Lord Of The Mysteries: A Slug of Time

"Shall the meeting commence?"

As the words echoed in the vast majestic palace, each card on the table—the False Fool, the Star, and the Sun—ignited in a deep crimson glow. Their glassy surfaces shimmered, reflecting the beautiful veiled woman Amanises, the calm and steady God Grisha, and the man in the comically large top hat, Klein.

Sefirah Castle churned faintly in response. The greyish white fog stirred, vibrating, curling around and engulfing the ancient, copper-mottled table. Klein sighed, tapping his slender fingers on the armrest of his chair, the sound originating from it reverberated in the entire Sefirah Castle. "Some rather interesting developments have taken place since our last gathering," he said, voice dipped in nonchalance and amusement.

The greyish white fog slowly peeled away from the table, revealing a lavish feast: roasted pheasant drizzled with golden honey, silver trays of spiced root vegetables, and goblets of wine that shimmered with stardust. Pastries and cakes, tea and juices, the table was adorned with perhaps any food and sweet and beverage man could conjure, it was overwhelming and baffling all the same. Klein casually speared a soft, dripping fig with the tip of his fork and took a short sip of his Da Hong Pao.

"Wouldn't you agree?" he added with a mischievous smile, his gaze lingering on the God Grisha.

"We were so busy cleaning up the aftermath of the fall of three gods," Grisha spoke, "His" voice calm and collected. "He" extended "His" hand and served "Himself" some simple salad and a Massandra wine, "that we might've left a few blind spots behind."

"The past is nothing to dwell upon," Amanises murmured, lifting her own goblet, a delicate vessel made from obsidian glass poured with some simple English breakfast tea and taking a composed sip. Her veil shifted only slightly, but her voice carried a cold simplicity.

"The real question is: what do we do about these... characteristics?"

"Beyonder characteristics," Grisha corrected lightly.

"What?" Amanises turned her head just enough for the crimson glow of the Star card to illuminate her half-lidded eyes.

"I coined the term not too long ago." "He" smiled with shameless pride, reaching for a slice of bread and tearing it in half with one hand. He dipped the bread in wine before chewing on it. "'Beyonder' refers to those who've consumed a potion or characteristic and walk one of the Paths of Divine."

Amanises simply stared at "Him," her expression concealed behind the veil. For a moment, she said nothing. Then she sighed, shaking her head and taking another composed sip.

I suppose we would've needed an umbrella term eventually.

Turning back to the conversation, she rested her goblet down with a soft clink. "What path are these charac—" she clicked her tongue. "'Beyonder' Characteristics from?" Her gaze shifted to Klein, though in her peripheral vision she caught the glimmer of happiness that curled Grisha's face for a moment.

Klein glanced toward the crimson glowing cards and gave a slow nod. "I am fairly certain it's Black Emperor and Justiciar. Their core authority gravitates around Law and Order... and their pathways are neighbors."

"Indeed it is," Grisha announced. "His" certainty attracted the attention of both Klein and Amanises as they slowly turned towards "Him".

Grisha leaned back, stretching slightly, "His" fingers laced over his cup. "I might've taken a quick peek into their Divine Kingdom in the Central Continent," "He" said with a low laugh. "It's… big. A sprawling network of cities and settlements steadily growing united under the Black Emperor and Justiciar Uniqueness."

"He" popped a sugar-dusted grape into his mouth and continued, "Before the fall of those three, the central continent was a free land. Unclaimed by any one race, overrun by mindless Beyonder Creatures. But when the three gods fell, a massive power gap formed causing the even the disorder of the world to fracture and created a vacuum. The two Uniquenesses possibly exploited just that."

"Wait, the kingdom is ruled by two Uniquenesses?" Amanises narrowed her eyes, her voice soft but sharp.

"I'm just as baffled as you are," Grisha said, chuckling, wiping "His" fingers on a cloth napkin. "I've never seen anything like this in all my existence."

Klein set down his cup, now empty, and leaned forward slightly as Grisha continued, "Strictly speaking, Beyonder characteristics and Uniquenesses shouldn't possess this kind of independent intelligence. Rogue characteristics might influence, corrupt, or even mimic sentience but organising and ruling?"

"This isn't corruption," Amanises whispered, more to herself.

"No," Grisha confirmed, tapping a finger against the rim of "His" plate. "I have seen a case of a characteristic gaining sentience and intelligence due to corruption but this isn't that. This is something altogether different. The characteristics themselves are acting driven not by madness or instinct, but by order. It's the Uniquenesses themselves that are issuing commands."

Grisha tilted "His" head. "I did wonder if someone was pulling the strings. But my foresight saw nothing. It shouldn't even be possible to manipulate an entire pathway's characteristics like that, not with mere Uniqueness alone."

Silence fell once more upon the colossal, majestic palace as Grisha halted all "His" motions and began to deeply ponder in "Himself". "His" golden eyes, pure filled with radiance, had dimmed ever so slightly. Across from "Him", Amanises took another silent sip from her obsidian goblet before setting it down beside the softly glowing Star card. Her gaze drifted into nothingness, as she too began to think over.

This situation was unique. There were no visible loose ends, no seams in the tapestry to tug at. Or perhaps the threads simply lay beyond their perception.

Klein, meanwhile, leaned back lazily in his chair, one leg crossed over the other. His eyes narrowed, his gaze drifting towards the distant gloom and darkness that one of many halls in this divine palace.

Magic wishing lamp.

His thoughts itched.

Could it be... Genie?

Now that I think about it Genie has the ability to grant wishes but the wish would always be distorted and come about in a twisted, horrible manner. While this in itself doesn't prove anything, as Genie has a Sequence 2 Miracle Invoker characteristic, he also seems very clearly aligned with Anarchy and also that being is from the Cosmos, an Outer Deity and was sealed by the previous owner of Sefirah Castle, The Lord of Mysteries, The Celestial Worthy of Heaven and Earth for Blessing, things gets slightly tricky…

A finger twitched at Klein's side.

In the past… no, wait the future? He blinked once. Eh?! Previously! Yes, that works.

Previously, I didn't have the leisure to examine the lamp due to that damned monocle! Klein snickered inwardly, shaking his head in annoyance.

Genie is an Outer Deity, a Great Old One from the Cosmos and problematic enough for Celestial Worthy to seal him away. But why specifically him? There are so many other Great Old Ones eyeing this planet But why Genie, specifically? Why not the dozens others clawing at the edges of the barrier?

What made this one worthy of that level of suppression? Also, what Great Old One is Genie?

Suddenly, a name struck him. Son of Chaos...

Without wasting a second, Klein straightened himself on his chair. In a smooth, practiced motion, he reached into the thick fog around him and drew out a gleaming gold coin. It danced effortlessly across his fingers, landing comfortably in the space between his thumb and the curled index finger.

The motion snapped Grisha and Amanises from their trance. Their brows furrowed in tandem, eyes narrowing observing the sudden shift in Klein's posture. The both of them felt a sudden buzz in the air, as if the fog was vibrating ever so slightly.

But Klein didn't acknowledge his friends. A spark flickered in his eyes. The tiny hint of golden yellow shimmered in the pitch black became more intense.

He felt a strange excitement, just like the one he felt when putting on a grand show as a Magician, performing tricks for allies and friends. With that thought, Klein tossed the coin in the air. It soared, ascending, gaining a considerable height in just a second. At that exact instant, Klein's gaze hollowed his pupils dilating into deep voids. His entire body went deathly still with even his breathing coming to a halt.

Grisha and Amanises flinched. Their spirituality ignited their senses, alerting them. Suddenly their chairs jolted. Then the long, ancient, copper-mottled table trembled, spilling some of the content on it. The high domed ceiling above them creaked. The luminous doorframes suspended like stars began to sway. The greyish-white fog that cloaked the Sefirah Castle began to writhe. The entire Sefirah Castle began to tremble violently.

Amanises rose instantly, her veil whipping around on her head. Grisha followed suit, steadying "Himself" on the table, "His" expression now grim, and alert just as the twenty-two chairs begin to topple to the ground. The palace buckled around them, trembling as if on the verge of collapse.

Only two things remained unmoved. The Fool's chair and the Fool sitting upon it. And the gold coin above him ascending undisturbed in its arc.

Grisha and Amanises head snapped towards Klein as both struggled to find a balance, a single, unspoken thought crossed in both of their minds:

If this castle falls… we fall with it.

Neither had the desire to test if they could tank the collapse of this Sefirot, especially when their respective authorities were being heavily suppressed and neither of them had a worry for Klein because they knew for a fact he could.

But then their attention was caught by the coin landing into Klein's soft open palm and disappearing in grey mist.

At once, all movement stopped.

The trembling ceased, the fog calmed, the castle regained its previous serenity.

Life flickered back into Klein's eyes. He blinked a few times adjusting his vision again and then his lips curled. A snicker escaped him. Then another. And another. His laughter began to roll, shaking loose and growing louder by the second. He lifted his hands to his temples, massaging them as the laughter turned into full-blown, unrestrained hysterics.

He laughed like a Fool. Or perhaps a Clown.

To think that's what happened to the Son of Chaos!

Amanises stared at him intensely, really intensely. For a hot moment, she genuinely wondered whether her best friend had gone truly insane.

Grisha, on the other hand, leaned forward ever so slightly, "His" golden eyes gleaming with intrigue. Grisha could recognize that Klein had performed a divination, a divination so wild enough to shake the entirety of this Sefirot. And now the Fool was losing it over it?

It was Interesting.

Klein eventually waved a hand in their direction, grinning like he'd just played the world's most ridiculous prank. "Sit down," he said casually.

He tapped the armrest of his chair once, and without a moment's delay, the toppled chairs snapped back into position with a flicker. Neither questioned him. They obeyed, settling back into their seats without a word.

Klein's laughter began to die down. He cleared his throat with exaggerated drama and leaned lazily against the arm of his throne-like seat, one leg draped over the other, grinning ear to ear.

For a time, no one spoke. Amanises simply stared at him, her lips twitching as if trying to form words and giving up repeatedly. Grisha, after letting the silence linger long enough and observing the both of them, finally coughed and raised a brow.

"Is there something you might want to tell us?"

Klein slowly turned his head toward him. His mischievous smile unchanged.

"Nope."

Grisha blinked. Are you kidding me?

Klein, unbothered, added, "At least… not now." He tilted his head just enough to look unbothered by the growing frustration across from him. "Perhaps after this little mess is handled."

He tapped his index and middle finger on the copper-mottled table as his eyes drifted to Amanises.

Her veil was still slightly disheveled from earlier, and her normally pristine posture was now a bit crooked with lingering tension. But what Klein truly noticed was the emotion stirring beneath her veil, in her beautiful dark eyes.

Concern.

For him.

Klein blinked once. And in that moment, something soft bloomed in his chest, a feeling he hadn't expected. It rattled something deep.

It was… warm.

His smile softened ever so slightly. He raised a hand and gave her a casual thumbs-up. The nod she returned was small but genuine.

Klein cleared his throat again. "Which brings me back to the matter at hand," he said, voice back to normal, though quieter now. He watched as Amanises adjusted her veil again, her composure slowly knitting itself back together.

Klein then turned toward Grisha. "You can resume your tasks without worry. Though, maybe send someone capable to Tingen to oversee things. Just make sure they don't start preaching about you."

He leaned back again, this time shifting his eyes toward Amanises, one brow rising.

"Me and Amanises will handle this issue."

Amanises blinked once.

Excuse me, what?

She stared deeply into the side of Klein's head. He, of course, turned with that same unchanging smirk and lipped the words, plain and deliberate not attempting to hide them from Grisha:

"Trust me on this."

She gulped. But nodded all the same. She already regretted it. Classic Klein . And as always, trusting him meant bracing for the kind of chaos even Outer Deities would politely decline.

Grisha watched the silent exchange unfold. "His" eyes narrowed slightly, a deep amusing thought stirred. Perhaps he had just come to notice something between Klein and Amanises that neither had quite so picked up on yet.

Interesting... Yes. They'll be perfect for—

"His" internal monologue shattered as Klein looked straight at "Him".

"Any problems?"

Grisha raised a brow. "Not necessarily," "He" said, resting a hand on "His" chin, "but… are you sure you want to do this alone?"

It wasn't concern. But curiosity. "He" knew very well that Klein alone could handle two Uniquenesses and a bunch of characteristics with or without backup, but that didn't mean "He" wanted to miss the show.

Klein's answer was simple. "I might call upon you toward the end."

With a wave of his hand, the lavish meal, goblets, and trays vanished into the greyish white fog, leaving behind not a faint trace of them.

Grisha's gaze lingered, but only for a moment as Klein stood from his seat prompting both Amanises and Grisha to rise with him. "No need to waste more time," Klein said coolly. "If neither of you have anything urgent to raise, let's end this meeting."

Amanises nodded without hesitation, she was particularly eager for a private word with him.

Grisha lingered for a moment longer, a thought tugging again at "His" tongue but he decided against speaking it. "He" nodded in turn.

"Oh, and I'll keep your request in mind. I'll send someone trustworthy to Tingen."

Klein gave a simple nod, smile lingering. Then he raised his fist and snapped his fingers.

In an instant, Grisha's body burst into bright crimson flames, vanishing from the Sefirah Castle. Amanises and Klein stared at the space he had occupied, their gaze lingering for some moment. Then, without warning, Klein's head snapped toward her, mischief already brewing behind his eyes.

"Get ready to meet a Great Old One," he said, voice far too casual than it should have.

"You... what?!" Amanises' jaw practically hit the floor. Surely she'd misheard him. Maybe she hadn't yet fully recovered from the earlier tremors that had shaken the whole Sefirot. Or perhaps Klein was playing a prank to break the tension.

But no. That smile. That damn wicked, knowing, mischievous smile curling on Klein's face told her he wasn't joking.

"Don't worry," he added with an exaggerated wave of reassurance, "he won't bite, I promise."

Oh yes, sure. "He" won't bite. "He" will just tear us apart limb by limb and water his garden with our blood! Amanises lampooned while gritting her teeth, her hands curling around the fabric of her dress. Her mind was stormed with so many questions, and thoughts that Amanises felt like her head would explode

One step at a time.

One step at a time.

She closed her eyes briefly, drawing in a deep breath, then invoked her Authority of Serenity. Instantly, a wave of serenity rippled through her chest like ice water. The chaos in her mind dulled and her thoughts regained clarity. Amanises exhaled slowly, regaining her posture. She stepped back into her chair with calm, and offered Klein a silent, expectant look. Klein, sensing the shift in her demeanor, followed suit and sat down once more. He leaned forward slightly, knowing full well what was coming next.

There was a wave of silence that washed over them. "What exactly did you divine?" Amanises asked at last, her voice low and serious. Terror slipped from each word she spoke. Klein's grin faltered. Yep… She's not in the mood for jokes.

His hand rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly, before settling on the table. "The… fate of a certain Great Old One." Amanises' eyes widened. Her lips parted instinctively as she tried to speak something but no words came out. Of course. No wonder the Sefirah Castle had shaken so violently!  

Klein continued before she could press him further. "Don't worry. It wasn't too dangerous." He scratched his chin, hesitating. "The shaking you felt was just a result of the entities involved in the divination. The Sefirah Castle has suffered the worst of it."

Amanises raised a single brow. He lifted his hands slightly in surrender. "Seriously. I'm fine."

Then his tone dipped, serious now. "When Grisha said how merely the Uniqueness, especially unaccommodated, wouldn't be enough to exert complete control of the pathway. I wondered if perhaps the primal will within all the characteristics could pull off such a feat." His fingers drummed against the table. Amanises remained motionless, listening to him with full attention.

Klein leaned back again, more cautious this time. "The Son of Chaos, the former Great Old One of Black Emperor and Justiciar, had actually disappeared sometime after the cataclysm with no trace. This in itself was very weird, the Great Old One should be eyeing this planet just like the other Outer Deities for the opportunity to reclaim "Their" torn Sefirot. Yet, the seven lights stressed that "They" had instead seemingly vanished. This led to an increase in my suspicion, so I ran a divination to find out what happened to "Them"."

Amanises crossed one leg over the other slowly, arms folding neatly on her lap. "…And?"

""They" were sealed away," Klein said, his voice returning to a whisper, "by the Lord of Mysteries."

Her shoulders tensed. Of course. Of course. Somehow, "He" was involved again, like a true puppeteer controlling unseen strings. Also, he sealed away a Great Old One?! Amanises sighed, lifting one slender finger to rub at her temple. The strength of a Pillar is beyond the grasp of my understanding. She didn't interrupt, knowing there was more.

"In the First Epoch," Klein resumed, "after having "Their" Sefirot torn and two pathways ripped from "Them". Son of Chaos tried to reclaim "Their" fragments by using "Their" unique symbolism to project "Their" will into the Nation of Disorder, using "Their" symbolism as the Black Emperor to anchor "Their" consciousness. But as you know now, it didn't go well for him" Klein added simply. "And the Lord of Mysteries sealed "Their" consciousness into a golden lamp."

He laid his hands neatly on his lap, voice quiet but clear. "A Magic Wishing Lamp."

"And perhaps, it is this Magic Wishing Lamp that is possibly influencing the two Uniquenesses and using them as vessels to spread his control across the pathway."

Amanises tapped her fingers in a slow, repetitive rhythm on the edge of her chair, her thoughts spiraling inward. Klein watched her expression carefully. She turned her head slightly, indicating to him that she needed some time to process.

Well, he did too.

I don't truly believe that… From the brief conversations I have had with Genie, that thing is not interested in ruling or control. He merely wishes to reclaim what is rightfully his and leave this planet forever… If that's accurate and not facade… then maybe it's the other way around. Maybe it's the Uniqueness that are exploiting the Magic Wishing Lamp…

Klein released a quiet sigh. None of these hypotheses can be confirmed until I meet him myself…

Of course, He could always divine more. Klein knew it would result in success.

But where's the fun in that?

"And now we are going to the Central Continent to directly tackle these Uniquenesses and potentially sort a matter involving a sealed Great Old One?" Amanises voiced out, raising her head. Klein nodded in agreement and added, "Indeed. It's a simple task but one that could potentially help you digest your potion…" Klein paused and released a chuckle, "And help me gain some fancy items to put in my collection." 

Klein was very specifically talking about the Magic Wishing Lamp. He had little to zero interest in the Justiciar and Black Emperor Uniqueness due to the need to maintain the natural flow of events. Though maybe I'll take some High Sequence Beyonder Characteristics of Justiciar Pathway for Ms. Judgement. The Uniqueness' can go to Grisha.

Amanises stared at him blankly, slowly lifting her veil and draping it over her head. "You truly crave chaos and unwanted trouble, don't you?

"I truly don't think I can express enough just how much I hate you Klein." Amanises uttered, shaking her head albeit with a small smile. Her statement earned a laugh from Klein as he looked her straight in the eye and spoke up in a mischievous tone.

"I love you too Amanises." 

Sefirah Castle returned to its original serenity. The greyish white gently stirred in the vast endless expanse of nothingness as Klein and Amanises gaze was intensely locked on one another. There was something that stirred deep in both of their hearts, a feeling that couldn't quite be named, a feeling so faint neither had even paid attention to it.

After a while, they pulled their gazes away from each other and Klein gently spoke. "We should prepare too. I propose we first send our Avatars to gauge the situation before going with our main body." Amanises nodded indicating agreement. Klein smiled and then waved his hand in front of his face.

"Then let's return to the waking world." 

He snapped his fingers as both of their figures lit in deep crimson flames before dispersing into crimson dots of light.

Crimson dots of light that gently rested onto the two cards placed at the long copper mottled table.

0–False Fool.

XVII–Star.