"What is exactly the Crimson Moon?"
Klein's breath subconsciously became heavier, as he put his cup down, his gaze far wary than ever before. He used his clown prowess to conceal his emotions, taking forth a stoic look. "Well… I suppose there are some things more suitable to be revealed now…"
Suitable to be revealed now… Amanises keenly nodded. She noticed her surroundings becoming darker, as if a thick shadowy veil had curtained the entire house. The Realm of Mysteries. Klein remained silent, collecting his words for a moment, before beginning to speak, "Hmm, let's start with Pathways...
"The Demonic wolf pathway's real name is Sleepless, or Darkness pathway." Amanises nodded, already aware of this information from the Red Light above the spirit world. "The Phoenix pathway is the Death or Corpse collector. While the Giant's pathway is, in fact, Twilight Giant, or Warrior pathway." Amanises momentarily paused, as her pupil slightly dilated. Darkness, Twilight Giant, and Death…
She recalled her first meeting with Klein and the info he dropped on her, one that she took a long time to digest. If I remember correctly, Darkness, Twilight Giant and Death are neighbouring pathways… Could this be the reason why Giants prominently target demonic wolves? Because of… She opened her mouth very slightly, and uttered in an inaudible tone,
"Convergence."
Amanises didn't have much of an idea about Convergence, or even awareness of its concept before meeting Klein. Only after traveling with him for months, as well as from the various information from Klein and the occasional mention of 'Convergence' did Amanises had any form of idea over this concept.
To Amanises's understanding, Convergence was a mystical attraction between the various pathways that brought them together someway or another. She had presumed that it was likely the strongest between neighbouring pathways, with the non-neighbouring pathways facing little to no effects of it. Why did this Convergence happen? She only had a guess that it may have to do with the deceased Great Old One's will within the characteristics.
Now realising that the long time enemy of Demonic Wolves, Giants, were that of a neighbouring pathway, Amanises felt her theory to likely be correct. It can't be a coincidence… Also, Phoenixes are from another neighbouring pathway… Who could have thought? She mused, as she witnessed Klein continuing in a serious tone,
"The Elven Pathway is Tyrant or Sailor, Devil's pathway is Abyss or Criminal, Dragons pathway is Visionary or Spectator, and Mutants pathway is Chained or Prisoner." Klein listed down the true names of all Mythical races pathway leaving only one. The one Amanises was most interested about.
"And the Sanguines pathway is…" Klein paused, looking out of the thickly curtained window. He visibly sighed and turned back to her, uttering, "Moon. Or Apothecary." Amanises deeply sighed and reclined her head. As expected… This is the reason why the Crimson moon always shines upon the battlefield that has Sanguines in it.
The Sanguine Ancestor, Lilith, has for a long time being, the 'Mother Crimson', for this reason. Who knew "She" truly was the 'Moon'... As the Sequence 0 of the pathway, and from what "She" has shown so far, "She" definitely has the ability to call forth a blood moon at any moment. Then, was "She" trying to fight against "That Man" before? To fight against the bright illuminous?
At that moment, Amanises train of thought came to halt, as the experience of the previous Blood Moon, followed by the Solar Eclipse, travelled up her mind once more, making her fur stand on end. The Crimson moon from before, shined far brighter than ever. Far brighter than any blood moon, far brighter than any crimson battlefield. Its radiance bore an aura far different than the one I'm used to or have heard of…
Amanises leaned forward once more, her eyes darker than before. "If the 'Sun' isn't the Sun so to speak, then the 'Moon' shouldn't be the Crimson Moon too, right?" Seeing Klein nod, Amanises tilted her head and adjusted her posture as she continued, "Then, my real question to you is: What was the crimson moon from before? Usually, the crimson moon represents the Sanguine Ancestor, but that crimson moon from before… I may not be too strong, or my spirituality may not be too keen, but there was a clear noticeable difference between the crimson moon that represents the Sanguine ancestor, and the one from the'…
"There was an entirely different air to it… It was as if the Moon itself was watching us." Amanises voice trailed off at the end, as crimson dawned on her psyche once more. Her hair stood up, as the ominous red flashed past her eyes, making her gulp and lean back to support herself.
Yeah, that's not normal… She thought, slightly shaking her head. This didn't dawn on me at the time… Perhaps due to shock; might be due to mild excitement too… Amanises felt herself becoming much more lacking in quick observation and analysis, and immediately pinned the blame on Klein.
"There is much more to the Crimson Moon than what most might think." Klein said after a prolonged moment of silence. He leaned back completely on his chair, hoisting his one leg on the other. His statement took Amanises by surprise, as she leaned forward, expressing eagerness to know. "Go on."
Klein lifted his hand, and caressed his chin, his gaze remained fixed as Amanises as he spoke, "Do you remember Mother Goddess of Depravity's Honorific name?" Amanises suddenly did not feel good about this. Mother Goddess of Depravity… one of the three pillars? Wait? Hold on, what's this got to do with "Her"??!
Amanises thoughts became wild, as she solemnly nodded, the bad feeling in her chest expanding further.
"Mother Goddess of Depravity,
"Origin of Evil,
"The Indestructible."
Klein uttered the Great Mother's Honorific name again, his tone weary and calm. "There is actually one more line to this Honorific name, though that line no longer holds true for "Her"." Klein quickly observed Amanises reaction, taking note of her twisting expression. Not wasting any time, he opened his mouth and uttered,
"Mother Goddess of Depravity,
"Origin of Evil,
"The indestructible,
"Brood Hive of Filth."
Amanises eyes widened. Almost immediately, she dove into her memories, recalling the names of the 9 Sefirah that were on this planet. Sefirah Castle, Chaos Sea, River of Eternal Darkness, City of Calamity, Knowledge Moor, Key of Light, Tenebrous World, Nation of Disorder and…
The Brood Hive!!! Brood Hive of Filth!!!
Amanises felt her understanding of pathways deepening, as she looked back at Klein, who without waiting on ceremony answered the unvoiced question she had. "The pathways belonging to Brood Hive of Filth are Mother or Planter pathway and Moon or Apothecary." Her gaze completely froze on him, while her mind went astray. Many thoughts plagued her mind, all at once, making Amanises feel like her head might explode.
"This doesn't make any sense! Brood Hive supposedly belongs to the Goddess of Origin, so what does the Mother Goddess of Depravity have got to do with her?" Amanises blurted out, questioning. Klein maintained his composure, as he slowly answered, "Isn't it pretty simple? The Brood Hive originally belonged to the Great Mother, the Primodial Moon. Goddess of Origin would merely be the title of the Great Old One who had incorporated the Brood Hive as well as the Mother and Moon pathways. These pathways, as well as the corresponding Sefirah, belong to the Mother Goddess of Depravity."
His explanation didn't answered much of Amanises question, but only seems to have given birth to newer ones. She remained silent for the longest of times, sorting her thoughts. Klein, noticing this, also kept his lips sealed, while he further contemplated on the information he would have to reveal to her currently. Not the Apocalypse… I'll save that for later. Let's just go with Outer Deities for now.
Coming to a decision, Klein noticed Amanises speak again, this time her voice far calmer and quieter. "Okay. Let's start from the beginning." Klein nodded quietly as Amansies continued. "The Moon and Mother pathways as well as the Brood Hive belong to the Mother Goddess of Depravity, but were somehow taken away from "Her", causing the birth of the Goddess of Origin?" Klein remained still and replied leisurely,
"Half Correct. There has never been a Goddess of Origin in this world. It is only the name of the Great Old One that will be born if an existence were to rise to transcede the sequence using Brood Hive and its corresponding pathways." Sensing Amanises's growing confusion, Klein couldn't help but release a sigh and continue. "Other than the Primordial God Almighty, and Lord of Mysteries, there has never been another Great Old One in this world. Eternal Darkness, Calamity of Destruction, Key of Light, Demon of Knowledge, Father of Devils, Anarchy, and Goddess of Origin, merely exist as Sefirah and the Will within the corresponding characteristics and Uniquenesses."
Amanises took mental notes, and habitually analysed the information. After a while, she followed with another question, one Klein had already expected. "Then what about Mother Goddess of Depravity? If the pathways and Brood Hive were split apart from "Her", then how was she able to maintain "Her" Great Old One status? What even happened to "Her"?"
Suddenly, Amanises thought back, and realised their conversation over Crimson Moon had devolved into talking about this pillar, who had held the authority over Moon, at some point. She quickly deduced a connection between the two, and spoke before Klein, "Is the crimson moon, in reality, the Mother Goddess of Depravity?"
Klein was quite surprised at her analysis ability, and simply nodded. Witnessing the confirmation, Amanises felt her mind on the verge of explosion. She took a deep breath, and recited a poem in "Her" mind, which instantly soothed her. She then analysed some of Klein's previous statements, and quickly found a detail she had previously overlooked in the past.
'There are a total of 22 pathways on this planet.'
'There are an unknown number of pathways and Great old ones in the cosmos'
Immediately, she found her answer. "Mother Goddess of Depravity is an Outer Deity?" Amanises asked wearily, upon which Klein once again, nodded. Fuck. How the hell did I miss this! Amanises cursed herself, while Klein, shook his head around and continued. "Mother Goddess of Depravity is an Outer Deity, the Crimson Moon, and the third pillar, as well as the child of the Original Creator."
Now that makes a lot of sense! The Child of the Original Creator… But then, how did "Her" pathways get separated? Amanises didn't have to ask, as Klein, having made up his mind, simply continued onward, "There was a time when the Original Creator woke up from "His" slumber, and began to converge with everything around "Him". During this, the pathways and part of "Her" original sefirah, corresponding to Moon and Mother, was separated from the Great Mother, and crashed on this planet. This piece of Sefirah regenerated to form the Brood Hive, and subsequently, the possibility of a Goddess of Origin.
"Due to having these pathways going out of "Her" grasp , the Great Mother naturally lost "Her" symbolic weight, and became not much different from the other Great Old Ones. "She" had lost "Her" pillar status, with only a mere symbol of it remaining." Klein elaborated deeply, solving a lot of Amanises' doubts and questions.
There was a deep silence in the room as Amanises digested the information, while Klein cleared his own thoughts. He could feel countless gazes peering within the realm of mysteries, which barely concealed them due to the still largely strengthened world barrier. To think the Outer Deities could still gaze through the barrier despite its strength… Klein felt tense.
While he hadn't meant for Amanises to know of the information over Outer Deities this early, the previous spectacle had given birth to many questions that Klein could totally avoid, without making Amanises too suspicious of him. For this reason, he had to drop this information.
After a long moment of silence, Amanises finally felt herself a little more relaxed, and asked the unassuming Klein before her, "Then why hasn't the 'Great Mother' taken "Her" pathways back?" Klein, having anticipated such a question, answered calmly, "When the Original Creator went into a slumber once more, "His" condensed will formed a world barrier around this planet, preventing Outer Deities from "moving" in.
"The Original Creator is the bane of our suffering, but the bearer of our hope as well."
Amanises nodded, and couldn't help but look at the dark ceiling. There is a barrier around this planet… This information… How did he even find out about these things? What sort of research did he do? Or could it be that he has been alive since the First Epoch? This reminds me…
"What Epoch is this?" Klein smiled and relaxed himself. "Second." Amanises suddenly felt an inexplicable chill. Second? So, you are telling me a fight between two pillars took place in the previous era?! Actually, now that I think about it, an Epoch is a time period that begins and ends when a major event takes place on a planetary scale. A fight between two pillars of this universe, does qualify for an epoch shift.
Amanises felt that she had a clear timeline of this world now. She brought her attention back to the crimson moon, and asked, "Is the Sanguine Ancestor affected by the Mother Goddess of Depravity?" Klein immediately acknowledged with a nod. Amanises thought deeply for a moment, and then asked again. "The Mother and Moon pathway are outer deity pathways. Then, are there any more pathways belonging to outer deities?"
Klein answered softly, "Yes, there are. Out of the 22 Pathways and 9 Sefirah on this planet, only 16 pathways and 6 Sefirah originated directly from the Original Creator. The rest of the 6 pathways and 3 Sefirah were torn apart from Outer Deities. Mother and Moon from the Great Mother, Chained and Abyss from the Mother Tree of Desire, and Justiciar and Black Emperor from Son of Chaos. All three of them are the Original Creator's children."
Amanises swiftly took note and sighed heavily. Conversing with him over these topics is always a little tiring… She thought, while wondering over how many other secrets there might be to this world, she had begun to be familiar with.
I still want to go home… A soft whimper escaped her mouth. Listening to it, Klein felt sorrow for his dear friend, and inwardly apologized for hiding the truth of this world. After a while of settling down, Amanises spoke again, "The "weirdness" of the Sanguine Ancestors should be due to the Mother Goddess of Depravity… Now it makes sense why Devils and Mutants have always been an interesting bunch…" Klein sighed and elaborated,
"Hehe, I see. Yes, Lilith is affected by Mother Goddess of Depravity, alongside Giant's Queen who has Mother Uniqueness. The Mutant King and Devil's Monarch are also under the influence of Mother Tree of Desire."
Klein paused for a moment, as a certain magic wishing lamp surfaced in his memories. I wonder where the Magic Wishing Lamp is, in this era… Maybe I should go and look for it! Inwardly coming to a decision, Klein answered with honesty, "As for Black Emperor and Justiciar, truth be told, I have no idea."
At that moment, an illusory voice resounded in Klein's ears, taking his attention instantly. It was a prayer. A prayer from…
I can confirm that the previous incident wasn't caused by the Goddess Ancestor. Fred. It was a prayer from Fred. After meeting and getting saved by Klein, Fred naturally had far too much gratitude for the King of Yellow and Black to simply shrug off such a life save. Hence, Fred had become a sort of insider that kept him updated with info on the city of Sanguines.
Klein discreetly answered the prayer with, "I am Aware". Receiving a thankful prayer, he turned his attention to the newly acquired information. Interesting… From observation, the Great Mother doesn't seem to have brought that previous Blood moon with the intention of controlling Liltih. It was to specifically overpower the bright radiance… But why? What would she gain from doing so? He immediately thought of Giant's Queen Ombella, and her possible correlation to this situation.
Then he discarded the theory as to Klein's knowledge, Giant's Queen was nothing more than an unfortunate soul that happened to be the "Future God" of Mother's pathway. Yeah… An unfortunate victim of Ancient Sun God, Sanguine Ancestor and my dear Evernight Goddess… Thinking back to the Solar Eclipse, Klein was incapable of coming to a conclusion due to extreme lack of knowledge in that regard.
Thankfully, he didn't have to wait too long.
Seeing Amanises no longer had any following questions, as she herself had to sort out a lot. Klein sighed and took out a gold embroidered pocket watch, and checked the time. "Are you ready?" Klein slowly got up from his chair, and settled his clothes. Noticing Amanises confused glance, Klein chuckled and said, "Have you forgotten about it? We have to meet Grisha today for the weekly meeting."
Oh. Seeing the look of enlightenment, Klein lightly giggled, before opening the dark curtains, receding the realm of mysteries. Amanises also got up from her chair, as Klein pulled the both of them inside Sefirah Castle.
A crimson hue washed over Amanises's eyes, making her ever so slightly shiver as the familiar ancient copper mottled table appeared once more in front of her. Turning her head towards its long end, at the high back chair belonging to the Fool, sat her friend, Klein.
Staying still for a while, Klein extended his hand towards a bright crimson star, extending his spirituality, as it brightly shone up, expanding to the figure of a man in clergyman robe, with raven black hair, with tips of blonde at the roots. From "His" neck, dangled an ancient cross, and reflected in "His" golden eyes, was the innocence of a newborn.
Amanises tensed.