Chapter 22: What is destiny and talking with Bill Cipher

POV of Leylin Blight

Destiny...

It's a force I've been wary of ever since I obtained Leylin Farlier's knowledge at the moment of his reincarnation in the worlds of gods.

This thing is extremely dangerous. I remember that in a novel similar to "Warlock of the Magus World", called "Age of Adepts", the protagonist's second wife, "the destiny witch Alice", had mentioned that destiny has no master.

You can become a "law" being who "controls" destiny, like a god of destiny for example, but you'll never be the master of destiny.

Why am I wary of it? It's because of the prophecy concerning Bill Cipher, but also because of the words of the destiny witch Alice and Kim Dojka in the ORV universe.

Dojka had explained that seeing the future is extremely different from a prophecy. One allows you to glimpse an infinity of possibilities, the other is a fixed point in time.

It's inevitable. Doctor Strange learned it the hard way in the "What If" series. He couldn't change "the destiny" of the woman he loved, despite his numerous powers and knowledge.

That's the reason that prevented me from killing Gideon despite his many mistakes. I didn't want to risk a "canon" event as Spider-Man 2099 calls it, at least not before being powerful enough to resist the "possible" fallout.

It's not for fun that Time Baby is so strict with time or that the "time wish" is so coveted in the future.

All this to say that Bill Cipher was under the influence of superior forces that were beyond him. He was destined to lose against the Pines family, even without the ritual.

As I think about various things, I started to invoke Bill Cipher with the formula from journal number 2.

As expected, everything around me seemed to slow down until it stopped completely, but it was just my perception of things.

The time domain in my current reality is controlled by Time Baby, so Bill Cipher doesn't have control over it, at least not for now. I must be in a trance state and I'm in an active mental world in an area.

"Oh my, I didn't think I'd be invoked today, and in this particular dimension," declares a voice before Bill's appearance, who observes around him before focusing his two-dimensional vision on me.

"I see you responded quickly to my call," I declare, observing the most dangerous entity in the history of Gravity Falls.

"What do we have here... Interesting, a hole in reality? A singularity? I can't find anything about you," he mutters, scrolling through images on his pyramid-shaped body.

"It doesn't matter anyway. You don't seem to be as dangerous as the 'hanged king'," he says, making a chair and a table with tea appear.

"Oops, I've said too much. I might bring that damn ambassador here by talking about them," he says, monologuing.

"I appreciate your business sense," I replied, putting aside the scandalous information I just heard from the 2D being in front of me.

"Let me introduce myself, I'm Leylin... Leylin Blight," I say, smiling in anticipation of my future "short" collaboration.

"I'm Bill Cipher, pleased to meet you, Leylin," Bill replies in a relaxed tone.

"Excuse me for being so direct, Mr. Bill. But let me inform you that I know you want to destroy the Earth for the fun," I say bluntly. I didn't want to have a long conversation with this dangerous being

*Splash* Sounds of tea being spit out.

"Relax, Mr. Bill. I'm not here to judge you, haha," I say, laughing slightly before serving myself some tea.

I know there's no risk in this tea since we're currently in a mental space. My inner version will intervene if Bill tries anything.

"Phew, I'm relieved. But then, why did you summon me anyway?" he asks, squinting his single eye at me. He seems slightly wary.

"I want to make a deal with you. You can see me as another Ford Pines, a person thirsty for knowledge but with a... let's say selfish purpose," I explain, smiling calmly.

"Interesting, you know a lot," he replies in an amused tone, but I could still see the wariness in his single eye.

"I want something simple, Mr. Bill," I declare, putting down my teacup before focusing my attention on him.

"I want the coordinates of every world you know, and I specify that they must be in all possible languages," I calmly explain.

"Is that all? You only want that?" Bill asks, dumbfounded.

"Of course not, haha," I say, laughing slightly. I'm not stupid enough to only ask for that and make a contract with him.

"I want you not to attack me or my loved ones, directly or indirectly, during your coming to Earth, but also that the data you give me doesn't contain anything harmful or dangerous ," I explain my conditions.

"I see you know a lot about me, hahaha," he says in an amused tone, but he hasn't confirmed his acceptance of the deal.

"We have a deal, but I specify that if you attack me first, then I can retaliate," Bill declares, extending his hand with a blue flame.

"I agree with that," I say, shaking his hand to conclude our agreement. I really wanted to challenge him in a fight on Earth directly, but I don't think it would work.

I'm strong and I can say without shame that I'm stronger than a coven leader currently. Willow can also become stronger quickly, but will that be enough against Bill? The obvious answer is no.

The power gap is just colossal. If I can classify Bill Cipher according to the norms of the magus world, he would be very high up.

Upon his arrival on Earth, he's easily equal to a peak level 8 magus, and he could have been more powerful, but the mystical energy emitted by Gravity Falls prevented him from fully entering this reality since he was trapped.

So yes, Bill Cipher shown in the show wasn't at his peak, and I easily estimate he's at magus level 9, possibly 10 if I take into account the information present on his official Reddit page and his statements after beating Time Baby.

To sum up, I'm a mortal who's to try to scam a being of grand god level or peak level 8 magus.

Anyway, this isn't my first rodeo.

"Excellent, Leylin Blight," he says in a happy tone, floating higher and higher.

"Remember, reality is an illusion, the universe is a hologram, buy gold!" Bill declares, shouting the last word before disappearing.

"This phrase reminds me that many law beings have this kind of 'speech'," I say, remembering Beelzebub or Nefarious Filthbird who also have their own "slogan".

I prefer to avoid shouting this kind of stuff when appearing or leaving, it's too... Chūnibyō.

"Leylin!!!" a voice shouted as I woke up.

"Stop panicking, I'm not dead," I say, opening my eyes. I was standing in the middle of the room I used to invoke Bill.

It seems I was in a particular state a moment ago and I must have really worried Willow. I should have given her the details.

"It's just that..." before she could continue speaking, I just put my hand on her head to pat it.

"I'm fine, you see? And the bet went as planned," I say, smiling slightly at her.

"Yes!" she responds weakly, nodding her head.

It's time to bring Ford Pines home, but I must first strengthen Willow to prevent her from falling into depression. I had kept this for Huntress, but unfortunately, she's not as reliable as Willow, Beast, and even Suu.

"Come with me," I say, leaving the bunker. It was already night.

"Where are we going?" she asks behind me.

"I'm going to speed things up with you," I say, smiling at her. The path of the magus won't be closed for her with this method, and her strength will gain enormously.

I just hope that, like the other knowledge I've obtained, Leylin Farlier hasn't tampered with anything. Of course, I doubt he dared to do it given the situation at the time.