Chapter 154: Impossible Question

Eden frowned.

"Then where did he go?"

"That, I cannot tell you."

Nyx’s expression grew thoughtful.

"Mendax was... unusual, even among the Rulers."

She paused, seemingly searching for the right words.

"There were twelve original Rulers. Twelve beings who possessed primordial authority and governed their respective domains. Their origins were known, their powers understood, and their positions within the hierarchy established."

Her gaze met Eden’s.

"Then, one day, a thirteenth appeared."

Eden stared at her.

"...Just like that?"

"Just like that."

"No one knew where he came from?"

"No one."

"Did he have a territory?"

"No."

"Descendants?"

"None that we knew of."

Eden slowly exhaled.

"That’s ridiculous."

"Indeed."

Nyx seemed almost amused by his reaction.

"Even his authority was unknown to us. We could sense the primordial essence of a Ruler within him, but we could not identify its nature. His power did not fit neatly into any of the domains we understood."

Eden considered that.

"Then was he really a Ruler?"

Nyx answered without hesitation.

"Without a doubt."

Her expression became serious.

"Whatever his origins, whatever the circumstances of his appearance, Mendax possessed the primordial essence of a Ruler. The fact that he had no territory, no descendants, and no recognized domain did not change that."

She paused.

"His existence was an anomaly, but his authority was real."

Eden’s thoughts returned to the memory.

The elegant figure in silver and gold.

The gentle laugh.

The way the Ruler of Sorcery had looked at him with a mixture of surprise and concern when he questioned the hierarchy.

Nyx’s gaze drifted toward the empty white expanse.

"Unlike the other Rulers, Mendax was capable of crossing the boundary between Realms without relying on the World Tree’s established pathways. He could move between the realms as though the Void Sea were little more than an inconvenience."

Nyx raised her hand again.

The white expanse shimmered, revealing the image of a colossal tree surrounded by dark, turbulent waves.

"But unfortunately, taking Five Primordial Gods to the lower realm had damaged the void sea more than any of us could have assumed."

"The World Tree had been weakened by the removal of the portion of the Void Sea that Mendax consumed. Then, when the five of us crossed the boundary, the strain increased further."

The image flickered.

Cracks of pale light spread along the tree’s immense trunk.

"The World Tree became unstable. Its connection to the realms began to fluctuate, and even Mendax could no longer travel as freely as he once had."

Eden watched the image fade.

"So the five of you made it through, but you made the boundary worse."

"That is one way to describe it."

"Was there another?"

Nyx sighed.

"We had no choice. We believed the war was coming, and we could not afford to remain in Caelestia while the Lower Realm stood defenseless."

Eden folded his arms.

"All right. Let’s assume you made it into the Abyss. What happened afterward? How did you end up inside that crystal? And who created this tomb?"

Nyx was silent for a moment.

When she spoke again, her voice carried a trace of weariness.

"The five of us had agreed on a common goal, but we did not agree on how to achieve it."

She lowered her gaze.

"Each of us had a different understanding of what the Lower Realm needed. Imperius believed adversity would force its inhabitants to grow stronger. Aurelion sought balance between the forces that governed the realm. Exyra wished to preserve its history and knowledge. Astraea believed that order was necessary if the Lower Realm was to survive the coming war."

"And you?"

"I believed in the power of Sorcery to change what seemed unchangeable."

Eden nodded slowly.

"So you guys argued?"

"Frequently. It had gotten so bad we had no choice but to seperate."

Nyx gave him a faint smile.

"I cannot tell you what happened to all the others. After we separated, our paths diverged, and I never learned the full extent of their actions."

Her expression darkened.

"But I remember what happened to Astraea."

Eden’s attention sharpened.

"The Ruler of Order?"

"Yes."

Nyx hesitated.

"At some point, for reasons I never fully understood, Astraea challenged Mendax."

Eden frowned.

"Challenged him to what?"

"I don’t know. I was not present when it began, and nobody ever explained what had happened."

She looked away.

"But I remember the outcome."

The white expanse seemed to grow quieter.

"Mendax killed Astraea."

Eden’s eyes widened slightly.

"...He killed one of the original Rulers?"

"Yes."

Nyx’s voice remained calm, but there was a heaviness beneath it.

"Whatever their disagreement was, it ended in tragedy. Mendax went too far, and Astraea did not survive. All that Mendax left was a Tomb."

Eden tried to reconcile the revelation with what he had learned earlier.

Mendax had helped the five Rulers descend into the Abyss. He had enabled their attempt to protect the Lower Realm, yet he had also killed one of them.

And according to Nyx, he had later created a tomb for the fallen Ruler.

"He created a tomb for Astraea?" Eden asked.

Nyx nodded.

"Somewhere deep within the Abyss. I never saw it myself, but I heard that he had made it a resting place for Astraea."

Eden was silent for a moment.

"Do you think it was an apology?"

"I cannot say."

Nyx’s gaze became distant.

"Perhaps it was. Perhaps it was an attempt to preserve what remained of someone he had once considered an ally. Or perhaps he had another reason entirely."

She shook her head.

"I never understood Mendax well enough to know."

Eden let out a quiet breath.

"I doubt anyone did."

"That is one of the few things on which we could all agree."

He looked at her.

"You mentioned the others split up. What happened to the others?"

"As for the others... I’m not so sure.

"I’ve heard that the Ruler of Equilibrium somehow crossed the boundary into Earth and became known as the Jade Emperor in ancient times."

Nyx let out a soft sigh.

"I never heard from him again afterwards."

’Interesting...’

’So one of the Rulers might actually be residing on Earth.’

Nyx seemed lost in thought.

"To think that he crossed into another world and became part of its mythology... I wonder what he was trying to accomplish."

Eden looked back at her.

"And what happened to you? Who or what could have possibly sealed you in a Tomb like this?"

Nyx’s smile faded.

"Eventually, I met with Mendax again."

Her voice grew quieter.

"We discussed the state of the Lower Realm and the coming conflict. Even without the Ruler of Fate’s armies descending upon it, the Lower Realm was far too vulnerable. Humanity, in particular, possessed almost no means of defending itself against the threats that surrounded it."

Eden listened carefully.

"We believed humanity needed access to Essence. Without it, humans would remain powerless in a world filled with beings capable of destroying them. If they were to survive the coming war, they needed a way to grow stronger."

Nyx met his gaze.

"Mendax decided to use my authority."

A strange chill passed through Eden.

She spoke the words with unsettling calm.

"He believed it could be used to establish a connection between humanity and Essence. The Gates would allow humans to encounter the creatures of the Abyss, while the System would provide them with a means to grow stronger through their experiences."

Eden stared at her.

"And how did he accomplish that?"

Nyx was silent for a moment.

Then she answered.

"He devoured my Sorcery."

Eden felt as though the words had struck him.

"...What?"

"Mendax consumed my authority and used it to create the Gates that appeared throughout Earth. He also created the System, granting humanity the means to acquire skills, accumulate power, and grow stronger."

She looked down at her hands.

"The process was not gentle."

Eden stared at Nyx.

"So that’s why..."

Nyx’s expression remained composed, but her eyes carried a faint sadness.

"Indeed. As you probably know, the process of Gluttony isn’t particularly kind."

"Mendax stripped me of my authority. He didn’t hesitate to leave my body body in a state of suspended death, leaving me unable to awaken or recover."

She glanced toward the empty white space around them.

"I have remained in that state ever since."

Eden’s jaw tightened.

"Why didn’t he just ask you to create the system and Gates?"

"Why did he go to such brutal lengths if you two are on the same side?"

Nyx hesitated.

Then she answered.

"Creating gates that connected two halves of a realm would already be exhausting enough. But I’d also have to create and sustain a System meant to power an entire World."

"It would have been too much of a strain for me. Perhaps that’s why Mendax had taken it upon himself."

The silence that followed was heavy.

Eden looked away, trying to make sense of everything he had learned.

Mendax had helped the five Rulers cross the Void Sea. He had made it possible for them to reach the Abyss, where they hoped to prepare the Lower Realm for an eventual war.

He had killed Astraea.

And when humanity needed a way to defend itself, he had chosen to sacrifice Nyx to create the Gates and the System.

Even if his intentions had been noble, the methods were utterly monstrous.

Eden slowly clenched his fists.

"So that’s what he is."

Nyx regarded him quietly.

"A being who decides what must be done and simply does it, regardless of who has to suffer."

His voice was cold.

"How convenient."

Nyx didn’t argue.

For a long moment, she remained silent, allowing his words to settle between them.

Then she spoke.

"I do not know what Mendax intends to accomplish now. I do not know why he gave you his authority, nor why he chose you."

She lifted her gaze.

"But I believe that he did not choose you without a reason."

Eden’s expression hardened.

"You’re saying he has a plan."

"I’m saying that Mendax has always been difficult to understand. He is capable of acts that appear generous, yet he has never been afraid to commit atrocities in pursuit of what he believes is necessary."

She paused.

"Perhaps he believes he is saving the Lower Realm. Perhaps he is preparing for something even greater. I cannot tell you which is true."

Eden stared into the endless white.

The power he had received from Mendax suddenly felt less like a gift and more like a question.

One he had no idea how to answer.