Chapter 231: The God of Instinct

Zahliver’s POV

The strange man stopped walking just a few feet away from us, his long, tangled hair framing his sharp features in the dim light. His skin was olive toned, and his bright orange eyes glowed like molten glass in the shadows. He swept his gaze over all three of us, but it finally settled on me with far too much unwelcome familiarity.

Standing right before me was the ancient god of intelligence and instinct.

"Eccasto," I greeted him deadpan. "It is actually Zahliver, just like I told Alstha earlier. And no, I did not fall for your silly trap. Probably because you had Berna swallow me whole once before in the past, remember?"

His hard jaw tensed visibly at the mention of Alstha. Good.

But aside from that physical reaction, he managed to stay maddeningly composed.

"Zalvius... you simply must put an end to all of this madness," he began, his voice dipped deeply in a forced, unnatural calm. "Yes, we deeply wronged you in the past. All of us are guilty. But I am here right now to speak on behalf of the rest of them, to say "

"What? That you are deeply sorry for everything?" I snapped back, heat flaring up sharply in my chest. "Great. That is precisely what I have been waiting to hear. Finally, the mighty gods apologize. Now I can just skip off happily into the sunset, all of my old wounds magically healed."

Pure sarcasm laced every single word that left my mouth. I did not even try to hide the venom in my tone.

He opened his mouth to speak again, but I cut him off with a loud, vicious snarl.

"Even someone like you cannot possibly be stupid enough to think a simple apology is what I want. Or that it comes anywhere close to enough."

My dark rage surged forward like a second pulse beating fiercely just beneath my skin.

Years.

I had suffered in the dark for so many long years tortured, humiliated, and toyed with purely for their own amusement.

And now they wanted to suddenly play nice and talk it out?

I stepped forward slowly, just enough to make him instinctively flinch back.

This was never about forgiveness.

This was all about total war.

And I had barely even started.

There was a tiny flicker in his orange eyes just a brief split second but I caught it. It was not fear, not just yet. It was pure instinct. And since he was literally the god of instinct, if his gut feelings were not already screaming at him to run for his life, then something was deeply wrong... because he was about to bleed on these stones.

I watched him grit his teeth hard, desperately searching for something to say that would not cost him more than he could afford to lose.

"No," he began slowly, trying his best to put on a reasonable tone. "I fully understand that after everything we put you and your brother through, you have every reason to want heavy revenge. But we were young back then... and foolish. Time has tempered our wild edges. We even tried to do right by "

My entire body tensed up like a coiled spring before the rest of his sentence could even land.

I already knew what name was coming next. And I absolutely refused to let him speak her name out loud.

Disgust coiled low and heavy in my gut, feeling just like thick smoke curling from a long dead fire that had been suddenly reignited. My fingers twitched with restraint, my jaw tightening until it ached as a cold shiver ran through my frame. I inhaled deeply through my nose, steadied my trembling rage, and spoke in a voice that was soft and terribly deliberate.

"If her name ever leaves your mouth... the pain Alstha is currently enduring right now will seem like a sweet mercy compared to what I will make your constant companion."

It was not just an empty threat.

It was a sacred vow.

Eccasto froze completely in his tracks. His eyes locked tightly onto mine, wide with sudden, unspoken alarm. I could easily see the internal war raging within him his sharp instinct screaming at him to back down, to run away, to surrender. But his stubborn pride held him firmly in place. He blinked rapidly, swallowing hard against his dry throat. And in that heavy silence, I knew he had finally listened to me.

Maybe there was a time long ago when he could have easily overpowered me. But that weak version of me had died because of what they did. And the terrifying version that stood before him now? He had helped build this monster. He helped make me what I am today relentless and totally unbreakable.

His wary gaze drifted away from me toward Fern and Lexero, both of whom were standing nearby watching closely. They had heard every single word of our exchange. I had told them all about the gods long ago their domains, their dark roles, and their unforgivable sins.

I turned my full attention right back to him, my voice low but sharply edged with heavy steel. "Where is Fate hiding, Eccasto?"

I already knew he would not give me a straight answer. He was far too loyal to him. Or perhaps just too terrified of what the absolute truth would eventually unleash. Still, I asked anyway.

He gave me a sad, tragic smile, tinged deeply with bitterness.

"You already know I will never betray him. No matter what cruel things you do to me, that will never change," his voice lowered, turning into a murmur almost completely swallowed by the blowing wind. "It has been many years, Zalvius. You were still entirely human back then. And human memories... they always fade away with time."

A low growl rose up hotly in my throat before I bared my sharp teeth at him.

"Do not you dare speak to me of the past. I have no use for your cheap nostalgia. Tell me where the coward is hiding the one who plays with mortal lives as if they are nothing more than pieces in some sick game. Tell me where the old fool is hiding right now."

I took another menacing step closer to him.

"One last time, Eccasto. Where is he?"

His stubborn silence was absolute. His glowing orange eyes gave nothing away save for pure, unyielding defiance. I clicked my tongue against the roof of my mouth and abruptly turned my back on him.

"Fine," I muttered dismissively.

Lexero caught my clear meaning without me needing to spell it out for him.

He stepped forward toward the edge, eyeing the murky, swirling river and the monstrous creature lurking silently beneath the glassy surface. "So, how exactly am I supposed to cross this muddy mess without getting eaten alive by this... nightmare version of Finding Nemo?"

I let out a smirk.

"You will be completely fine. Berna can only be summoned once at a time, and Eccasto has already burned most of his divine strength doing just that. Not your brightest tactical move, considering what your official title is," I glanced back over my shoulder at Eccasto with a cold sneer. "God of instinct and intelligence, huh? You really could have fooled me. You made a massive mistake back then... and you are making another foolish one right now. Some stubborn creatures just never seem to learn."

I turned back around and stepped lightly across the flat grey stones that lined the river, keeping my balance steady and completely unbothered. The dark water stirred beneath us, but no sudden danger came up to grab us.

Lexero followed right behind me, spreading his arms wide to keep his balance, muttering angry complaints under his breath.

Behind him, Fern came last, moving with slow, careful, and wary steps, his sharp eyes constantly darting back and forth toward the water’s edge.

And what about Eccasto?

He took one slow step backward. Then another.

He clearly thought I might suddenly pounce on him. He had braced himself tightly for the brutal fight that I ultimately decided not to give him. Not yet, at least.

But he knew the truth just as well as I did.

This fight was far from over.

Not by a long shot.

"I will bring you down eventually, Zalivus. I may be badly drained right now, but do not ever mistake that temporary state for actual weakness," he called out with a cold, calculating gleam in his glowing eyes, sounding as though he had already drawn up a master plan to defeat me later. A foolish plan that, even if it actually existed, would fail all the same.