Silence, deafening as the tension brooding between Scott and the abomination, festered throughout the region. The abomination, standing atop the cross, stared wide-eyed at Scott, unable to erase its stupefaction.
“This… this can’t be…” it muttered, its gaze shifting toward the skies where the Throne of Gluttony had once dominated, then lowering its gaze. “Is this real?” it murmured in a daze, confusion etched into its distant stare and trembling lips.
Scott, on the other hand, approached in light steps, his expression indifferent. On his twentieth step, the abomination cocked its head back before unleashing a shrill laugh while tousling its hair.
Scott halted his advance, folding his arms across his chest. The abomination lowered its gaze, meeting Scott’s. “I finally understand what you are,” it said, fighting the urge to resist its laughter. “You played me for a fool, didn’t you?” it continued, levitating off the cross.
“You made me believe you were attached to that empty throne, whereas you belong to the realm of illusion,” it cackled once more.
Scott simply shook his head, a wry smile gracing his lips. “Whatever makes you happy,” he said dismissively.
“Lies!” the abomination fired back, rage twisting its refined features. “You might have fooled me once, but you… huh?” The invader’s words trailed off as its eyes darted in different directions. “Where did he go?” it muttered aloud, searching for Scott, who had vanished right before its eyes, yet it hadn’t perceived it until it had already happened.
“Is this another—”
A hand fell on the invader’s shoulder before it could complete its statement, and Scott’s voice echoed before it could turn. “You believe me inferior to the other Orders, right? Allow me to allay your worries.”
Scott’s hand clasped the invader’s head, and at that moment, the creature’s eyes glazed over, its form trembling violently. Instantly, Scott disappeared and reappeared at the spot he had previously stood, watching as the invader convulsed in midair, muttering gibberish and spewing sputum from its partially open mouth.
Scott took another step forward, and the invader unleashed a shrill scream as it collapsed to the ground. Its eyes snapped open, but delirium bordering on psychosis had replaced all traces of its former aloof haughtiness. It laughed to itself, fiercely scratching its arms as if plagued by an insatiable itch.
Scott took another step forward. “Ponder!” he declared, his voice thundering across the area.
The delirious invader trembled, the lunacy in its eyes burning with ever-greater fervor. Its mouth cracked open, its deranged smile festering. Tears flowed freely from its eyes, and from its open mouth came its passionate cry, “The empty throne… destined for our lord!”
“Wonder!” Scott declared, taking another step forward.
No immediate response came. The invader’s arms clawed at its flesh, ripping it apart, yet the insanity in its eyes festered. Once again, the creature’s response came, “The grace of he who is tormented by the flames of madness!”
“Bask in!” Scott continued the confession, taking another step forward.
“The… the…” the invader struggled to speak, its hands tearing into its form, yet the madness in its gaze showed no signs of abating. “The fervor of the king!”
“Eternal!” Scott roared, his voice shaking the air. He stopped a fair distance away from the invader, his eyes locked onto the creature.
The invader’s mouth opened, and it began to speak again. “Is the madness of the throne!” The creature scratched at its face, but its mouth remained open, ready to utter the final phrase of the confession. “Only madness is—”
A pop echoed before the creature could complete its statement. Scott watched as a deluge of blood, flesh, bone, and other fluids shot into the air. The headless, mangled corpse of the invader silently fell to the side, while the showers from its insides rained upon it.
The familiar chime of a system notification arrived, and a new message revealed itself to Scott.
Congratulations! You have defended your territory!
Scott paid no mind to the notification, his gaze firmly trained on the towering cross near the corpse.
It had only happened in a flash, but it definitely unleashed the finishing blow before the confession was over, Scott thought.
He took a step forward, and the War Hammer of the Mad God and the Chains of the Abyss materialized. “I had my suspicions ever since our first meeting, and now I’m more certain than ever,” he began, halting while pointing the hammer at the cross. “After all, who would have thought that the Throne of Gluttony is just an unassuming cross?”
The cross shook faintly, and the corpse of the slain invader exploded into a mash of pulp and blood, which readily stained the trembling cross. The stain, however, lasted only a second before stealthily fading away.
“I can understand that you’re feeling excited, but trust me when I say you don’t want to rile up that guy,” a familiar voice spoke to Scott, and a new system notification appeared.
You have found the Tower Trader!
The eccentric trader stood next to the cross, waving excitedly at Scott while chuckling softly. “My, oh my, you’ve improved a lot since our last encounter,” he began, leaning lazily against the cross with his arms folded. “Look at you. You were but a mere chump the first time we ran into each other in the Endless Desert, but here you are walloping Calamities and Apostles alike, while challenging those who occupy the thrones.” The mercurial trader feigned sobs while wiping at his cloaked face. “They grow up so fast,” he commented. “So, this is what it’s like to be a parent.”
Scott ignored the trader’s words and antics, his mind racing with thoughts. Just like the first time, he’s here again; and I’m certain it’s for the cross. Scott’s brows creased slightly as he shifted his gaze from the Tower Trader to the cross. Is it really the Throne of Gluttony? He pondered, then refocused on the trader.
“Why are you here?” Scott asked flatly.
The Tower Trader, still feigning sobs, gasped slightly. “Isn’t that obvious?” he said, smacking the cross with one hand.
“What’s so special about that cross?” Scott pressed, lowering his weapon slightly.
“Although there’s a special relationship between us, you know I can’t tell you that, right?” the trader replied with a chuckle, standing upright. “Fret not, however. It’s a good thing I’m here to remove this item. Trust me when I say you don’t want it to remain in the mortal world for too long without an overseer.”
“Is it related to the Throne of Gluttony?” Scott questioned, doubt lingering in his words.
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The trader chuckled again. “Trust me, you don’t want any part of this yet,” he warned, his voice becoming unnaturally stern. “That fellow you eliminated was one of the favorite devotees of the one who sits upon the Throne of Gluttony. Your only saving grace is that they’re known for procrastinating due to their ravenous hunger. However, they will notice eventually, and when they do, your life will become even more chaotic.”
Scott narrowed his gaze. “I’m not afraid. Let them come.”
The Tower Trader burst out laughing, shaking his head. “Oh, the innocence of youth,” he mused. “You have yet to truly experience the terror of the gods.” He chuckled before clapping. “As always, I’ll be cheering you on. However, even I can’t pretend that a world of trouble doesn’t await you—especially when the forces of the gods come here.” The trader slapped the cross once more, and it mysteriously vanished. “I’m sure you’ve heard of their impending invasion, right? Prepare yourself—true chaos will soon befall this place.”
“Again, I’m not afraid,” Scott declared, his voice neither haughty nor overconfident.
The Tower Trader regarded Scott silently before chuckling softly. “I wish you good luck. Farewell—”
“Wait!” Scott suddenly called out.
“Is there anything else you’d like to discuss?” the trader inquired. “Or perhaps you want to do business with me?” He teased, rubbing his hands together. “It has been a while since I did any business with you personally, so I’m excited at the prospects of—”
“It was you, wasn’t it?” Scott interrupted coldly.
“Huh? I’m not sure I follow,” the trader replied, his confusion evident.
Scott took a step forward. “Ever since I woke in that treacherous tower in the middle of nowhere, the same questions have plagued my mind, yet no answers were forthcoming. I tried to ignore them, but they always crept up. Even now, as I stand on the brink of reaching demi-godhood, I can’t shake the question.”
“Surely you’re not trying to show off the fact that you’re close to demi-godhood—to me of all people, right?” the trader quipped. “I appreciate you sharing your thoughts, but you’re going to have to speak more clearly if you want me to understand.”
Scott continued forward, his voice echoing. “In a place as treacherous and unforgiving as the Tower of Champions—a place where all mortals are either livestock for the amusement of the gods or simply inconsequential in the grand scheme of things—a few people managed to shake the natural order.” Scott paused, his eyes locked onto the trader. A thin smile parted his lips, his knuckles trembling ever so slightly.
“Among all beings, except the examiners, lesser gods, and gods, there exist countless versions of each person across the multiverse—”
“Except you, too, of course,” the trader interjected with a chuckle.
“That goes without saying,” Scott conceded with a smile, though there was nothing friendly about it. “You, too, are one of those beings.”
“And?” the trader cut in again, his giggles low and persistent. “What exactly are you trying to say?”
Unhurried, Scott continued speaking at his pace. “Like I mentioned earlier, apart from a select few the gods find interesting, the rest are simply worthless in the grand scheme of things… yet, a couple of these insignificant beings have managed to dive across multiple timelines without the Endless Bridge or established links between them. Don’t you find that fascinating?”
The trader’s low giggles morphed into wanton laughter as he cocked his head back, laughing without restraint. “Scott, you’re having wild theories—wilder than Orion’s. You should—”
“Cut the crap, you son of a bitch,” Scott interjected, his eyes narrowing, venom lacing his tone. “There’s no way any of those pompous bastards helped them traverse timelines, despite having the ability to do so. The only other person capable of that is you, and knowing you, there’s nothing you wouldn’t do as long as the price is right.”
The trader shook his head at the accusation, chuckling ever so slightly. “Truly, we are the company we keep,” he muttered aloud. “Orion’s influence has really rubbed off on you. Whether that’s good or not, I can’t say.”
“You don’t even plan to deny it,” Scott retorted, a hint of derision in his voice.
“What’s there to deny?” the trader shrugged. “I can’t go around defending every accusation laid upon me. Do you realize the number of accusations I deal with every minute across infinite timelines?” He sighed while shaking his head. “I’m disappointed, Scott. I truly thought we had something special going on here, but alas…” He sighed again before releasing a low chuckle. “Don’t worry, though. I have thick skin, so I won’t take it personally.”
The trader took a step forward. “Thank you for letting me know your thoughts. If that will be all, I will be taking my—”
“I can see you,” Scott suddenly interjected.
“What?” The trader halted in his steps.
“My memories… they’ve cleared up,” Scott began, smiling. “I remember your true form,” he declared, taking a step forward. “You are—”
“Stop!” the Tower Trader commanded, and an almighty pressure descended from the heavens, threatening to obliterate everything in the area. “Don’t say it,” he said, approaching at a measured pace.
Scott, with a defiant grin, prepared to retort. At that same moment, however, a familiar figure appeared between him and the Tower Trader. An animated, almost robotic laughter filled the air as the figure, sporting an animated screen for a head, spoke. “My apologies, but I’m going to need you two fine gentlemen to please calm down.”
Trix’s screen displayed a smiling emoji as he turned his head from side to side, carefully observing the duo.
The trader halted his advance and let out a chuckle. “It’s you,” he began. “Long time no see.”
Trix’s emoji changed to one of excitement as he responded, “I’m glad you remember me.” He bowed courteously.
“Stop that,” the trader groaned. “One would think I’m someone of importance. I can’t believe you’re still wearing that thing. You’ve grown quite attached to it, I see.”
“I’m exceptionally fond of it,” Trix admitted while standing upright.
“I see,” the trader muttered softly while nodding. “You do know I was joking earlier, right? I wasn’t planning on doing anything to him.”
Trix’s emoji changed to a broad grin. “Of course,” he admitted, the emoji winking. “I’m only here in case you decided to stop joking,” he said.
“Ah, I see,” the trader chuckled. “And you planned on stopping me?” he asked, barely able to contain his laughter.
Trix’s emoji changed again, replaced by a bashful face. “It’s my job, after all,” he said, his voice barely a whisper.
The trader exploded into laughter before turning his attention back to Scott. “I’m saddened that you see me as an adversary. Truth be told, I’m anything but that—”
“Then tell me the truth,” Scott fired back.
The trader sighed. “Like I said, wild thoughts and accusations. There’s nothing to defend,” he chuckled. “Be careful out there.”
“Is that a…” Scott paused midway through his statement—the Tower Trader had vanished.
He shifted his attention toward Trix, the examiner’s animated eyes staring at him with excitement. Scott frowned slightly. “What’s your relationship with that sly—”
Scott had only begun when a massive fracture appeared behind him, and a gigantic crimson hand emerged from it.
The Calamity of Mourning has revealed itself!
Trix’s emoji changed to a crying face, and he stretched forth his hand. A ray of light shot out, striking the hand instantaneously. At that same moment, the massive hand began to pixelate before suddenly transforming into an intricate piece of art etched into the muddy earth. The portal from which the fist had emerged forcefully closed.
The Calamity of Stagnation is descending! The Calamity of Drought is descending! The Calamity of Pride is descending! The Apostle of Gluttony is descending! The Bishop of Gluttony is descending! The Brotherhood of the Cross has declared war against the Orders of Madness! The Lesser God of Gluttony requests permission from ??? to send you a message! The request has been denied! The Lesser God of Gluttony has given up on interfering! Eight Orders of the Mad Throne have declared war against the 18th Order of the Mad Throne!
As the flurry of notifications appeared in front of Scott, a massive negative barrier surrounded Trix, and the examiner’s emoji changed to an angry one.
A demi-god used Arcane Authority!
“How dare you violate the law imposed by the administrator! You’re not allowed in the mortal realm!” Trix roared.
At that same moment, however, a similar barrier manifested encased Scott’s form, and intricate runic magical circles flared to life beneath him.
“Oh no you don’t!” Scott heard Trix’s roar, followed by a sharp crack. But that was the last thing he registered before the world around him spun and he vanished.