Krahinn’s marionette show was finally over. The palpable dissent in his audience he was ignoring was starting to make me wildly uncomfortable. Currently, I was trying to figure out how to leave; Krahinn was fast and could sense the instant I began trying to cast to try and escape the Realm of . His audience clearly wanted to leave, but not a single one of them voiced that thought. It was odd, despite their clear disdain for Krahinn none dared to oppose him. Is he just that strong? Or is there more to it than that? I knew none of the other would answer that for me, and Krahinn seemed to enjoy actively antagonizing anyone in his presence. How long until he got bored of tormenting me? I had the distinct feeling the answer would not be as short as I would like. I can’t waste time here if none of them are going to help me.

“I am glad you all stayed to enjoy the show.” Krahinn taunted them all. Their seething hatred only got more intense.

“Can we please leave sir?” One of them requested. I was impressed at how controlled their tone was.

“Hmmmmm.” Krahinn hummed, faking like he was actually thinking about it. Was antagonizing him a good idea?

“No.” Krahinn snapped at me. His ability to read thoughts was annoying to say the least.

“What more do you want us to witness sir?” A different one probed, also keeping their tone surprisingly level.

“Oh, you idiots can leave. You’re boring me now.” Krahinn clarified for them. In an instant they all vanished.

“What gives me the pleasure of your company?” I asked Krahinn. Our surroundings melted away and we were on the branch of some massive tree. I think this tree branch is bigger than the castle. The full tree was hard to fully describe with words it was so colossal.

“You’re a legend Nil. I figured I’d meet you on your last trip here.” Krahinn informed me.

“How am I a legend?” I probed. Krahinn just began walking, so I followed him.

“You are the first being in a long time to knock the Void King down a peg. A lot of good it did you, but you managed to stalemate him for a good run there.” Krahinn answered. For a few moments, his voice lost that tinny property.

“And none of the others want to help me because this time I’m playing for keeps against the Void King.” I sighed. Could I even blame them?

“Others? Well, I guess that statement isn’t wrong because I just don’t like helping others.” Krahinn taunted. Was there a way to keep Krahinn from reading my thoughts?

“That you’re currently capable of? No.” Krahinn chuckled. It took a lot of self-control not to sigh in annoyance.

“You met me, why are you continuing to waste my time then?” I snarled at Krahinn.

“Relax. Sheesh, mortals are so temperamental.” Krahinn retorted. His nine eyes were looking at me, clearly amused by the fact I was irritated.

“If I can’t get a , I truly cannot afford to waste more time here.” I snapped at him.

“Want to go kill some more?” Krahinn inquired. What kind of stupid question was that?

“I only killed in self-defense.” I defended myself, not grasping his point.

“You destroyed timelines Nil. I guess if it’s like they never existed, you technically didn’t kill them. I like the way you think.” Krahinn mocked, making a fake smile appear on his blank face.

At this point, I had enough of Krahinn. I immediately used to launch myself off the branch. I know you won’t let me leave willingly, so I’ll just need to make a gap. Krahinn immediately pursued me with his eyes reaching me nearly instantly. I began bringing time to a crawl just so I could follow just how fast Krahinn was. He ran across the air, shooting to me with a massive clap of thunder from his speed. I activated to see what he was about to do while engaging my . If this was going to succeed, I had moments to make a way out. Krahinn was about to be upon me, so I used to bring him all the way down as I used to go behind where he currently was. To my immense surprise, Krahinn’s smoke hand wrapped around my ankle the instant I was out of . How did he do that? Krahinn threw me at the tree. I went to kill my momentum, but suddenly slammed into the tree. Was. Was Krahinn copying ? Was that even possible?

“No, you just suck.” Krahinn informed me as I was suddenly in front of him. Wait. He’s bending space around us.

“Too late.” Krahinn chuckled, going to slug me across the face.

I quickly used to make it go to the other side of me; then my rib cage felt like it near exploded as Krahinn punched my liver. He used his own to redirect his punch. Krahinn was laughing as I was struggling not to puke up breakfast. I summoned my sword, trying to at least connect. Then I saw my sword bend around Krahinn. What? I away and my sword was straight. Krahinn curved the space around him. How did he do that? As I was trying to process what he was doing I realized the tree vanished from my vision as all around me was falling space. What did Krahinn just do? Why was not working? I tried orienting myself before Krahinn materialized, slugging me through what sounded like a pane of glass as it shattered around me. He punched me up, but I began falling down immediately, seeing the tree again. How was Krahinn doing this? Gravity was going wherever Krahinn seemed to desire. The world melted around me as several parts rotated on some axis to make me fall right into Krahinn’s kick. Instead of going flying to the side, Krahinn made me fly upwards. I couldn’t even sense when his were being cast he was chaining them so fast. There had to be something, but his skill vastly surpassed mine which meant I had to somehow sucker punch him if I had any chance of succeeding. But, nothing I had was working or forming properly for some reason.

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“A lot easier said than done.” Krahinn taunted. And he could read my thoughts. Just great.

Krahinn wasn’t content letting it end there, as he clearly wanted to show off just how superior he was some more. How? How was he doing this? All space around me vanished, as I seemed to float into a void. There was no air, no , nor was there gravity. It was the empty vacuum of space. As suddenly as Krahinn made it, I accelerated at a speed that nearly made me black out as all color and images drained from my vision temporarily from how fast he made me move. Krahinn launched his hand through my stomach, grabbing my spine. I could feel my flesh sever from my bones while my organs imploded from the force before it all froze. Right before I died from him ripping my skeleton out, I was suddenly falling, completely healed. The sensation of his hand wrapping around my spine while in my stomach was replaying through my mind. Despite what he did being undone, I could still feel all the pain from it. What did he just do? It was an agonizing experience as Krahinn’s eye manifested in front of me. I tried to cast to get the eye away, but it cast about fifty feet behind Krahinn harmlessly into the space behind him. I tried using to get some distance, but I could feel what I through bend right into Krahinn’s hand. He was clutching me by my neck with a villainous smile painted on his face. I then got to experience my feet entering my head as he bent the space my body was in into a small ball shape. After an immensely uncomfortable minute, Krahinn tossed me up where I slammed into the ground; we were back where we started.

“That was fun! Want to try again?” Krahinn asked with a laugh. I felt up and down my body, and everything was where it belonged, uninjured. I shuddered remembering the sensation of what he just did.

“Why couldn’t I see anything? See what was about to happen?” I snapped at him. All of what should have seen flooded into my mind all at once as soon as I asked that. I clutched my head as I writhed on the ground. Krahinn was coldly laughing at me.

“Good question.” Krahinn taunted. It took several moments for the agony to subside.

“What do you even want?” I snarled. Krahinn knelt down so we were face to face.

“Is wittle Nil upset? Someone better at than him?” Krahinn mocked, doing little crying motions with his hands.

“I don’t understand why you want to taunt me so much.” I clarified, taking deep breaths. I needed to not give him the reaction he wanted.

“Boredom. I’d say I was expecting more, but this is kid you. Not as impressive in person, not going to lie.” Krahinn informed me with a shrug.

“I want to leave.” I told him, trying to control my tone.

“I bet you do.” Krahinn shot back as the smile he had on his face vanished, so it was a blank form again.

“What would it take for you to let me leave?” I inquired. Krahinn pretended to think about it.

“Want to see your family? Your precious Luna? You know, she’s kind of short.” Krahinn checked. Did he have the information, or did he visit them?

“Visit them; it was a fun discussion. I think they will remember it for a while.” Krahinn answered. I knew he was answering what I was thinking just to irritate me.

I highly doubted they enjoyed the conversation with him. What could I say about him for sure? He was a donkey, he had some beef with the Void King, and all the other hated his guts. As I was thinking about that, I could feel Krahinn’s nine eyes glare at me. Krahinn didn’t like the fact he was completely alone even thought about. Krahinn’s aura was getting intense again. Someone so mighty was so alone. What he deserved to be honest. Krahinn chuckled now.

“Taunting me? So childish.” Krahinn retorted. Like he wasn’t petty.

“I physically am a child.” I pointed out, trying to think of some plan.

Krahinn just shrugged in response, before snapping his head to face a spot. From there, a humanoid being walked out of the air. Its body appeared to be comprised entirely of light as it seemed to fold into existence. He clearly did not like whoever this was appearing. Please be here to get me out; I did not want to deal with Krahinn any longer. They floated down next to me to Krahinn’s visible chagrin. He actually made his floating eyes form on his face so he could narrow all of them at the light being.

“Krahinn, you cannot keep a mortal here just because you are bored.” The light being lectured. Its voice was soft and angelic with this warm quality to it.

“Of course they’d send you.” Krahinn grumbled, looking away.

“Let him leave Krahinn. Nil has been your toy for long enough.” The light being continued.

“Not sure I am ever going to forget the sensation of my legs and head sharing the same space.” I snapped at Krahinn. I could feel the light being giving Krahinn an unamused stare.

“Really Krahinn?” the light being inquired. Krahinn shrugged.

“Not my fault he’s a big baby.” Krahinn muttered. He seemed to have lost a lot of his will to be a jerk in their presence.

“Imagine, being upset to discover bitter failure for actions you have yet to do while the Void King wants to kill you.” The being pointed out. Krahinn looked away rather than argue.

“I was having fun.” Krahinn defended himself weakly.

“And Nil?” the being pressed.

“He might have enjoyed the display of .” Krahinn deflected, still not meeting their gaze.

“Maybe give him the chance for you to be his as an apology.” The being suggested. Krahinn scowled at them.

“Why would I do something like that?” Krahinn growled. Ignoring the fact he was a complete donkey, Krahinn definitely seemed strong and knowledgeable. And not like I could afford to be picky given what I knew.

“You both hate the Void King, and Nil might be your best bet at dealing with him. Surely the great Krahinn can succeed where the others failed.” The being tried. I had an idea worth checking.

“I mean, you could be my .” I offered to the light being who chuckled.

“No!” Krahinn snapped immediately, giving me a furious stare. Wow, that hit a nerve. I could feel the rancorous Krahinn was radiating.

“One, Krahinn, you do not get to say what I can and cannot do. Two, Nil, I am not that suited to being your . I could provide you knowledge and insight, but that would be about it.” The light replied. Krahinn was hard to read as his eyes were trying to bore through me.

“Some insight is better than nothing.” I pointed out. I could feel Krahinn’s increasing anger as I talked.

“Krahinn?” they cooed. Krahinn grimaced, realizing he liked neither option.

“Fine, but we’re playing a game of my choosing.” Krahinn conceded with a huff.

“It better be at least theoretically winnable. I understand if you want to make it hard given the stakes.” The light lectured Krahinn.

“Sure.” Krahinn agreed halfheartedly.

“I want to hear you give me your word.” The light being pressed.

“Fine. I promise the game will at least be technically possible.” Krahinn promised. The light simply folded away as Krahinn glared at me.

“So, what’s this game?” I asked, fighting hard not to smirk at him.