Ethereal Paradigm: Arcadia of Darkness 26 Viscount's Presence

"In this world, wherever there is light - there are also shadows. As long as the concept of winners exists, there must also be losers. The selfish desire of wanting to maintain peace causes wars and hatred is born to protect love."

-Overpowered Villain

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Having received quirk from the goddess. Having received answers for the most essential questions. Having myself acquainted with what was happening, I was ready to face reality. Yet, just when I was about to opt-out towards the portal, I just noticed how crazy vast and empty this realm is. You could only see three or four significant features.

First is the unfathomable numbers of gargantuan crimson crystal chandeliers hanging approximately a hundred meters up. What made it more unusual is how you can't tell if it is hanging on to something to defy the natural laws of gravity. Second is the floor tiles in a chess pattern that goes on to no end in all directions. The third is her majestic-looking throne while the finale is a large ambient and framed painting of Eve eating the apple with the basilisk's presence. Very minimalistic isn't it? I just find it hard to believe that the "Goddess of Disambiguation" spelled a different vibe in what she called her realm. I envisioned a more putrid preference.

Well, maybe it's high time that I get used to these ludicrous peculiarities.

As I got closer to the magical portal leading outside, I then let out of my pen to prepare for countermeasures if, by any means, Celes is already waiting for our return there, equipped for battle. Sounds rather laughable right? That I'm about to defend myself with an ink against a holy weapon. Yet, 'A pen is sharper than any two-edged sword', so they say.

Still, I really can't find myself feeling fear, that I am involved in some conspiracy whilst mixed up with deities in some sort of a gamble where my life is laid as the collateral. I'm not feeling optimistic even. Anyway, let me show that Goddess that I tricked her into thinking that the power I chose is somewhat too dull. You see, life is not about playing only the good cards in hands, but as well as the bad ones as well.

I then entered right into the portal without any form of wavers. I mean, what choice do I have.

The next thing I noticed after a blink of an eye, is that I'm back in the same rooftop. Thereby in the fence, Celes was, still with the perilous sword staring from afar, still with the phantom deity at her side. Well, for a change it was pretty calm. I expected that once I got back I'll be engaging myself to one versus one battle...Yet, something else caught my attention.

"Huh? Why is the place ambient with sunset? Isn't it too early? or maybe, it's because of that time disorientation power Lacrimosa seemed to install in her realm. She said that a second there is already three minutes and a half here. We just advanced through time like a game hack maybe?" I assumed.

"No. That's not it."

"Huh?" Oh, it's Lacrimosa.

"What do you mean that's not it? Don't tell me you lied that the flow of time in that room is different from this real-world via a visible scale"

"That is without a doubt, true."

"Then that explains it right?"

"No. To make the time disorientation work, a condition is needed. That no one sees us as we enter the portal. "

"So what you're saying is that it should have not worked?"

"Basically yes."

"Then what's the point of proudly saying that cool feature to me? And if that's the case, why are we seeing the dawn?" I was troubled as to why the sunset showed up a little earlier. Maybe Lacrimosa was just wrong on assuming that it did not work?

I then rolled up a little of my sleeve to see my watch just below my wrist band. It's still at two o'clock. "Wait, something is just not right here." I thought.

"Correct. Are you sure though that what your seeing is a sunset ?" Lacrimosa as though she read my mind, suggested.

"Huh? What do you mean?"

"Look closely. Isn't it weird for you to have four sunsets?"

"Four?"

"See for yourself and asses the situation as you always do."

Wait. Now that she mentioned it. There are four. One in front of us. One in the west, one on the other side and one in the south. It's implausible, right? But, the moment I tried my hardest to see what those truly are, I just noticed that they were not multiple suns in its daybreak. They're four massive magical circles, to say the least. And in each of the circles, there is a humanoid shadow that caused this rather penumbral twilight making it more apparent that it is something not ubiquitous on the history of phenomenons that recently occurred on earth.

"So, they already made their move huh?"

"Who's they?"

"A bunch of optimistic retards actually... Impatient retards."

"Way to call your allies there, or is it that you also see yourself as an optimistic retard?" Deus suddenly spoke.

"My my. And on what basis did you judge me that I'm a member of such a faction?"

"Simple. The way you do things."

"Oh? And if I ask you, how can someone like you know my ways in doing things?"

"Pure hunch"

"Hmmm. Irrational."

"Pardon. I respect you in your lover's quarrel...but I think, we are in deep trouble sire. " Celes, while still staring at the massive magical circles started intruding, in a way that made the phantom deity somewhat irritated.

"Lovers? I'd be dead before something like that would happen."

"Assuming if someone like me would choose an underpaid security guard like you. Even if you'd be the last option, I would rather choose the soil to be my lover." Lacrimosa retaliated.

"That's just lonely."

I can't believe that the natural laws of the universe are safeguarded and governed by these types of characters. It's a little hard to believe that humanity continued to strive with the guidance of such.

While the two of them continued in their rather childish conflict, I approached Celes who is somewhat concerned at something.

"So you are somewhat chosen too huh?"

"Yes... Although it's not just me. Promising predecessors from my family were the ones who passed the task."

"Hmm... How did he and your family meet?"

"Long story. But before that, don't you feel uneasy?"

Oh. I lost the ability to feel such. I could have said that to her, but I feel the need to keep it hidden.

"Now that you mention it" I replied even though I don't feel anything of sorts.

But somehow, I can quit pick up this rather enormous pressure which was coming left from us, although at a higher altitude. But, I don't feel uneasy about it either. It's just weird for something like that to be there. And at that moment, what was even more questionable was as to why the silence is overwhelming. You could only hear Lacrimosa and Deus' little argument in the background.

Out of curiosity, I looked as to where that pressure seemed coming from and to my surprise someone is indeed there, walking higher and higher up with nothing but this glass-like support each time his feet step up. He is somehow a little far, but I can still see his form. His long straight hair was a combination of the colors of snow and blood. His eyes were black in scleras and have bright red irises. He' frantically tall and he wore this black garment that seemed alike of a marine corps' dress blues.

It features this charcoal-black coat with pairing trousers amalgamated with red trims and golden buttons and chains, while on his head lies also a black visor-like cap with white bill. And on the side of his wrist was a sword with golden encrust, it was almost alike to Napoleon Bonaparte's Austerlitz except it is somewhat more majestic to behold. He was somewhat like a viscount with an extremely important role in the military world.

Like sensing that someone was looking at him, he suddenly looked at my direction with cold eyes and just like that returned to focus on what lies in front of him as if I was nothing of significance to be held upon. Well, not that I object, but who could that one be? Is he a deity perhaps also participating in this war? Well, judging by his appearance, I assume he could be the game master or like one of the powerful magistrates that Deus talked about earlier.

"Hey, Celes. You have an idea who that is?"

"Huh"

"Over there "

"Who? "The moment she looked at the direction where my fingers were pointed, her knees seemed to shook in fear, her eyes began to symbolize utter despair and her hands were she took hold of her holy weapon seemed to waver. She left out of this heavy consecutive sighs that if I were to describe, the breathing of a traumatized girl. I take the things I said prior back. That man, judging from how Celes reacted could not have been the game master or a heavenly magistrate, I now hypothesize that he is even more dangerous than that.

"Oh no, this is bad. Deus!" Celes, in haste, exclaimed.

"What?"

"We got company. 12 o'clock"

Company? 12 o'clock? Who still uses that choice of words in this millennia? From their child-like conflict, Deus then hastily returned to his normal noble stature, but this time, it somewhat coalesced with the sense of trembling and fear.

Who could that person be? That even by beholding his countenance made these two falls short of their normal actions. It was not just them. Although Lacrimosa was somewhat calmer in the situation, it is also apparent that she sees this to be of peculiarity..which probably is another bad sign.

"My... That's indeed an early entrance."

Chapter end