Pricks. I’ve been locked up in the Split for - Phantoms who knows how long. Why the fuck do I care about that anyway. Time doesn’t really exist here. In the Split. This is the only place in the damn Realms you cannot hear the Lenses click. Getting real sick of sitting here, counting the stars. Only thing really to pass the time. Fucking phrasing. Counting the stars doesn’t even really fucking matter anyway, when there are millions, upon millions.

Don’t know why they bother me to lock me up in the Split. If they didn’t want Eras’ Artifact to be taken, then they should have had tighter security. The Celestials always think shortsightedly. Never plan for the future. Not one of them thought, what if someone was tempted to take this artifact. They just had it lying around.

Bastards. It isn’t my fucking fault they don’t plan for any fucking future. Because they embody principles of unity. And one for all bullshit. Them putting me in this Split, is just for show really. For a Phantom I am not much of a challenge for a Celestial like Eras. But I will put up a pretty good fucking fight if I have to.

They are probably keeping me around because none of them can enter the Mortal Realm. Here in the Celestial Realm time works so slowly, the Celestials age so slowly they are millenia old, but infinitely young. The Mortal Realm is influenced by their perception of time. By the time the Celestials entered the Mortal Realm they would age to their actual years.

Just like the Seraphim. She probably entered the realm as a withered old hag by the time she landed.

Finally someone is approaching.

Splitting the stars at first. They scatter like scared fish, while Eras emerges from the warped voided walls. His robe made of the sky clings to the wall. Making it hard to discern what part of him is made of flesh and what part made of him is made from the sky.

Interlocking the fingers of his six hands together calmly in thought after morphing the cosmos with ease, before they seal up behind him.

I cackle a laugh while bowing, “I am honored by your presence Ferry of Souls.” mocking him.

Eras doesn’t seem impressed, in fact he seems rather annoyed with me. His gray skinned fingers clench on each of star scattered knuckles, if he had a face it would probably be one of vexation. Except that his face is shielded by a veil, and what glimpse you do get of his face is just as voided as this voided world. A blackhole, with emotion.

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“You jest unwisely,” Eras warns calmly.

“Oh, why would I ever joke, I am truly honored,” I want to see how far I can dig into his skin.

Eras remains calm while studying me.

“You have caused quite an issue,” Eras continues calmly, while annoyed with me, he seems to know how to keep himself in check.

“Actually, your lack of security is the real issue, if you didn’t want someone to take the artifact, you should have kept it locked up. The Celestials faith in the good of the many is what caused the issue, for all of your wisdom, you didn’t consider that someone may attempt to take your Pen,” I state.

Eras sighs, “You should be aware that this conversation is the determining factor of what form of discipline I enforce.”

“I am so scared,” I remark.

“I am not unaware of your lack of responsibility, if I could get rid of you, I would, but for as long as you worm your way into the Mortals' fears, getting rid of you over and over again is a chore for me,” Eras remarks.

“I guess then it means I am to be let go,”

Eras gives a disgruntled sigh, “The Pen has entered the Mortal Realm. If I could reach it on my own I would. I have determined the necessary discipline for a Phantom like you.”

“The one where you take responsibility for leaving your Artifact not secured and have rudely accused me of causing any problems,”

Eras says nothing. He unfolds a pair of his arms, keeping the other pair folded together, “You disobey the laws of the realms and as a Phantom you barged your way into the Celestial Realm without permission. Even if it weren’t for the missing artifact, you have already broken several of our oaths. I figure, I have a way to keep you on a leash, and an incentive to retrieve back My Artifact.”

Despite his calm. I get the feeling he wants to laugh at me and mock me.

“Do go on,” I think I know the answer.

“I will tie you to a Mortal Veil,” Eras tells me, “We will perform a Mortal Bond, tethering you to a vessel. Then we send you to the Mortal Realm.”

This prick. How does he expect me to retrieve an artifact with no power? In a Mortal Bond I will be limited by the limitations of my meat prison.

“How do I retrieve your artifact in a Mortal Veil? That seems like a relatively dumb plan,”

Eras doesn’t care, “I guess you’ll have to use your “smarts”.”

Now the Celestial is mocking me. Once I get back his artifact the first thing I am going to do to this six armed fuck is processing him with his own damn pen.

“And if I returned the Pen, would I be returned as a Phantom, released from the Mortal Bond,”

Eras gives a very airy dry laugh, “I’ll consider it.”

Fucker. That’s a no.

“How do you expect me to comply if I am not guaranteed anything?” I ask.

“I figure that at some point you will get bored and beg to be returned, what is that Mortal expression, riding two birds with one stone, we will find a way to retrieve the artifact on our own once an opportunity arises to do so. In the meantime, your Mortal Veil will prevent you from interfering much,” Eras tells me.

If I actually had the power, I would plan a daring escape right now. Fucker. They don’t expect me to return to this plane. They are hoping I die in that short lived realm. Truth is I don’t think the Celestials, especially Eras, expect me to do the right thing anyway. They figure it is a way to get rid of me. Well fine, fuck them too. I’ll just take this as an opportunity. Maybe I can find some advantage in all of this.