Brianna was out there, trapped in the God of Destiny's twisted grip, and I needed allies if I was going to bring her back. One name stood out in my mind—Celos.
The War Games hadn't been that long ago, but I hadn't seen Celos since we left the Nexus Realm together. Before we parted our ways. he told me where he would reside. He was a formidable foe, if anyone could help challenge the God of Destiny, it was him.
I traveled through the dense forests that bordered the realm, Zorath now barely stable leaning on my shoulder. Despite the pain he was in, his spirit was still strong. "Are you sure this guy will join us?" Zorath asked, his voice raspy.
I nodded. "Celos isn't like the others. He fights with purpose. I just need to convince him that our goal aligns with his."
It didn't take long before I found him. Celos stood at the edge of a towering cliff, staring out into the swirling mists below. He turned as we approached, his eyes narrowing as he noticed Zorath leaning on my shoulder.
"Sion." Celos greeted, his voice carrying a solemn weight. "What brings you here?"
I straightened up, getting right to the point. "We need your help. We're going after someone named the God of Destiny."
Celos' expression darkened at the mention of that name. He turned away, gazing back into the mists, as if contemplating something only he could see. "So it's finally come to this," he murmured.
I stepped closer, sensing the tension. "You know him, don't you? The God of Destiny. You know what he's capable of."
Celos let out a long, weary sigh. "More than you could ever imagine."
For a moment, it seemed like he was lost in memories—dark, painful ones. When he finally spoke, his voice was heavy with sorrow.
"The God of Destiny wasn't always the monster you know. Long ago, he was a being of compassion—a guardian tasked with ensuring that the destinies of countless worlds unfolded as intended. His role was to weave stories, guide lives, and nurture possibilities. But as time passed, he became obsessed with perfection. He started seeing deviations in destiny as flaws that needed to be eradicated."
Zorath leaned against a tree, his breathing labored but eyes sharp. "So he started manipulating people?"
Celos nodded. "He began creating beings—characters—with carefully crafted personalities, traits, and even powers. But these creations weren't just his puppets; they were living, breathing entities with hopes, dreams, and fears. And yet, they could never break free from the roles he imposed on them. His obsession grew darker until he stopped viewing people as individuals and started seeing them as mere tools—pieces in a grand narrative that only he could control."
I clenched my fists, anger boiling within me. "He turned Brianna into one of those tools. He's using her to hurt us—to prove that he's untouchable."
Celos' gaze softened, a trace of sadness in his eyes. "That's his greatest flaw. For all his power and knowledge, the God of Destiny is terrified of chaos—of things not going according to his plan. In his mind, the only way to maintain control is to rewrite everything, to bend people's fates until they fit perfectly into his vision. But even perfection is a kind of prison."
Zorath grinning despite his pain. "Sounds like someone who's afraid of losing."
"That's the tragedy of it," Celos continued, his voice tinged with regret. "He once believed in giving people the freedom to shape their destinies, but now he's lost in his own madness. He thinks that by erasing uncertainty, he can achieve a flawless world. But all he's really doing is destroying what makes life meaningful."
I watched Celos closely, realizing how personal this was to him. "You've faced him before, haven't you?"
Celos nodded slowly. "A long time ago. I was one of his "puppets"—a character he designed to be the perfect enforcer of his will. But I wasn't like the others. I developed a will of my own, and in time, I rebelled against the role he forced upon me. That's how I gained the power of Anti-Concepts—by rejecting the very essence of what he made me to be. But in doing so, I also lost everything that tied me to him. I've been wandering ever since, searching for a way to undo his influence." His eyes met mine, filled with both determination and a deep, lingering sorrow. "But facing him won't be easy. The God of Destiny is more than just powerful—he's cunning. He knows how to twist emotions, how to break people from within. If we confront him unprepared, he'll turn us against each other before we even get close."
I clenched my fist. "That's why I need you, Celos. You understand him better than anyone. And with your power, we can challenge his control."
For a moment, Celos remained silent, lost in thought. Then he gave a small nod. "I'll help you, Sion. Not just to defeat him, but to stop him from turning more people into puppets. But understand this—if we fail, the consequences will be catastrophic. He'll rewrite everything we are, down to our very souls."
I met his gaze, unflinching. "I'm ready to take that risk. I won't let him win. Not after what he's done."
Zorath let out a dry chuckle. "Heh, sounds like we're in for a hell of a fight."
Celos' expression grew grim as he looked out at the distant horizon. "It's more than just a fight. This is a battle for the right to choose our own paths—our own stories. But I'll warn you one last time, Sion: once we step into his domain, we're stepping into the heart of his narrative. We'll be at the mercy of his script unless we can break free."
I nodded, determination hardening within me. "Then we'll break the script. We'll rewrite the ending ourselves."
Celos' eyes flickered with a glimmer of hope, though it was tinged with uncertainty. "Very well. I'll guide you to him. But remember—no matter what happens, don't let him turn your resolve into despair. That's how he wins."
With Celos now on our side, I felt a renewed sense of purpose. The journey ahead would be perilous, and the odds were stacked against us, but this time we had something the God of Destiny couldn't control—our will to defy him.
As the three of us prepared to set out, I couldn't shake the image of Brianna's empty eyes from my mind. The God of Destiny had taken so much already, but I swore to myself that I would bring her back. No matter what it took.
The war against destiny was just beginning.