Malediction of the Depth – Silence in Judgement

Year 1 of the Age of Mythology, First Month, Day 5.

Turns out, Empire's Edge has no elevator leading to its territory. So Lea had to get to Rohuang Citadel first.

And immediately after she exited the old library used as the entrance... she was met with several people in red robes and metal armor, carrying sword and gun on their waist.

"We have reasons to believe that you are using the identity of a Renlou citizen.", the one with an eagle badge spoke.

These are Renlou's mystic police force, the Preato. Since this is the capital, the imperial crown wouldn't let religion meddle in their affairs; it is one of the few places to do it like this.

But who snitched?

Lea could only think of one person. Dawn, the princess clearly has beef with her. Presumably due to her wearing her own skin.

"Identity theft is wrong, you should know that... whatever you are."

Lea was currently using her own face... and they clearly got information about Star Gods.

So Lea just kept eye contact with them and... she slowly sank into her own shadow, using Cloak, Silence, and Veil to cover up The Plague Garden's existence in her arms. Clearly, again, they got information but don't know what to do with the data.

There was news that an entire part of the Great Desert was glassed and an unknown rock disease had broken out in the tribes. That was just the flamboyant entities; who knows what the others are doing in the shadows.

The Preato cannot risk anything, especially in the capital. But the captain, the badge-wearing man, has an idea.

"Malediction of the Depth;

Silence in Judgement;

Wandering Terror of Twilight."

He spoke her Honorific Title.

"We beseech you, O' Executor.", he spoke with reverence.

That caught Lea's attention. Realizing that Dawn had spread her name even further.

She rose back up, now in her form wearing the skeleton armor.

"What do you want from me? To exercise justice? To get revenge on someone?", she asked.

Lea could taste their fear and hesitation.

"If this place is too public for you..."

The world distorted, removing the buildings and the city itself. Reshaping into the reception hall of a dark, decrepit mansion filled with cursed thorns and overgrowth. And the rancid smell made some of the Preato visibly gag.

I should've let Mard Awalan finish her renovation... Lea thought as she walked down the stairs.

Now... how would she spread awareness of her name?

=0=0=

Messtorrin witnessed another devastation from a Star God's landing. The Wild Dance, who landed in the New World, made thousands of people dance and laugh until they cannot anymore, tendons ripped off, flesh tearing, bones breaking. Yet none ever stopped laughing, even if tears stream from their eyes.

Even with that, something more concerning was happening. It was the same feeling as when the Mist Lord was usurping her Authority.

The black slit eye cracked open in the sky, observing everything in the world... people murdered by Horrors, Star Gods having their fun, Heralds hiding amongst the people, Charlotte and her cohort in orbit.

Inside her core, where only the Ego of the World has access. She found a living shadow, with horns forming a crown sticking out of its cloak, crimson eyes glowing through a veil.

It was the Ego of Earth.

What are they doing here?

=0=0=

"To fight against the Horrors and the demons from beyond the sky..."

Lea can tell it was an excuse; Judgement discerns much. Though there is some truth to it.

To put it simply, the world is going to shit.

The defeat of Mystery is way more devastating than initial thoughts. But that is merely humanity's perspective; for those who exist in eternity, this suffering is nothing more than a blip. And for an Ego titled Endless Path of Pain... it surely lives up to its moniker.

"As one of the 'demons beyond the sky', is it right for you to tell me so?", Lea asked.

Star Gods are highly individualistic; it is almost impossible for them to work together. The Factions are just a vague term defining that they follow something similar.

"You are different from them.", the leader, who Lea learned from nibbing away at their mind is Aukes, stepped forward, "Executor, you have existed since before the Blackout, and only awaken recently... do you, who proclaim to be justice, ignore such plight of the people unfairly treated?"

"My justice isn't the same as your Sacred Flame, it is a raw form of retribution, not what humanity would define as... righteousness as it is now."

To add to her story as an ancient being, she had to make it show how primitive she is. Giving these semi-religious followers of The Sacred Flame something to connect to.

Conscious and Unconscious, fire and the shadow it casts. Two forms of justice, one illuminated by the light of Judgement, and one burns brightly in darkness.

Does Lea feel any hesitation for blasphemy? At this point, not anymore. Besides, The Sacred Flame seems like a chill entity.

"I ask you, who do you want to hunt? Who hurt you?"

Their mind responded, feeding Lea information.

'—that guy who doesn't wash the dishes—'

'—the girl who rejected me—'

'—my father who punished me severely—'

As for Aukes, he could only think of one thing.

'—this messed up world—'

She dig deeper into his mind, finding out that... after the downfall of Mystery, from neglect due to his job, his son who had a lot of pent up emotion, turned into a Horror and slaughtered his entire family.

Even a child won't be spared...

"You have my blessings to exact your own justice."

Her voice echoes through their mind.

"Kill the man who doesn't wash the dishes."

One of them flinched.

"Kill the girl who rejected you."

Another squirmed.

"Kill your father who wronged you."

And another.

"Kill. Kill. Kill. Kill. Kill. Kill. Kill. Kill. Kill. Kill. Kill. Kill. Kill. Kill. Kill. Kill. Kill. Life is inherently priceless, thus it can be paid for anything. Even the world, if it wronged you, you can kill it."

Everyone went silent, noticing the madness and obbession with wanton murder dressed in the name of justice. Though it is just an act, for Lea at least. To the Preato, this was a Mad God...

With a gulp, Aukes spoke, "We appreciate your advice, Executor..."

"Then I shall be going my way..."

The Dream World collapsed as Lea kicked them out of it, returning them to their bodies. By that time, Lea, along with The Plague Garden, was already gone.

Where?

To meet The Sacred Flame.

=0=0=

"Marie Antoinette Sydrome.", Charlotte closed the book she was reading, looking directly at Dawn, who was breathing heavily, "It is a condition that make hair turned white due to stress or trauma, combine with Trial's effect, it has accelerated to near instant."

Dawn was currently on Charlotte's ship, one of them anyway, a ship named AMS Camelot. For the sake of tearing off that mask The Faceless Twilight is wearing, she needs to get stronger.

"Every Divine Domain acts in its own way, unique to its own. While I don't know Unconscious' special property, I know of Conscious' Limit Breaker, where the willpower of its owner can enhance each attack to a greater degree. Maybe its opposite, Unconscious, can sink its invisible fangs deeper and kill your mind."

"Progress on the other hand, is the ability you already know."

Charlotte stare with a knowing smile.

Dawn stood straight up, looking at her hands. They don't feel any different, but the upgraded armor feels more durable, stronger. Even after shattered from enduring a hit from the Construct standing beside Charlotte.

His name was Bruce Lee, the King of Iron Fist. And true to his name, his fists are as fast as bullets and hit twice as hard as them.

Charlotte had explained that Memory's recreations are equal to their counterpart; this is just how strong someone who spent a lifetime training their body to the absolute maximum could do. Furthermore, Dawn could see what these shadows were made up of; the smell was faint, but unmistakably the smell of iron.

A world where there is only take and take. Not like her world where every hardship and suffering gives equal reward. She found its history being made of iron quite accurate.

Her divinity fit more for Earth, not her own world. As in it can grow and develop depending on the situation at hand, like how it developed sentience and the ability to travel to seek out someone with a similar constitution to Charlotte.

Even now, Dawn can feel Progress wanting the Monarch from another world.

The gears formed behind her back, clicking together... and her armor evolved.

Bruce Lee appeared before her eyes, throwing a haymaker that forced her to defend.

Crack.

No... Upgrade.

Crack...

Not enough.

Not enough!!

Her armor shattered from the flurry of blows. With pure martial arts and discipline, even man's fist can touch the gods.

"Progress is what Evolution could not have; it supplements what humanity lacks. Star Gods are the pinnacle of this universe's power system, so to defeat them you either have to gain the strength of one yourself, or arm yourself with enough tech to rival them.", another lecture from Charlotte...

Then, Dawn had a question for Charlotte as she repaired her armor, "When did your humanity confidently fight off the Star Gods?"

Charlotte smiled, "Your world's current civilization level."

"What the hell is civilization level anyway?", she asked again.

With a snap of her fingers, Charlotte displayed a holographic screen, showing a blue planet.

"Earth's current civilization level is 1.3; it means that it is using halfway to half the energy of the solar system. Level I is Planetary, fully utilizing everything on the planet. Level II is Stellar, using the energy of the Star and the solar system itself. Level III is Galactic, which I won't explain because no civilization in the universe had reached that level."

She used her cane to point at Dawn, "Yours is currently at 0.4, but with all the chaos going on, it wouldn't be a surprise to see it get knocked down to 0.2."

"So I must both defend the world and continue developing the world..."

For that, the Goddess of Technology is necessary. Dawn stared at Charlotte, the true Chalk Princess, the human who denied divinity.

"Chalk Princess.", Dawn used the Monarch's title, her azure eyes lit up with a smile, "I request your help once more, to be the guiding light of technology and the future."

After a long stare down, Charlotte let out a chuckle.

"Are you bowing down to an alien?", her azure eyes bearing its weight, as if thousands of gaze were looking down on her, judging, scrutinizing her every actions, "Earth has two Laws it cannot escape from."

"One, you already know. The Cycle of Violence, where it is take and take, only the strongest and most cowardly survive."

"The other is more subtle, like an infection you never notice until it is too late."

...

Lea opened the book Charlotte gave her, just to past the time walking over to the temple. Cancer, the illness impossible to get rid of.

Her hands trembled slightly as she read through it. It is the most evil disease known to Earth, as nothing could prevent it, no medication could get rid of it completely. When cells become immortal, refusing to die, once it starts, it never stops growing, eating the body alive from the inside out.

Each cancer is unique to the afflicted. No one can be cured the same way.

But as Lea flipped through the pages, she noticed a pamphlet describing an even more dangerous illness. An illness that is like a companion of Earth's humanity... like cancer, yet different; it is an illness that cannot truly be eradicated. Something that evolves alongside mankind, like a lover walking behind one's back, or a stalker watching your every move...

The deadliest disease of all, dubbed The Beautiful White Death.

...

"You have met my other half, Ego of this world.", came a mischievous voice from the black being, "My name is Theia, the Primate of Destruction - the Other Ego of Earth."

"So tell me, how do I start the Trial for the Throne of the World?", their crimson eyes glow brighter, as well as a crimson smile.

...

Her azure eyes shine brightly, staring at Dawn with a wide smile, "Are you willing to let the Drive of Conquest 'infect' this world?"

Everything depends on the selfish decision of one person. And staring at the Monarch from another world...

"Yes."

"My dear Knight, we have more fun to have and more work to do!!", she clapped her hands twice, with a gleeful smile.

"[As you command, Your Majesty.]", the administrator of her machines answered.

"Try to rope Astrelnoia into this too!!"

This is the happiest Dawn had ever seen Charlotte.

=0=0=Age of Mythology=0=0=

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