Re: Timeless Apocalypse-Chapter 137: Anatha

He didn’t have to wonder for long.

"I apologise for my master’s methods. He’s brash by nature, unfortunately."

A shadow consumed Uriel’s figure as a presence appeared, towering over him.

The being was reminiscent of the soul reapers of old he’d once read about in the church’s library; a floating mass of violet shadows and specks of radiant light, draped in vast robes that conformed to its inhuman limbs.

Within its hood lay endless darkness, so deep Uriel nearly lost himself from a single glance.

It stood at least twice his height. Its aura was muted, relatively restrained, yet so sharp that Uriel found it difficult to breathe comfortably in its presence.

Slowly, he lifted his gaze toward the shadowed figure. "H-hello."

"Are you with Sir Godwyn?"

The figure seemed momentarily taken aback by Uriel’s sudden politeness and restraint. After all, it had been watching everything that transpired within the cave.

Its hood shifted, and within the abyss that served as its face, a pair of crimson eyes emerged; soft, almost enchanting, framed by long lashes of the same deep hue.

"Yes. I am Anatha, Master Godwyn’s assistant and right hand. I am his shadow."

Hearing this, Uriel exhaled, his shoulders easing. "You two truly ought to improve your introductions."

"The whole cosmic aura display is the worst possible way to start a discussion and build relations."

Anatha heard him, and more than that, she seemed to truly consider his words, as though weighing them.

"Hm. Perhaps. We will have time to refine our methods later. For now, we must hurry. You are quite late compared to the others, so let us not waste more time."

Her crimson gaze swept across him. "I assume Master Godwyn has already told you the essentials?"

He nodded.

"Good." She took hold of his hand, tendrils of shadow extending from her form to tap the Corynth mark in his possession.

"It is done. I have transferred all remaining Legacies, and the only thing left is the death of a king to bring your mark to maturation and unlock it."

Uriel parted his lips to speak, but she shook her head.

"Do not ask. Master Godwyn’s methods are beyond me. I do not know what happened to the cave, nor what sought to intrude."

"It is better that you forget it for now. If you grow powerful enough, truth will come and bow to you of its own accord."

She released his hand, and their gazes locked.

"Now, it is time for you to make a choice."

"Beyond the boons of the Mark, the trials you will soon face hold rewards at their conclusion."

She gestured to the multitude of gates surrounding them. "Each gate represents a grade of difficulty. That grade will determine the rewards you receive."

"You must choose."

Uriel fell into deep thought, his mind beginning to spiral—

"But." Anatha continued, cutting through the silence. "There is a significant ’but’ attached to this situation."

"Specifically, it has two aspects to consider: your karmic balance, and your status as a Pioneer."

"For the latter, you must understand that as a Pioneer, your grades of difficulty will differ inherently. If, for instance, you choose Gold Grade difficulty, you will face threats relative to a Gold Grade Pioneer."

"The classification of Pioneer grades may be unfamiliar to you, but I trust you can infer enough. Understand this, regardless of your selection, it will not be easy."

"If you choose the Iron Grade, it may be as difficult as the Jade Grade for others. However, you would still receive only Iron Grade rewards. So choose carefully."

"The second layer of consideration is more complex."

Uriel could tell Anatha was rushing, yet this time he remained composed. His mind sharpened, senses alert.

He had already changed out of his grey tunic into his mage attire.

"You see, each difficulty exists along a spectrum, from the lowest Iron Grade trial to the apex of Iron, for example."

"What determines your placement along that spectrum is your karmic balance. The deeper meaning is unimportant. If you must conceptualize it, think of it as the echoes of your actions."

"Good and evil."

"And the most fundamental unit of good and evil is life and death."

Uriel’s eyes widened as understanding dawned.

"So the more people you have killed, the more severe the trial. The more you have saved, the more lenient."

"Unfortunately, your balance is..."

Anatha waved a tendril of shadow. A prompt materialized before Uriel.

[Sinful Karma: 14, 317, 503, 627]

[Virtuous Karma: {?}]

Uriel felt laughter rising in his chest, and he allowed it.

"Son of a..." He stared at the prompt in genuine disbelief.

He was more stunned, and almost impressed, than furious.

’Even the death advent was part of your design? My god...’

Where else could such staggering negative karma have come from, if not during the advent? In his life, Uriel had never directly killed anyone.

Unless beasts counted. He had never slain a human.

He looked at Anatha. "How...bad is that score?"

She remained silent.

"It’s that bad?"

Still silence.

...

They were in a hurry. He knew that. And yet he stood unmoving for long minutes.

The lingering fragments of fear and uncertainty within him burned away to ash.

He inhaled deeply, then exhaled.

’Do not resist. Adapt. Do not fight. Survive. Then thrive.’

’After that, figure out what comes next. One step at a time.’

Like a serpent—wings torn, pride shattered—forced to crawl endlessly upon its belly, sustained only by spite and rage.

Advancing without pause.

Pressing forward despite the filth of the earth and the scorn of the heavens it once ruled.

’Like a serpent.’

His heartbeat steadied.

"I will take the Jade Pioneer Grade difficulty."

Anatha nodded, largely indifferent to his decision. "Understood."

She tapped the air. Every gate in the hall vanished except one.

It stood larger than the rest, emanating a quiet, oppressive threat.

It was so utterly black it resembled a gateway carved from pure void.

"Dear disciple." One of Anatha’s shadowed tendrils extended, coiling gently around Uriel’s body. "I trust you will survive."

"If you feel alone at any moment, know that at least one person hopes to see you again. Be safe, child."

Uriel smiled faintly. "Thank you."

BANG!

The massive gate burst open, revealing swirling depths of azure energy, a portal.

With a flick of motion, Anatha hurled Uriel forward. He vanished into the vortex, transported to yet another unknown place, where his trials would finally begin.

BANG!

Anatha watched as the gate sealed shut.

She stood alone in the hall once more.

Silence reigned. The cold remained.

"..."