The simulation crystallized around Noah’s perception with perfect clarity.
He found himself in the Stoa of Dogmata, the endless colonnade of ancient pillars stretching in all directions. Their surfaces still burned with inscriptions of Dogmata from eras that predated differentiation itself.
And there, exactly where she’d been during their previous encounters, sat THE Secretive Eon.
Her small, delicate form remained composed upon the obsidian ground. Dark hair with rivers of gold caught light that seed to co from nowhere. Her white-blue robe draped across her shoulders with elegant simplicity. Those dark eyes held depths that could swallow entire civilizations without noticing.
She didn’t turn as his simulated body approached.
"You have returned quickly, Scale Breaker." Her voice erged asured and unhurried. "I find myself wondering how you have so much ti on your hands to play around."
Noah moved to take position near her, maintaining the distance their previous interactions had established.
"I collapsed the Half-Step Absolute Depth body of THE Living Spirit."
THE Secretive Eon received this news with the sa composure she showed toward everything. Her head inclined slightly in acknowledgnt, a fraction of movent that sohow conveyed complete understanding of what such an achievent represented.
"You are one of the Four from The Oldest Paradox of Existence," she said, her voice carrying neither surprise nor particular interest. "The First Tongue, Existence, Paradox, and Chaos. The pillars upon which that ancient conflict was built."
Her gaze remained fixed on the distant expanse ahead.
"If you weren’t even able to find a way to handle Spirit while holding a Fragnt of an Axiom, you would truly be far too weak. You would not asure up to the others who share your classification among the Four." The faintest hint of contempt touched her words.
Noah absorbed these words while formulating his next approach.
"In Muspelheim, THE Living Concept is also present. They seed to have been sent by Paradox specifically to that location."
THE Secretive Eon nodded with nonchalant dismissal.
"Picking off Primordial Realms of others and whatever Fragnts of Axioms they may contain is natural." Her tone suggested she was discussing weather patterns rather than systematic destruction.
"Muspelheim held treasures from before THE Fallout reshaped Existence, from before The Infinite Unfurling. Of course Paradox would send agents to claim what could be claid."
Noah observed that this information produced absolutely no interest in Eon.
Her attention remained fixed on whatever she perceived in the distant depths of the Stoa. Her composure was unbroken!
So he shifted approaches entirely.
"In the Wastes of THE Fallout, an Absolute is making a move against mbers of my Civilization."
Nothing.
"THE Weaver," Noah continued. "One of Paradox’s instrunts operating at THE Absolute Depth. They bear down upon pillars of my foundation."
He let those words settle before delivering his request.
"Since they’re an Absolute, they’re one of your targets. One of those who need to die according to the objectives you pursue." His gaze t hers directly despite the warnings his existence scread about prolonged eye contact. "I’m asking if you can make a move to end THE Weaver."
THE Secretive Eon pondered his words briefly.
Then she turned to look at him fully.
HUUM!
The weight of her attention settled upon Noah like the pressure of deep oceans!
Her dark eyes studied him with intensity that felt like being weighed on scales older than Existence itself. She looked him over slowly, deliberately, up and down as if assessing him anew despite their previous interactions.
Small in stature, almost delicate in appearance, with features that held an ageless quality that made it impossible to determine if she was young or ancient beyond asure!
When she finally spoke, her words ca with patient finality.
"Scale Breaker, we are not friends."
The statent was delivered without malice, without particular emphasis. Just fact being established.
"I care very little if anyone from your Civilization dies. Failure to protect your people is failure of your Way. I can do one nice thing like giving you a Fragnt when you ntioned Muspelheim, but I am not obligated to do anything else for this little... alliance."
Her dark eyes held his without wavering.
"By the way, return my Fragnt if you’re done with it."
She paused, and when she continued, her voice carried notes of casual dismissal.
"When it cos to THE Weavers... they rank fairly weak amongst Absolutes. But they innately have Three Bodies, so its akin to facing 3 little tiny weak Absolutes..." Her head tilted with consideration. "But they are still Absolutes. You would likely be crushed."
Her gaze grew more distant.
"I could move against them, yes. But Paradox is not my target right now. Chaos is. Killing one of Paradox’s Absolutes will cause deviations in my plans, and I don’t particularly feel the need to accommodate that at this mont."
She turned back to face the distant expanse of the Stoa.
"So you, Scale Breaker, are on your own. As you should be. As all Absolutes are. Find your own solution against that Absolute."
Her voice carried edges that hadn’t been present before.
"You need to have one thing abundantly clear between us. Our relationship is that of give and take. I have been more than giving so far. You cannot simply take. If you have sothing to give, give."
...!
Noah found his eyes pulsing with dangerous light within the simulation!
Her words were calm and cold, delivered with the patient certainty of soone who had no need to justify their position to anyone.
THE Secretive Eon observed his reaction and smiled.
While remaining seated with her legs crossed, she placed her chin upon her hand with casual elegance. Her dark eyes sparkled with sothing that might’ve been amusent or anticipation.
"Oh?" Her voice carried dangerous undertones wrapped in silk. "I sense you’ve gotten a bit more weight on you since our last eting. Your power isn’t subtle, Scale Breaker."
Her smile widened.
"Are you feeling like rebelling? Itchy? you want to try and go against as your first real Absolute?"
BOOM!
The question wasn’t a threat.
It was an invitation!
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