Chapter 670 (2/2)

My world is dead. I am the world. I am Doom. The heat was rising once more, and not because Randidly was approaching the Ashen Image. It seemed he had struck a nerve.

Beyond white-hot pain, there was black paint, and that was a sea that threatened to drown Randidly and never allow him to resurface. But Randidly continued walking forward.

Warning, irreparable damage-

Randidly ignored it and walked forward. “I was alone too, for a long time. Sometimes… sometimes I feel alone now.”

FOOL. I AM ALONE BECAUSE I DESTROYED EVERYTHING THAT COULD BE NEAR ME. I AM MY OWN ETERNITY.

This time, Randidly did get submerged in that black sea of pain. All sensation began to fade away. With a surge of panic, he returned to the surface, breaking through it. What was waiting for him was the white pain. It felt like someone was hammering icicles into his eye sockets. Even distantly, Randidly could feel his physical body had collapsed and was shivering in agony.

His Skills were flickering. The Crown of Silence and Upheaval darkened as almost 40% was lost to the ash. Gritting his teeth, Randidly continued to walk forward.

“I am alone because my Path ascends past the limit that my people can follow. Is that not similar?”

NO.

But despite the vehement denial, the violence of the power the Ashen Image was throwing off seemed to stall out somewhat. In that space, Randidly advanced forward.

“You have not turned me to ash,” Randidly said quietly.

There was no explosion of energy, just derision. Yet. Eventually, all becomes ash.

“Perhaps. If you choose that Path.” Randidly said through the jumbled mess of thoughts. He was now right before the Ashen Image. Although to look at it was painful, there was nothing in front of him but the vision of that consuming ash. Over and over, Randidly felt the slow death of the World Seed. He felt the dark jumble of emotions from Ulaat, still here. This was his image, kindled since he was young.

‘It is just a desperate child,’ Randidly realized. The Crown of Upheaval and Silence blazed brilliantly for several seconds, forcing the ash back. It angrily rose in intensity after tapering off in response to that.

It is what I am. There are no other paths to one such as I. All will become Ash. It is how it has always been.

One by one, the Skills around Randidly dimmed. He raised his hands. Stabbing numbness consumed his perception he had been near this thing for too long. He didn't’ have time to be subtle anymore. His strength was failing. “Perhaps not a path for an image… but maybe a Path for us both. What do you think… about making a home here? I need you.”

It was a desperate gamble. But all at once, Randidly stopped forcing Aether into the Skills to resist the Ashen Image. They all went dark. That insidious image of all turning to ash exploded outward through Randidly like a tidal wave. His Class was shrieking under the strain. His mouth tasted like ashes.

But he felt it. Shock and… confusion. And…. wonder.

You are… going to die like this…

“Am I not already partially ash? A little more won’t hurt. Make... yourself at....” Randidly smiled. He could feel the three Skills from Kata of the Ashen Spear pulse. They were calling the Ashen Image. But Randidly had run out of gas. Although he wanted to entreat the strange sentience of the image more, the black pain rose up and took him. Silently, he drifted downwards into numb darkness.