Chereads / No Path but the Void / Chapter 100 - Questions in the Void

Chapter 100 - Questions in the Void

Zami's voice broke the heavy silence as he stared at the towering figure, its body a chaotic blend of shadow and light. His silver eyes remained fixed, unblinking, on the creature. "Karesh, is this the Eternal Hunger?"

Karesh's reply came swiftly, calm but firm. "No. That is not the Eternal Hunger. This... is merely a fragment of the Void's will, an echo of the entities' intent to test you."

Zami frowned, his grip tightening on the hilt of his katana. His body still bore the lingering pain from the fight with Shattered Dominion—an opponent he couldn't defeat, not entirely. That memory burned in his mind like a scar.

"I couldn't defeat Shattered Dominion," Zami muttered, his tone laced with disappointment. "But what use would it have been? What purpose would it serve to cut him down, only for another trial to rise in his place?"

Karesh's voice softened, almost understanding. "You misunderstand, Zami. The purpose of your battle with Shattered Dominion was never to destroy him. It was to endure, to prove that you could rise despite the odds. Victory was not in his death but in your survival."

Zami exhaled through gritted teeth. The reasoning made sense, but it did little to ease the frustration clawing at him. "If that's the case, then what is he? How is he connected to the Messenger? They both seemed to know things about me that I've never shared—not even with you."

Karesh paused, and Zami could feel the weight of his hesitation. "The Messenger and Shattered Dominion are connected, yes. But not in the way you might think. The Messenger is a voice of the entities, a guide meant to shepherd chosen souls like you toward their purpose. Shattered Dominion is different. He is their hand—a manifestation of their power designed to enforce their trials and punish those who falter."

Zami's silver eyes narrowed, his tone cold and measured. "So, one exists to guide, and the other to test. Two sides of the same coin."

"Precisely," Karesh replied. "And both are necessary. The Messenger prepares you for the path ahead. Shattered Dominion ensures you are worthy to walk it."

The towering figure before Zami remained motionless, its form pulsating faintly as if it were listening. The silence of the Void Deux felt oppressive, pressing against Zami's thoughts.

"And the Eternal Hunger?" Zami asked, his voice cutting through the silence like a blade. "Where does it fit into all this?"

Karesh's reply was grim. "The Eternal Hunger is not a test or a guide. It is the ultimate vessel—a manifestation of the entities' power in its purest, most destructive form. To face it is to confront the very essence of the entities' will."

Zami's gaze hardened. He understood the implications, but it didn't lessen the weight pressing down on him. His journey had been one of endless trials, each one pushing him closer to his limits. And now, at the heart of the Void Deux, he could feel the culmination of his struggles drawing near.

The towering figure shifted, its form flickering as it spoke in a voice that resonated through the air. "Zami Agatoru, the questions you ask are irrelevant. Your purpose is not to understand but to act. Prove yourself, or be unmade by the void."

Zami raised his katana, the weight of the shards embedded within it emanating a faint hum. He could feel the power of the Bone Monarch and Wailing Dread coursing through the blade, their presence a reminder of the battles he had endured.

"I don't care what purpose you or the entities think I have," Zami said, his voice low and steady. "I'll carve my own path, whether you accept it or not."

The figure's laughter echoed through the void, a sound that felt both mocking and approving. "Then show me, Zami Agatoru. Show me your resolve."

As the creature shifted into an offensive stance, the ground beneath Zami's feet began to crack and shift. The trial of the Void Deux was far from over.