Sayda questioned, unable to get over the fact that Ulysses still remained standing despite Douglas’ fatal attacks.
Naturally, she used her divine voice with ill intent, hoping to disrupt his thoughts but all that did was cause Ulysses to pause for a moment before he replied.
"I’m not sure," Ulysses replied as he got to his feet before he began to take steps towards Sayda.
If she could, she would have backed away, alas, she was merely a talking head with no limbs, hence the reason she remained stationary even as Ulysses loomed over her.
Sayda noted, her words more for herself than for Ulysses, in a way trying to assuage her fears that she was not dying just yet.
The wielder of the GodKiller was unconscious, and judging from how no one else had tried to wield it, Sayda wished to believe that only the wielder was capable of utilizing it.
Ulysses bent down and picked up her head before proceeding to cradle it in his arms like a mother nursing her child.
"I don’t wish to kill you." He noted even as the look in his eyes detailed a brief hint of madness.
Taking a moment to push aside the locks of hair that had fallen on her face, he added. "I definitely can’t kill you, but then again, there’s no reason to do so. For me, there are much better ways to handle the current situation."
What are you talking about?
"I am capable of utilizing the Authority of the Lord of Flesh and Blood; sure, it shortens the time I’ve got until I have to grapple with the Everlasting again, but it will be worth it because what I’m about to do... I hope you’ll enjoy it."
Put me down!... Put me down now!!!
Her voice slammed down like a murderous cudgel, but having heard the mighty words of Dagon one too many times, Ulysses realized just how immune he was to it.
It hurt, but it was like a little annoying headache that went away if one drank enough water, unlike the migraine that Dagon’s voice caused.
Using one hand to hold on to Sayda’s head, Ulysses used the other to pull out a mystical card seemingly out of nowhere.
"Be the reason a group of at least a hundred humans lose their sanity." Ulysses breathed out evenly as he stared at the card, then he shifted his attention to Sayda who was staring at him with terror in her eyes.
"You are worth more than a hundred people, right?"
You can’t do this!... You can’t!
Even as it was unprecedented for a Visitor of the Abyss Wheel to be threatening a Demoness of the Devil Wheel, Sayda had a feeling that she was in deep trouble.
What awaited her was a fate worse than death!
"I promise, it won’t hurt, I promise." Ulysses softly said as he went ahead to insert the card into Sayda’s head.
It went through without restrictions, passing into her head before landing on her brain.
"Close your eyes," Ulysses remarked. "It will be over in a jiffy."
After that, Sayda lived through a thousand deaths, each one more gruesome than the last.
Alex found himself back in the place he’d first ventured into after his death.
A place of pitch black with a familiar entity waiting for him.
"Nyx." He breathed out as he stared blankly at the primordial entity.
For some reason, he knew he was wary of Nyx but for what reason, he couldn’t quite understand.
It’s been a while, Alex, I had thought you’d forgotten all about me.
Nyx noted with a smile as they approached.
Unlike before when they appeared like the template for a human body, they had taken on a more definitive figure.
Surprisingly, instead of a male figure, Nyx had opted for a feminine one and even their voice had changed to be more feminine, to sound more... familiar.
"Why do you look like that?" Alex asked, slightly weirded out because the figure Nyx took was almost like that of his wife Isabella.
My, do you not like it?
Why?... Does it upset you?
Alex wished to respond, only to pause, his expression slightly complicated.
Taking a moment to gather his thoughts, he replied. "It should..."
"It doesn’t," Alex admitted with furrowed brows.
Oh?... But how come?... I thought you’d be screaming your head off telling me to stop misbehaving.
"I guess... It doesn’t really matter... Not anymore."
Ah, I see, that is quite surprising. Well then, regardless, it’s good to see that we are speaking on such friendly terms; mostly, it’s a shouting match with you.
"... I’m sorry, I guess."
It’s fine, at the end of the day, we aren’t friends, merely employer and employee. You do something for me and I pay you by sending you home, as easy as that.
Alex shrugged. "... I guess."
Do you miss them?... Your family back on Earth.
"I’m not sure," Alex said, his expression distorting almost like he was mentally struggling. "I don’t remember them much."
Ah, that’s true, you were always away from home, weren’t you?... That’s one of the reasons she left you, isn’t that right?
Clutching the side of his head, Alex replied. "I’m not sure."
Well, it doesn’t matter, you are here now and as long as you stick with me, I’m never going to leave you, alright?... You and I, Alex, we are destined for great things, do you understand this?
As she said that, Nyx tried to embrace him only for Alex to shove her back.
"You took more than the five years we agreed on," Alex said with a strained look. "Why?"
You will forget soon enough. There’s no need to prolong the process.
"You bastard!... Why would you do this!?... How dare you take her away from me!?" Alex cried out as he dropped to his knees.
Nyx said nothing, instead leaving him to wallow in the realization that of his thirty four years of living on Earth, Alex was left with a mere ten years worth of memories.