A burnt chip of a shattered bone floated through the vastness of space. It was so innocuous that even the lingering streaks of annihilation ignored its voyage as it sailed further and further from the epicenter. Suddenly, it slowed down, as though trapped by a sinkhole. Space rippled and it was gone.

The shard continued through a slipstream between the folds of reality, using the broken, forgotten roads of a bygone age. Soon, it emerged in a different corner of space. Aquamarine halos of utmost power emerged from its depths one after another. Each was a seal undone, and together, they formed an intricate maze maze that obscured the chip from Heaven’s scrutiny.

The broken bone grew beneath the protective canopy. What was lacking was made whole, and a figure with barely constrained power soon stood in the labyrinth’s heart. Tendrils of evil danced across plates of unyielding bone, making the Dao shiver with discontent. Waves of Mental Energy emerged, dragging the wayward streaks back into the shell.

It wasn’t enough. The Heavens had picked up the scent, and it was narrowing down on his position.

“Interesting, interesting.”

He glanced in the direction of the abandoned sector, peering through the veil. Such an unusual convergence of fate. It was the greatest of sorrows that he’d only get to witness the opening act. The rumbles grew more urgent, and the hulking skeleton began twitching.

“That’s enough of you.”

Radiant lights of Dharmic will joined the Miasmic Array Structure. It severed the last tethers connecting him to the Heavens, and four inner worlds darkened. Two of them even began fading. Stopping a Heart’s death was outside his ability. He muttered an ancient chant, and six hundred spikes attached the crumbling worlds to the others.

“So you were just Heart Puppets all along. I should have figured. Your kin is more slippery than anyone,” he muttered with annoyance, tapping the runes engraved on his chest. “Well, real or not, you’ll have to do.”

“Empowered by laws and trapped by convention,” he laughed. Or at least he tried.

“This won’t do,” he hummed, and a pitch-black nail grew from his finger.

A sharp grind pierced through the area as a mouth was carved on the vessel’s face. He could feel the pained screams from its original owner, and the newly formed mouth curved upward, causing splintering cracks. Within, there was only darkness.

“That’s better.”

The smile widened as he finished the rest of the engravings across his body, until the modified Epiclesis Seal was finished. The three pillars were twisted into a knot of mutual suppression. He would only be able to use a few percent of the original’s strength, which was more than enough. It was only a temporary vessel, one that wouldn’t last more than a few years.

A carefree laugh reverberated through the region as he disappeared into the air, following a random thread of fate. So what if he’d boarded a sinking ship? There was no point worrying about the future when one could enjoy the present. His little disciple had successfully escaped the mayhem, and she’d understand what needed to be done.

All things considered, it was hard to be disappointed. He glanced at the stream of fate. It was so thick it resembled a river, winding toward the region he’d just escaped. Little Vi would have to struggle with all her might not to be carried toward her fate when in the presence of such a fine specimen.

“So I’m called Nesko? That’s perfect. I seem to have forgotten my name,” Nesko said as he traversed the stars. “Izh’Rak Reavers. What an interesting species. And that Abyssal-eyed lad. I thought those dour things fell during the previous Era. Was accepting death your method of passage? If so, what’s the point?”

“We’ll meet again,” he cackled. “I can’t wait to see what happens when the Terminus Council makes its move. The final round is about to begin.”

—————-

Sothorom’s veins bulged as he looked at the scene conveyed through the array. If not for the coordinate array and a few clues floating about, he’d have thought the probe had made a wrong turn somewhere. But no. The occasional piece of rubble was all that remained of the once-indomitable fort that had suppressed even the greedy hearts of the scheming outsiders.

Eons of effort and investments reduced to nothingness. The lower-tier workers could be replaced, and he had enough C-grade subordinates to fill the gaps. More importantly, he’d already disconnected the chapter from the network after hearing the whispers from the spies. The destruction was far worse than the previous setback, yet he barely suffered a backlash.

It didn’t do much to assuage his fury. The Chapter of Carnal Resolution was just a tool, like the other branches of the Kan’Tanu. But it was his tool. Destroying it was no different than slapping him across the face. It was even that same bastard who stood at the center of it all—the child who’d thrown his carefully arranged plans overboard.

Sorothom had been so close to finally suppressing his insatiable passenger, only to have his work undone and his foundations damaged. Sorothom bitterly regretted not pushing himself a bit harder, using more Zecian blood to mollify his alter-ego. The outsiders wouldn’t have been able to stop him, and their so-called righteousness had proven far more flexible than he’d anticipated. Reaping a few more Monarchs would have let him stay long enough to hunt down that bastard before sealing himself again.

The whispers for vengeance were almost overwhelming. Sorothom’s vision turned jagged, and the walls twisted. The laughing faces of his senior brothers were back, laughing at his struggles over something as simple as Confirming his Dao. Saying he was no different than the walking dead who’d escaped all those years ago.

His thoughts grew erratic, and Sorothom felt himself losing the thread. Another face grew from his arm, looking at him with a hungry gaze. This one was not a hallucination.

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“Is this your grand plan?” it snickered. “What you suppressed me for?”

“It doesn’t change the big picture,” Sorothom spat.

“Little flames of fate, flying into the pyre. Blind to what’s to come,” Moro grinned as fleshy tendrils poured out of his eyes. “But are you any better, grasping at straws after your Grand Array was destroyed? You’ve been looking for so long, and you’re no closer than when you first started. Instead of blind faith, just accept my offer. Your chances of success are far greater, even if we use the incomplete version of Fall of the Black Heart. It’s the orthodox path, far better than chasing shadows.”

“Enough,” Sorothom growled, his skin wriggling from his resistance.

His Inner World shook. Moro was trying to use his anger as a bridge to his consciousness. Sorothom had played this game many times before. The parasite may already have surpassed his strength, but it was ultimately held back by its dependent nature. Sorothom may be fighting a losing battle, but he had a bit more fight left in him.

An acid rain showered Moro’s gargantuan body with poisons and curses whose value could bankrupt a kingdom. Together, they formed an intricate array that dug at the Heart Curse’s consciousness. If Moro continued his attempt to become the main consciousness, it risked becoming a discarnate soul. The avatar snorted and began rotting away.

“It’s just a matter of time. Think it over. My terms will not be as generous if I have to forcibly claim what’s mine.”

Sorothom was left panting in his hidden chamber. The walls had calmed down, and the monstrous resentment spread through the depths of the Imperial Graveyard hadn’t noticed the clash. He was safe, and fate’s tide was approaching.

“You might have managed to evolve into an incomplete Royal Heart, but don’t delude yourself. You’re nothing like the Flesh Elders of the sect,” Sorothom muttered. “Just you wait.”

——————-

“Extraordinary,” Salou said as the connection fizzled out, unable to bear Heaven’s wrath any longer.

“How is he?” Iz asked.

“The connection with you remains strong,” Salou said, his eyes glimmering with forbidden power.

Iz nodded in thanks, unable to fully let go of the complex feelings in her heart. He’d been joking around when they last met, but Iz was all too aware of the dangers Zac had to face to generate a storm of such proportions. The Grand Dao was astir, and the Heavens had exposed an infiltrator. It was one of the few things that would trigger such a powerful response, and it wasn’t difficult putting two and two together after seeing the Epiclesis Bell disappear before her eyes.

The connection remained strong. It meant he was alive. But what price had he been forced to pay? Iz’s thoughts returned to that day years ago. When he stood broken and victorious in a crumbling world, radiating Chaos and desolation.

She sighed in regret. Once again, she’d failed to put her thumb on the scale in her friend’s favor. Hesitation had gnawed at her, and she’d observed too long. If she’d just attacked from the beginning, she could have attached a mote of Empyrean Flames to the bell before it shifted again. It should have been able to purify some of the danger Zac must have faced.

“Hm?” Salou said, dragging Iz out of her musings.

“What is it?”

“We have picked up a pulse in the folds between realities. It seems to belong to the Lu Family.”

“That exhausting lunatic? What is he doing?”

“It appears he searched for something in the targeted region.”

“Oh? Where Zac was?” Iz said, her mouth curving into a smile. “Did we catch the thread?”

“We did,” Souza nodded, calmly looking down at her.

“It appears fate has given us the answer.”

“The young Pryer is not an easy opponent.”

“I’m aware. Is that not the point? Fate that cannot withstand the test of time and the tribulations of life is not worth holding onto.”

“Are you doing this for him or yourself?” Salou asked. “Your friend encountering the young Sage will end in tragedy.”

“I’m just following my heart like Grandpa urged me to,” Iz said. “Honestly, I’m not too worried about him. He’s resilient like a cockroach, and his Luck is extraordinary. Grabbing onto him in this chaotic environment is easier said than done.”

“We’ll path a route.”

“No. Activate the Empyrean Wing,” Iz said as three sets of wings grew on her back. “We’re testing fate right now.”

——

“Young Master, not good!” Lompo said, his storm body darkening with worry. “Our arrays have picked up—”

“You found them, Lompo?” Kaltosa Lu exclaimed with glee, his six hands never stopping as he worked on the four-dimensional array. “I knew you were good. You’re promoted to Sixth-grade Castellan.”

‘I was twelfth-grade before, but whatever. It’s not like it means anything,’ Lompo inwardly complained. ‘At least he remembers my name by now, though I don’t know if that’s a good thing.’

“Thank you, Young Master. Unfortunately, it’s not the lost beacon,” Lompo said. “The Tayn Family discovered our actions.”

“She has finally accepted my sincerity!” Kaltosa Lu exclaimed, his primal runes radiating joy and hope for the future. He even looked up from his experiment, a rare sight. “My twentieth—

“Two hundred and second.”

“My two hundred and second wife has been chosen,” Kaltosa Lu said, looking at the array of monitors on the other side of the workshop. “Why did we have to find each other in such a wretched place? We’ll have to terraform one of these subspaces for the ceremony.”

“Young master, hold that thought. I’m afraid she’s not here for matters of matrimony. Our measurements indicate she’s attacking. I fear she’s targeting you for your Flamebearer seal.”

“Impossible. Why would she target me?” Kaltosa Lu rejected. “I’m the most handsome of all the sealbearers.”

“The standards of fleshy species differ from ours,” Lompo said. “Lord, may I suggest you activate the foundries?”

“You really think she’s after me?” Kaltosa muttered as he began pacing back and forth with a downcast expression. “How could she do this to me? After I sent her an Evanescence Orb. I had to give up on two of my planets to awaken those things.”

“Young master, Lady Tayn was not on your bequeathment list at the time.”

“How is that possible?” Kaltosa Lu glared. “She’s my 18th candidate, and I crafted twenty-seven orbs.”

“Lady Par’asta voiced her displeasure during the Endon Raul Banquet, calling the Young Master frivolous,” Lompo gently reminded. “As such, Young Master temporarily shortened the Dao Companion Candidate list to 17 names. The other orbs were sold.”

“Ah, right, one for every peak,” Kaltosa Lu said, looking down in thought. “Could it be Miss Tayn is jealous? I’m certain I sent a congratulatory letter when I added her back to the list.”

“The heart is mysterious,” Lompo sagely said.

‘Some trinkets are fine, even if Lord Pryer has complained about the overhead. But if we sent out those insane letters of yours, we’ll face attacks from all eight directions.’

“Never mind then. Secretary of Love Lompo, hear my decree,” Kaltosa Lu intoned, his aura full of majesty.

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“Remove Miss Tayn—ah, no—move Miss Tayn to the 44th position.”

“It will be done.”

“I’ll have to draft another letter explaining myself,” Kaltosa Lu said, his eyes lighting up with excitement. “Let’s follow another signal. I need to get myself in the right state. Pick the Planeswalker. I think it will help me attain the breadth of mind I need.”

“We will arrange a course,” Lompo said. “In the meantime, the foundries?”

“Ah, yes,” Kaltosa Lu hummed as hundreds of arrays formed around him.

Lompo sighed with awe, forgetting his complaints as an uncountable number of interlocked machines and arrays joined in perfect harmony. It didn’t matter if the Young Master forgot his name or rank so long as Lompo could stay by his side. Where else could he witness the majesty and mystery of the Grand Centigrade Foundries?

The Dao hadn’t been solved just yet, but the foundries could already produce almost anything between the Heavens and Earth. It was a Cosmic instrument of untold potential, and Kaltosa Lu was the greatest conductor born from Lord Pryer’s line in countless generations. There was nowhere else he would rather be, though Lompo wished he could join the researchers instead of maintaining lists and sourcing gifts.

“Some cryo-poison for the firebug seems proper,” Kaltosa Lu said. “I did recently find an interesting iteration in the layers of possibility. I think it will cool Miss Tayn’s flames of avarice and ignite the flames of passion instead.”

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