Sorting out the issue with the Frostwinds had taken many weeks. It was only then did the giants begin to discuss the issue about the world ending threat which was the eldritch being. Adam couldn’t help but worry they were being too lackadaisical about this creature.

However, he was no longer a Prince, and so he didn’t have much sway in this discussion in an official capacity. Or rather, that’s what he felt. He had done his task and he didn’t want to bother the adults as they talked about serious things.

As the months passed, Adam had understood a little about the various clans and tribes and their relationships to one another. The giants held most of the power up here, but they also held a deep regard for the white mages. The drakken were old foes who lived in peace with the giants for the most part, though they would come to defend the north alongside the giants. They didn’t have the best relationship, but it wasn’t bad enough to spill blood over it.

Entalia was revered by the drakken, and though the giants did not particularly like her, they respected her great strength. If she wanted to, she could easily place herself at the top of the drakken as their queen, but she didn’t seem too interested. It seemed the drakken and the dragons each had their own respective seats, though the drakken were more than eager to change their views in order to assist Entalia, though she didn’t spend much time in the discussions.

“This will still take some time,” Joti said. “We have already issued orders, and Gutt has taken the role of Crown Prince to guide our people under the influence of my father, but this may require years of planning.”

“It does affect the entire north so I can’t blame everyone for taking so long. It’s just…”

“Boring,” Freya said. Her eyes were narrowed and her lips were pulled aside, taut in a graceful frown.

“Exactly.” Adam nodded. Ever since the fight, he and Freya had been talking to one another daily. Though she had found it as boring as him, she didn’t once mention leaving, and Adam wasn’t going to bring it up either.

Part of the reason was that he had checked his abilities and something was wrong. He wasn’t sure if there was a glitch in the system but he had suddenly become extremely powerful. Some of his abilities had increased by double, and others had seemed to key off his greater abilities. His Priest abilities seemed to use his Smart score, and his Lay on Hands had increased in line with his total level rather than just his Guardian level. His proficiency had almost doubled too.

Weirdly enough, he didn’t gain any experience for his fight against the Prince. Even now, months later, he hadn’t received the prompt. If only he could speak with Belle, he’d be able to ask him all kinds of questions.

The air around them fell still and a crack appeared in the world. The giants, who had been in the middle of discussing their thoughts, stopped. Even Freya, who had been lazing around in the snow, sat up. The crack was black and emanated a great power. With each passing moment the crack opened up further.

The giants watched the crack open, reaching for their weapons. Entalia stood nearby to Adam, and Freya stood as tall as she could, her fingers outstretched and eager to fight. Adam waited to see a figure sitting down at a table, drinking some tea. It was an unforgettable figure.

His skin was liquid platinum and his veins ran through like streams of gold. His eyes held that kind of unearthly wisdom you would only see from an elder who had gone through so much wrong and yet they made everything seem so right, and swirls of all different colours flowed within them like a pool filled with every gem.

“I apologise for my rude appearance,” Belle said. It seemed as though he was speaking to them all, but there was an even greater gravity to his words.

Freya sat down and sighed, before then dropping down onto her side. She didn’t bother with Belle any longer, and Adam couldn’t only wonder where she got such confidence.

“Would you mind?” Belle asked. “We need to talk.”

Adam glanced around to see the others were still on edge, but he smiled and stepped up towards the crack. Entalia placed a hand on his shoulder. “Don’t go,” she said. “You won’t be able to leave.”

Adam looked at the crack, and then towards the god. There was something about his appearance which seemed a little off, as though there was a thin veil in front of him. “If Belle wants to talk to me, then I’ll talk. If I don’t come back, then you’ll just have to get vengeance for me.” Adam placed a hand on hers. “I’ll be back to see you again. I have debts to pay.”

Adam stepped towards the crack and as he entered it, the crack disappeared. Now he was in a void of nothing, though there was a table and some tea. Belle smiled, though it quickly became weak, and the thin veil no longer became so thin.

Belle was no longer the gentleman he had long appeared to him as, but rather an older man, with wrinkles and a long beard. He was sickly thin, and no longer did he have such an opposing figure.

“Are you alright?” Adam asked.

“I am about as well as I have always been,” Belle said. “That’s not important now.”

“What do you want to talk about?”

“I’m afraid the dragon is right,” he said. “You won’t be able to leave this place once you’ve stepped in.”

“I know,” Adam said. “Though you wouldn’t have done this if it wasn’t a serious problem.” Adam sat down and sighed. “So, what’s up?”

“You figured out the system too late,” Belle said with a foxy smile. “I had expected you to think about it when you first joined the world. I dropped a few hints but it seemed you didn’t pick up on them.”

“I thought it glitched out, but it was you?”

“The system was designed that way,” Belle smiled, though his eyes were filled with sadness. “I’m sorry.”

“What are you apologising for exactly?” Adam sipped on the tea. A splash of milk, a teaspoon and a half of sugar.

“You were my greatest fuck you to the beings above me. I broke through their laws and brought a being from a protected world, and then I gifted you with great powers, too great, and let you adventure as you pleased. One day you would have helped me with a task I had been planning for years, but…” Belle hung his head. “I’ve been quite rebellious to our overlords. I thought I was strong enough to handle whatever chaos would come.”

“I don’t entirely understand what you’re talking about.” Adam sipped on his tea.

“That’s not so important.” Belle sighed. “I have been protecting this world from threats since its inception. Whenever a breaking would happen, I would send a god to deal with it, to make sure it didn’t actually destroy the entirety of it. When the dragons came, I was worried, so I sent Bandlor. He was rather zealous in his defence, but it worked out in the end. I schemed and fought my way to make sure the world was safe, to the point I had sealed off a number of portals which had opened up. With my strength alone I genuinely believed I could have fought against the higher powers.”

“What happened? Was it too much?”

“No,” he said. “I’m sure that I could have continued looking after the world. I made a mistake. I created too much chaos in this world and I’m not able to deal with it. Even as we speak, the various seals I have put into place are weakening. New portals will open up soon and I won’t have the strength to deal with it. Ancient creatures of mass destruction are waking up, and war will soon engulf the world. Without Bandlor, I’m afraid I won’t have the strength to deal with it. Even with Bandlor, it will only delay the inevitable.”

“So why did you bring me here?” Adam had already known the answer.

“You were my greatest mistake. If I hadn’t brought you here, if I hadn’t been so cheeky, then everything would have been okay.” Belle smiled sadly. “I failed my most important gamble.” He bowed his head again, half in kowtow, half in shame. “Right now, if I could pay for the sin with my own life, I would have already done it.”

“So you’re going to kill me?”

“I’m asking you for a favour, Adam.”

“You made a mistake. These are the consequences of your action. If you want to ask for my life, I refuse. I don’t have the strength to fight you, but I won’t go out willingly.”

“I have to pay the price for being an idiot, but right now my child is suffering.” Belle held his head low. “Elaveil is currently being torn apart dealing with the aftermath of my stupidity. If I could give my life to make this stop, then I will. I’ve tried to stop her, but she’s hell bent on maintaining the balance I’ve destroyed.”

Adam sighed. “Even if you’re a god, you’re a father first. Is that the case?”

“That’s exactly so.”

“Even though I don’t like it, I respect it.” Adam frowned. “If Elaveil dies, and shit hits the fan…” He sighed. “You know, even though I’ve made a lot of mistakes in this world, I’m still glad I was born here. I’ve died once, and it turned out to go pretty well.” Adam swallowed heavily as a chill ran through him. “My sister, is she okay?”

“I always keep my word, Adam.”

“Then I guess I’m going to die for another sister’s sake this time,” he said. “Make sure you look after Lanarot for me.”

Belle raised his head. There was a genuine smile on his face this time. “I’ll make sure she’s fine.” Belle hand turned completely back. “Did you know that it’s been a year since we met?”

“Our anniversary? I didn’t bring a gift.”

“The gift you have given to me is more than enough.” Belle reached for Adam’s forehead with a finger. “Though it would be rude if I didn’t at least return a gift.” He tapped Adam’s forehead.

Adam died for a second time.

Belle smiled the most bitter smile he could, but it soon turned playful. “I didn’t expect you would allow me to play such a trick.” He looked back to Mistress Fate.

“You have yet to pay your debt,” she said.

“He said he wouldn’t go without a fight, but he let me touch him like that. Right before I touched him, I could feel it. Absolute terror.”

“I will show you how it feels,” Mistress Fate said. She reached out with a finger.

“You better keep your end of the deal,” Belle said.

“I, too, always keep my word.” She tapped Belle’s head.

In a thousand worlds, figures disappeared. Each were Belle’s fragments, each designed to sow chaos in other worlds so he could keep his strength in this world. There was a figure who rudely knocked.

Chaos did not take lightly for the death of his most precious son. “Do you think I won’t retaliate.”

“Do you really have the gall to speak to me about such a thing.” She didn’t even turn to face him. “He came to me on his hands and knees, begging me. In the end, he managed to play a trick on me. It seems he still had plans for the little boy.”

“And what plans do you have for him?”

Mistress Fate smiled. “He couldn’t kill his favourite son, and I couldn’t kill mine.”

“You’re going to reform the world?”

“Yes,” she said. “It’s just like a parent to have favourites.”

“Space and Time will never forgive you.”

“I don’t need their forgiveness. This is a small matter, and if they want to bring it up, let them.” Mistress Fate’s mind went out to watch the story unfold. She plucked a strand of her hair and it split into two before it was sucked away by the world’s reformation. She let them reform the world as closely as they could and she walked away. She stopped and looked to Chaos. “I’m going out for some tea and I won’t be back for a while. In that time, I won’t be looking at the reformation.”

Chaos bowed his head. “Then I will watch over it.” Chaos watched over it as she left, only to smile. “So it’s like that.”