Antigonus could play the obedient pet in front of his savior and bow to the strong, but he'd never be a good dog for the one who destroyed everything he held dear.
Unless… Antigonus thought of his sister. They shared the same blood, allowing him to faintly sense her condition. He was certain she hadn't fallen.
Where was she, then? Was she, like him, imprisoned by Amanises? How could he save her?
"Don't growl at the wrong person," Alaric said with a chuckle, eyeing Antigonus. "Sure, I'm working with Amanises, but your tragedy has nothing to do with me. I just made a deal with her... she sold you to me."
This wasn't a lie. Though unspoken, Alaric had indeed struck a deal with the Evernight Goddess: in exchange for ensuring the Fool's Uniqueness went where it belonged, Antigonus was his to handle. In return, Alaric would help Amanises meet her family.
Antigonus froze, clearly unprepared for this revelation. His expression shifted, a mix of emotions flickering across his face.
"What do you want from me, then?" Antigonus took a deep breath, steadying his complex feelings, and asked.
"I just need a good dog... and a subordinate, of course," Alaric said with a grin, blunt as ever. After a pause, he added, "But to be clear, I only bought you. The Fool's Uniqueness and Seer characteristics inside you don't belong to me. They'll go where they're meant to in the future."
Antigonus blinked.
"???"
A living, breathing demon wolf, a King of Angels so close to the Fool, and his characteristics could be sold separately from himself? Wait... why did he only have one Seer characteristic left?
Antigonus hadn't even had time to process being sold piecemeal when another realization hit him, leaving him dumbfounded. One of his Sequence 1 characteristics was missing.
"Oh, that? You might want to ask Lil' Zaratul about it," Alaric said kindly, as if reading his mind. "He swiped one of your Seer characteristics while you were out of control."
"..."
Lil' Zaratul? Who? Some descendant of Zaratul?
Antigonus nearly laughed from sheer indignation. As a half-Fool, he might be outmatched by Amon or Bethel, and he played the good dog for Alaric, but against other Seer pathway angels, Antigonus could dominate. Zaratul himself had fallen to Antigonus and Bethel's combined assault.
And now, some "Lil' Zaratul" Had the gall to steal his Seer characteristic while he was down? How could Antigonus stomach that?
He couldn't take on Amanises, but a Lil' Zaratul? That was child's play. His wolf eyes glinted with ferocity, and invisible spirit threads moved silently. Soon, a figure was dragged into the palace... none other than the previously hidden Zaratul.
If Zaratul had already ascended to Attendant of Mysteries, he might've held his own against a freshly awakened Antigonus. But he hadn't, stuck in a peculiar state where even his Miracle Invoker powers were barely functional. Against a true King of Angels like Antigonus, he was like a helpless chick, dragged back with ease.
"Well, look who showed up, Mr. Lil' Zaratul," Alaric said, shaking his head at the spirit-thread-bound Zaratul before giving an enthusiastic wave.
"You know him?" Antigonus asked, turning to Alaric.
"Not personally, but one of my subordinates is an old friend of his," Alaric said with a smile, glancing at Antigonus. "Plus, I've got him pegged as a whetstone for the future Lord of Mysteries. So, feel free to rough him up to vent, but try not to kill him."
Antigonus instinctively looked at Amon. In his mind, with Mr. Door corrupted and himself out of the running, Amon was the closest to claiming the Lord of Mysteries... especially since he seemed so chummy with Lucifer.
"Don't look at me," Amon said, adjusting his monocle. "I'd love to be his pick for Lord of Mysteries, but sadly, I'm not his chosen one." He even added with a smile, "His favorites are Door and a certain little Seer."
Antigonus blinked at the answer, puzzled. "But isn't Bethel corrupted… Has his corruption been resolved?"
"Not yet, but it's close," Alaric replied, smiling at Antigonus. "I know you might not like it, but you've got to know your limits. You're not suited for the Lord of Mysteries. Since you're not, those characteristics should go to someone who is."
Antigonus didn't deny it. Deep down, he knew that even accommodating the Fool's Uniqueness had nearly overwhelmed him with the Celestial Worthy's will. He was no match for that role.
"Of course, if you're really not convinced, I'll give you a fair shot in the future. If you can beat my chosen candidate, I won't stop you from taking the Lord of Mysteries," Alaric said with a smile.
Antigonus's mind flashed to the past... years of being led around by Amon or Bethel. He fell silent, then shook his head. "No need. I know my limits. I'm not the right fit." His gaze drifted through the palace doors to the ruins of the Nation of the Evernight, and a bitter smile crossed his face. "If I were capable, the Nation of the Evernight wouldn't be like this."
Antigonus wasn't foolish. He despised Amanises for destroying his kingdom, but he knew why she'd acted. By taking on a second Seer characteristic, he'd drastically increased the Celestial Worthy's revival, threatening everything.
If Amanises hadn't intervened, the Celestial Worthy might've used him as a vessel to return.
It was his stubbornness that shattered the Nation of the Evernight's peace.
Antigonus closed his eyes, torn between sorrow and pain. He hated Amanises, but he also hated himself... and the Celestial Worthy stirring within him.
Suddenly, he opened his eyes and looked at Alaric. "This Lord of Mysteries you've chosen... can they suppress the Celestial Worthy?"
***
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