Deus Necros

Necros did not speak immediately. For a being who had existed for longer than Ludwig could properly comprehend, silence probably meant very little. Seconds, minutes, and centuries might have carried the same weight to Death, yet watching him hesitate still felt strange.

The white soul of Malakar remained suspended within his skeletal hand. Wrath, Envy, and Pride had received no such consideration when they returned to his domain.

Necros had known exactly what to do with each of them. There had been a deliberate cruelty to their placement, with every punishment designed specifically for what its Usurper represented.

Pride had been placed beneath his feet. Wrath had been forced to serve as support, while Envy remained beside a power it could never covet or take.

Malakar was different, and Ludwig understood why after witnessing his past. The guardian had committed the same fundamental crime as the others by denying Death and trapping countless lives in a state where they could neither properly live nor die.

Power had never been Malakar’s goal, and he had never considered himself greater than Death. He had no desire to claim immortality for its own sake. Centuries of carrying everyone else’s burdens had exhausted him until his final act of duty awakened as an Authority.

Enough.

And the world had listened.

Necros finally closed his hand around the gigantic soul. Malakar’s white form compressed between his skeletal fingers, folding inward without resistance as its light condensed tighter and tighter.

By the time Necros opened his palm, the enormous soul had become a diamond-shaped white jewel. It was perfectly clear apart from the faint pale glow moving deep within it.

Ludwig looked toward the throne. "Alright. Where’s he going?"

Necros did not answer, so Ludwig glanced toward the occupied armrests. "Not much space left."

Wrath remained beneath one arm and Envy beneath the other. Ludwig looked toward the final possible position before continuing.

"And I don’t think Pride’s going to appreciate sharing footrest duty."

Necros raised the jewel, and Ludwig followed it with his eyes. The God of Death placed it directly into the highest point of his crown.

The white diamond settled among the bones and became the highest piece upon it. Ludwig stared at the jewel for several seconds.

"Huh."

Malakar’s placement carried no humiliation or punishment. If anything, Necros had granted him the most honored position among the four by placing him above his brow.

The jewel still rested beneath Necros himself, of course. Pride probably would have thrown a fit over the distinction.

Necros leaned back into his throne. "You have rendered me great service once again."

Ludwig continued looking toward the crown. "One more down."

"Four."

"Four."

Wrath, Envy, Pride, and Sloth had all fallen. More than half of the Usurpers were gone.

Ludwig had understood the number intellectually, but hearing it spoken within Necros’s domain made the progress feel different. Four beings capable of destroying kingdoms had betrayed Death itself, and Ludwig had eliminated every one of them.

Necros continued. "Again, you have proven your value."

"Careful." Ludwig smiled. "Keep complimenting me and I might start asking for better benefits."

"You have already been compensated beyond the measure afforded to most Apostles."

"See? There’s the boss talk."

"I am not your boss."

Ludwig blinked, but Necros’s soul-fire remained fixed upon him. The God of Death continued before he could respond.

"You have labored without pause for too long."

That was far from what Ludwig had expected to hear. Necros continued in the same measured tone.

"I would not see you succumb to the same path as the one you have just slain."

Ludwig stared at him. "You think I’m going to turn into Sloth?"

"No."

"Because for a second there, I thought my employer was telling me I work too hard."

"I am not your employer."

"You keep saying that."

"Because you persist in being incorrect."

Ludwig folded his arms. "You promised to send me home."

Necros remained silent while Ludwig’s expression grew more serious. His thoughts returned to the beginning, before the Yellow River and the Usurpers had consumed his existence.

"Back before everything went to shit. Before my parents died. Before all of this."

Ludwig gestured vaguely around himself. "The Yellow River. Usurpers. Death Gods. Empire-ending monsters. That sounds like a contract to me."

"No binding oath exists between us."

"Doesn’t need one."

Ludwig looked directly toward Necros. "You gave me a way back."

Necros regarded him. "I gave you the possibility."

"Same difference."

"It is not."

"Close enough for me." Ludwig looked toward the river of souls flowing behind the throne. "I started this. I’m finishing it."

"You mistake completion for urgency."

That made Ludwig pause. Necros leaned forward slightly as the soul-fire within his sockets brightened.

"There remain enemies you must confront."

The pause that followed carried unusual weight. Necros finished the thought with a simple command.

"But not today."

Ludwig raised an eyebrow. "Are you actually ordering me to take a vacation?"

"No."

"Strongly suggesting?"

"Yes."

"That’s somehow stranger."

Necros’s gaze moved toward the souls decorating his throne. "You have destroyed four Usurpers."

"Many Apostles who came before you fled at the knowledge of one."

Ludwig knew the history. The Apostles of Death had once been numerous, but some betrayed Necros, others lost themselves, and several became the servants of the very creatures Ludwig now hunted.

Others had simply stopped. Seeing what Wrath, Pride, Envy, Sloth, Lust, and Gluttony had become made their fear understandable.

Ludwig had fought four Usurpers and survived every battle. None of those victories had come comfortably, but survival was enough.

Necros continued. "Rest does not become Sloth merely because it exists."

Ludwig’s eyes moved toward the white jewel set within the crown. The statement landed harder than he had expected.

Malakar had fallen after thousands of years without rest, when he decided that everything should share his stillness forever. Rest itself had never been the true crime.

Ludwig rubbed his chin. "Huh."

Necros waited while Ludwig considered the last several years. His memories moved from Wrath and the Yellow River to Envy, Pride, Imperial politics, Gluttony’s awakening in Tibari, the northern expedition, Watch Hollow, and finally Sloth.

He could not remember the last time he had stopped simply because nothing demanded that he move. Even the quiet periods had been spent preparing for the next catastrophe.

Ludwig sighed. "Fine."

Necros remained silent, allowing him to continue. "I’ll take you up on it."

Ludwig pointed toward him. "But if one of them starts causing trouble..."

"I trust that you will handle it." Necros said.

"Good." The corner of Ludwig’s mouth lifted. "Glad we understand each other."

Necros’s domain vanished without any transition. One moment Ludwig stood before Death, and the next he had returned to the ruined Dark Continent with Kaiser still leaning over him.

The lich frowned. "Already?"

Ludwig looked around and found Cain standing nearby, Celine beside him, and Tull apparently frozen in the same position he had occupied before Ludwig left. Thomas hovered over Kaiser’s shoulder.

"What?"

"You left."

"I know."

"You have been gone for perhaps two seconds."

Ludwig blinked. "Seriously?"

"You simply stared at nothing."

Kaiser tilted his skull. "How was it?"

Ludwig slowly stood while the Living Vessel continued reconstructing itself. The cracks running through his skin had narrowed, and sensation was gradually returning to his fingers, though his body still felt terrible.

"Quite sensible, actually."

Kaiser stared at him. "Necros?"

"Yes."

"Being sensible?"

"Shocking."

Ludwig rolled his shoulders as a smile spread across his face. "But first..."

"I think it’s time I got paid."

As if waiting for those words, the first notification appeared.

[You have acquired an Authority of Sloth.]

[Futility]

For a brief moment, all hostile attacks directed toward your person will have their power completely nullified.

Ludwig’s smile vanished as he read the description again and then once more. Kaiser immediately noticed the change in his expression.

"What?"

"Give me a second."

Another notification appeared.

[You have acquired an Ability of Sloth.]

[Idle Hand of Sloth]

Active Ability.

Upon snapping your fingers, time will cease for all beings except yourself for ten seconds.

You may move freely during this period.

Duration: 10 seconds.

Usage Limit: Once per day.

Ludwig stared at the description. The ability would give him ten full seconds while everyone else remained completely frozen in time.

"Okay."

Celine frowned. "What did you receive?"

"I’ll tell you in a minute."

"That usually means something ridiculous."

"It’s pretty ridiculous."

Another window appeared.

[Eternal Quest V has been suspended.]

Ludwig’s amusement disappeared. More text followed immediately.

[The Council of Treacherous Apostles has acknowledged the destruction of another Usurper.]

[Your continued victories have elevated you to a critical threat.]

[The Council cannot observe you.]

[The Council cannot track you.]

[The Council cannot accurately predict your movement.]

[However, they now recognize that you possess the potential to eliminate every remaining Usurper.]

[They will act to prevent this outcome.]

[Be wary.]

Ludwig frowned at the warning. "Well, that sounds annoying."

Kaiser leaned closer. "What?"

"Apparently my fan club is getting nervous."

"The Apostles?"

"Yeah."

Another window replaced the first.

[Existence V cannot proceed.]

[The Shrike has gone missing.]

[Shards of Darkness have failed to locate her trail.]

[Find the Shrike to continue Existence V.]

Ludwig’s expression hardened. "Gone?"

The Shrike was missing, and even the system had failed to locate her. That distinction mattered, though Ludwig had little time to consider what it meant before another notification appeared.

[The Kingdom of Tibari has felt the death of another Usurper.]

[Its ruler hungers.]

[That hunger has turned toward you.]

[Beware the intentions of he who is never satisfied.]

"Gluttony."

Ludwig exhaled because the development felt inevitable. The next warning came immediately.

[The ruler of the West, beneath the Golden Domes, has sensed the fall of another of her kin.]

[Her passion has turned toward you.]

[Beware she whose desire has no end.]

Ludwig stared at it. "Lust too."

Four Usurpers had died, leaving two known active members of their kind focused upon him. The notifications finally disappeared while Kaiser watched his expression.

"Well?"

Ludwig looked toward him. "I apparently got a vacation."

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