Chapter 28: A Talk With An Authority
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As he spoke with Fenrir, Riven suddenly remembered the Cosmic Monarch.
Could that terrifying being have some relation to the Brightest Star, these Guardians of Order, or whatever the hell Fenrir had been talking about just moments ago?
He decided to go for it and ask him directly.
"You know who the Cosmic Monarch, the Abyssal Gaze is?"
"..."
Silence fell between them.
"You are too small, too weak, too pitiful. How is it possible that you know who that being is?"
"So you know him."
"..."
"If we don’t stop my father, it will come to Earth and destroy it in three years."
"..."
"You desire to destroy civilization, but not humanity, don’t you? Despite your extremist views... you love humans."
"Huh... Huhuh... HAHAHAHAHAHAH!"
Fenrir laughed loudly at his words.
But he did not deny them.
"YES. I LOVE HUMANITY. THEY ARE SO FILTHY. SO WILD. PRIMAL BEINGS WHO GAVE BIRTH TO SINS LIKE NO OTHER. BUT THIS SOCIETY? THIS CIVILIZATION? IT DESTROYS WHAT MAKES THEM FUN... IT DENIES THEM... THEIR TRUE NATURE."
"..."
Riven, naturally, did not stand with such stupid and biased views.
But an ally like him... would not be so bad, at least for now.
However, how sure could he really be of Fenrir’s loyalty? At the very least, he planned to keep the alliance until they finished taking down their common foes.
Because he sure as hell was not going to let this ancient wolf destroy civilization and force humans back into the stone age.
"Then?" Riven asked carefully. "Your Cult... has potential, but it lacks vision. They are dispersed, doing things you never taught them. They were going to kidnap me just to get money from my father. Is that what you taught your children?"
"TSK! My ’Children’ do as they please... but I do have to admit, that is very low and pathetic. I have been thinking about their total annihilation. You... are interesting."
"?"
Riven could hardly believe what Fenrir was about to suggest.
"How about you bring me some entertainment and show me what True Chaos is? Destroy them, tear them apart, eat them...!!!"
"You want me to kill your own followers?! Why?"
Fenrir sneered with maddening eyes, making Riven realize this wolf had never cared about them that much in the first place.
"Why not?"
"..."
"Besides... I am not leaving until I get something from you, vessel of the vanquished ones."
"Likewise. Then let’s make a deal. I’ll chase and kill them... or recruit them under my command, perhaps to straighten them up a little."
"Hmm, sounds good. I want to see you eating some of them. That’s part of the fun."
"...Fine, but only when they’re monsters. Will you take away the authorities they possess?"
"Once given they cannot be taken away. This is exactly why I want you to kill them. I’ve realized I’ve committed a mistake and I want out."
"Hah, you’re really a bastard."
"So?"
"What is in it for me?"
"Power."
"!!!"
"Isn’t that what you want, human?"
"..."
"Look, I am not doing this because you’re special just because you ate my cultist. But you possess Them within you. I simply have no idea... yet they once used to be my comrades, members of the Abyssal Throne, followers of The Way of Chaos."
"...I had no idea. And honestly, I am not sure why I have this power. They appeared within me just a few days ago. That’s all I can say. And I am not lying."
"Hmm... perhaps they left something behind, a last remaining fragment of their power for someone, a vessel, a perfect... empty, talentless dud like you to take. Hah! Or maybe there’s something deeper? We could find out together... or not? It’s your decision. Once you wake up, you will find the power I have prepared for you."
"...Fine. But if we’re doing this, there’s a contract and conditions, and I won’t let you backstab me when you get what you want."
"Likewise, little human."
Both nodded. Fenrir, clearly shocked by Riven’s powerful will to resist his overwhelming presence, began writing a long contract forged from stars themselves.
They took what felt like hours until they finally came to a mutual decision. The contract was completely foolproof, and there were no hidden little letters either.
Riven had only signed it after Fenrir agreed to the last condition: "If Fenrir ever dares to backstab him, Riven takes half of his power." This, of course, did not include Fenrir’s cultists or situations where Fenrir simply helped them try to kill him. But Riven already knew this was part of "the fun" that Fenrir, a being of pure chaos, wanted to witness, to pit two holders of his power against one another. Because what else could be as fun and exhilarating to such a creature?
"It’s done."
FLAAASH!
The contract was sealed with black-red flames that encompassed Riven for a moment, forging a large tattoo on his right hand shaped like a howling wolf.
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