The Seeker | Volume 2

Drawing power from a Sefirot gave the user a few possible outcomes. They'd either get corrupted by the previous owner of the Sefirot, or get corrupted by its characteristics. They could also lose control and die to the overwhelming amount of power of the Outer Deity who has control over said sefirot. 

So either of the options would have the same outcome, and that was exactly as I had foreseen in that small amount of time. I took a careful step forward whilst holding the sun-charm, the artifact dangling loosely in my hands.

At that instant, I divined myself above into the Throne Room and prepared the ritual. If I could possibly replicate the vortex I had previously seen with The Umbridge's help, then I could use the sun-charm in the void state to erase its influence, then I could bind those effects to the wormhole in the real world with amplified power. 

As if "they" had already known of my intentions, The Umbridge manifested before my eyes, wearing "their" simple black cloak and worm-hole like eyes. 

"It's a risky move..." "They" said, "their" voice laced with trepidation. 

I sighed softly as sweat beamed down my head, also feeling uncertain about the ritual's possibility of success. "I would summon Arden and Cosette to back me up, but they're busy at the moment, and I wouldn't want them to have to pay me back again, I have nothing to give them back."

The Umbridge nodded in understanding. All of the sudden, "they" reached "their" hand out, and an illusory vortex of shadows and darkness formed above us. The crimson moon inside the throne room ebbed and glowed gently as it was suddenly dragged into the vortex. 

"What are you doing?" I asked, looking up at the sight with trepidation.

"Due to my partial authority over the Luma Routeway, I could get "her" attention. It's a risky maneuver, but it will hold "her" back longer since this is an isolated space." "They" said solemnly.

The crimson moon was suddenly overwhelmed by the tide of flesh and blood and ebbed within the wormhole of darkness, an evident sign that "she" was at the works now. 

With a quick wave of "their" hand, "they" pulled the crimson moon out of the vortex! The vortex turned illusory and crimson red, numerous bones, intestines and flesh matter formed within the hole, similar to the Ebon Viel's sudden transformation by channeling the Sefirot. 

I grabbed the sun-charm and held it up. The artifact instantly sensed the danger in the area, and its golden material instantly lit up! Numerous strikes of light shot out from the charm, all focusing on the vortex of flesh and blood.

The charm started to shake and quiver as if it had just entered some sort of intense struggle. The crimson moon, which had now completely been overwhelmed by the tide of flesh and blood, suddenly exploded! 

Me and The Umbridge were sent back by the blast, crashing into the wall. 

"She" corrupted the uniqueness!" The Umbridge shouted in "their" illusory voice as "they" reached "their" hand out. 

The crimson moon dimmed and sparked with its crimson hue, flickering and pulsing under the blood tides influence of The Mother of Envy. The Umbridge was losing this battle against this deity!

...

Franklyn danced a melody of madness as he soured around and continued to attack Cattleya and Demetrius. At the level of a demi-god, their bullets barely scraped his skin, not even leaving marks in the slightest. 

Cattleya looked over towards the cortex of flesh and blood and her eyes widened in fear and astonishment. It had grown in size, and more and more tendrils leaped out of it, swiping and swinging around it some mad, crazed dance. 

Demetruis dodged the attack of the tentacles, firing bullets at the appendages. Luckily, these tentacles weren't that strong or durable, instead falling slack when a bullet pierced their slimy and slippery skin.

A wormhole suddenly formed above the other wormhole, another wormhole that was half composed of shadows and half composed of flesh and blood like the one below it. A large, illusory hand composed of shadows descended from the vortex, slamming into and punching the tentacles that flailed around with malice.

Franklyn's lips curled up as he flew towards the wormhole, but he was suddenly pushed back by some unknown force, an illusory current of shadows and blood coursed through Franklyn like an electric shock. 

He growled in pain as he clenched his fists, his body trembling under the maddening ravings that had just entered his mind. Inside of his mind, Franklyn saw a young woman with skin as dark as the night. "Her" hair was slippery and just like "her" skin, black. The ends of "her" lips curled up as "she" looked towards Franklyn. 

With a sudden boom, Franklyn exploded into a fit of flesh and blood. Cattleya was too distracted by the ensuing madness to realize that Franklyn had just perished, instead she watched the scene with horror and amazement.

The shadow hand suddenly uncurled, revealing an illusory figure in its palm. The figure stood about 10 feet tall, with "their" wormhole-like eyes gazing upon the scene. "They" opened their unseen mouth and whispered sacredly and solemnly. 

"Enough..."

Suddenly, all the illusory shadow figures that Franklyn had summoned turned towards "them". All of the sudden, they all charged towards the figure, shooting blasts of power and using supernatural demon abilities.

The Umbridge didn't move, unphased by the amplified powers of the Ebon Veil members' attacks. They extended their right hand, and a large spear twice their height conjured, glowing with a red and black vue of maleficence. 

"They" swung their spear, and everyone in the room except Cattleya, Demetruis, Aizawa, Olive, Shinso, Ling, and Palsy evaporated into a fit of black smoke. The amplified members of the Ebon Veil Syndicate shrieked and screamed in terror as their bodies burned and charred. 

Both wormholes suddenly closed, and The Umbridge, along with the illusory shadow hand disappeared back into the void state.

...

I was frozen, clearly phased by "their" showcase of power. 

"I didn't know you could interfere like that..." I whispered in amazement. 

The Umbridge turned back to look at me, "their" wormhole-like eyes had dimmed slightly, flickering in the light. 

"I had to, child. It was the only way The Mother of Envy couldn't have further enhanced "her" retrieval plan. What you merely had been seeing is her spiritual projection, a way that people like you can look at her without losing control. It's also how you can say "her" honorific name without dying on the spot."

"So they wanted to revive "her" by channeling "her" sefirot?"

The Umbridge shook "their" head. "No."

"The first part is correct, but they wanted to revive "him" first."

I raised an eyebrow. "Who? What other deity am I unaware of?"

"Not a deity, an angel. The Primordial Demon King. One of "his" revival spots was corrupted by Mother of Envy, preventing "his" revival. With "his" Order 1 characteristic of "Gap-junction," they could further weaken the barrier and let "her" reclaim "her" sefirot."

"Then why did they channel the power of the sefirot if they knew it would kill them?" I asked, now confused by the Ebon Veil's logic. 

"I'm surprised you didn't notice Franklyn's maneuvers. Every roar that he enacted was heard all across the eastern continent, maybe even more. He was sending a signal to "him." The only remaining mausoleum of "him" is located in the Katshin Empire. And "he" is inside of Izuku Midoriya, waiting to be further awoken..."

"Then why did I see him when the vortex appeared, don't tell me there's two entities fighting for control..."

The Umbridge nodded. "Unfortunately, that's true. You'll need to go to the Katshin Empire and destroy the mausoleum before "he" gets any more time to revive."

Their figure suddenly disappeared as the fleeting images of "them" and the crimson moon vanished. I looked down at the sun-charm, and realized that it was corrupted by "her" influence, now becoming what people would call a Malevolent Sealed Relic, the most dangerous kind.

...

Olive coughed heavily as she leaned up, now conscious again. She rubbed her eyes in shock as she saw the scene of the destroyed Ebon Veil members, the charred bodies twitched weakly as ash-black smoke protruded from their mangled forms. 

Aizawa looked down at her and sighed in relief, blood leaking down his head. Olive coughed up some blood as she continued to lay in Aizawa's arms. A blinding ray of crimson shot through the world as I descended down, landing gently on the ground.

"We need to leave, and quickly."

Shinso, who had been silently observing the chaos, raised an eyebrow.

"Why?"

"We need to prevent "her" intrusion past the barrier. This is a lot more serious than I previously anticipated, the Ebon Veil Syndicate used the Nest of Vulgarity to channel power into themselves. Every time Franklyn roared, he was sending a signal...a signal to an angel called the Primordial King..."

Cattleya's eyes widened. "The Primordial Demon King?" her voice was filled with shock.

"In the previous epoch "he" colluded with The Mother of Envy in an intricate plan. Using the characteristic "Gap-junction," she could temporarily penetrate the world-view barrier and with "his" help, create an avatar to enact a plan...an avatar named Sara Gypsy.