NT veRse - Bad End Guide 25 - Confront Synra (Patreon)

“August, I and all my friends choose to trust you. Er... I guess they trust me to trust you.” You clarified.
“The effect his the same.” He offered, covering his mouth with his delicate-looking hand to chuckle.
“Thank you for trusting me.”

“How is this going to work?”

“Since my domain is a blind spot she will probably wonder what has happened. You will be recalled to her domain.”

“I have no idea what that looks like.”

“Yes, because it sounds as though she is wiping your memory each time. It should not matter too much. When I follow you, everything will become clear to me the moment I enter. After that, we will see how Synra fares against the first Human chosen by Irisia.”

“Yes... Whatever that means.”

He covered his mouth again. “Pfft.”

“What?”

“In some ways you are exactly the same as when I knew you before. It is so heartening.” He motioned towards the large doors at the front of his Cathedral.
“When you are ready, step out. I assume that it will be almost instantaneous. Your friends can not follow us, so it will just be you and me.”

“Got it... Let's do this.” You stepped towards the double doors and pushed them open. The moment you stepped through you found yourself back in the Library. You gulped as Synra stood before you, looking upon you with wide, crazed eyes.
“Hey... You. Where did you go?”

You held up your hands nervously, because you were not sure either. Your memory ended the moment you entered the door that Sphinx opened.
“I don't know, I promise, Mother.”

“I take a look at what you're doing when you die, and when you disappear... This is the first time you disappeared. Could it be you're trying to trick me?” She grew in size, adopting a demonic appearance with black scales and red eyes. Her mouth opened into a wide mouth of many sharp teeth and her arms elongated, her fingers became thin and long and grew sharp claws.

“No! I swear!” You shielded yourself, surprised to feel nothing and hear nothing for a few moments.

“She was with me. Is there a problem?”

“Y-you? Why?” For the first time you heard her sounding nervous.

You opened your eyes to see the back of a lithe figure in flowing robes with smooth dark hair falling below his waist.
“I think you know why.”

“Uhm... It's not what you think, okay?”

“Ah.” He took a step forward. She returned to her original Human form and took a step back.
“So what is it?”

“I can't say! They made me not be able to say anything about it to outsiders.”

“So... you are conveniently unable to say why you have experimented on the soul of my greatest friend? How should I take this, 'Primal?' Am I known by you to be a merciful priest?”

She shivered and dropped to her knees, covering her head. “I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I can't say what it is, I'm sorry!” She looked to you with a tearful stare.
“H-help! He's YOUR friend...”

You blinked. “Is he?”

He glanced back at you and nodded. You relaxed. He had a soothing presence. “Now that I am here, let us fix what was shattered.” He closed his eyes, seeming to be concentrating.
“Are you ready to join these dissonant pieces into one whole?”

“I- I guess? Will it hurt?”

“I promise I will never hurt you.” He said brightly, holding out his hand. You took it without thinking.

You felt a jarring sensation. You were one being, but as one dissonant piece of a soul collided with yours like a boat being pulled towards the center of a whirlpool you began to shudder as more memories enter your head. The version of you that had always existed inside of the Library joined easily with the version of you that existed outside. They married and you were filled with recognition of who August was, and the plan. Just as you thought it might have been over you jolted, throwing your head back as another soul was pulled into yours. This was harder to marry. The overlapping thoughts and memories that conflicted with those that had been overwritten needed to be rectified. Slowly they cut out and repaired in a jarring process that felt like it had been going on for an eternity but in reality was taking place over the course of seconds.

The death of your mother. The time spend in the true version of your old home. Your transportation at the height of your despair... You began to understand that you did not immediately land in Synra's grasp yu landed on a smooth plain with no concept of survival. At the bring of death a man with blonde hair found you and taught you to live in this world... You remembered the feeling of your mind cracking from the time spent, and the nature of your survival. For someone like you who had lived in comfort in the modern age it was too jarring to be thrust into a world where every day was a day when you could die. You remembered becoming older, and crueler and wilder. Your old self was left behind completely at some point and you were simply a dog attached to a chain that was held by the Cappadocian. It was the way he wanted things to be. You remembered a conversation as you were licking your wounds after the fall of a nation you all created together.

-

“Over one-hundred thousand people died due to the Cultivator attack on our territory. People of this world. Amazing, isn't it?”

“You don't seem upset, Cappy. I'm pissed... That fucking Cat.” You grunted. He was smiling.

“She played her part well. Soon the surrounding kingdoms will invade and there will be many more deaths.”

“Again...” You sat down and leaned back against the wall
“You don't exactly sound upset.”

“Why would I be? Those souls flowing into the system will be enough to sustain a small cycle, at first.”

You closed your eyes. “Okay? I don't really get it. How it was worth it to see all those people die pointlessly. Thought we were trying to live as a part of this world, not destroy it. But, if you wanna destroy it I guess that's fine, too.”

“That's my girl. I thought you were growing soft.” He patted you on the head gently and kept his hand there.

“Actually, I need something very important from you...”

“Yeah? What is it, Cappy? I'll do anything.”

“I need you to die for me so I can test if Humans like us have souls.”

Your eyes shot open. It was already too late. His sword rammed through your chest, pinning you to the wall.
“Wuh..?”

He smiled warmly. “I wouldn't do this if there was no chance. But... I need someone I trust to go through with it. If your soul makes it into the system we created, I will have someone that works for me give you a new body. You are going to be an overseer within the cycle that we create.”

“But...” Your eyes filled with tears.
“I wanted to go home, Cappy...”

He sighed, caressing your face as you faded. “Shh. I know. Relax.”

-

“Ah...” You held your head and screamed. “Ahh!”

“What's wrong?” August asked in a concerned tone.

You looked up at him. “Cappy betrayed us! We have to-” You began to step back.
“No... Were you in on it, too?”

“Maggie, I promise you I was not! I have no idea what you are talking about right now. What did Georgius do?”

“He killed me...”

“But you're standing right here, Maggie? How could I have killed you?” You turned your head slowly to see Georgius standing behind Synra in purple and gold robes. He tossed the Primal at your feet like a ragdoll. She curled up into the fetal position and shook.
“This one was supposed to guide you into a body belonging to someone of this world and insert you into the cycle. You were supposed to look after something incredibly important. But... She had you running her own errands instead?”

Synra looked up defiantly. “I-I did everything you guys wanted me to! I just thought that...” She shifted nervously.
“I just thought that if I could get my home back before inserting her into that thing I could add so much power into it. I wasn't really trying to defy you, I was just trying to be MORE useful! Promise.”

“Oh, I believe you.” Cappy smiled.
“You are after all a renowned idiot who lost your home to your own creation.” He turned to you.
“Maggie, did you have fun on your adventure? I need you to come back, now. We have to prepare this new world for a very special guest. You are an integral part of this. You are going to become a God there in order to guide things in the right direction.”

You hesitated. Cappy was calling for you to do something for him, but you remembered what he did to you. Part of you was his dog, still, but a greater part of you had people you grew to love.

'Milk... Sun... Even Sphinx. All the people I met as Eve are people I treasure and want to protect. This madman doesn't care about me. I know what friendship looks like now.' You gulped.
“You don't deserve my loyalty!”

Cappy frowned. “I raised you. I taught you how to live and groomed you into my right hand.”

You cocked your head to one side. You felt a slight hint of your madness come out from past Maggie. You smirked.
“And then you cut off your 'hand.' Is it my job to keep moving the way you want me to after you cut me off, Cappy?”

He laughed. “Neither of you can beat. You, August and Synra combined can not beat me.”

August closed his eyes and pressed his hands together. “Irisia your faithful begs for your assistance.”

The Cappadocian's golden eyes widened. “No!”

August let out a chuckle. “Maggie, Myself and all the Favor I have collected from Irisia over two-thousand years.” He opened his eyes, filled with rage and accusation.
“Who's power exactly are you stealing to make this work? The Primals? Where did their power originate from again.”

The Cappadocian was lifted off the ground. He was struggling to move. “You can't kill me. Even with all that.” He laughed.

“No.” He whispered more prayers below his breath then took in a deep breath.
“But I can ban you from this place.” The Cappadocian disappeared. August unclasped his hands. He smiled nervously.
“Without favor I am once again a hapless servant of my Goddess... I am sure she will be pleased.” He remarked.

“August...” You approached slowly.

“Not to worry... What is it you want to be called?”

“The people I grew fond of know me as Eve. I'll keep that name.” You said sullenly.

“Cheer up. Irisia can not force me to do anything I do not want. However, If I wish to summon her power, I will have to be sure that she approves.” He motioned around the Library.
“This place and everything attached to it are now connected to my Domain. I can not control every part of it, but I can do enough. I can return you, I can free the souls trapped here... I can banish or destroy anyone within.” He looked down at Synra very pointedly as she continued to cower.
“What shall we do with this thing?”

She tugged at the hem of your robes. “Maggie... Eve... Please forgive me. I don't wanna be destroyed.”

“If not that, then what?” You asked August, resting a hand on Synra's head. She was a pitiful thing, even before she lost. You remembered her as someone wracked with madness and feelings of inferiority. A woman that called herself a god, but was in fact incredibly insecure over every aspect of herself.

“I do not want her to be here.” August said flatly.
“If you wish, I will place her in a body and set her by your side.”

“You'd add her to my group? Wouldn't that be dangerous?”

“She is weakened significantly without the use of this place. It was the source of all her power. I sense a great number of souls kept here... I have to understand the nature of this place and Georgius's plan. I wish I could keep you by my side, but I may need you to journey on the outside to try and uncover the same questions. I have a feeling you also want to return to your friends.”

You smiled weakly. “Thank you.”

“What will it be... Say the word and this thing will be no more.” August stared down coldly, holding his hand out to suspend her in air. Synra struggled uselessly.

“I- I'm sorry, Eve! Please...”