I'm watching my god die. I'm not able to do anything. Even before he changed the orders he'd given me, I wanted so badly to go save him. I wanted him to be safe. It didn't matter what he'd become.

He saved me from an eternity of lying to myself. From being lesser and lesser, while slowly becoming the exact creature I hated to my core. Or lack thereof.

The few days we've had together. It's not like it was particularly joyous, or that I felt like I wasn't being compelled to serve him— I definitely was.

It was just... Even under his compulsion. I felt freer than ever. Even. Even back when I was still supposedly a free dragon. Before I became the sin of Pride.

I've always been controlled by my emotions. Always. From the very moment I was a newly-hatched whelp. My pride was so much greater than other dragons. I hatched stronger, smarter, and faster than all of them. Even my egg was larger and had more brilliant colors.

My parents— they were so proud. I wanted to make them prouder. I did anything I could to be the proudest dragon imaginable.

To make my parents proud.

I killed them.

Not directly, no. But. My actions killed them. They were soon not strong enough to contest the many enemies I'd made for myself. They died, but left behind a message.

"We're proud of you for having the power to fight these bastards. Give 'em hell, Pride!"

That's right. I was their Pride and joy. As if I was destined to become the sin of Pride. That cursed power was my birthright. My very namesake.

My parents' downfall.

Ultimately, mine.

My god. No, Chronovoid. He freed me. Freed me from my destiny. My fate. I wanted to free him in return.

I wanted to, but—

###`¶-$;℅?¶∆!|+@^!;£"@!;•+%'~׿$###

###`¶-$;℅?¶∆!|+@^!;£"@!;•+%'~׿$###

###`¶-$;℅?¶∆!|+@^!;£"@!;•+%'~׿$###

I recognize that sound.

Then?

Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author's consent. Report any sightings.

I watch his head—

Shorn entirely from his neck.

I'm too far. Too weak. Too helpless. They're all over there, killing him. I'm over here, falling.

Falling yet again into my destiny. One where my pride destroys me. And then, the only one with greater reasons to be prideful— he too falls. But it won't be for long.

He doesn't lie about things of this magnitude. Even if he's lost his compulsion for honesty, I know him. He just doesn't. So I also know— I'll... Be leaving him.

###`¶-$;℅?¶∆!|+@^!;£"@!;•+%'~׿$###

I see space begin to twist around his decapitated body. I know what's coming, but, hraw. It's much too late.

image [https://timjames.net/data/acd/images/149.png]

The spatial twisting expands in a large jolt.

######`¶-$;℅?¶∆!|+@^!;£"@!;•+%'~׿$######

It's getting louder. So much louder.

It expands in another large jolt; the twists grow.

‡‡‡‡‡‡`¶-$;℅?¶∆!|+@^!;£"@!;•+%'~׿$‡‡‡‡‡‡

Then, without provocation.

A sound like that 'computer glitch' he mentioned.

‡‡‡‡‡‡`¶-$;℅?¶∆!—K——K——KEEEEEEEEAAAAAAAAAAAKAKAKAKA‡‡‡‡‡‡

Also... Like someone laughing.

Insanely. VERY insanely.

My prideful body slams hard into the grassy plain.

*THOOM-shup-ahuf*

I look up. The air surrounding Chronovoid suddenly stops twisting. For a moment all looks normal.

Except, an instant later.

The air shreds apart as though dragon claws rended space countless times.

‡‡‡‡‡‡‡‡‡‡‡‡KOOOOOM‡‡‡‡‡‡‡‡‡‡‡‡

Deafeningly. It batters my very existence.

‡‡‡‡‡‡‡‡‡‡‡‡KOOOOOM‡‡‡‡‡‡‡‡‡‡‡‡

It expands again, just like the twisting before.

‡‡‡‡‡‡‡‡‡‡‡‡KOOOOOM‡‡‡‡‡‡‡‡‡‡‡‡

The tears are getting wider, longer.

...

Suddenly— silently.

The town is gone.

So, too, are the spatial tears.

I look around. All the gods who fled the town are gone. All the sins and virtues. All of them— except me.

I realize I'm no longer pinned to the ground, so I gracefully hop onto my awe-inspiring dragon feet.

*flthock*

I don't see Chronovoid either.

Just as I'm about to go over and take a look.

"Hey, Pride."

"Chronovoid?"

"Roh, you dropped the title."

He's right. I don't feel compelled anymore.

"My god, I shall now say it with my own Will. But what happened? Where ARE you?"

"Ragh."

I see a status panel appear in front of me.

Chronovoid

Your fate is forever pinned to the chosen pivot. Fate is bound by your endless embrace.

Evolution itself has become Chronovoid.

Pivot Type: Chronovoid

Related Fates: Chronovoid, Chronovoid, {err...}

Bonuses: Chronovoid

"To be frank, my god. This doesn't look worse. Rather than consuming everything, it just says you 'are' evolution. Whatever that means."

"It means no matter what changes from this point forward, I'll always change in turn. It means getting rid of this talent is impossible, because doing so would always be contradicted. I'm a living contradiction."

"Then, the Origin Crystals—"

"Reah. That's why you can't see me."

"What does that mean, my god?"

I watch as a fractious white translucent figure appears in front of me. Parts of it are falling off and regenerating. Translucent white shards fall into the grassy plain like drops of water falling into a puddle.

Except, the shards make no ripples. Instead, they pass smoothly into the ground, as if reality has no effect on them.

The white figure waves its arm at me, parts of it cracking and breaking off as it does. Still reforming, with no apparent loss of volume.

Wha... Is that—

"My god?"

"Hi."