Sys fumbled his words as he told Ethan what he thought was the cause of Revok's catatonic state.

I can only surmise that, with the sheer quantity of Spirit Cores you now have, a possession may result in…permanent side-effects for the Host, Sys said sheepishly, as though he were ashamed to admit it. The creatures of this world are not meant to hold the power of so many, and the memories of so many, within themselves. Even a mutant like Revok – something basically built for you - has had its mental faculties severely restricted. The effects on someone native to this world would be…more pronounced than what you see here.

Ethan let those words hang for a few moments, mulling them over in his mind while he looked on Revok's empty, drooping eyes.

B-but it's just a theory! Sys asserted. It doesn't make your Possession ability any weaker. In fact, it's a good thing, in a way – means that you can switch up between even the most aggressive new Hosts and find-

Thank you, Sys.

But I just –

That will be all.

These words were spoken with authority and confidence – confidence that shocked Sys into stunned silence.

When Ethan then reluctantly drew his hand away from the chimera that had won him all of Westerweald, he addressed his companions with exactly the same note of cold authority.

"What Tara says is true," he began. "This vision of a future could simply be a warning to us of Kaedmon's ultimate plan – to usurp my powers for himself. But we must also recognize that it could equally be a warning of what may come to pass if I gain the mantle of Godhood. I do not know how it would change me. I know that I do not wish to see this world burn. But I don't know how it feels to be a God."

Fauna, Klax, and Tara listened to him intently. None of them displayed surprise. Fauna looked like she wanted to speak – to deny that what he said was true. But he held up a hand. Right now, it was his turn to decide who he was.

"I will not allow what I've seen to come to pass," he declared emphatically. "But I will need help."

He let them chew on those words, watching as their chests puffed with the same pride they'd always maintained. He smiled inwardly to see their devotion. Since the start, they'd been with him. They'd be with him to the end.

But he had to think about more than just them.

"Sanctum will be expanded," he said. "We will assume control of Lucent, rebuilding the palace and its surrounding defenses. A militia of monsters and Hybrids will be formed to control Westerweald's border, fortifying it in case of an Eastmarch counteroffensive. The port city of Sentinel will serve as a naval base and Griffon's watch will be transformed into an outpost to watch the coastline. A High Council will be formed to oversee leadership and organization of this new society, working directly from the palace of Lysandus. A council that we will select ourselves. I doubt anyone down here will argue with our decisions."

Their eyes bulged at the notion. He could tell that the prospect of a real Hybrid nation – something that had once been nothing more than a dream – was something they'd never considered. Now that Ethan had just given voice to it, even Tara had to sit down and take it in.

"This message will be spread among the Hybrids," Ethan continued. "I will use Lamphrey's Dream Suggestion Skill to plant the seed of hope in the minds of every man, woman, and child in this realm so that they all know that the future of Westerweald will be one of unity between Hybrids and humans. This proclamation will be known as the Lamphran Mandate, in honor of our fallen sister."

It was a plan that none of them had even thought of. But Ethan, all this time, had been thinking. Perhaps it was a side-effect of all the minds he'd absorbed in this realm, but he was thinking ahead, now. He was thinking of what they could build, rather than what they could destroy.

And he had to let them focus on that. Fauna, Tara, and Klax were of this world and had the rest of their lives to live. They had the children of Sanctum who depended on them. Fauna through her school, and Tara and Klax – well, Ethan hadn't failed to notice the tensions between them. He wasn't going to pretend he understood Hybrid attraction, but he'd have to be blind to not see that there was something between those two.

The thought brought the first real smile to his face since Artorious' demise. It was for their sakes that he didn't tell them the ultimatum he'd offered Kaedmon. It was for their sakes that they never found out just how close he'd come to potentially ending the entire world already.

Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

That was where his fear truly lay. For though Tara had suggested the vision of himself he'd seen could simply be Kaedmon in control of his body, in his mind he knew different. It wasn't the God. It was him. There was no mistaking it.

Guess what it comes down to is this: when you asked Kaedmon to choose between His world dying and losing only His Lightborn, would you actually have gone through with blowing up the planet's core if he accepted it?

As usual, Sys had tapped into exactly the thought that had him most perturbed right now. But he wasn't going to answer that question. Because, honestly, he didn't know.

"Wait," Klax said. "If we are the ones selecting who sits on this Council, then surely that means we won't be part of it ourselves?"

"Course not," Tara smirked. "The big guy's got plans for us. Ain't ya?"

Ethan looked at each one of them in turn, knowing that it must be odd for them to see Lamphrey so animated for once. He fancied that, were she here right now, she'd probably share a laugh with them for the first time ever.

But he was coming, now, to the important point:

"You've all done more than enough for me," he said. "Since the beginning, you've protected me, guided me, and shown me exactly who I could become. You've shown me that there was a place for me here, in this world. That's something I never really got in my own. But I can't force you to walk to the end of this path with me. You to need to decide, for yourselves, if you'll risk it. Because facing Kaedmon and changing His Law means that he and his servants will try to use you to get to me. I can't guarantee that you'll be protected."

He closed his eyes as he got the words out, even though they hurt.

"I once thought that I could do this alone," he said, voice nary a whisper now. Yet in the dull onyx chamber, slathered in secrets, his tone still carried the weight of a demigod. "But I want you all with me. I want to be able to stand beside you when the hour of victory comes. But I also know that if it comes to a decision between protecting you vs securing the future of this world, I must chose the world."

The Hybrids looked to each other in turn. He could tell that their answer would be obvious, but he still wasn't about to let them decide on a whim. After all, he'd bought all of them the most valuable commodity they'd never really had before: time.

He raised his hand and opened his eyes.

"Take the next week to decide," he said. "Let's bury the dead, mourn our losses, help our people rebuild, and actually think about what we want next. Only when we meet again will I be satisfied that your answers don't come from blind devotion – because that's not what I want."

Images of the zombified hybrid army flashed through his mind again.

"…from any of you."

They nodded slowly at this, considering his words as he'd never seen them consider them before. The looks on their faces were strangely pensive – even the usually aloof Tara stared at her feet like she'd just been admonished by a parent or teacher for bad behavior.

In truth, they were all just surprised by the air of authority that practically dripped from their Archon, now. Compared to the kid who'd came to them with nothing but jokes and a sarcastic detachment from their woes, now stood a hat that could command entire armies.

"I think there's something we ought to do before any of that," Fauna said.

Ethan nodded, flashing her a toothy smile from Lamphrey's mouth. Without anyone's assistance he hopped from the Tialax's head and let her fall into Fauna's spectral hands. The Wildglance had summoned up a small wisp of air current to carry her into the pyre they'd made in the center of the room.

Klax laid one of her hands on the other and Tara muttered a goodbye to her 'strangest sis'. Then, at Ethan's bidding, Fauna shot a firebolt at the kindling.

Flames sparked into life almost instantly, crackling round the wood and licking into Lamphrey's skin. Her scales crisped slowly, resisting the instantaneous charring that would have occurred with any other being in this realm. To look at her calm, serene face in death, still so strong and resistant, was a testament to the way she'd lived her life.

As the flames traveled up her body, tearing away her robe and finally blackening her scaled features, Ethan thought about the burden she and Jun'Ei had carried. The burden of prophecy that now fell on his shoulders. Both of them had known their lives would come to an end before his time was up. Maybe they didn't know the exact hour, or the exact means of their expiry, but they knew they wouldn't see his victory. Or his failure.

But Ethan doubted either of them would have bet on him if they truly thought he would seek domination over a dead world. No, looking at Lamphrey's body just before it was consumed by the fire, Ethan became more and more convinced that the vision he'd seen was her warning to him – her warning that would serve to cement what she'd told him about power, about its uses, and about its uselessness.

He'd heed that lesson. In the months and years that were to come, it would be the most important lesson for the entire world to learn.

He looked down at his thready form and then back up at Revok's. The chimera was staring into the flames with the rest of them, seemingly lost. Directionless.

He closed his eye and let his thoughts drift. It seemed unfair to pilot the great beast now.

Instead, there was another option.

He activated his [Mimic] skill at the end of their quiet funeral, taking on the shape of a Tialax Magi again for the purposes of getting where he needed to go next.

You just don't stop now, do you? Sys quipped as he strode away from the pyre. Even with the victory you thought would be your last, you know there's still so much to do.

Ethan smiled. "The more things change…"

"I will see you all again soon," he announced as he left. "Let's lick our wounds and help our people. Then we'll all know where our hearts truly lie."

He didn't wait for any replies from them, even though he could see the incredulous looks they all gave him. As he bowed slightly and turned away, only one person rushed to ask him where he was going.

He glanced back at Fauna, hiding his true emotions behind a smile.

"I've got a city to rebuild."

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