The azure light drifted silently through the endless ocean of harmonic Atum, its glow spreading gently through the darkness like moonlight piercing deep water. Around it, the corruption recoiled instinctively, dissolving into ash-like fragments the moment the radiance touched it. Tharion floated helplessly amidst the currents, his body barely responding anymore. The black corruption had nearly consumed him whole. His limbs felt numb. His thoughts sluggish. Even keeping his eyes open required effort.
And yet… he could still hear the voice.
Clear, warm and utterly overwhelming.
"Do not worry, child," the light said softly, its voice carrying impossible calm. "Outside this sanctuary, there is little I would currently be capable of doing for you… but thankfully, you are inside my domain now."
The moment those words reached him, another voice erupted violently within Tharion's mind.
"PARAGON!" his Enigma roared in panic. "Why in the Creator's name are you THERE?! Do you understand what you have awakened?!"
Even in his weakened state, Tharion nearly recoiled in shock. Never, not once in his entire life, had he heard fear in his Enigma's voice. Plane Lords were beings beyond mortal comprehension, ancient sovereigns of conceptual reality itself, entities that looked upon lesser existence with detached indifference.
Yet now…
His own Lord sounded terrified.
"My lord…?" Tharion thought weakly, struggling to maintain consciousness. "What is wrong? What is causing you this much panic?"
For a brief moment, silence followed.
Then his Enigma spoke again, quieter this time.
"Whatever you do…" the Plane Lord muttered carefully, "do not anger this being."
Tharion's eyes widened faintly.
The azure light drifted closer, touching his corrupted skin. Instantly, the black patterns began to peel away from his flesh, dissolving harmlessly into the surrounding Atum. Feeling slowly returned to his body. The suffocating agony lessened.
Still, confusion overtook him.
"Why?" he demanded mentally. "Who exactly is this bei-"
"Who are you speaking to, child?"
The azure voice interrupted him instantly.
It had not merely heard him speak aloud, it had read his thoughts.
Tharion's entire body stiffened.
The light shimmered gently, almost amused.
"Could it be one of the Plane Lords?" it asked curiously. "Does one of them still recognize me after all this time?"
Tharion's eyes widened further.
"How do you know-!"
"Oh, how delightful," the voice continued warmly, cutting through him again without effort. "Even after all these countless ages, they still remember me. I had assumed beings as insignificant as Plane Lords would have long since forgotten."
The ocean trembled around them as the corruption continued retreating from the azure radiance. Entire currents of Chaotic Atum dissolved into nothingness simply by existing near it.
Then the voice chuckled softly.
"Although truly, child…" it said with gentle amusement, "you are not very intelligent, are you?"
Tharion remained completely silent.
His mind raced violently, but no words came out.
The sheer impossibility of this situation crushed him harder than the pressure of the Plane itself.
The being before him knew the Plane Lords, they were lesser beings to it.
That terrified him more than the corruption ever could have.
"Oh?" the voice said after a moment. "My apologies. I am still recovering, so my perception remains imperfect. It seems I cannot read you quite as flawlessly as I once could."
The light pulsed faintly.
"You may ask your questions directly instead."
Tharion immediately noticed something wrong.
His Enigma had gone silent.
Completely silent.
The connection was gone.
"What did you do to my Lord?" he asked warily, tension returning to his voice.
The azure light flickered almost innocently.
"That was merely an unwanted guest," it explained calmly. "You entered my home, child. Allowing others to intrude through you would have been rather impolite, would it not?"
Its tone remained gentle throughout, but Tharion felt cold sweat run down his back regardless.
The being spoke politely, kindly even
But every sentence carried an authority so absolute it felt woven directly into existence itself.
Tharion steadied himself before speaking again.
"I came here for an ally," he said carefully. "Do you know where he is?"
This time, the light remained silent for several long moments.
When it finally answered, the warmth in its voice had faded slightly.
"My son," it said quietly, "cannot return with you yet."
The words sent a chill through Tharion's entire body.
"My… son?"
The azure radiance slowly began retreating deeper into the endless ocean below them.
"Why not?" Tharion asked cautiously.
The voice echoed softly through the Atum.
"Why don't I show you, child?"
Tharion hesitated, very instinct he possessed screamed at him to flee.
Yet he followed anyway.
He descended further into the depths after the retreating light, each movement growing heavier than the last. The pressure intensified exponentially, crushing against his muscles and bones until even lifting his arms became difficult.
The deeper he went, the denser the Atum became.
It felt like drowning inside reality itself.
His legs slowed, his lungs burned despite not needing air, his vision blurred.
"I'm not going to make it…" he realized grimly.
Then suddenly,
A hand grabbed his wrist.
Tharion's eyes widened.
The grip was firm, it felt like a human hand wrapped around his cold and steady.
Before he could react, he was violently pulled downward.
The pressure vanished instantly.
Tharion crashed through an invisible barrier and slammed hard onto solid ground. He coughed violently as his body hit pale grey stone.
For several moments, he simply lay there gasping.
Then a feminine voice echoed nearby.
"Seriously, Father? This one actually made it down here?"
The voice sounded ethereal, similar to the azure light's… but lesser somehow. Smaller. Like a candle beside the sun.
Tharion slowly raised his head, he froze in bewilderment.
"...Evelyn?"
The woman standing before him looked almost identical to Evelyn. The same face. The same eyes. The same features.
Only her hair differed, cascading far longer down her back like flowing silver silk.
She looked down at him with mild curiosity before narrowing her eyes.
"You know my daughter?" she asked.
Then she paused thoughtfully.
"Or rather… my soul daughter."
Tharion's heart nearly stopped, he tried forcing himself upright, but the pressure immediately crushed him back down onto one knee.
The woman sighed and placed a hand gently against his shoulder.
"Do not force yourself," she said calmly. "Remain on the ground."
Tharion coughed heavily before looking back up at her.
"Who… are you people?"
The woman stared at him silently for a long while, her gaze carrying a strange judgment.
Finally, she answered.
"I will tell you only this," she said quietly. "I am her original Creator."
She leaned closer.
"And Evelyn… is my creation."
Tharion's pupils shrank.
Before he could process the implication, the woman stepped aside and looked toward a massive cavern behind them.
"You wished to know what became of your ally?" she asked softly.
Then she pointed behind him.
"Look."
Tharion turned slowly.
And horror overtook his face.
Barbatos hung suspended in the center of the cavern, chained by countless glowing restraints. Massive blades pierced through his arms, shoulders, chest, and legs, pinning him in place like a condemned god. Blood dripped steadily from the wounds, dissolving into glowing particles before touching the floor.
Yet despite everything…
He was still alive, though barely.
Barbatos slowly lifted his head, his breathing uneven and strained.
"...Tharion?" he muttered weakly.
His voice sounded exhausted beyond measure.
"Leave… this place. This is my trial to overcome."
Tharion's eyes widened furiously.
"You idiot!" he shouted immediately. "You think this is the time to commit yourself to some damn trial?! Your life was collapsing for the Creator's sake!"
The moment those words left his mouth, the cavern fell silent.
Then the same ethereal voice echoed once more behind him.
"You really should not throw my name around so casually."
Tharion froze.
Every muscle in his body locked instantly.
Slow footsteps emerged from the darkness of the cavern.
One after another.
Slowly, step by step echoed.
Then finally,
A man stepped into the light.
Pale skin contrasted against his black hair.
Bright azure eyes that seemed to contain entire galaxies within them.
Countless glowing wounds covered his body, each one radiating divine light as though reality itself had once attempted to tear him apart.
And yet despite those wounds…
He stood tall.
Serene.
Smiling gently.
Tharion's mind went blank.
His body instinctively trembled.
"You are…" he whispered.
The man interrupted softly.
"You shall leave now, child."
He raised one hand toward Tharion.
A simple gesture.
Nothing more.
Yet the entire Plane trembled in response.
The man closed his eyes gently, kindness touching his expression.
"Goodbye now, child."