Sakolomé remained motionless, his eyes fixed on an invisible point.
Orlongue had been silent for some time now, yet inside the young man's mind, silence did not reign. It was a silent storm.
Even thinking about the path of the abyss… about the Exuviation… was it even right?
Orlongue's words had planted a poisonous seed inside him. He knew what this path meant: to strip away everything that makes a being, to break down to the very foundations of existence.
Would it even be possible… to become that kind of thing?
His heart tightened.
And what if, instead of reaching that transcendence, I only destroyed all my own conceptualization? What if I reduced myself to nothing… if I completely disappeared?
Images crossed his mind: his body fading away like a poorly drawn illusion, his thoughts dissolving into nothingness, and nothing, ever, to prove he had existed.
A flood of questions crowded in him, all with the same sting.
Maybe this path was just a dream. A dream too vast, too dangerous, too impossible to be reached.
But somewhere deep within, he knew he wouldn't stop thinking about it.
— You're becoming strange… whispered a gentle voice.
Sakolomé lifted his eyes slightly. Salomé was looking at him, leaning toward him, her long hair slipping over her shoulder like a waterfall of shadow.
His brother hadn't said a word for many seconds. The silence that had settled between them was not one of peace… it was the kind that weighs, the kind that crushes.
— What are you thinking about? she asked with a slight frown.
— …
— It's not nothing, huh? I can see it on your face. You're somewhere else… and not in a safe place.
He inhaled slowly, as if preparing to plunge into icy water.
— Salomé… I know which path I want to take.
— Then say it. I don't like it when you get lost inside your head.
He turned his gaze slightly away, fixing it on the stone walls that seemed to close in around them.
— I want to walk the path of the Exuviation.
Salomé, puzzled, murmured:
— Lost… What does that mean?
Sakolomé took a slow breath, as if searching for the right words to convey the breadth of what he knew.
— According to Orlongue, it would mean becoming something that Mü Thanatos herself could not even conceptualize. It would be surpassing all reality, all definition, every imaginable form… The Exuviation is tearing oneself away from even the reach of the dream — and the dream of the Father God, who is none other than Mü Thanatos.
He plunged his gaze into Salomé's and began to explain what this dream was, and everything it encompassed. Gradually, the light in Salomé's eyes changed: she finally understood. But with this revelation came a chilling worry — she now measured what it implied, and above all, the immense danger that threatened her brother.
Salomé's eyes widened slightly. It was not fear, nor judgment… it was a kind of respect mingled with deep concern.
— It's… big. Maybe too big, she said in a low voice. You know what that means.
— I know.
— And you really want to… tear yourself away from yourself to reach that?
— Yes.
She searched for her words, then added:
— Why? There are a thousand other paths. Why that one?
Sakolomé took a longer breath this time, and his gaze became almost burning.
— Because I want Mü Thanatos… to never be able to deny my identity.
Salomé shuddered slightly at that name.
— Mü Thanatos… The mother of Saiko.
— Yes. She is more than a name. She is a force that erases what she rejects, that crushes what dares to claim existence against her will. If she decides you are nothing… then to the world, you are nothing.
— And you want to rise to a point where even she won't be able to deny you.
— Exactly.
He turned his eyes away for a moment, his face darkened.
— But it's not to dominate her, nor to prove something to her. It's not a war of ego.
— Then what is it? Salomé asked, a little disarmed.
He clenched his fists.
— It's… for Bakuzan.
— Bakuzan…
Silence settled again. That name carried a particular weight between them.
— I want to bring him back. No matter what it costs me. And if for that I have to go to the edge of the void, I will.
— You're ready to risk… never being yourself again.
— Yes. Because if I don't try, then he is lost forever. And… maybe one day, if I get far enough… I will be able to speak to Mü Thanatos. Not to confront her as an enemy… but to tell her that I exist, that I understand, and that I have never stopped wanting to bring back what was lost, but also above all… to thank her.
Salomé looked at him for a long moment. This was no longer the fragile brother in front of her… but someone who had already placed a foot on a path where few dared even glance.
— So… you have chosen, she said finally.
— Yes.
— And you know I may not be able to follow you.
— I know. But even alone… I will do it.
She gave a faint, sad smile.
— Sakolomé… if you succeed… it won't just be big. It will be… something even the legends don't understand.
He nodded, and in his eyes shone a new light.
Not that of victory, nor certainty… but that of an inner fire that refuses to go out, even facing the void.
Salomé looked away for a moment, absorbed in her own thoughts. And me… what could my path be?
An idea took root in her mind. She turned to Sakolomé.
— Big brother… You said Orlongue claimed a Deviant without a path could be killed. But… don't you think taking a wrong path might also cost him his life?
Sakolomé observed her, then thoughtfully placed a hand under his chin.
— That's a sound logic… My own path is extremely perilous. But I don't think it's impossible. Orlongue himself warned me to be absolutely cautious…
— It's because the risk is huge, whispered Salomé.
Sakolomé exhaled deeply.
— According to Orlongue, if I want to learn more, I would have to consult higher entities. Otherwise… I would have to settle for a more limited path. He even suggested speaking to Ñout. But the problem is, she has only appeared once… and it was to restore a broken balance.
Salomé gave a faint smile.
— So… maybe breaking another balance could make her appear?
Sakolomé's gaze hardened.
— Maybe… but it's dangerous. If I touch a balance, I could anger her. And to be honest, I don't want Ñout as an enemy… we know almost nothing of her workings.
— Yes, you're right… Salomé replied with a nod. You should maybe consult another deity… or at least an entity high enough to enlighten you. Rivhiamë, for example?
Sakolomé shook his head.
— No… She listens to us right now, she is inside me, but remains silent. Maybe she ignores these kinds of things… or prefers to withhold the answer. But Rivhiamë is not the type to hide anything from me; she has always answered my questions when she could.
— Oh… I understand, murmured Salomé.
She looked away toward the darkened sky.
— As for me… I will find my path. It is not too late yet.
Sakolomé nodded slowly.
— Given your close ties with the Dragon-Men, there's a good chance you will use that asset to forge your own path. Besides, Lingyin and Jin Muleo, though not Deviants, have already demonstrated they can, from their very essence, store their true bodies, their Self, and dream their own realities… before moving in reality as false-selves.
Salomé nodded calmly.
— It's not that difficult, really. According to Zelongue, the gods dream of a collective reality. And through this dream, there are several layers: some deeper, others more superficial, organized by states. Lingyin and Jin Muleo, for example, could be considered lower-level dreams, contained within the dream of much larger mythical creatures.
Sakolomé's eyes widened.
— What…? Really?
Rivhiamë intervened, her voice resonating in Sakolomé's mind.
— Yes, she is right. All dreaming entities share the same dreamed reality. Their true bodies are often too heavy to fit within a defined reality or a single state of existence. Thus, some dreams exist within greater dreams, carried by more powerful dreamers. For example, Orlongue is immensely strong: we dream of the same reality, but I… remain a dreamer trapped inside Orlongue's dream.
Sakolomé thought intensely.
— So… transcending a state is ultimately just surpassing the dreams and the dreamers of lower levels?
— Exactly, Rivhiamë replied. But it's no easy task. That is precisely why transcendence is so difficult after transcending the entire causal framework. The ultimate dream, the one that encompasses all possible dreams and all dreamers, is the Dream of the Father God.
Sakolomé's eyes suddenly lit up.
— So… the Exuviation would be detaching oneself from all possible dreams… even that of the Father God?
Rivhiamë nodded gravely.
— Yes. As long as you are dreamed somewhere, you are conceptualized. Even when you dream something yourself, you remain conceptualized as a dreamer.
Sakolomé paused, his mind leaping to the most dizzying question.
— But… the Dream of the Father God… that God itself… is it conceptualized?
A long silence followed. Then Rivhiamë finally answered in a slow voice.
— I don't know. No one knows what lies outside the Dream of the Father God. No one has ever transcended it, and therefore… Exuved. Even Velda, despite her immense transcendence, remains in the shadow of this mystery.
Sakolomé slowly returned to reality after this inner exchange. He looked at his sister.
— When you have chosen your path… I would like you to tell me about it. Okay?
Salomé nodded.
— Understood.
They stayed a moment longer, sitting side by side, silently watching the moon cut out against the black sky.
The next day.
In the room where Bakuran rested, Salomé stood near the bed, her face closed.
— Why hasn't he woken up yet…? she asked in a worried voice.
Meanwhile, Sakolomé had gone deep into the woods to train. What he did not know was that Kai had followed him, hidden among the trees.
On a world scale, things were accelerating.
The meeting resumed, this time limited to members of the Church of the Sealed Dawn, in the presence of Orlongue, Zelongue, and Ysolongue. All were seated around the large stone table, exchanging in low voices.
Inès broke the silence.
— Lord Orlongue, after careful thought, we have decided to ally with the Heirs… to defeat the abominable creature that watches this world.
Orlongue gave a slight smile, but before he could reply, Zelongue said sharply:
— Honestly… I don't see how you could be helpful.
The words hit like a slap. The air froze. The Church members lowered their heads, as if crushed by this remark. Orlongue ran a hand over his forehead, weary, while Ysolongue gently shook her head.
Zelongue continued, relentless:
— Let's be realistic: you don't even have the level to face a dragon-warrior like Jin Muleo…
Orlongue turned his gaze outside.
I knew my sons carried a heavy ego… but I never thought it could be so enormous…
In the forest, Sakolomé was sitting cross-legged, eyes closed, breathing deeply.
He was working on shaping something new inside him. The path he had chosen… he knew it would offer no immediate advantage. It would be a long road, full of obstacles, and he would have to climb it step by step.
A breath escaped his lips. Slowly, he opened his eyes. His red pupils caught on the shadows between the trunks.
— Kai… I know you're watching me.
From behind a bush, Kai stepped out of his hiding place with a forced smile.
— And that… since when do you know?
Sakolomé turned his head slightly toward him.
— Since the moment I entered the woods.
He stood up, fixing him with a small smile.
— Looks like you're spying on me. Interested in me now? Not sulking anymore?
Kai grimaced.
— Tsss… don't kid yourself. You've become a Deviant, right?
— Not exactly, Sakolomé replied, shaking his head. I'm… a pseudo-Deviant.
Kai raised an eyebrow.
— Pseudo-Deviant? What kind of scam is that?
— Let's say… I am no longer subject to the order of the gods, nor to the causal framework. But I haven't transcended it like the true Deviants do.
Kai burst out a small mocking laugh.
— Hah… so you're weaker than them? That's what I thought.
— Think again, Sakolomé replied with a smirk. I can face Deviants. I am… partially one. Not fully, that's true. Defeating a great mythical creature wouldn't be easy, and even a beginner Deviant, unable to fully manipulate their attributes, could give me a hard time. However…
Sakolomé clenched his fist, his gaze hardened by determination.
— Experience, and relentless training… that could be enough to give me the edge. It wouldn't be the first time I face a creature whose nature surpasses my own level of existence.
Kai was silent for a moment, eyes raised to the sky, his gaze harder.
— What matters is that you're moving in the right direction… isn't it?
— Yes, exactly, Sakolomé replied without hesitation.
Kai turned to him, a particular gleam in his eyes.
— Good. If only you knew how much I want to smash you up again… Sakolomé.
A slight smile stretched on the latter's lips.
— Oh really?
— Oh yes, Kai confirmed in a low, almost amused voice. And if this damn world finally gives me the chance to become a Deviant… that will be my very first mission.