Chapter 773: Turning Of Cogs

“This is quite the dull place you’ve occupied. For someone of your stature, I figured you would have something more luxurious. Or are you telling me you’re someone who would prefer living frugally?” Nyer smirked, snapping his fingers and creating a throne of his own.

Seeing this, the Will’s smile twitched briefly.

“Nope. I simply don’t see the need for such material extravagance.” The Will shrugged. “Though I would consider it if I have more visitors. Are you planning on visiting me more often seeing as how you’ve gone through the effort to break into my realm?”

Nyer shook his head.

“See? So there’s no need to decorate this place at all. In fact, are you sure you should be here? Shouldn’t you be busy with your own side project?”

“So you know.” Nyer smiled, tapping his finger and a table appeared between them with a chess game placed on top.

“Of course I would know. Why wouldn’t I know? You can split the divinity all you want but I can tell when a cluster of them begin to gather. Even more so when that cluster starts taking on the appearance of my daughter.” The Will grinned, moving the pawn piece forward.

“You claim she’s your daughter but when she was alive you did nothing but torment her. What right do you have to call her such?” Nyer replied, moving his own pawn forward.

“What right? By right that I brought her into this world. But what about you? You were one of her most trusted companions and what did you do? You turned your back on all of them for your own selfish desires.” The Will chuckled, moving the knight piece.

“Or are you really so blinded by your own desires that you think what you’re doing is right?” He asked as Nyer also moved a knight piece.

“I’m fully aware that my actions are not right. It’s simply the result of a one sided unrequited desire. But be that as it may, I still believe that Velouria is required for the world to become a better place.

“Lumiria cares more about her entertainment as the eons go by, Solaris wishes to be looked upon with respect but not the work required. Enris. . . Well, Enris wants to die a most glorious death. A death that ignites the soul and passion. Only then, can she reach her destination, her Elysium.” Nyer chuckled before losing his smile.

“You see these three and do you really think the world can be better with them at the helm? Only Velouria has proven the qualities of a God and you took her from this world.”

The Will moved his second knight piece.

“The world can’t be basked in only light. Where there is light, there is shadow. These three were simply the shadow to her light. And if the generation cannot provide a light great enough to counter this shadow, then what value do they have?

“With Velouria around, they would simply look towards her for everything. You know about the requests and burdens she had to take. And her personality made it so that she tried her best with all of them.” The Will grinned as Nyer stayed silent.

Indeed, during the era of Ayr, Velouria tried her best with everyone. An exhausting endeavour no doubt but one that made Nyer respect her more for.

Nyer moved his second knight piece as well, but the Will immediately countered with a bishop press against his knight.

“If you ask me, having her leave the stage during that point was the biggest mercy I can give to my daughter.”

The corner of Nyer’s eye twitched as he fumbled the next move with a pawn, allowing the Will to take his knight piece using the bishop.

“But did Velouria ever accept that mercy? She didn’t. You simply made the choice for her, a choice she’ll never make.” Nyer fought back, claiming the bishop that took his knight with a pawn.

“Just like how you are right now? Did she request for her corpse to be defiled and her divinity spread in such a manner?” The Will questioned, attacking with his first knight and taking a pawn.

Nyer countered with a knight, taking the Will’s pawn at the same time.

“I’m aware. But unlike you I don’t see my actions as a mercy.” Nyer glanced up. “What I do, I do for myself. It is my own desire to have Velouria return to this world, even if I have to burn every connection I made in Ayr. Because that’s what I believe this world needs, a true Goddess that can lead them instead of the false trio they have now.”

The Will curved his lips into a sadistic grin.

“How much suffering have you already caused with this crusade of yours? You allowed the Outer Gods to enter this realm despite the barriers keeping them out. Now that the seed of corruption has taken root, ejecting them will prove to be far more difficult than you can imagine.”

The Will’s knight piece claims Nyer’s final knight.

“Is that really what you think? Unfortunately for you, I’ve already made preparations for such a scenario.” Nyer moved his queen piece forward, threatening a pawn take that’ll lead into a check against his king.

“You mean the stunt you’re trying to pull with the Zenia family right now?”

The Will castled his king, keeping it safe from the queen for now.

Nyer had expected this. If the Will hadn’t found out then it would be truly disappointing.

Nyer’s queen takes one of the Will’s knights.

Will presses with the pawn.

Nyer’s pawn takes the Will’s pawn.

The Will moved his rook.

The exchanged continued for a while with neither saying a word.

Then, at one point, the Will opened his mouth.

“Are you aware with what’s happening with little Alice?”

This question caused Nyer to pause.

“Depends on what you’re talking about. Knowing her, there are many things she can be up to.” Nyer replied, placing down his piece.

“Indeed it’s as you say. She’s not someone to sit still. Alice is chasing something rather, peculiar. Well, I say ‘she’ but I could be wrong. But I suppose you’re not someone to divulge the secrets of your research unless I find out myself.” The Will chuckled with Nyer not denying that claim.

“Then what about you? I’ve noticed that the layers of the Abyss are becoming blurred. No more expansion. Rather, it’s more like you’re deconstructing the whole realm little by little. What are you up to?”

“Is that why you’ve broken into my realm? Even though you know full well of the risks that comes with doing so?” The Will raised an eyebrow.

He knew that Nyer kept a close eye on what’s happening in the Abyss, even with his attention mostly focused on his own research for Velouria’s resurrection.

But to notice this. . . Even after he’s taken the measures to make sure it’s as subtle as possible was rather impressive.

Most would only dismiss it as a coincidence or a slight anomaly but not Nyer.

“That’s not answering my question.” Nyer moved his queen.

“Same goes for you. If neither of us takes a step back, no progress will be made. You ask and I don’t answer. I ask and you don’t answer either. Unless you’re willing to take the first step? A show of sincerity.” The Will chuckled, threatening a take with his own queen.

“If I had no other plans then maybe. But thankfully, you’ve answered a lot of my questions just by being here. I hope you can maintain this confidence next time.” Nyer chuckled, moving one last piece before standing up.

The Will wanted to move when he noticed it was checkmate and frowned.

But when he looked up, Nyer was already gone.

Returning back to his base, Nyer smiled. Next to him, a woman sat staring at him with eyes of curiosity.

Seeing this, Nyer patted her head.

“You’re in a good mood. Was it successful?” She asked, licking her lips while staring at his veins.

“Yes it was successful. Very successful in fact.” Nyer nodded. “He didn’t notice a single thing. Even someone like the Will can be tricked.”

Rolling up his sleeves, he allowed the girl to dig in while closing his eyes.

He recalled his many conversations with Yvael, the hints she gave towards certain Cogs of Fate.

In this instance, he could feel one turning already.

The promised time was approaching and he needed to finish his preparations.

Soon, everything he’s toiled away for centuries will come to an end. Soon, his journey would be complete.

Soon, Velouria will return to this world in all her beauty.

###

“Kaden! Kaden!” Nalem shouted, running towards Kaden in a hurry.

Dropping the corpse in his hands, Kaden crushed the skull with his heel before turning.

“Hm?”

Slowing down to catch his breath, Nalem pulled out a roll of parchment from his jacket and tossed it towards Kaden who frowned.

Unfurling the parchment, he read the contents as his hands clenched the edges.

His pupils constricted and his fingers trembled.

“Is. . . this true?” He asked.

“If it ha… Wasn’t, why would I… *Pant* be in a rush?” Nalem wiped away his sweat. Before he could properly catch his breath, Kaden grabbed his collar, dragging him along into the shadows.

If the information they just received was indeed correct as Nalem has confirmed, then this chase was going to come to an end.

And once it does, Allura can finally get the help she needs.

The Apostle of Famine has been found!