Chapter 20: Where Deception Resides

  “Three rules before we go in.” Chronos said sharply, snapping his fingers. A large portal materialized before us, red and swirling.

  I nodded, though doubts lingered in my mind. Who was Dolos? Chronos didn’t even let me ask this one simple question?

  “Rule number one,” he began, his tone serious, “don’t get lost inside. Follow me, and don’t stop, no matter what you see. Regardless of what it is, it will be a trap. In Dolos’ domain, everything is a trap. If he offers you a chair – you decline. If he offers you a drink – you decline. If he offers you anything else, you?”

  “Decline?”

  “Good.” he replied, continuing immediately, not leaving me a moment to ask him the question that bothered me. “Rule number two: do not make eye contact with Dolos or any of his creations for more than a second. I can’t stress this enough. As a general rule of thumb, I’d advise you not to make eye contact with anyone there at all. Not even me. Got it?”

  I nodded hesitantly. “But who is – “

  “Good.” He interrupted, speaking over my question. “Rule number three, and the most important: be wary of his words and do not let him get to you. Words are his strongest weapon, so no matter how much he tries to rile you up, and trust me he will try, don’t give him a reaction. We’re there for swift negotiations, and any emotional outburst from you would weaken our position. Remember: the sooner we’re out of there, the better. Understand?”

  “Yes.” I said, nodding. “But – “

  “Good. Let’s go.” He turned abruptly toward the portal, but I wasn’t about to follow him blindly.

  “Wait, wait, wait.” I called, my voice likely sharper than it should’ve been.

  He spun around, exasperation clear on his face. “What?”

  I blinked, surprised that he actually stopped this time, and I finally had his attention. I seized the opportunity. “You already mentioned Dolos before, but…who is he, really? And why are you so nervous about him?”

  “He’s an evil spirit, a fiend, a devil. He’s the embodiment of Deception.” He said, each word filled with disdain. “He fooled me once and I was left with no choice but let him participate in my battle against Erebus.” Chronos sighed heavily. “The problem is that he doesn’t care about defeating Erebus. The only thing he desires is to beat me.”

  “Beat you?”

  “Yes.” Chronos nodded. “Just like you are my champion, Goren is his.”

  ***

  The portal disappeared behind us as we exited it.

  I scanned our surroundings, half-expecting to see pools of molten lava and people being tortured by crimson-skinned imps. But that wasn’t the case. In fact, it was the complete opposite.

  The air was crisp and cool, carrying the scent of wildflowers and freshly tilled soil. A peaceful countryside stretched out before us, like something you’d find on the outskirts of Tepan. Rolling green hills, endless fields, and a quaint farmhouse nestled in the distance painted an idyllic picture.

  “Stick close.” Chronos muttered, taking the first step forward.

  I nodded, falling into step behind him, my mind repeating the first rule he set: Don’t stop. No matter what.

  It was hard to believe all of this was fake or a trap. At first glance, I couldn’t see how it could be. The place stirred a tranquil feeling inside me, the kind I hadn’t felt in years. The sun seemed to hang forever in the most perfect position in the sky, casting a warm glow over everything. And even the birds chirped melodiously everywhere around us.

  “This place is a lie. An illusion.” Chronos whispered, cutting through my thoughts. His voice was sharp, snapping me back to reality. “Just like its master.”

  I swallowed hard, forcing myself to focus. Chronos knew better than I did who we were dealing with. If he said it was a lie, then it likely was.

  Ahead of us, near the farmhouse, a figure appeared. It was an old man, stooped with age, his long white beard flowing down his chest. He wore a wide straw hat and carried a rake over his right shoulder. His face looked tired, but his eyes seemed to sparkle with joy once he saw us. He waved enthusiastically.

  “Well, well,” the old man called out, his voice warm and inviting. “If it isn’t my dear, dear friend Chronos! You’ve come a long way! Did you miss me that much?”

  “No.” Chronos replied coldly. “You know why we’re here.”

  The old man turned to me, his smile widening unnaturally. “Ah, yes, of course. Our dear Aidan over there, or should I say – “ he paused, his voice seamlessly shifting into Goren’s. “Spellsword.”

  It sent a chill down my spine and resurfaced the memories of all my deaths at the hands of the powerful Rogue. My fists clenched, my jaw tightened. I wanted to react, almost instinctively, but I recalled Chronos’ third rule: Don’t give him a reaction.

  It wasn’t easy to keep my cool, but I managed to do it.

  “No reaction?” Dolos said, sounding disappointed. Then, his form shifted right before our eyes. The old farmer was gone, replaced by a young prince draped in luxurious robes. It happened so seamlessly it seemed as if he had always looked that way.

  I dropped my gaze immediately, careful not to meet his eyes. Chronos’ second rule was clear in that regard. As I stared at ground, I realized it wasn't soil we were standing on, it was something living - it had a pulse, which I could feel through my feet.

  “Consider this a first and last warning, Dolos.” Chronos growled, his cold voice showing some fire. “Don’t even think about trying something.”

  Dolos sighed theatrically, his form shifting again, this time into a woman with a crown of flowers in her hair and a sweet, melodic voice. “Always so serious, Chronos. You’ve lost your sense of humor, huh?”

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  “And whose fault is that?” Chronos replied, his tone carrying an edge.

  The woman smiled sweetly, then burst into laughter. What should’ve been a joyful sound sent a shiver down my spine. It was an evil laugh. My gaze flicked up to the flowers in her crown, realizing they were moving. They writhed like tiny snakes tangled together. I slowly understood what Chronos meant when he said everything here was fake.

  Then, Dolos’ form shifted again. He was now an old woman, her skin carrying a darker hue, resembling of people from lands far away. She leaned on a crooked staff, her grin revealing missing teeth.

  “Oh, Chronos.” she crooned, her voice mocking. “You mean to tell me you’re still not over it? How long has it been? A millennia?” she chuckled dryly, a haunting sound.

  Chronos’ jaw tightened, his expression darkening. When he spoke, his tone was colder than I’d ever heard it. “I’ll never forgive you for that and all the other despicable things you did. Nor will I ever forget.”

  "That's rich coming from you..." The old woman cackled, her laughter echoing around us unnaturally. She turned her gaze to me, her grin widening. “Tell me, Aidan, has he told you the story? About us? About why he's so mad at me?”

  At first, I froze, but then immediately looked away, refusing to respond. Even so, my mind raced with questions about their exchange.

  “That’s enough!” Chronos snapped. “He doesn’t need to know, and we’re done wasting time here. Let’s get to the point.”

  The old woman pouted exaggeratedly as her form began to shift. This time, she shrank, her features turning to those of a young boy, no older than eight. His hair was messy, filled with dirt, and he wore cheap, patched-up clothes. Despite his child-like appearance, his eyes looked cunning. I again quickly turned away, making sure not to look at him for more than a second at a time.

  “Very well.” The boy said, clapping his hands together. A triangular table materialized out of thin air between us, its dark wood so polished, I could see my own reflection in it like it was a mirror. Three chairs appeared, one on each side of the table. Dolos gestured toward them. “Let’s get comfortable, shall we?”

  Chronos didn’t move, his arms crossed tightly over his chest. I remembered his earlier warning: Decline the chair.

  I remained standing as well, following his lead.

  “Suit yourselves. I’ll take the best seat, then.” The boy said cheerfully, hopping onto the table. He sat cross-legged, his hands resting on his knees, grinning. He tilted his head, feigning innocence. “C’mon, Chronos. Let’s see if we can strike a deal like we did last time, eh?”

  Chronos shifted slightly, his hands twitching as though he was on the verge of punching the child. But he stopped himself, even though his fury was clear for all to see.

  Dolos’ grin widened. “It worked well for you last time, didn’t it, Chronos?”

  “This time won’t be like last time.” Chronos said firmly.

  “We’ll see about that.” Dolos said, clearly amused.

  I watched their exchange silently, the tension almost palpable. I made a mental note to ask Chronos about their relationship and the incident they kept referring to in more detail, though I already knew how that would go. Chronos, much like his Déjà vu System, wasn’t exactly forthcoming about anything.

  Chronos took a step forward, his arms still crossed. “Your champion – Goren – has been murdering mine at the start of the loop for sevens runs straight. It’s clear he won’t stop on his own.”

  The child laughed. “Seven already? My boy doesn’t rest.”

  “Stop him.” Chronos demanded, his tone commanding, making Dolos’ grin falter for a moment.

  But then the child released a soft chuckle, shaking his head. “You must be forgetting the rules, Chronos. We can’t intervene in what our champions do. You told me about that rule yourself, didn’t you? If you want Goren to stop, you know the answer: your little champion here – “ he gestured lazily toward me without even glancing – “will have to fight back and kill him.”

  As if I can. I don’t know how many runs Goren had already gone through, but he was far too strong for me to handle at the moment, or in the near future.

  “It’s not that simple, and you know it.” Chronos said sharply, almost frustrated. “The Déjà vu System has its limitations early on, and Goren abuses that fact to gain the upper hand easily.”

  Dolos burst into laughter, his form shifting again. He was still a young child, though now a girl. “Oh, the Déjà vu System…” she said, wiping an imaginary tear from her eye. “It’s was always so stupid! What kind of a System doesn’t even let its users retain their memories between runs without grinding levels first? It’s not a System – it’s an elaborate torture device! Poor Aidan...”

  I felt my cheeks burn, anger boiling inside me. Dolos was right but hearing him mock the system so openly made me want to defend it. Or at least defend myself for having to endure it.

  Chronos didn’t flinch. “It worked so far. Thus, it’s not as stupid as you make it out to be.” Then, he suddenly smiled. “Meanwhile, your champions mostly meet the same fate.”

  The girl shrugged nonchalantly. “I don’t care what end they meet, really. I’m only in it to crush you.”

  “Of course you wouldn’t care. When did you ever care about anyone but yourself?” Chronos threw a jab at him, for the first time since our arrival. “The universe itself is at stake and you treat this all like a game, like you always do.”

  “That’s true. Never cared much about the universe. May it explode already. I just want to have as much fun as possible until that happens.” The girl grinned, seemingly unfazed by his words. “But regardless, I don’t see any reason to stop Goren. Killing Aidan gives him a wealth of XP, doesn’t it? It’s helping him level up faster and preparing him for Erebus. Why would I take that away from him?” she tilted her head innocently. “Now, of course, I could make him stop. But…” her grin widened. “What are you willing to offer me in return?”

  Watching their back-and-forth, I couldn’t shake the feeling I was just a pawn in something far bigger than what I’ve initially imagined. But what could I even do about it? These were literal gods, while I was just human.

  “What do you want in return?” Chronos turned the question to Dolos.

  “I want Pix.” Dolos fired back almost instantly. “Her voice is so squeaky and annoying. It needs to go.”

  Pix? Chronos’ helper? Really?

  Chronos didn’t hesitate. “Absolutely not. Both Pix and Balthor are off the table. Find something else.”

  Dolos’ form shifted again, turning into a young woman with pale skin, jet-black hair that matched her otherworldly outfit, dark eyeliner framing piercing eyes, and a bored expression. Then, she pouted. “Well, that’s disappointing. Guess we won’t be striking a deal after all.”

  I glanced at Chronos, wondering if he’d back down, but his cold stare never wavered. “Don’t insult me. I know you’ve waited for this moment. I know you’ve been hoping things turn out exactly as they have, with Goren killing Aidan over and over. You wanted this negotiation to happen.” He took another step forward, towering over Dolos. “Do you really think I believe it's Pix you want?”

  The woman’s bored expression remained, but she nodded. “You know me too well, dear friend.” She uncrossed her legs, then crossed them again, this time with her left atop her right. “Fine. You want to know what I really want?”

  “That’s why we’re here.”

  She leaned forward, clasping her hands under her chin, “The incident you’re still so bitter about…we both lost that time because our champions reached the finish line together. And then, well…we know what happened…”

  They both lost?

  “Get to the point.” Chronos snapped.

  The woman suddenly smiled. “This time, I’m offering to end it sooner.”

  Chronos’ eyes narrowed. “Explain.”

  “I’ll force Goren to stop killing your precious Aidan.” She said, her tone almost reasonable. “But…in fifty runs, when Aidan reaches his 64th loop, he and Goren will face off. One on one. A final, deadly battle. No interruptions. No interference. The winner gets to continue the game.” She let the words hang in the air for a moment before continuing. “And the loser? Well, the loser won’t respawn. Ever. Not in the loop, not in time, not in existence itself. Deleted.”

  My breath caught in my throat. Deleted? The very idea sent a chill down my spine. Surely, Chronos would decline, right? Then why did he look like he was considering it?!

  “We both know you have the power to do so.” Dolos added. “But the same rules remain: You can’t intervene, no tweaking his little System, no giving him any…unfair advantages. Your champion fights with what he has. Just like Goren will.”

  I wanted to shout, to scream at Chronos to refuse. Fifty runs weren’t nearly enough time for me to catch up to Goren. He was already clearly so far ahead.

  When Chronos finally spoke, I felt my knees tremble. “Deal.”

  “What?!” I snapped and spoke for the first time since we got here.

  They both ignored me and shook hands, sealing the agreement.