"M-mizik! Darling!!? I'm trapped in her body again!!! PLEASE HELP ME!!! I DON'T WANT THIS!!!" Cassandra cried.
"How do you think I feel!? Gah...my head is killing me... Oh gods...what have I done...!?" Rose said.
I immediately turned and grabbed Rose by the throat.
She had been holding Bravery.
As I touched her, the blade crumbled to dust and the hilt fell from her hand.
"M-mizik!! Wait! Please! It's me...Isabella! I...I think..." She said.
"ARE YOU FRIEND OR FOE!?" I yelled.
"F-friend...probably...!" She said.
I released my grip on her and she dropped to her knees.
Then I picked up Bravery.
The sword had completely abandoned her.
"Let Cassandra take over. I need you to figure out what's going on," I said.
"Y-yes...I'm so sorry..." She said.
"Don't worry about it. We'll discuss it later."
"What the hell was that about!? Where did the Oracle go!? Why do I remember dying!?" Aldaril said.
"It's a long story..." I said.
"Mizik! I'm so sorry! I had no idea she would do something like that! Ah...I remember everything... Ugh...my head... I'm so confused!" Iris said.
"Well...at least that's a bonus..." I said.
It seemed like everyone here had their memories.
"What...happened!? Oracle!? WHERE IS THE ORACLE!?" Abbadon shouted.
Immediately, multiple Cassandra clones appeared around Abbadon with daggers up to his throat. They were the black daggers of Deception.
"Say the word and I'll execute him, darling!" Cassandra said.
Before I could answer, there was a bright flash in front of the Oracle's throne.
I saw several machines disperse around a figure.
A old man with dark skin, wearing a long, intricate gray robe had appeared.
Several parts of his body had been replaced with machinery and there was a strange device like a turning set of gears on his back.
He held a grand and beautiful clockwork staff.
"Please do not kill Abbadon. He was only following orders. And as of now, I will be taking control of Excelsis. If you are willing to listen, I will tell you everything," he said.
"Release Abbadon," I said.
Cassandra's clones disappeared.
"Thank you, Mizik. Allow me to properly introduce myself this time... I am The Artificer, Guardian Deity and master of the divine realm: Dominus. I believe we have spoken before, Mizik. Only once, though," the Artificer said.
His voice was familiar...but I couldn't quite place it.
After a few moments of thinking, I tried a guess.
"Are you the one who helped me save Isabella?" I asked.
He nodded.
"That is correct. The Creator has long since grown tired of the Oracle's failures. She went insane from the constant resets and tried to do things her way instead of allowing you to grow naturally. She was responsible for the vast majority of your suffering...and because of her actions, a new threat to creation has appeared..."
I pulled out Vengeance and it glowed red.
Then I approached the Artificer and held my sword to his throat.
"Start talking. Tell me everything or you'll end up like her," I said.
I could feel it... Vengeance still had its fourth form unlocked. Killing him would be child's play.
But at the same time, I felt a reluctance to strike this man with Vengeance. As if the sword were telling me not to attack.
"I rest my case. And you have nothing to fear. I am your ally. I will not hinder you, I will not harm you, and I will not resist you. You are the one chosen to slay the Corrupted Source and bring peace to creation. I have no reason to do you harm. If anything, I wish to contain the great disaster before it can go on another rampage."
I put Vengeance away and moved back.
"You want to contain me? Why should I allow that?"
"Because we both have to dwell among the worlds in established creation. I would rather there still be a place to live instead of endless nothingness."
"Fair enough. Now start talking. Why was I chosen?" I asked.
"It was not an easy choice...but you were literally the only one capable of accmplishing this goal. Vengeance is...picky about its wielders. I made it to be so. There wasn't a single person in all of Avernia capable of wielding it," he said.
"I think I recall Vengeance saying he was created by the Artificer. What are the Deus Arms?" I asked.
"They are weapons of mass destruction on a universal scale. More than that, they are god-slaying armaments to be used against existential threats that were commissioned by the Creator due to his non-interference policy. They were placed in Avernia for safe-keeping and because no one there could unlock their true power. I made the twelve and they demanded an Overseer. So I made one. Perfected after the original twelve... It is the one you currently hold in your inventory."
"Tell me more about the selection process for me being this...Chosen Hero," I said.
"Of course. You were selected for your unique aptitude for the Blessing of the Creator. The skill I made for dealing with the Corruption. Your personality also made it possible for you to wield Vengeance, which was entirely necessary to deal with the severity of the threat. Having a base leveling limit of 150 also made it easy to choose you. You were a truly blessed child and the union between your parents was no accident," the Artificer said.
"What do you mean...?" I said.
"You are aware of the Iratus family being infamous for their strength. But...the Kneltol family that your mother hails from was just as fearsome in the past. In ancient times, the Kneltol family held more power than even the royal family of Albatross. Their members were fierce magic users and mages. Masters of magic. It is unfortunate that the Albatross family betrayed, hunted them down, and purged their history from the books... Even more that the Kneltol forbade the use of their magic and eventually forgot how to summon it. Your parents were brought together myself. And the union between Iratus and Kneltol is also the reason for your Aspects being The Warlord and The Archmage. Aside from the Blessing of the Creator making it possible to receive both at the same time, of course," The Artificer said.
I looked at Cassandra and she shrugged.
"I...never knew that. Your mother's family was royalty!?" Cassandra said.
"Indeed they were. Albatross used to be called Kneltolan and Lorelei was their capital. Although it was called Enseer at the time. The city was much larger in the past, but even the ruins, themselves, were purged. The entire city was completely destroyed and rebuilt multiple times," the Artificer said.
"Uwaa...my darling Mizik is true nobility! True royalty! I'm so excited! Not that it matters to me... You could be from a family of commoners and I would still adore you! You're so amazing, your Majesty!" Cassandra said.
"And of course...the Princesses of Albatross. The Oracle thought to use them as catalysts for your rage. Not a terrible idea, but one capable of backfiring with horrifying consequences. As we have seen... Truthfully, they are much more useful to you alive than dead. The sorrow you felt for Isabella each time she perished was enough to swallow the world. It pained me to see you in such great agony."
"Hm...why did she think suffering would make me stronger?" I said.
"She wasn't wrong, actually. Being full of hatred and distrust made you more efficient. You survived longer. Unfortunately...it also meant that you lacked proper support. Without allies, you could never hope to accomplish such a task as killing the Source and the Oracle sought to place the weight of every world on your shoulders. She was a fool, because no one can bear that kind of burden alone. Isabella was more suited to be your shield. And Cassandra...well, she wasn't part of the plan. But she now serves as your blade."
"I wasn't part of the plan...?" She said.
"No. You were not. But you are welcome, regardless. You have been an invaluable ally to Mizik and I hope you'll continue serving him."
"Next question. Was the Oracle supposed to be useless?" I said.
"What do you mean?" The Artificer said.
"Was she supposed to offer some kind of support to me? I'm not sure exactly what she was trying to accomplish as my caretaker."
"She believed a hands-off approach was the best option. She silently tried to influence things so that they would turn out a certain way each attempt. If you believe it, she was actually quite intelligent in her prime. Lastly, she wanted you to get on your feet before actually helping. Her desire was that you would cleanse a world of Corruption as a prerequisite of her aid. Since you were cursed, she believed killing you was the best option...since the Source wouldn't do it and most gods would be incapable of accomplishing the task."
"Great. But that doesn't quite answer my question. What would she have done to help?"
"My apologies. I believe context is important for her actions. The Oracle has the unique power to set her gaze across all of creation. She can detect Corruption and would have sent you to infected worlds to cleanse them with the aid of Excelsis forces. She would have turned you into a tool. An unthinking slave to her power. But first, she needed you to survive. To sharpen the blade, as it were."
"That old bitch wanted credit for my work, didn't she? Stubborn...evil whore...GODS DAMN HER TO HELL!!!" I roared.
"I can see that this upsets you greatly. Unfortunately, it is the truth. She wanted to be the one that saved all of creation...and in her selfishness, she may very well have doomed us all..."
"C-can I ask a question? Can you make me a new body and separate me from Isabella!?" Cassandra asked.
The Artificer shook his head.
"Regrettably, I cannot do that. My power is over the creation of magic and machines. Not living beings. You will have to find a divine being capable of using both creation and soul magic. I would suggest Mizik, but he is cursed... Sadly, the paradox has caused quite the issue here."
"Nooo...I'm so sorry, darling... I hate this..." Cassandra said.
"Don't worry, we'll find someone to help you. But before that, we need to figure out whether or not Rose is the one in control of Isabella..." I said as I narrowed my eyes at her.
"Mizik...please believe me. I'm Isabella! The real one! I've merged with Rose, but-"
"I said we'd discuss it later. I'm glad you're back, but if Rose is in there, Vengeance demands punishment. Let Cassandra take over for now."
She bowed her head and switched over.
"It is also unfortunate that the Oracle has destroyed such a loving relationship with her poisonous mind control... You need not worry, those two are still merging. It will take time for the Oracle's influence to wear off, but eventually, she will be back to the old Isabella."
"Good...but that doesn't mean I can forgive her without any punishment. The sins of Rose demand payment. That is the philosophy of Vengeance. None are spared from its wrath...not even those I love..."
"That is true. I cannot argue against it, especially as its maker. But you will deal with that later. Now then...you have questions about your enemy, do you not?" The Artificer said.
I nodded.
"What is Valtheim?" I said.
"An excellent question. What isn't she, is the more appropriate question, however. Valtheim isn't anything at all. She is nothingness. Technically, she isn't even real. At least, not in the way we entities of creation classify something as real. She is non-existent. After all, does nothingness truly exist? It is the lack of something. Valtheim is the Void given form and purpose. She is the reason Difar escaped the Abyss."
"Why wouldn't the Oracle admit to her being real?" I asked.
"Because although the Oracle's eyes saw everything, they cannot see nothingness. Not until they were opened. She refused to believe out of stubbornness as well as her own lack of information. It was her downfall. But you also want to know how to kill Valtheim."
"I do. Tell me everything," I said.
"You will need to acquire the help of someone extremely powerful that can use creation magic. That is the only way you will survive in the Void. The only way to kill Valtheom is to destroy her true body. That body is located in the Void."
I knew about using creation magic to stall or disperse her form, but the idea of actually surviving in the Void long enough to kill her seemed truly daunting.
"So we need someone like that to fix Cassandra and Isabella as well as to help us kill Valtheim?" I said.
"Yes. That is the truth."
"Any ideas?" I said.
"No one in this realm or Dominus is capable of using both creation and soul magic. Additionally, any gods capable of using creation magic aren't powerful enough to stand against Valtheim. They would be consumed by the Void."
"I can use soul magic. I only need someone capable of using creation magic. Now for another question. Can you fix the Corrupted Deus Arms?" I said.
"Absolutely. I would love nothing more than to do that. Could you hand them to me?" The Artificer said.
I motioned towards Cassandra and she moved forward. She handed Deception to the Artificer and I retrieved Hopelessness, Weakness, and Ignorance.
Several machine appendages emerged from his back and took them all.
Then the Artificer made a motion with his machine hand.
A device appeared that he placed them all into. Once it went away, he smiled.
"This will take some time, but I can rebuild them. Please be patient with me," he said.
I nodded.
"Are you able to remove my curse?" I asked.
"Sadly, I cannot. The brand on your soul cannot be removed by me. You will have to make due. However...I can install fragments of the Blessing of the Creator on all of your allies. This will enable them to more effectively combat the Corruption. Although, only the two Princesses will have it fully linked with yours."
"Do it, then," I said.
"Your wish is my command Chosen Hero," he said.
"Do me a favor, and NEVER call me that again. My new title is The Destroyer. Use that," I said.
"Very well, Destroyer. You were referred to as the Chosen Hero simply because you were selected to be a hero of sorts. The title is a bit...bland? And rather on-the-nose... So I can understand your reluctance to be called by it."
"It's a stupid title. I'm not a damn hero."
"I have to agree. A hero is someone noble and kind who fights evil for the sake of the people. For justice and truth. Your motivations are revenge and to acquire a peaceful life without conflict. And you'll kill anyone who gets in your way. Innocent or not. You are not a hero...but you are exactly what we need."
"I have one more question for now."
"Ask away."
"Where is Vakra?"
"Delvandal. And he will likely stay there for some time. Although...I would not recommend destroying that world. Vakra is not someone you want as an enemy. There is a reason we cursed him," the Artificer said.
"As far as I'm concerned, he can stay that way. But I'll be paying him a visit later," I said.
"Of course. Now then, you are more than welcome to stay in Excelsis as long as you wish. My subordinates have already begun calming the people and transferring control to myself."
"Is that allowed?" Iris asked.
"It was sanctioned by the Creator, himself. The punishment for the Oracle's crimes is death. And the Almighty knew he wouldn't have to send anyone to do the deed. He knew that Mizik would accomplish it himself. Or rather...the Source would, I suppose. But it makes no difference. Her current self is imprisoned. Awaiting execution."
"IMPRISONED!? SHE'S ALIVE!?!?" I roared.
"Yes. The Oracle was not dead in this timeline, so once realities merged, she was revived. She attempted to escape, but I captured her. I'm assuming you want some time with her?"
I couldn't believe my luck. She was alive.
I allowed myself a smile as I looked at the Artificer.
"Absolutely."
"Very well. That will be later. Now, I have a question for you, Destroyer."
"Go ahead and ask it."
"I will admit this to you, first: I am the one who created the system for the reset. It was made to ensure that our only hope wouldn't simply be snuffed out before he was ready to face his enemy. Unfortunately, things didn't work out as planned. I gave the reigns to the Oracle and she took charge of you. As your caretaker, it was her job to ensure proper growth. But she did not learn from your...or her mistakes."
"Yeah. I can see that. She was a stubborn moron," I said.
"Indeed. Your memory loss was not originally part of the system. Yet she foolishly believed it was necessary. I can take the reigns of that magic once again. Should you die, I can ensure that you will retain your memories. But you will go back to the place where it begins. To Lorelei."
"Why is it called that?"
"Because that's what it is. Lorelei is the place where the reset begins. And Avernia is the resting place of the Deus Arms. Now then...will you allow this?" The Artificer asked.
If I went back to Lorelei, I would just lose everything again.
Also, there was literally nothing stopping Difar from just killing me out of frustration as a result. It was a truly idiotic suggestion.
"Absolutely not. Get rid of that magic. Or better yet, give it to me, instead. I have some ideas... And while you're at it, release the other Miziks from their suffering. They deserve to be at peace," I said.
"Very well. I will transfer the reset magic to you and I shall empty out the Graveyard. They will finally be able to rest. However...fragments of their emotions and memories may return to you. That is the price of eliminating the Graveyard. Is that acceptable?"
"Do it. I made a promise to them and I intend to keep it," I said.
Without another word, the Artificer slammed his staff onto the floor.
There was a pulse of golden light and my head started to hurt.
I felt their suffering...their frustration, their sadness, and their torment.
I saw many flashes of memories all within an instant.
Then, it was gone.
"Rest easy, everyone..." I said.
"Very good. They have successfully been recompiled into your mind and the magic is yours. You may still experience ghosts of their feelings, but you have no need to worry. They will fully merge with you in time.
After he spoke, I felt a great stirring within me. Now, more than ever, I was determined to kill Difar.
"Splendid. You've earned some much-needed rest. I will have my people prepare a room for you. Your comrades, however, should wait on the Cursebreaker," the Artificer said.
"Go back to the ship, everyone. Cassandra and I will catch up later," I said.
They all nodded and left. After that, Cassandra and I were led to a room within the temple of the Oracle.