I returned to the throne and sat down, silently watching her as she stared at the ground.
She was acting like a child, her demeanor stiff and withdrawn. Was she genuinely serious about all of this?
What kind of relationship had we shared that could make her behave this way?
I let out a tired sigh and leaned back against the cold stone of the throne.
"Just go," I said quietly. "You can tell me when you're ready."
She looked up at me and held my gaze for a few moments. Something unspoken passed between us, then she gave a small nod and turned to leave.
As she opened the heavy doors, Kivana came sprinting in, nearly colliding with her.
They both paused, frozen in the moment.
Kivana smiled wide and gave Mirabel a playful wink.
Mirabel said nothing. She simply closed the doors behind her without another word.
"Nicholas, it is time I tell you everything about your power," Kivana said, skipping toward me with a sudden spark of excitement in her eyes.
She twirled once, stopped directly in front of me, and leaned forward as if ready to share a great secret.
Then she spun again with dramatic flair.
"Hey? Are you listening?"
I nodded slowly.
"Start by telling me about the powers you already know I possess."
She stopped twirling and crossed her arms with a thoughtful look.
"It is going to be a while. Are you up for it?"
I sighed and considered her words.
This world is clearly governed by power. I will need it if I plan to act as a king.
Even more so if I intend to act as a god.
"However long it takes, I will listen."
Kivana smiled.
"Then let the official record viewing begin."
…
It took a while, just as she said. She had clearly studied my abilities in great detail, far more than anyone else had.
As we explored the depths of what I could do, I tested several powers and confirmed their existence.
It became evident that the previous version of myself had entrusted her with knowledge even I had forgotten.
At the core of it all is my primary power: darkness.
But darkness, in my case, is more than the absence of light.
It is a fundamental, metaphysical force, a binding veil that shapes existence in contrast and concealment.
I do not simply manipulate shadows. I command the very idea of darkness itself.
Interestingly, because darkness exists only in opposition to light, I possess innate dominion over light as well.
However, my light is not pure or radiant. It is black light, luminous and voidlike.
Perhaps it is the universe's way of branding me, a divine being marked by corruption, or a god touched by imbalance.
In tandem with this, I have latent control over gravity and space.
These two forces are far more complex and volatile.
They require greater focus, deeper attunement, and currently lie just beyond the threshold of reliable use. Still, the potential is there.
I can feel it pulling at the edges of my awareness.
Beyond these elemental dominions, I possess abilities that are more conceptual, named and structured rather than raw.
One such ability is known as King.
It is not a primary power, but a sub-ability, something that diverges from my core nature and extends from my divine physiology.
King is more than a title. It is a metaphysical trait, an embodiment of sovereignty woven into my very being.
It influences how others perceive me, how reality reacts to my presence, and perhaps even how fate shapes itself around my will.
My powers are not spells or tools.
They are truths, principles that define my existence rather than things I simply wield.
There are core laws within this world that bind it beyond normal, conventional aspects.
This is why someone like Lancerial cannot move beyond time, yet can still acknowledge its presence.
Mana evaporates logic and causality, stripping actions from their expected consequences.
If I were to cast a spell that created a black hole, it would be innately as powerful as a true one in essence, but it would not instantly consume the planet.
This is because of mana.
One of these laws grants power through titles, names, and identity. A spell with a name becomes more potent.
It resonates with greater strength and clarity than one without.
It embodies and amplifies the caster's intent.
A named spell transcends its unnamed counterpart in power, speed, and impact.
A simple fireball with a name will always far exceed one without.
Titles function the same way. I granted each of my main followers a title.
Lancerial is the Steed. Malachi is my Knight. Kivana is my Advisor.
However, Kivana explained that they each possess a deeper, more powerful title, one they cannot speak aloud without my permission.
Because of this restriction, they are actually weaker than they should be.
It is one of the reasons so many of them died. They were not complete without me.
Once again, I have failed them.
But there is one small solace. I still remember the name of my title.
And honestly, I do not actually like it all that much.
My official title is The Dark Flaw. I also have another title, which I still do not like, King of Darkness.
Because I hold these titles, I am granted powers that reflect them. My status as a king is what gives me the innate ability known as King.
There is one more title I am not fully aware of, but once I uncover it, I should regain most of my lost power.
Kivana also told me about my sword, Shattered Darkness.
The blade can be summoned from anywhere at will and can return into the darkness whenever I choose.
I stood in the middle of the throne room and extended my hand. Kivana watched from the side as I took a deep breath and visualized the sword.
A moment later, it appeared in my grasp.
She walked over and clapped softly.
"Perfect, but there was a three second delay. It should not have one."
I looked down and sighed. Maybe it was harder to picture than I thought.
The sword is unique and also quite strange. It distorts the space around it and possesses a natural ability to manipulate gravity.
I discovered that through some testing and from Kivana's explanations.
Still, the summoning felt instant to me. Was my sense of time off?
I decided to ignore the issue and returned the blade to the darkness.
"What's next?" I asked. "You said that after the magic test, there was another."
She smiled and twirled in place.
"Try using those eyes of yours. You told me that you could see all darkness in this world."
She stopped and stared deeply into my eyes.
"But from the look of them, you see nothing."
I blinked a few times and tried to imagine what nothing looked like.
Was it white or dark? Was it clear or faded?
These thoughts spiraled through my head until, finally, I reached it. I imagined what nothing truly was.
A strange sensation took over me, causing my head to spin.
It was impossible to describe because it had no characteristics.
I collapsed to the ground, rubbing my temples.
"That might have to wait. It gives me a headache."
She bent down and leaned in close.
"Well, that's what happened the last time I saw you use it too."
I looked up at her, still dazed.
"When was that?"
She paused for a moment before answering.
"When you first met Ouroboros. You fought him and used that ability to cast his mind into nothingness."
[Just then, he remembered something. Something truly intoxicating. Ouroboros was a snake, a vile creature who was ragged, mean, and cold.]
My head began to scream, my voice lingering like shattered fragments of terror.
'Scream, Nicholas. You need to scream.'
My inner thoughts and the voice merged together.
[Ouroboros was his crown. His most prized jewel. Thus, he gave him the title, Treasure.]
I tried to stand, but my legs trembled.
I fell back to the ground, reaching out blindly.
I tried to scream. I tried to listen. But all I could hear were muffled, worried voices.
And in the next moment, the darkness overcame me.