Chapter 213: Beginning (XIII)
The sky above the floating mountain was no longer a canopy of serene violet leaves; it was a screaming abyss of spatial tears and blinding, violent destruction.
High above the protective, pitch-black dome that Roshhide had erected around the lower island, two primordial deities of Rilth clashed with catastrophic force. Every single strike exchanged between the Overlord of Space and the Lightning Overlord generated atmospheric shockwaves so intense that the dark barrier groaned under the pressure. Even beneath the shield, force rippled across the floating landmass, snapping ancient, obsidian-barked trees like twigs and shattering massive rock formations into clouds of floating dust.
Gliding effortlessly through the falling debris was a creature of mesmerizing, ethereal beauty. The Doom Overseer—a majestic beast resembling a massive, luminescent teal panther—hovered two feet above the trembling moss, its long, deep-blue ribbon antlers trailing gracefully down its back. It carried Erin Volter away from the central clearing, moving with a fluid, silent speed.
Within moments, the teal beast arrived at the secluded glade where Erin’s modest wooden house stood. The Overseer gently set her down on the porch before lifting its heavy, noble head toward the sky.
From the crown of the beast’s head, a soft, vibrant emerald light flared. The energy expanded outward in a smooth, translucent wave, enveloping the small wooden house in a glowing green sphere of condensed mana. The moment the green barrier locked into place, the deafening roaring of the wind and the physical impact of the falling trees instantly vanished.
Inside the small living room, the atmosphere fell dead quiet.
Yet, despite the sudden physical protection, Erin Volter collapsed onto the wooden floorboards, her knees buckling under her own weight. She scrambled backward until her back hit the far corner of the room, clutching her arms tightly around her chest as her entire body trembled uncontrollably.
The physical shockwaves had been muffled, but the raw, volatile fluctuations of dark man saturating the very air were suffocating. To a human—even one whose core had been forcefully awakened—the pressure felt like standing at the bottom of an ocean while two tectonic plates ground each other to dust. Tears of pure, instinctual terror spilled freely down Erin’s pale cheeks, burning her skin. She buried her face into her knees, letting out small, broken sobs.
She felt like she was going to die here. Caught in the middle of a war between gods, with nowhere to run and no power to defend herself.
"Do not weep, my lady," a voice echoed softly.
The sound did not come from the air; it vibrated directly and gently within the deep recesses of Erin’s mind. It was a telepathic cadence—deep, harmonious, and laced with a profound, ancient reverence that carried not a single droplet of malice or bloodlust.
Erin flinched, slowly lifting her tear-stained face from her knees.
Sitting peacefully in the center of her small living room was the teal beast. Its glowing emerald eye watched over her with quiet warmth. Up close, the creature showed no sign of the feral, gore-stained savagery that humans associated with Calamity Beasts. It radiated an aura of pure, undisturbed nobility.
Erin swallowed hard, wiping her cheeks with the back of her trembling sleeve as she tried to force her mind back online.
"Who... who are you?" Erin whispered, her vocal cords dry and raspy. "...And why are you protecting me?"
The feline beast bowed its heavy head slightly, its deep-blue ribbon antlers sweeping gently over the wooden floor.
"I am known in this realm as the Doom Overseer," the beast replied telepathically, its tone polite and serene. "And you are Erin Volter. My host, the Overlord of Space, has commanded that no harm shall befall you upon this mountain. Therefore, it is my solemn duty to ensure your safety."
Erin blinked, staring at the massive beast. She glanced anxiously toward the ceiling, where faint flashes of dark violet and electric blue light occasionally bled through the green barrier. "Why aren’t you out there helping him?" she asked, her voice shaking slightly. "If that other monster kills him... won’t this whole island fall?"
The Doom Overseer let out a soft, echoing sound that sounded remarkably like a gentle chuckle.
"I cannot fight, my lady," the Overseer explained smoothly. "My body was not forged for the brutality of war. As my title suggests, I am merely an Overseer. My eyes were gifted with the sight to observe that which was, that which is, and that which shall come to pass."
The feline beast shifted its posture, resting its chin comfortably over its front paws as its emerald eye fixed onto Erin.
"You need not fear the storm raging above us," the Doom Overseer added softly. "I have looked into the tapestry of the immediate future. Roshhide will not fall today."
Hearing those absolute words, a small, tentative breath of relief escaped Erin’s chest. The confidence in the beast’s voice acted like an anchor, steadying her erratic heartbeat. If this creature could truly see the future, and if Roshhide was destined to win, then at the very least, she would not be pulverized by falling debris within the next few hours.
However, before that fragile sense of relief could fully settle in her mind, the Doom Overseer’s emerald eyes flickered with a somber, mysterious light.
"The future is not a rigid path carved in stone, however," the Overseer continued, his telepathic voice dropping into a low, prophetic tone. "What I see is merely a single grain of sand swept up from a vast, infinite ocean of possibilities. There are infinite threads, infinite choices, and infinite endings. Therefore... I would never take anything for granted."
Erin flinched, her body freezing in the corner. Her green eyes widened as the weight of his words registered in her sharp mind.
"A grain of sand in an ocean..." Erin muttered to herself. She looked directly into the beast’s glowing emerald eyes. "Are you... are you an Oracle?"
"In the tongue of your people, that is the term you use," the Doom Overseer confirmed smoothly.
Erin’s breath hitched. A sudden, overwhelming surge of realization washed over her. She remembered the blinding flashes of light that had hit her mind while falling through the sky—the vivid, impossible visions of a futuristic Earth, of towering glass monoliths, mid-air transit lines, and a transformed Area 5.
"I... I think I am one too," Erin confessed, her voice barely a whisper as she stared down at her hands. "Ever since my core awakened... ever since I stepped onto this planet, I’ve seen things. Strange images of places I’ve never been, of a future Earth... But I can’t control it. It hits me like a violent wave, tearing my mind apart."
The Doom Overseer did not look surprised. Instead, a warm, knowing smile seemed to curve the edges of its majestic snout.
"I know, my lady," the Overseer replied gently. "Your human vessel was never designed to hold the density of raw dark mana, let alone the burden of foresight. Your mind attempts to swim in the ocean of time without knowing how to float. If you allow it to rage unchecked, it will shatter your spirit."
The teal beast stretched its long neck forward, lowering its glowing forehead toward Erin.
"Close your eyes, Erin Volter," the Overseer instructed softly. "Let me show you how to quiet the noise. Let me teach you how to navigate the threads."