Chapter 339 - My Path

Before I could react, a surge of power coursed through me. It felt distinct, familiar even. Both white and purple mana flooded into my core, like it had when I absorbed a God last time. And during that whole time, my wide eyes yelled out, “Why! Why!”

Eryn finally pulled away, her form becoming a bit transparent. It was like she would disappear on me any moment. I could believe it, as she had just transferred the powers of the God of Life over to me. But despite that, she just gave me an impish smile, like she had finally put things to rest.

“Do you really need to ask ‘Why?’, Claude. I was sure that you would have known me that well by now,” Eryn said.

I gave her a bitter expression instead, silent because I knew that she would continue.

“You’re the one that people look up to. Not me. It’s been on my mind for a while now, but how you bounced back from nothing just confirmed it. You carry hope for all of us. And more than anyone, you should be the one to have this power.”

“But, but that doesn’t mean that you have to go right away! You could have-”

“Come along on the journey? No. We are centered around you. If I were to go along, you would rely on me, just like I have always relied on you. We are too much the same person, Claude. After all this time, I’ve come to realize it. That is why I summoned you. We helped each other become the best of ourselves. Now, it is best for me to step aside and let you be who you are meant to be.”

“And that is?”

“A person who grasps his opportunity no matter what trouble he encounters. If it’s you, I know that you will find a way. Just like how you’ve always proven to me before. Powers or no powers, you will make something happen with what you have before you.”

“You are carved from Claude the Architect, a man who never gave up on his dreams,” Sistina added. “Though a different person, there is no doubt that you possess the same will to succeed as he has. Opportunity is something that one recognizes himself, not a power granted by some entity.”

“And that it why, I will entrust it all to you. After all, haven’t you finally found that courage for yourself? Not because you want to do it for someone else, but because ‘you’ want it. Please, let me go, knowing that I have done all I can for you. You have made me truly happy. Let me leave with a smile, because you don’t need a Master anymore. You already control your own destiny. Now, do what you need to do.”

One look from her told me that she had seen past my façade. I had spoken of reuniting with friends and putting our powers together to save this world we were on. But the truth was – I wanted more than that.

I wanted to punch Claude the Architect in the face. I wanted to bring down his game that roped us all in. To show him that we weren’t satisfied with how he toyed with all of us. A god as powerful he may be – that didn’t stop me from wanting to take him down.

But if all of us reunited, alive and together again, I could still stifle that feeling. I could still smile and let it be swept under the rug, hoping that a solution would come up that would be safer.

Eryn saw through me like I did for her. That I wouldn’t be happy. That I was willing to shoulder the same burden just to see my friends safe.

She would lose her power and drift away as a spirit. That was the cost – to stir up my resolve to fight once more. To defeat my other self that caused all of it. And she did it with a smile.

Cold, like the very first day that I met her.

“That’s unfair. Why do you get to leave while spewing lies?! You want to go with me! So come! Take back this power!”

I reached out to send it back, but she shied away.

“It takes courage to die properly. I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

And with that, Eryn burst into tiny particles, her spirit no longer able to hold together.

I wanted to cry, but the person that it was for didn’t want it. Rather, I clutched the power that she had given me. It was her everything. I couldn’t reject such a final gesture. A hand on my shoulder offered me condolences.

“You know, Cielle was every bit as devoted to her Claude as Eryn is to you,” Sistina said softly.

“Did she also give herself up to him as well?”

“No, she didn’t.”

I turned around, questioning what Sistina meant. But then again, I recalled that Cielle had inhabited Eryn’s body in another timeline. Somehow, that version of Eryn had turned into the Demon and merged with the one I knew, before I separated their existences.

“Cielle had always wished for Claude’s happiness. But when she saw his slow descent into madness, that caused her to lose hope in herself and become a reclusive god. But then, she came upon another girl who developed a strong will to live for ‘her Claude’. That caught her interest. She bestowed her power onto her, rather than creating an ‘Apostle’ in her own image. She gave herself up for that hope.”

“It made me wonder why the God of Life would do such a thing. Never made sense to me why she would pass on the power of endless life.”

“A limitless life is worth nothing if it has no meaning. Cielle’s original power was not something as simple as the numbers on a life bar. Nor were the other gods meant to have powers simplified into stats. That was Claude the Architect’s doing, along with his companions.”

“Then, what was Cielle’s power?”

“It was the ability to know how fulfilled the lives of others were. To know, how capable in their ventures and knowing what to do to maximize success. Unfortunately, that didn’t extend to herself, the poor girl. But seeing as how you have found your fulfillment, it makes sense for it to be passed on to you. It synergizes with the original power of Claude the Architect within you.”

I had a feeling that I knew what that was, but I asked anyway.

“And that is?”

“Opportunity. The ability to find a way forward. And when no one else is able to, you can create one instead.”

“Sounds familiar, like the motto for some fancy tech company.”

“Then, I suppose you took that to heart then.”

I nodded at that statement. I was a simple college student, but then, I became a chef, and then, a schemer, a fighter, a chancellor, and a king. When the need arose, I answered the challenge, even though I was somewhat unwilling at first.

But now, I knew that what was possible for me was countless.

“Allow me to bestow upon you one final gift. Something that will help you on your search.”

Sistina reached forward and placed a palm on my head. Then, she began to sing. A sweet, gentle melody that seemed to call out to the darkness. A warm glow came from her touch, creating a beacon of sorts.

My eyes looked left and right, seeing little balls of light start to appear. They floated towards us, like attracted to the power. And slowly, they converged. Right into the hand upon my forehead. Each ball of light created a flash in my eyes.

A myriad of images scrolled past my vision before the next ball entered my mind. Each one had its own story to tell – a different Claude, another time and place, a separate cycle. They played like a movie condensed in a short span. I had no idea how much time actually passed between each.

But at some point, my lips curled into a smile. Each one of the ‘Claudes’ – striving to make some place for themselves. The faults that they held felt like my own, so watching them give their all made me cheer for them. Even when they fell short or failed, I could see the look in their eyes.

‘I won’t give up!’

‘I will find a way!’

‘If I don’t try, I’ll regret it!’

This was who I was. Stubborn to a fault for those I cared about. Whimsical and quirky to create a wall to avoid disappointment. But strangely, fragile the lonelier things got.

At what point did ‘Claude’ go wrong? At what time did his plan stray so far that he no longer trusted anyone but himself? That seemed to be the core of the issue.

Claude the Architect – creating endless possibilities but having no one to truly share it with.

Finally, the balls of light all disappeared. The memories of all the other Claudes lingered in my mind, like some baton passed down to me. I broke out into a fit of laughter, causing Sistina to back up suddenly in worry.

“I’m sorry! Please don’t tell me that it was too much for you!”

I brought up a hand to wave off her worries.

“No, no! You’re fine! The situation just felt funny to me because it was totally a ‘shounen’ moment.”

“I-I see….” Sistina’s expression relaxed to a thin smile. “It’s just been so long since I’ve seen that joking face. The original Claude used to break from his maturity on occasion, before Earth perished. It is truly good to hear such a thing again.”

“Thanks for the memories. I think I know exactly what I have to do now. Eryn is right. This is my fight. Only I understand what Claude the Architect is thinking. So even if I have to go forward alone, I think I’ll be fine now.”

“That is good to hear. Claude the-”

“Just Claude is fine. Because right now, I’ll head out there and represent all of them. All the ones that tried before me. I have to bring some resolution to their efforts.”

Sistina waved a hand and brought forth the portal again, the first stop to collecting my friends.

“My power does not extend past this realm, so I cannot help you on the surface. But know that you have my support. My power is that of connections, after all. Even if you can’t reach me directly, I can feel what you accomplish.”

“I guess that means no unannounced visits for a break now and then? But then again, don’t I need to die to step foot here?”

“You’re a wandering spirit already. Death won’t stop you, as long as your power remains. It’s easy enough to find yourself a temporary body, haha.”

How nonchalantly Sistina said that I could just hijack someone’s body left me frozen for a moment. I had nearly forgotten that the God of Life had such an ability, despite only recalling it from seeing a part of Eryn’s memories. Catching that moment of hesitation I gave off, Sistina only laughed more.

“No need to worry. I’m sure one of the sites below will provide you will a permanent home to reside in. Bodies for the others were created in such a way as well.”

“…Flesh and blood, right?”

“Of course… unless you prefer to be an android like the supporting cast.”

“You just confirmed that I can be a robot, didn’t you?”

“I did, didn’t I?”

A moment of silence passed between us before I sighed.

“Are you sure that Claude the Architect didn’t have feelings for you? I felt a heart string tug just now.”

“Just get in the portal, #694!”

“Whoa, whoa! I guess I found your weak point. I’ll take this ‘opportunity’ to head off then!”

I dashed through the portal to who-knew-where, leaving the flustered Origin Goddess behind. In this world, even the gods were once human too. I couldn’t forget that when it was finally time to face him.