Ruby arrived to see Ziel meditating in the middle of a circle of stone pillars, some inscribed with protective scripts. While she had independent consciousness of her own, delving into Yerin's mind was as simple as opening a closed eye, and the same held true for her other half. Thus, Ruby would be working on her original task of helping others reach Monarch while Yerin herself would continue to improve her ability.

Ziel opened his eyes from meditation and a startled expression crossed his face. "Yerin?"

"Yes, but call me Ruby for now. Just thought I would make a better impression with this. How are you doing? Betting for a fight?"

“No, My Remnant won't react or fight back." he sighed. "I assume yours was different.”

Ruby, following Dross's instructions, reinforced the runes on the stone pillars as she replied to Ziel in surprise. “Really? My blood shadow was quite feisty. As Yerin and Ruby despised each other. But I am me now. And we didn't even fight in the end."

"This is getting confusing." Ziel sounded flustered, "What's the distinction between your blood shadow, Yerin, Ruby, and yourself?"

"Ah, sorry for that. But the more important point, though, is our breakthrough. It felt like a Lord revelation, "Ruby paused to finish her thought, "except both parties must agree about it with each other."

Dross interjected, [Huh, yes, but in most cases, that means beating the other party to near-death for agreement.]

"Seen more peaceful outcomes, but bury me if I don't want to see a fight," Ruby said in earnest.

Ziel chuckled. "I will pray for it to just stand up."

Emriss Silentborn's voice carried over like a gentle breeze, concluding the discussion. "Your manifestation is stable enough. Now focus on integrating your body and spirit. Prepare for a fight just in case."

Ziel shrugged, took out his hammer, and began manifesting his spirit.

[Don’t worry about your instability after advancing,] Dross reassured. [Emriss is here to handle it.]

Ruby watched with fascination as Ziel's Remnant materialized before them. A hulking jade creature, mostly humanoid but with the head of a snarling monster, emerged. Its dull green horns were larger and sharper than Ziel's, and its four-fingered hands were massive slabs of muscle, poised as if ready to crush skulls. But the Remnant also bore the scars of cruel violence, an intricate web of old wounds like its body was disassembled and reassembled once upon a time. Then the creature slumped on the ground, its gaze fixed on the distance as if its heart had died years ago.

Ziel regarded his Remnant with disappointment, scratched the side of his horns, and called out to Emriss. “Are you sure I should join with that? It looks so lifeless that it may just drag me down with it.”

Ruby agreed. She could hardly accept half of her existence becoming so disheartening. It would be much better if the Remnant just fought back. It is also hard to feel anything but sorry for this creature, who wore the reflection of Ziel's past. While Ziel had come a long way, the message of his personal triumph would just take as long to be delivered to his spirit. If his Remnant remained in this state, even she would feel conflicted about striking it.

"Maybe if you start beating it, it will fight back" Ruby suggested anyway.

"Nah, I doubt it". Ziel disagreed, though he still readied his hammer, preparing for a strike. A decisive blow followed, sending the Remnant hurtling through the air until it collided with the force wall encircling the stone pillars. But as the creature fell down, it let out nothing but a grumpy groan. Ziel delivered another strike to its head, pressing it down, and finished with a round kick that sent its massive body flying across the arena. Yet, the creature remained unresponsive, silently taking the beating, its anger suppressed and despair evident.

Although it suffered no major damage, it was not unscathed after the assault either. Ziel hesitated, clearly uncomfortable with his own actions.

Ruby also felt a pang of guilt as she watched the one-sided assault. She hadn't known Ziel during those years when he had wandered the Wasteland, carrying emotional and physical scars that couldn't be healed. But from what she saw now, it seemed unlikely that this creature would cooperate even if beaten to death.

It didn't take long for Ziel to cease his attacks, looking down at the battered Remnant with intense distress. He shouted, "You hate yourself. So you could hate ME and direct that anger at ME. Or are you too afraid now to ever fight again!" Ziel flung his hammer at the spirit, but it raised its hands to defend itself, roaring as it showed its first sign of a meaningful reaction. "Come to me, coward". Ziel taunted, and at his final word, the Remnant's rage erupted. It crouched on all fours before lunging at him with incredible speed.

As Ziel's Remnant charged at him ferociously, he forged script after script in the air, though they flicker due to his diminished spirit. The Remnant effortlessly tore through the defensive scripts, seizing Ziel by the head and slamming him into the ground. The impact shattered the earth, but Ziel swiftly rose, coughing amidst the cloud of dust. Despite the ensuing brutal onslaught, he endured the Remnant's raw power, using his Shield Icon and elixir-strengthened body to withstand the relentless attacks.

But except for the initial blows, Ziel had not tried to damage the Remnant further. Instead, he let its attacks, like a whirlwind of bitter rage, come to him freely. Ziel faltered at the initial strikes, blood spraying and perhaps bones breaking as the Remnant delivered blows capable of toppling buildings. Yet, he continued fighting defensively, allowing the Remnant's rampage to intensify.

The Remnant tore through the invisible wall generated by the script circle as Ziel evaded a full-body assault. But it continued to lash out with pure rage and pain, clashing at stone slab after stone slab in another charge attempt. With no reservation, Ziel's Remnant unleashed anger on everything on its path, and perhaps most of all, on itself. So before long, Ziel seemed to successfully discern the mindless patterns of his opponent. Utilizing lesser force scripts and his own body, he redirected the strikes towards the ground and into thin air, sometimes robbing the Remnant of its balance.

Ruby observed the clash with a mix of concern and appreciation. The battle was both brutal and elegant, as Ziel danced beside his Remnant's onslaught. He had endured for hours, taunting the spirit to continue whenever it faltered, goading it to unleash pent-up anger. The Shield Icon hummed in the air, preserving him from sustaining significant injuries. By the end, the battle just resembled a sparring session between a seasoned mentor and an aspiring junior. The Remnant finally slumped to the ground again, exhausted, and Ziel's taunts softened as he realized there was no point in continuing.

Ziel, too, breathed heavily but seemed content. He slowly approached his Remnant, crouching beside it and placing a hand on its shoulder. "I was you, and you could become me," Ziel whispered.

The Remnant gazed up at Ziel with a wistful expression, its grief and anger drained away. "Let us move forward together. There is still much to protect," Ziel continued soothingly.

As the Remnant nodded slightly, the two figures merged, their forms blurring and intertwining. Ruby couldn't help but feel a surge of joy at the sight.

Emriss Silentborn's serene voice resonated in their minds, "A true Monarch can master both themselves and their Remnant, finding harmony within."

Ziel, the new Monarch, emerged. His horns were a little longer, but the biggest change showed in his skin. He was covered in scars where the Remnant’s fingers had torn pieces out of him. And those scars had been filled with a dull jade. He examined one slash on his chin through his reflection projected by Dross. “I actually like it.”

Ruby came to land next to him and gave an approving nod. “Looks to me like you and Yerin traded scars.”

“She had scars? Sorry, I didn't remember, but she would look good with some.” Ziel smiled slightly.

Then he stretched his madra, testing out his new power as a Monarch. The surrounding aura rumbles like a thousand drums, hailing the birth of a new ruler. Ziel then abruptly dropped down on its back, signing at the sky.

[Hm. Yeah, pretty bad instability but could be much worse. No worry is necessary as Emriss is already here.] Dross reported as the Remnant Monarch along with her signature herbal aroma emerged serenely from thin air next to Ziel, a hand put on his forehead. "You did a great job", Emriss complimented.

"It is certainly not as I expected. I thought it gotta be either a fight or a hug." Ruby commented.

"Not all agreement is reached with only fight or talk. It could require both, just as life itself needs conflict and cooperation. Sadly, the world seems too inclined to gain things through conflict."

Ruby contemplated the words while watching Emriss stabilize Ziel with her madra and authority. "How is it going with your study?" Emriss continued the conversation with a question.

"Yerin is studying the Void Icon with Dross's support by going through the experience of Lindon using his consume technique." Ruby grimaced as she answered. "But she would bleed to death before reaching half as close to the Icon as Lindon did when he was just an Underlord."

If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

"The Void Icon of Lindon is undeniably," Emriss paused, allowing the weight of her words to settle," unique. It is a manifestation of the Way, like any other Icon, but it possesses the unnerving potential to tap into an additional, darker source of power." The oldest Monarch's voice trembled briefly, betraying her unease, before she pressed on. "From the boy, I have sensed its insidious hunger, as if it yearns to consume me, treating me as nothing more than a mere feast. While Lindon's mastery over hunger madra surpasses that of any living being, I believe that both the madra and the Icon have taken their toll on him, inflicting pain as he resists their corrupting influence. It is an immense burden, one that no individual should ever have to bear alone."

Ruby had not prepared to hear that, and the suddenly emerged pain and shame forced her to change the conversation. "Yerin also receives help from Red Faith and Malice with the Blood and Crown Icons." Ruby quickly added," However, she does not fully trust them, especially Malice, even if they are under her control".

"Hm, when one became a Remnant, the loss of memory and power often engenders violence, but it may also unveil an entirely new outlook. It is a significant," a slight pause followed," shift in perspective, you see, to be diminished from a Monarch to a Remnant. I dare say it might even yield valuable insights." Emriss allowed herself a moment of silence, her thoughts immersed in contemplation. "I believe our dear Mercy could benefit from a little meeting with her mother's spectral presence."

=====

Ruby led the Remnant of Malice into Mercy's training room, with Emriss following closely behind. As Ruby approached, she noticed Mercy was closing her eyes tightly, her focus clearly directed towards manifesting her Icon. Ruby could sense the powerful energy building up in the room, a newfound authority filled with vitality and happiness. But just as it seemed within reach, it always faltered at the final moment, as if obstructed by an invisible barrier.

Just as Ruby and Malice drew nearer, Mercy opened her eyes and locked gazes with her mother's ghost. Her expression transformed from surprise to resignation, leaving everyone in a temporary silence that hung heavy with tension. Ruby could feel the weight of the moment, the unspoken words that lingered in the air. However, before Mercy could find her voice, Malice's Remnant broke the silence.

"I-I-I want-t-t to ask-k-k for your forgiveness-s-s, Mercy-y-y, for attempting-ing-ing to k-k-kill you," a voice from Malice's Remnant rang in the air, vibrating from the body itself.

Ruby's mouth hung open in astonishment at the unexpected apology, and it appeared that Mercy felt the same way. The shock deepened further on Mercy as she noticed the expression on Ruby's face, realizing that the Remnant acted on its own accord. After a moment of contemplation, Mercy replied, her voice tinged with lingering doubts.

"So, you were truly trying to kill me. I've wondered about that all this time. You won't receive forgiveness from me now," Mercy hesitated briefly before continuing, "But, in a way, I am grateful to you, for at least giving me my name, Malice."

There was another fraction of a pause filled with uncertainty before Mercy took a step closer to the Remnant. She reached out and gently pressed her five fingers against its chest. Ruby looked in awe as a vibrant violet flower bloomed overhead, a manifestation of the Joy Icon. Ruby felt the presence of Malice's Remnant strengthen slightly, an inexplicable sensation of life and joy flowing into her from the Remnant. Perhaps, in some way, Mercy had managed to bring joy to her mother. And by this, Ruby knew Mercy had felt some joy herself.

Turning to Emriss who had been observing quietly, Ruby asked "Emriss, please teach me ..."

=====

Lindon consumed a spear from the Bleeding Phoenix just moments before it crashed through the center of a city. The insatiable hunger, growing stronger by minutes after the emergence of new Monarchs, momentarily clouded his judgment before Dross cleared his mind. The Wandering Titan hurled a colossal ball of golden madra the size of a mountain at Lindon but he avoided and redirected it with the Wavedancer.

He signed as he noticed the whirlwind of blood madra coming at him, slowly devouring everything in its path through the city. Lindon could easily evade this attack, but blocking its destruction was not feasible. Maybe he should consume the city himself instead of letting its power be stolen by the Phoenix.

[That wasn't a nice idea, was it? Neither practical nor ethical.] Dross commented.

Lindon shuddered at his own thought, "No, that was definitely bad. Please keep reminding me, Dross."

Perhaps in the Dreadgods' twisted minds, they still considered him a brother and believed he merely needed a little more temptation to join their ranks. While their strikes could be crippling even to him, they were not fatal, as the Dreadgods never exerted themselves fully.

However, they had gradually increased the intensity and variance of attacks over time, and their recent surge in power had pressed him to his limit. Alone, Lindon could probably handle one Dreadgod, but holding off two for such a prolonged time was too much.

And there might even be truth to the Dreadgods' predictions, as Lindon had had to start weighing the risk of enduring injuries or losing his mind, a little more hunger madra may contribute to tipping the scale. Nonetheless, every second he bought was being converted to precious time for his ally to get stronger.

"How long can we hold on?" As Lindon cycled power to refresh his body and spirit, he consulted with Dross.

[I've informed them of our limited time! At this rate, we'll be fortunate to have a few minutes left.]

Lindon struggled to identify his own emotions. On one hand, the end of this daunting trial was so close now. On the other hand, all his escape routes had been severed. If they emerged victorious, the world could be changed forever. But if they lost, it was likely he would transform into a monster and destroy Cradle himself.

Lindond tried not to also think about the possibility of him becoming a Dreadgod anyway even with a victory. [You may not need to worry about that], Dross comforted him.

Thousands of blood whips as thick as tree trunks lashed through the sky like red thunder as the Phoenix reinforced its authority over space, restricting Lindon's movements. Lindon activated the Hollow Domain, coating himself with the Soul Cloak, and deftly evaded them all, consuming some whips along the way.

However, a momentary distraction was all it took for the earth to surge upward, forming a mountain that swallowed Lindon up to his chest before he could gain altitude. The Titan's Earth madra compressed around him, trapping him inside a prison of stone and metal.

The Phoenix cackled with laughter, a chilling symphony filling the air. "Oh, brother, why don't you join us now and end this futile struggle? Do you desire more power? We could grant even more."

A small part of Lindon wavered at the offer of immediate power. But his ambition was far greater than that. His goal was to remove the influence of the Dreadgods themselves from Cradle, regardless of immediate desires or personal costs. So he shouted defiantly, "No, I want more than what you have."

Whips of blood continued swirling in the sky, lashing at him like relentless torrents. The earth madra that encaged his lower half had condensed to a hardness greater than diamond. Lindon couldn't evade; he could only consume the attacks or endure them head-on. "Dross, what should I do?" he asked, seeking guidance. Dross replied, [You should do neither, and you don't have to.]

A barrage of shadow arrows collided with the first wave of blood, nullifying their impact. The subsequent wave crashed against a force shield, dispersing into nothingness. The final wave was severed from its source in the sky as Yerin's six spread sword-arms resonated like a grand symphony. A scythe materialized, menacingly poised in the air, collecting the scattered madra. Yerin dropped down next to Lindon, wearing a resolute smile.

"Bleed me, that was close. You may blame me for that. Sorry, and thanks, Lindon." Her tone was quick, but her voice was soothingly harmonious, like a lullaby.

[No, you are actually quite fast. You could wait ten seconds more and Lindon would only suffer an additional broken nose.]

"Gratitude," Lindon said in heavy breaths.

[Now, let's get out of here and regroup.] Dross commanded.

As they talked, Lindon consumed the madra that trapped him while Yerin's sword arms ducked into the hardened rock. His Empty Palm blasted apart a parting shot from the Titan. Before the next assault could arrive, the pair combined their authority, carving a tunnel through the turbulent space, and flying toward their allies.

Five powerful spirits stood at a portal. Two of them unveiled their Icons as a form of introduction—a detailed, steel-plated shield floating alongside a shining, blooming flower. Even the Dreadgods momentarily slowed down their pursuit, though they didn't retreat. Lindon looked proudly at his friends as they exchanged greetings.

[New plan,] Dross announced to everyone and information flooded into Lindon.

Though Lindon's mind was first filled with hesitation, his emotion gradually transformed into determination. He had asked Yerin to trust him for too long; now it was time for Lindon to reciprocate.

"Promise you won't be reckless, alright?" Lindon pleaded earnestly, trying to project concern on his expression.

Yerin met his gaze, a determined glint in her eyes. She retorted with a hint of defiance, "You know I will be, and you're in no position to talk." Then she pouted, an expression of Ruby.

Lindon's lips curled into a small smile, a mixture of fondness and worry, and he extended his hand to her, "Take this with you then, for good luck."