Thou shall not heed the words of evil.

Thou shall not tread on the path of evil.

Thou shall not sacrifice itself to evil.

Thou shall not become evil.

Listen to me, my dear Hero. For I am justice, my words and your efforts shall smite this villain that interferes with this world’s peace. You will purify the plague once and for all.

Or so it was supposed to end as planned.

It was so sudden.

They came from another world, ravaging the lands until nothing was left in their wake. The sole reason humanity survived the initial wipeout was because of a warning within an ancient record; the Astropolis Memorandum. It was artifact blessed of the records written by the Oracle containing predictions of series of battles and eventually allowed them to go on the offensive with their remaining resources.

He remembered bringing an army of braves on a death march into the heart of the enemy. From there, 500,000 strong individuals fought their way through waves of enemies and into the fissure that summoned the invaders. On the first day of their suicidal charge, they lost half their forces. This was before they touched the lands beyond the fissure. On the second day, five thousand remained. The numbers brutally decreased through the march until he and his seven companions were the only ones left to confront the Shadow Lord.

There, he stood before the foulest.

*Ping

The system sounded. Eyeing both the enemy and the floating text in front of him, he quickly glanced over it.

SYSTEM:

You are located at Harbinger's End.

The Shadow Lord's Last Bastion.

Quest:

Slay the Foulest Abyss

Reward:

-No reward huh. This is it I guess. After this, the system the Creator blessed me with will disappear for good.

The passing clouds were thick and cloy contaminated by a veil of miasma. The sky was blood-red, matching the wine-colored sword the Demon held. The environment had turned barren. A trail of ruins and corpses led to this final confrontation.

His breath was ragged but so was the enemy’s. He didn’t know if he had the advantage or not since his seven companions fell, not without taking the enemy’s generals with them. He was left alone against the leader of Demons. He was only aware the future of humanity rested on his shoulders, but it was looking grim. He knew he had enough strength for one more clash before passing out.

Despite his chances, he had no intention of wasting everyone’s valiant efforts to bring him to this stalemate. During his most crucial hour, he beseeched the Creator for help.

“Holy Creator, as the Hero you have chosen, bless this blade with the fullest wraths of your judgment. Allow me to bring down this evil, leave no evil. I wish to smite this evil doer for all humanity and unleash the sacred powers beyond heavens in your name. May this strike last us decades and eons of peace and prosperity.”

In response to his prayer, an aura of holy light gently wrapped around his sword. He took deep breaths and behind his blade to calm his pounding heart. He carefully watched the Shadow Lord, deciding where his final strike should and will land.

-This is my final chance. Everyone’s future relies on this last attack.

He raised his magic sword through the assault and pushed his entire weight forward. He roared the incantation of powerful holy magic fused within his sword.

“Lux Aragus! Armngwt!”

SYSTEM

Blade of Light, Light Armament's skill has been activated.

All stats except AGI are boosted tenfold during skill duration.

You will be invulnerable to all damage during Light Armament's awakening, but you cannot move.

Atk: 9725 -> 97250

Mag: 9689 -> 96890

Def: 7401 -> 74010

Sprt: 8582 -> 85820

Agi: 8991

Con: 9436 -> 94360

Acc: 9104 -> 91040

The blade produced a blinding light that consumed everything around him. Power welled within him as his sacred sword gathered every ounce of magic in the area and poured into him. During the time, the Shadow Lord unleashed a flurry of strikes bouncing off the veil of light around him.

Then he charged.

He dragged his body. Little by little, step by step, his pace increased. From a walk to a jog then sprinting with the remaining strength his body had, he dived towards the Demon in a frenzy of revenge for the people who supported him. He charged in for his seven friends who held the Crests of Humanity, friends who were destined to save their world from this last atrociousness.

His roar was mixed with sorrow of his losses, pain of his weaknesses and anger for this foul monster. He summoned every ounce of his willpower to charge through a wave of shadows lashing at him. He could feel his skin peeling off in his final blitz. Even when all of his stats were increased, he sustained damages that would've killed him immediately. A little more and he’d go insane from the amount of pain inflicted on him. Thousands of sharp tendrils lashed out and nicked his flesh and bones. He felt numb, but he continued pushing through the Shadow Lord’s magic.

By some miracles surpassing luck of all man, his sword impaled the Shadow Lord’s body. A coursing beam of white light shot from the Demon’s back and opened a hole in the patches of ominous red clouds.

The Demon unleashed a terrible scream capable of bringing forth a powerful shockwave to knock the hero away. The Shadow Lord cradled a handful of black ooze flowing from its wound. It stood there in a daze, mired in disbelief the Hero managed to land a critical and the fatal strike required.

Its hand reached towards to the Hero, it’s strength fading.

The Hero laid there, watching with what little time he had remaining and what part of him is still connected. His left hand was almost torn off. His right arm was bent backwards. He was unable to move his left leg. His right leg was missing. A half-baked victorious smirk formed on his face when he witnessed the Shadow Lord crumbling into nothingness.

“That’s, right. I… w…in…”

With that, he collapsed. He had no more strength to move and waited for his end patiently.

SYSTEM

Quest Complete:

Slay the Foulest Abyss

CONGRATULATIONS HERO!

Reward:

[][][][][][][] [][][] [][][][][].

Everyone, I did it.

With our sacrifice we managed to win.

Aren’t you guys happy?

C’mon, say something. Anyone. Please, one of you.

…

…

Yeah.

I’ll join you guys soon. Let’s grab a drink when we meet in the beyond.

His life flashed before his eyes. Each encounter was a treasure. Each argument was a development. Each battle together improved their comradery. There wasn’t a single moment he detested. He was contempt with the outcome of what they could do.

It’s getting dark. It’s cold…

The number of forces he brought with him in this brutal assault had decreased to zero after the Hero’s eyes turning glass. His breathing slowly gotten shallower. He could almost taste that sweet last breath as the last drop of tears ran down his cheek. Unable to move or call for help, he laid there waiting for the last moments of his life to expire.

Then he heard a voice. A sweet voice like a soothing lullaby tempting guiding him towards eternal slumber.

My dear Hero, you’ve done well.

Rest now, for eternity as you will be praised in history.

You have lost many things to become victor of this war.

The people you met on this bloody journey,

The sacrifices built up,

Nothing could’ve been done to bring them back,

Not even with my miracles,

but it’s finally over.

You’ve won. The evil is no more.

To those who fought beside you, I offer them my gratitude.

To those who we couldn’t save, I offer them my deepest apologies.

To those who fought and died valiantly, I offer you my blessing.

Though your time as hero was completed, as the origin of this world’s creator, I-.

Completed. Origin-.

I

Creator-.

C̴̡̬͚͇̦͒̏̐r̸̢̥̬̣͉̃e̸̞̼̞̠̟̅̄̈́̀̉̚a̶̡̤̞̜͈̒̏ṱ̸̬̞̦̬͉͐̍̄̌̽o̶͖͚̓͝͝r̶̡̳̘̈́͒͛

Ṱ̶̛̝̞͉̟̌͋͆̈ḩ̶́̀͗̋͠ö̶̬̬́̾͗̍̄͜u̸̟̞̐̐̈̿̚̚͜ǵ̸̨̰́͒̅̔h̸͕̠̱͈̭̹̃̓̉̅̚ ̶̞͑͛̊̎̈́y̷̨̜̲͉̙̏̈͊̌͜o̶̩̮̪̫͕͔͛̍ū̷̧͚̺͚͝r̵̩͔̦̟̤͚̂ ̴̤̠̜̝͒͋̊̏̆t̵̗͆̾̂ͅi̵̢̳͛͆̇͝m̶̛̛̙̭͋̄̌͠e̶̜̅̄̿̽͝ ̸̧̠̯͎̫͇͛͂̆ȧ̶̰̣͉͈̪̈́̀́̎̕ͅs̵̨͎̟̪̠̯̆̋̈́̔ ̵̱̖͎͌͛̐͆̕͠ͅh̷̛̻̪͎̮̜̏̑̃̉ͅe̴̮͗̿r̷̛̦̗̖͖̓̌o̶͍̞͑ ̴͙͚̜͂͘͝w̷͍̘̿̉͛̃a̵͕̯̪̱͎͔̎s̶̗͎̈́̾̔̎͠ ̸̠͇̫̊c̷̗̫̜̫̒͘͜͝o̷͓̻͒́̑m̵̬͍͛̈́͛̀p̴̧̳͕͈̼̰̓̓l̷̰͓͔̹̘̿̓̈́̑̍͘ę̴͇͑́t̴͔̼̦̽̈́͌e̴̺̝͍̓̔̾d̷̻́̐,̶͇͚̱͕̓͊̊̇ ̷̡̎̇͝a̴̧̻̻̤̓̅͑́͝ṣ̶̩͎͉̃̿͆̎ ̶͕͎̠̬̮͂͐͜ṱ̶̢̛͕̩̍͗̌̾ḩ̴̙̰̄̈́̃͜e̸̱͎͍̙̦͂̈́̔̋͜͝͝ ̸̡̛̲̹͇̖͒̊̆̐̅õ̷̼̼̰͛͘͝r̵̼̖͘ͅĭ̸̧̧̗͚̎̈́͑̕͝g̶̥̖̃͂́͐́i̵̩̥̼̗͕̇͊̓ņ̶̛̩̪͖͈̏ ̶̧͕̜͖͋̎o̵̭͖̺̝̹͋f̷̥͕͂ ̸̙̰̇̅t̷̨̹̳̼̬̀̋̌̑̌͝h̶̳̯͊̈́̂̏̎͝í̷̳̝̜̜͈̝̄̔̕s̸̥͚̭͑̉̔̕͝ ̷͔̺̲͖̤̏̚w̷̯̯̤̌o̸̺̻̩͌̒r̶͕̜̻̲͎̄̊͝͝l̸̪̘̗̽͐̓̆͘ͅd̶̰̙̓̔̌͋͆̚ͅͅ’̸͇̘̽̎́̋͛̈́š̷̱͈͛̾̐̾͆ ̷̤̫̟͖̥͉͌̇̔̓̇c̸̺̺̾͋̔̊͑r̴͖̟͑͊ê̵̢̧̛͝͠a̴̼̪͍̐̑̇ţ̶̹̰̫͛͗͂͜ó̴̡͔͙̺̙̥́̄̋r̷̜̞̀̀,̶̥̱̯͚̂̈́͗̔͝ ̷̺̦̻̦́̎Ỉ̴̛̹̪̭̲͔̗͑̽̾-̴̢̣̼̦̰̾͜.̷̯̭̻͇̮̩̒

T̷̲͌ȯ̴͉ ̴̟̀t̷̻̀ḥ̸̋o̶͈͝s̴̪̚ẹ̸́ ̴̗̑ẘ̵͇h̶̛̟ǫ̵̆ ̴͜͠f̸̖̍o̸̥͊u̵̖̓g̵͘͜h̸͖̆t̵̍͜ ̵̻̀a̸̠̎n̴̼̉d̶̞͝ ̴̼́d̵͖̂i̷̩̓e̷͔̐d̷̯̈́ ̴̜̏v̸̦͝a̵͈͆ľ̶͚i̶͎͆a̴̭͋n̷͔͆t̸̰̍ľ̷̻y̷̰̾,̶̞͒ ̷͙̇I̸̗͒ ̴̲́o̵̯̒f̸̥̓f̴̩͛ė̵̙r̴̰̐ ̷͙̒y̶̡̛o̵̞͆u̵̞̅ ̴̜̈́m̵͎͊y̶̬̓ ̴̤̿b̵̗͋ḻ̴̌e̸̡̍s̵̤̍ș̶̏i̴̖̿n̴̳͘ģ̷͐.̸̼̈

̸͉̿T̷̛͖ō̸͎ ̸̜̾t̸̨́h̴̦̄o̵̟̚s̸͕͗e̵̦͐ ̸͔͝w̸̭͌h̶̺̀ȯ̶͉ ̶͉̄w̷̦͐e̴̟̽ ̵͓͑c̸̩̄o̸̘͘ŭ̶̙l̸̤͝ḍ̴̒ń̴͇’̴̯̃ẗ̴̫́ ̸̼͌s̶̛̮a̷̻̿v̸̔͜e̸̠͒,̷͉̚ ̵̳̎I̵̭͆ ̸͓́õ̵͕f̴̮͂f̶̙̍e̷͜͝r̶̢̒ ̶̞̀y̵̯͊ǒ̸̗ū̴̙ ̶̲̎m̸̺̕y̵͒͜ ̸̬̕d̵͔͊e̶̻̽ẹ̷̇p̴̢̊è̴̢s̴͚̍t̸̻͠ ̵̯̏a̴̖͌p̴̨̄ǫ̴̈l̸͍̓o̸̢̐ġ̶̘i̵̩̔é̵̺s̸͓̑.̴̜̊

̸̣͐T̶͓̃o̴̩͂ ̸̖͂t̶̢͝h̶̪̅o̴̻͒s̶̳̓e̶͔͌ ̴̼͑ẉ̸̓h̵̠̑ō̶͖ ̴̘̍c̴̭̒h̴̳̆o̴͔̊s̵̜͗ẹ̵́ ̴̙͐t̸̨͐o̷̺̿ ̴͍͝f̵͇̈ȋ̴͉g̸̭̀h̶̟̃ẗ̴̩,̸̩̾ ̷̗̓İ̷͖ ̵̣͐ŏ̶͔f̶͙̑f̶͎̆è̵̢r̵͚̈ ̵͉͝y̷̳͑ò̶̳ǘ̸̝ ̴͉͆m̸̢̕y̴̘̔ ̷̫̄g̶̲͝r̴̘̚a̴̳̋t̷͔̆i̷̯̍t̷̖͝ũ̶͔d̶̮̐ȇ̴̬.̴̟̕

b̶̜̀u̶̹͒t̴̳͠ ̵̢͑ǐ̴͕t̵̤̓’̸̮̿s̷͚͊ ̶̼́f̸̧̚į̸͆ń̵̩ą̴̆ļ̵̆l̶̦̏y̴̰͌ ̸̣̊o̴̗͠v̴̰̈́e̶̛̠r̷̬̃.̸͔̈́

N̷͔̊ò̸͖t̸͉́ḩ̷̓i̴̫̚n̴͙̓g̵̨̔ ̸͉̉c̸̥̐ö̸̘́u̵̟͠l̴͔͝d̸̺̽’̴̘͐v̷͕͘e̶̼͒ ̷̲́b̵̫́e̸͚͂ē̴͙n̸̗̈́ ̴̪̇d̶̳̒o̷̞͝n̵̰̐ẽ̸̫ ̶̪̾t̷̮͒o̵͕͗ ̷̍͜b̶͉͑r̶̰͋ï̵̹ṉ̸͊g̵̞̓ ̶̟̂t̸̗̋h̸̫͝e̷͇͑m̴͕̎ ̴̣̋b̴̘̕a̸̦͠ç̴͑k̷̞͝,̸̮̏

T̷̯̈ḥ̸̏e̷͐͜ ̵̱̑s̵̩̈́ä̸̧c̵̦̄ȓ̵̗i̷̘̐f̶̘̈́ḯ̷̙c̴̢̒e̴̡͒s̵̮̿ ̸̲̽b̴̻͛u̴̡͊ĩ̴ͅl̶͓̑t̴̜̚ ̶̖̏ú̵̩p̵̥͂,̷̘͋

T̷̥̑h̴̟͌ė̸͕ ̷͇̊p̴͖̈́e̴̢̍ö̶̜p̴̮̈́l̴͔͐e̵̻̕ ̷̰͊w̴̧̓e̴̼͒ ̶͎̿m̴̺͊e̴̠̐ṭ̴͘ ̷̈ͅỏ̵̰n̸̛̫ ̶̯̾t̶̬͗h̶͓̃i̴̧̿s̵̉͜ ̸̞͋b̵̮̃ĺ̴̺ô̶̞o̴̩̎d̶͙̏y̴͓͑ ̴͍̇j̴̢̚ó̸̤u̷͈̕r̸̦̽n̵̩̉e̵̲͒y̷͔͆,̸͚̏

W̴̠͛e̶̤̿ ̵̰̕l̴̦͠o̶̪͛s̶̼̉t̸̫̀ ̶͎̈́ḿ̶̗a̴͙͝n̶̢͂y̸͇͂ ̸̰̚t̸̞͂h̸̪̎ḯ̴̪n̴̢̅ǧ̵̼s̸̻͒ ̵̖͌t̸̛ͅo̴͖͘ ̸̱͆b̵͇̍ḙ̵͋c̶̛̯o̷̠͑m̷̗͠e̴̊͜ ̷̰̑v̷̬̆i̸̙̓c̵͓̆t̷͙̐ò̶̥r̶̲̈́s̶͓̚ ̵̯͝o̸͖̒f̵͇̋ ̷͔̕ṯ̴̓h̵̫̆ȋ̶̦ś̷̝ ̷̥̽ẅ̶͉ạ̷͗r̷̥̐.̷̖̆

-SYSTEM ERROR-

Do not give up your soul, Hero!

The Creator conjures lies!

__________________________________________

________________________________

_____________________

____________

_____

He shot opened his eyes feeling he experienced a bad dream. The Hero, Vassal was spared from being devoured by eternal darkness when he heard a voice speaking his name. His body felt a spark of warmth giving him enough strength to lift his head up. He woke up, being greeted by a mirage of himself sitting beside his weapon.

“What…?” He coughed blood, managing to spurt a word.

“Just how long are you going to stay there?”

The environment transformed after hearing a crystal-clear snap. Vassal suddenly found himself standing on a reflective surface that stretched across the vast horizons. A clear blue sky filled with fluffy clouds floated above him. A gentle breeze brushed his scruffy dark brown hair. His eyes widened as he examined himself to find his injuries gone.

He could feel himself in mint condition before the death march began. But why? Questions flooded his mind as he was unable to grasp his current situation.

This place was devoid of life, but it does not appear to be the world of the dead. No lost souls belonged here except for his mirage and himself. For some reason this place felt nostalgic like he had frequented the area numerous of times, but he couldn’t recall this place.

“With this, you’ve come here about thirty times.”

-What is this…?

“I’ve visited this place thirty times? Cycle?”

The apparition ignored Vassal and continued. “None of them heeded my warnings. Y’see, Strength managed to reach this place ten times. Charity five, Benevolence thirteen, Unyielding seven, Wisdom twenty-three, and Retribution twenty.”

“What are you talking about?”

“I’m surprised you haven’t beaten Exile’s record who reached this place over fifty times. You are the Crest Bearer of Heroics, the main protagonist. I wonder why the Crest Bearer of Exile had such high numbers of success compared to you, the chosen one.”

“What is this place!? Who are you!?”

“No matter what, I could not influence them each time they arrived. Their minds are set as stone.”

“Answer me, dammit! Who are you!?”

“Who else would I be?” The Apparition shrugged. “I am who your people called the ‘Shadow Lord’. This place is a realm sealed within the powers of the Astropolis. It absorbed our souls to give us a chance to talk like this.”

-So, I’ve died, and I’m trapped here with the Shadow Lord. That doesn’t sound like a very good ending.

“Wait, did you say the Memorandum? The book of prophecy?”

“Indeed. An artifact passed down onto an ancient race to another. The Alacians to the Enuis who, among them, one became the Oracle. This book of prophecy you refer to, I too possess one in the building beyond the courtyard.”

“Thou shall not heed the words of evil. Thou shall not tread on the path of evil. Thou shall not sacrifice itself to evil. Thou shall not become evil.” He muttered. “I won’t listen to you and the Astropolis is with Lizurin. There’s no way you could have it. System!"

The Hero called upon the system, but the transparent text of words did not appear.

"Ha! So that's how you grew so strong! You were given the system by the creator."

"What's going on? System!"

"Stop it. You're embarrassing yourself by shouting like that." The Apparition sighed."It left you the moment you defeated me. Instead, let's get back on topic."

The Hero cast his eyes on the floor a moment before turning back to the Apparition.

“Don’t you find the shape of the tomes odd? They are two halves, like a child’s puzzle. When separated, one contains a spell is cast to foretell incomprehensible bits of the future. When together, the magic is dispelled to present its true purpose.”

“I will not listen to you.”

“Fine. We have plentiful amount of time. Our souls are not going anywhere anytime.” It sighed. “Heroes sure are stubborn. If you’re unwilling to listen, I will speak my mind aloud. I am uncertain of the result if someone were to combine the two halves, however it is something the Creator is avoiding.”

“You’re just spewing lies.”

“Is that so? Would you prefer evidence?”

“If you had evidence why won’t you show it to me in the first place?”

“Then forgive me, this may be sudden. Allow me to recover your memories just as I did the thirty times you’ve defeated me and encountered me here.”

“My… what?”

The Shadow Lord tapped his foot and sent ripples through the mirror lake. Following that, pain surged into Vassal’s head experiencing a sudden splitting headache.

Images and murmurs populated his mind. He saw hundreds of vivid memories of his past selves being ingrained into his brain. Everything he did from the last thirty visits, he remembered it all. He remembered what happened to his world after years of prosperity the Creator promised before wiping it.

Hell fire, chaos, judgement. Mass number of natural disasters of the Creator’s will made Vassal and his companion’s efforts the world’s undoing.

“This, these memories- the Creator, towards us, how could-. What’s going on?”

“Your so-called Creator trapped your world in an endless loop of suffering. It’d be a matter of time when the Creator grows bored of this continuous cycle and toss you aside like the last rising civilization. Now that you’ve regained your memory, I hope this time you’ll choose the correct path. This cycle has gone on for too long.”

“How do I know these aren’t fake images you’re sending me?!”

“You don’t. You can decide to believe me or risk returning to greet me in this place on your thirty second time. There might be a chance the next cycle could be the last one before the Creator decides to destroy us.”

“That… Thou shall not heed the words of evil. Thou shall not tread on the path of evil. Thou shall not sacrifice itself to evil. Thou shall not become evil.” Vassal dipped his chin to his neck.

-The Creator betrayed me thirty times- no. The Creator wiped the world more than thirty times. I saw those unwinnable fights. I don’t want to go through those, but what if it’s a hoax? What if… it isn’t?

“Ah, one other thing about one half of the Astropolis humanity has. Has anyone wondered how its powers worked?”

“What do you mean?”

“How you humanity were able to respond to my Demon invasions after the initial attack. It’s as if you had information prior to those invasions.”

“That’s…”

“My guess is someone who experienced this previous timeline must’ve wrote them then the record preserved itself through the powers of Astropolis when the next cycle emerged.”

-That’s… a possibility.

“Anyways, we’re dead. What can we do? Are you going to resurrect me?”

“I’m afraid I cannot do that. You are aware resurrection and healing magic do not exist, correct? Instead, I have enough magic to rewind time back an hour. I believe that is when you and your companions, are fighting towards my chamber. That is the most I can do with my remaining magic.”

“Time manipulation? You could do that?”

“By myself? No. That is why I have the second half of your so called ‘Book of Prophecy’. With it, I’ll have enough magic to move souls to alternate timelines. I can also bend the System to your will, make you the Administrator.”

-Me, an Administrator? That would give me a portion of the Creator's powers... With that, maybe I could-.

“Then, what about the others?”

“Your companions will not regain their memories of the times I’ve spoken to them. Only you will and you will guide them to how you see fit. So? What will you do, Hero?”

Vassal- with his memories of his old selves recovered- stared at his reflection. After a moment of thought, he faced the Shadow Lord with a look of doubt but full of resolve.

Thou heeded the words of evil.

Thou tread on the path of evil.

Thou sacrificed itself to evil.

Thou became evil.

Hero! I am disgusted! Your faith towards the light disappoints me!

You dare collude with the foulest abyss to steal my power?!

For your actions, I will deliver your punishment for betraying my will and trust!

I swear on behalf of all good I have created!