Chapter 1264: Reversal

Chapter 1264: Reversal

Yselio stumbled out of the Faithgate, the clamor in his mind amplified by the agony wracking his body. The chains leading to the depths of his subconscious tried to drag him under, to have his Ego join the duality waiting for him. Not today. Pain became pleasure as darkness became light, and the chains were stopped in their tracks.

Yselio took a steadying breath and severed the connection. "It's done."

"What's done? You waited until the lingering faith is but a trickle, only to come back empty-handed?" Ylvin said with a shake of his head. "Silly boy."

"I'm simply following my instincts," Yselio smiled. "It's served me well so far. Generally."

"Generally, he says," Ylvin scoffed. He glanced upward like he was peering through the endless layers of steel. "Are you really leaving him be? If you're correct, this will be your final opportunity. Having two completed seals would put you head and shoulders above the competition."

"Perfection is an illusion, and the tallest trees have to face the wind. I have my own path to follow," Yselio said, slightly bowing at the veiled woman who'd silently stood with her hands clasped. "I also fear our esteemed guest would take offense."

"The Vigil will not get involved in the Flameseeking Trial," Leyara responded, her eyes flickering with the fires of destiny.

"Oh? Even when it involves an old companion?" Yselio said.

"I've already severed my mortal bonds to fulfill my duty."

"How admirable." Yselio applauded while inwardly snickering.

For calling themselves impartial, these haughty nuns sure liked to put their thumb on the scale. Not that Yselio minded. It would have been impossible to succeed without the Vigil's assistance. Without her prayer, there would have been no way to connect the Tobrial Dynasty's Imperial Qi with the slumbering faith of the Starfall Court.

Certainly, this little chosen wasn't enough to deter Yselio from pursuing his goals. However, seeing the young Void Emperor step out of reality to deal with the Izh'Rak Reaver reaffirmed his belief. Zachary Atwood was a yet-unripe fruit covered in thorns. Targeting him now would bring little benefits while potentially ruining something good in the long run. Zachary Atwood was like a window to the past.

Who stood better positioned to reap the harvest of a resurgence of the Limitless Empire than the Seven Heavens? And who more personified their fate than Yselio?

"I cannot believe you wasted one of your resurrections on taunting a dying old monster. What if he realized the writ only held enough Imperial Qi to release one shockwave? What if my intelligence was wrong?"

"Then that would have been my fate," Yselio said with equanimity as he bared his chest for the priests. "How can I seize fate without accepting the accompanying risks? And while I couldn't be certain about how Sorothom would act after his repeated setbacks, I never feared you would have failed in your task."

"How is it?"

"His demise will be linked to me, and his sin will become my providence."

"The providence of the Tobrial Dynasty," Ylvin reminded with a raised brow. "Be careful not to confuse the two."

"A slip of the tongue," Yselio said as the priest finished up the sigil around the wound left by Sorothom's nail.

"Well, you left him well and truly infuriated. I'll be surprised if he survives the second cycle with how his Dao is faltering." The gruff guardian didn't press the issue, instead turning to the clerics standing before the door. "Is it done?"

"We're only awaiting Lord Vindicator's authority," the pandit assured, his ancient voice echoing through the subterranean corridor.

"Then let's not dally," Yselio said, placing his hand on the thick gate.

The priests began chanting, and sigils wrought from the Imperial Qi of the Tobrial Dynasty sank into the sealed door one after another. Yvin infused his will while Leyara became the bridge between old and new. The door smoothly slid open, and a wave of brutality came wafting out.

"Shit!" Ylvin swore, urgently placing himself before the Hegemons as he unleashed his Inner World to its limits. The second Monarch was only a step slower, forming a protective Sanctuary for the group.

Yselio took a deep breath, feeling the ancient aura of the Elder Guardian was the most exquisite of perfumes. "How marvelous. It should be equivalent to a Fifth-step Autarch in its current state."

A B-grade puppet wouldn't make much of a difference to the Seventh Heaven, even the exquisite one the Starfall Court had left for them. Its value lay in its undying frame that had achieved False Eternity. Its value was inestimable, whether as a vessel for the Princes and Archdukes or as a crafting material.

"Most of your wounds have the mark of the Four Desolates. Healing you is not as simple as regrowing flesh."

"I saw you revert the damage of a Supremacy. Surely, this is child's play."

Sendor looked at Zac for a moment before shrugging. "I suppose it doesn't cross the threshold."

Zac felt his pain melt away as limbs and flesh reformed. This was why he used his Draugr side to endure most of the punishment while his human half stayed safe through his Void abilities. He'd already decided on summoning Sendor the moment he came up with this plan, even if it meant having no safeguard for the upcoming trial.

"Now, what scheme have you cooked up? What's this, then?" Sendor said, glancing at the hourglass.

"No need to pretend," Zac said with a roll of his eyes.

Analyzing the hourglass during his epiphany immediately exposed its true nature. It wasn't a supreme treasure like he'd assumed. It was pure Temporal Energy left by an incredibly powerful being. It was something similar to the Imperial Edicts he'd faced a few times, transcending skills or conventional forms of Dao. Not like the Eternal, but there was surely Authority in the hourglass.

Not only that, there were even hints of Sendor's aura mixed in. Zac could have intuited the rest even without Ultom's assistance. Esmeralda suffered under a curse, and she'd gotten Sendor and another Supremacy to suppress it. She'd sacrificed most of her remaining reincarnations to help Zac deal with Kator and make it through his tribulation.

It was a huge gamble, making her mission inside the trial one of life and death. After all, Zac couldn't give it back even if he didn't desperately need it. The moment Esmeralda extracted it from her body, it had become rootless. It would soon fade away, and the Authority would return to its owner.

"I need you to modify this seal to revert the damage to my core."

"I knew it," Sendor grimaced. "Reversing a failed breakthrough is not something a C-grade brand can accomplish. Removing wounds doesn't break the balance as you'd heal anyhow. What you're asking for is a reversal of fate similar to resurrection. I would need the strength of my true body, provided I was even willing to pay the price for you."

"Not when you have this," Zac said as he pointed at the hourglass.

Sendor wordlessly looked at the hourglass for a moment before sighing. "It looks like that little lass bet everything on you. Are you aware of what this is?"

"I am," Zac said. "And I will repay her."

"So long as you know," Sendor nodded. "Your idea has ramifications. Old Man River will notice this. Notice you. If he wills it, time will move in his direction. Your Karmic protection will not work if you're the one extending a hand. Even then, there's not enough to undo the damage that's been done."

"I'll take what I can get," Zac said. "As for the senior, I'll just have to add him to my list of entanglements and debts."

"Very well. That old codger probably won't bother with you in the short run. He's content waiting for the Zenith like most of the old guard," Sendor said as a thread of light entered the hourglass. "Direct it into place and I'll do the rest."

Zac dragged the hourglass into his body and through the Quantum Space's hatch. Time reversed, and the desolation began teeming with Life and Death. Scorched ash became debris radiating barely contained power. However, the hourglass was losing sand quicker than the debris was restored. Just ten seconds later, the last grain reached the central container, and the hourglass winked out of existence like it had never been there.

"That's all I can do," Sendor said, his avatar almost entirely translucent. "The rest will be up to you."

The hourglass hadn't managed to return any pieces that left his body. While regrettable, it was a huge improvement from before. His state was roughly between the first and second bolt. It was still bad, with almost 15% of his core lost. Any core he built on such shaky foundations was bound to have problems.

But so what? That was a problem all Mortals faced. Zac was confident he could find enough treasures to repair today's damage, like the water he got from the Endemyre Sage. So long as his core could produce and release energy, he could keep forging ahead.

"Wait!" Zac said, realizing Sendor's apparition was about to disappear after having expended all the sigil's energy. "The Eternal, her sacrifice. Can you tell me anything about it?"

"You've met that dusty old spirit, haven't you? I knew the Terminus Council wouldn't be able to sit still after you popped up," Sendor laughed.

The Realm Spirit was gone by the time he'd finished the sentence. Zac was still happy with the clue Sendor provided on his way out. For one, there was the mention of the Terminus Council again, and it sounded like Wal'Zo was part of it. Secondly, Sendor didn't seem too worried about it.

Zac still had some misgivings about incorporating the heritage of the Stellar Wanderers into his unified method, but Sendor's calm made him calm in turn. Maybe he could treat it like what he'd taken from the Sangha. Worrying about the details of his plan would have to wait. The clock had been reset, and he needed to take advantage.

It wasn't difficult to localize what he needed. The Void Realm was literally overflowing with materials already refined by his bloodline.