Chapter 272: Cracks in Confidence (1/2)

We all stared at the sight, no one able to move. I expected Lehesion to win, but in the end, Eonoth bailed him out. I didn't even understand the attack he used or why I was liquified while no one else was. I was the toughest guy here probably, yet I was the only one turned to mush. None of it made any sense, yet it was as real as Schema's arrival years ago.

In that same vein, this event was a passing of a torch. Everyone felt it. Schema had dominated the galaxy for centuries. Now, these rebels took a stand against him and won by the looks of it. Because of that, everyone around me carried an intense uneasiness. Their hands shook, their mouths gaped, and their eyes widened. It was too much for many, some people breaking down on the spot.

Most accepted the reality before them. Schema's forces, in particular, didn't let up for even a second. They didn't surrender or fall back. These were hardened veterans ready for war and death alike. Schema's fleet let out a series of attacks during the aftermath of the Spatial Fortress's demise, and this put the Adair's forces on the back foot.

Lehesion would change everything, however. He turned towards them, peering with his easy arrogance. He soaked in his victory for a second, taking a deep breath from the void around him. Turning to us, Lehesion stared at the Nebula Drifter. He found us.

Spreading his wings wide, he charged himself with energy. I shouted at Obolis,

”Get us out of here.”

Obolis looked at his status, ”It will take at least fifteen more minutes before we can warp.”

”What the hell is this thing even good for then? Looking pretty?”

Obolis growled back, ”Exploration. It was never meant for battle. This...this was supposed to be an observation.”

”Well, we're about to all die if we don't do something and now.”

Everyone began panicking. We were fish in a barrel with nowhere to escape to. A few individuals began pushing and fighting each other. Many laid on the floor, stricken by panic and surprise. They were simply unable to handle their reality being flipped on its head like this. I had to admit, it did kind of feel like fate just German suplexed our heads into the ground.

I shook that feeling off. I'd gotten close to dying many times, and this was no different. I clapped my hands, the echo silencing those panicking. Behind me, Lehesion blasted himself towards us as I calmed everyone down,

”Listen, everybody. We can't warp everyone out of here in time. We have two porters I know that can get some of us out of here. Anyone else, volunteer and do what they do. One of the ones I know will help you guys. The other one will help me while I fend Lehesion off.”

A random alien shouted, ”Have you lost your mind? Did you just see what that thing did to the Spatial Fortress? Lehesion will tear you to pieces.”

Huh, they thought Lehesion made that attack. That made a lot of sense, considering everyone was frozen in place. It seemed like I was the only one that knew what actually happened. I had to let Schema and the others know soon. Otherwise, they might all think the fortress stood no chance. Against Eonoth, sure, but Lehesion was close to becoming an endless meal.

That would have to wait. I raised a fist, ”Helios, come here.”

The stern albony crashed himself through the crowd, bumping several people to the floor. I pointed behind me, ”You've fought this guy, and you know what we need to do against him.”

Helios grimaced under his mask, ”I have dreamed of this day. You don't need to speak another word. I will help you.”

I gestured a hand to Obolis, ”Start warping people out of here. Start with children and people who can't survive in space.” I turned to everyone else,

”Think of a way to transport people quickly. Even if this station goes down, not everyone has to die. We have to be selfless here. Come on, we've fought the eldritch, every last one of us. Now we need to fight off that looming sense of panic. Crush it like it were any other enemy. Once that's gone, clear your heads, and let's get going.”

Obolis and Helios didn't so much as give me a parting glance as they flew into motion. The Emperor grabbed the sides of his head while murmuring, ”Think Obolis. Think.”

He tapped his fists against his temples for a second before raising a hand, ”Of course.” He pointed at Giess while charging an elemental furnace. From it, he created a portal to the planet. He looked at the crowd, ”Everyone, come. The planet isn't getting glassed. After we've escaped there, we can warp somewhere safer after evacuating.”

Lines formed in seconds while Obolis created a dozen portals. I met Helios's eye,

”Are you ready?”

Helios stared without fear,

”Let us show him what we're capable of.”

He lifted his hand, ”I cannot survive space without protection. I can create a warp that will allow you to defend from outside the base. When the Nebula Drifter is ready to escape, I shall help you escape.”

I nodded, ”Don't let me down.”

Helios mouthed, ”Are you ready?”

I rolled my shoulders and grit my teeth, ”Always.”

He opened a warp into the void around us, the air siphoning out from around us. I leaped through it, the portal closing behind me in a fluid shift. Floating forward, I found myself just outside the glass viewing room. It was an awe-inspiring sight, though the panic didn't help the view. Around me, the cold of space sunk in. It was like I dipped myself into a vat of cold water, my back especially chilled. From all angles, the void pulled me apart as well.

It was like people with cables were trying to pull my insides out, but I held together well because of my sheer physical tenacity. I would need that toughness for what was coming. I faced the gold gialgathen, heating myself with mana. As my skin glowed, I charged my runes and saturated my blood with mana. I pulled out a vast number of mana shards, keeping them on my back and out of Lehesion's view. Beating him was out of the question for now, but a bunch of singularities would slow him down surely.

As he expanded in my sight, a wave of nervousness passed over me. Seeing his full potential made me feel insignificant. No, I was insignificant. This battle taught me that. I was strong relative to my surroundings, but I was just like Lehesion - big fish in a small pond. For the first time, I jumped out into the ocean, and it showed me I still had a lot of growing left to do.

I would need to prioritize myself more and focus less on other tasks. I resolved that to myself as Lehesion approached. Looming close, his frame traversed towards me at an unfathomable speed. I reached out a palm, trying to fend him off in case he tried ramming himself into the space station behind me.

He didn't.

Lehesion slowed to a stop about a mile from me. He squinted for a moment before giving me an ominous smile. He sent out a telepathic wave to me alone,

”Ah, the Harbinger. What are you doing here out in space? Perhaps you wished to view me in battle. Though understandable, surely you understand what I must do now that I've seen you? After all, your destruction of Giess's cities did not go unnoticed by the Adair family. It was impressive, though foolish given who you've made enemies with.”

Lehesion told me a few things when he said all that. First, the guy could link with everyone, but it wasn't like he knew where every individual was that he connected with. Second, Lehesion hadn't warped here for some reason. It would've saved him about two minutes on the way here and back.

As I thought about that, he gave me a smirk,

”They're enraged by what you've done.”

I pulled myself back into the conversation. This was bad, but not the worst outcome. People were escaping on the space station while we chatted away. To keep him talking, I kept on my toes in the conversation,

”Yeah, they are mad, but you're not. If anything, you didn't say that like you cared at all. You chose not to warp here either. Why?”

Lehesion blinked, confusion spreading over his face, ”I chose not to warp because the portalling here left me exhausted. As for why my ire isn't aimed at you...I don't know why. Those you killed were my countrymen, those that follow my cause.”

The Adair family had really progressed with the whole brainwashing thing since last time,

”Is that really your cause? I don't think so.”

Lehesion scoffed, his cool confidence returning,

”But of course it is. I am here to cleanse this universe of that entity from earlier. His monstrosity was strong, but I destroyed it with a single swipe of my tail once I was serious.”

His eyes, though glowing with golden energy, grew bloodshot as he spoke. Something about this conversation stressed him out quite a bit. My guess, the guy was saying one thing and thinking another. It wasn't like he actually wanted to turn his entire species into drones. He didn't believe he killed that fortress on his own, either.

I kept the conversation rolling, aiming to get him thinking,

”We both know you didn't stop that thing on your own. If anything, you were going to die earlier.”

Lehesion gazed down at me, ”And why is the giant beast gone while I remain here?”

”Eonoth.”

Lehesion froze in place, his legs and tail shaking. He looked away while shaking his head,

”I...No, it was I that unleashed that spatial rend. I am the one who collapsed timelines. I...I-”

”You didn't. Eonoth froze time, but he forgot to freeze me. If he didn't roar then and there, you'd still be in that eldritch's belly. You'd be a neverending meal for that monstrosity, whether you believe me or not. If anything, I think your mind is lying to you, but your body isn't. Look at yourself. You're shaking.”

Lehesion's face twitched before his eyes widened. He stared down, finding his wings closing and his hands quivering. Lehesion shook his head,

”I am not afraid. Since I was born, I've never once felt fear.”

I kept pressing, trying to keep him distracted as long as possible,

”Until now.”

His fear betrayed his confidence, ”I...what was it that I fought earlier?”

I raised an eyebrow, ”Wait a minute, they didn't tell you?”

”I am put in front of beings of all kinds. It is not my role to question, only to obey their orders.”

He was being warped all over the place to help facilitate the Adair's rebellions. I frowned at his answer, saddened by his mental fall,

”Ah. I see. You fought a Spatial Fortress. That isn't the only one Schema has, and he'll send more to fight you in the future. You got lucky this time. Eonoth bailed you out. He's an Old One, however. You can't expect him to be there for you every time you need help. Hell, he might be feeling fickle one day and let you sit in one of those giant eldritch for a few millennia.”

Even with his shattered mind, Lehesion's body remembered the agony of being devoured. He twitched while blinking, ”I...I will be trapped forever?”

”Well, yeah. After all, it isn't like you can die. We both know that.”

Lehesion stared down, dwelling on what I said. He shifted in place, an unsettling reality looming over him. As he did, something in his head clicked, and clarity washed over him. It was as if he got full control of his mind back. In anger, he glared back at me, ”Are you truly so different?”

He was trying to turn the conversation onto me. That was good. I kept up the chat as I crossed my arms, ”Oh, really? How?”

Lehesion's eyes narrowed. He dropped the lie about killing the fortress on his own. The gears of his ancient mind began turning,

”You saw Eonoth's attack. That should be impossible. He froze time across this entire dimension. All was absolutely still besides for I alone. I know why I was allowed to move during that time. You, however? That should be impossible...unless-”

Lehesion's eyes widened, ”You exist within a different timeline...as I do.”

It was my turn to be confused. I frowned, ”Uh, I don't know what you're talking about.”

He gave me a sly grin, mistaking my confusion as a solid lie,

”Don't pretend as if you don't comprehend my meaning. Did another Old One reincarnate you as well?”

So, reincarnation, huh? I had no intention of getting information out of Lehesion here, but hey, if I could, why not? I peered away as if I was caught lying,

”I...I don't know what you're talking about.”

Lehesion cackled before giving me a slow nod, ”That is why someone so young is so able, hmm. Did they gift you with that body as well? That would explain how you're able to sustain my blows. Given your minuscule size, you should've been reduced to paste.”

”Come on. You're just big. I am not small.”

”Indeed, I am rather large in stature, but deflections aside, you must have promised the Old One something in return for your revival. I can sense there is some oath in your blood, though I cannot read it.”

I remembered my contract with Yawm. That was the only oath I was literally sworn to, but I wouldn't have to worry about that for another thousand years. I raised my eyebrows,

”So, you're telling me you think I was reincarnated for a promise with an Old One?”

”No. I know you were. There exists no other means of gaining the strength you have in such a short time. You will grow to manifest as an utter demon if you are allowed to grow.”

”Like you?”

He peered down at me, ”You will never match me, neither in might nor in mettle. I was given the time and ability to expand my horizons using two lives. You, you will not be given your second chance.”

I raised an eyebrow, ”Because you'll stop me?”

Lehesion spread his wings, ”Indeed. I allowed you to live last time because I underestimated your tenacity. This time, I shall leave nothing in my wake, not one atom of you remaining.”

I hovered myself out from in front of the Nebula Drifter, circling Lehesion,

”Are you sure you're able to? If I remember correctly, you needed Eonoth to save you last time you were in an actual battle.”

Lehesion shook as he seethed, ”I would've been victorious regardless of his interference.”

”Or, you know, maybe a meal for that eldritch. I can say I've never needed some ruler of time and space to bail me out. I've done everything I'm known for all on my own. I took this armor from the hands of someone who wanted to use me to create it. I fed that armor and expanded its abilities using the cipher, knowledge I gained on my own.”

Well, outside of Eonoth and Etorhma. Lehesion didn't need to know that, though. I kept my introduction needlessly long and dramatic to waste time,

”I killed the Destroyer of Worlds, Yawm. I saved my homeworld while you destroyed your own. I didn't need two lives to do it either. You were wrong earlier. I wasn't reincarnated. I did it right the first time.”

I pointed at Lehesion, ”Somehow, you managed to fuck it up both times, even with someone giving you all the advantages in the world.”

Lehesion grimaced, his teeth snarling,

”Shut up.”

I spread out my hands, ”And now your mind is so weak that even I can get you this riled up. A supposed god versus some dude who isn't even thirty. Think about that.”

Lehesion let out a mental growl, my skin bristling at it. He roared,

”I said, be silent.”