The surface of Pangu’s Asymptote rippled as the invitation from Randidly was accepted. They stood opposite one another, separated by the reflected barrier, but the rest of existence fell away. The surroundings softened into a dark, misty space. Nyx had ceased to mouth warnings at Randidly, warped by Laplace’s time shenanigans. Now, she simply looked sad. The barrier between them glittered… and then everything fell away.

While within the sway of Randidly’s Reverie, they seemed to be the only two people in the world. At the same time, their auras spread out and pressed against one another. Randidly’s eyes narrowed; his significance and powerful images remained potent, but he could also feel the raw, chaotic power of the Eternity in front of her. Nyx’s was a softer power than Laplace, of darkness and chaos, but he still sense this was another foe he would have a difficult time fighting.

Staring at her, Randidly Ghosthound swore to himself; that he would not make the same deal Elhume did. He could not invite Nyx into the Nexus in order to balance out the presence of Eternities.

Otherwise, he really would just be knocking aside the previous tyrant and installing himself at the top.

Randidly cleared his throat, unwilling to waste any time after needing to use two points of Muse’s Reverie. He cut right to the chase. “What makes you different than Laplace? Why should I trust your assistance?”

Nyx nodded with a serene expression. “You ask the right questions, nephew. You see to the crux of the issue immediately. Allow me to provide some context. Among those of us whose hubris grasps for Eternity, there are two methods of expression. Those who grasp the cycle and reach Eternity to create a Momento, or those who instead seek to become the cycle. I am the former, while Laplace is the latter. Our choices make us… incompatible with each other.”

“Why incompatible?” Randidly asked rather skeptically. Definitely, Nyx had supported him. But just from the vibration of the word incompatible, the divide was deeper than that.

Nyx blinked as though considering. Her eyes were completely black, without sclera, iris, or pupil, but small bits of glittering stars seemed to be embedded in that deep darkness. “There are infinite worlds, but when an Eternity becomes the cycle, they create a Samsara. An inescapable cycle, designed by the Eternity to perpetuate themselves for… well, until the last bit of chaos vanishes and Stasis becomes all. Just as the Pinnacle focuses on a choice in a moment, the Nether equivalent fixates on ‘shape’. Meanwhile, for those Eternities that externalize the shape through a Momento… well, if existence becomes a series of Samsaras, we will have no freedom to advance down on own Path”

Randidly frowned at that, both starting to understand the basis of the rivalry while also still understanding the assistance Nyx gave him felt a little heavy. But he switched topics. “What is the choice given to those who reach the Pinnacle?”

“Ah, Nephew. You have already seen the effects of both, you just didn’t understand you saw different results.” Nyx hummed and offered him a kind smile. Randidly expected to feel rather annoyed at her tone, but the genuine warmth felt… nice. Which simultaneously made him trust her less and more. “At the Pinnacle, you have a moment of absolute influence. However, it is better to think of that moment as passing across a threshold. At that moment, you have a choice… become the threshold, or open the door to everyone.”

Randidly’s skin prickled, finally seeing it. “Whether you host a powerful truth and strengthen your vessel… or you create a new dimension.”

“Indeed. Randidly Ghosthound, there is one more truth worth noting: we speak of Eternities and Pinnacles, but the only truly absolute of existence is that your Path is only limited by the steps you take. Not all truths and universes, all Mementos and Samsaras, are created equal. Finally committing to the process of a Pinnacle or an Eternity is akin to cashing in all the potential you have earned on your journey.”

The Path goes ever onward. Now, it was Randidly’s turn to blink. The way Nyx spoke reminded him so much of the common refrain he had heard from his days of moving through Paths. Was this a coincidence, a sign of this philosophy being spread in the wider multiverse, or a sign Nyx’s touch on the Nexus was deeper than Randidly suspected?

Nyx’s smile stretched wider, her expression becoming almost sinful. “Which is why, although Elhume at first managed to use Pine to create such a stable Nexus capable of supporting so many Hierarchies, his later attempts at the Pinnacle accomplished little. His truths were wan expressions with poor nutrition. His own legs barely carried him forward.”

Randidly’s mind raced as he extrapolated out the meaning of her words. Based on what Nyx had said, although the Nether King probably wouldn’t be able to condense a genuine Shallah through his methods, he probably would be able to create a stable universe for his people. So long as both the Aether and Nether possessed the requisite power.

Yet Randidly’s eyes flashed as he looked at Nyx again. They seemed to be drifting closer to each other during their conversation without the boundary of the Asymptote between them. The light in her eyes was increasingly luminous. “You didn’t answer my second question: why should I trust you? Why do you call me nephew?”

“You wear a cloak fashioned from my Utter Night, you weave wondrous miracles with my Hollow Needle,” Nyx murmured. “Are we not family from this?”

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Despite the fact that Randidly could feel the Eternity’s powerful aspect of night settling against him to smother him, he did not slouch or take a step back. His translucent Nether thrummed through his veins. He raised his chin. He felt his evolved control, that part of him that had earned the recognition of nearing an existence on par with the Shallah, shiver and uncoil itself. “You are avoiding the question; what do you want?”

Nyx squinted at him. They were so, so close now. Randidly could feel her breath against his cheek, chilling like the whisper of an approaching dusk. The stars and constellations contained within her eyes seemed infinite, spinning and proliferating. Randidly could sense it, not just from her aura, but from the multitudes she contained that she was an Eternity. Her power stretched beyond a single universe. She had walked a long, long time, down many Paths.

Yet face with this mounting weight of darkness, Randidly felt the humming notes of Truth he had earned rapidly finding their voice, after being suppressed by Laplace. All three came together in harmony. He burned with them. If she tried to intimidate him, Nyx would find her power insufficient.

She eventually took a step back. “Well, it is no secret. I wish for a favor. I have three daughters whom I love very much but have been taken from me. Should your Path ever lead you outside of the Nexus… I would very much appreciate if you could rescue them, nephew.”

Randidly finally understood as he felt the resonance in his body at the final word. The three daughters of Nyx… were the original Moirae. Birth, Life, and Death. He cleared his throat. “A dangerous mission, I suspect.”

“Your Ghasthund is a fascinating concept, but there are few hells as true as being placed within the Samsara of another,” Nyx closed her eyes. “You are placed within a specific role. As the gears of existence spin, all of your existence that protrudes beyond that role is repeatedly ground away. Yes, there is much danger in what I ask of you. Yet what I offer you now will be equally as valuable.”

“What is your offer?” Randidly said, his hackles rising. Finally, then, they reached the end of their negotiations.

Nyx opened her eyes, suddenly the celestial pinpricks of light that much brighter. “I give you this freely, in exchange for just your word you will one day rescue my daughters. I offer you a Truth. One from a very long, long Path I have lived. From the battles and betrayals that have left me alone, my children taken, my darkness vacated and weakened.”

She offered a hand, palm up. A glittering orb hovered there, just a little bit larger than a child’s marble. Randidly considered it, pursing his lips.

In truth, he felt tempted. He had three Truth’s already, prepared for the continuation of his trinity of activations. However… he couldn’t feel confident in two of those Truths. He wondered about the Devick’s Deviation Truth and also he didn’t quite have the same confidence in the base Truth he developed through the Nexus. Only his own Ghosthound’s Deviation, burning with the presence of his own Moiraes and the Alchemist, felt solid.

Yet despite how timely this assistance probably would be, it was precisely how much he wanted this that made him suspicious. How long had Nyx been observing him, through the small openings in Nether Cores throughout the Nexus? Perhaps even through the Momentos she had given to him?

Suspicions are useful… but I cannot become too paranoid. Randidly forced himself to relax. In the end, I’ve already opened myself up to these sorts of influences, when I embraced my existence as a legend.

Perhaps sensing his hesitance, Nyx offered him a cool smile. “You do not need to embrace the Truth. And if you do not use it in your methods, I will not hold you to this promise.”

To that, Randidly rolled his eyes. “We both know that simply hearing a Truth can change everything.”

“Which begs the question,” Nyx folded her hands in front of her body. Once again, they seemed to be drifting closer. “Which do you fear more, my truth or my assistance?”

Randidly didn’t like the amount that Nyx appeared to understand him. But in the end, he supposed he was also a being that gave birth to three Moiraes. He didn’t like to consider it, but perhaps they shared more of the same base DNA than Randidly would like to admit. His eyes flicked to the floating truth.

Randidly reached out and took it. The Truth sank into his hand, light and insubstantial. But when it arrived in his Soulspace, it crashed down like a meteor capable of exterminating all life. Randidly’s powerful Willpower wrapped around it, keeping the reverberations small. Yet from just a touch, he could immediately sense two things: first, this truth was a deeper and sharper one than any he possessed. In terms of specificity, it had been reduced down to an articulable phrase, much in contrast to the vague images and certainties that Randidly had gathered.

And the second thing was the exact nature of the Truth.

Randidly’s eyes opened, flashing with emerald light. “...you can’t have it both ways?”

Nyx nodded slowly. “A base Truth, but one I think someone like you will find useful.”

Once Randidly had seen it, his awareness of its influence spread out to prickle across all of his accumulation. Specifically, in regards to Pinnacle and Eternity events. He understood why Elhume had failed so spectacularly in his later attempts: you could not both birth a universe and empower your vessel. A Truth could be used for only one of the two tasks. Similarly, it was impossible to both create a Momento and a Samsara.

This insight made the corner of Randidly’s mouth turn downward. Sure, in terms of power, the numerous examples that Nyx had encountered meant this truth was incomparably sharp. Yet…“This is a harsh Truth you offer me. My options will be restricted by it.”

Nyx offered him a sweet smile. “True. But I think you will find that just as much as restricting your options, it frames them. For one such as you, the Heretic Alchemist and his Hungry Eyes… being able to subvert that framing and overturn expectations is exactly where your power comes from.”

For a split second, Randidly only grew more annoyed and impatient. But then he saw it. The possibility in her words. He stilled and gave Nyx a long look. “Thank you.”

“I look forward to witnessing your other Truths, Randidly Ghosthound,” Nyx offered him a bow.

Randidly broke off the invitation, releasing a hissing breath. His mind raced. He saw it. Or at the very least, he suspected he now understood the right method to become a Shallah. Yet he could only roll his shoulders. “As for the specifics… I’ll need to work out my other Truths. My own will be alright… but what sort of Truth can I find in Devick’s Deviation?”