"You scared the shit out of me, fuck!" Ashen heaved a sigh of relief when he saw that it was only his older self.
Though he did not know if it was really right to call him older after the last fragment of history.
"I'm still older," the other self said with confidence, as though reading his mind.
Ashen had a million other questions he wanted to ask, but he decided to satisfy his curiosity first. He wasn't going anywhere anyway.
"How so?" Ashen asked sceptically. "Did you also have a skill similar to mine?"
"I do have the original weaver's eyes, which served as the foundation for the Beholder, but their ability was more aligned with the present and future. They did not allow me to live through long stretches of time like you."
Ashen was intrigued by the eyes that had only tortured him before, but not enough to interrupt, so he kept quiet and looked at him, silently asking for an explanation.
"When you enter a fragment of history, I can't accompany you, but I'm allowed to remain in the Beholder's space," Old Ashen explained. "There, I can see you, and since the space is not much different from the dreamscape, training is not an issue."
Ashen's eyes widened. "So while I was there for more than half a millennium, you were stranded in that white space? Alone...?"
He wanted to ask how he had not gone crazy from the loneliness, but held his tongue. The man before him had endured things far more agonizing than mere loneliness in his first life, so how could staying alone faze him?
Even so...
"It must've been unbearable, right? I'm sorry for taking so long," Ashen said wistfully.
"I saw your struggle. There is no need to apologize. In fact..." He faintly smiled. "I'm quite proud of you."
"I'm sure you would've done just as well," Ashen said, returning the smile. "After all..."
"You are me." One uttered.
"And I am you." And the other added.
Silence settled for a lulling moment before the man at the head of the table nodded in satisfaction.
"You finally understand."
"I do..." Ashen agreed. "If you can do it, so can I. If you did it, so will I. I will never doubt myself again."
"Yes... and do not dwell too much on me in the future. Beholder fragments, I reckon, will not have the leeway to rush. Either way, I'm not truly alone in there."
"Oh," Ashen finally remembered. "The spirit of the Beholder must've kept you company."
"She did..."
Ashen could swear he saw a fond smile almost appear on the man's face.
Now that I think of it... he appears much more approachable than before, he noticed belatedly.
"That little thing kept hovering beside me, calling me uncle this, uncle that... Not to mention the loneliness. I was never truly allowed a moment of peace," he continued almost exasperatedly, but the fond look was almost visible now. "Seeing her grow up slowly over time was mildly entertaining, so there is that at least."
Is that so...? He raised an eyebrow.
Ashen did not know how, but it seemed the Beholder's spirit had worked as the most unanticipated therapist to this eternally suffering man, mellowing him down, even if only by a fraction.
Ashen immediately decided to take advantage of that.
"Anyway, now that she is no longer here, you'd probably get bored out of your mind without company, so I've got an idea."
He asked almost eagerly, "Why not join our Absentia meetings?"
Old Ashen did not directly reject the proposal. Instead, he tilted his head intriguingly. "Why would I do that?"
"Tsk, isn't that the least you could do for me after freeloading for so long in my dreamscape?"
A twitch of the lips was all he got in response, but Ashen wasn't done yet.
"And don't forget how you threw me under the bus when Edward put me under that fucking rock! I know that was your doing since he couldn't put restrictions on me without my consent."
"...It was an opportunity to embody a future step in a relatively simple manner. I couldn't allow your foolishness to squander that," the older man finally defended himself.
"If you intend to nurse a grudge over that, be my guest." The tone made it very clear that he wouldn't be losing any sleep over it.
"Then... how about the countless times I futilely called for you after coming back from the vampire fragment? I felt like a retard the whole time while you were who knows where." Ashen fired back once more.
"Isn't that your fault for using the Origin blood to heal your soul? Don't you already know that we are connected? My soul was much more fractured than yours after the last time. Of course I would take more time to heal, unlike you, who bounced back in a couple of seconds..."
'It's always me... fuck this, what a frustrating man.'
Ashen wanted to blow his top, but he held himself back with a deep sigh.
Deciding to switch tactics since guilt-tripping did not work, he said, "...Think about it. Don't you want to interact with people other than me? Acting like a mysterious powerhouse could be fun, you know...?"
Ashen knew himself best, and no matter what, Old Ashen was still him at his core, so he was sure that deep down the prospect tickled a certain eagerness in him, even if he masked it perfectly. That was why he struck there.
"...Fine."
'Got you! Thank you, dear daughter! I shall crown you the best therapist on this continent—both continents, even! Hehehe…'
"I suppose I could use a change of pace every now and then."
"Yes, yes... you're right. Staying cooped up like a shut-in is bad for health, even for you. You've made the right decision."
The older man merely smiled in amusement, likely aware of all his younger self's little thoughts but going along with them anyway.
He realized that he had indeed become more indulgent.
"So? What do you have in mind?"
"It's simple!" Ashen teleported to his side and threw a hand over his shoulder like they were good brothers, which, in a sense, they were. "First, you already know the plan, right?"
"I do. I reside where your memories converge, after all."
"Good. It's better to avoid the hassle of explaining it all over again. So what I want you to do is this..."
He grinned and let his voice drop into a whisper as he theatrically acted as if he were sharing a terrible secret. "I just need you to scare them a little."
"...Scare them?"
"Yes, scare them. You know how I need to establish a lofty image to make them take the meeting seriously, but I'm afraid I'll leave some gaps if I'm the only lofty one around."
"That's where you come in, keke," he explained further, letting out a creepy laugh. "You'll be the proof that this meeting already has a powerhouse around, and unlike me, you won't need to act, since you really are one."
"Exciting, right?"
"...If you say so."
"Tsk, tsk. Mister tsundere doesn't want to admit it. I wonder how I became such an insufferable fellow in the future..." Ashen shook his head in mock annoyance.
"Anyway, sooner or later, it would diminish my godly image if I had to act for every little thing and solve every little problem, so it'll fall on you to handle that."
"You want me to be your executioner, in short."
They both fell into silence, one looking nervously, the other contemplating.
"I can do that."
Eventually, he got the confirmation he wanted, making Ashen laugh in glee.
"Alright! You promised."
"Just get on with it before I change my mind."
"You wish! No takebacks now, my dear big brother. Pfft."
"..."
The older man unconsciously palmed his forehead, wondering if he had unknowingly landed himself in annoying trouble.
***
***
***
Seravelle Continent, Wrath Domain, Solmara, Present Time.
In a secluded house at the heart of the many districts of the now-flourishing Solmarian city, an old man sat beneath a tree, silently observing the night stars with unreadable thoughts.
He looked like a man who had seen through everything, a man who had already decided that he had done all he could, and that only one thing remained now.
To observe.
To see where his gamble would lead, and whether he had truly made the right choice.
But from the state of his aged body and slouched shoulders, despite the bulging muscles beneath, it was not clear whether he would live long enough to see it through to the end.
The man was Seravelle's Kingmaker, but anyone who knew him would hardly have been able to recognize him now.
All of a sudden, Edward felt sleepiness begin to creep in. It had been happening more and more lately because of his condition, so he did not resist.
As he leaned back against the bark of the ancient tree, his eyes closed on their own, and his mind drifted into the realm of dreams— unaware that this was not natural slumber, but one induced by a parasite nestled in his mind by none other than his dear disciple.
***
***
Wrath Domain, Ashbastion.
The diligent maid had always handled her affairs without complaint, but for the past few days, she had been feeling unnaturally exhausted.
Normally, going without sleep for a few weeks was nothing unusual for her, but perhaps because of the additional workload that had appeared due to her new master's daring plan, she had unknowingly passed her limit and needed rest sooner than expected.
So, when she returned to her room, she threw herself onto her bed and slept soundly, not knowing that it was not only exhaustion that had been calling, but also her master.
***
***
Esperra Continent, Vandalar, Present Time.
Like any good girl, when her mother told her to sleep, she obeyed promptly, despite being in her early twenties.
That was how Lapis was. As long as it was not unreasonable, she never refused her family, even if it was something as trivial as going to sleep just to ease her mother's worries, even if she did not need it.
And while she slept soundly in a goofy posture, a certain brother had decided to turn her dreamless night into something far more exciting.
When she opened her eyes, she instinctively realized that she had not woken up, but was still asleep. A moment later, she understood that she was dreaming.
What was more surprising was that she was perfectly self-aware within it.
'...Is this the famed lucid dreaming...?'
Lapis did not get to enjoy the marvel for more than a few moments before she realized something terrible...
'No... where is my body??'
Instead of her human shape... she found that she had somehow become a completely different creature.