Chapter 35: The Man Who Stood Before the Gods

The fortress shook again.

The voice that had whispered through the darkness was gone, but its presence remained.

Rin could still feel it. Not in his ears. Somewhere beneath his skin.

The mysterious man stood several steps away from him, surrounded by the faint silver light leaking from the cracks in the ancient chamber.

Nobody moved.

Not Kaelith.

Not Noctis.

Not Sol.

Even Aiden seemed incapable of finding the right words. Rin stared at the stranger. There was only one question occupying his mind.

"Who are you?"

The man looked at him. For several seconds, he said nothing. Then his eyes softened.

"My name..."

He paused.

"...is Eryon."

Rin waited. That was it. No dramatic title. No explanation. Just a name.

"Okay."

Rin folded his arms.

"Eryon."

The man smiled slightly.

"Yes."

"You called me your child."

"I did."

"I’m guessing there’s a very good explanation for that."

"There is."

"Are you my father?"

"No."

Rin blinked.

"That was fast."

Eryon almost laughed.

"No. I am not your father."

Rin relaxed.

"Good."

Noctis raised an eyebrow. Rin glanced at him.

"What?"

"Nothing."

"Then don’t look at me like that."

Noctis’s expression returned to its usual calmness.

"I said nothing."

Kaelith sheathed his sword but didn’t step away from Rin.

His eyes remained fixed on Eryon.

"You knew Rin’s mother."

Eryon looked toward him.

"Yes."

"You knew her well?"

"Better than most."

Kaelith’s expression hardened.

"Then you know where she is."

Eryon looked back at Rin.

"Yes."

Rin’s breath caught. Finally. After all the visions, timelines, curses, gods, and fragments of memories...

Someone actually knew. His mother was no longer just a shadow from the past. She was somewhere.

And Eryon knew where. Rin stepped forward.

"Tell me."

Eryon didn’t answer.

"Please."

Still nothing. Rin’s frustration grew.

"You can’t just say you know where my mother is and then stand there."

"I can."

Rin stared at him.

"...You’re annoying."

A faint smile appeared on Eryon’s face.

"Your mother said the same thing."

Rin froze.

"You really knew her."

"Yes."

"What was she like?"

Eryon’s expression changed. For the first time, the ancient calmness disappeared. Something almost human appeared in his eyes.

"Stubborn."

Rin smiled despite himself.

"That sounds right."

"Kind."

Rin nodded.

"Also right."

"Far too willing to sacrifice herself."

The smile disappeared from Rin’s face. Eryon looked toward the broken throne.

"She was not afraid of the God."

Rin’s expression hardened.

"She should have been."

"She wasn’t."

"Why?"

"Because she knew something he didn’t."

"What?"

Eryon looked at him.

"That gods can fall."

The room became silent. The God. The World. The curse. Everything suddenly felt smaller. Rin looked at Eryon carefully.

"You aren’t afraid of him."

"No."

"Why?"

Eryon didn’t answer. Instead, he walked toward the center of the chamber. The golden crack above them widened.

A presence descended. The God. This time, he didn’t bother disguising his anger.

Golden light flooded the chamber. The stone floor beneath Rin’s feet cracked.

Kaelith immediately moved in front of him. Noctis summoned dark energy.

Sol’s System windows appeared rapidly around him.

[WARNING.]

[DIVINE PRESENCE DETECTED.]

[THREAT LEVEL:—]

The message flickered. Then disappeared.

Sol stared.

"What?"

Rin looked at him.

"What happened?"

Sol’s face had gone pale.

"The System can’t measure him."

The God smiled.

"Still trying to calculate what lies beyond you, little brother?"

Sol’s eyes narrowed.

Eryon looked toward the God.

"Leave."

The single word carried no force. Yet the golden light around them flickered. The God stared at him.

"You are still arrogant."

"And you are still pretending you have authority."

"I am the God."

"No."

Eryon took another step.

"You are the one who sits on the throne."

The God became silent. Eryon continued.

"Those are not the same thing."

Rin looked between them. He had never seen anyone speak to the God like that. Not Aiden. Not Sol. Not even Noctis.

Everyone treated the God as an absolute existence. Eryon didn’t. He spoke to him like an equal.

Perhaps even like someone beneath him. The God raised one hand.

Golden symbols appeared across the ceiling. Rin recognized them.

The same symbols that had appeared whenever the God used his power. Divine laws.

Eryon looked at them.

"You’re going to use the Law of Erasure."

The God smiled.

"At least you remember."

"What is that?"

Rin whispered. Noctis answered.

"A divine law capable of removing an existence from reality."

Rin’s eyes widened. The God looked directly at Eryon.

"You will not interfere again."

Eryon sighed.

"I was hoping you wouldn’t force me to demonstrate."

"Demonstrate what?"

Rin asked.

Eryon turned toward him.

"My power."

The God released the spell. The entire chamber disappeared beneath golden light. Rin couldn’t see anything. He couldn’t hear Noctis. Couldn’t hear Kaelith. Couldn’t hear Sol.

For a moment... There was nothing. Then he heard a voice.

Eryon’s.

"Look."

Rin opened his eyes. Everything had stopped. The golden light was frozen. Every piece of dust hung motionless in the air.

Kaelith stood frozen. Noctis stood frozen. Sol stood frozen. Even the God was motionless. Rin looked at Eryon.

"What did you do?"

"I stopped the law."

"You stopped time?"

"No."

Eryon walked past the frozen golden light.

"Time is still moving."

Rin followed.

"Then why can’t anyone move?"

"Because I removed the boundary between movement and stillness."

Rin stared.

"That makes absolutely no sense."

"It doesn’t need to."

Eryon raised his hand.

The golden symbols surrounding the chamber began to break apart.

One by one. Not destroyed. Not dispelled. They simply lost their meaning. Rin watched in disbelief.

"You can erase divine magic."

"I can erase the concept that gives it permission to exist."

Rin swallowed.

"That’s... terrifying."

"Yes."

Eryon lowered his hand.

"But power isn’t the dangerous part."

"What is?"

"Knowing when to use it."

The golden light vanished. Everything moved again. The God staggered. For the first time...

He looked afraid. Eryon turned toward him.

"You should have stayed away."

The God stared.

"You cannot destroy me."

"I know."

"You cannot destroy the World."

"I know."

"Then you cannot stop me."

Eryon smiled.

"You’re still misunderstanding."

The God frowned. Eryon raised his hand. The golden throne behind the God cracked. Not physically.

Its existence began to disappear. The God immediately turned.

"What are you doing?"

"Showing you the difference."

The throne vanished. The God remained. But the authority surrounding him disappeared.

His divine aura collapsed. The golden symbols disappeared. The chamber became ordinary. The God looked at his hands.

His expression changed. Eryon lowered his hand.

"I didn’t attack you."

The God stared.

"I removed the concept that made this place recognize you as its ruler."

Rin’s mouth fell open.

"You can do that?"

Eryon looked at him.

"Yes."

The God turned toward Rin.

"You see?"

His voice was suddenly different. Less powerful. More human.

"That is why you must not trust him."

Rin frowned.

"Why?"

"Because he is stronger than me."

Silence. Even Eryon looked slightly surprised that the God had admitted it. The God continued.

"He is stronger than the World."

Rin looked toward Eryon. The man didn’t deny it. The God pointed toward him.

"He existed before the first law."

Eryon nodded.

"He cannot be controlled."

Another nod.

"He cannot be predicted."

Eryon’s expression remained calm.

"And he does not belong to this reality."

Rin looked at Eryon.

"Is that true?"

"Mostly."

"Mostly?"

"I belong wherever boundaries exist."

Rin frowned.

"So everywhere."

Eryon smiled.

"Exactly."

The God looked furious.

"You see why he is dangerous."

Rin crossed his arms.

"Honestly?"

The God waited.

"I’m more interested in why you are scared of him."

The God didn’t answer. That silence told Rin everything. Eryon turned toward Rin.

"That is why I came."

"Because of the God?"

"No."

"Then why?"

"Because of your mother."

Rin’s heart tightened. Eryon looked toward the broken throne.

"She knew the God would eventually find you."

"She knew?"

"Yes."

"Then why didn’t she come herself?"

Eryon’s expression became sad.

"Because she couldn’t."

"Couldn’t?"

"She was imprisoned."

Rin’s heart stopped.

"Where?"

"The place where the first divine law was written."

"Where is that?"

Eryon looked toward the northern mountains.

"Beyond the Moon Forest."

Noctis stepped forward.

"The Moon Forest hasn’t existed for centuries."

"It still exists."

Kaelith frowned.

"Impossible."

Eryon looked at him.

"Many things are impossible until someone remembers them."

Rin stepped forward.

"What happened to my mother?"

Eryon hesitated.

"She tried to break the first law."

"What law?"

"The Law of Fate."

Rin’s stomach tightened.

"The law that decides what happens to everyone?"

"Yes."

"Why would she try to break it?"

Eryon looked directly at him.

"Because it said you were destined to die."

Rin’s breath caught.

"And she refused."

"Yes."

"What happened?"

"The God discovered what she was doing."

"And?"

"She escaped."

Rin stared.

"She escaped?"

"Yes."

"Then where is she now?"

Eryon’s eyes became distant.

"That is what I cannot tell you."

Rin frowned.

"But you said—"

"I know where she was."

Rin’s expression fell.

"Was?"

Eryon nodded.

"She moved after the last timeline."

"Where?"

"I don’t know."

The God smiled. For the first time since Eryon had appeared, Rin noticed genuine satisfaction in his expression.

The God knew something. Rin turned toward him.

"You know."

The God said nothing.

"You know where she went."

Still nothing. Rin stepped forward.

"Tell me."

The God looked at him.

"Why?"

"Because she’s my mother."

"That is precisely why."

The God raised his hand. A golden light appeared. A vision.

Rin saw a woman standing alone in a field of white flowers.

His mother. She looked tired. Older. But alive. Rin stepped forward.

"Mom..."

The image flickered. Then disappeared. Rin turned toward the God.

"Why you showed me that?"

"I wanted you to see."

"Where was she?"

"Somewhere you cannot reach."

Eryon suddenly moved. The God raised his hand. Eryon stopped. The two stared at one another.

"You knew I would do this."

"Yes."

"Then why did you allow it?"

"Because now he knows."

Rin looked between them.

"What?"

The God smiled.

"The truth is closer than you think."

Eryon’s expression became cold.

"Enough."

The God laughed.

"You cannot stop him from learning forever."

"No."

Eryon looked toward Rin.

"But I can decide when he learns."

The God disappeared. The golden light vanished with him.

Silence returned. Rin stood completely still. He had a thousand questions. But one mattered most.

"Why did the God show me my mother?"

Eryon looked at him.

"Because he wants you to chase her."

"Why?"

"Because he knows where the path leads."

"Where?"

Eryon looked toward the northern mountains.

"To the place where your mother made her final choice."

Rin stared.

"What choice?"

Eryon smiled faintly.

"Whether to save you..."

He paused.

"...or save the World."

Rin’s chest tightened.

"Which did she choose?"

Eryon didn’t answer. Instead, he walked toward the exit.

Rin followed.

"Wait."

Eryon stopped.

"You said you came because of my mother."

"Yes."

"Then what do you actually want?"

Eryon turned. For several seconds, his expression was unreadable. Then he answered honestly.

"I want the promise I made to her to end."

"What promise?"

"To watch you until you could stand without me."

Rin stared.

"And now?"

"Now you can."

Eryon looked at Noctis. Then Kaelith. Then Sol.

"They will help you."

Noctis nodded. Kaelith remained silent. Sol looked at Eryon.

"And you?"

"I have other things to do."

"Such as?"

Eryon’s gaze shifted toward the sky.

"The God has begun moving pieces that even he cannot control."

Rin frowned.

"What pieces?"

Eryon smiled.

"You’ll discover them."

"That’s not an answer."

"It’s the only one you’re getting."

Rin sighed.

"You really are annoying."

Eryon laughed softly.

"Your mother said that too."

He began walking away. Rin suddenly remembered something.

"Eryon!"

The man stopped. Rin hesitated. Then asked:

"Did she love me?"

Eryon turned.

His expression softened completely.

"More than anything."

Rin looked down.

"And was she afraid?"

"Every day."

Rin looked up.

"Then why did she keep fighting?"

Eryon smiled.

"Because fear never convinced her to stop loving you."

Rin felt his throat tighten. Eryon turned away.

"Go north."

"To the Moon Forest?"

"Yes."

"Will I find her?"

Eryon looked over his shoulder.

"If you are meant to."

Rin frowned.

"That’s a terrible answer."

"It is the truth."

Eryon’s body began dissolving into silver light.

Rin watched.

"Will I see you again?"

"Perhaps."

"When?"

"When the World forgets its own name."

Rin stared.

"What does that mean?"

Eryon’s smile was the last thing Rin saw.

"It means you will know."

Then he vanished. The chamber remained silent.

Rin stood there for a long moment. Noctis finally approached.

"You okay?"

Rin nodded.

"I think so."

Kaelith looked toward the place where Eryon had disappeared.

"He is dangerous."

Rin nodded.

"I know."

"Do you trust him?"

Rin thought about it.

"No."

Noctis raised an eyebrow.

"Then why are you going to follow his directions?"

Rin looked toward the northern mountains.

"Because I trust what he said about my mother."

Sol stepped beside him.

"The Moon Forest."

Rin nodded.

"That’s where we’re going."

Kaelith sighed.

"Of course it is."

Rin smiled slightly.

"You’re coming?"

Kaelith looked at him as though the question was ridiculous.

"Obviously."

Noctis nodded.

"Then I suppose I’m coming too."

Rin looked at both demons.

"Thank you."

Noctis shrugged.

"Friends don’t let friends wander into mysterious forests alone."

Kaelith nodded.

"Especially when gods are involved."

Rin smiled.

For the first time since Eryon had appeared... He felt something close to peace.

Not because the mysteries were solved. They weren’t.

Not because he had found his mother. He hadn’t.

But because he finally knew something important. His mother was alive when she disappeared.

She had fought the God. She had broken the rules of Heaven.

And she had done it for him. Rin looked toward the northern mountains.

"Let’s go find her."

Far away...

Beyond the reach of the fortress...

A silver-haired woman stood beneath an ancient tree.

She looked toward the horizon.

For the first time in many years...

She smiled.

"Eryon found him."

A shadow appeared behind her.

"You knew he would."

She closed her eyes.

"I always knew."

"Will he come?"

"Yes."

"Will the God stop him?"

She touched the pendant around her neck.

"No."

The shadow hesitated.

"Then what are you afraid of?"

The woman opened her eyes.

"That when Rin finds me..."

She looked toward the distant mountains.

"...he will finally learn why I left him."

The wind moved through the silver branches.

The woman whispered:

"And I don’t know whether he will forgive me."

The tree’s flowers began to fall.

One by one.

Like snow.

And somewhere far away, Rin began his journey north.