Endless Path : Infinite Cosmos

After the unexpected orbital attack, many of the people that had gathered to hear Vahn speak promptly cleared the area. There was still a sizeable crowd, but it was comprised of the more powerful members of various 4-Digit Communities, individuals who were confident in their ability to evade or outright counter the previous attack.

As tensions far surpassed a palpable level, Vahn abruptly appeared at the podium that had been prepared for him, a relaxed smile on his face as he said, "First and foremost, allow me to apologize for the previous incident. I had no hand in its implementation, but that doesn't change the fact that several Communities were affected by the attack perpetrated against me. To that end, please send a representative from the affected Communities to the Sage Dragon's Hearth. We will discuss any potential remunerations in private."

Though he didn't mind taking on the entire Little Garden, Vahn wanted to make it clear that his designation as a Last Embryo didn't change how he or the Empire would interact with other Communities. A lot of people were going to try and vilify him in the days to come, so he intended to sabotage their efforts by being amenable to those who sought his aid, sympathetic to those who sought his mercy, and accommodating to those who sought his protection.

With his apology out of the way, Vahn delved into the subject everyone was most interested in, stating, "I understand everyone tuning into this broadcast is eager to know the reason for my classification as the Demon Lord of Excess and Stagnation. Simply put, I was 'invited' to Mt. Olympus for a chat with their Leader, Zeus. Rather than explaining what happened, allow me to show you."

Interfacing with the system that allowed Gift Games to be broadcast, something that should have been impossible under normal circumstances, Vahn allowed everyone in the Little Garden to witness precisely what had occurred between him and Zeus. When they heard the latter offer Athena up on a silver platter, many were astonished, while others felt more than a little envious. Athena was renowned for her 'virtue,' so she was among the most coveted beauties in the entire Little Garden.

Contrasting the expectations of nearly everyone bearing witness to the playback, Vahn hardly acknowledged Zeus's offer. Instead, he shut down the proposition before immediately attacking the moment Zeus attempted to threaten him with the lives of the innocent.

While few were surprised to see Vahn take exception to Zeus's words, the ease with which he defeated the infamous God and the method employed left them thoroughly spooked. Only the most ancient and knowledgeable denizens of the Little Garden truly understood what the ashen grey spear was, but the rest only needed to see the effects on Zeus to understand it wasn't something they could oppose.

Though he could have stopped the playback the instant he extinguished Zeus's life, Vahn allowed it to continue further. He wanted people to hear him reiterate his point about targeting the lives of the innocent, and, as it had yet to become public knowledge, he also broadcasted the incredibly short, completely one-sided battle between himself and the other forces of Olympus.

Seeing Vahn casually countering the combined assault of more than a hundred Gods, many of which were legends in their own right, an eerie silence descended upon the Little Garden. Powerhouses like Poseidon, Hades, and Ares failed to make an appearance, but many assumed their presence wouldn't have made much difference. After all, even Hera and Apollo were utterly helpless in the face of Vahn's oppressive might.

As the battle neared its end, culminating in the deaths of several Gods and Goddesses, Vahn left the already stunned crowd at a complete loss for words as he casually reversed the order of entropy, restoring all but Zeus to their original state. Then, like Sisyphus pushing his boulder up a hill, the futile fight began anew...

Since there were a few things he wanted to keep a secret, specifically his conversations with Hermes and Hestia, Vahn ceased the playback shortly after the second onslaught began. Instead, he showed the final outcome of the battle, Mt. Olympus reduced to an empty crater and clear skies as far as the eye could see.

Providing relief to the question that had spontaneously appeared in the minds of innumerable people, Vahn calmly revealed, "I know what you're thinking. Rest assured that Mt. Olympus still exists. I merely had it moved to a more discreet location. I also spared the remaining Olympians, so feel free to consult with them if you'd like to hear the specifics. For now, there are other, more important matters to address."

Pointing to the sky, Vahn's expression hardened as he revealed, "Several minutes ago, an unsolicited attack was perpetrated against Communities in the surrounding region by the Ragnarok Alliance. I have absolutely no qualms about any Community targetting me directly. If you'd like to give it a go, I'll gladly accept your challenge any day. However, should you do so at the expense of the innocent...know that the only mercy I will afford you is a swift death."

Waving his right hand, Vahn surprised both the crowd and the person in question by manifesting Hel next to him. Her singular eye then widened to the point it matched the diameter of her empty eye socket as Vahn went on to say, "Though I prefer to settle things diplomatically, I will be using the members of the Ragnarok Alliance to set an example for those of you inclined to ignore civility and warnings. Actions have consequences, even for the Gods. As such, the majority of their members will be participating in a Gift Game with their lives on the line. As for Lady Hel here, she will be gambling her very existence."

Exhibiting genuine fear for the first time since the original Ragnarok event, Hel backed away from Vahn, her voice and body shaky as she replied, "I'll never accept such conditions..."

Narrowing his now golden eyes, Vahn's voice resonated throughout the Little Garden as he declared, "You made your decision when you failed to consider the consequences of your actions. Now, you get to deal with me, the penultimate consequence."

Without waiting for Hel's response, Vahn's figure reappeared behind her, stunning the crowd as he unhesitantly stabbed through her chest with his hand. However, instead of rending flesh and bone, his hand emerged from her chest with a luminous green crystal in hand, shimmering with a light that left even the most seasoned Gods experiencing a peculiar sense of awe.

Retracting his hand, Vahn allowed Hel to collapse to the ground as he turned to the crowd, a severe expression on his face as he stated, "I am not a malicious entity. I do not go out of my way to pursue or persecute those others regard as evil. I'll even work alongside such entities so long as they resolve never to target children or prey upon the innocent..."

Directing his gaze to Hel, Vahn's eyes narrowed as he added, "Those that ignore this rule are not needed in a place like the Little Garden. Now that I have been appointed as a Last Embryo, this is the fate that awaits all who spurn my warnings..."

As Vahn tightened his grip around the peculiar green crystal, creating several small cracks, a scream comparable to a banshee's emanated from Hel's throat. Damage to the Ego completely transcended the physical. It was an attack on the mental, spiritual, and physical energies comprising a person's very existence, so not only was it painful, it compelled a feeling of existential dread that dwarfed comprehension.

Interrupting Vahn's demonstration, a handsome figure with bronzed skin and dark hair appeared next to him, a wry smile on his face as he grabbed the former's wrist and said, "You said you were going to compete against them in a Gift Game. I believe this is what they call putting the cart before the horse..."

Though he could have easily evaded the man's grasp, Vahn permitted the interruption as he returned a smile and warmly replied, "Ah, Lord Indra. It's good to see you. I was wondering when and if you would be making an appearance..."

Releasing his hold on Vahn's wrist, Indra's expression visibly relaxed as he abruptly stopped the flow of time around them, questioning, "Did you have to take things his far? I understand your desire to deter others from following in Hel's footsteps, but this is more than a little extreme..."

Shrugging his shoulders, Vahn replied, "You're not wrong. However, even though I condemn everything I'm currently doing, I'm prepared to follow through to the end. If you'd like to organize a Garden-wide Gift Game to oppose me, I'll happily accept just about any terms. Until then, I intend to do things my own way. And that means preventing monsters such as Hel and Zeus from doing as they please."

Exhaling a sigh, Indra wanted to offer Vahn his counsel and guidance but ultimately decided against it. He has been observing the latter from the moment Shiroyasha summoned him to the Little Garden, so he knew Vahn wouldn't listen to 'reason.' At least not when that 'reason' was grounded in sentiments bordering on nepotism.

Adopting a fairly fierce expression, Indra formed his resolve as he asked, "If I were to organize such an event, can I trust you not to 'erase' any of the participants? I'm not sure how that technique works, but I can tell it's dangerous. It will be difficult to persuade even your fiercest detractors to participate if there's a chance you'll use it against them..."

Shrugging a second time, Vahn replied, "As I stated previously, I'm willing to accept just about any rules and restrictions you can imagine. So long as the competition is fair, I'll inevitably come out on top. If it's not, well, don't blame me for 'bending' the rules..."

Shaking his head, Indra adopted an even more severe expression as he stated, "As one of the entities involved in the Little Garden's conception, I can assure you the rules will be fair. The question is, what are you willing to-"

Interrupting before Indra could finish, Vahn manifested a crystal similar in structure to the one he had pulled from Hel's chest. However, instead of a peculiar shade of green, it exuded a rainbow hue and a strange humming sound that vaguely resembled countless people speaking in the distance, just outside of audible comprehension.

Holding up the luminous crystal, Vahn's expression became just as severe as Indra's as he said, "During the destruction of the original Little Garden, one of the Principal Axes of Reality was lost. If your side is able to endure, I will surrender a piece of myself to serve as a replacement. I believe that is enough to incentivize even those monsters slumbering within the Inner Gates..."

Understanding the meaning of Vahn's words, an expression of unbridled shock marred Indra's face as he asked, "Are you sure about this? If you permit those within the 1-3-Digit Gates to participate, there may as well not be any rules. I understand your desire to complete your objective as quickly as possible, but such conditions wouldn't exactly be 'fair' to those in the Outer Gates..."

Closing his hand around the crystal, Vahn absorbed it back into himself as he replied, "Very well. To even things out, those hailing from the 1-3-Digit Gates will need to employ Avataras. However, as I'm putting something of utmost value on the line, I expect my prize to be unobstructed access to the Inner Gates. If you can arrange that, I'm willing to yield the fragment, regardless of the outcome."

Though he generally excelled at concealing his emotions, Indra felt his throat tighten in response to Vahn's proposition. There was no such thing as 'absolute infinity,' so, even though the Divine Realm had a functionally infinite supply, enough to sustain countless Lesser Realms, it was only a matter of time before everything collapsed. The current Order of Creation had been on the verge of collapse since the destruction of the original Little Garden, so Vahn's offer was beyond tempting. Thus, before Indra could find the words to respond, a deep, reality-shaking voice took the liberty to speak...

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(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'You're done when Vahn decides you're done...','RIP Hel...','Mysterious voice be like, "Gimme gimme..."')