'Keman and Yami gave up?'
Varian closed his eyes shut, feeling like someone punched him in the gut. How could they? How could they give up?
They were the rulers of the alliance! The strongest beings here! High rank 2s!
Keman was a calm but powerful man. He left no stone unturned when he wanted to accomplish something. Yami was domineering, reckless even but she'd keep trying even if things weren't in her favor. She rose from a normal undead to the peak of the empire.
Their life stories were akin to legends and the two beings more than lived up to the tales.
Those two were supposed to take the lead, create plans and contingencies, help him so they could have a shot at victory.
The pair of eyes in his memory looked particularly condescending in this moment, as if they were mocking him for having hopes.
Varian gnashed his teeth, a gruttal roar from his throat. Aridam stepped back instinctively.
That one move shattered the last of Varian's hopes.
With a darkened face, he asked. "Are they like you?"
"No." Aridam said. Varian opened his mouth, intending to know their location.
"They're more broken than I am." Aridam said with a bleak smile. "They were the ones who faced him directly. As high rank 2s, they could feel the gap better than anyone else. And they both gave up."
"Is that so…" Varian lowered his head, shoulders drooping. "So the slivers they gave me, it wasn't for the plan, was it?"
Aridam took another step back, palms sweating. But he told the truth. "Their hopes were already shattered when they sensed his power. All their plans were abandoned.
The only thing they wanted to was to deny the God Emperor his final victory, to the slivers away from him. So, they gave them to you."
Varian rubbed his forehead with a complicated expression. "They could've just sent in the slivers."
"Jai's rank 1s could enter and retrieve it." Aridam said. "The only way to truly keep them safe is to give them to the strongest rank 1. You. You had to be with the slivers to keep them from falling into his hands. Since God Emperor can never enter the region as a rank 2, the slivers will be safe. Whatever he wants to do, he'll have failed…at least for a few more years until you eventually come out."
"Ridiculous! It's ridiculous!" Varian punched the empty void, splitting the space into countless layers and splintering them into tiny bits. "Where are they? I want to ask them why they become so cowardly? Don't they even want to try?"
Aridam lowered his head at the outburst. Even though those words were not directed at him and no one called him a coward, it felt as if countless hands were pointing at him, laughing and mocking him for his lack of courage.
The old man clenched his fists, a surge of rage boiling in him. He wanted to prove them wrong. To tell that Aridam, the Punisher, was not a coward. He ended many divine rankers on his journey to the top, quite a few of them stronger than him at that time.
But as he was about to open his mouth, the silver figure that day flashed in his mind. The fire of courage was doused and Aridam slumped to the ground.
"Where are they?" Varian asked him in a forceful tone. If Aridam really insisted on not saying anything, he might have to do use other means. The matter was too important to be left alone.
But such a thing would be regretful as this old man was the one cast the key vote for him to be supported by Nexus.
"T-They…" Aridam's lips trembled and he seemed hesitant. "Yes? They?" Varian pressed.
"They had a rebirth using their powers, sealing their memories. They wanted a way out of this depressing reality. A new life with inborn abilities will give them that." Aridam said in a breaking voice.
Varian opened his mouth wide and his eyes shook. Unwilling to believe what he heard, he slapped himself. "I'm sorry I didn't hear it qui—"
"Rebirth! They've went somewhere. I can't contact them. Neither can they." Aridam screamed. "Let me go! I don't want to fight him! Let me go! I beg you! That man…no, that god, you cannot win!"
Varian gritted his teeth. Any chance of him getting help vanished. Now, he had take on everything by himself. He had to a fight the God Emperor by himself!
Varian looked down at the scared man. In him, he saw his own fear.
Truth be told, he was as scared as Aridam, if not more. For his entire life, including the fire wolf that set everything in motion seemed to be in the palm of the God Emperor.
But as scared as he was, Varian couldn't not fight.
He fought too much, braved too many dangerous and passed many trials to reach where he did.
How could he give up? He was incapable of doing that.
So, a scared young man talked to a scared old man. "Aridam, I know how you feel. But what choice do we have? If you stay in this monotonous world, you'll go insane or die. If you come with me and help, we'll have a chance. I have four slivers. I have a chance at winning once my realm equals his. I just need you to help me fusin—"
"No!" Aridam screamed, his voice the loudest it had ever been. "He lived so long that even eight slivers can't help! Do you really think he doesn't know about you? He does! He knows you! He knows everything!
Go! Don't fight him. Don't have hopes.
Accept reality. Let it go. Stop it all and live as happily as you can, until it all ends when he eventually wills.
Now go!"
Gathering his power, the Punisher blasted Varian out. He did not resist the expulsion. This place might be rich in aura but it was barren of hope.
Varian didn't have the experience, strength or knowledge Aridam had.
But he had one thing.
He had hope.