Against The True Gods

'But though these facets come from one's interactions with the world itself, they are entirely ours… The world communes with these facets to indirectly control and stir us… but it's only because most, if not all, have no idea these facets exist…'
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'…and can be controlled. These facets are fundamental and inseparable parts of the very fabric of our existences.'

An exhale left his lips, carrying a foggy heaviness.

'So this is how Adari did it. He used his understanding and control over Laws to attack me through my Karmic Brand and isolate my arm, as if it were an existence on its own yet still linked to me.'

'Then, he severed the karma between this false existence and myself, essentially rewriting my entire… existence. To make it as if I'd never even had an arm in the first place.'

'Not only is it a deep application of karma, life, death, and time laws… he also added chaos laws to disturb the harmony of my existence itself.'

'What a monster. What a monstrous genius—the bastard essentially created a technique that… rewrites your opponent's existence.'

These thoughts tore through Caine's mind with inexplicable ease, his Dao Heart bouncing off the endless vitality of his life heart to forcefully overload his brain, pushing him deeper and deeper into his enlightenment.

And in turn, the scope of his mind widened while retaining its elasticity, allowing for… much more.

Much, much more.

'The Five Aspects. The sixth aspect. The four facets.'

Caine's gaze turned upward, his eyeless face staring at the skies above.

Above his head, he had no star. No thread. No line. No brand.

Observing this, Caine couldn't help but grin madly. At that moment, two terrifying techniques were birthed in his mind.

***

A few days passed.

After spending time sparring and familiarizing himself with the other Holy Knights, Caine was finally summoned by the Pope.

[Holy Capital—Sacred Hall]

In a wide and empty hall, its towering ceilings adorned with ancient paintings, thick golden pillars radiated qi, holding the structure aloft.

The floors of black obsidian reflected the faint light of the room, giving the space a somber, ethereal quality.

Caine and Pope Francis faced each other.

Pope Francis sat lazily reclined on a throne, his chin resting on his closed fist. His gaze, full of amusement, calmly observed Caine.

On the other hand, Caine stood tall, his hands clasped behind his back, his demeanor entirely serene. He didn't move, speak, or act.

He simply waited.

The Pope smiled and finally broke the silence.

"You've changed quite a bit, little Velios."

"How many years have passed since we last met, from your perspective?" he asked, leaning forward and interlocking his fingers.

"Five years in a few hours," Caine replied directly.

"Interesting," the Pope muttered. "Well, I'm sure you have quite a few questions. Go ahead and ask them."

Caine remained silent for a few moments, his thoughts drifting back to their first encounter.

More specifically, to a set of words the Pope had spoken back then:

<…some things can't be said due to your mortality…>

Immediately, Caine understood that what he could ask—or rather, be told—was limited. It was very likely that everything he truly wanted to know was locked behind those restrictions.

So he had to take another approach.

"Who are you to me?" Caine asked.

Immediately, Francis grinned. "You clever little snake," he said, chuckling aloud. "I am Francis Voinery Void, also known as The Artisan, Lord of the Artisan Guild."

He stroked his chin thoughtfully. "You could also call me uncle, considering I'm your mother's youngest brother. Or, you could call me master, since you're my disciple."

If Caine had eyes, they would have widened beyond belief. He had expected a shocking answer, but this… this he hadn't anticipated.

Not at all.

In fact, he didn't even know how to react. Now that he could see Karmic Brands, it was clear that his blood was indeed tied to Francis's, just as it was tied to Zao's.

Caine sighed, raising a hand to massage his forehead in frustration as his mind buzzed with countless thoughts.

"I see," he whispered. "I suppose I can't know more on that front?"

"You suppose correctly," Francis replied.

"How did you get here? Or have you always been here? Where are you in the real world?"

Francis's gaze narrowed for a moment in confusion. "Hm? What is the basis of these questions?"

"Our world is sealed off from the outside, is it not?"

Francis froze, his previously casual expression hardening. His gaze, once confused, sharpened dangerously. "How… do you even know that?"

Before Caine could respond, Francis raised a hand to stop him. "No, don't tell me. It'd be troublesome, and I can guess."

"As for how I got here? Your world may be sealed off, but this isn't your world, is it? This is a fractured reality encroaching on a point in your world's space and time."

"It's a small world linked to yours, but not truly part of it. It acts as both an entry point and an exit point."

"All I had to do was sense your location via our blood connection and send one of my avatars near here, waiting for the day this fractured point opened up."

"So this isn't your real body…" Caine sighed as a new realization dawned on him.

If this was merely one of Francis's avatars, then that meant this fractured reality would likely…

Caine shook his head, brushing those thoughts aside.

"I see. So… what is your goal? What is the point of all this? What is going on? And… do you know where they are? Or what happened? What can you tell me?"

Francis leaned back on his throne, his typically smug smile fading as his features grew serious.

"It's complicated. Very complicated," Francis admitted, his gaze flickering with a brief flash of fury. "Too complicated. I could have told you much more if your other uncle were here, but he's too injured to take the risk."

"So I can't talk about them for now."

"As for my goal?" Francis's smile returned, sharp and mischievous. "Didn't I say you were my disciple?"