Chapter 1026: Choose

"You have said it yourself, Death. The other Primordials aside from Elementia are all acting differently."

"But to proclaim themselves as a messiah? That is absolutely not within the scope of our nature, absolute."

"I apologize for saying this, Death -- but I believe you have no idea what your kind is capable of doing or not doing."

Riley and the group were now outside the inn; the attention they were gathering, now even more prevalent than before as the people who were waiting for the Pope started to flock around them. If it wasn't for the other paladins, most of the crowd would probably be rushing to them by now.

"You are as clueless as the Pope," Riley let out a small hum as he looked Death in the eyes, "Perhaps this adventure should have been postponed until you were more knowledgeable about your situation, Death -- my children and I are going back."

"Please don't," Death closed her eyes and shook her head, "If you do not want your life outside to disappear."

"Woah, woah!" Karina, who was just letting his father speak and trying her best not to intrude on the conversation of the 'adults', could not help but get in between her father and Death as soon as she heard Death's words, "Are you sure someone of your stature should actually be making threats like that...? That's like totally unfair!"

"She's right!" Viel also moved in front of Death while comically waving his hands, "As the Primordial police, I would have to apprehend you!"

"Since when did you take on that role?" Death raised an eyebrow.

"Shh!" Viel then casually moved closer to Death and covered her mouth, "Just go with it, don't embarrass me in front of the pretty lady."

"You do know I can clearly hear you, right? I'm literally behind you," Karina rolled her eyes.

"Oh, I wanted you to hear," Viel smiled as he glanced back at Karina. Once again, his long eyelashes and bright blue eyes caused Karina to slightly be lost in a trance, "How is it? Is it working? Am I charming myself right through your heart?"

"Motherf--" But once again, Viel's childishness resurfaced and caused all that trance to just wither away.

"It would seem that there is a misunderstanding," Death then stepped forward and approached Riley before any more discussions could be had, "I am not threatening Riley Ross at all, I am only stating a fact. And please stop playing, Eternal Child, you know what I am talking about as well -- is that not the very reason why you revealed the truth about the outside world so carelessly to Riley?"

"...You guys like hiding stuff, huh?" Karina raised an eyebrow before squinting her eyes in suspicion at Viel.

"Not me, I don't like the suspense," Viel let out a small chuckle, "But I might get scolded by Miss Death here again if I say anything."

"But you were fine telling us all of a sudden that Renna and Lucy are... aren't real?"

"Didn't you hear what your dad said?" Viel pointed at Riley with his thumb, "All of them are real for him, and that is what's important -- anyway, since Death seemed to be urging the responsibility to me, then I'm just gonna let it out."

"What do you--"

And before Karina could even say anything, Viel clapped his hands; causing a transparent blast to ripple across the entire area. Karina and the others did not really have to wonder why he did that, as soon, the ground and the sky began to fluctuate; to... wiggle, in a sense.

"It's... it's happening again!"

And as soon as it happened, the crowd who wanted to approach the Pope all started backing away; their faces, filled with dread and horror. They were not looking at Viel, however, but rather just everywhere as even the infrastructures and buildings around them began to distort.

"Everyone!"

Before they could fully panic, however, the Pope raised his voice and his hands in the air, causing the anxious crowd to literally center their attention on him.

"Please do not panic, children of god!"

And as the Pope's words became louder, his paladins who were previously trying to stop the crowd from flocking to him all raised their weapons in the air.

"This rumbling would be over soon, it is just a reminder from our Lord that he is still with us, and will be with us whatever happens! Come, everyone — let us pray!"

And as soon as the Pope clasped his hands together, the panicking crowd all knelt down and also started praying. And true enough, their surroundings soon once again became stable, without even a hint of a flicker or a ripple.

"I knew you were a Super, Pope," Riley nodded his head, clearly impressed with what the Pope just did.

"He's... not, Dad," Karina clicked her tongue, "He's just targeting the weak masses and manipulating them. But that's not what's important... what the fuck just happened?"

"Paige Pearson's abilities are starting to waver," Death finally continued to speak as she looked Riley in the eyes.

"But that is impossible, Death," Riley shook his head, "Paige's abilities, to my understanding, does not really have a measure — it is limitless, by all definitions."

"It is. I was a witness of that before you disrupted the entirety of Creation and started creating trouble in the Domain of the Gods," Death let out a small scoff, perhaps the most emotion she had ever expressed, "Be that as it may, that her powers are limitless, she is not the only one — I and the other Primordials are the same, and her world and ours are literally starting to contradict each other."

"Contradict?" Riley squinted his eyes.

"If we are right with our initial assumptions, Riley Ross; that you are the Executioner of the current Creation, and Paige is the one who will create the next one. Then... I believe you already know what I am getting at."

"This Paige Pearson person is already trying to create the New Creation while the Old One still exists," Viel once again joined in on the conversation, putting his hands together while his cheeks were puffed. And then, as he caught everyone's attention, he let go of his breath and whispered,

"Kaboom. Well, not like it matters to me — I'll probably still be alive after that. I'm just gonna hang with the short fast guy, who knows, he might actually be a pretty fun person. I have a feeling Riley's also going to be alive."

"Wait. Just fucking wait," Karina raised both of her index fingers as she once again stood beside Viel, "Are you fucking telling me that the universe Paige created is about to explode or something?"

"Not explode, just disappear," Viel shrugged, "And not just PP's world, everything will."

"Please stop calling Paige PP, please," Karina clicked her tongue, "But wait, you're telling me life, all life as we know it would just disappear?"

"Pretty much," Viel glanced at Death, only for her to just nod her head in response, "You don't have to worry, though. Something would replace it eventually — I would miss Celestial, though. It would be pretty sad when she's gone. And you too, Death."

"They're going to disappear too!?" Karina took in a small gulp as she looked at Death, "So, it's like total annihilation of everything!?"

"Pretty much," Viel once again shrugged, "Unless, of course—"

"One of the competing Creations disappear first," Death continued Viel's words as she once again looked Riley in the eyes, "That is... one of the very reasons why I brought you here, Riley Ross — to choose."

"Choose...?" Karina answered for her father as she realized what Death was trying to tell, "Are you fucking telling me that

—"

"I am telling your father, not you," the tone of Death's voice changed all of a sudden, causing Karina to just take in a small gulp as she shut her mouth, "I apologize, Riley Ross — but you would have to choose which one is more important to you."

"Why does that decision rest on me, Death?" Riley asked, "You and the other Primordials are still the true monarchs of this story."

"Because it is your responsibility, Riley Ross," Death closed her eyes, "Like how the Primordials and I have a set role in the Creation of the universe — it is yours, your sole role to choose which universe to execute, for that is who you are and have always been."

"Then just get rid of the old one, right...?" Karina forced out a chuckle, not willing to be intimidated at all by a Primordial "It's pretty much dead already, your gods fucked it up."

"I am afraid it is not that simple," Death shook her head, "To get rid of our Universe, means to get rid of everything."

"Everything, meaning...?"

"You," Death pointed at Karina before pointing at herself, "Me, Enel, and all of the people you see here. Everyone who is a product of our universe needs to be... executed. And yes, Riley Ross...

...that also means your sister."