My god followed through on his promise far faster than I thought possible.

For countless eons, I lived as the same hollow creature. If I was filled with anything at all, it would only be my darkest, most negative emotions.

It wasn't mere insecurity. It was rage. It was betrayal. It was hate. So much negative energy was endlessly funneled through my sin body. I wanted to change back; I wanted to hurt anyone who did this to me; I wanted to lash out at random. Above all, I wanted to do anything and everything to cause harm to all nearby.

Even as a sin— as a deadly sin, per my god's designation. I couldn't do that. It's not that my pride wouldn't allow it. Stepping on others is easy enough when you know exactly how far above them you truly stand.

What made me stop was my hatred for myself. For choosing to give up my own body— for becoming a sin. That's what I chose when I sold off my entire life for mere pride, after all.

I'm a dragon, and I was a dragon back then, too. We're exceedingly intelligent. Naturally. Me being aware that I was falling too deep into my draconic tendencies? That, too, was natural.

Why. Why did I keep going?

It's not that I wanted to; not necessarily. I felt compelled to keep digging further and further into the hole I'd already dug. I did try to twist my compulsions, just as I showed Truth. Except— I didn't understand myself at that time. My lack of understanding was my downfall.

The sin of Pride during that era would die at my claws, and so too would the sin he represented. I may have claimed his title as Pride, but my own pride twisted back upon itself to fight my inadequacies at every turn.

I fought so hard to maintain myself. I'm a dragon: what I declare is law. Not only to others, but also to myself. Chronovoid showed me how to take my Will a step further.

And then?

He made me whole.

"Pride."

"What's up, Dracosect?"

"What's the best thing about our god?"

"Do I have to pick only one?"

"Not possible, but you can state one."

"His gemstone body puts mine to shame."

"Do you only care about looks?"

"No, but you said to state one. Besides, you copied his appearance, Dracosect."

"Why do you think I did?"

"Because he looked amazing in the past, too?"

"True, but he was also proud of my form. We hold a mutual admiration."

"Then why?"

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"I had a feeling he would change. I wanted to be a living reminder of who he once was."

"I wish I had someone like you, Dracosect. You might've saved me from losing myself to sin."

"I'm not sure Pride, but my god tells me the same thing. He almost became a Gluttony god."

"He did?"

"You've seen how he eats."

"Puts Gluttony to shame, he does."

"Tell him to show you his true form."

"That's not his true form? Isn't he a dragon?"

"He's a dragon. That's why he can't fix what he's become. It's... Different."

"What does that mean? I don't get it."

"Just ask him. You'll understand how much you and he are alike. He's not fond of his body."

"Really?"

I hear Chronovoid.

"That's right."

Dracosect gets startled.

"Oh, my god! I'm so sorry if I—"

"It's fine, Dracosect. By the way, I still need to reward you and Kaliwot for your performance back on her prison planet. We'll do that after I show Pride what I am."

'What I am?' I thought he...

"My god, I don't mind if yo—"

He holds up his clawed hand.

"We may hate what we become, but we must never allow ourselves to embrace what we hate. I'll honestly show you in order to remind myself. I refuse to hide."

I watch as my god's body twists and deforms. Strangely, parts of him seem to fade into the background of reality as he does. Almost like he's merging with the universe.

image [https://timjames.net/data/acd/images/141.png]

One part, however, becomes pronounced. Like it's becoming more real than reality itself. As though that aspect of who he is, tears further and further into the deepest recesses of existence, shredding apart all in its way. I'm not even near him, and yet, I feel like I'm losing...

Something.

Like it's drawing me in. Like it wants me to step closer. Like it'll pull me in, even if I refuse. Like I'm being pulled in, even as I stand silently. Like it's eating me whole.

Maybe it is.

It's a giant maw. No, he. His entire form has shifted into a giant maw. This, whatever this is, doesn't represent gluttony.

image [https://timjames.net/data/acd/images/141b.png]

It's absolute, utter, and complete.

Annihilation.

I feel my prideful body shiver.

Then, I feel something separate from me. I'm not sure what it is, or what it was, but all I know is that I lost something when I shivered.

image [https://timjames.net/data/acd/images/141c.png]

Inexplicably, I notice the maw's overly-defined form morph slightly; it seems to gain even more definition. More realism. More power. More... More of everything.

image [https://timjames.net/data/acd/images/141d.png]

I watch as my god shifts back into being a gem dragon.

...

"Do you understand it?"

"Annihilation, my god."

He nods.

"You may have been a sin; I'm the end. Not of all life, but of all. Of everything."

What IS he?

"How can my god still be a dragon?"

He shakes his head.

"Using the improvement sigils on that form— like we did for your sin form? Grah. They refuse to take my form in the direction I desire. Instead, they improved my annihilation form further. I became a better annihilation creature than I already was. We stopped, of course, because that wasn't our goal. I had to shut off all my body's inscriptions, too, because even the Mana and Dragonpower inscriptions were doing the same thing."

He looks despondently at me.

"It was already quite bad back when I ate the last Deification Token. But, I didn't realize why it was evolving so quickly. Why it continued evolving after I stopped eating the tokens. Because of those arrays, my maw form has already evolved countless times over. I've slowed it. I've staggered it. Yet, my nature as 'the end' won't stop evolving. Worse, anything I try, no matter what, pushes my maw form to evolve faster. I fear there's nothing I can do to stop it."

"Is it because of the fate talent you told us about, my god?"

He nods. I ask another question.

"Is that why you discuss philosophy so often, my god?"

"Not exactly. It's been a welcome outlet for my fear and frustration. How can I fight fate itself, for example? Fate is a tricky thing. You might feel like you have control, but if fate is driving you, situations may arise—"

He stops, then speaks.

"See what I mean?"

Dracosect interjects.

"My god?"

I reply in my god's stead.

"He's referring to the Abyssals, Dracosect."

My god adds to my comment.

"Exactly. They're my forebears."

"Your forebears, my god?"

"I erase everything."

Aha. Like them.