Chapter 163: The Arbiter
High Arbiter Elek struck a tall and imposing figure. His wings fluttered softly in the night breeze, so white and pure they practically glowed. He wore the same gleaming armor and greatsword as in the vision, but they felt so much more real, pulsing with ninth-level enchantments. The sheer mana density of his soul was beyond anything I’d imagined, seeming as boundless as much as a small Shard of Omniscience.
"You don’t seem surprised," he said, a thoughtful look forming on his face.
Tears continued to trickle down my cheeks, and I rested my chin on my knees, staring at the ground. My tail rose, curling forlornly about my body. His gaze weighed me, piercing my flesh to observe my soul. I flinched, staring at the ground. Did he also see the future atrocities I might one day commit?
He released a short, sharp breath and dropped to one knee, his face level with mine. "So they used the Soul Binder after all. It’s a pity, really. I wish I could have seen you before. Your soul must have been truly beautiful."
Reluctantly, I raised my head, meeting his golden gaze. "Why are you here?" I whispered, choked with sorrow. "What more does He want? Doesn’t He already own whatever’s left of my soul?"
The arbiter’s armor clanked as he sighed and sat down beside me. His wings fluttered softly, adorning a massive frame that dwarfed my petite figure, but his aura was tranquil, with a hint of sadness. The predatorial aura the Grand Inquisitor had was strangely absent from this angel, one who I’d expect to hate demons above all else.
"Nothing in this world is free," Elec said after a while. "And war demands a heavier cost than most. I have fought hundreds of campaigns across just as many worlds, but never once have I been able to avoid casualties. Sometimes, those losses are affordable, other times," he hesitated, eyes losing their luster, "they hurt more than we can imagine. Some sacrifices are given, but most are taken."
"But why?" I asked, my voice taking a desperate keen. "Why does there have to be war? Can’t the worlds just live in peace?"
"There are many existences above the mortal ones. You live, find happiness, and sorrow, and then die. But the heavens and hells have no such death. Gods and demons alike live on power. The more strength they obtain, the higher their status and standing in existence. The Divine Gods are those who have chosen to gain power through faith. They stabilize the chaotic existence of mana and provide miracles to mortals. In return, they expect worship, which grants them power. Demons are those who feed on chaos, or magic, absorbing it directly into their souls. They attack world after world in an endless quest to destabilize and consume."