"He really just ran off. He doesn't even know where his friend is, does he?" Alariel asked Elentera in Elvish, and Elentera laughed.
"No, he didn't seem to think too much about it, but I'm sure he'll manage," Elentera said.
"Are you sure? He seems like an idiot," Vaerion said bluntly, and Elentera shook her head.
"No, I don't think so. He's very cute in his own way but just in case," she said, glancing at the mystical, majestic moose beside them. "Please go help him."
The moose nodded.
Amias.
Here he was again, back in the maze. Lost and completely screwed.
He really hadn't thought this through, had he?
If he'd taken even one extra second to think, maybe he wouldn't be stuck like this. He didn't even know where Tobi was, and yet here he was, venturing once more into this dangerous labyrinth with zero clue what he was doing.
Luckily for him, someone had followed.
Amias turned around to see a giant moose. Its silver fur shimmered like moonlight, its antlers sprawling like the branches of an ancient tree. Glowing runes pulsed beneath its hide, and its eyes, like stars, held a wisdom far beyond him.
Amias smiled and ran over, hugging the creature.
Moosey, thank you," he said with childlike joy.
The moose stood still, waiting for Amias to climb on, then knelt down so he could mount with ease.
"For me? How amazing you are," Amias beamed, and then they were off flying.
The moose bolted like lightning across the slick wooden floor that had taken Amias hours to traverse earlier. Now they glided over it in seconds. Any enemy that appeared was left in the dust, mere blurs in the wind.
This is amazing! I should've brought him from the start! I didn't know he could do this, Amias thought, clutching the moose's antlers, not that the moose seemed to mind.
As they soared forward, each step splashing below, Amias's excitement faded to unease. He looked down. The floor wasn't wet from water.
It was blood.
His heart froze. His body tensed.
The last time he saw something like this, he'd lost his mind. Literally. That shadow entity… He shuddered.
They descended deeper into the bloody halls. Faintly, the sound of clashing swords echoed ahead. When they reached the source, Amias blinked in confusion.
Tobi was fighting… himself?
Amias stared blankly at the sight.
"Tobi, there's two of you," he said flatly.
One of the Tobis, the one wearing a mask, turned.
"Yeah. Don't worry about it. Just watch," Tobi said plainly.
It wasn't much of a fight. The masked Tobi was decimating the copy with almost unfair precision. Every strike was brutal and calculated, while the other could barely block, constantly retreating until finally, it scurried back into the reflection it came from.
"Why didn't you just burn it with the god?" Amias asked, tilting his head.
"I lost the god," Tobi replied.
"What the hell do you mean you lost the god?" Amias said, alarmed.
Tobi just shrugged. "Don't worry about that. Let's go. There's another angry god after me."
"T-The plant?" Amias asked nervously.
"No, this one's several times worse and a goddess. She's actually my mother. A very good mother," Tobi added, as if that clarified anything.
"W-What the hell are you talking about?"
"Don't worry about it. Let's go," Tobi repeated simply.
"Are you a god?" Amias asked, thoroughly confused.
Tobi shook his head. "It's a very complicated story, and I can't tell it right now."
"Is it going to kill us? And what about everyone else? I heard you went to space!"
"Yes, I caused a very astronomical event that burned half my body and now the lord of flames is free. But we needn't worry." Tobi said honestly.
"Half your body is scorched," Amais shouted. Tobi shrugged it off casually.
"It's fine, it's me," he said plainly as Amais looked at him flabbergasted.
"A-Also, why would a god escaping be fine?" Amias asked, extremely paranoid.
"Did you get taller and also, are those new clothes?"
Amias gave him a deadpan stare.
"Just explain it!"
"In Antarctica, most of humanity remains either there or scattered across other places. But that was the most notable place because of that guy I don't remember too well. It was a long time ago. They called him the Hero of Humanity… Ryo," Tobi explained.
"Why didn't you tell me any of this?"
"Well, we should get out of this tree first. Then I can tell you a lot more."
"You never answer anything," Amias muttered.
"Well, I just learned a lot, so I can tell you a bunch more but none of that matters right now," Tobi said bluntly.
Tobi had a lot to think about in this moment. He had learned a lot from his past and seen a reality he wanted. It was all strange, but none of it mattered. He needed to find Nothing.
How does one find Nothing?
It was disorienting, though he didn't really care. He would continue on, just as he always had. Still, the feeling lingered, a mystery he couldn't shake.
Tobi leapt atop the moose beside Amais, and together they flew through the infinite space. For a while, it felt like no time at all, but then it stretched into minutes. Amais glanced around, confused.
"I don't remember it being this long the first time," Amais said honestly.
Then came the sound of broken laughter, a woman's voice, echoing and fractured.
Tobi had figured something like this would happen, though it was unfortunate.
"I've got some unresolved business. I'll see you later, Amais," he said casually, then jumped off the moose.
Amais could only stare, stunned, as Tobi tumbled into the blood below.
"W-What the fuck?" Amais muttered, blinking as he looked back. Behind him was a blank white wall reflecting his image. The blood still clung to the moose's hooves, but the river had vanished. It was like they'd just exited another reality. He was extremely confused, though the moose hadn't been; as it looked back, it could see clearly.
Meanwhile, Tobi stood and dusted himself off, then looked forward.
She stood there, an extremely thin woman with four arms, her body mostly obscured, save for the mask that bore a pleasant smile.
"I don't understand," she said honestly, gazing at him.
"I've been chased by misfortune my whole life," Tobi replied.
"I know," she said softly.
"It was perfect, wasn't it?" she asked.
Tobi didn't answer.
"The only reason I found you now is because of Fate. He can see you no matter where you go. How do you plan to keep running? I've tried too, and he'll only be worse now, more relentless than ever. Just enjoy yourself. You can be happy here," she said softly, desperately.
"It's futile," Tobi replied.
"What is?" his mother asked.
"Every single time, it ends the same. Even if you hide me, I can't escape. So why should I run? I've tried to run well no longer. I want to kill Fate. I don't even know why but this hate I feel, this hate I long for, it all stems from him.
Not just me, but every iteration of myself, whether from the past or future, even in my dreams, we all hate the very idea of Fate. My whole life, from the very concept of my existence, I was made to suffer.
Fine.
Then I will suffer.
So very much.
So much that every time I choose to survive, it will be in spite of him. I will refuse over and over to be consumed by death as he watches.
I will watch and revel as Fate suffers in turn as I break his perfect vision.
Why should I allow him to control everything? I will be the variable he can't control. I will become something even he can't escape.
I will become his end.
I will become Death."
Tobi spoke honestly, coldly. Every word bitter. Each sentence filled with a scorn even he didn't know he was capable of. He couldn't recall everything from his other selves, but one thing remained. one thing that lingered through every life:
His hate.