Endless Path : Infinite Cosmos

Though he ended up crashing through the front doors of the castle's keep, Vahn had managed to block Scáthach's preliminary attack with his transformed palm. He had reached the point where he could activate his [Rakshasa Body] without even having to think about it, allowing him to transition between offense and defense in an instant.As Scáthach had disappeared from her previous location after throwing the spear, Vahn twisted his head to the side while grabbing the spear with his right hand, seizing control over it as he swiped in a wide arc to the right. He found his attack blocked by a short spear in Scáthach's own right hand as a second grazed past the artery in his neck. She as able to immediately change the trajectory of the attack with minimal effort but, by transforming only the right half of his body into his Zhuque form, Vahn was able to create an eruption of vermillion flames that accelerated him outside of the attack's trajectory, burning Scáthach's dress in the progress.Without even flinching, Scáthach tore through his vermillion flames with incredible momentum, a series of five spears dancing around her, seemingly of their own volition. They even instantly moved to pierce the Elemental Stars he had sent out to deter her pursuit, a vain effort to buy enough time to better ascertain his surroundings.Vahn knew that the Land of Shadows couldn't be a simple place and, as it's Queen, Scáthach was undoubtedly able to make use of various abilities related to it. If he ignored their surroundings and just focused on her, it was all but guaranteed to come back to bite him. After all, this was a land of the dead, a place where Ghosts and several types of Spirits freely roamed. Since one of the main aspects of her legend included escorting warriors into her domain, Vahn needed to move the fight away from any foreboding buildings or structures.Though she was able to see through Vahn's intentions without much difficulty, Scáthach had always found it exceptionally difficult to keep him pinned down. She could easily overwhelm him whenever they traded blows but, due to the nature of Vahn's body and the manifestation of his power, it was all but impossible to keep him in one spot without dealing critical damage to his mind and spirit.In an effort to keep him grounded, Scáthach extended her hand forward, sending her spears cutting through the air before piercing into the void behind him. This caused a large red pentagram to form and, in the next moment, Vahn found himself barreling towards the blackened wasteland below. It was as if he had been impacted by a gravitational 'hammer' and, like a nail, his penultimate fate saw him penetrate deep into the ground below.Understanding it would take a lot more to inflict any kind of meaningful damage to Vahn, Scáthach extended her hand to the sky, forming a massive spear that was more than 20m in length. Its tip was shaped like a vicious drillbit and, as if to capitalize on this peculiarity, it began to spin at high speeds, the energy radiating from its surface enough to distort the space around it. Then, with the sweep of her hand, the spear shot forward like a ray of violent red light, impacting the area where Vahn had been buried.For a brief moment after impact, there was an eerie silence that pervaded the entirety of the Land of Shadows. Then, like the light of first dawn, a hemisphere of pulsing red energy began to expand outward like a bubble. It was able to keep its surface tension by the energy rapidly swirling but, upon expanding to more than 300m in size, it erupted outward with extreme violence, tearing through the land and destroying a large section of her castle in an instant.Scáthach had never particularly cared about her estate so, after having decided to put her all into this battle, she would lay ruin to the entire Lad of Shadows if necessary. Vahn wanted to lay claim to her and, as this ran counter to her original death-seeking intentions, he would need to force her into submission. This was the only way to keep her at his side and, if he wasn't able to make good on his promise, Scáthach fully intended to keep him at her's instead...Never doubting that Vahn could survive the cataclysmic blow she had sent his way, Scáthach began to perform a rhythmic dance in mid-air, red energy swirling around her like a vortex. In response to her actions, space within the Land of Shadows began to distort and, from within the void above her, a massive tear appeared. From within, a blood-red meteor that seemed to writhe and pulse began to emerge, red lightning dancing across its surface as a soul-shaking shriek began to echo through the surroundings.Though she had escorted countless warriors to the Land of Shadows, Scáthach had also exiled all of the malicious and wicked individuals who lived their life without honor. She forcefully sealed them in an isolated section of the Land of Shadows, creating an amalgamation of flesh and malignant energy that was several tens of kilometers in diameter, screaming for release...When the smoke from Scáthach's cataclysmic attack finally faded, a Dragonoid entity that stood more than three meters tall could be seen hovering a few centimeters above the epicenter of a massive crater. Even Vahn's usually handsome visage had faded away, replaced by a vicious and judgmental expression, even if those weren't his actual emotions. To further lend to his monstrous appearance, he had done away with his wings, sprouting four additional limbs in their place, each set with a flaming sword that radiated so much heat that, even two kilometers away, amidst fierce and bone-chilling winds, Scáthach could feel it.With a rare smile on her face, Scáthach's dance came to an end, her scarlet tongue briefly tracing her lips as the malignant mass of flesh above her sprouted hundred of thousands of toothed mouths. In the next moment, with the consistency of heavy rain, beams of negative energy rained down upon the Land of Shadows, each beam corroding an area of several meters on contact.Before any of the 'rain' could reach him, Vahn's maw opened wide, revealing two rows of angular teeth. This caused an invisible bubble to surround him, deflecting away the beams of malignant red energy before expanding outward with phenomenal speed. Though Scáthach had tried to move beyond the effective range of the attack, she was surprised to find that even instantaneous action had proven too slow as, before she could even process what had happened, a mighty roar seemed to erupt from inside her mind as she was sent flying into the amalgamation of flesh above.Though Vahn's 'Dragon's Roar' was one of his most powerful attacks, especially in his transformed state, it was only the precursor to his actual attack. Immediately following the unstoppable pulse of energy, several layered acceleration gates appeared before his open maw which, from within, could be seen glowing with intense azure light. At the same time, his scales grew more vibrant while the three-pronged horns on his head began to curve slightly, a complex runic pattern expanding across their surface.Without realizing it himself, Vahn's Qīnglóng transformation had become slightly different than what he had grown accustomed to. It was likely related to his emotional state but, rather than a coating of azure scales, more than half of his body now glistened with resplendent gold. Even the lightning that danced across his body began to emulate this change but, with his focus entirely on Scáthach, Vahn hadn't noticed it at all.With his Dragon's Breath building up to a critical level, Vahn released it into the acceleration gates, each forcibly kept stable by a mass of Source Energy. As a result, his already devastating attack was elevated far beyond its normal destructive capacity, accelerating far beyond the speed of light. This caused the same pulse he had experienced in the past but, having anticipated it this time, an aura of pure Source Energy veiled his body, protecting himself and his cherished [Lævateinn]s.Though his breath was usually concentrated into a beam, the peculiarity of accelerating an attack beyond the speed of light caused it to radiate out in all directions, seemingly without limit. Even Vahn was taken aback by this as, immediately following his attack, 'everything' within view began to dissolve away into what Da Vinci referred to as Subatomic Ash. It was the completely spent state of magical energy and, with nothing to keep it stable, it broke apart until it was smaller than even a preon before ultimately becoming so small it couldn't be detected by even the most powerful of instruments.For several seconds after the release of his attack, Vahn's surroundings became nothing but a cloud of ash, swirling about in the massive void he had created. It was like being trapped in a vacuum and, for reasons he couldn't ascertain, even the surrounding atmosphere was unable to collapse in to fill the 300km void he had created. It wasn't until the cloud of absolute darkness finally faded away that the atmosphere finally tried to stabilize, collapsing in on itself with phenomenal destructive force as a result of the pressure differential.At the time, Vahn couldn't even fathom how much damage his attack had done but, from where he was hovering, even the closest surface seemed a vast distance away. It reminded him a lot of when he would float high above the planet and, though he had never thought to try, Vahn had the distinct impression he might even be able to destroy a planet at his current level. Though there were quite a number of Noble Phantasms that qualified as Anti-World Noble Phantasms, it had never occurred to him that he would reach anywhere near that level in his current state...Though he experienced a strange feeling of existential dread, Vahn was even more put off by the feeling of 'pride' that welled up inside him. Part of him wanted to roar out triumphantly but, as this wasn't the first time he had transformed into his Qīnglóng form, he managed to keep it restrained. Instead, he flew upwards toward the massive tear in the sky above, the only thing that had survived his amplified Dragon's Breath. As for the amalgamation of flesh within, it was now nowhere to be seen, much like Scáthach herself.Even if his attack was twice as strong, Vahn wouldn't have believed it if anyone told him his attack had been enough to actually kill his Shishou. Thus, despite her apparent absence, he remained as vigilant as his current state would allow, his [Lævateinn]s at the ready, crying out for a chance to do battle.What unnerved Vahn was that, even after several minutes had passed, Scáthach was nowhere to be seen. He could only watch in silence as the tear in space began to mend itself, appearing much like a blot of misty ink that slowly shrank until vanishing into nothingness. It was only after this that Vahn began to feel nervous as, knowing his Shishou, there was no way she would just remain idle for more than ten minutes.Beginning to feel a little panicky, Vahn stowed away his morose [Lævateinn]s and began scouring the area using his domain. He flew from one end of the massive crater to the next, searching for any signs of Scáthach, all while using [Enkidu] to forcibly reveal anything that might be hidden away in the void. There was always a chance that she was trying to lull him into a complacent state so, even after several hours had passed, Vahn hadn't dropped his guard as he continued his search for the woman he couldn't even rationalize killing...(A/N: Alternate Titles: '... .... .','.. ...','.- .-.. .. ...- .')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/Jwa8PKh

Though he still couldn't believe it, Vahn eventually touched down on the edge of the massive crater he had formed, taking a seat along the periphery as his mind entered a daze. He refused to admit it could be over in such a short period of time as, while he had, indeed, gone all out, it shouldn't have been enough to defeat his Shishou. Her immortality was tied to the Land of Shadows itself so, with the latter still existing around him, Vahn couldn't believe she was dead...With little else to do, Vahn used the moment to reflect on the battle, staring at his own hands and the massive chasm that stretched out before him. He knew his destructive capabilities had reached a ridiculous level but, seeing how devastating his Dragon's Breath had been, an empty feeling welled up inside them. This didn't feel like an amount of power that someone should possess but, despite this, Vahn knew he was barely at the starting point on his journey to becoming Tier 7.One day, perhaps a lot sooner than he expected, entire planets, stars, galaxies, and even universes would cease to be if he so willed it. Even entire multiverses would bend to his will and, though he was nowhere near that level just yet, even the Laws themselves would manifest in the way he chose. He would be able to create Gods, shape worlds with his will, and alter the flow of time on his whim. It was a truly terrifying amount of power, not only because he would possess it one day, but because others already did.With even Alaya absent from within the Land of Shadows, Vahn only had one person to talk to so, after falling onto his back and staring up at the ashen-gray sky above, he asked, ("What should I do, Sis? I know I need power but, what is the point of possessing it if I can't even control it well enough to avoid killing my own allies? I feel like I'm becoming a monster, not a God of Creation...will I ever be able to enjoy a battle at higher levels...?").Immediately after his inquiry, Vahn could hear a sigh within the back of his mind but, when Sis finally spoke, she had her usual reassuring voice as she answered, (*Your ability to use Source Energy allows you to leap over the Tier gap and even damage people you shouldn't be able to harm. Just like how you are able to affect Artoria when she is using Avalon, there is no classification of immortality that is beyond your means to destroy. I can't say whether or not you will ever be able to enjoy yourself in a battle but, as most of your conquests are against your enemies, is it not better to have the power to defeat anyone...?*)Though there was a lot of truth to Sis' words, Vahn still missed the times when he had first started his journey. Before he had gotten wrapped up in trying to protect others, elevating his strength to ridiculous levels, he had been a bit of a battle junky. He used to enjoy the heart-pumping thrill of battle, letting his instincts take charge as he zipped around the battlefield at high speeds. Now, he had enough raw power that, if he was back in Danmachi, he would probably be able to crack open the head of Achron with his bare fists...Vahn knew that, as his power continued to grow and develop, even minor conflicts would turn into climactic battles with the fate of entire realms on the line. One day, rather than throw marble-sized Elemental Stars, he may be using actual stars, hurling them towards monstrous entities the size of Nebulas. It seemed so ridiculous to think about but, with even Tier 5 being able to create a system-driven multiverse, it wasn't really an exaggeration. He still couldn't even begin to fathom what Tier 6 and 7 were like as, in the present moment, he couldn't even truly comprehend his own power...Fearing that Vahn may be falling back into his old habits, Sis' voice became more prominent within his mind as she stated, (*There is no going backward, Vahn. Just as you encourage others to do, you need to have the strength to constantly move forward. There are no limits to The Path, only how you choose to use it. The power you seek is necessitated by your desires but that doesn't mean you will be forced to use it. When the time comes, you can choose to seal your power away or even manifest as an Avatar amongst the many worlds you have created; just like the Gods in Danmachi...*).Hearing Sis' guiding words, Vahn exhaled a tired sigh before rolling to a seated position and kicking off against the side of the massive hemispherical chasm. Though he still felt empty inside, he knew it was only a temporary phenomenon. He actually had quite a number of things to fill the void caused by his ever-increasing power so, rather than mull over it, taking action was the more sensible choice.Even if he reached a level of power that others couldn't hope to compete with, that didn't mean he was out of options. If he wanted to, he could just become a teacher, helping his comrades, guiding his children along their own paths, and even setting others unrelated people on their own. He didn't have to focus on his own life as the central point of all things as, with enough power, there were no limits to the options available to him. The only thing he really needed to get better at was managing his Karmic footprint as, if he kept repeating the same cyclic behavior in every Record he visited, there would be no end to his troubles...---After several hours of aimlessly flying around with no particular destination in mind, Vahn began mulling over ways to leave the Land of Shadows. He could still feel his link to the seven Heroic Spirits of Scáthach so, if it came down to it, he could summon her Caster version to open a gate back to the real world. There was a good chance they were already aware of what had happened so, at the very least, he could learn whether or not the 'real' Scáthach had died.Truthfully, Vahn didn't understand how Scáthach had been able to manifest the Land of Shadows in the real world, especially with her Heroic Spirits still present. After all, she wasn't a standard summon as, much like Merlin, Scáthach had never actually died. It was for this reason that each version of her was linked together so, now that the original may have perished, common sense stated they should have vanished alongside her. Inversely, so long as they were alive, Scáthach would still have a vessel to inhabit, much like how he used his own bodies.Since it was easier to just ask Scáthach herself about what had happened, Vahn touched down near the epicenter of the 300km deep crater, marveling at its size for a brief moment before opening his Unit Management and transferring Caster Scáthach to his location. He could have used a Command Spell to accomplish the same feat but, with his Unit Management able to circumvent all interference, it was the simpler solution.What surprised Vahn was the fact that Scáthach manifested in what appeared to be a column of ice, reminding him a lot of Eva's [Eternal Ice Coffin]. The only real difference was that Scáthach had used [Primordial Rune]s to achieve the same effect, giving the glacial pillar a peculiar and ancient aura.Seeing the naked woman sealed away in the ice coffin, Vahn briefly considered summoning the Lily version of Scáthach but, as the Land of Shadows was filled with the Laws of Death, it didn't seem like the best idea. She was the only version of Scáthach that didn't have a direct link to the deathly lands so, while she had been linked to the other six, it was fundamentally different than the others.At one point, Vahn had an inkling that Scáthach had insisted on her Lily version in the hopes of using it as a scapegoat of sorts. Now that things had come to this, he had the terrifying realization that this may have actually been the case. From what he could ascertain, Scáthach had gone to great lengths to ensure that her other six forms had been sealed away completely. She had even made the coffins in such a way that, while still active, he couldn't send mana to any of them. This meant, after they ran out of internal Magical Power, all six of the sealed versions of Scáthach would fade away...Realizing what she had done, Vahn gnashed his teeth hard enough to bloody his gums and, with a furious howl, he smashed the ground beneath his feet in a frenzy. Though her nature wouldn't have allowed her to go easy on him, it was obvious that Scáthach had played him for a fool. She had used him to effectively commit suicide, removing any chance he had of preventing it. To make things even worse, she had forcibly transplanted her original self into the current time axis so, even if he wanted to, summoning 'his' Scáthach would be impossible...---While Vahn was raging within the Land of Shadows, the person responsible for his mental anguish was standing silently atop the Sage Aldrnari College Commons. Though she knew she had wronged Vahn considerably, this was all in the hopes of teaching him an important lesson. After all, unless he really wanted to become one of the very things he hated, Vahn had no right to decide her fate. She had been seeking death for thousands of years so, while she understood, and even appreciated, his intentions, this was the only course of action.So long as she was connected to the Land of Shadows, Scáthach knew she would never be happy. It wouldn't matter if Vahn found a way to liberate her from the duty she had been assigned as, after being imprisoned for far more than the 2200 years that had passed in reality, her mental state had reached a point of no return. Though Vahn had rekindled some of her passions, the person she had become wasn't someone who was even worthy of staying at his side.Though her Lily version had been connected with the other six, this mental link would be severed once they ran out of mana. Then, finally, she would be liberated from her position as Queen of the Land of Shadows. She would no longer be burdened by the [Wisdom of the Haunted Ground] and, while her power would understandably decrease, she was still a peerless warrior. Now, she even had actual goals, breathing newfound vitality into her cold and desolate existence.After seeing how powerful Vahn had become in such a short period of time, Scáthach was wholly determined to become even stronger than her original self. She would not give in to the temptation of easy power and, even if it took hundreds of years, she would surpass herself in every way. At the same time, she would dedicate herself to the man who had forced himself to fall in love with her, all while forcing her to love him in kind. This was the least she could do for the man who had given her everything, including the release of death she had sought for the vast majority of her existence.Remembering the promise she had made with Vahn prior to the twelve challenges, Scáthach couldn't help but allow a sincere smile to spread across her lips. This time, she would be a better mother than before as, even if she didn't really know how, Scáthach knew she could rely on the other women in the Ivory Castle to help her. Now that she had finally been liberated from her fate, there was no end to the number of things she wanted to experience but, before that, Scáthach started off by planting a vibrant [Primordial Rune] directly into her forehead...(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'TFW you accidentally kill the final boss with a glitch and the credits start to roll...','Vahn's Temper Tantrum','The longest con')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/Jwa8PKh

With Dunscaith Castle being less than eight-hundred kilometers from Avalon, it was a distance even an Einzbern Homunculi could cover in less than an hour. Thus, while it was an enjoyable and scenic flight, Vahn reached his destination in just under twenty minutes.Even prior to the event people now called 'The Fall', the Isle of Skye had only ever had around 10,000 inhabitants. It, like much of Scotland, had been relatively untouched by the times due to the efforts of both 'conservationists' and, as could be expected, the many Magus families that could trace their lineage back to the Age of Gods. As a result, it was a beautiful land filled with verdant plains, strange rock formations, and a host of peculiar forests, many rumored to be enchanted by Fae and Spirits.Now, with few exceptions, most of Skye's inhabitants had migrated east, seeking refuge near larger population centers. Though some remained behind, unable or unwilling to abandon their ancestral homeland, the island now appeared devoid of human life. This included the nearby crofting village of Tokavaig, a popular tourist destination. During his short flight, Vahn had only detected a total of seven people still inhabiting the village, most of which seemed to belong to the same family.Since this was a personal matter, Vahn really didn't want to get others involved so, while it was more than a little disorienting for the unsuspecting family, he had Alaya teleport them to safety. Once his battle with Scáthach came to an end, he would compensate them for their troubles, even if it meant having to build them a new house with his own two hands.Though it was called a castle, Vahn was surprised to find that Dunscaith was only about 25m across. It seemed less like a fortress than a stone-forged beach house as, while isolated and in a defensible position, about 12m above the surrounding sea, it would have had no means to resupply during a siege. There was only a single drawbridge connecting it to the mainland but, considering this was a gap of only seven meters, it seemed pointless for keeping anything but 'normal' people out.Vahn had known that, other than her immediate family and students, Scáthach had chosen to live isolated from the rest of the world. Even then, he had expected something grander than a simple walled castle with nothing more than a small complex, a 10m tall tower, and what appeared to be a stable incapable of housing more than three horses. Though it did radiate a certain majesty, as was the case with all castles, Vahn couldn't help but feel it was a very 'lonely' sight to behold.Seemingly sharing this sentiment, Arcueid squeezed his hand with her own, worry visible in her eyes as she said, "Be careful..." in a somber tone. In response, Vahn ran his fingers slowly through her hair and, after planting a kiss on the top of her head, he replied, "I shouldn't keep her waiting any longer. Take care of everything else for me, will you...?"Though she could do little to hide her concern, Arcueid managed a supportive smile as she placed her hand overtop Vahn's and intoned a simple, 'Un...' in response. She was beginning to get a very bad feeling about everything so, while she didn't say it out loud, Arcueid was resolved to step in if things got too dangerous. She believed in Vahn but Scáthach was famous for killing Gods, Divine Spirits, and various immortal creatures. There were no true absolutes in the world so, while it seemed impossible to kill Vahn, there was always a small chance 'something' would happen...Vahn could see through Arcueid's intentions but, knowing there wasn't much he could do to stop her from worrying, he opted to remain silent and just enjoy their final moment together. He could already feel the aura from within the castle beginning to build, however, so he opted not to remain idle for too long. Thus, after sending Arcueid off with a smile on his face, Vahn turned to the rather demure castle and made his way inside the only building on the relatively small outcrop.Upon opening the doors to the castle's keep, Vahn found himself face to face with Scáthach who, at the end of an 8m long path, could be found sitting on a rune-covered throne, forged from the same crystalline metal as her weapons. She was even wearing a deep purple gown, not all that dissimilar to the one her Caster counterpart often wore. The only real difference was the fact that this version of the dress still had metallic pauldrons, trimmed with black feathers, while, seated above her ruby-red eyes, a crown reminiscent of black thorns, set with a blood-red gemstone, could be seen...Though she emanated a regal and inviolable aura, Scáthach was actually just sitting casually on her throne, supporting her head with her right hand, one leg crossed over the other as she lazily gazed at Vahn and muttered, "You don't seem all that impressed by my home...did you expect something grand like the Ivory Castle?"Not expecting the first thing out of Scáthach's mouth to pertain to her castle, Vahn found himself at a momentary loss for words. Then, forcing him to swallow any kind of excuse he might have come up with, Scáthach raised her hand, her momentum exploding out in an instant. As a result, Vahn was pushed back a few meters, enough to be sent flying from the keep if not for his surroundings having changed in a startling manner.A stark contrast to the rather homely throne room from before, Vahn now found himself in a vast chamber that was more than a hundred meters deep and thirty across. At the same time, his senses showed that the outside had changed into a veritable fortress, the previous tower now exceeding a hundred meters in height while the cliff upon which the castle was set increased to more than five hundred...Without needing to ask, Scáthach righted her position on her throne as she explained, "You, of all people, should know better than to base everything off first impressions...Welcome, Vahn Aldrnari Mason...to the Land of Shadows...my home."Though he had already sensed something was off, it was only after Scáthach's words that Vahn was able to realize what was 'different' about her. This caused his eyes to widen considerably, earning a rare smile from her as she nodded her head and stated, "It is as you suspect. Thanks to your efforts in summoning so many of my counterparts, I had little trouble performing the ritual to connect the Land of Shadows to the Surface World. What you see before you is no Spiritual Form...did you really think I would be content fighting against you with the limits of the Throne?"Hearing Scáthach's words, Vahn couldn't help but feel a tumultuous stirring inside his heart as, even now, he could still feel his connection with all seven versions of her. He couldn't understand how the 'real' her could coexist with the Heroic Spirit versions of herself but, considering who it was sitting across from him, Vahn didn't doubt her words. He honestly shouldn't have even been surprised as, even alone, Scáthach was capable of incomprehensible feats. With six of herself working in concert with each other, there were very few limits to what she could accomplish...Seeing Vahn quickly recover his composure, Scáthach gave a small nod and, though she wasn't particularly known for her exposition, explained, "You should know...I'm not like the other women you have surrounded yourself with. There are no great tragedies in my past and, while I did lose my father at a young age, that was normal during my lifetime. Rather, from your perspective, I should be considered an enemy...my past is not a secret to you...you know what I have done..."Though she was idolized as a great hero and an even greater teacher, the true history of Scáthach was a much darker tale. Much like how Cú's own story included events such as him killing his best friend, murdering hundreds, and even committing filicide; Scáthach's was marred with tragedies she had set in motion. She treated her children with such disregard that, even if they were brutally raped or killed, she wouldn't intervene or mourn them. While this might have been driven by her lack of emotions and the corruption of her [Wisdom of the Haunted Ground], it wasn't an exaggeration to say that, rather than a Hero, Scáthach had been one of the most wicked villains of the entire Ulster Cycle...Despite everything she had done, however, Vahn genuinely believed that Scáthach wasn't a terrible person. Her actions had been the result of her 'knowing' when, where, and how people were going to die. Though she could have tried to fight against fate, preventing tragedies and becoming a far greater Hero than recorded in history, this was all but impossible to accomplish. Even Merlin couldn't fight against fate as, by taking proactive measures to set certain events in motion, you became the very lynchpin of your reality. This was the same reason Zelretch rarely intervened in events and, for much the same reasons as Scáthach, showed disregard for virtually everyone around him...In essence, had she not 'known everything', Scáthach would have likely walked a very different path than the one she had been set upon for the last twenty-two-hundred-years. Though there was a very good chance she would have become a true villain, that was simply the nature of most Heroes at the end of the Age of Gods. During her era, people with power were expected to act as they pleased as, even if they were spoken about poorly, fame gave people actual power. Most Heroes had committed a few atrocities during their rise but, when it came down to it, they still distinguished themselves as Heroes by setting themselves against greater threats to the people...Had he entered the Nasuverse around the time of Scáthach's reign, it was all but guaranteed that they would have been enemies. In fact, Scáthach may very well have been his greatest enemy as, with how she treated her people, students, and even family, he wouldn't have been able to forgive her. Now, however, she was just a lonely woman who had suffered for several millennia in solitude, burdened with a power she had never desired. She had already paid a heavier price than most could even fathom and, while her training had been harsh, Scáthach had been one of his strongest pillars of support since entering the Nasuverse.With more than three years worth of experience dealing with his monstrous Shishou, Vahn knew she wasn't a bad person. Though she couldn't exactly be called good, she shared a lot of similarities with various Goddesses and, with her [Wisdom of the Haunted Ground] serving as a powerful curse, this wasn't all that surprising. Thus, rather than treat her as a human, Vahn looked at Scáthach in the same way he would view a Goddess of Death and Slaughter. Yes, she had done many terrible things but, looking back on his own past, especially the past few months, Vahn knew he couldn't really be considered a paragon of virtue.With all of this in mind, Vahn couldn't help but shake his head in response to Scáthach's claim about being different from his other women. This caused her to give him a curious look but, before she was able to inquire, he preempted her by stating, "The past doesn't matter in the slightest. The woman I have come to know over the last three years is someone that I, and everyone else in the Empire, can rely on. You have helped to shape me into the man I am today and, while you may resent me for it, I know I have left an impression on you as well...you are not the cold woman your Innates have forced everyone, even yourself, to believe..."Hearing Vahn's words, Scáthach issued a rare laugh, her deep voice sending shivers along his spine as she rose to her feet and stated, "You are right...feel proud, my foolish little disciple. In all my life, you are but one of three who have left an impression on my heart. Now, I will make you accept the responsibility your careless actions have wrought. Show me how far your greed and ambition can take you..."With her words trailing, Scáthach's calm and complacent demeanor instantly faded away and, before Vahn was able to answer in kind, he found himself on the receiving end of a cross-shaped red spear, it's surface glistening with runes as it attempted to pierce his heart...(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'The calm before the storm','Heroes are immortalized by those who survive them','An insatiable desire, a crimson spear...')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/Jwa8PKh

Chapter 1400: Roar