Bonds of Darkness: Swordmen's Redemption

Chapter Forty-Three: Armor

A/N: All rights to the original content are reserved by the respective copyright owner.

Do read "Chapter Forty-Two: First Aeon" first before reading this chapter. Otherwise, vote and comment to show your support, thank you!

EDIT: Changed the Chapter Title.

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In the space where time lost its dominion, Y/N found himself before the Progenitor, the very first consciousness to stir in the void before creation's dawn. The darkness around them was not just the absence of light but the presence of a primordial power that even the cosmos bowed to. The Progenitor had dispatched Hooh to the furthest reaches to uphold the balance of existence, desiring solitude to converse with Y/N.

Standing before the genesis of all thought, Y/N's instincts screamed for him to kneel, to show obeisance to this entity whose mere aura commanded respect. The realization hit him with the force of a celestial event; the Progenitor was the origin of every concept, the architect of realities and realms, the unseen hand that had wrought the fabric of existence.

Y/N knew, as clear as the stars are from the earth, that his innermost thoughts lay bare before the Progenitor. Privacy was a concept as foreign to this entity as darkness is to light. Thus, Y/N stood in humble silence, his heart a tempest of awe and reverence.

The Progenitor spoke of balance, a term Hooh had earlier used, alluding to the duality within Y/N. He was two selves in one being, a mortal and a deity, not in the sense of a traditional Emanator or Demi-God, but something unique—singular in body and soul, yet dual in essence.

Y/N's thoughts wandered to the stark differences in his personalities. As an amnesiac, he was the epitome of regal calm, whereas the Y/N of Xianzhou was vibrant and full of life. His past self had shunned the mundane for the thrill of battle, a dichotomy that now seemed to vie for dominance within him.

"Your soul is erratic, in need of guidance," the Aeon's voice resounded, a declaration that it had indeed been sifting through his consciousness.

Y/N nodded, accepting the truth of the Aeon's observation. "Normally, I would navigate these thoughts alone, but I am grateful for your assistance," he replied, his voice a mix of gratitude and determination. He yearned for self-achievement, for the satisfaction of overcoming his own trials.

The Aeon, in its boundless wisdom, offered counsel. "Do not be disheartened. Though your exploration of the Abyss has been minimal, it has not been futile. Envision your path, merge your duality with your life's tapestry, and discover your true potential," it advised, its tone nurturing yet profound.

"You are surprisingly understanding," Y/N remarked, a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth.

"Understanding is but a fragment of wisdom. Everyone has a reservoir of talent waiting to be realized. Your journey, your experiences, they are the crucible from which your essence will be forged—for better or for worse," the Aeon imparted, its voice echoing the vastness of the universe.

Y/N absorbed the Progenitor's words, the gravity of its identity making the advice all the more compelling. He recognized the need for growth, for evolution.

"In every story, there are heroes and villains, but to the universe, such concepts are nonexistent. Destruction leads to rebirth; realization begets creation. It is an unending cycle, simple and unadorned," the Progenitor spoke again, a truth that resonated with the cycles of life and death it witnessed eternally.

The weight of those words settled on Y/N like the dust of a collapsing star. What path would he forge? What legacy would he leave in the endless annals of the cosmos?