Chapter 1262: The Gift of Ascension

The Library of Light was vast and deep, with seven ringed halls ascending from the central lobby, and in all that open air, there still wasn’t enough room to breathe. I’d dreaded this moment for what felt like forever. Only the horrors Rithen had shown me frightened me more.

Luke led me through the library, past the crowded reading tables and the Fatesworn who had gathered there. I kept my head down, following close behind him. Every so often, someone would call out a greeting or offer their congratulations, and I’d manage a small smile before hurrying onward.

I wondered if they knew what came next. If any of them understood what Luke had been planning ever since we’d begun our march toward the Divine Throne.

Luke stopped beside a narrow passage between two shelves, looking back at me.

"Here?" he asked.

I glanced inside. The passage opened into a small reading alcove, tucked away from the main hall. Two cushioned chairs sat beside a low table, surrounded by shelves of old histories and records.

I nodded. "It’s... good."

Luke led me inside, closing the door behind us. He moved the chairs closer together before sitting down, then held out his hands.

I hesitated, my tail curling anxiously around my legs, before settling into the chair opposite him. Our knees touched, and Luke took my hands in his, gently rubbing his thumbs over my fingers.

For a while, neither of us spoke.

"Xiviyah," he began.

I flinched.

He studied me for a moment. "You’ve been avoiding this conversation."

I lowered my gaze, and he let out a sigh.

"Xiv, please. Can’t we talk?"

There were so many things I wanted to say, but they all seemed to lead back to the same question, and I couldn’t bring myself to ask it.

Finally, I swallowed.

"Luke... what happens with the World Shard now?"

He leaned back slightly, though he kept hold of my hands.

"Ordinarily? Once a world is conquered, the emperor who sponsored the invasion descends through an avatar to claim the Shard and receive the submission of his lords."

"And the demon lords?"

"They’re permitted to challenge him. Any lord who contributed sufficiently to the conquest can demand the right to claim the Shard for himself."

I frowned. "But... wouldn’t an avatar be much weaker than the emperor himself?"

"Not necessarily. Moral Realms gate all beings at ninth-level, even emperors and gods. Exceptions are...rare," he said, shrugging helplessly. "Though, of course we were the ones who got to see that first hand. All emperors and lords are over ninth-level, so they have the same relative strength. What matters is their skill and conviction. Defeat the avatar, and the right to the Shard is yours."

"And when they win?" I asked, though I already knew the answer.

"They consume it. A World Shard provides an enormous increase in power, bringing a demon lord one step closer to becoming an emperor himself."

"And... you were going to challenge the Curse Emperor?"

"Yes."

My chest tightened.

"But that won’t be happening," he continued. "Oblivion has claimed Enusia, and no emperor will dare contest him. There will be no descent, and no challenge."

"Then... what are you going to do?"

"That depends on what Oblivion intends. He’s working with Fate, though I can’t say I understand his purpose. Whatever they’re planning, it isn’t an ordinary conquest."

I nodded, staring down at our joined hands.

Luke had spent so long preparing for this moment. He’d gathered the Infernal Horde, fought his way across Enusia, and brought the church to its knees. I’d always known what he intended to do with the Shard, but somehow, now that we’d actually reached it, I couldn’t bear the thought of him leaving.

"Luke..." My voice trembled, and I tightened my grip on his hands. "Do you still want to ascend?"

He didn’t answer.

I looked up, searching his expression, but he was gazing toward the little window, his brow furrowed in thought.

The silence stretched, and I felt my stomach twist. I wanted to tell him that I understood, that I wouldn’t stand in his way. He’d already done so much for me. How could I ask him to give up the one thing he’d spent his life pursuing?

But the words wouldn’t come.

At last, Luke stirred.

"Xiviyah."

"Y-yes?"

"Would you like to be free?"

I blinked, looking up at him.

"Free? I... I am free."

"Not entirely."

He raised one of my hands, turning it over gently in his palm.

"The Sun God’s curse is still there, isn’t it?"

I stiffened. Even with Adaptive Resistance, even after reaching the ninth level, I could still feel its presence buried deep within my soul.

I nodded reluctantly.

"Not even oblivion can strip it away, not so long as your soul remains mortal. So long as you remain in Enusia, you will never gain strength. You’ll never be able to hold a knife, not even to cut your food. You’ll be forever helpless and dependent."

"You want me to ascend? But Luke, I already told you–"

"I know," he said, silencing me with his surety. "But the time for thinking about it has passed. We now have the World Shard. It’s time for you to make a decision."

My breath caught.

"If you absorb it, you’ll have the power to begin your ascension. Once you’re beyond the limits of this world, your ability will grow strong enough to destroy the curse."

"But... Luke, that’s your Shard. You fought for it. You were going to use it to challenge the gods. Why would you give all that away? Doesn’t it matter anymore?"

"I still want the gods to bleed, Xiviyah. I haven’t forgiven them, nor forgotten what they’ve done. And if the opportunity comes, I won’t hesitate to take my vengeance." His fingers tightened around mine. The lack of hesitation in his words sent a thrill through me. "But I want you to be free more."

I opened my mouth, but nothing came out.

"I’ve spent years pursuing strength," he continued. "Another Shard, another victory, another step toward vengeance. There was always something more I needed, someone else I had to defeat. And something to be left behind.

He paused, studying my expression.

"The reward has always been worth the cost, but this time..." He shook his head. " The shard is yours."

I shook my head helplessly, tears spilling down my cheeks. "You’re sister..."

He let out a hollow laugh. "Do you really think she’d want that? She would have loved you, Xiv, but she can’t. If I’m to do something in her stead, let it not be vengeance, but love.

"But I don’t know how. I’ve never absorbed a World Shard before. That’s a demon power. I wouldn’t even know where to start."

"Then I’ll teach you."

He said it so simply that I almost laughed.

"You make it sound so easy."

"It won’t be easy," he admitted. "But do you really think you couldn’t learn to do it? Hells, you could probably figure it out on your own faster than I could explain it>’

I wiped at my eyes with my sleeve, smiling weakly. For so long, I’d been afraid of this conversation. I’d imagined Luke standing before the World Shard, preparing to leave Enusia and everything we’d built together. I’d tried to convince myself that I would be happy for him, that I could accept whatever he chose.

And now he was offering it all to me.

I leaned forward, resting my forehead against his. Luke released one of my hands to brush the tears from my cheek, and for a while, I simply sat there, enjoying his warmth.

"Thank you," I whispered.

He kissed my forehead.

But even as the relief settled over me, I couldn’t quite put my worries aside.

Fate had bound herself to my soul for a reason. She’d sacrificed her divinity, endured the loss of her followers, and waited countless years for the chance to change the cycle.

And I was the one carrying her power.

"Xiviyah?" Luke asked quietly.

I shook my head, managing a small smile.

"It’s nothing. I just... need some time to think."

"And here I thought we cleared that idea up already. But I suppose it is a lot to take in, so...take what time you need. I’ll make sure no one takes the shard from us."

Beyond the alcove, the library remained busy with the work of victory. Somewhere below, Bethiv and the others were preparing to bring an end to the fighting, while our friends recovered from the battles we’d survived.

In my heart, I knew the choice Luke offered me wasn’t one I could make alone. To ascend would mean entering a world I understood only through scattered visions and prophecies. I would need every bit of help and support I could get. Haven was bound to my soul, and if I ascended, the remnants would likely return to their peak, but also have their realm exposed beyond the safety of a mortal world.

But I also had the feeling Luke wasn’t going to be the only one to ask me to make that choice. Fate had hidden her intentions well, but they were clear by now. She had a shard they’d managed to convert to true mana, but that was only one small shard. If they wanted a world free of the Divine’s influence, they would need something much, much more. They would need a world shard, and that meant a being with the power to control it. Oblivion was there and waiting, but oblivion alone was only half of creation. They needed someone to wield Fate on a level no mortal could manage. They needed a new Goddess of Fate.