The Absolute: Humanity's Second Chance

'You guys don't understand.' Fiona thought, and as she was about to reply, Damien's voice rang out from above them. "Princess, we should take our leave now."

He said, his gaze not focused on them, but on something deeper within the interior of the forest. A beast responsible for this forest's strange traits.

And he wasn't going to be facing it anytime soon. The poor thing did him no wrong.

"Yes, lord Damien. Everyone, pack up. We are going to lead you out of this hell hole." She said, but no one responded to her.

Instead, they all, including Kiara and Lloyd who stopped delicately reforming Harold's face, stared in stupor at Damien, and his ungodly levels of beauty that shone with supremacy above them.

'...Should I be surprised?' She thought, also looking up at Damien. And no matter how much she saw him, she had to admit, he was the most handsome man she's ever seen.

~~~

By evening, Damien had returned back to the Shade Stronghold with the Romanian crew. They currently stood before the Stronghold's entrance, while Fiona conversing with the guards.

She presented to them a letter with the stamp of the royal Vermillion family, and the guard rushed it towards the castle through a messenger bird.

"Lord Damien, are you sure this would be a good idea? We came unannounced and unprepared after all." Fiona asked as she returned.

Harold, Kiara, Lloyd and the others were also worried about this matter. But Damien kept his poker expression. "It shouldn't be much of a problem for now."

He said, then added. "All you have to do is associate yourself with Adonis. He is a good kid, and will treat you with enough courtesy deserved of guests at your level."

"What about the Shade King?" Harold, beat up and bruised, asked with a straight face. He bared with the pain he felt, and took it like a man.

"He should not be much of a problem either. You guys will handle the conversations with him, while I'll deal with the rest." Damien replied.

"Our reason for coming here? We cannot just barge in now, can we?" Kiara scoffed as she asked, but Damien did not take her attitude to mind whatsoever.

"Reason?" He frowned. He did not take that to mind, because he had no intent of bringing them here to begin with. 'This was an unexpected trip.' He thought.

But he could not send them back now, especially as the forest of illusions led them here. 'I could send them back one by one, but... they would benefit more if they stayed.'

He thought. His idea was simple; he had no plans of playing management, but humanity's progress was slow, and now he was forced to take matters into his own hands.

"...I'll deal with that." He said, but Fiona hurriedly interjected. "N–No, it's fine. We will think of one, right uncle? Right?"

Harold blinked his eyes in surprise, wondering why he was involved into this. But seeing his niece's glare, he could only helplessly nod his head. "Yes yes, I know just the thing."

"Alright then, I thank you for that." Damien said, then left after giving Fiona a pouch similar to the one he gave Adonis. "I'll be visiting you two from time to time."

"Thank you." Fiona took ahold of the pouch carefully, and bowed in return. Damien nodded and then left them there.

Everyone watched until he entered the Stronghold, then turned back to Fiona. "Who was that, my dear one?" Harold asked.

"...Someone of high authority and power. But that aside, what's your plan uncle?" She inquired, hiding the pouch into her bossom.

"Ah, about that... I'm still thinking." He said, rubbing his bloated cheek. "Just give me a moment or two, dear."

He genuinely had no idea what to do.at the moment. But since he had already let everyone doen for two whole months, he belived he could make it up to them with this one favor.

"Alright. But we don't have all day. And senior Kiara, senior Lloyd, everyone, I am sorry about this okay? I promise I will explain everything to you as soon as possible." Fiona said, slightly bowing towards them and her classmates.

"Fine with me as long as I understand my position." Kiara said, and Lloyd nodded. "Yes, princess, don't worry yourself too much. I'm sure it's nothing troublesome."

"Thank you."

Meanwhile, after Damien entered within the interior of the Stronghold, he flew straight towards his city, without much of a rush.

[ You should obtain mastery in Destiny or a Destiny type Ability ]

The Primordial Source said out of the blue, and Damien nodded without replying to it.

Indeed. Having mastery in Destiny, or even Fate, would make manipulating the progress of humanity flow faster, either than just using force at all times.

But how does he obtain one?

[ I can give one to you? Don't worry, I don't require something excessive in return from you ]

Damien sighed and paused mid air. "What is it now? What do you want this time, Primordial?"

[ Nothing ]

"..."

[ ... ]

The two of them stayed silent for quite the long while. Damien of course did not believe those words, and added with a frown. "I don't like playing games, Primordial."

[ I know you don't. Truth is, I've done a great favor for the wolves, and thought it'd be fair to do one for humanity as well ]

" You're growing unruly, aren't you?"

[ All I want is entertainment. Wouldn't it be fun to watch a battle between mortals and divine beasts? ]

"..."

[ ...Maybe not ]

Damien sighed. He suddenly had a bad feeling about his current circumstances, and with a pair of silver gray wings, he burst off into the distance at light speed.

A few seconds later, he appeared with a mountain valley, and going deeper within, he felt a terrifying presence accumulate itself at the core of the valley.

And also the glare of a powerful and wild beast. That alone was terrifying, let alone the glares of thousands more on him.

"What did you do?" He asked, a much bigger frown on his face. The Primordial Source plainly responded.

[ I just gave them a slight boost of power. I've opened up a path of divinity and uniqueness for the wolves ]

"...All just to force me to accept your help?" He thought, but at the same time he understood the thought process of The Primordial Source.

After all, the thoughts of eldritch and beyond creatures are all beyond common sense. They operated with a different logic than those that still reside within the confines of Reality.

And most importantly, he was once one of them at some point in time as well, during the previous timeline.

[ Yes, and no. Mostly yes, and to also have you accept me as your patron source ]

"Why are you so bent on that?" He asked, now stern. The last time, he took such words as a playful claim since The Primordial Source was still a newborn eldritch Source.

But now, he was curious and bent on knowing why it was so desperate with him. 'Does it know about my circumstances..? Probably so, as it's nigh-omnipotent at most.'

Unfortunately, The Primordial Source did not succumb to his curiosity.

[ Secrets pertaining to the workings beyond Reality. You might be an anomaly that knows more than it shall know, but that doesn't mean your soul can take in all types of secrets ]

[ Especially the secrets pertaining to anything beyond the workings and laws of Reality ]

"I see." He nodded at such perfect excuses, turning back towards his city, and towards his home. "Alright then, I'll think about it. But that Destiny mastery, I still need it."

[ Okay, but this means that you will accept? ]

"Try even harder to win me over, Primordial. If it's something as grand as a secret of the beyond, then don't even think of buying me cheap." He said, opening the door to his house.

[ Alright then. I also won't make it easy for you either, Anomaly ]

[ TING!!! ]

[ You have obtained the Unique Destiny-type Ability, "Prohpet of Humanity" ]

[ Prohpet of Humanity (UNIQUE) :- An ability geared towards the workings and interlinking of humanity's Destiny. With this Ability, the prophet of humanity can see the destined paths of humans who are weaker than him, and manipulate them to your desired course. This Ability is unique amongst Unique Abilities, and has heavily influenced the "Philosophical Mana-Kinesis" Unique Technique into a "Kismetic Mana-Kinesis" Godly Technique. All obtained Essence for the previous technique  have been converted to Kismetic Essence that can be used to manipulate Reality through humanity's fate and destiny ]

"..."

Damien read through everything on the Ability, and opened his Template to view any changes made since.

It had been a long time since he's manually focused on himself, but the current period was not about him. Nor was it about his family, nor Juliette, but the whole of humanity.

And that being the case, the next coming months would be spent on the greater progress of this Stronghold... and if possible, the whole of humanity.

"And I'll need all the help I can get... including yours, Primordial." He lightly said, staring at the screen representing his Template.