The Legend of Randidly Ghosthound

Even if he had the shape of a strategy, that didn’t mean Randidly had much time to execute it. His lips twitched. The only upside of Laplace being entirely silent is that the monster isn’t making any time puns…

Randidly felt his body being squeezed as the convoy pressed forward. Another one of his ribs fractured and released bone shrapnel through his internal organs. His jaw was as clenched as it could become without his teeth being fused together like an igneous rock. He examined the temporal flows and quickly refined his idea into a workable solution.

Trap Laplace in Zeno’s Paradox. Even if the Eternity would eventually tear its way forward, it would give Randidly a chance.

His Moiraes stirred, finally discovering the opportunity to manifest their abilities. They reached out and began to create curling temporal eddies with their long fingers. Organic patterns began to swirl around his body, even as he was forced into a smaller and smaller space between the tomes and Pine’s barrier.

Weaving quickly, Randidly created the basic shape. Laplace’s world-state image tugged at the stray threads he had gathered, but just this much was possible for Randidly to resist. Through most of his experience with the Nexus, Randidly had possessed a superior ability to manipulate energy than his peers. Recently, it had manifested as a maelstrom of kinetic energy, churning it way forward, half a destructive aura and half a mobile battery that could be consumed at any moment to empower his abilities.

However, the power of the Eternity had completely invalidated that ability. Randidly had barely managed to keep the energy within his body in line underneath the constant grinding of time against his skin. While also maintaining his images, any sort of relevant energy adjustment had been impossible.

But now, two of his images had reached the Pinnacle, waiting for a third image to finish his ‘Truth’. So he could fully dedicate his energy to tugging and nudging the temporal maelstrom into an advantageous position. He gradually arranged the minute details so they would fall into line.

Laplace’s four tomes crossed half the distance from their starting point to the final barrier of Pine’s corpse. Randidly twitched a finger, weaving a temporal knot to add some extra oomph to the paradox. When it immediately began to fray even with the reinforcement, he flooded the connection with his dense significance.

His Nether sizzled but held.

The tomes advanced a little further. The vice around his chest tightened, his ribcage popping and collapsing on his organs. The barrier behind him gave again just slightly, unwilling to allow him to advance any further but even it couldn’t rival the raw power of an Eternity. Randidly trembled and spat blood onto the temporal wave in front of him.

The frame pulsed with light. The pool deepened, becoming cloudy in the depths.

He twisted and twirled a finger. As the tomes advanced through the next half-distance, the air around them distorted. Randidly showed teeth as he utilized all the broken flows of time against this fat snake. The surrounding space continued to quake, as his other two images continued through their own confrontations. The situation hadn’t exactly stabilized, but it would be enough to grasp an advantage.

Randidly’s eyes began to glow. His work in the Sanctum accelerated. Now, he also had a few seconds to reflect on the Dread Homunculus and the shape it would become. And it only took a split second for him to see the Path forward— the image would continue to advance, but what was important was the method. And it was the same method the Grey Creature had used, and then the Grim Chimera after it. The image would use its powerful grasp to pry away the very tools that had built up this pyramid of oppression.

And with the plundered weapons, it would lead the revolution.

Randidly’s eyes glowed even brighter. Pain surged through his body, a physical presence in his crushed torso, but his fingers continued to work. The convoy of tomes slowed further, time becoming curiously stagnant under Randidly’s direction. He pushed away the suffering, his other images, the waiting pool of Nether and Cage of Aether… all Randidly focused on was his Dread Homunculus image and the sensation that would guide it forward.

A change occurred immediately, one he didn’t expect.

The Dread Homunculus, for the first time in the fight, paused in its struggles and looked back at Randidly. If we continue to take their weapons to advance, are we really offering our people a different Path?

The query was delivered in monotone, but it felt like a punch in the gut. A ripple expanded out through his emotional sea, calming the tumult he had used to push his images toward the Pinnacle.

A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

Randidly Ghosthound faltered. Laplace didn’t miss the opportunity. Two of the moons ripped through the temporal paradox, smashing the hip of his left leg and the knee of his right. The construction of the half-distance shattered. If not for being squeezed up against the barrier by the temporal pressure, Randidly might have fallen to his knees.

But curiously, all the other distractions fell away but the humming noise as his Nether Core spun out translucent Nether.

“What?” Randidly whispered to his image.

I’m asking you what you want me to become, The Dread Homunculus replied. Whether it is enough to simply be the strongest, to wield these same tools of oppression with a more efficient hand… or whether we need to be better than that. To find a different way forward.

Randidly’s thoughts spun. But then the corners of his mouth turned down. More ripples bounced out through the emotional sea, turning it choppy. “Now’s not the time to get into a philosophical debate about my methods. We need to save the Nexus.”

If the change isn’t made now, it will be made never, The Dread Homunculus sniffed.

Randidly’s consciousness shook as the pressure on his body increased. He couldn’t afford this distraction, not now. Laplace seemed intent on using his body as a battering ram to force his way through the last barrier.

Even so, he ignored the warnings from his instincts and said. “You sound like-” Suddenly, Randidly felt the connection. “...Neveah?”

Neveah smiled, living in the uncertainty of his image. “I couldn’t let you fight here alone. You need a bit more time, but sinking to Laplace’s level isn’t the answer. With this image, I can buy that time. Let me in. Let me fight with you.”

Randidly flinched, almost instinctively. He opened his mouth, then closed it, even while the battering of his body continued. His skin began to flake and tear, across the whole of his body. Time ravaged him constantly. Even with the constant reinforcement of his form with significance, the ‘idea’ of Randidly Ghosthound began to break down.

Using the Dread Homunculus’s face, Neveah frowned. “I can read your thoughts, Randidly. I know what you are thinking; you don’t want to assent, because it will hurt. Because if I step onto this battlefield, I might be wounded or killed. But you cannot do this alone. Let me help you.”

Randidly squeezed his eyes shut and said yes. All of the intensity of Neveah flowed through him, settling in the Dread Homunculus. He let go of the monster that had so long protected him… and under Neveah’s direction, it rolled its shoulders and slammed both of its broken hands against the temporal distortions crushing him against the final barrier.

Warning! Your image is reacting-

Recalculating…

The image of your Soulbound Companion, Neveah, is merging with the image and Skillset, Dread Homunculus, Nyx Reincarnated (GD)! Warning, we are unable to estimate the result-

Recalculating… Incorporating the image of Neveah…

Congratulations! Your image has evolved into Tiamat, Dread Chimera and the Grey Fear (Neveah’s Deviation)!

Congratulations! Your Skill Ghosthound’s Cloak of a Thousand Lightless Horizons (GD) has evolved into Tiamat’s Veil of Death and Shadow (ND)! Skill Levels will be maintained.

Your Skill Dragon’s Fell Smite (GD) has evolved into Alpha Dragon’s Fell Smite (GD)! Skill Levels will be maintained.

Your Skill Wrathful Calamity Rends (T) has evolved into the Chimera Reborn Unleashes Dread (P)! Skill Levels will be maintained.

Your Skill Nyx’s Successor Births Fate (GD) has evolved into-

Recalculating… The Devick’s Deviation Truth within your body is reacting to the shifting image! Flames of passion surge around the nascent Skill. The process is being refined. Your Skill is evolving further!

Congratulations! Your Skill Nyx’s Successor Births Fate (GD) has evolved into the Alpha Cosmos Births a Shallah (S)! Skill Level will be maintained!

While the notifications continued to scroll past, the body of the Dread Homunculus wriggled and exploded. Randidly saw its shoulders swell as the leathery, black feathered wings of Tiamat, Mother of Fear forced their way out of his back. The hands reformed due to the sudden rush of image details. The chitinous armor of the Dread Homunculus merged seamlessly with the scales of the original dragon. A grey cloak settled around the new image’s shoulders, even while the whispers of the dead drifted across the veil.

Tiamat unleashed a pure roar of fury with enough power that the temporal advance faltered. Neveah slashed out with her hands, shattering one of the orbiting moons as it drifted too close.

Hurry, Randidly, Neveah urged him. Although the image merger won’t revert back, I can’t… hold this for long.

I won’t need long. Randidly grinned as his attention fixated on a particular detail.

Congratulations! You have created an (S) Rarity Skill! You have received the other half of the qualifications to understand the Truth of the Shallah! Experience the baptism of the Pinnacle and of Eternity in order to glimpse the fundamental Truths of the universe!

Randidly released a breath. The new Tiamat, Dread Chimera and Grey Fear rang out with its own desperate Truth, growing louder and louder. It quickly fell into harmony with its waiting siblings, Yggdrasil and the Songstress of Absence. Combined, they flowed together to create a blended Truth from three images.

Randidly felt surprised to find that the ‘Truth’ they formed actually came from Neveah’s earlier words: If the change isn’t made now, it will be made never.

Along with the two other Truths he possessed, Randidly condensed more and more powerful resonances in his body. He blazed with them. Already weakened by the battering from Laplace, his Vessel trembled, barely held together.

But first… Randidly’s attention fell on his Nether Core. The Penance. With information about the Shallah waiting for me… I’m not willing to wait around for the right answer. Now’s the time.