"Yes, I'm still alive, and he…" Alaric paused, lowering his head to gesture at his stomach with a smile before looking at the Evernight Goddess. "I devoured him."
The Evernight Goddess visibly flinched, though she maintained her composure. "Did he taste good?" She asked.
"Honestly, I didn't taste much. Probably awful, though." Alaric replied, recalling the flavors of the various Sequence potions he'd consumed.
The Evernight Goddess seemed at a loss for words, and a brief silence settled over them.
Alaric didn't let the silence linger. With a playful smile, he turned to her and asked, "Lady Amanises, what did you glean from my little story just now?"
The Evernight Goddess froze for a moment, likely running through a mental storm of thoughts before responding, "You're incredibly powerful, nearly impossible to kill."
"No, how could you think that?" Alaric glanced at her, feigning confusion before smiling. "I was saying... I will protect my world, no matter the enemy or the cost."
The Evernight Goddess pursed her lips. "Is this your world, then?"
Alaric didn't answer directly. Instead, he gazed at the dreamscape city around them, as if lost in memory.
After a long moment, he seemed to snap back, turning to her. "It could be. If I have enough anchors in this world, it could become mine."
"The Sun God did well in that regard." Alaric said with a smile, almost wistfully. "He's preparing to kill me, yet at the same time, he's working to make me human, to make me love this world."
"I don't dislike his approach."
The Evernight Goddess fell into thought for a few seconds before speaking. "I understand. I wish you success in that endeavor."
In that moment, she finally confirmed that the being before her wasn't a heartless monster masquerading as human but a great existence genuinely striving to embrace humanity.
The realization brought her genuine relief.
Alaric smiled at her. "Alright, enough idle talk. Let's get to business."
The Evernight Goddess pursed her lips again, then offered a gentle smile. "You're likely troubled by Azik's situation."
"Do you have a way to help him?" Alaric asked, his curiosity piqued.
"If it's about soul fusion, I'm afraid I have no solutions." She said, shaking her head before continuing, "But if it's about suppressing Salinger, I might be able to offer some effective assistance."
Alaric raised an eyebrow, mildly surprised... not because the Evernight Goddess could suppress the God of Death; that was expected, given her expertise and history as both an old rival and colleague of Salinger. No, his surprise stemmed from catching the hidden meaning in her words. He smiled and said, "You know the only reason I'm hesitant to support Azik in accommodating the Death's Uniqueness is the risk of Salinger reviving within him."
The implication was clear: if Salinger's influence could be neutralized, Alaric would back Azik's full integration with the Uniqueness.
The Evernight Goddess understood the subtext. Looking at him, she said, "Consider this my investment. Just as the Sun God bets you'll come to love this world, I'm betting those around you can serve as anchors to keep you grounded."
"Even at the cost of never becoming an Great Old One?" Alaric asked, his interest piqued as he studied her.
"The River of Eternal Darkness poses significant problems. Becoming an Great Old One was always a long shot for me." She said, pausing before giving a slightly self-mocking smile. "Truthfully, I don't have an intense desire for power. If it weren't for the looming apocalypse, I'd be content remaining a Sequence 0. At least then, I'd know I'm still myself, not some resurrected primordial being."
"And in the face of the coming apocalypse, one Great Old One isn't enough to shift the tides." She continued, meeting Alaric's gaze. "So, I'm betting these anchors will keep you on humanity's side, helping us survive the end."
The Evernight Goddess had considered many plans for humanity's survival, but each carried a high risk of failure. Alaric's arrival, however, offered a new possibility... a chance for humanity to triumph over the Outer Deities.
"And if you lose that bet?" Alaric asked, holding her gaze without flinching.
"Then I believe those around you would stand with me against you." She replied softly. "You know what kind of people they are. They're good, and not one of them would stand by and watch you destroy everything."
"Clever." Alaric muttered, feigning frustration before breaking into a grin. "It seems like you win either way."
"But I hope you win your bet." He added, looking at her. "After all, even I don't relish the idea of being abandoned by everyone."
The Evernight Goddess relaxed further at his words. The Death's Uniqueness was never something she had to claim. If she could trade it for something more valuable, she was willing to let it go.
After all, she knew full well that if Alaric truly turned against humanity, this world would likely be doomed.
He could summon the Lord of Mysteries or the Primordial God Almighty within the planet itself... something no force on Earth could counter.
"I was planning to use the Death's Uniqueness as a bargaining chip for a deal with you, but now I'm short on leverage." Alaric said, feigning a troubled tone.
The Evernight Goddess glanced at him, clearly guessing his intent. After a moment's consideration, she said, "You still have leverage in one matter."
Alaric raised an eyebrow, signaling her to continue.
She didn't beat around the bush. "Since you know the Earth Mother's true identity, you're likely aware of our plans."
"I do know what you're planning." Alaric confirmed with a nod.
Looking at him, the Evernight Goddess said, "With Loen's current situation, things can't proceed as I'd planned. But the God of Combat must die. So, in this matter, I hope to have your assistance."
***
Hi everyone, I hope you're all doing well. I just wanted to let you know that right now I'm working on a really good and promising fate fanfic. If you're interested in reading it, feel free to give it a try:
[Fate/Max Level Returner]
Synopsis:
What if you took your max-level account and replayed the entire story from the beginning?
---