He frowned, clutching his dark heart.
That soul-tearing agony- what was it?
He had experienced it very few times in his entire existence, yet he could only assume that it was some kind of corruption.
"That much is apparent"
Eldrin thought as he looked at his heart again, with a grim understanding of his predicament.
"I'm losing my mind... aren't I?"
He spoke more amused than concerned; truth to be told, he had lost his mind long ago, but now it's just getting worse.
But he shook his head and muttered.
"It's fine...I still have some time"
Right after he said that, he went back at it, holding back the endless army of mindless ones.
Meanwhile, back in the gothic castle made by the shadow creatures.
The dark creature looked at the "fine" Eldrin, knowing full well what he was experiencing.
Karmic penalty.
The consequences of failing to make any progress on accomplishing his purpose.
The time of karmic payment depends on one's purpose; some experience it once every decade, others roughly once every century, much like Eldrin.
Theirs however no exact timeline, as it can be affected, for example, by degradation of progress, much like what Eldrin is experiencing.
The worst part about Eldrin's bound purpose is that the light, as he calls it, which basically means the innocent, is something not exclusive to humans.
It includes every kind of being in this world, be it human or alien or even animal that is considered innocent.
Essentially, for Eldrin to fulfil his purpose, he would have to create a perfect world where every single innocent life is protected.
Which is impossible.
Eldrin suddenly spoke.
"How much time do I have?"
The dark creature sighed as he looked at Michael playing with other shadow creatures.
"At most 90 years, my liege"
Meanwhile, on the invincible world, Sebastian, who held what seemed to be a cup of tea, dropped it on the ground.
Shatter!
"W-what?!"
He stuttered from the sheer shock of what he heard.
"My brother is dying?!"
He almost screamed internally.
He wanted to teleport there right now by for some reason he couldn't. The shadows, as if trying to shield him from reality, did not listen to him, rendering him incapable of teleporting.
Sebastian screamed telepathically.
"I CAN HEAR YOU FOOL!"
"No, you can't"
Eldrin answered with calm and absolute certainty that left no doubt.
Sebastian's eyes twitched.
He's trying to gaslight me!
"We are literally linked, my liege!"
But Eldrin's calm reply frustrated him even more.
"Lies to your own liege?"
His voice turned hurt.
"That hurts, Sebastian. Stop lying"
Sebastian's eyes turned dark purple and, with sheer will, teleported there right beside Eldrin, only to immediately be flicked in the nose.
"You fell for the oldest trick in the book, Sebastian, ragebaiting as they call it"
Spoke Eldrin calmly, but his eyes grinned.
Sebastian's eyes twitched, but he smiled, though it looked more like one filled with anger.
"You are intentionally messing with me, my liege?"
But Eldrin answered by flicking his nose, his tone serious.
"Due to a small inconvenience, I may have to peacefully retire in around 90 years"
But Sebastian called out the bullshit.
"You mean die in agony and madness, my liege, because that doesn't sound exactly peaceful, don't you think?"
Eldrin thought for a while and nodded.
"Sounds peaceful"
The dark creature agreed too.
"It is indeed a peaceful way to go, my liege"
Sebastian could not believe those two.
He looked at the dark creature in disbelief.
"Why are you agreeing with him?!"
The dark creature casually replied.
"When I was alive, I died in agony and pain by being burned alive; they though i was some witcher"
Sebastian looked at him in ridicule.
"And what exactly is peaceful about that?!"
The dark creature shrugged.
"Agree to disagree"
"No"
Sebastian shook his head while maintaining eye contact with the dark creature.
Eldrin, without being noticed, smiled in casual victory.
"Distraction successful"
He thought calmly.
And just like that, he was gone, now inside the castle beside Michael while an illusory clone stood there beside the arguing Sebastian.
He looked at Michael with a gentle smile, but then frowned.
How can he distract Sebastian for 90 years until his very unfortunate death? He can't exactly have his little brother worrying about his dying older brother.
But then a light bulb appeared right above his head as he glanced at Michael.
How could he possibly forget the greatest distraction, and that is raising a child?
But Sebastian's mocking voice shattered that thought immediately.
"Absolutely not, I have already memorised the whole conversation, replaying it constantly in my head; it won't work"
Eldrin clicked his tongue and looked at the dark creature.
"Solutions?"
But the creature shook its head.
"Currently none, my liege; getting rid of karmic debt is impossible with your current power"
But then it paused and spoke.
"But obtaining an authority should completely rid you of it, a permanent solution"
Eldrin's eyes norrowed.
An authority, hmm?
I looked at Sebastian and spoke.
"Look after Michael for a while; I may have to travel to another world"
But Sebastian answered with a bombastic side-eye.
"You could just take both of us with you, my liege; why make it so dramatic?"
"That is indeed true"
Eldrin exclaimed while slapping his forehead; he was already losing it, it appears.
Sebastian picked up the confused Michael and walked beside Eldrin, who then proceeded to teleport all three of them to Erskine's office.