Take me with you

An incomparable aura existed within Anastasia's being even as she just stood there.

She was by no means comparable to Nyx and since Alex had Nyx's authority, he wasn't overly affected by it.

However, he was surprised by the amount of power she held.

The power of just one dragon.

He couldn't help but feel wary upon thinking about the War of Annihilation where several of such mighty beasts threatened to burn the world down.

Of course, he didn't reveal his wariness outrightly, instead taking a more mellow approach so as not to appear like he was unaffected.

"Y…you." He stuttered, unable to find the right words.

Anastasia revealed a smile under her net as she remarked. "There's no need to act, Alexander."

Pulling off her hat with the covering, her reptilian irises were revealed, with her eyelashes fluttering in an alluring manner.

"My eyes have long since seen through you and your guise."

Alex's grip tightened on his cane. "What did you see?"

Anastasia revealed a smile but said nothing as she turned and placed her hat aside.

Reaching toward a shelf beside her, she pulled out a blue-covered book and casually flipped it open.

"Every human has a destiny and is fated with something. Just like I read books…I have also learned to read those as well."

Alex raised a brow. "You read my destiny?"

"At least I tried to. It's a funny story." Anastasia chuckled slightly. "I was bored, having just stopped a disaster in the eastern part of the Empire. So in passing, I thought I'd scan the cities I went by but who would have thought that in BoneHaven, I would find a person whose destiny I couldn't read."

Alex remained silent as Anastasia glanced at him.

"Even now… I can only see an endless darkness… very different from the river of time that I'm used to."

"Would it be right to judge time as a river?" Alex inquired.

Anastasia revealed a wry smile. "I have long since accepted that time is boundless and I would never be able to fathom it no matter what I do… so to keep my sanity, I reduced my scope to small rivers."

"Quite intriguing."

"It sure is… in any case, I'm sure you can understand why I asked you not to bother trying to act like a normal person."

Alex shrugged like what she said was within expectations. "I am not… after all, I am a Mystic."

"No, not just that." Anastasia shook her head. "You weren't a Mystic when I saw you the first time yet…"

"I see," Alex remarked as he turned his back to her. "So tell me, Lady Aizagora. What do you think I am?"

Anastasia took a step forward. "... It's believed that Eventide is a samsara."

"Hmm?"

"Stuck in a cycle of destruction and creation, Eventide has gone through several cycles before now. That's the only explanation for there being traces of fallen civilizations that have never been recorded in known history. They were caught in the cycle of destruction."

Alex nodded thoughtfully. "That is indeed a bold assumption but what does that have to do with anything?"

"It has to do with a lot."

"Oh… please enlighten me." Since Anastasia was still open with him despite him not having to appear weak, Alex decided to be a bit brazen.

She already saw him as an unfathomable figure… why not build up on that?

Anastasia took a step forward. "Based on that belief, I made a bold assumption."

"Go ahead."

"That just as structures have survived, why can't humans from those cycles survive as well?"

"A plausible argument."

"But for someone to survive such a catastrophic event, they must be quite powerful. At least on the level of a Daemon. I called these people that survived… Ancients."

A muffled chuckle escaped Alex's lips at that moment causing Anastasia to furrow her brows.

Just as she was about to say more, Alex burst into exaggerated laughter, catching her off guard.

She instinctively put up her guard but her senses didn't prepare her for what happened next.

Pa

She heard a finger snap and the next moment, an incomparable darkness rushed out from Alex's shadow and enveloped the entire library, plunging into a scenery similar to the night sky on Earth.

However, unlike what Madhound had felt, there was a moon floating silently in the incomparable darkness with the small white dots flickering intermittently.

Anastasia gasped at the awe-inspiring sight before muttering in a low tone.

"Unbelievable."

"So you made such wonderful deductions after seeing me once?" Alex inquired once he had calmed down.

Anastasia snapped out of her daze. "... I thought I was wrong but after repeated sightings, it's clear what you are."

"Oh really?" Alex muttered before carrying out a dramatic turn to meet Anastasia's gaze.

His irises were gone and his eyes looked similar to the night sky with a white vortex at its center that threatened to pull Anastasia in.

At the moment, Alex was utilizing Nyx's full authority.

Despite the strain on his pneuma, he had no choice but to do so.

Anastasia said. "Are you surprised that you were caught out so easily?"

"Indeed I am. After all, I had the perfect disguise but who would have thought that a certain dragon would be so jobless?"

Anastasia retorted. "I was patrolling!"

Seeing as how Alex didn't bother with a response, Anastasia's cheeks turned red.

"There's a lot that could happen right now but I'm guessing you don't want to fight. After all, just as you have to protect the citizens of the Empire, I have to protect my identity."

"Which is why I arranged for this meeting."

"I see. So now that you have figured it out… I'm guessing you would take the time to do so much for a reason. Tell me… what do you want?" Alex's voice was ethereal with a serenity reminiscent of nighttime.

Feeling strangely drawn to it, Anastasia put out her right hand and replied. "Take me with you."