THE Corpse Hierophant thought he was finally on the right path.
Having arrived in this glorious Sea that was filled with extrely pure Civilizational Authority, it was more than he could ever ask for. He had regained his Surface Depth fully, the cracks and damage from eons of Collapsed status finally nded anf progressed through imrsion in waters that contained nourishnt beyond anything Observable Existence could provide.
All he had to do now was perform nial labor to clear up rising waves of corruption every now and then. In the anti, he could continue absorbing the ambient Civilizational Authority and further progress on his Way and Civilization toward the Interdiate Depth that had always seed just out of reach.
It was almost too good to be true.
He wondered whether THE Resplendent Paradox had to do sothing similar before her power exploded and she attained an even grander position than any of them had achieved. Had she stood where he now stood, gazing into golden waters while weeding corruption and drinking in authority that accelerated advancent beyond normal limits?
Because at the end of the day, he was a THE entity. Surely he wouldn’t be here for eons to co remaining dedicated to this nial task, right? Surely The Groundskeeper would recognize his contributions and elevate him to greater responsibilities, or at least permit him to explore other regions of Tian where secrets might be uncovered.
Patience. He simply needed patience after eons of desperate struggle!
As he was thinking this, his existence flickered with warning that made his ancient instincts scream.
He sensed the imnse aura of The Groundskeeper approaching, that familiar weight of Depth so profound that it defied asurent.
But there was also another aura apart from this that felt oppressive.
Were there senior THE entities here that The Groundskeeper was finally having them et? Beings from previous ages who had never left Tian, whose power had grown beyond what Collapsed Civilizations could imagine?
THE Corpse Hierophant, alongside THE Sovereign Catalyst, THE Slumbering Genesis, and others who remained equal distances from each other to look over different regions of the First Sea, all sent their perception out at this mont to identify the approaching presences.
And...
...!
Color drained from their faces with speed that would have been comical under different circumstances.
Their authorities erupted all around them in defensive configurations. Their Surface Depths blazed with power that pressed against the golden waters as if they had t a perilous enemy rather than potential allies.
HUUM!
The face of THE Corpse Hierophant beca heavy with mixture of disbelief and horror as he and the others stared toward the figure floating beside The Groundskeeper.
Achilles Adrastia!
The Devourer who could consu things in an instant just by being close to them or touching them. The anomaly who had eaten their manifestations, who had driven them to unprecedented cooperation, who had forced them to flee into Tian seeking safety and recovery.
He was here.
He had followed them!
And yet when they looked over with perception sharpened by fear, he was currently floating beside The Groundskeeper with casual posture that suggested he belonged there
Alongside him was THE Endless Dream, their forr peer who had apparently fully allied with the monster rather than join the hunt against him. And there was another Surface Depth entity emanating waves of Alchemy? What???
Either way, they had to prepare to fight for their liv-
"What the hell are you doing?"
BOOM!
The voice of The Groundskeeper bood out with annoyance that pressed against all THE entities present with weight that reminded them exactly how insignificant their Surface Depths were compared to his unfathomable power. His golden features showed irritation at the defensive displays erupting around the First Sea.
THE Corpse Hierophant and others were astonished at the rebuke, but the ancient leader of Necrocracy gathered himself and pointed a finger toward Achilles with voice that erged chilling and accusatory.
"That is the Heretical Devourer! A Taboo that devours anything and everything! That creature has consud our manifestations, has violated the natural order of advancent, has threatened every Collapsed Civilization with extinction through thods that cannot be defended against! That...!"
...!
While such words were being said with passionate intensity that spoke of genuine fear and hatred, an astonishing scene unfolded that made several of the THE entities present question whether they were witnessing reality correctly.
Achilles looked back over his shoulder as if THE Corpse Hierophant was pointing at soone else entirely.
His expression showed genuine confusion, purple-gold eyes scanning the space behind him for whatever terrible monster the ancient entity was obviously referring to.
Finding nothing, he turned to Rose with questioning look.
Rose shook her head with an expression of innocent bewildernt, as if she also had no idea what was being discussed. Her copper-green eyes blinked with confusion that seed entirely sincere.
Achilles then turned back toward THE Corpse Hierophant and slowly raised a finger to point at himself, his expression asking a question that his voice soon followed.
"Are you really talking about little old ?" His tone carried wounded innocence that contrasted dramatically with the terror his presence had inspired as if was saying...I’m harmless!
...!
"You...! You...!"
The faces of THE Corpse Hierophant and others grew heavier with each passing mont as they watched this display.
THE Sovereign Catalyst’s liquid-tal features rippled with fury that he struggled to contain. THE Slumbering Genesis’s massive draconic elephantine form trembled with indignation at being mocked so openly as...he had to be fucking mocking them, right?
The Groundskeeper observed these expressions with gaze that sharpened as if he had realized sothing about the dynamics at play here. He turned to stare at Achilles coldly, golden eyes assessing the being who apparently inspired such visceral reactions from multiple THE entities simultaneously.
Whatever he saw or concluded, he kept to himself.
A mont later, he turned back toward THE Corpse Hierophant and the others with voice that carried absolute authority that none present could contest.
"In the Nine Seas of Tian, those working together to clear Corruption are banned from killing each other."
...!
"Our Observable Existence is already as stunted as it is. The more entities at the First Scale of Existence, the better for overall stability. THE Level One Scale of Existence entities, especially those like you at its lowest rungs at THE Surface Depth, are sowhat sufficient caretakers of Observable Existence when they can be bothered to actually contribute rather than fighting amongst themselves."
His golden gaze swept across all present with expression that sought no argunt.
"So no killing. If anyone does die while working within the Nine Seas, I will collapse the killer myself. Losses all around as nobody wins from such stupidity." He paused to ensure his words had been absorbed. "Is that understood?"
...!
THE Corpse Hierophant and the others were grim as they processed this decree. Their defensive authorities slowly dimd as they accepted that attacking Achilles here would an their own destruction at the hands of a being whose Depth exceeded anything they could resist.
They nodded with reluctance.
And Achilles...
He nodded seriously with upright expression that radiated compliance and reasonableness. As if truly, he wasn’t so monster that they were making him out to be.
As if he was simply a fellow THE entity who had co to Tian seeking the sa advancent and stability that everyone else desired.
And Rose maintained her innocent expression beside him!
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