"Weird how?" Thorn inquired.
"All elements supposed to exist in the future you and i came from don't exist. Namely Silven's memories within Cayde. Without Silven's memories and skills Cayde won't create the god-killer equation that brings fame to Laegii. Without Cayde you don't get found as a dragon egg in the dwarf warehouse and hatched. Without the elder supposed to be in this forest Cayde doesn't survive."
"And that means...?"
"Chances are you could cease to exist, Thorn." I said getting a pair of wide misty eyes staring into me full of shock. "As a paradox originally I'm safe. A few memories and processes might change but my existence is safe. You on the other hand are an entity originally from the universe and us meeting in hell is entirely reliant on the the future timeline we know coming to fruition."
"Thats if I'm not a figment of your imagination in the first place." Thorn countered with a grim tone.
Surprised he was acceptant of the idea considering how much he used to fret about that in the past i was stunned silent.
Catching my astonishment Thorn scoffed loudly. "Listen, alright, i don't like the idea of being an imaginary friend—but I'd rather be your shadow come to life via mania instead of letting that pedophile live again! You know why i hate him, you heartless psychopath."
Nodding my head I avoided saying anything brashly.
Before Thorn met me, he was Cayde Barbaten's contracted familiar. In other words: his pet and slave. He did all kinds of things at Cayde's beck and call but was never thanked for them, unlike the two other contracted familiars Cayde had. Thorn was no more than a weapon of murder, victim to his owners whims.
It was that very contract that got Thorn killed when he was a dragon.
To Thorn, never being born is preferable than having to experience that, or know he could prevent that future but doing nothing. To him, being a figment of my imagination was a better alternative than letting Cayde and the future that ensured our origins ever returning.
"Well the threat of none-existence doesn't bother me much anyway." I huffed after having my thoughts settled. "Finally get some damn sleep and peace in my own skull that way at least."
Suddenly fretting about something Thorn asked, "what exactly is the chance that we both might be erased if we don't fix this?"
"Not a clue." I stated. "As a glitched existence normal rules don't apply to me. Could be fine, could be important. Causal laws are probably trying to erase me as we speak. But because I'm an existence outside of cause and effect it might be nothing." Feeling a scorching sensation in my right arm i noticed the scars beneath the bandages were beginning to burn. "Huh. Causal laws really are trying to do everything to get rid of me already."
[aspect: taken devourer - takes the effect!]
Black ink seeped out my skin before wrapping around my bandaged arm before quickly evaporating along with the burning sensation.
Shaking off my arm i took a peek at the scars beneath the bandages seeing their silver tissue of the scarred skin heating up. "I'm gonna get a new arm at this rate. Maybe I'll finally be rid of these scars you gave me when we ascended to godhood together."
Not liking my relaxed humour Thorn made an irked face.
"None of the other parts of my body are being effected by the causality restrictions so at best I'll probably lose an arm before growing a new one. Thats good actually cuz these burn scars are less than likeable."
Staring at me for a moment Thorn was squinting from his perch on a tree branch. Knowing i was goading him but still falling for it anyway. "...Now I'm tempted to fix the future just to piss you off and not let you get rid of that scar."
Knowing he would say that and was being honest i grinned slightly. "You really just going to fix the future and let your past-self suffer again just to mess with me?" I asked.
"Can't have both the soul in heaven and a dick up a hot woman's ass." Thorn said with an insolent tone before curving his beak into a perverted grin.
"Thats a new phrase for you." I scoffed, feeling Thorn's joy flowing out of him. "Is being annoying to me all you care about?"
"No matter the universe, i will find you, and i will annoy the fucking shit out of you at all costs." The raven said as he flew down to land atop my beanie to nest on.
"Did not take much to convince you."
"Think what you want, pisspot."
"Naturally i will. Though you won't like what i think of you."
Sliding down from my scalp Thorn perched on my shoulder. "Fuck you, but affectionately." From my shoulder Thorn climbed into my jackets hood hanging his tail-feathers down my back as he curled up. "The only person who could bring about a future not meant to exist is Sathuna. So its probably time you revealed a few secrets with her. That alright with you?"
Tucking my hands into my trouser pockets i let out a long breath into the cold forest air. Once my moment of release was done i said, "yeah. Anyways It'll be nice to see Sathuna's real self."
Gathering my aether the [mach void] spell constructed beneath my feet before firing me out from the planet and into the void.
Flying in the gap between space and time before breaking through a seemingly random crack in the void. Teleporting me and Thorn in front of a random gate in the middle of a neon forest.
Looking left and right at the glowing green tree's under the starry night sky and not recognising them i said, "she's updated the security against me again. This wasn't my destination at all. I was aiming for her bathroom."
Thorn sniggered slightly. "You able to break through or need my help?"
"No, i got it."
[aspect: taken devourer - take the severance!]
A black blade of ink stretched out from my left hand. Adjusting my grip on the liquid blades handle i then swung it with full force through the gate in front of me. Severing it in two before a wave of energy gushed forward ripping away the false reality that hid my destination from sight and touch.
Walls of illusion crumbled under the weight of the divine slash showing the true world hidden behind them. A university of witches all staring at the strange rain of snow-like light falling around the campus harmlessly from the clear sky. All of them confused, feeling like something happened but not knowing what.
Stepping forwards my feet carried me through the broken front gate of the university and through the flowery courtyard as specks of light fell onto the heads and hands of curious witches that didn't notice my presence.
At the heart of the university a massive cathedral-like structure with a gothic yet still futuristic design to it towered over the courtyard with multiple towers and buildings connected to its arms. Some floating in the air with magic and others rotating their bricks trying to rebuild themselves.
[aspect: taken devourer - take the memory!]
[skill: horizon chain - mind wipe]
The calm atmosphere across the university campus stuck for a moment until the snow disappeared and all its students quickly returned to their previous jobs as the strange phenomena that just happened was wiped from their memory.
Going in through the front doors of the university i wandered down its halls hearing the conversations between witches in classrooms as they worked on their projects while the living statues in the walls all shivered the moment they recognised me.
"The tooth fairy is fae propaganda!"
"Where's your fucking evidence?!"
"It teaches kids its ok to invite fae into their homes! Tell me how its not!?"
One particular argument filled with screaming caught my and Thorn's attention and looking in i saw the witch from the Fire-cloud mercenaries, Ben Lake's crew, arguing with other witches.
Since time reversed by about 20-years in linear time she should have arrived here barely a week after the events on Idaten involving the [cadenza note empyrean] and kralscell of songs. Given the slow time flow of this planet, the twenty years in the future would only be two-years here so she probably hadn't even left yet.
Continuing on through the university i came to a tower full of staircases that built themselves beneath the feet of those walking through. Taking them where they wanted to go for each floor.
Going up one of the staircases it shifted and turned, trying to lead me away from my destination into a different direction but with a powerful stamp pulsing silver energy from my foot as a threat, the staircase behaved and started spiralling straight upward heading for the topmost floor of the university.
Walking off the staircase through an archway on the twentieth floor at the very top, my feet ambled on down the green carpeted hall. leading me towards an open archway leading into an office.
Past the doorless arch a sickly frail woman with her pale skin and thin body sat at a desk. Her shoes heels propped up on the table comfortably as she read through a thesis wearing a grin.
How she was reading the paper with the blindfold on her face was beyond me. But even more than that, it was surprising every time i saw her how despite her unwell appearance she was brimming with vitality. This was Sathuna's true body, not the puppet's she ordinarily spoke to me and the
"Knock, knock, Headmistress Sathuna."
Not bothering to look up at me the witch said, "Why you do that despite there being no door will always perplex me." The blindfolded witch sighed before placing down the thesis she read.
"Last time i was here there was a door to be fair." I said before dragging a seat across the wooden floor to sit right in front of Sathuna's desk as she removed her feet from it.
"To be fair the last time you were here. You dropped in while i was having a bath, and instead of apologising you tried to distract me by turning my bath into a soup." Sathuna muttered angrily. "While I was still in it at that."
Rolling my eyes i replied, "your bathroom is the only place in the whole campus with fixed spatial coordinates. Everywhere else in this building is twisted with spatial anomalies from the various magics casted across it. Knowing you that was intentional no doubt. Except for the part i tried to cook you into a soup of course."
Lifting her cup of medicinal tea and taking a sip Sathuna said nothing to decline my words. Only affirming my guess as the truth.
"Anyways I'm here because of important matters."
Lowering her tea back down to the table, Sathuna lifted her eyebrows above her blindfold to silently ask what the important matters were.
"The future I'm originally from has arrived, but theres a few issues with it. Such as a raving raven's origin not existing."
Sathuna's whole body flinched and her hand tensed so much she cracked the teacup she held. The news was more than just astonishing to her, it was like I had just walked up to her and handed her enough money to buy a planet. There was no shock enough to express how bewildered she currently was.
The ever so composed and focused Sathuna, for the first time since i had known her, broke her calm countenance filling it with questions and confusion. Despite that she quickly regained herself, leaning across her desk putting her chin in both her gloved hands to ask me, "what do you mean issues?"
Climbing out from my jackets hood Thorn hopped down onto my thigh. "Let me put it as simply as i can for you, Sathuna. There's a regressor capable of rewinding the whole universe and the person solely responsible for the course of events that abandoned the two of us in hell is dead as an infant."
"The whole universe you say?" Digesting this information Sathuna muttered possibilities to herself. "Such authority over time is different from exalted's who have affinity with such practices. Most time magics or authority's can only affect a set radius and even the strongest spells and powers to control time can only affect a planet after centuries of preparation by mundane deities and transcendent's... Is the one responsible a mortal?"
"Yes." I answered. "His name's Arthur Moonleaf. Twenty years from now in the first timeline he became an apostle of
"Really? You killed them before in the sealing war. Their current form if from surviving the reincarnation." Sathuna stated.
"Shut up." Thorn chuckled full of mocking joy and horror. "You're telling me that lanky and stern man became a plump and beautiful lady?!" Becoming aghast Thorn shed a tear. "I imagined myself having sex with a fucking tranny..! Oh well. She's hot so i don't care. Plus technically they're a bonafide woman now."
Enjoying Thorn's brief anguish Sathuna soothed him saying, "correct, Thorn. She's as much of a woman as she can be. Sage may have been a man at first but he's been in a woman's body ever since the first upending after the sealing war when he reincarnated in that girls body. Thats over thirty-thousand-years as opposed to the mere four-thousand Sage lived as a man."
"Hehe~ so she's more a tomboy than an actual man! Yes! Thank you genesis!" Thorn celebrated getting a joyful grin from Sathuna
Meanwhile i was lost from start to finish in their conversation. "This seems very off-track for this conversation." I spoke being confused on why these two were discussing if the kralscell of memory qualified as a man or a woman.
"Do excuse me indulging Thorn's lecherous desire's, Traveler. Its always so entertaining watching him test his luck with anything that has a hole to breed with."
Sighing aloud this whole conversation became nonsensical somehow. "You've been spending too much time with my wife if even you are indulging Thorn's perverse nature."
"Her personality rubbing off on me is the exact revenge she wants probably after I convinced her to leave you."
Pausing her words to simply stare at me past her blindfold Sathuna was quiet for a moment. Letting the sounds of students chattering outside quietly fill the room, perhaps expecting a retort from me but not getting any.
"...with the regressions happening you could go see her. There are many deals and contracts you've made that could be broken now then re-established like they always were with no one but yourself the wiser."
"What's the point in that when I'd be lying when i say i always make good with my promises?"
Unsurprised my words Sathuna grinned gently. "How true of you."
Leaning back in her chair Sathuna stared up at the ceiling of her office that was a starry map of the Connected Galaxies Alliance with every mapped planet and star condensed into the ceiling.
"It looks like the end of all things started with a song of passion. I'll have to work hard to ensure it ends with the insanity of sentience. I'll need your assistance in creating this future we crave a little more, [traveler on a journey]."
Pleased by this news i rested comfortably into my chair. "We'd expect nothing less from you, [witch queen]."