Endless Path : Infinite Cosmos

Following his conversation with Skuld, Vahn entered a type of maze known as a Trojaborg Labyrinth.
Unlike typical mazes, Trojaborg Labyrinths only had a single path with no dead ends. As he made his way through, panels would rise behind him to prevent him from turning back, presumably representing the passage of time and the general inability for people to turn back on the road of life.
Contributing to this speculation, Vahn eventually found himself within a room whose environment spontaneously changed into the aftermath of a great battle. There were hundreds of corpses littering the ground, but it was possible to make out subdued sobbing and other signs of life if you listened closely.
"Hmmm..."
Though he could see a rather conspicuous gate located a few hundred meters away, Vahn took a moment to ponder the purpose of his current setting. At the same time, his domain captured everyone and everything within range of his senses, instantaneously informing him of the number of survivors and their respective conditions.
Presumably in an attempt to break his concentration, Vahn's attention was drawn to a relatively young boy with blonde hair, blue eyes, and a missing arm that called out to him, "Please...help me..." in a strained tone.
"Sure, why not?"
Raising his right hand towards the sky, Vahn surprised the skulking Skuld by creating a complex magic circle that easily covered the entirety of the battlefield. Then, with a simple snap of Vahn's fingers, everyone in need of treatment, including a few that had recently passed, found themselves without injury.
While it would have been understandable if they needed time to process what had just happened, there was no stillness following Vahn's actions. Rather, upon discovering they could move about freely, a few of the more bloodthirsty individuals picked up stray hammers and axes in an attempt to strike down their recently recovered foes.
Adding insult to injury, the boy that had asked Vahn for help picked up a spear and attempted to impale him through the stomach, shouting, "Die, Sorceror...!"
Rolling his eyes, Vahn began making his way towards the gate at the far end of the battlefield as several individuals joined the youth in trying to kill him. In response, Vahn made his body immaterial, completely ignoring their frenzied attacks as they seemingly competed for the glory of taking his head.
After passing through the gate, Vahn, once again, found himself within the Trojaborg Labyrinth. When he looked back, the battlefield had vanished, replaced by a smooth stone wall and a mural depicting a man raising his hand toward the sky and raising the dead.
"Neat."
While others may have fallen into a moment of reflection after passing through the battlefield, Vahn left Skuld feeling at a loss as he resumed his journey without a fuss. In his mind, there was nothing to be learned as he was well-acquainted with the selfishness of those who lived in the pursuit of glory. At the same time, his healing of people was an expression of his personal form of selfishness. He wasn't going to brood because someone used his gift to spite him or commit atrocities. That was their decision, not his.
Making his way through the maze, Vahn inevitably came across several other settings that required him to make choices that would have weighed heavily on the consciousness of others. There was even a situation where he had to choose between saving two children, his decision to save one invariably resulting in the death of the other.
Completely ignoring the premise, Vahn teleported both children to his side before ruffling their hair and telling them to be more careful in the future. Later, he was given the option of saving a group of hunters being assailed by a massive wolf. The wolf turned out to be a mother trying to secure food for her pups, so coming to the aid of the hunters, at least under normal circumstances, would have resulted in the deaths of several innocent lives.
Doing things at his own pace, Vahn prevented the mother wolf's attack with some headpats before smacking some sense into the hunters that wanted to kill her in retaliation. He then provided more than enough food for both groups to go their separate ways before relocating the mother and her pups someplace where they would be able to live without human intervention, at least for a while.
In the end, Vahn had to clear a total of eleven stages, one for each circuit of the Trojaborg Labyrinth. Awaiting him at his destination was a massive stone wall depicting the decisions he had made along the way, each laid out in a fresco. Skuld was also there, appearing somewhat unenthusiastic as she said, "Much like this mural, the decisions we make in life are set in stone. It might be possible to take a chisel to it, but there is no changing what has come to pass, only what is to come..."
Gesturing towards an ancient-looking hammer and chisel located beneath the mural, Skuld added, "Beyond the limitations of time, knowledge of the past, present, and future are one and the same. With the proper tools, it is possible to change all three. However, the only thing that truly changes is oneself. Attempt to change the past in the present, and the only thing you end up accomplishing is writing a new future..."
Having long been aware of such fundamental truths, Vahn simply nodded his head in response to Skuld's words. When she saw her words had very little effect on him, a subdued sigh escaped her throat as she lowered her hand and remarked, "I thought as much. You truly are a unique existence. Most people spend their entire lives searching for meaning along the path they walk. It is exceptionally rare, even among the Gods, for an individual to be content walking the path itself..."
Resisting the urge to point out he was the manifestation of The Path itself, Vahn maintained a smile as he replied, "Compliment me any further, and I may float away due to my ego overinflating."
Rolling her eyes, Skuld began to slowly dematerialize as she said, "When you reach the end of your journey, the best way forward is to carve a new path..."
"Mmm...I see..."
Though she could be trying to be mysterious, Vahn decided to interpret Skuld's words literally by blasting a hole through the mural depicting his journey through the maze. When he did, he could have sworn he heard the sound of someone tripping, but Vahn just ignored it as he made his way into the nebulous black void that awaited him on the other side of the newly created door...
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Shortly after entering the darkness, Vahn found himself stepping out into what appeared to be an underground cavern. The walls were covered in bioluminescent algae that made it resemble the evening sky, but the thing that immediately caught Vahn's attention was the stunning beauty waiting for him near a spring filled with a hazy, rainbow-hued liquid.
Knowing what the sisters originally had in mind once he completed their challenges, Vahn decided to tease the ephemeral, pink and blue-haired giantess by asking, "Oh? Are we going to take a bath?"
Snorting through her nose, the mesmerizing beauty, Ur&eth;r, explained, "This is one of the many mouths of Ur&eth;arbrunnr, the Well of Fate. To proceed to the next Trial, you must find your way through this passage without losing yourself in its flow. Be warned, as even the most stalwart of spirits can be shattered-why are you taking your clothes off?"
Seeing everything but Vahn's underpants spontaneously melt away, Ur&eth;r couldn't prevent her eyes from roaming even as she took a step back and prepared to apparate away. Both she and Ver&eth;andi had been listening in when he spoke with Skuld, but she didn't trust that Vahn wouldn't try to force himself on her if the opportunity presented itself. Most Gods weren't exactly gentlemen...
Resisting the temptation to point out that Ur&eth;r's feathery outfit was even scantier than his own, Vahn calmly replied, "If I'm going to pass through the spring that contains the memories of everyone's pasts, I may as well experience it directly."
Recalling how Solon had once been swept up by the Ur&eth;arbrunnr, Vahn had always wondered what it would be like to subsume himself into the collective memories of everyone that had ever lived within a designated Realm. Most people would be terrified by such a thing, fearing they would be consumed and lose themselves, but Vahn knew it was only a matter of time before he had to subsume all of Creation into himself. He couldn't be intimidated by the collective experiences of a few trillion people.
Seeing no signs of fear or hesitation in Vahn's actions, Ur&eth;r couldn't help thinking he was looking down on their Trials. At the same time, however, a fluttery feeling filled her bosom as she considered the possibility that he really could clear them with ease...
Noticing the dazed giantess's gaze as he walked past, Vahn sent Ur&eth;r a wink before stepping into the rainbow-hued liquid without a moment of hesitation. Nothing happened when it was just his body, but the moment his head sank beneath the surface, he could feel countless fragments of Ego attempting to invade his body.
("Oh...this is going to be easier than I thought...")
Similar to when Gustang attempted to invade his mind and analyze the structure and composition of his Ego, Vahn didn't even have to resist as his body and mind naturally purged the invasive influence. Then, as if to prevent further intrusion, a pulse of energy surged out from the very core of his Ego, purifying the surrounding waters of their rainbow hue.
Though he was a little disappointed, Vahn swam through the underwater tunnels with the finesse of a god-tier penguin until his senses detected an air pocket. When he surfaced, he found Ver&eth;andi staring down at him with an almost offended look on her face as she asked, "Just what are you...?"
Rising from the water like a balloon, Vahn casually replied, "Those close to me call me Vahn. Pretty much everyone else calls me the Sage Dragon Emperor. Nice to meet you?"
Furrowing her brows, Ver&eth;andi gripped the staff in her hands as she said, "I've never heard of a Dragon that can exorcise Souls by simply swimming through them..."
While drying himself off and donning a fresh outfit, Vahn tried to correct Ver&eth;andi's misunderstanding, explaining, "The waters of the Ur&eth;arbrunnr are not comprised of Souls, but the fragments of countless people's Egos. It is a collection of memories and intentions that refuse to merge, so they form a stream of consciousness that attempts to latch onto anything more 'whole' than itself."
Landing on the ground, Vahn ignored the suspicion in Ver&eth;andi's gaze as he looked around asked, "So? Where's my next Trial? I'm not exactly in a rush, but there are a lot of people waiting for my return."
"Hmph..."
Tapping the spear-like end of her staff against the ground, Ver&eth;andi produced what appeared to be several additional Doppelgangers. This time, however, they did not take Vahn's form. Instead, two took on the forms of Sis and Fenrir while the others began changing into people the Central Network undoubtedly recognized as precious to him.
If it were just his lovers, Vahn wouldn't have minded too much as he knew the Doppelgangers weren't 'real.' It was when a few began taking on the form of his children that the casual smile faded from his face, replaced by a grim expression as he looked towards Ver&eth;andi and warned, "This goes beyond playing with fire..."
Though she would have ordinarily scoffed at such a threat, Ver&eth;andi's eyes widened as she found herself unable to move under Vahn's stare. It was like a hand had grasped around her entire body, threatening to crush her into paste the moment she said or did anything out of line...
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(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Vahn does things at his own pace...','Oof...','Even the Central Network is sweating...')

Understanding that Ver&eth;andi wasn't entirely at fault, Vahn slowly reined in his anger as he turned to face the group of Doppelgangers. Their ranks included Sis, Fenrir, Mikoto, Usalia, Seraphina, Sarina, Nono, Leticia, and Shiroyukihime, pretty much everyone that had assisted in the formation of the Sage Dragon's Hearth.
If it were just the founding members of his Community, Vahn wouldn't have been that upset. He knew what kind of games the Central Network played, so it wasn't too surprising to encounter replicas of the people he cared about. He had even forewarned Yo, Asuka, and the rest of the No Names of this very possibility.
What annoyed Vahn was that the Central Network had included Xysteria among the ranks of Doppelgangers. When he was first transferring people from his Little Garden into the Divine Realm, there was a period where she would accompany him pretty much 24/7. He had been especially cautious around that time, evidently leading to the Central Network flagging her as a potential weakness.
It wasn't entirely wrong.
Combing his fingers through his hair, Vahn forced himself to calm down as he flatly inquired, "What are the clear conditions of the Trial?"
Sensing that the surrounding space had been sealed, prohibiting spatial movements such as teleportation, Ver&eth;andi swallowed nervously before answering, "It's similar to the previous Trial...you need to get past them if you want to advance further. However, you need not resort to violence. It is but one of many paths towards the future..."
Turning to stare back at the lavender-haired giantess, Vahn squinted his eyes and growled, "Lucky for you..."
With Ver&eth;andi making it clear he didn't 'need' to fight, Vahn returned his gaze to the group of Doppelgangers as potent, rainbow-hued light began to exude from his palms. The moment he stepped forward, Mikoto led the charge against him, her body becoming shrouded in Tribulation Lightning as she attempted to stab through his neck with her fingers.
Ignoring the non-existent threat to his life, Vahn allowed Mikoto's hand to slip through him, subsequently catching her waist with his left arm. Then, before she could even attempt to wriggle free, he ran his right palm from her shoulders to the small of her back in a swift yet extremely practiced manner.
"Hwaaaaaah~!?"
Grasping the structure of the faux-Mikoto's body in an instant, Vahn gave her bottom a firm smack as he said, "Bad girl." in a chiding tone. When he did, her body burst into a cloud of yellow smoke before reappearing as a very defeated-looking Pikachu.
Nodding his head in approval, Vahn was about to set the Pikachu aside when a flurry of bright pink lasers impacted his position. He was able to sweep them away with a wave of his hand, but that ultimately created an opening for the feral-looking bunny girl charging toward him with razor-sharp teeth.
As a furrow marred Vahn's face, a series of golden chains erupted from the void in an attempt to bind him. When he looked towards the culprit, he found the faux-Sis smiling at him with a mischievous smile on her face.
Adopting a stone-faced expression, Vahn remained unmoving as the chains entangled his body and the faux-Usalia opened her mouth wide enough to try and bite off his head. From his perspective, everything had suddenly slowed to an imperceptibly slow crawl as his eyes glistened with a fierce golden glow.
Instead of shrugging off the chains, Vahn allowed them to sink into his body, instantaneously absorbing them as he reached up to poke the area just below the faux-Usalia's navel. Then, while everyone else appeared to be frozen in time, he slipped past the faux-Usalia's charging figure to pat the similarly fake Sis on the head, muttering, "You're lucky I'm keeping the actual Sis at bay..."
As if stimulated by Vahn's words, the world around him appeared to move again as the faux-Usalia tore through his previous position before curling up in the fetal position. At the same time, the faux-Sis's legs gave out, a low and sonorous mewl escaping from her throat as she fell onto her side with an enraptured look on her face...
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Seeing how Vahn had elected to deal with the Doppelgangers, a stupefied expression developed across Ver&eth;andi's face. She had heard some of the rumors regarding his 'prowess' but never anticipated that he could bring women to their knees with a simple touch.
Looking towards the downed Usalia, a shiver ran through Ver&eth;andi's body as she sensed the ambient pleasure exuding from the former.
"Did he trap them in some kind of illusion...?"
Suppressing the urge to glimpse into the Doppelganger's mind, Ver&eth;andi returned her attention to Vahn, her golden eyes reflecting the scene of him making short work of Seraphina, Leticia, Shiroyukihime, Sarina, and Nono. It was one of the most one-sided Trials she had ever witnessed as none of the Doppelgangers' attacks appeared to have even a minor effect while Vahn simply needed to touch them.
"Wait a moment...what's this...?"
Noticing that two of the Doppelgangers weren't even attempting to fight, Ver&eth;andi's eyes locked on the faux-Fenrir and the 'creature' she assumed to be the cause of his previous fury. While the other Doppelgangers were doing everything in their power to fight back, the peculiar duo was simply watching from the sidelines...
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After laying Nono next to Sarina in a bed he had manifested, Vahn shifted his attention to the final two Doppelgangers: Fenrir and Xysteria. When he did, the former stood a little straighter while the latter just stared blankly with her amber eyes.
"Hmmm..."
Extending his right hand, Vahn said, "Come." in a commanding tone. The moment he did, the faux-Fenrir rushed over and placed her paw into his hand, her thick and bushy tail swishing excitedly behind her.
"I guess even the Central Network couldn't turn my most loyal companion against me, huh? Good girl."
Exhibiting rows of razor-sharp teeth, the faux-Fenrir adopted an uncannily wide grin as Vahn caressed her head and fluffed up her oversized, almost rabbit-like ears.
While continuing to fluff up his loyal pup, Vahn shifted his attention to the faux-Xysteria before activating his Eyes of Truth.
"Ah...so that's how it is..."
Since Xysteria had never participated in a Gift Game and Vahn had taken extra precautions to keep her safe, the Central Network hadn't been able to emulate her skills and abilities. All it knew about her was that she could transform and that she was very timid around other people. It had no way of knowing just how 'terrifying' she could be.
Taking a seat on the ground, Vahn allowed the faux-Fenrir to snuggle up to him as he extended his hand towards the faux-Xysteria and whispered, "Come to Papa..."
Rather than listening to Vahn's words, the Xysteria Doppelganger hissed before turning into a wispy white phantom and darting to the roof. There, she metamorphosed into a veritable ball of fluff that stared back at him with caution.
"..."
Though it wasn't 'his' Xysteria, Vahn couldn't help feeling a little hurt by the Doppelganger's response. Even after all this time, he never had the experience of being shunned by any of his children. There were instances where he had been at odds with his sons, particularly Kamiya, but he had never tried to avoid him.
Suppressing the frustration he felt towards the Central Network, Vahn exuded an aura of calming energy as he manifested a series of gem-like beetles and bugs. If the Central Network had 'faithfully' reproduced some of Xysteria's behavior, she wouldn't be able to resist her favorite food.
With Vahn's presence suddenly disappearing, the faux-Xysteria spun her head around like an owl, seemingly oblivious to the fact he hadn't moved from his seated position. This was a trick Vahn had picked up a very long time ago, the ability to blend his aura into his environment so that animals and people alike would feel at ease. From the faux-Xysteria's perspective, he may as well be a tree right now.
After a prolonged period of hesitation, Xysteria began scuttling across the ceiling like a spider. Upon lining up with one of the gem-like beetles, she adhered one of her tails to the roof before pouncing down, snatching the beetle with her teeth, and returning to the ceiling like a yoyo rebounding to a hand.
Though a wry smile had developed across his face, Vahn couldn't help commenting, "Clever girl..." as he watched the faux-Xysteria scarf down her prey. She was unable to resist the allure of her favorite food, but she was smart or, at the very least, cautious enough not to simply trust in the fact she could no longer sense him...
Upon finishing with the first beetle, faux-Xysteria took a moment to take in her surroundings before lining up with her second target. Like before, she repelled down from the roof with incredible speed. However, before she could snatch up the beetle in question, it promptly moved out of the way in a zig-zagging pattern.
Though she allowed herself to be bungeed back to the roof, a very discontent look developed across faux-Xysteria's face as she eyed her missed quarry. The pupils of her eyes became like a cat's as she arched her body in the precursor to a pounce before launching herself with even greater velocity towards her target.
Instantly angering the bronze-skinned huntress, the beetle once again dodged her attack. When it did, she immediately broke her tether to the roof in order to pounce after it, much like a cat pursuing a laser pointer.
Despite possessing supernatural speed and agility, faux-Xysteria found herself unable to catch the emerald-hued beetle. Adding insult to injury, each successive beetle she attempted to catch seemed to move even faster than the last.
Feeling increasingly frustrated, faux-Xysteria's body became increasingly more animalistic as she began snarling through razor-sharp teeth. It was drastically different than the actual Xysteria, but the Central Network had no way of knowing what she looked like when angry.
Seeing several beetles gathering in the same spot, faux-Xysteria's pupils became thin slits as she sprang toward them with all four arms stretched outward. What she never expected was to collide with something invisible halfway through her leap.
"Gotcha~"
Before faux-Xysteria could make sense of the situation, warmth filled her body as a pair of arms wrapped around her. Her first instinct was to break away, but it was quickly suppressed by a feeling of contentment as Vahn scratched under her chin and said, "Behave." in a calm yet resonant tone.
Though he would never use his Authority against his actual children, Vahn made an exception for the discordant Doppelganger. Fortunately, it didn't take long for the faux-Xysteria to calm down as she lay across his lap and stared up at him with a curious expression on her face.
"There you go. Good girl."
Knowing how much the actual Xysteria enjoyed it, Vahn gently caressed the fake's smooth and pliable stomach. She immediately grasped his hand with two of her three-clawed hands but made no actual attempts to stop his actions.
Evidently recognizing Vahn's success in the Trial, the gate on the far side of the room promptly opened. However, instead of getting up and passing through it, Vahn continued petting the faux-Fenrir with his left hand while creating beetles to feed the faux-Xysteria with his right. At the same time, another version of himself manifested behind Ver&eth;andi, startling her as he said, "Sorry, but you deserve a bit of punishment."
Without giving the lavender-haired giantess the chance to protest, Vahn ran his index finger along the line of her back. As he did, her pitch-black wings promptly extended to their full width as a very loud yelp emanated from the giantess' throat...
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(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Woosah...','Fenrir is the goodest of girls (U w U)...','Vahn is an expert when it comes to luring young girls...')

Reading through the Norns' Geass Roll, a faint smile gradually developed across Vahn's face. There were a total of nine Trials, and while some of them seemed troublesome, he could imagine several not even activating against him.
Putting his theory to the test, Vahn waved away the scroll before making his way over to an oval-shaped mirror that had manifested on the nearby wall. It was supposed to show an image of his younger self so they could confront one another about how his hopes and dreams had changed over time. Instead, it reflected his present self against a backdrop of hazy pink mist.
After several moments of nothing happening, a spatial distortion occurred to Vahn's left as Ur&eth;r appeared to say, "You need to open your mind so my power can take effect. You'll never become Master of the Past by refusing to face it..."
Maintaining a relaxed smile, Vahn retorted, "Nowhere in the Geass Roll did it state I must allow myself to be influenced by your powers. I looked into the mirror, and nothing happened. That's on you."
Furrowing her brows, Ur&eth;r poutily remarked, "That's not very sporting of you..." before pausing for a moment and asking, "What are you afraid of? Is the past something even the legendary Sage Dragon Emperor fears to confront?"
Rolling his eyes, Vahn returned his gaze to the mirror. However, instead of the image within changing, the world around him began to distort as Ur&eth;r nervously inquired, "What are you doing...?"
Without breaking eye contact with himself, Vahn explained, "I am a being that carries his past with him wherever he goes. I do not fear it. Rather, I have embraced it long ago..."
Turning around, Vahn ignored Ur&eth;r as he made his way over to the side of a limbless boy staring listlessly up at the ceiling. When he did, the youth stared back at him with familiar aquamarine eyes, asking, "Who are you?" in a confused but unafraid tone.
Instead of answering his past self's question, Vahn asked one of his own, specifically, "Tell me...what is your wish?"
Since the illusion was a fragmented manifestation of himself, Vahn was genuinely curious about its response. Unsurprisingly, the youth hesitated for a moment before answering, "I want to be free..." with a considerable amount of longing in his voice.
Nodding his head in approval, Vahn was about to release his past self from his bindings when the latter surprised him by adding, "But I also want to help people..."
Retracting his hand, Vahn emitted a curious, "Oh...?" before asking, "And which, in your opinion, is more important? Helping people or being free?"
Too weak to shake his head, the limbless youth stared blankly for a few moments before answering, "I don't know...I just feel like I'm supposed to help people..."
"I see...but what if you could only choose one of the two? Freedom often means behaving selfishly, prioritizing your personal wants and needs over the interests of others. Helping people generally requires a sacrifice...and when you give even a little bit of yourself to someone, others will come to expect comparable treatment. In the end, you may even find yourself in a situation where you have nothing left to give..."
Staring at the emaciated figure of his past self, Vahn's words resonated with himself as much as they did the young boy strapped to the operation table. If not for the existence of The Path, he would have run out of things to give long ago...
Closing his eyes, the much younger version of Vahn appeared to be contemplating his future counterpart's words before answering, "Then I would choose to help people...I've already given so much...maybe if I give the rest, I can be free in my next life...?"
Hearing his younger self's response, Vahn found himself at a genuine loss for words. He knew Dr. Keenly had instilled in him a bit of a hero complex, but it was still jarring to hear such a young child talking about sacrificing themselves for the chance to be happy in their next life...
Suppressing a sigh, a melancholic smile developed across Vahn's face as he rustled his younger self's hair and said, "You're a good kid. See you on the other side."
Though he was confused by the stranger's words and behavior, the young Vahn returned a weak smile in response to having his hair ruffled. He felt a sense of familiarity towards the tall and robust figure, but before he could inquire about Vahn's identity, the illusion forming him dissipated, returning to memory.
Shifting his attention to Ur&eth;r, Vahn asked, "Satisfied?" with a borderline deadpan on his face.
Though she was tempted to refuse and say that Vahn couldn't just create his own illusions to overcome, Ur&eth;r was silenced when the door leading to the ensuing Trial suddenly opened. This implied that the Central Network recognized his accomplishment, so she had no choice but to answer, "It would appear you have succeeded with my First Trial. I don't like how you did it, but I can't argue if the Central Network recognizes the result. When you're ready, proceed through that door."
Feeling a little miffed, Ur&eth;r followed her words by disappearing along with her mirror. She had the feeling that Vahn had tampered with it, so she was going to inspect it while he was undergoing the Trials of her two sisters...
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Making his way into the next room, Vahn discovered a vaguely humanoid golem that appeared to be constructed from a rainbow-hued metal similar to Bismuth. When he entered, the golem quickly took his shape, mirroring his movements as Ver&eth;andi's voice explained, "In order to advance to the next Trial, you must first overcome your present self. Good luck."
Raising his brows, Vahn mused, "A Doppelganger...?" as the metallic figure gradually solidified into a copy of himself. Then, seemingly in response to his question, the figure raised its brows and repeated, "A Doppelganger?" in the same tone of voice.
Though he was tempted to fool around and see if the Doppelganger could keep up with him, Vahn manifested Enkidu and sent it charging toward his would-be clone at unimaginable speeds. The Doppelganger attempted to employ an Enkidu of its own, but even the Laws that governed Gift Games couldn't emulate an SSS-Rank Gift.
With all of its powers sealed, the Doppelganger gradually melted into an amorphous blob of rainbow-hued liquid as Vahn made his way over to the next door, musing, "Open sesame." as Ver&eth;andi's intent radiated a feeling of solemnity. She couldn't help feeling as though Vahn's behavior was in defiance of the 'spirit' of their Trials.
Under normal circumstances, challengers attempting to pass through the Second Trial would find themselves in a difficult position, forced to reflect on their actions. The enchantments on the golem transferred any damage it sustained to the attacker, so the best way forward was to make peace with oneself and recognize that violence was not always the solution to a problem.
Unfortunately for Ver&eth;andi, the Central Network acknowledged Vahn's method and allowed him to pass into the next room. All she could do was pray her younger sister was able to delay him as she worked on his next challenge...
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Having witnessed Vahn's general disregard for the previous Trials, Skuld elected to manifest before him, expressing, "You should treat this more seriously. How can you expect to become the Master of Fate if you can't even pretend to care?"
Though he knew Skuld's question wasn't a part of the Trial, Vahn decided to humor her, answering, "The simple fact of the matter is that I'm already a 'Master of Fate.' Me undergoing these Trials is a formality to prevent the Nine Realms from destabilizing. If I wanted to, nothing could prevent me from liberating the Valkyries and setting them on a new path. I don't need others' permission or acknowledgment to do what I think is right."
Taken aback by Vahn's words, Skuld found herself at a momentary loss for her own. Every other person that had attempted their Trials did so in the pursuit of wisdom or power. She could also see the outcome before their Trials even started, so she didn't know how to interact with someone whose future was beyond her sight.
Adopting a faint smile, Vahn said, "Relax. Even though it's not necessary, I intend to complete each of your Trials. I've already decided to liberate the Valkyries from their fates, so I might as well do the same for you and your sisters while I'm here."
Surprised by Vahn's words, Skuld blinked her amethyst eyes several times before asking, "You intend to liberate us? With our power, you could easily become the ruler of the Nine Realms. You could-"
Waving his hand as if he was lazily swatting away a fly, Vahn adopted an impeccable deadpan as he said, "Pass. I'm already capable of creating metaversal structures that exceed the Nine Realms in scope. I don't need someone else's power to rule."
"..."
Sensing no falsehoods in Vahn's words, Skuld, for the first time in her long existence, felt as though her actions were pointless. When she and her sisters first learned that Vahn was the one that supplied the cure for their mother, they decided they would allow him to experience their Trials even though he was an outsider. If he were successful, they would reward him with all of their power and, in turn, their hearts.
Though many, including Odin himself, had attempted to court them, the Norns had remained chaste since they first awoke beneath the canopy of the World Tree. Their power would be transferred to the one that claimed their maidenhood, so they had patiently awaited the day when someone unbound by fate would appear. In that regard, Vahn was the first and, as far as they knew, the only one with such power. If he refused them, Skuld didn't know what they would do...
Surprising the six-winged giantess quite a bit, Vahn answered, "Whatever you want. That's the beauty of being free to choose your own destiny. As for Ur&eth;arbrunnr, you don't have to concern yourself with that. I have a few people in mind who would happily tend to the World Tree in your stead."
"..."
As compelling as Vahn's words were, Skuld couldn't help feeling a little uncomfortable knowing he could ascertain her thoughts. She had a habit of peering into the minds and futures of others, but that was a part of her duty as one of the Norns. Knowing there was someone that could peek into her mind was unnerving...
Smiling wryly, Vahn explained, "I'm not reading your thoughts. I can, but I generally tend to avoid employing such invasive methods. What I'm doing is reading your emotions and using context clues to piece together a very general overview of what I assume you're thinking."
"I see..."
Not really feeling better after Vahn's explanation, Skuld briefly averted her eyes from his, her mind clouded with wayward thoughts. There was still a chance that Vahn would fail their Trials, but it didn't seem very likely. Now that she knew her 'freedom' was on the line, Skuld couldn't help feeling a strange sense of...discomfort. She had never considered what she would do if given a choice to act freely...
Sensing Skuld's uncertainty, Vahn's smile became even wrier as he said, "If it's that big a deal, you're more than welcome to come and stay at the Sage Dragon's Hearth. Besides, it's not like I'm outright refusing you and your sisters; I just want you to have a genuine choice in the matter. There should be more to a relationship than a sense of duty or obligation."
Feeling Vahn's sincerity, the apprehensions forming in Skuld's mind faded away as a rare smile developed across her face. Knowing the future was a heavy burden, so she typically appeared rather sickly due to her pale skin and the esoteric quality of her garments. She seldom had anything to look forward to, so Vahn's words were a breath of fresh in a formerly stagnant world...
...
..
.
(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'A moment of reflection...','Trying to emulate a singularity xD...','Vahn is a strong, independent Creation Deity...!')

Chapter 2303: Carving a Path