A Journey of Black and Red Epilogue 1: Long Live the King (Patreon)

My mind palace.

The forest has grown exponentially. It still expands with every passing second as more of the power I subsumed permeates my essence. Just as before, it feels less like I am being stretched to the limits of my soul and more a sense of completion. Nirari’s power fills a gap that raw essence could not. Strange new memories assault me. I set them aside for now.

Above and around me, the forest rises to form a reverse sphere with an empty night sky and the gaze of the Watcher far above. More statues appear in deserted squares and empty plazas. More white flowers bloom. The change is also qualitative. A new understanding of the world's nature leaves my mind reeling. I caught glimpses of it when I fought the lich dragon, then challenged Nirari. It covers the ontology of my sphere and the interlocked fates that we are currently aiming for. It takes me… some time to get enough of a grasp to realize that something is out of place.

My steps carry me to the plaza of kneeling forms. New ranks have formed with my latest offerings, so much that a plane could take off from any side with room to spare. The only one that concerns me, of course, is the only one standing up.

I should have guessed that things would not be so easy. Roots shift to answer my call and point towards the intruder. Unfortunately, they do not detect his presence.

Nirari extends his arms in surrender. A smug smile makes him look a little less dangerous than usual, especially with its brittle quality.

“Greetings. If you see this, you are my spawn and you have killed me, hopefully in glorious combat. And if you are my spawn, you must be attacking me right now.”

“I was about to.”

“This is merely a memory, a last message, if you will. You have won. Congratulations. Now, you will learn the true, final nature of the first bloodline. You will understand what it means to be a conqueror. Perhaps you have attempted to bring life to spawns before despite… misgivings. Well, I am pleased to inform you that as the new Progenitor of our line, you may now do so with a content heart.”

“What did you say?”

“Yes, you heard me right. Devourers eat upward. You have dethroned the king and now you are king in turn. Your instincts will inexorably push you to bring more spawns forth and one of them, one day, in turn, may devour you. Complete the cycle. None may stay at the top forever, after all. In any case, congratulations. My powers, my spells, my instincts, my physical abilities, my drives, I give them all to you as my legacy. Where I failed, you shall succeed until defeated by someone greater. And now, farewell… may it be everything you ever hoped for.”

The statue kneels, joining the rest of the cohort.

I do not feel any different. Power still rushes through me at the same speed. It is still too early to assess how much, exactly, I have obtained… but one of his words terrify me.

I do not want his drives.

I do not want the urge to dominate he experienced his entire life.

Around me, the forest extends ever farther. I need time to digest it all. I need to make sure I stay sane.

Sighing, I open my eyes.

A cocoon of thorns falls apart, revealing empty ground for… miles. I can feel a multitude of soldiers in encampment. I perceive airships far up in the sky. They are all within my domain, all those thoughts, all those minds. All this essence. And yet, it does not come close to the full realization of what I am experiencing right now.

I slowly unclasp the mirror armor, then the Aurora gauntlet underneath. I flex my fingers and watch my skin stay pristine in the soft, golden glow of the light of the sun. It does not hurt. Birds sing. The wind brushes the blades of grass that survived the cataclysmic confrontation. Insects buzz, uncaring.

It is day.

It is day, and I am fine.