Exodia 211: Paradigm Shift (1)

{Shoya's POV:}

It's barely been half a day since they went to go attack Weissmann's base and I'm already getting a bad feeling. It's not like I can do anything about it. All I can do is hope for the best.

It's late night right now and I'm relaxing in my dorm room. I have nothing to do and no one to talk to other than Kisuke.

Kisuke is a nice guy and he's also pure of heart but it's just that. The topics we talk about are usually somewhat elderly if that makes sense. He seems to be the type of person who looks after elders.

The stories and topics are sweet but they're not my style.

"Well, I'll tell you the rest tomorrow, senpai, sleep well."

He wished me a goodnight before going to his room. I went to my room and dropped onto my bed. Today was exhilarating yet also boring. It was fun because of Magic Theory—we had a substitute teacher and learnt about Singularity Overdrive, which I never knew about. It makes me wonder what the Overdrive of Black Exodia will be. I need to achieve it as fast as possi—

"Is it that comfortable?"

I stopped hugging my pillow and turned to the door. A woman stood there, wearing my school uniform. She did not look familiar at all but she did look similar to Akane. She had white hair and crimson eyes. There's only one person I know with those looks.

"You're... King Solomon?"

"Bingo! Is that what they say?"

I instantly thought back to what Altair said.

[This time, Shoya, you are truly destined to die.]

"You're here to kill me?"

Her eyes narrowed and a smile crawled onto her face.

"Yes and no."

I jumped off of my bed and sucked in all of the air I could.

"There's no need for shouting. You shout for help and I'll kill that boy in the next room over."

I began coughing because the air I sucked in had nowhere to go. She doesn't want anyone to know that she's here...

Before I realised it, she was already touching my shoulder. Darkness crept in on us and devoured the surroundings. After a few seconds, the darkness unveiled only to reveal the glistening lights of Altria. We were on the school's rooftop.

"Shit, it's cold..."

I mumbled as the night breeze relentlessly struck me.

"So, what did you mean by yes and no?"

"I'm not here to kill you, per se. I'm here to kill the one who dwells within you, Altair Marrow Crestfallen. But, if he dies, then you'll die too."

So she is planning to kill me. Altair probably left because he knew that this day would come.

"You know he's not within me right now."

"Even if his soul is somewhere else, he still has to return to you every once in a while. You're like a generator for him, without you, he'll die."

"You are going to kill me, then."

"Now that I think about it, yes."

Solomon was just playing with me. I'm sure she could've killed me by now if she wanted to. I'll summon Erebus and...

"Erebus...?"

I tried to summon Erebus but he didn't come out. I don't know if it was him refusing or something was blocking me from contacting him.

"Just now, I placed some barriers on this rooftop. Since I'm not at full power, it took me a little bit. The barrier will stop sound from entering or leaving and any communication is cut. Including your connection with Erebus. I forgot to say that it prohibits anyone from leaving unless I say so."

I can't escape and I can't call for help, not that I was going to. I can't summon Erebus. Fighting will be useless anyway because he's using Celestia's body. What do I do?

"I have nothing else to say to you. I guess that this is goodbye, boy."

I'm not going down without a fight!

I used Shadow Gauntlets and prepared myself for battle. Solomon ran toward me. Her face was wide open. That's where I'll start.

"Goodbye."

·———·

"If she's the servant of King Solomon, shouldn't we be helping her?"

Lin-Hua asked, unable to accurately grasp the situation.

"I don't think you just saw what happened."

Akane responded, deactivating her Singularity Overdrive.

Not many people were able to respond to Lin-Hua because they did not know Chinese.

"Let's just listen to Nyx because she knows something."

[Treinistina is your true name, is it not? You're not of Ars Goetia. One of two servants of Solomon who is not.]

"What are you talking about?"

Ryoka decided to play dumb. She seemed oblivious. It was a convincing play showing that she knew nothing.

"Kuroha, you are stepping—"

[Shut up! I'm not Kuroha, I am Nyx! If you interrupt again, I will kill you myself! I don't have the time for bullshit!]

Nyx shouted at Kyoka, mercilessly.

She glared at Ryoka before she smiled, realising what she could do.

[I always liked that glasses bastard better than you. I mean, he was the funny one. What was his name again? It was... Ah, right, Aort! You were always so dry—]

"Shut up! Don't compare me to that four-eyes!"

She retorted, furious.

What Nyx did was simple. She knew that Aort and Treinistina could not stand each other despite both of them being demons. She guessed that Treinistina would react if she mentioned Aort.

Realising this, Ryoka gritted her teeth and slowly moved back. A white horn coiled around her head and her silver eyes turned golden.

"She's a demon?!"

Everyone could not believe it. She truly was a demon. It felt almost impossible.

[King Solomon is the one who started the Paladin War more than 2000 years ago. He's a source of evil that almost destroyed this world. She's part of the army which attacked and killed innocents.]

"You make me out to sound like a bad guy."

She said, looking at her options.

She did not have enough strength to overpower everyone in the room.

[So, why don't you sur—]

Suddenly, Nyx stumbled. She felt weak and dizzy. Almost like something that should have been was not. Then, the goddess noticed. The sigil that Kuroha gained from her contract with Shoya was fading. No, it had already faded.

[No way...]

There are only two reasons for a sigil like that to disappear. The first is if the master abolishes the contract, but, that would never happen. So, logically, only the latter reason would be possible.

The second is if one of the two in the contract perishes.

[She's already there?! Then, Shoya, Erebus and Master are...]

"I see. I guess the King has finished his business. That boy is already—"

Without a single sound, Treinistina's head was swiped off by Nyx.

"Why did you kill her?!"

Anastasia asked, distressed.

[That's not important! We need to hurry back to the academy!]

She shouted.

"This is a dumb question to ask but... why?"

[King Solomon is already there!]