Chapter 53: [53] Celeste
In a vast world filled with a darkness so thick that it seemed as though it was alive, was a castle so tall that it touched the skies.
But darkness was not the only thing that dwelled in this world. There was also a great volume of light, one so pure that it flowed like a river.
These two opposing forces clashed against each other in a struggle that had spanned for eons, neither claiming victory over the other.
They had been at odds for so long that they had long forgotten their enmity, now all that was left was a shallow bond, a lingering feeling of comradery.
"What do you think, brother? I think I very much like the view." The man that spoke had an ethereal voice, a smooth tone that slipped into the ear like poison.
If one was not alert, calamity would be disguised as idle chatter, as they poisoned the mind and soul.
His skin was as black as obsidian, but inlaid in it were shimmering particles that looked like dying stars, twinkling in one final act of defiance, just before they burned out.
He picked up a glass that looked as though it had been cut out of crystal, and brought it to his lips.
"Shall we add this to our collection? The view reminds me of the two of us."
The person beside him clicked his tongue. He was leaning on the railings in the balcony of the impressive castle, his hair being tussled by the frigid wind.
"Have I grown so ugly that you would compare me to a deity?"
The light seemed to react to his statement, stealing the light it had cast on them, but its efforts were in vain.
Unlike his brother, this man had skin the colour of marble, and a light shimmered from within him, as though an aspect of the incandescent realm, hell, had been placed within his chest.
The dark brother sighed. "Look at what you’ve done. You’ve made her angry..."
"And why should I care? The universe is too vast to be bothered by matters of no consequence." The bright brother smirked. "Speaking of which, how did the tutorial go?"
The dark brother rumbled with quiet laughter. "Why ask me? You see as much as I do, brother."
He twirled the golden liquid in his glass then set it on fire, watching as it burned. After a few seconds, he took a long sip and smiled.
"I enjoy him just as much as you do, but I’m afraid he is just another cliche protagonist in a much grander story."
"Alas... The tower is too vast for someone like him to reach the very pinnacle."
The bright brother was about to reply, when the atmosphere in the room suddenly shifted.
Click—Click—Click!
The sound of shoes striking the glass floor echoed through the castle, and then it stopped just outside the balcony.
Without wasting a second, the intruder let herself in.
"I hope I am not interrupting anything?" She asked, tucking a strand of her fiery hair behind her ears.
Both brothers frowned, their mood immediately souring.
"You." The dark brother spat.
"Hmm? Why do I have the feeling you’re not happy to see me?" An icy voice came.
Standing before the brothers, was a woman who possessed the type of beauty that could cause time to slow down, just to have a few more seconds in her presence.
Her hair was pale gold, mixed with strands of white. It cascaded down her back like a waterfall, running down to her waist, and drifting whenever the chilling wind would rush by.
Her eyes had a glow within them, and a single glance seemed capable of snatching a soul right out of its body.
She was dressed in ethereal red fabric that screamed danger, and two black wings were at her back.
The wings looked tame for now, but the brothers knew behind its modest look hid a more horrifying form.
"Daughter of defiance. To what do we owe this pleasure?" The dark being asked.
The woman smiled and ran her hand through one of the pillars, as she took a step closer.
"Nothing much. You can simply consider it a welfare check up..."
"A welfare check up?" It was a blatant lie.
"Yes." The woman smiled. "So? How have you been doing?"
The dark brother motioned at the room, then raised his glass. "As you can see, I have been doing excellently well. This is the most fun I have had in ages."
A mouth split his face from ear to ear. "Care to join us? Your seat is unattended, love."
"My answer is the same as it was centuries ago. I want nothing to do with the corruption that has eaten you both up."
She glanced at him. "I still have nightmares about the time we spent working together, you know?"
"Oh?" The dark being glanced at his brother, but he seemed uneager to join their conversation. "It is amazing to hear that you still dream of me! Pleasant dreams I hope?"
"Are you deaf?"
"Hahahaha." He chugged down his drink. "I seem to remember things differently though. To me, the time we spent together was nothing short of divine. It is a shame we had to come at an impasse."
The woman’s face remained alooff, but the dark being could see emotion welling up in her eyes. "You forsook me, Fate. You condemned us to this hell you built."
"Eh. A difference in perspective I suppose. This world I have built... Eden is the salvation of mankind."
"It seems my student has failed to shake off his madness."
Something shifted in the atmosphere. The dark being’s voice grew strained, but he composed himself.
"Studnet? I remember our relationship being a little more... intimate." His smile grew wider.
Tension sparkled in the air between them both, then the dark being suddenly straightened.
"You—" he snapped his fingers and the image of the woman fractured, crumbling like glass. The woman was still there, but her wings, large, black and terribly dreadful were out in their full glory.
"You dare use your illusions on me?" The dark being bit. He had made a terrible mistake. "When did you become such a bold faced liar?"
The woman smiled. "A good teacher should learn a thing or two from her students, no?"
Two large screens immediately appeared in the air above them, they barely lasted for two seconds before they were banished, but it was more than enough time...
The woman cocked her head to the side. "So that is him? Your new pet? Will you forsake him the way you did me?"
"..."
Sanity forsook her features as her face twisted into a crazed look.
"Maybe I should pay him a visit?"
VWOOSH!
A strong gust of mana suddenly descended upon the room. The castle split right from the top floor, down to the very foundation.
The dark entity took a step forward, red lightning darting around the stars encased within him.
"Be mindful of your actions, Eve. You would do well to know that fate tends to lead towards, chaos."
The woman unleashed her own aura and when they clashed, the entire castle disintegrated to dust.
The three otherworldly beings hung still in the air, staring down each other. Both light and darkness kept their distance, as though afraid to be caught up in the mess.
After so long, the bright being spoke in an annoyed voice. "Can you both take your lover’s spat elsewhere? I tire of this endless circle."
Neither of them responded.
’A shame... I was growing fond of this planet.’ He mused.
"Is this really what you want? Do you really think you stand a chance against me in that cobbled form?" Fate rumbled with laughter.
"How many times has it been now? How many times have I destroyed you body and soul?!"
A thunderclap cut across the universe, obliterating parts of both the light and darkness.
Both calamitous entities in their own rights, cut down by a mere release of mana.
The woman smiled wide, her wings taking an eerie purple glow.
"I never bothered to keep count. Shall we start today—"
Snap!
With a flick of his fingers, the woman suddenly disintegrated. Half of the world was blown apart by the resulting shockwave, sending her ashes drifting through the dark night.
But although she was gone, her laughter remained, echoing throughout the planet.
A few seconds passed, and then the bright being sighed. "She is growing stronger, just like the others."
Normally, the mana release should have been more than enough to crush her soul, yet she managed to resist it.
For now, they had the upper hand. But they had both reached the limits of their strength a long time ago, but Eve was different, neither brother knew what her limits were, or if she even had one...
Fate stared at the dust for a moment longer, then shook his head, turning away. "I know, Order."
"And what about your ward?" The bright being, Order asked.
"Now that Eve has her eyes set on him, all he is is bad product." The dark being replied in a mildly annoyed tone.
"I wager there would be nothing left of his mind when she is through..."
As the two brothers ascended into the skies, leaving the dying planet behind them, Fate clicked his tongue.
"Ark Karras. What a waste."
Still, who knows? His smirk returned. The workings of fate have always been a little chaotic...