Act 1: Ch.18 - White Hair, A Scythe & a Grudge

Trio! WHAT. THE FUCK!?

Listen Nova I'm sorry.

Sorry? SORRY!? Sorry doesn't even begin to cover it. You made me use that Skill would have killed him instantly. You nearly killed Kuni. It's lucky that I still have most of the control over my body.

Yeah Trio, you went a bit too far this time.

As much as I hate to admit it, I'm going to have to side with Duo on this one as well. A bit excessive on that final move Trio.

Unus. Duo. You ain't free either.

What!?

What!?

Not only have I been infused with three Ethos at birth, but you three have a total of 30% control over my body 24/7 meaning you each have 10% instead of the usual 5%. If you two both truly believe what you say, then why didn't you help!? The two of you together have 20% control which clearly surpasses Trio's individual 10% control. Mind telling me why you didn't bother.

…

…

That's what I thought. If you three don't have anything else to say, then shut it. You've put me in a very bad mood now.

Kuni, Andrea and I all walked out of the training room together before continuing down the hallway at a steady pace, heading into the direction leading to the gathering room.

I stayed silent while Andrea and Kuni continued talking together.

No time has passed (as there is none to pass) but to an outsider you'd think the two of them had known each other for decades.

It may just be my imagination, but Andrea's "teasing" is a little different compared to how she usually teases people. And Kuni's reactions… Am seeing the beginnings of love?

Not that you'd know much about.

Still in a bad mood Trio, still… you're not wrong. At least when it comes to romantic love.

You probably experienced something akin to familial love before with that Az-

We don't talk about that remember.

Oh.

You really need to read to room Duo. That reminds me. Nova.

What is it Unus.

All four us (including you) know your true nature. Doesn't matter how long you keep up that mask around others, it still doesn't change the fact that it wouldn't be a stretch to say your completely emotionless.

Is that so Unus?

Yes. Seems like the only emotion you can truly express is anger. That isn't including what was possibly familial love with Az-

Unus…

Right. Familial love with that one person.

I'm not seeing your point.

Besides that, person, and the small likability you have for your sister and mother, you've never cared about anyone for your whole life. There isn't a number that can label the number of years you've been alive. Minus the previously mentioned people, you've never had the slightest bit of empathy or care for anyone across all those years. You're so true nature is so emotionless it's a massive surprise you can even demonstrate any at all. Your so logical it's like you're a computer, with those slivers of emotions acting like virus's that stop you from being pretty much a robot with an organic body.

Feel like this is meant to be an insult.

It's not. It's an observation. Your mind confuses me. Your true nature is cold, ruthless, logical and will seemingly anything to achieve your goals. Yet on the other hand you have these scraps of emptions. Anger, Familial Love and possibly even empathy somewhere in there. Completely opposite to 90% of your real self. But that isn't what confuses me the most.

Then what does Unus? Please. Enlighten me.

You've only truly cared about a total of three people in your life. Until now. These new friends of yours. You've met trillions of people like Kuni, Shion and Lazuli yet you seem to genuinely care about them. That's what confuses me. What makes them, specifically, so different compared to all the others like them.

I didn't reply for a while as I mulled over everything Unus said.

Unfortunately, Unus I don't have an answer. I don't know what makes them different. What makes me care for them.

…

You alright there Unus?

…

After hearing him ignore Trio, Unus continued to think as we all continued to walk, and I waited patiently to hear his reply.

Your existence confuses me Nova.

As it should.

We finally approached the doors to the gathering, and I pushed them open.

Even I'm confused by it…

Somewhere in the Abyss Omega a long time ago…

Three people stood on one of the many masses within the Abyss's version of The Beyond which was a dull blackish red colour in comparison to the blue colour of the Primis's Beyond.

The three people were Demoreals and exceptionally powerful ones that served directly to the Demoreal King. The Demoreals looked over the remains of hundreds of Realities that had been shattered like glass with the shards of Realities floating past them, some the size of cars while others resembling a marble.

"Quite the mess this is." One of the Demoreals said. His name was Azazel, he had long black hair with a large muscular build along with dark brown eyes. He also had one yellow steak within his hair and needle-sharp teeth.

"You're telling me that. Haven't seen something like this since the King had to let off some steam." Replied the Demoreal beside Azazel. His name was Mammon who stood at the tall height of 6'7ft with a shaved head and blue eyes. His skin was remarkable with it being a slight shade of orange along with a scaly looking patch on his right cheek.

"What do you think did this?" Azazel wondered aloud as blew away a shard of Reality as if he was blowing out a candle.

"Maybe a dragon." Mammon replied shrugging his shoulders as he flicked a small dagger between his fingers.

"Not possible."

The voice came from the Demoreal floating in front of the others, standing perfectly balanced on a large purple and sliver scythe.

He was dark skinned with short dreads and a fade on the sides along with a small amount of facial hair on his chin and lip forming a goatee, combined with a lean build and a height of 6ft he had a very intimidating vibe about him.

"Why'd you say that Falce?" Mammon asked flicking away the dagger at a Reality shard, reducing it to dust.

Falce gracefully dropped onto the ground with his scythe dematerialising before being absorbed into his hand. He turned round to face his comrades revealing his amber coloured eyes that made his gaze more piercing than an arrow being fired.

"Why?" Falce replied. "Because dragons have been extinct for a very long time, long before either of us were born. Not only that but they'd cause far more destruction than a few hundred Realities being destroyed. Only one other person would do this beside the King."

He looked back at the remains of the Realities.

"Nova Cosmos. The bastard."

"You never liked the dude have you." Azazel said casually as he began hoping across the remains, jumping from shard to shard.

"Why would I?" Falce said smoothly. "The little shit barely shows himself and every time he does, he gets his Shadow Soldiers to the dirty work for him."

"The Ethereal is still powerful though." Mammon pointed out as he seemed to inspect and dismantle one of the shards. "The evidence of that being this and that he was the one sent to deal with us by the root. Plus, he has that whole Ragnarök Skill of his."

"I'm not saying that he isn't powerful," Falce replied as his scythe materialised in his hands before he gave it few viscous practice swings. "I'm saying that either he doesn't know how to truly fight one on one or that he's a coward."

"Glad you think so highly of me." A familiar voice called out.

Azazel and Mammon, without hesitation, immediately threw themselves at the source of the voice with the intention to kill before having the arms blow off and sent flying back landing at Falce's feet. He looked to find none other than Nova Cosmos emerging from a purple and black portal. He had shortish white hair and crimson red eyes.

"The Yin-Yang King." Falce said taking a step forward with a grin before snapping his fingers. Immediately Azazel and Mammon's arms regrew as if nothing had ever happened. "You're not the only one who can manipulate causality."

Nova took a step forward, Falce's amber eyes staring daggers at him.

"So, it seems however." He said with a grin as he looked down at his feet briefly. "I don't rely on only one of my abilities."

Nova quickly looked up, his right eye now the symbol of a Yin-Yang and stared back before Falce immediately collapsed to the ground as Mammon and Azazel's bodies began to contort in violent series of seizures that seemed to never end.

"What did… you do?" Falce spluttered coughing up blood as Nova circled the three Demoreals.

"It's rather simple really." Nova said casually. "I've temporarily separated your Ethos from your body and as for your friends. Well… I've fused their souls with a few of the shards of Realties."

"You little-" Falce spat trying to stand up before collapsing back down onto the ground, blood beginning to seep from his nose and ears.

"Yes, quite unfortunate isn't it." Nova said squatting down in front of the crawling Demoreal. "No one possess the power besides the Celestial Ethos to permanently separate a Demoreal/Ethereal from their Ethos. I, however, can temporarily do so thanks to this Omuni of mine."

Nova tapped his right temple, gesturing towards his eye.

"And the result of such a violent seperation is the complete disappearance of your abilities and the slow breakdown of your body leading to your eventual death." Nova said before standing back up again. "the outcome of your friends is rather interesting. See I've specifically fused their minds and the shards of Realities. This leads to all the information within that remains within those shards being transferred into their little minds."

Nova snapped his fingers and the land mass surrounding shifted and morphed so that Azazel and Mammon were suspended in the air, their wrists and ankles to the walls that had now formed beside them as they continued to convulse.

"As you can imagine, it's quite the amount of info running through their heads. Every single Multiverse, Universe, Timeline along with all the memories from every living thing within those shards of what was a Reality is now being transferred into their minds." Nova swivelled round to face Falce who was now using his scythe as something to lean on. "Unless they are powerful enough (which they aren't) their minds will collapse in on themselves as their whole nervous system is fried before they finally cease to exist."

Nova quickly looked back at the convulsing Demoreals before looking back at Falce.

"I believe they are on the frying stage." Nova said with a smile. "However, not to worry, this can be undone using your manipulation of causality that rivals my own once your Ethos returns to you and reunites you with all your other abilities."

A portal opened up and Nova began walking towards it.

"Oh, and I'm 90% sure your Ethos will return to you before you die." He said before pausing. "Or was it 49% instead. Oh well."

Falce roared his frustrations at the Yin-Yang King as a gash opened up on the left side of his face, running up from his chin, across his mouth and eye before stopping just above his eyebrow.

Nova shrugged his shoulders before giving his goodbyes.

"I do hope to see you again one day, Falce the Chess Demon." He called out as the portal closed around him.

Present Day in the Abyss Omega…

Falce looked at his face in a mirror that he was holding in his hands and gently stroked the scar running down his face.

"Some old memories?" Azazel asked while shadow boxing.

"He's deep in thought, leave the man alone." Mammon told off Azazel as he ate an apple.

Falce was leaning on one of the many massive pillars in the large atrium that they were in.

Falce paused before dematerialising the mirror.

"You could say that." He said as he put his hands in his pockets while sighing. "Last time we saw Nova before he disappeared. I just want to see him again just…"

His scythe appeared in his hands.

"ONE MORE TIME!" Falce yelled as he swung the scythe upwards in a viscous slash motion.

Immediately after the ground was torn up as if it had been split in two with the giant crack stretching all the way across the atrium.

Falce paused as he composed himself before tapping the bottom end of the scythe on the marble floor, causing the ground to pull itself back together.

Mammon and Azazel paid him no mind, no doubt a common occurrence, but their eyes were draw to something. A noise like footsteps.

The two Demoreals frowned as they saw a figure in the corner of the room, hidden by the shadows however the figures outline and the colour of their long hair could be seen.

It was a woman with red hair that was so dark in colour it verged on becoming black. That hair however resonated with Azazel and Mammon as their eyes widened before quickly bending down on one knee.

""My Lady."" They both said, sweat dripping from their foreheads.

Falce, however, did not bow.

In fact, he walked past his two comrades and looked directly into where he assumed the woman's eyes were.

"Phoenix." Falce said sternly. "What brings you to my territory?"

"Not much?" Phoenix replied flicking her hair back. "Just thought I should tell you something that I overheard his majesty talking about."

"What might that be?" Falce said raising an eyebrow.

"I'm well aware of your grudge with Nova Cosmos," She explained, Falce noticing the way she almost spat Nova's name out.

Do they have a history I'm unaware of? He thought to himself.

"So, I thought you should know that Nova is coming here."

Azazel and Mammon's heads shot up as Flace's eyes widened.

"Is that so?" He grinned.

Phoenix nodded.

"Yes. He's negotiating with The Council about what will go forward and whether this war will start up again or the truce will become actual peace."

"Very interesting." Falce said, turning and walking away. "Azazel, Mammon. Call up the head of the Tanzanite Family and gather up a few other members from your own family as well. Tell them an opportunity for revenge has arrived."

Azazel and Mammon immediately left to execute their orders while Falce opened a portal but paused before entering it.

"Hey Phoenix," He called back to the woman. "I could be wrong, but something tells me there's something personal between you and Nova and not the good kind. You sure you don't want to join in on the fight?"

"That depends." She replied.

"On what?"

"Whether Nova beats all of you or not." Phoenix called back before her figure completely disappeared.

Falce paused for a few moments before entering the portal.

"I can assure you that he won't even come close to doing that."