CHAPTER 535

FLAMES OF DESTRUCTION (VI)

The vast cosmos spun around them, extending into vast nothingness, distant flickers of stars fading in and out of existence. The massive behemoth of a ship flew through the vast expanse speedily, its innards shielded from the countless cosmic storms they'd encountered by a thin, silver sheen.

Ella sat at the far front of the ship, looking out through the glassed front of the hull into the blended nothingness, her gaze heavy and turbid. She wore a simple, leather outfit dyed in dim silver, her long hair flooding down her slightly slumped back. Her surroundings were eerily unfamiliar, like sets of mechanical altars springing thousands of buttons, above them a swath of screens depicting a variety of numbers and images she couldn’t understand, though she hardly cared to.

The doors to the massive room split open as two figures walked in, Cadel who she thought would be the only one accompanying her, and Limrur, the eight oldest Agent of Order. He was on the taller end of things, almost as pale as snow, featuring the same appearance as Ella and the man walking by his side – deep, azure eyes and the golden hair composed of winding locks. The two wore the same outfits as Ella, walking over briskly and sitting beside her, gazing out the window for a moment.

“We’ll arrive in about fifteen days,” Limrur said, glancing at her, smiling faintly. “Are you ready?”

“… hm.” Ella nodded faintly.

“If it’s too much,” he said, caressing her hair gently. “You can always stay in the back, Cadel and I can take care of it.”

“… no, it’s my failure,” Ella sighed. “I should at least meet it face to face.”

“You’re doing the right thing,” Cadel said in an encouraging tone. “Have faith in yourself.”

“If we fail, the entire structure of Creation would be ripped open; the vast cosmoses would be thrust in a perpetual war,” Limrur said. "I am certain that the child does not possess those intentions, but his intentions are nothing against the Will of the Destroyer. You’re saving him, Elanor; saving him from the pain of having begun something that would end so many lives.”

“… I know.” Ella mumbled faintly after a lengthy silence, dropping her head into her chest. “Still…”

“… we know,” Limrur said, pulling her head up by her chin, revealing a pair of teary eyes. “Your pain… we’ve all experienced it, little one. Shortly after I became an Agent,” he continued, taking a deep breath. “I was planted on a world called Idor, chiefly set there to eat them inside out. Just like you, however, I was a blank slate, a worm biding his time. In the process, I conceived a family and developed friendships. So, when the day of the Ashening came, and when I regained my memories, I dully refused to do anything. Rather, I was set to rebel against the Creator.”

“…”

"So, I granted powers to thousands upon thousands of people," he said, his voice growing heavier. "In hopes they'd use them to defend, to repel the invaders. Instead… they used those powers against themselves. They began concocting plans to invade other worlds, to expand, whilst committing acts beyond vile in front of my eyes. Unconditional power… cannot be handed at a whim. It corrupts, like the drip of the acid upon the skin. My transgression cost me my family; they imprisoned my wife and six of my children and blackmailed me into helping them. I spent decades limping about until Sister Albina was sent by the Creator to rescue me."

“…”

“Creator never forbids us from making our own decisions,” Limrur said, glancing at her and smiling. “Rather, He encourages us to think for ourselves, to make the best of our circumstances. He’d much rather the boy be saved than killed. But His care is for all of the vast Creation. Unlike us, who have narrow hearts and love few, He loves everyone. He can’t watch the fire be set to Everything to save your broken heart.”

"… I know," Ella said once again, sighing. "However, Lino isn't driven by a sense of power. You don't have to reiterate it, Brother; yes, power corrupts, especially one on that scale. But, I am only saying this to warn you against relaxing – he is not driven by the sense of entitlement that comes with his power. He is driven by the same, general principle the Creator is, just on a much lesser scale. He fights to protect, rather than to Destroy. He's unscrupulous in his ability to deny everything if it means protecting. The reason he didn't give up the power is that he knows that being powerless would render him incapable of protecting anyone or anything, not that he hates being powerless. If anything, I think that, deep down, he'd not feel the need for strength than the other way around."

“…” Limrur and Cadel listed in silence, looking sideways at her.

“My fear is that if we do push him to that edge, he might genuinely surrender to the madness you fear; in that case, I could see him abandoning everything and running away, biding his time.”

“We’ve obviously thought about that,” Limrur chuckled. “He won’t be able to run away.”

“… I sincerely hope…” Ella mumbled as she closed her eyes, memories once again trailing through her mind.

**

Lira had trouble finding another normal human on the ship; most scoffed at her approach, some even tried to kill her, and the best she’d gotten was a cold shoulder and a shrug. Frustration began to seep in as she ransacked about the massive meeting room, looking for a kindred spirit. In the midst of hundreds of different races she expected to be welcomed with open arms, yet if any arms welcomed her, it was those armed with daggers and swords.

At the end of her wits, she spotted a figure leaning against a metallic pillar toward the corner of the hall, isolated and lonesome, arms crossed against his chest. He had a relatively handsome appearance, was on a tall, leaner side, and wore ordinary shirt and trousers rather than whatever flamboyant nonsense others wore. Spark in her eyes lit up like the brimming candle as she sped over, inspecting him closer. Hmm, handsome indeed… though, from her experience, people this handsome usually had at the very least four wives, so she quickly put out the hopes in her heart.

“Oi!” she called out aggressively as she approached, causing Alan to flinch; glancing sideways he was surprised by the newcomer who suddenly called out to him. She was, at best, one-fifty centimeters tall, reaching just above his abdomen, sporting hair like a hedgehog – spear-like tips protruded from her skull upward, each dyed in a different color, making her seem more akin to a creature than a human. “Ye’ got wee bit time fo’ a chat?”

“…” Alan frowned, gazing into the honest, black eyes of the woman who approached him. She was entirely unfamiliar, though that didn’t really say much; humans, or at the very least humanoid races were the most numerous throughout the cosmos, meaning it’s possible to run into them at any time and anywhere. “What do you want?” he asked in a slightly hostile tone.

“Oi, oi, relax! I ain’t a swindle, ye’ know?” the woman frowned back, gesturing with her arms violently as she spoke. “I’as just wonderin’ if ye’d like to partner up, or form a squad, ye know? Power in numbers, ‘n all.”

“… I’m good, thanks.”

“Ho ho, don’t be so quick ‘bout rejectin’ me; I’m quite strong, ye know? I pull me weight!”

“I’m sure you do,” Alan said, sighing inwardly. “I just don’t like partnering up.”

“What’s yer name?”

“As I said—”

“Fine, fine, you won’t partner up, ‘tis fine! I’m asking yer’ name, not yer’ hand in marriage, woman!”

“…” Alan, for a moment, contemplated just walking away, but managed to reign in his basic instincts, instead taking a deep breath to calm himself down. “It’s Alan.”

“Alan? What a nifty name! ‘tis Lira! Me name, I mean!”

“… it’s nice to meet you, Lira.”

“Likewise, likewise,” she said, stroking her chin in an attempt to seem contemplative. “So, Alan, let’s partner up!”

“Oi! As I said—”

“Ye, ye, yer a prick, me get it! But, the battle will be dangerous! I’ve foreseen it!”

“…….”

“Ah, don’t stare at me like ‘tis lady’s a madman! A’right, a’right, I may’ve’not foreseen it,” despite his attempts to walk away, Lira stuck to him as she strutted rapidly by his side. “But, I feel it! Ye know? When ye feel it in yer bones? Like when that face showed up, remember? Boi, I felt chills! Tho they tell us he’s the only strong, do ye really believe it? Me don’t. I knowst, ah, no, I imagine,” she quickly corrected herself as Alan glared at her. “He has plenty strong under him. Wouldn’t we be sheep bashin’ into a steel frame of a barn if we headed in willy-nilly?! Ah, we’d die right there! Boom! Bam! We dead! Who will bury us, huh? Can you even bury someone without a wholesome bodi? ‘tis this why I want to partner up! Hah! Got each other’s backs! We’re invincible! Hah! Bury that, eh? We’ll fight—”

“Alright, alright, fine!” Alan relented, exclaiming loudly. “I’ll partner up with you, fine? Just… just… shut up…”

“Ha ha ha, great, great! Let’s go then!” Lira exclaimed, her lips curling up into a wide, innocent smile.

“… go where?” Alan asked ambiguously.

“To recruit others, of course! What else?!” ………I should have fuckin’ stayed home…