Chapter 446 (2/2)

This question seemed loaded, but Randidly would prefer to ignore the issue, rather than digging into it. It would just keep things moving in a much more productive manner. “To defeat the remnants of the Creature. Now-”

“No, I mean…” The two and a half meter form, all of rippling muscle, hesitated, then asked, “Why me?”

Randidly opened his mouth, then closed it. He couldn’t think of an answer that didn’t sound dumb. It was tiresome, but he should keep his role as… Progenitor in the front of his mind at all times. He didn’t plan on appearing like this very often at all, because of how many people wanted to interact with him, but while he was doing it…

Because you are the strongest warrior we have? Because you are one of the leaders of the allied army? Because you need to be ready for what you don’t expect in this fight? Because I can’t afford for you to lose?

But while Randidly was pondering, Zeke spoke, filling the silence, speaking increasingly quickly. “I’ve…. killed so many of your people. Of the things you’ve created here. I created the greatest war this world has ever known. If I hadn’t caused such destruction… we might have been ready for this attack.”

Zeke was working up a head of steam at this point, and Randidly was content to hear it all before he weighed in. “The monster race, that racial tension, was the space the Skinshifts used to infiltrate initially. The whole time, as my race took the blame, I just assumed it was the arrogance of the other people, and ignored it, locking myself away, searching for my own meaning. It was an abdication of responsibility. For all my strength… my people needed me then, and I let them down. Which is why… which is why I can’t understand. Why are you helping me? Why are you making me stronger. I… I am a broken thing. I shouldn’t be here.”

This time, Randidly didn’t open his mouth, but solemnly looked at Zeke. There was a lot there. False attribution, guilt, a vicious self of injustice and the hatred that spawned from it… and also a deep, deep loneliness. One that was intimately familiar to Randidly.

Sighing, Randidly shook his head and then smiled. “You know… someone close to me once told me that I was special, not because of my strength, but due to my very existence. Because I was the ‘Inciting Action’. But you know… to me, I could understand why she said that, but it just felt like…”

Randidly reached out, his fingers passing harmlessly through the wall. He smiled ruefully, pulling his head back. “It felt like everything I became involved in broke. It fell to pieces or was warped by, if not me, events that I instigated. Now, let me ask you this: Do you blame me for this war? Knowing I created this world out of a very dangerous material?”

“No,” Zeke said, his eyes wary.

Nodding, Randidly said, “I don’t know much about what religion there is here, or what you have been exposed to, but I grew up learning about purposeful sins, and sins by your nature. I did not mean for this to happen, yet my sin was possessing a nature that led inevitably to this point. And that is not a sin I feel the need to burden my conscious with.

“In my struggles, I have done many terrible things to accomplish my goals, because I believed I had no other choice. Perhaps I was wrong in that, but never had I set out to take a life, for the pleasure of it.” Randidly’s eyes went out of focus then, remembering that one time, immediately after they escaped the prison, but then his gaze sharpened, locking on Zeke. “Perhaps it is strange to say this, but of you all… I truly feel you are the most similar to me. The most lonely, the most tragically determined.”

After a brief hesitation, Randidly reached out and touched both of Zeke’s hands. Although this perhaps would have some dangerous fallout in the wake of the war against the Creature’s minions, Randidly always believed that it was safest to concentrate power in one place, in this case in the Monster King. In his right hand, Randidly placed the influence of his Skill Touch from Beyond. In the Monster King’s left hand, Randidly put a point of Gravity Manipulation, that he had gained earlier while playing with the Skill.

The Monster King shuddered, his arms shaking as the power descended into him. Especially his right hand, with the Touch from Beyond, began to spasm. But Randidly, weirdly, suddenly had a physical body, at least while touching the place of his Skills, and gripped Zeke’s fingers with his own.

“Do not fear your own nature. Your greatest strength is yourself, there is no need to hide that. Some might disagree, but I believe that there is a definite line between victory and defeat. If you had infinite time to repeat and experiment, you could find the exact force it took to shatter a stone. Any less and nothing would happen. Any more and the extra power is wasted.”

Randidly’s grip tightened. “I… feel like you are the person who will be closest to that line. Zeke, with these gifts, take us past it.”

Releasing his hands, Randidly took a step back, looking up at the Monster King’s wide open eyes. There was still hesitation there, so Randidly spoke again. “If you stopped wearing the definitions that everyone else gave you, what would you be? It might be hard to see now, but… in my eyes, I’m not a Progenitor, I’m just trying my best. And I need your help.”

Then Randidly turned and departed. But not before he heard a soft whisper.

“Some on purpose…. Some not…. But always… giving of himself.”