Skipping forward a bit in time, to a few days after Jake had slain the Prima Guardian and the recording had found its final destination, two gods were discussing its contents.
”What are your thoughts?” the first god asked the man standing not far from him within the vast library that made up his divine realm. Both of them had just watched the very interesting recording. Very interesting indeed…
”It was so obviously staged it’s almost comical,” the other god responded, an eternal smile hanging on his face. ”Knowing his Bloodline and abilities, he was clearly aware the recording was taking place.”
”Yet he chose to do nothing about it but offer us this show…”
Yip of Yore and Eversmile had met to discuss the recording of Jake slaying the Prima Guardian in quite an unusual fashion as they tried to make sense of his actions. Yip did have some understanding of the Chosen, but Eversmile far surpassed him in that area. Plus, the god of karma clearly had some personal interest in the human, so he was more than happy to provide his opinion. As for how they had even gotten the recording in the first place?
While it was true the ninety-third universe was cut off from the rest of the multiverse during this system event, that didn’t mean it was impossible to get around these limitations. Ell’Hakan could not contact Yip of Yore directly, but the ability to provide offerings through a skill of his wasn’t cut off.
Usually, a god would have two choices when receiving an offering. One would be to turn the offering into energy of some form, which tended to be the default choice, as it was very rare mortals had any items a god actually needed as-is. More often than not, the item was one that held significance only due to its Records. A good example of this was how the warriors from Valhal often offered parts of their slain enemies to their gods. The items themselves had little value, but the Records by which they were attained through battle did.
The second option was naturally to receive the actual item, something that could also only be done when the one giving the offering had a good enough skill and high enough level of Blessing. Needless to say, Ell’Hakan fulfilled both of these requirements.
Speaking of Ell’Hakan… it was a shame he could not get contacted to hear his thoughts on the matter, but oh well. Yip of Yore didn’t know how much his input would offer in the first place, as he naturally couldn’t use his Bloodline on a recording like this.
”We know that this recording was purposefully created for yours and Ell’Hakan’s eyes, and as you say, the question that remains now is why,” Eversmile spoke. ”You are aware of the skill he so blatantly showed off?””Fangs of Man,” Yip nodded. ”Seen and experienced myself. I reckon you also concur on its authenticity?”
”Yes, that is undoubtedly a skill belonging to Valdemar’s Legacy,” Eversmile confirmed. ”And I’m sure you also noted how he didn’t use a single skill related to the Malefic Viper’s Legacy. He didn’t even use any poison during the battle.”
”I sure did,” Yip smiled. ”It’s all so odd. If I saw this without context, I could easily have been led to believe that this was some fighter from Valhal showing off their skills. Or, more accurately, showing off one of their skills. Also, as far as I’m aware, Fangs of Man is not exactly a typical skill.”
Eversmile looked to be in thought for a moment before he spoke. ”Fangs of Man is as much a skill tied to the Records of humanity as it’s tied directly to Valdemar. He is just the progenitor of it. One of the basic requirements of the skill is to embrace your Path as a human and acknowledge human supremacy, something that usually comes more naturally to members of Valhal due to it being predominately human. One has to truly view the human race as the strongest in the multiverse – or at least the one with the most potential. Many of Valhal are never even qualified to learn this skill simply due to unconscious doubt about themselves or their race. Yet clearly, the hunter sees humans as a race belonging to the apex of the multiverse. As you said, quite odd for the Chosen of a beast to have such thoughts, especially if we assume he knows the history between Valdemar and Vilastromoz.”
”Almost a bit heretical, huh? Tell me it isn’t just me… but do you also believe the Chosen of the Malefic Viper is walking down the Path of a heretic?” Yip of Yore asked probingly, carefully considering all of Eversmile’s words. While the god of karma rarely, if ever, lied, he was good at concealing truths by only revealing parts of what was real, using wordplay or hidden meanings, or any other method to fool the other party without technically lying. Getting a straight answer to a question of any importance was almost impossible, but-
”Yes,” Eversmile answered, short and sweet, his next words only hammering it home. ”I do believe Jake Thayne is a heretic or at least will be labeled one by the system soon enough. Saying that, I will readily admit I have no actual proof, only my own assessment.”
Yip of Yore couldn’t help but grin at Eversmile’s statement. ”Your assessment is good enough. Assuming he is indeed well on his way to becoming an actual heretic… do you think the Malefic Viper knows?”
”That, I cannot know for certain,” Eversmile shook his head. ”Now it’s my turn to ask you something. Do you intend to offer Jake Thayne the opportunity to become a Divine Usurper of the Malefic Viper’s Path?”
”I’m not, not considering putting it on the table,” Yip answered after a bit of consideration. ”I fully acknowledge that Jake Thayne is the peak of this era, perhaps even the peak of history. While there have certainly been those who can match his power, he is not simply a fighter capable of standing at the pinnacle but the Harbinger of Primeval Origins. An identity so meaningful the system bestowed such a title upon him, letting everyone know. He is a rare breed indeed.”
”But?” Eversmile asked with a raised eyebrow.
”That doesn’t mean he cannot be killed. Only if it’s necessary, of course. But I will not take the option of ending his life away should he prove someone that cannot be negotiated with. If he chooses to remain at the side of the Malefic Viper, he will die, and as the slayer of a Primordial, do I truly have to fear the animosity such an act would breed? The Malefic Viper has done considerably far greater damage to the multiverse than killing some Harbinger of Primeval Origins ever could. I would perhaps even make a few allies should I succeed,” Yip of Yore answered.
”You have yet to truly answer my question,” Eversmile pointed out.
”I was getting to it,” Yip smiled, relaxed. ”My point is that I’m not sure it’s even possible to put such an option on the table in the first place. Someone like Jake Thayne is bound to be stubborn and, from my understanding of him, a bit simple. This entire recording is proof of that, and seeing as how obvious it is he clearly isn’t the most subtle either. Someone like him doesn’t strike me as the sort who would be open to being told to do something or feel forced into a particular Path. My ideal outcome is indeed that he becomes the Divine Usurper of the Malefic Viper, and I slay the Primordial, but if I or my Chosen are the ones who suggest that do him, he’s only going to be more opposed to the option. No, the only way I see to get him on board is to either make him think it’s his own idea, or by having someone he actually seems to respect recommend it.”
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”Getting Valdemar to propose such a thing won’t be easy,” Eversmile answered, shaking his head. ”I would also point out that it’s not even necessary you have to present the option to him. There is a chance that is already what he’s planning, especially if we look at this recording, which feels almost like an application to join Valhal. In my opinion, you should find a method of letting him know about his options, though, in case it wasn’t on his radar.”
”I will,” Yip nodded. ”Based on how he didn’t even kill the mortal fodder who serve my Chosen, it appears he can at least be communicated with.”
”And if, in the end, he still continues to see you and your Chosen as mortal enemies?” Eversmile questioned.
”Then he’ll die,” Yip of Yore said casually.
The god who would be a Primordial Slayer looked at the recording playing on repeat once more but didn’t see anything new worth noting. By now, many of the plans Yip of Yore had put into motion had been derailed or destroyed entirely, yet he didn’t feel the slightest bit upset. Jake Thayne was an incredible element of chaos in any situation he found himself mixed into, and while that certainly made things more complicated for Yip, it had to be worse for the Viper. In fact, as things were looking, this would lead to a better final outcome than initially expected.
Yip of Yore was a god of stories. Legends. Any situation could be rewritten, meanings twisted, and plans retconned. As long as the right building blocks were laid down, he could manifest the reality he desired. The Chosen of the Malefic Viper was just one element, but ultimately… nothing he ever did would have more than a marginal effect on the plan to slay the Viper. Sure, it could make it a bit harder or less annoying, but what he really impacted was what came after.
No, in the end, the true decider between Yip of Yore and the Malefic Viper would simply be who was stronger. Yip, in his most powerful form, or the Malefic Viper, a Primordial who had sealed himself away for the vast majority of the multiverse’s history. Even so, a Primordial was a Primordial, and it was a massive gamble, but one Yip was willing to take if it meant overcoming his limits and reaching the next level.
Truly, if there was one thing worth regretting in this entire ordeal with Jake Thayne, it was that the Malefic Viper had gotten to such a human first. He truly was extraordinary in every sense of the word. Ah, the legends Yip and such a human could have written together. Alas, Yip shouldn’t be too disappointed. While Jake Thayne had shown little of his true power during the fight with the Prima Guardian, he couldn’t hide his true strength from the god’s eyes… and Yip wouldn’t say his own Chosen was that far off, if at all. Especially if the conditions were right. In such a case, their fight could truly be legendary.
Because no matter what, there would be a fight. Two geniuses of a generation like that were bound to clash, no matter the circumstances. The only difference was if it would be a fight to the death between mortal enemies or a spar to decide who is better between allies or perhaps even friends.
--
Jake had never wanted to just get the fuck off a world that badly before. After he’d killed the Prima Guardian and ”saved” everyone, he instantly noticed how half the people recording quickly teleported away, likely to preserve at least some of the recordings should Jake now choose to turn on them. The remaining half stayed filming the aftermath.
An aftermath that was really annoying. The scalekin quickly stormed forward to profusely thank Jake while the two World Leaders related to Ell’Hakan remained as vigilant as ever. Jake didn’t do anything to them, though. Quite frankly, he just wanted out of there… but while the scalekin was an idiot, he wasn’t that dumb.
The scalekin knew that the moment Jake left, he would be surrounded by potential enemies on all sides. With the Prima Guardian dead, they had even less reason to keep him around, at least from his perspective. So, the guy desperately wanted to convince Jake to remain a bit longer at least, and with the ongoing recording, Jake felt like he couldn’t just outright bail.
That’s how he ended up going to claim the Planetary Pylon with the scalekin, returned topside once more, and somehow ended up part of a big clan meet with all the different clans on the planet gathering for final peace talks.
The two World Leaders also stayed around, with a few people recording always nearby. Seriously, Ell’Hakan had to have invested some serious resources in hiring this many camera operators, but oh well. Jake just went along with things as a new grand declaration was signed, the scalekin swearing to create a council that would lead the planet with him only having a single seat on it. To make it clear, Jake gave this entire alliance about a month tops before it collapsed based on how the majority of clan leaders stared at each other with pure hatred.
All this shit that would more likely than not turn out to have been a complete waste of time within a month took a few days to do after returning from the Prima Vessel and claiming the Pylon, and Jake really only stayed around to keep up appearances. Alas, there was only so much he could take.
When Jake was asked to be the officiant for the scalekin and his wife renewing their wedding vows – because some-fucking-how that trainwreck seemed salvageable to them - Jake knew it was time to run, using any excuse he could come up with to get away.
Only once Jake was back on Earth could he breathe out a sigh of relief. He returned to the Prima Vessel once more and coincidentally bumped into Lillian, who had been standing there looking at the map.
”Ah, Lord Thayne, you’ve returned,” she said politely, throwing him a look. ”How did things go? You were gone a bit longer than usual.”
Jake didn’t immediately answer but pointed to the planet he had just been to, which was, of course, now green on the map. ”Make sure Miranda knows to not accept anyone from that planet. Ever.”
Lillian instantly got a serious look as she looked at the planet Jake pointed at. ”What’s wrong with it? Is it controlled by Ell’Hakan’s alliance?”
”… probably?” Jake said, honestly not entirely sure. Chances are they were based on how at least three-fourths of the planet seemed to support the two World Leaders sent by Ell’Hakan. And, no, Jake did not want to try and force them over to ”his” side because that would have required him to stay there. That wasn’t why Jake wanted to blacklist them, though… he just really didn’t ever want to see about or hear about any of them ever again. Of course, such a reason was a bit petty, and Lillian did have a good point, so:
”Actually, yeah, they are allies of Ell’Hakan, and we should avoid anyone from that planet ever getting here to prevent spies,” Jake said with a stoic nod.
Lillian threw him a glance before sighing. ”You really didn’t like the natives there?”
”They were really annoying, okay?” Jake sighed loudly. ”Also probably, definitely, now allies of Ell’Hakan. Which, in my book, is a pure win for us. Because going by how goddamn dysfunctional everything there was, I see no world where they contribute anything positive to any alliance.”
”It sounds best you tell Miranda about what happened if the other Chosen was involved in this matter,” Lillian reminded Jake.
”I should, yeah,” Jake nodded in agreement. Only now did he also look at the map and saw what Lillian had been staring at when he arrived, and…
”A second one?” he blurted out with wide eyes.
”Yeah, it happened only two hours ago,” Lillian shook her head. ”We confirmed it was marked with a blue flag before.”
Jake stared at the map where he now saw not one but two planets marked with a black flag. A second world had faced destruction, and Jake couldn’t see any other explanation than that ”I” creature. He hoped he was wrong, though, and it was just some freak coincidence… but his guts told him it wasn’t, which indicated only one thing:
This creature had now found a method to destroy planetary cores somewhat fast and consistently… and it was actively traveling around doing so.