Hunter of the Evernight-Chapter 828: Underneath it all

Caught off guard by Alex’s sudden question, Arwen awkwardly backed away while inquiring. "Don’t I look okay?... Why would you even ask that?"

"I didn’t say that." Alex calmly replied as he bridged the gap between them once again. "But I know no one goes through what you went through and comes out... okay."

Silence followed once he was done with Ana and Elena sharing a look that agreed with Alex’s words.

Arwen seemed hesitant to speak up as she stared at Alex, but then, ultimately, she looked down, and she remarked. "It was difficult the first two years. There were times I wanted to give up, times when I wanted to just accept my fate but... I couldn’t. I did... dumb things just to numb myself to my feelings, things that I’m not proud of."

Sniffling, she raised her head to once again make eye contact with Alex, managing a smile as she added. "But I’m back now and that’s all that matters."

"You did well," Alex said as he embraced her, allowing Arwen to indulge in the underlying sadness in her heart for a time.

"Thank you." She muttered under her breath.

Ana and Elena got in on the hug as well, this time with Arwen being the one struggling to breathe.

Finally, they broke away, at which point Alex turned to Ana. "Is there a way to reverse her current state?... A way for her to get back the time that she lost in the past?"

Arwen was shocked upon hearing Alex’s words, having not expected such an inquiry.

However, she said nothing and instead turned to Ana, hoping for a positive response.

Ana shook her head. "I wish I could, but no. Maybe with divine intervention, I might be able to permanently reverse the effects of time, but there’s none of that. My current strength would only reverse the effects temporarily."

"I see." Alex seemed a bit disappointed.

Arwen was disappointed as well but quickly shoved that feeling under the carpet as she remarked, feigning a smile. "It doesn’t matter anyway, my time spent in the past was not in vain."

"Is that so?" Alex decided to play along.

"Of course!" Arwen said with her nose held up high. "I learned a lot about my powers and even picked up a few tricks as well. I am way stronger than when I left and I can assure you I won’t be caught off guard like last time ever again."

"Well, that’s assuring."

"Exactly. In fact, Lady Ana in the past was really impressed by my strength that she gave me a nickname. Want to hear it?"

"Sure."

"She nicknamed me, the Queen of Death and the Bone Lady."

Alex pursed his lips. "Now, don’t get me wrong, the first one is good; however, the second one is going to need some work."

"And I thought I was bad at naming things." Elena chuckled from the side.

Arwen stuck up her middle finger, causing Alex, Ana, and Elena to freeze as this was perhaps the first time they’d seen Arwen partake of such obscenity.

"What?" Arwen asked, noticing the looks sent her way.

"Ahem, I believe we should be on our way," Alex suggested, with the other two nodding in agreement.

"But first, we should handle the black hole." Ana quickly pointed out lest they end up forgetting.

"Elena?" Alex turned to Elena who replied.

"I’m going to need to work on some enchantments."

"Oh, can I help?" Arwen said, clearly excited to be back with the team.

"Sure."

"Let’s all work together so we can quickly get things done," Alex suggested, with everyone nodding in agreement.

"So, what do you need?"

"Well..."

Death.

A single word brought an end to their peaceful conversation, leaving everyone listless and increasingly tense.

Slowly, they turned to regard the one who had spoken, quickly discovering the presence of a man that was not a man, but an aspect of God, a Branch of the Absolute.

It was the Beast, the Beast of Erethetri and it was clearly displeased.

Its twisted shadow, which seemed to embody the concept of every living being in existence, stretched out until it had eclipsed the golden rays of the Lightbringer, plunging the surrounding area into an eerie darkness.

Alex was the first to fall to his knees, realizing that without Nyx’s presence, he was unable to withstand the Beast.

Ana fell as well, leaving only Elena and Arwen standing, a result of their identities as Proxies of Ashtyx and the Veil, respectively.

I asked for death, yet, you did not give it to me. I gave a warning, yet you did not heed it. Now, punishment is due and I am here to deliver it.

"Damn it, what do you want from me?" Alex asked, barely able to keep his wits about him due to the mark bestowed on him by the Broken Saintess.

Death.

"I can’t give it to you."

You can.

"I can’t!... So please, just, leave me alone." Alex said, aware that in his current state, the only thing waiting for him would be death should he dare to go against the Beast.

His encounter with the Timeless Serpent and Nyx’s absence made him understand that at this moment, he was an ordinary man with nothing but a GodKiller and a team to keep him from dying on the insane quest he was on.

All he could hope for was that the Beast would accept his plea and leave him be.

Alas, it was not to be so.

The Beast began to transform while letting out a horrifying roar, and in that moment, even Elena and Arwen, serving as mere Proxies, were forced to their knees as the Authority of a Branch was fully realized.

Alex was the first to be knocked out, with the others following closely behind.

None ever got the chance to regard the Beast in its glory, but any who did would have described the true appearance of the creature as being the amalgamation of different body parts of different animals, across periods.

But even more than its outward appearance was the fact that underneath its burgeoning divinity, its all-encompassing Authority, its monstrous might, there was but a faint whiff of the Abyss, a whiff that seemed to be gaining in strength with each breath the Beast took.