Bonds of Darkness: Swordmen's Redemption

Chapter Forty-Two: First Aeon

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Y/N stood before Hooh, the Aeon of Equilibrium, in a temple of silent contemplation. The shadows around him swirled like an extension of his own inner turmoil, a tangible representation of the void that he had come to embody. His gaze locked with the Aeon's central eye, a symbol of eternal judgment and balance, feeling the weight of its scrutiny.

"Abyss? You speak of the shadows as if there are... stages," Y/N ventured cautiously, seeking to understand the intricate layers of darkness that Hooh suggested—a curriculum of power that seemed both vast and intricate.

Hooh's central eye, the profound emblem of Yin and Yang, held Y/N in an unblinking stare, seeming to pierce through to the chaos within him. "The Great One's craftsmanship within you has sown a turbulence, rendering you destructive, unable to ascend to the next echelon of your abilities," Hooh's voice rumbled through the temple, a sound both mighty and gentle.

Y/N's hand instinctively went to the rune on his hand, the grim reminder of Oedon's surveillance. "It symbolizes her ceaseless watch, her unending vigilance over you," Hooh elucidated, causing Y/N's grimace to deepen. A surge of anger threatened to rise within him, but he quelled it, knowing he must remain focused and receptive.

"However," Hooh continued, drawing Y/N back from his brewing storm of emotions, "there exists a path, though it treads upon the forbidden—a violation of the ancient laws, an act deemed unforgivable by our kind."

Y/N's eyes widened in shock, the revelation of such forbidden knowledge compelling him. The ancient laws—a concept he had never considered, assuming the universe operated merely on the whims of creation and destruction.

"Why are these laws not known to us? If revealed, would they not ensure obedience and order among all life?" Y/N questioned, his voice a blend of curiosity and critique, seeking to unravel the mysteries that the Aeon alluded to.

The Aeon's form seemed to resonate with the temple's architecture, the gradients of shade across its body representing the spectrum of existence. The fractured squares that surrounded it illustrated the fluidity of the cosmos—a state of constant change and transformation.

Y/N felt the power of Hooh's presence, yet no threat emanated from the Aeon. Hooh's response was like the shifting of tectonic plates, a deep and profound utterance. "Born from the void, I have witnessed the rise of Aeons and the formation of Paths that stretch across the cosmos. The ancient laws are unspoken, yet ever-present. They are not decreed but felt—a judgment, an expectation that governs all."

The ambiguity of Hooh's words left Y/N pondering, a puzzle missing a crucial piece. "Which entity oversees these laws?" Y/N asked, his voice tinged with desperation for a clearer understanding.

Silence fell, and from Hooh's meditative pose, the Aeon bowed slightly to Y/N. As confusion settled within him, Y/N felt a sudden shift, a powerful vacuum that transformed the temple from a place of beauty to an expanse of unfathomable darkness. He sensed the entity behind him, the being of shadows, his shadow pearl reacting to its presence.

Y/N fought to maintain composure, despite the shivers that betrayed his underlying fear. Hooh addressed the presence with reverence, "My lord, you have cometh."

Y/N's mind raced with questions—who was this 'lord' that commanded such respect from an Aeon? The entity's presence intensified, revealing itself in greater detail.

The deity that now stood before Y/N was an awe-inspiring entity, a deity that defied comprehension. Atop its head, a crown of constellations shimmered, each star a story, each constellation a chapter of the cosmos. Behind the arcane mask it wore, eyes glowed with the wisdom of eons, piercing into Y/N's soul.