escape this dungeon yourself but you choose to take us with you."

"You're wrong." I told her firmly. "You're not liabilities. I took you all with me because I want information and because I was weak and I am scare to be alone. I'm not the saint you think I am...."

"You are not a saint and you never will be." She replied with strength that rivaled the strength of my words. "You are Hyx Atlas. The one who saved me when all seems lost and when I was at the bottom of the darkness. You have no idea how overjoyed I am when you appeared."

Damn that lance. Damn that loli baba. I'm not in my right mind because of them. I'm still calming down from that intense situation back there.

"Clammis and I maybe judging each of your actions but know this, we will never hate you. We will never betray you. You saved our lives. We were so prepared to live a life of prolonged suffering but you denied us of those horrible fate. So do you understand now, how grateful we are to you?"

I see.... It's because I'm the light in your darkness or something along those lines. So this is how you see me. Fucking hell, what have I been thinking? I'm just the worst.

"Hyx." She brought face to meet hers.

Um.... Is this going where I think it's going?

"Let me say this once more and properly this time. Thank you for saving me." She closed her eyes and her lips closed in on mine.

....

....

Hold it.

Before our lips touched, I put a finger on her lips.

She opens back up her eyes, staring at me with a dumbfounded gaze.

I sighed and gesture to her right

She turns and sees Clammis looking this way with her hands clenching tightly on her knees.

"Cla....Cl....Clammis?"

"Just pardon me and ignore my presence. Keep going." Clammis calmly said.

Muo Li shrieked. "How long have you been watching?"

"Ever since you grabbed my hands?" I answered Muo Li.

When she realizes her fingers are still intertwined with mine, she let go within a split second. It seems she's not as bold as I thought she is.

"You knew she was watching?" Muo Li looks at me, betrayed.

"Yes."

"Why didn't you say anything?"

"I didn't want to ruin the mood."

"Wh....what mood?" She stuttered on those two words.

"Good call." Clammis for the first time ever since I met her, agrees with me. We exchanged thumbs up.

Flabbergasted, Muo Li switches her gaze between Clammis and I.

"Also...." I pick up a few pebbles and throw each of them at the Goblins and Tom. "You all can wake up now."

The goblins all spring up and begin apologizing. I am right on the mark, they were awake and have been listening. Despite not understanding Common, they can read the mood. So, I can even tell if someone's awake with [Mana Perception]. This is good.

Tom gets up slowly. He's not meeting my eyes.

"Tom?"

"S...so...rry. Di...Didn't wa...want to... d...disturb." He told me in Common.

"You all~!"

"Sorry, Muo Li. I didn't think you're the type to take the lead. So I was interest in the development." says Clammis.

"Things were going well."

"Yes. Yes. Very well."

"Offspring will happen if we been more careful."

"Such a waste."

And the Goblins are saying some incomprehensible things.

"You all doing alright? No broken bones or anything?"

"I'm fine. Just a few bumps in the head. Nothing major." Clammis said.

"Not... ba...badly... h...hurt."

"You four? Anywhere hurting?"

The goblins shook their head to my question.

"I'm fine too. Thanks for asking." The commander who had woken up said. I don't mind if you're dead though.

"And the Lord of Potions?" I asked.

"Is that derision I'm hearing?" the commander retorted back my sarcasm.

"He's fine but he's in the worst state among us. He'll wake up eventually." Tom said as he checks up on Lubac.

Maelock shoves Tom away. "Get away, you filthy orc. Don't come near me. I don't trust you like these three do."

When I saw and heard that, something flare up within me. I stand up and prepare [Abyssal Edge] in both of my hands. I scowl at Maelock. "Say you're sorry, right now." I point the purplish black blade at him.

He is obviously taken back by my actions. His hand reaches for his sword on reflex but he stops when [Abyssal Edge] lengthens, closer to his throat.

He gulped.

"Tsk." the commander clicks his tongue and got up. "Fine. My apologies." He grabs his sword with him and walks away from us.

"Where are you going?" Muo Li asked.

"Securing the area. Better than staying here with the orcs and goblins." The commander gave a one last click of his tongue as he disappears into one of the four passages.

Well, he's not heading to the direction of that lance so I suppose I can let him wander.

Or maybe I shouldn't have.

Not roughly ten minutes passed and as I was checking up on each one of one their condition, making sure they truly have no broken bones, we are assaulted by a scream.

Commander Maelock's cry for help.

No. It can't be he wasn't heading in that direction so it might be something else.

Oh fuck, no. Don't tell me.... No. Not possible.

"Wait here!" I shouted an order and storm off into the direction where Maelock head down to. Before I received even a response, I had already disappear down the passage.

Shit. Just shit. My worst nightmare is proven true.

Right in the center of the room, where the lance is, the commander is just a few feet away.

"Commander! Don't!"

He didn't hear me or more like he can't. That bastard, it did something to him.

{In the end, in a way, you still brought me my salvation. I hope you will do the same to my brothers and sisters.}

{How? How did he get here?}

{You underestimated me.}

What? Does it have some power I do not know of?

{Look behind you.}

And I did. What's behind is not the passage where I came from but a wall. {What? How?} Did it alter my perception somehow? I thought with [Mana Overseer] I would have realized that. The passage where I came from is now right on other side of the room, complete opposite of my position.

{Your perceptions and senses are untouched.} It seems to read my mind. Perhaps it can read minds.

{The one thing I altered is reality itself.}

I felt shivers crawling down my spine when I heard its proclamation.

{Damn you!} I shouted and rush at the commander at my top speed. It was no where near Bolt's speed though.

The commander is just slowly limping towards the lance like in a trance. Even so, the gap between us is too wide. His eyes are feasted on the lance. His hands reaching out like a zombie for the two meter long weapon.

Damn it. I was careless. I didn't think...... Damn it! Why didn't I?

Because it's meant to be.

Those words repeat in mind. That doesn't make sense. I should be paranoid. I should have notice. It's bullshit that I didn't.

Shit....

I was too late....

Maelock already has his hands around the grip of the lance. The grip begins to burn his hands but he didn't mind it. Must be some defense mechanism to stop anyone from releasing it.

No. He does mind it. His face is twisting in agony. He does not want to do this. The lance is controlling him. He wants to let go but his will is not his own.

Curse all the god of fates!

Sorry. Forgive me for this.

I apologize to Maelock in my mind and use [Spatial Leap] to instantly close our distance. Without minding the headache that follows, I follow it up with [Abyssal Edge] which I use it to slice off his hands.

Or at least that's my intention.

I didn't think it was possible but it happened. The blade of purplish black energy broke against his hands. No, not his hand but the force field enshrouding his body from the lance.

"Aaaaaaaaah!" And with a cry of agony, he pulls the lance out of the pedestal.

A wave of force is unleashed, it ripples and sent me all the way across to the other side of the room.

Although my senses of pain is dulled, I can feel the bones I have in my right arm are misaligned.

However, that's not important right now.

As if nothing else in the world matters right now, my eyes and every ounce of my focus is directed to the ominous being in front me.

The commander is no longer holding on to the sword. His left hand has been burn to ashes and his right hand is burned to the bones.

In the place of the missing lance, there is a tear in the space itself.

Something came out of that tear. It has no volume. It has no mass. It occupies no space. It is just there. It's transparent. When one looks through it, everything is distorted.

The lance is not Aedrox. The lance is a seal. It was sealing Aedrox. Only now, I realized that.

And that "thing" called Aedrox, possessed the commander.

The space around the tear begins bending and folding,

It took me a while to realize that space is mending itself back.

Although it did successfully mended itself back, it was too late. Whatever lies inside it, had already made its escape and taken up a vessel.

Like a bad animation with low frame rate, the commander moves his body to face me.

{As I have told you, -- }

The voice is the commander's but the words are Aedrox's.

{-- It's inevitable.}

I let out an exasperated sigh.

I let this happened.

In the end, I can't stop it.

I put up [Magic Enhancement] and conjures up two [Abyssal Edge], one on each hand. I go into a stance that resembles an anime character I know of back on earth.

"All in a hard day's work."