Chapter 322. Vengeful (Patreon)

[ this is a long chap -- enjoy. angst abounds. angst is much fun to write.

also I am trying to finish this book by feb 1st (yes, i've decided to split the final book again -- so this will be book 6, and there will be a book 7). brrrr.

anyway, there should be more chappy updates this weekend because of my need to finish this. it's going to the editor feb 1st so~~~ needs to be done~~~ ]

Euryphel was presiding over court on a raised dais. As the Crowned Executor, he wasn’t expected to actually bang the gavel and moderate as he had in the past, but given the topic, his presence was required as the highest authority.

The Selejo Imperial Federation was determining its official policy on the Infinity Loop technology for the new year.

Ironically, it was a discussion that Euryphel couldn’t care less about–any policy they decided upon now would become obsolete after the machinations Darkseers and Ian Dunai’s efforts bore fruit.

He had to feign interest, however–to appear unmoved while the rest of the world’s leaders were in a frenzy would invite suspicion.

Euryphel had gotten significantly better at not endlessly running Regret scenarios–at least his therapist commended him for his efforts–but the court was tiresome enough that Euryphel entered into scenarios every minute or so and caused dramatic outbursts. It resulted in completely ridiculous reactions from the audience, and Euryphel knew his resulting satisfaction was childish. Still, he couldn’t help but think that Ian would find them funny, too.

As he snapped back from his latest scenario, however, Euryphel realized that he needed to act quickly. This is why it’s best to run scenarios nonstop, he thought bitterly, plastering an unbothered expression on his face. I hate being caught by surprise.

Ezenti! he thought, trying to attract the elder prince’s attention. He had fifteen seconds until he’d be brought away.

“Yes?” Ezenti replied. He was sitting in the first row of the seats along with the other princes of the former SPU. His eyes were intense, but slightly red from exhaustion, and his crossed arms lay over his chest. He didn’t outwardly respond to Euryphel’s entreaty.

I’m leaving for the bathroom. It might be a while, and while I’m gone, you need to stand in for me. The only other person who he would trust to take his position was Ko’la, but the peak Dark practitioner was already serving as the moderator. Be quick about getting up here.

People wouldn’t complain if Ezenti presided over affairs. Since Ezenti joined the Darkseers, they had been building him up as an inoffensive, level-headed politician. It had become important given Euryphel’s periodic leaves of absence when he went out on his own to further the Darkseers’ cause.

Euryphel held up a hand, and Ezenti nodded and rose from his seat, speed-walking around the room’s perimeter and scaling a short stairway. He shook Euryphel’s hand and took his seat. The lively speech of a representative from Godora continued without pause.

Euryphel took a few long, confident strides to the doorway and used his elementalism to push it open. The door opened to his room and he thanked his ancestors for making all the doors within Ichormai into portals.

With a second to spare, he sprawled onto his bed and sighed in relief.

Then he was taken.

Euryphel flinched as the surroundings changed to a yellow desert of dirt and dust, with nothing living in sight. The transition was so seamless that it was startling. While the prince was mildly annoyed by the lack of warning, he couldn’t dismiss the excitement that grew in his chest.

Ian had called him to his side again.

It had been a few weeks since Ian brought him to Eternity with the transmission artifact. Euryphel hadn’t quite understood what he was getting himself into in the beginning, but by the end he was thoroughly invested in Ian’s schemes of deception.

Quite simply, masquerading as one of Ian’s creations while running Regret scenarios was intoxicating. He had been surrounded by ascendants–the most powerful people in existence–and Euryphel found that he was strong enough to help.

Even as a mere unascended mortal, he wasn’t useless. If Euryphel expressed his doubts before, Ian would have encouraged him, but the former prince would have taken that as empty words of comfort.

No–Ian had genuinely needed him to pull off his goals. In the ensuing days, Euryphel found himself buoyed by positive thoughts, his ambition revived from an ember to a blazing star. His work with the Darkseers took on a new intensity. People around him noticed the difference.

“Eury,” Ian called, turning around and grinning. He wore the demonic appearance he used back at the competition grounds. Euryphel was used to it. He didn’t mind–it made Ian seem more like a god than man, even more out of reach and… appealing.

Euryphel tamped down on his completely pointless, traitorous thoughts. Unfortunately for him, his therapist couldn’t just pluck romantic feelings from his mind. That would be far too easy. “Ian.”

“This is my last stop before I will meet Achemiss,” Ian said, his eyes glinting in the light of the false star, his rainbow irises shining, reminding Euryphel of oil on water. “We need to finalize the plan.”

Euryphel nodded, his chest tightening with anticipation. He latched onto the distraction, pushing his emotions aside.

“At this point, we believe that all Infinity Loops have been located, along with all research facilities,” Euryphel explained. “As soon as you defeat Achemiss, we can decisively strike all of them at once and wipe everything out.”

Ian nodded slowly. “What of other returned ascendants–did you get any to agree to help?”

“Soolemar and Orion Iucorsu convinced one to help. They’re quite the pair,” Euryphel said, chuckling. “They work well together, despite the fact that Gnoste and Iastra aren’t particularly friendly to one another. They’re both extremely powerful–purportedly, they were able to subdue one of the ascendants in the Adder Spire.”

Ian nodded. “Returned ascendants who have been away from Eternity long enough will lose their connection and ability to wield ascendant energy.”

“That’s what I assumed as well–that the one they defeated was weak, barely better than a peak practitioner.”

Ian frowned. “That’s not the case?”

Euryphel smiled. “You’ll see for yourself. Suffice to say, our manpower is sufficient to carry out the plan, especially with your help. Did you know that all our Beginning augury suggests that you singlehandedly increase the chances of mission success by fifteen percent?”

Ian raised an eyebrow. “Only fifteen percent? Sounds like you barely need me,” he joked. Then his eyes fell to the floor. “Still, I’m glad it’s only that much. If I fail, you still have a good chance at success.”

Euryphel gritted his teeth. “When you descend with Achemiss, do you know where you’ll appear?” Last they spoke, Ian hadn’t known.

“It’s likely we’ll appear either where I or Achemiss ascended. It’s possible that the two of us going down together will throw everything off and we’ll appear somewhere random, however.”

Euryphel sighed. He’d suspected as much based on what the returned ascendant they’d recruited had told them. “We don’t know where Achemiss ascended, but your ascension site is the Cuna. We should probably evacuate everyone around it… though I’m not sure what excuse we can use.”

“Good luck getting Selejo to agree to an evacuation of Cunabulus,” Maria said, her voice transmitted to Euryphel through Ian’s Remorse affinity. “We at least had a day’s warning to activate the city’s defenses and sink it into the ground. You’ll have a minute of warning at best if you’re running constant scenarios. Suddenly, Achemiss and Ian will be there, and the city will become a war zone.”

“If my strategy works, I’ll kill Achemiss in less than a second,” Ian said. “Just a head’s up–if the fight goes on for more than five seconds, I’m probably going to lose. I’m relying on surprise.”

Euryphel’s brows pinched together. “Thanks for the warning, not. Now I’m just going to worry.”

Ian held out his hand as though to press it on the Crowned Executor’s shoulder. “Hey. I really think I can win. Have a little faith.”

Euryphel cleared his throat. “I’ll do everything in my power to establish defenses around the Cuna and evacuate everyone from the palace itself. You aren’t descending and your goals aren’t to cause wanton destruction, so with luck, we’ll be able to contain the damage. If you appear anywhere else, I’m afraid we won’t be able to do anything.”

“That’s fine,” Ian said. “I understand.”

“Should we place offensive weapons around the Cuna?”

“They won’t be able to hurt him.”

Euryphel hated to ask his next question. “If you lose, and Achemiss doesn’t immediately use the return beacon, what should we do?”

Ian’s mouth was a thin line, his eyes narrowed. “Survive.” He bit his lip. “He should leave quickly. Even if he wants to end our world, he’s too cautious–why risk his real body when he has other alternatives? Regardless, don’t let my sister, mother, or aunt anywhere near the Cuna in the next few days. Promise me.”

It was an easy promise. “They haven’t been there even once since you ascended. Germaine is at the Dunai clan enclave in Feather and your mother is in my city, Zukal’iss. Julia is always in motion, but I’ll be sure to give her a warning.”

Euryphel wished that there was more he could do. He was the Crowned Executor–it felt like there should be more that he could bring to the table. Ian probably feels the same, he realized. Ian had more power than he knew what to do with, but that didn’t mean it was useful for solving the problems at hand.

“Now that the heavy stuff is out of the way… why don’t we take a walk?”

“In this place?” The plane was a veritable dustbowl as far as the eye could see.

“I could show you beautiful planes in the vicinity, but there really isn’t a point, as far as I’m concerned.” Ian moved forward, his decemancy allowing him to hover over the dusty ground and bits of loose sand.

Euryphel followed on foot. His body still ached from its destruction at Ari’s hands, but he found that in this incorporeal form, the pain was gone. He walked unhindered even without his elementalism to aid him.

“Why is there no point?” Euryphel inquired, his gaze focused on Ian. He couldn’t trip over his feet or the ground as a phantom.

Ian looked at the sky. “One day, you’ll find your own way to Eternity.” His voice was filled with a strange sense of melancholy. “You know as well as I do that ascending is a blessing and a curse mixed together. Something tells me you’re still set on trying to ascend despite knowing this.”

“Many try to ascend; most fail,” Euryphel replied. “It’s lucky for one in a generation to succeed.”

Ian shook his head. “You know as well as I do that the number can be greatly inflated.”

“We’re destroying the Infinity Loop for that reason,” Euryphel pointed out.

Ian smiled. “It’s difficult for people to truly internalize a desire to leave their world behind along with all their bonds, their loved ones, and responsibilities. But without such severance, ascension is all but impossible.”

Euryphel gave him a dubious look. “You told me about that woman, Floria. She clearly loved her own world enough that she went to desperate lengths to save it, even if those efforts ended in failure.”

“Some bonds are more… impactful than others,” Ian said simply. “Floria loved Kurgezwyst. He was her anchor. When he died…” He trailed off. “Anyways. The Infinity Loop tech helps people make the final leap to ascend because it’s a false world. For me to ever have a hope of seeing my true loved ones again, I needed to escape. Therefore, I didn’t need to release all my bonds to the world–instead, they became my reason to ascend.”

Euryphel nodded along, not quite seeing where Ian was going with this. Eury didn’t plan on secretly keeping an Infinity Loop for his own purposes, nor did he plan on using one in the next few days before the Darkseers destroyed them.

Ian suddenly looked uncharacteristically nervous and a bit uncertain. “Never mind.” He laughed. “Now, tell me about what’s been going on in your life.”

The abrupt turn of conversation made Euryphel feel on edge. What had Ian been implying?

You know what he was implying, Euryphel thought, his mind swimming. He wished he could enter a Regret loop to think things over, but he was powerless as a projection of the transmission artifact.

The dusty, dry desert was bleak and didn’t help to distract his mind.

“Ian,” Euryphel said slowly, ignoring the necromancer’s question. “You really think I’m going to ascend?”

“Probably.”

“How do you figure?”

“My Beginning,” Ian said. “It’s weak but getting slightly stronger every day. It helps me to make connections I wouldn’t otherwise make.”

Euryphel was surprised he wasn’t red-faced from embarrassment. Ian was literally saying that he had a much greater chance to ascend because of his unrequited feelings. It was a painful slap to the face after Euryphel’s efforts to emphasize that they were friends. He would much rather that than push his friend away.

The last thing he wanted was for Ian to see the truth–that Euryphel hadn’t been able to relinquish his feelings.

He wanted to explain that Ian’s Beginning augury was ridiculous–that even if he had feelings now, they wouldn’t last forever, and they couldn’t compare to the kind of love someone like Floria felt for her companion of many years.

“Euryphel, I can guess what you’re thinking. But consider this: What currently ties you to your–our­­–world?”

“I’m the Crowned Executor of the Selejo Imperial Federation,” Euryphel stated.

“Your parents are gone and already avenged. You have no siblings, just cousins, and all your friends, aside from me, work for you. Actually, I worked for you, too, I suppose,” Ian added with a crooked grin.

“You sound like Elba,” Euryphel said, his words nearly inaudible despite the utter silence of the world around them. “Why are you telling me this?”

“Because I feel responsibility,” Ian muttered. “Ironically, if I die, your chances to ascend are even greater. If you don’t want this kind of existence, then promise me something else. Promise me that you won’t let yourself be so lonely.” He shook his head. “There was no good way to bring this up, but I won’t ever speak of it again.”

Euryphel understood perfectly what Ian meant. If he died to Achemiss, Euryphel wouldn’t be able to let it go. He knew himself–in most things, he was forgiving and reasonable. For instance, even though he and Maria had been on opposite sides of a war, he knew it wasn’t personal, and felt no great enmity.

But he knew that he was a naturally vengeful person. How he reacted to the death of his father was proof enough. What ultimately motivated Euryphel more than anything else ever had was revenge.

And if Ian died… he would stop at nothing to get it. He’d be the one to kill Achemiss or die trying.

Euryphel blinked. “I can’t promise that.” His gaze sharpened. “I am who I am. Ultimately, if I grow tired of living, I can end things by getting a return beacon. Really, Ian, you worry too much. I’m not a child–if I ascend, that’s my own choice.”

Ian nodded. “Now that you know the situation, it will be.” He paused. “For what it’s worth, I hope you do join me here, one day, when you’re ready.”

They walked in companionable silence for several more minutes.

“I have to go back,” Euryphel said, his voice oddly dissonant in his own ears. “I left in the middle of council.”

“I’ll see you soon, Eury.”

“Bye, Ian.”

The transmission ended.

Eury found himself back in his room, blessedly alone.

He grabbed at his chest and curled into the fetal position. If that man dies to Achemiss, I’m going to kill him.

The former prince bit back tears and took in a heavy breath to calm himself. Were he a normal person, he’d tell himself that he didn’t have time to wallow in the moment.

But as a Regret practitioner, he had all the time he needed. Euryphel plunged into a scenario and lost himself, burying his shame.

When at last he emerged back to reality, he felt burnt out, but that was better than his former state. He had a pointless, over-glorified meeting to run, and half of those attending were vultures. Any bit of weakness would be noticed and capitalized upon as a matter of course.

For all his plans to work, Euryphel had to be strong. He realized that now more than ever. He had so much to do: He needed to deal with preparing the Cuna and positioning the Darkseers so that they could move at a moment’s notice, no easy feat given that all its members were powerful people with important identities.

He’d also need to have a chat with Soolemar about his old rival. Ian didn’t think that anyone knew where Achemiss commenced his ascension, and he might be right. But Euryphel had to try.

If Ian failed because of something Euryphel could have planned for, the prince would never forgive himself.

Because in the end, the prince was vengeful–to others, and toward himself. O’osta Selejo killed his father, but Euryphel killed his mother indirectly through neglect. Ultimately, he succeeded against his father’s killer because of twin hatreds, one pushing him from behind, the other pulling him ahead.

Ian really was right–if he died to Achemiss, Euryphel didn’t think anything could keep him from the cursed gates of Eternity.

He laughed with bitterness at the idea. Others would call him ludicrous and insane for thinking something so arrogant. But the idea also gave him another source of strength.

Ascendants weren’t so out of reach if even he could become one.