The Broken Halo

Chapter 998 - 997: One More Question [GT Bonus - ]

[You insufferable bastard. Do you ever run out?]

Simon leaned back in his chair, hiding a smile behind his cup.

[One of my masters was like this,] Lilith continued. [He couldn’t leave anything alone. One unfamiliar inscription could turn a short visit into several days of questioning everyone who’d ever seen it.]

[I think I would have liked him.]

[Of course you would. You’re greedy enough to want every scrap of knowledge too.]

[I wouldn’t call this Greed. I’ve only just become a Daemon. There are things I should know, especially about someone who tried to kill me.]

[And the moment I tell you, there’ll be something else you think you should know.]

Simon put the cup down.

[Would you rather I stayed clueless? The next time something connected to The One threatens my life, should I stop and ask then?]

[Don’t twist my words. I didn’t say that.]

[Then help me prepare.]

Lilith made an irritated sound.

[Fine. Ask. But these are the last questions. I’m tired, Blackmoon.]

[No promises.]

[You little shit.]

Simon chuckled, but his amusement faded as he considered what he needed to ask.

[Am I safe from Him right now? Or could The One already be on His way here?]

Lilith scoffed.

[Why would that arrogant bastard come Himself? He has countless subordinates and plenty of other ways to kill you.]

’Because something stopped Him from reaching my mind and soul.’

Simon kept that thought to himself.

Something had resisted The One, and he didn’t know what it was. He intended to examine his sea of consciousness once this conversation ended. Before doing that, however, he wanted some idea of whether another attack could arrive at any moment.

[His gaze was enough to reach the Demon Realm. Is there anything stopping Him from descending properly? Or stopping one of the gods from sending an attack whenever they please?]

[Yes,] Lilith said after a weary breath. [A barrier protects the Demon Realm.]

Simon straightened.

[A barrier?]

[It resists powerful beings trying to enter with their full strength. Crossing the distance between their realm and the Demon Realm already costs power. Forcing their way through its protection costs considerably more.]

[Even for The One?]

[He can pierce it. But doing so would consume an enormous amount of energy, even for Him. Enough that He would have to consider how much it would weaken Him.]

Simon looked up at the ceiling.

There was something protecting the Demon Realm that even The One couldn’t casually break through.

He hadn’t expected to hear that.

[But He already attacked me through His gaze.]

[That wasn’t His true body. Sending a portion of His power through and bringing His entire existence across are different things. The barrier makes interference costly. It doesn’t make every form of interference impossible.]

Simon remembered the eyes above the basin. The pressure alone had forced him down, and the attacks that followed had nearly finished him.

A portion of His power.

He ran his thumb along the edge of the table.

[Then as long as I stay in the Demon Realm, I won’t have Him standing in front of me?]

[For now, you shouldn’t. He has cheaper ways to deal with you than weakening Himself to cross that distance and the barrier.]

That was less comforting than Simon had hoped, but it gave him something to work with.

They were inside Veyra’s dimension now. Its hidden entrance offered another difficulty for anyone coming after him, but he wasn’t putting his hopes on this.

[Even the gods you’re familiar with would think twice before entering the Demon Realm themselves,] Lilith continued. [None of them would spend that much power lightly. And there are other things they would have to account for. Things I don’t have the energy to explain now.]

[The God of War followed me there.]

[Inside his chosen’s body. You fought him. You know how much that vessel limited him.]

[So using a mortal body gets around part of the difficulty.]

[At the price of what it can bear. Don’t confuse a god possessing someone with a god arriving in its true body.]

Simon nodded slowly.

He had benefited from that limitation. Without it, the God of War might have killed him before he ever reached Velmora.

[Then the barrier buys me time, but it doesn’t stop them from using someone else.]

[Yes. That is what I’ve been telling you.]

He ignored her tone. He needed to keep that distinction clear.

The thought of an enemy appearing with its full strength had troubled him throughout their journey. Knowing why that was unlikely allowed him to turn his attention toward dangers he might actually survive.

[What happened between The One and the Daemons?] he asked.

Lilith fell quiet.

[Why is He suppressing us? Why cripple our bloodlines and the paths we can take?]

[I’m not discussing that now.]

[Lilith-]

[No. When I have the energy, or when I decide you’re ready to hear it, we’ll talk about it. Not before.]

Simon let out a frustrated breath.

[You should have awakened the Seed of Sloth instead of the Seed of Pride.]

[What the fuck did you just say?]

[Nothing.]

[Say it again. I dare you.]

Simon reached for the cup again. It was empty.

He put it back without drinking.

For several seconds, neither spoke. Outside, someone called to a person farther down the street. The reply came too faintly for Simon to make out.

Life here continued without any sign that an enemy far beyond the gods might be considering how to kill him.

[Then tell me what you think He’ll do,] Simon said, his voice losing its teasing edge. [I fought His gaze. I insulted Him. And I awakened four seeds of sin at once. I don’t believe He’ll forget either.]

[I don’t know what He’ll choose.]

[What would you prepare for?]

[Subordinates. Attacks arranged through others. Someone already in the Demon Realm or in the Divine Realm that comes to the conclusion that pleasing Him is worth your death. He has too many methods for me to give you a list and promise it covers everything.]

Simon glanced toward the door.

He had yet to meet the elders. Until Enigma returned, he didn’t even know the terms of joining The Abyss.

He would have to listen carefully.

[Just concentrate on becoming strong enough to survive whatever comes. You can’t prepare a perfect answer to every possible attack from Him. You can improve your chances.]

Simon considered his four seeds. Their next stage was Rooting. He had two Royal bloodlines whose abilities he barely understood, and a body he had yet to examine properly since the fighting ended.

There was enough work waiting without staring at the sky.

[I can do that.]

[Then do it. I’m finished answering questions.]

Lilith sounded thoroughly worn out.

[No more bloodlines. No more gods. No more asking where something came from so you can ask who made it.]

Simon lowered his hand from the table.

There was one thing he wanted settled before he started examining himself. It had nothing to do with rankings or ancient history.

[One more.]

[For fuck’s sake, Blackmoon! I just told you-]

[This one’s about us.]

Lilith stopped.

Simon waited, expecting her to refuse again.

This time, she remained quiet and listened.