Bro, I'm not an Undead!

Future Skullius had settled his affairs in the Empyrean Bosom quickly, shortly after paying the younger him a visit.

Now, he was hovering above Aigas, giving it one last long look. It was unlikely that he would ever return. He wouldn't have a reason to do so whether Skullius succeeded in saving it or not.

He sighed. He had a lot to think about now.

He had discovered much because of this visit. It hadn't been one he'd placed much stock in. A part of him had wished he'd never come here, in fact.

Luckily for him, the trip was worth it, and not in the way most would think.

Even from up here, Future Skullius could vaguely sense the presences of Fulgardt and Skullius. On top of that, he could just barely make out the blotch of darkness in a corner of the gargantuan disk of bright light (how worlds looked like from the great void).

Future Skullius narrowed his eyes.

'A checkpoint, I suppose,' he thought.

Right then, a formidable presence washed over his head like a great shadow. His mind had no choice but to give it its due respect. Thankfully, this presence did not really require its 'partners' to bow and cower pretentiously.

<You are a commendable liar, you know that?> a voice as deep as the great void itself said.

Still looking down on Aigas, its radiance highlighting his figure like a lantern, Skullius answered:

"What did I lie about?"

<Don't play coy with me. I was listening the whole time, and watching too. You played yourself like a fiddle. Admirable. Reminds me why I favour you so much.>

Future Skullius' face remained impassive, and he didn't respond to the sarcasm immediately. When he did, what little emotion had been lingering in his voice disappeared completely. Had anyone who'd interacted with him on Aigas heard him speak now, they would not have pegged him as Skullius, even with his likeness on full display.

"You're always accusing me of these outrageous deeds. What? Are you trying to make me feel guilty? I don't feel a lick of that. If anything, I'm satisfied with the result. And I indeed managed said result without a single lie."

A boisterous laugh thrummed through his head, making him wince ever so slightly.

COLMUUN considered that a potent joke.

<Endearing. Well, I can see why your… yet-to-mature self bought your story. It's logical to assume that you're really just a clone of him that's a mere few years in development. Was that whole fable to not discourage him?>

Future Skullius closed his eyes shut. He might have been lamenting the fact that he was forced to explain himself. Why was it that a succinct answer was never enough for anyone, even for Primeval Deities?

"You overestimate him if you think he can manage processing everything at once. The immediate goal of beating Fulgardt and the ultimate objective of fighting Somanda are already treacherous burdens on his mind. Adding on the stress of his inevitable trip to the prison would only derail him. It would crush a portion of his will and resolve. Besides, right now he's on the precipice of something that wasn't part of my development."

COLMUUN considered the Hybrid's words. He might have searched Aigas through Future Skullius' eyes and appraised Skullius... as well as his opponent.

At the latter, he chuckled.

<To think you never made mention of him. It makes sense now. I remember him. He's one of those ones – the Wanderer's shills.>

COLMUUN's excitement throbbed so powerfully that it bled into Future Skullius' body. Wherever the Primeval Deity was, he might have been kicking his feet for joy.

<An exceptional expert. I recall he made a contract with me some Consternals back – not too long. He didn't hesitate to sell his soul like many Deities I know. He managed to create something phenomenal with Barter too. I almost considered paying him a visit. A plethora of shenanigans must have occurred since then. I could have sworn he was dead.>

"Clearly not." Future Skullius crossed all four of his arms in front of his chest. "You understand now?"

<Don't patronise me.> said COLMUUN rather playfully. He sounded like an old man realising he could still muster an erection. <An Existential Parallel versus the Wanderer's shill. This is a contest of fate.>

"A contest of Direction," corrected Future Skullius. "Whoever wins will steal the other's Direction. Unfortunately for that sockethole, even if he wins, he'll still see the prison. Hence why he's better off going on in ignorance until I take his place."

COLMUUN remained silent for a few moments. It was at times like these that he realised… this ward of his was far from being the average Divine expert.

<Your scars are showing.>

To that, Future Skullius actually laughed. "Is that so? Only Britnee has said that to me since I returned."

As he said it, Future Skullius lathered one of his palms with Null Life Essence and shoved it onto his abdomen. Almost immediately, sparks of blue flame shuddered from that part of his body before gushing forth as a wild fire that forged a humanoid shape – a feminine one.

"I see Aurolio left a deeper impression on you than I had originally thought," said Serenity as she hovered in front of Future Skullius.

"Sorry. You took me by surprise. I have my own interests different from Skullius' and I'd rather they remain secret, even from you," said the future Hybrid. "I thought your primary goal was to help him extract his soul from Somanda. Why did you follow me?"

The tone Future Skullius took made Serenity consider her next words carefully. Her integrity was in question.

"It is," she said, "but I've done as much I can to help Skullius prepare for his journey of self-recovery. Until he accomplishes that, he shouldn't need my assistance. But you… You know things that can help me a great deal in the short run."

"What makes you think that?"

"A hunch."

"Don't treat me like Skullius. I do know a great deal, and I sure as flesh can detect lies even from someone like you." Future Skullius' tone was stern. It gave COLMUUN a good laugh.

Serenity was silent for a while, thinking.

"Fine. I had help coming to that conclusion."

Future Skullius tilted his head.

"You are going to surprising lengths to be vague about your babysitter, Serenity. Like I said, I know a great deal. VOW. Wyrrim. Whatever else she's called. I would have preferred some honesty."

…!!!

Serenity was visibly shaken.

"You… you are…" she stuttered.

"Aware? Yes. The irony. Your father did say that VOW would try to snoop. Hence, my prison's bizarre location." The thought brought some semblance of a smile to Future Skullius' face.

Serenity, on the other hand, drew back. She nearly fizzled out. The blue in her flames turned white.

"No… My father…?" she found herself saying in a shaking voice.

Future Skullius chuckled ever so lightly.

"The Wanderer sends his regards."