«Enter from the other side, if it exists.»
…
Easy to say…
…but what to do?
I pace back and forth in the bedroom. Thoughtful. With my head, it smokes in a while, as long as I think.
Other side.
The same one that wants to reach Gron.
I’m sure. There is that entrance. My father told me there is. However—
…how do you get there?
I mean, [Dungeon path] takes me there? No, I've already tried.
If I use [Dungeon path] thinking about the Golden Doors, it takes me to the Golden Doors. If I think about the other entrance it takes me to block [A-9] where those caves begin and my powers partially cease.
A creaking of the boards.
Ci-cin.
I stop and prick up my ears.
More creaks arrive, it must be a guest. I go out to go to the veranda but…
…she is in the kitchen.
Ci-cin.
“Sylviette!”
Ci-cin, Ci-cin, Ci-cin, Ci-cin!
What a joy to see her again! It's been so long and I didn't even think about her anymore!
I run to hug her. She remains catatonic and she does not respond to my gesture.
She is colder than last time and I can't smell her breath.
“Oh, Sylviette, I'm so happy to see you!”
…
No movement. No sound.
I pull away from her.
Her expression is as expressionless as I remember it.
Nevertheless…
“You look different… did something happen?”
“So, I’m dead.”
♦
Sylviette explains the situation to me. She returned to her planet, where the cosmic root is pervasive, and predicted the moment of her death.
It was caused by a court conspiracy, originating from her. Her knowledge of the Underwasteland and her search for its sacred relic has earned her numerous enemies.
“The fact is that the truth clashes with the doctrines of the Devil.” Sylviette sighs. I look at her thin fingers, they no longer wear the barbed ring.
We are sitting on cushions. Between us the chessboard and the game in progress.
“Has the Devil invaded your world?”
“Long since. The doctrine of pain, the concealment of knowledge skills like Scan… I suppose they were its work.”
Ci-cin.
“I think you're right.”
I don't know what else to say. The Devil.
This pervasive entity that is part of the System… is eliminating one world after another, perhaps I should have asked the [Emperor] for some information about it.
“I'm sorry…” Sylviette clasps her hands on her legs. “Although I was able to predict the future… I was unable to bring the promised relic.”
The elf's low gaze tells me her state of mind. I don't know the people's customs of her, but I'm sure that for a [Diplomat] like her failure is a great dishonor.
I lean forward and reach out. I lean on her. She raises her head and looks me in the eyes.
“Don't worry, I solved that problem while you were gone.”
She nods at me but doesn't seem very heartened. She points to a spot over my shoulder.
“I think it's already here.”
I twitch my ears and raise my eyebrows.
Who arrived?
I turn my head. Some sort of equine with many heads and hooves is hauling itself up from the black pool of the rained membrane. It whines and roars and I stand up.
An aura of terror pervades that mass of rotting flesh and bluish flickers create distortions in the light.
I nod to Sylviette.
“Wait for me here. If you are thirsty or hungry you can find some berries and cups from the sink.”
She stands up too and makes a slight bow that makes her silver crescent earrings swing.
“Okay, I'll wait for you inside.”
♦
“Scan.”
[lv: 92] [xp: 79,993,534,127,986]
[type: Eldritch Entity]
[class: Devil]
[job: Error]
[priority: System]
[hp: Error]
[ap: Error]
[ip: Error]
[E: 1]
[status: Infector] [malus: Deceased]
My strength is failing me. The aura and the errors acquire a meaning that I had not understood from Sylviette's words.
A cloak of black wings and tentacles. Horns, fangs, claws, and hooves. Horseheads and manes. A shapeless, swirling mass.
The [Devil].
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The [Devil] is dead and twists its coils like a serpent. It whinnies and paws.
What nonsense is this?
My wrists and knees are shaking—one of the evillest beings in this universe is before me and it too must be judged.
Sylviette talked about it a little while ago and…
… Now it's here.
And it's [lv: 92]!
That means it will have to rest beyond the Golden Doors! Doors that are closed and…
The being passes over me. Its coils encircle me and release me, caressing me as they pass. It drags itself with its legs, rolls, crawls, and beats that infinite blanket of wings.
Its movements are jerky and unpredictable and it leaves a trail in the ash.
“Hey!”
The titan doesn't listen to me and proceeds towards the house. It drags like a mountain. I hope it doesn't want to destroy it!
I know it's a vain fear, in the Underwasteland everything repairs itself, but…
The being stops.
A smaller dog-like head turns towards me. It sticks its tongue out at me and barks. Then the creature resumes.
Is it inviting me to follow it?
[Dungeon path]
I arrive at the veranda where Sylviette waits leaning on the handrail. She has made herself a cup of infusion and looks at the dark mass approaching.
“Sylviette, that's…”
“I know, the eminence of my people.”
“But it's the Devil! What happened, why are you so calm!?”
Sylviette doesn't answer me and sips her drink.
The being reaches us and stops in front of the veranda. Its front hooves clatter, kicking up a cloud of ash.
A creaking disturbs me and, turning around, I realize that the pieces of the chessboard are vibrating. Made of the [Devil]'s bones, they feel its influence.
The silence remains until the dust clears. Sylvietta puts the cup on the floor and sits on the boards.
“Have you come to get it back?”
Get what back?
I look at Sylviette trying to understand. An equine head with a snake's neck enters the veranda, probing the spaces. Its black hair reaches up to the boards and seems to move of its own accord.
“The Empress of this place will not let you get what you want. You died to get here, but you can never go back.”
Huh?
Are they perhaps dragging me into the middle of a conflict related to their world!?
Sylviette wants to pit me against a [lv: 92]!? Sylviette are you crazy!? But have you seen its stats?
Ah…
No…
They don't have [Scan] on their planet. From their point of view, I must appear to be an equally powerful deity and…
I feel my strength running out.
Quick intervention is needed.
Ci-cin!
“Calm down, calm down!”
I put my hands forward and put myself between that head and my friend. Luckily my action was received calmly.
“So then. Explain to me what happened. Sylviette didn't you tell me that…”
“All true. As I told you, when I went back I foresaw my death. And it was by my hand.”
“WHAT!?”
Sylviette is expressionless as usual. She sips another cup as if nothing had happened.
“When I discovered the truth about the doctrines of my world, I felt intense anger and a sense of loss. For the first time, I wanted to avenge all that useless pain and suffering that my people felt for what!?”
Sylviette's expression changes. She is wild and can hardly hold back her grimaces.
“So, I stole from the forbidden halls of our priests, I discovered what to call it, the error of the System, and I did it. I called the error back, the Devil, but I used myself as a sacrifice to fulfill a wish.”
Okay, this is unusual… “But how did you arrive at this outcome?”
“Simple, thanks to my premonitions I discovered a System error. By correctly performing the calling ritual, the Devil is forced to grant the caller's wish. I requested that it die.”
“Huh? And did it work?”
“Of course, again, because there is an error in the System. The Devil can refuse any request, consuming the life of the caller as compensation for having manifested itself anyway. But since I was already dead, it couldn't refuse my offer.”
I'm amazed.
This twisted plan is amazing!
“How could this work!? I mean, weren't your premonitions just vague and cosmic-rooted and influenced by the Devil itself!?”
Sylviette nods and the horse neighs. “Yes, but in a dream the God of Wisdom told me how to do it.”
Ci-cin.
At those words, the being shakes and I jump.
This news leaves me perplexed. It takes me by surprise.
“Has the God of Wisdom helped you!? Why!?”
“Because the Devil is evil. N, what other reason do you need? Now judge it and then judge me too.”
I turn towards the [Devil] who continues to probe the area with that long hairy neck.
“I know you can talk,” I bow my head and ears in courtesy. “Please tell me something. I'm a little nervous and would like to avoid a confrontation.”
“The Devil whispers to those who call it. That's what they say about me.”
The voice comes out like a breath. It is difficult to understand whether it is moving air or telepathy.
“Tell me what are you looking for? You motioned for me to follow you earlier when you barked.”
“Correct. Now take me to the dungeon core. I must rise again.”
Ci-cin.
«Fsss!»
My toes twitch on the boards. I stiffen my shoulders.
It couldn't make a worse request! I can't resurrect it, even if it is the [Devil], it surely knows the System rules!
“I'm sorry, but that's not possible. I must take you beyond the Golden Doors and—”
“But do you, little N, know that the System is at the end of its days?”
“Huh, what do you mean?”
The being wraps its neck around my shoulders. The horse's head makes a snake's tongue the size of my arm hiss in front of my nose.
The rotten stench of its breath…
…I hold back a fit of vomit and put my hands over my mouth and nose. I close my eyes and squeeze my eyelids shut.
“Don't be like that, little N, I'm sensitive and might feel hurt.”
I reopen my eyes and lie down again while the being frees me from its coil.
Its sinister whisper is difficult to connote as if numerous different voices were speaking in unison. In a disharmonious canon.
“The fact is that I embody all the errors of the System. How much an error is necessary, for example, the obliteration of a deceased person—you understand who I'm referring to, right?”
Certain…
I understand the dig all too well. Talk about Kirlh'iau. Talk about the fish I wanted the Atmosphere-eater to eat…
“Go ahead, please.”
“No!” Sylviette intrudes on the dialogue between me and the creature. She takes me by the shoulders and shakes me. “Don't be fooled! The Devil is evil! I experienced it myself! Don't listen to it.”
The elf's expression betrays her concern. I've never seen Sylviette so vexed. What should I tell her…?
“Here, I…” I move my gaze to my toes, still contracted.
“Little N, you know how important we Eldritch Entities are. We are not just any creatures. We are pillars of the System. And we are few. Only you remain alive.”
The monster raised its head. A gaunt, centipede-necked crocodile head came in to speak.
“What do you mean?”
“I mean this System is coming to its end. All it takes is one big mistake and it will be the end of everything.”
“But how would that be possible? I mean, there have been extinction events… but there's still a lot of life in the cosmos!”
“You sure? In the last eons I have destroyed many worlds contaminated by the God of Wisdom, only two or three untouched worlds remain.”
Ciaf!
Ci-cin!
“OUCH! Sylviette!?”
“N, don't listen to it! It just wants to come back to life! Hurry to judge it, I trust you! Did you understand!? I did all this to pay my debt, you can't let me down!”
[Dungeon path]
I appear on the other side of the veranda.
“Enough!”
I tap my heel on the creaking board. Three heads are looking at me. Two from the [Devil] and one from Sylviette in tears.
“I can't bring you to life,” I point to the [Devil]. “And I can't judge it at the moment because something unknown blocked the Golden Doors!”
I look at Sylviette, close my eyes, and cross my arms triumphantly.
“So, you both need to behave. I'm in charge here and—”
The house is destroyed in an instant.
I am thrown by the force of the shock wave and see Sylviette disappear under the rubble.
The [Devil] has broken through the building and is compressing the shape to slip inside the trapdoor.
Damn!
It will want to reach the [core] alone to ask to come back to life!
[Immortality] recovers my wounds.
[Dungeon path]
I appear in the stairway under the trapdoor.
Ash and rubble fall inside and the moans of the monstrous heads come from below.
The [Devil] is a mass compressed in a small space and the scale is long. As it passes, it leaves a smoking blue-black slime and produces an unbearable screech.
It won't go far.
[Will-o'-the-wisp]
I see a head catch fire, even a paw. But the creature advances into the depths as if nothing had happened.
[Dungeon path]
Immersed in absolute darkness, I appear lower. Even if I don't see it, I can feel it, I'm over it.
[Poison cloud]
[Will-o'-the-wisp]
[Will-o'-the-wisp]
[Will-o'-the-wisp]
The creature is invisible in the dark but the smell and density of the air reveal its presence. The [Will-o'-the-wisps] are lost in the darkness and the roars get closer.
A hoof hits me in the chest, taking my breath away.
I fly down numerous stairs.
I don't give up; I get up and cast the next spell.
[Necromancy]
[Necromancy]
Hordes of beings take shape from cracks in the rock clog the conduit and attack.
With [Necromancy: 5] I can create non-existent chimeras, assembling multiple dreamers. Their strength is unmatched compared to the normal dead but waves of distorted and luminous colors make me understand that something is wrong.
[Scan]
[Evil shield]
Any hostile creature of [lv: 40] or lower is [obliterated] upon contact with the [Devil].
What a terrible [skill]!
Doubly so since [obliteration] is a problem itself!
I make my undead thralls disappear.
The thousand breaths of the [Devil] fall on me.
I'm trying to take my last resort.
It may not be the Golden Doors, but it would still work with the other dead. It will throw a small error but it still works.
[Judgment]
The sounds don't stop. In the dark, I can't see anything.
It did not work!
[Judgment]!
A dark, slobbering mass engulfs me and crushes me against the wall and steps. A pudding of bones and teeth and claws that takes my breath away and…
…I cannot do it.
…I can't do it, it burns and I suffocate.
It burns and…
I suffocate.