Ethereal Paradigm: Arcadia of Darkness 25 Dark by Default 2 : Power Investmen

-Akshay Vasu

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"So basically, you were just a spirit, who became a deity after drawing power from some world crisis. promoted to the title of 'Goddess' and was then forced to play in this game, except you're too lazy to participate? And came with the excuse that the rules do not prohibit you?"

"Yes. Moreover!"

"Moreover?"

"The Magistrates do not tolerate that I still have not chosen a Herrscher. So here you are..."

"Hmmm."

"Well, as you go along with the flow of this game, you are ought to find the answers that still boggle you. I'm not obligating you though to become a spectator forever. That would be not good. If you die, without even choosing your faction, your existence would be erased like a little puff of smoke. "

"Why?"

"The warfare is predestined to only have two opposing teams. And to have us in the middle, makes us the third, except there's no mutual goal here. Simply put, we are considered an enemy of the two main factions, a major threat to their plans of the future may it be dark or luminous."

I'm surprised how deep this trouble really is. Well, that kind of explains why Celes and that proclaimed-phantom thought of us as an enemy.

"That's why I encourage you to choose sides wisely. Whatever you choose, I'll be satisfied. But before that, a Herrscher can't show in the battlefield looking like a complete spineless and weaponless bastard can't he?", The goddess added.

"So you're suggesting? You're giving me a powerful sword like the Herrscher outside?"

"HAHAHAHAHA! That's what she chose for herself. In our case, I'll let you decide by which power you want to have. Consider it granted. But first, there are certain rules in choosing one. Must not be too weak or overpowered."

"Nah, as suspected"

"But, you can also trick me of course. There are no such rules that say you can't."

"What?"

"To put it more simple, you can convince me that the power you choose is somewhat neutral, when in fact it's overpowered"

"It's not like I did not understand what you implicitly tried to conveyed, but I am just surprised as to how a cheat a goddess could become.."

"My my! It's my deepest pleasure to play this game a bit easy. I don't always like going against strategy. I prefer you to go to a rampage and bring an easy win!"

"That's passivity in its best."

"Now, to the main course. What power will you choose?"

Well, I'm not the same with this easy-life goddess. I tend to immerse myself in some challenges. So now, I must focus, focus.

I drowned myself in a deep concentration and then realized that there was only one power I could have. To control anything black. I want to control this darkness in me. I want to suppress it to someplace else. That's neutral, right?

"I want to have control over things that are dark... BY DEFAULT"

"Oh, now that's a neutral one! The hell are you planning? To make your pen's ink as your power? You're no fun."

"I don't have the same mentality as you do."

"Well, it's not like I can do anything. As your deity, I hereby bestow upon you the rather insignificant authority you seek. You better not waste it, this makes it my first and likely my last biggest authority investment to a human."

The goddess having said that took hold of my hand where our symbol of the contract is situated. It then radiated the same dark kind of luminescent light and a dark magical circle engulfed my whole body, starting from head to toe. Almost sounds like I'm about to transform to an unearthly sailor moon at this point.

I then felt shivers coming down my spine, power surging and a dark charisma coming out from my outline.

"Finished", Lacrimosa said.

At the moment, the only black materials I had with me was my uniform, and the ink inside the pen that I had in one of my pockets. Since the ink is liquid, I think it's a better medium to check out this power.

I took the pen up and to my surprise, I can sense that I can control the black parts at my own will that if I were to describe the feeling, it was like "I can blink whenever I feel like it" but in this case, however, it was "I can control it the way I want to control it."

I then tested it out. I focused as it seemed to be the primary requirement to be able to utilize the power efficiently, but I was also wrong. The ink followed my instructions without a doubt. I just simply imagined for it to become a hundred sword mid-air and it became just like that. I imagined it to become a death scythe and it became just how I imagined it. Fundamentally, I presume that my mind designed it in a way that the limitation is my imagination. Isn't that already overpowered? But the goddess thinks so otherwise.

"Now then. Enough chitchats... It would be rude the leave them just like that."

Lacrimosa then got up from her medieval-themed throne ith a satisfied smile and reopened the portal, which seems to lead us to where we left the events hanging. I then made my step towards that opening, but...the feeling of guilt is at it's strongest.

I somewhat tricked a goddess. True, a power as cringe like that is so weak. But the moment I said "BY DEFAULT" It's when I knew for myself, that I asked for something more than sufficient to give me an easy life in this game. It was a lie, that I want to immerse myself in some challenges. It was just a self-thought I contrived to make it more seem neutrally valid.

"Lacrimosa. One last question. This island, I know something's off with it. What is in here?"

"Oh, nothing. It's just the re-emergence of that submerged garden."

"Say what?"

"Remember that cloud 9 where your ancestors stayed? This is it! Just renovated to fit the modern-day and to make it seem normal for those outsides. Just that! "

"I am convinced that. there's more than what I am told"

"What is it with your eyes? There's no hiding anything from that. "

"Oh, nothing special. I was just thought of the psychological stratagems there is, so if I am to found a personalized corporation. I know who can be trusted or not and which of this is a lie or the truth"

"My my! What a prodigy indeed. Remember how I said, that the magistrates made this year's game a little different? Turns out they are all fed up with this unending circus of battles, so in the endeavor to hasten the events towards finally deciding the ultimatum of mankind, they spiced the game a little bit. So as an additive, they decided to unseal the sunken haven to become a waypoint or something. In all honesty, this island is now the official venue for the starting point of the last Warfare of Fates."

"The starting point? For a second I assumed that this would be the official battlefield of the game"

"Oh no. That would be implausible. You'll need a lot of space if you are to make deities go against each other. This city if it were to be the battlefield, would be annihilated in a split second."

"So, does that mean that the battle will be someplace else even bigger?"

"Fortunately yes. I already am acquainted with that place, so if I were to fathom its size, it would be octal the size of this planet. But, the inhabitants there is still...how should I put this..hmm... still ancient? Well, you'll soon find out anyway. For starters, let us reckon with your classmate and that underpaid museum security guard who calls himself as a 'Phantom'. Phantom his face. Deciding that cool sobriquet all by himself. " Lacrimosa, as though avoiding additional questions, entered the portal leading outside from her self-designed realm with the usual annoying complaints.

"Octal the size of earth?" Upon hearing that, I know something is not right. Yet, just as the goddess suggested, I know for sure that every single question will be unveiled as I go on in the game. There's also no use answering everything directly and hastily.

More importantly, now I know of the most integral answers. That I have become a Herrscher of Lacrimosa, a bearer of her will. That I am in a gamble that will later decide humanity's fate and fortunately, mine. That this International Clark City is something out of the mundane. Lastly, I was wrong with expecting a very normal high school life.

Starting point huh? Does this call for another opening ceremony? Please, anything but that.

Adam and Eve. Can you see where your foolish decision led humanity? You even got the whole realm of deities mixed up. And even me... What do you think of this now?

Chapter end