Chapter 679: True Demonlord [10]

"What's the obsession with the truth, I'm honestly at a loss here. The realm we hover in is naught but an empty space of blue and white."

"My dearest other self, are you perhaps, angry at me?"

"Not really, I'm angry at what we've become. I swore to not get involved in politics, look at me, a noble. I swore to avenge Chef Leko and Alicia, look at me, I made amends. I swore to become strong, look at me, trapped in a realm of incertitude."

"Igna, my dear other self, the pain and helplessness you feel is my projection of how I feel. I'm at a loss too, what was the purpose of my coming, I felt the worldly realm and the compelling force of emotions. I still have no idea what to do or what to say really."

"That is the very definition of life. An open world where everything affects nothing, and nothing affects everything. People pass their days thinking of the future, some live in the past, and many forget the present. I've slowly come to embrace that I never talk about myself, I have thoughts and moments of doubt, weak acts. Habits take the better of me and I fall into a world of incertitude."

"What's eating at you?"

"I don't know, but something is. When I think about the companions I've made, I feel as if I'm alive. Push back time to when I was a boy on the battlefield, my priorities were survival and getting strong. I lived my prior life in search of greater power, and I somewhat achieved the goal. Now, when I think about strength, I see the lovely faces of my goddesses, my guardians, and the people of the Shadow Realm. I don't know why, strength isn't just me being able to crush the opponent, the meaning's shifted, you know?"

"I know and I understand completely," said Origin, "-I feel the same way. To be honest, the reason I accepted the pact was to partly inherit the body of he who was chosen by Death and Time and acknowledged by Creation. The other deities or demons for said matter, aren't worth my time, neither is Zeus. They have bland personalities and childish convictions at best. The whole ordeal against the titans of old has taken most of the godly realm to stand united. The Supreme God and his ironclad rule have worked great. Who is to say about the future."

"I've known from the start. Do you think me daft; I knew you wanted to make the perfect being, and I accepted because you are Origin, the start, and end of all."

"We bought sought power from one another," he chuckled, "-in a way, the moment we joined, I knew I found the perfect partner. Someone's who's outside persona is one of an anti-hero and inside persona defects from evil to good, to then greater chaos, and then lawfulness. Honestly, you're the most emotionally unstable being I've seen, and I think, tis said unstableness that makes you emotionless."

"I've just grown numb to it. Whatever whims say, we do." 

"I know right. You follow the wind per the listlessness of a dandelion. Quite impressive in its own way. So, you wanted answers about why the meaning of strength has shifted right?"

"Yes, I want to know the truth."

"It's simpler than you think. Igna Haggard is strong alone, but stronger with his companions. I know the cliché about united is strength will bug you, and it bugs me too, still, the moment the Shadow Realm became its own domain, the instinct of being a watcher forced a new passive quest on thee, to safeguard and evolve the dimension without prejudice. It feels right, and that's all that matters."

"Care to clarify?"

"I'm saying, it's the will of someone who's subconsciously inherited the authority of a god. You control land in which people are born, die, reproduce, basically, an alternate world. You're their gods, they venerate and admire their guardian. Think of it like Vanesa, Saniata, and Draconis, for they're thy children, don't you wish for them to get stronger and become better persons, don't you have the urge to protect them at all costs?"

"Partly, yes, it's my responsibility."

"Took the words right out of my mouth. It is your responsibility, instead of three children, you have a whole population to care for. Understand, being a watcher, and guardian of a realm is more trouble than due. Still, the moment of fear when they are in danger drives thee to use everything at thy immediate disposal. For example, the Prince of Lust and high-demon Kul. Defying the law of reality to heal their wounds; the watcher of destiny said it to be sacrilegious. In the many possibilities of futures I've seen, this one is new and undisturbed."

"I saved them, what's wrong with that?"

"You saved them using the powers of one who breaks the law of reality, a highly shunned offense in the eyes of the gods, but admired in the eyes of the demons. Thing is, the affinity for either side is somewhat of a strength. We stand at a crossroad, whatever thee chooses will affect your perception of the world."

"What are the options?"

"Acquire the title of Watcher of the Shadow Realm and relinquish the title to grow strong. Otherwise, disregard the title of Watcher and continue life as has been. Either choice won't affect much." 

"Can't be but notice the title of Watcher. The Watcher of all, Origin. The Watcher of Destiny, and now, the Watcher of the Shadow Realm, what does it mean?"

"How can I describe it. By the standard of a mortal being, there are two otherworldly beings of which they prey and fear. First, angels, the good, and devils, the bad. Above are the gods and demons. Those ignorant to the godly realm are content by such a hierarchy. Remember I spoke of the levels of the domain? How a human can't hurt god because of their standards?"

"Yes, what of it?"

"Above the Supreme god, comes Creation, and Death. Needless to say, Creation can't be hurt either way one looks at it. Above them come an undisclosed title for in their name alone speak of their destiny, the Watchers. Technically speaking, Creation is a Watcher too. Even I can't give much description to the title, tis not set in stone, they have a duty and they follow it. They can be either powerful and weak, depends on which type of being they are. One thing runs along commonly, they protect their possession relentlessly. We've met the Watcher of Destiny, quite the interesting fellow."

"Don't omit information, my gut says being a watcher is more trouble than due."

"Yeah, not in the way you think. Watcher's duties are given by themselves. They're independent beings working above the law of reality, and even above truth itself. They're like me in a way that they don't affect much, and if they do affect, it is very little or massively great."

"Good on you to add more things to think about," he gently shook his head. The duo hovered about the great land of clouds and vast blueness. Origin, in the lead, turned left and right knowingly. "What's the benefit of being a Watcher?"

"There's none," returned Origin, "-it's just a title, you won't get powers unless the tomb of Athnak sees thee worthy."

"Hold on a moment," he stopped, Origin carried a few meters and turned, "-something the matter, other self?"

"Tomb of Athnak. Origin," the eyes narrowed, "-you planned this, haven't you."

"Whatever do you mean?" asked he in a jovial dramatic fashion. 

"Come on," he smiled, "-my other self, direct witness to the many schemes, must have one of his own. The voice I heard to break reality was yours – I'm sure the Tomb of Athnak is at the end of this maze. I'm no fool, dearest other self," he hovered to wrap his arms around Origin's shoulders, "-we're one of the same, come on," they exchanged smiles and fist bumps. 

"Guess I was found out. You're right, I purposefully angered Destiny to send us here." 

"What powers await us?"

"The ability to alter reality," he smirked.

"Isn't it a sacrilege?"

"No, don't misunderstand. The conjuration of Mantia has another hidden purpose. The realm is a representation of the knowledge I have amassed. And within it, if not for me, you'd be lost without a guide or semblance of know-how to evade the grasp. Yes, in a way, dearest old self, Mantia is a borrowed power."

"What about now?"

"Tis insurance, I want us to be more powerful. And as the one who proposed the title of Watcher, I'll assign your goal, and never-ending conviction, how does it sound?"

"Depends on what it is."

"I want the Shadow Realm and its residents to never be put in harm's way. I want the realm to grow into the strongest domain ever be spawned from a god's will. What I want, from the bottom of my borrowed heart, is for a repeat of Asmodeus and Kul to never happen. What I say is, protect your allies before us, I can't bear the pain of losing another." 

"Didn't see this coming," he exhaled, "-Origin, are my emotions too much to handle?"

"Give me a break with the sarcasm. Other self," brief and to the point, "-memories of the past life, the countless death, the howling scream of those you've killed, that damned sword and gun, it's a cacophony of never-ending sorrow. I want the voices to find peace, and for that to happen, you must become a watcher and protect those I care about. Emphasis on I, for I care about our companions deeply too."

"I'm sorry, didn't think it be so harsh on thee." 

"Think nothing of it, I've poured my heart out, we share a commonness, lying to one another is impossible."

"I know," he nodded reassuringly, "-why do you think I trust thee so much?"

"Understood, about Athnak, he's the first watcher and watcher of watchers. He grants to title alongside its powers, think of him as Creation but way stronger. Once acquired, Mantia will become yours and transfer to the Shadow Realm and merge to Kronos's sickle, forever binding the symbol of power to said realm. You understand the risk involved right?"

"We'll forever lose the ability to control time?"

"No, means the domain will exist beyond time, on the same level to the godly realm, well a bit lower." In before his eyes, the blueness shuffled and crumbled to a piece of hovering land. Here, stone bricks were layered in various shapes and sizes. In the middle stood a tablet, underneath which wrote Tomb of Athnak, in ancient writing.

"Welcome, seekers of the truth," said an omnipresent voice, "-I see Origin has come in the company of a stranger being. Say, child, what doth thee wish?" 

He threw a look of concern towards Origin, who in turn, nodded to say, '-don't worry.' Annoyed by the lack of answer, "-I've come to acquire the conviction of a Watcher." 

"FOOL!" shuddered the ground, "-speak not of our title so frivolously. I say again, what doth thee wish?"

"T-" Origin lifted a hand, "-Athnak, Watcher of watchers, word speak naught, feel the boy's conviction, look deep, and thou shalt see." 

"Nonsense. Approach boy, lay thy hands on my tablet, I must confirm what he says."

A shrug led to the cold rough-faced edifice, '-here goes nothing,' the palm rested square-flat.

"UNBELIEVABLE," the stone broke and vanished, "-I grant thee thy wish!" 

'What the hell?' a vortex began to swallow the air, "-Origin…"

"Have a good trip," he waved. 

"FOR THE LOVE OF-" *slurp* in one end and out the other, "-WHAT WAS THAT!" the overarching sensation was of a fast slide.

"That, my other self, was the indication and test to being called a Watcher. Look at thy left arm," the mark of Undrar reappeared to merge with, Origin, Kronos and Death. "-Tis proves you're the Watcher of the Shadow Realm."

"Really?" the eyes shimmered, "-I don't feel anything," he returned blankly.

"Oh," he chuckled and laughed, "-this is why I chose you," he buried face in hands, "-I swear, ahahaha."