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When the real world opened its doors to him, Phainon silently vowed to never return to the past. The fragments of Amphoreus, floating in the dense darkness of space, left a scar on his soul, as did the names of his fallen comrades, whose despair and rage were carved into his bleeding heart. Even though the words they wrote remained close by, in a perpetually open book in one of the Astral Express's rooms, the lingering loneliness never left him.
Only the one with whom he shared this long and grueling journey was able to persuade the newborn Lord Ravager to join him in exploring the Simulated Universe developed by Madame Herta. She was also among those who extended a hand to Amphoreus in his hour of need.
The blade easily cut through the abomination of Abundance, and Phainon did not even feel tired. This simulation didn't try to mimic reality, so he didn't feel so uneasy here.
Besides, this time someone was watching his back.
"Partner, aren't these creatures from Xianzhou? They look a lot like the black tide." Unfortunately, the bodies were gone, so there was no way to compare. "They're quite resilient..."
"Oh, right, Astral Express had little funding, so we used to have to beat them to death with a bat. But now I can become a champion in space baseball!" Stelle swung her arm and hit the air several times, demonstrating her perfect swing, and Phainon laughed, wiping away tears. What a stunning girl.
Noticing the subjects' distraction, one of Madame Herta's dolls appeared personally to hurry them along. Folding her small hands over her chest, she chuckled.
"Next, a meeting with Aeon. I hope it won't be Nanook or Mythus; this whole story has tired even me."
Phainon had heard rumors that the space station's mistress had been seriously wounded in the battle for Amphoreus and was now undergoing rehabilitation. Although she acted as if she were simply bored by this intellectual confrontation with the foremost genius, he was deeply touched by the woman's sacrifice. Everyone who had helped them.
As always, Stelle stepped forward first. Turning to Phainon, she extended her hand and smiled,
"Let's finish this as soon as possible. I can't wait to see what Pom-Pom has prepared today."
"Anything but Lady Himeko's drinks," Lord Ravager hurried along with her.
Together, they entered the Space of the Path, where the cold starlight burned their skin and chilled their souls, and the emptiness beneath their feet filled them with weakness. Phainon looked around curiously, his clear blue eyes filled with melancholy. According to Lady March 7, Cyrene had spent so long in such a place... Thoughts of where his childhood friend, the man with whom they had begun endless cycles, was now always with him. Only the promise of meeting again among the stars and sharing a feast with all their friends kept him from drowning in regret.
Already accustomed to audiences with the Aeons, Stella headed toward the bright pillar of light in the distance. She was looking around with the interest with which small animals explore the world, when she heard the lulling song of whales and the shuffling of their feet. It was a barely perceptible sound, very characteristic... of a slinking snake.
[Theoretical: Traces of the Path of Voracity are visible in the Pathway Space. Conclusion: the previously silent Oroboros has appeared.]
[Screwy, this is no time for conversation, the Simulated Universe is trembling!]
The two geniuses' voices mingled into a single cacophony as space shook. This was the second time Phainon had met Aeon face to face, even if it was only a simulation. Looking at Stelle, ready for battle with her spear at the ready, he exhaled—surely, he wasn't alone now... Lord Ravager looked into the distance, watching the looming figure.
Eyeless heads, resembling snakes only from a distance, spread out to the sides, their mouths gasping for air, threatening to devour everything in their path. They entwined, writhing and instilling a chill and fear, when, like a blossoming flower, the heads suddenly parted, revealing a human figure. Elegantly leaning his elbows against the air and propping up his head, Oroboros glanced at the wary people below him.
According to Madame Herta, this Aeon was sparing with words and, upon meeting his unfortunate companions, merely examined them with excitement, just as a hungry predator appraises a juicy piece of meat before him.
So now, Oroboros watched Stelle, then licked his lips, sensing her connection with Akviili. Only a strange impulse made him turn his gaze, glittering with hunger, and turn his attention to Phainon.
[ O. ]
He parted his lips in surprise, and, thanks to his beautiful and refined face, it looked seductive, causing the heart to beat faster. As Oroboros began to move slowly, like a snake, the soft jingling of the golden chains that hung from his chest, fastened to his nipples, and cascaded down his arms could be heard. A bewitching blush adorned his cheeks, and Phainon couldn't take his eyes off Aeon, who spread his arms in an inviting embrace.
Saliva glistened at the corner of his lips, and his Adam's apple twitched as the eyeless heads hid behind him, not wanting to scare off this luscious blue-eyed puppy.
As hot breath scorched his face, Phainon's mind was filled with only one thought: how much he wanted to touch this body and do something dirty to it. To slip his fingers under the thin chains and squeeze the pale shoulders, leaving bright marks, to squeeze the protruding nipples and hear that soft sigh again, and also... it was simple curiosity, but what could a member accept—that seductively open mouth or those heads behind Aeon's back?
Instead of clamping his jaws around the Lord Ravager's neck, Oroboros suddenly snorted hoarsely. It seemed his depraved desires were so obvious that even an incomprehensible, inhuman entity could understand them.
Without a word, he leaned toward his reddened ear and blew into it, as if teasing. His lips brushed against his earlobe, and Phainon felt their softness, shuddering all over as he watched the golden claws playfully scratch his chest.
Just as he had appeared earlier, Aeon vanished into the cold, dark space, leaving behind a curious Stelle and a stunned Phainon.
The geniuses observing the experiment remained silent, unwilling to comment.
"Oh, we'll get a reward for the dirt on Aeon?" Stelle interjected, the only one able to find the right words in this awkward situation.
***
Once, to embody the role of the prophecy's Deliverer, Phainon wandered the crumbling Amphoreus, accompanying weary, wounded souls, sharing the same humble shelter and meals. Such journeys were not to his liking, for the eyes of those watching always sparkled with hope, elevating him above mortals and guiding their aspirations.
Their gaze was too heavy, but he had no choice but to accept it.
The many whom the Astral Express allowed aboard were different. Despite words of gratitude and modest gifts of appreciation, they left the eternally moving train on the Path of Trailblaze to return home. From their lips flowed tales of various corners of the universe, and Phainon listened with interest to stories of dream-sweet Penacony, adventurous Lushaka, and many other planets he had yet to visit.
Along with Himeko and Dan Heng, researchers from the Intelligensia Guild, who had been attacked by the remains of the Swarm, boarded the ship. Recalling a similar situation, March 7 anxiously peered into every room, fearing to find an intruder, while Pom-Pom stood ready to carry out disinfestation.
Watching the commotion with a smile, Phainon glanced curiously at the rescued researchers. Although they were also followers of Nous, their presence was calmer and more restrained than that of the geniuses... Surprised by one of the faces he encountered, his eyes widened and he froze.
The mint-colored hair was reassuring, as was the rather gentle face of the scientist, who adjusted his glasses, which had survived the escape. He kept a slight distance from his colleagues, more interested in the Astral Express itself and its crew.
For a moment, their gazes locked, and the enticing image of the naked man reaching out for a deadly embrace flashed through Phienon's mind. His warm breath appeared on his lips, as if Oroboros had once again bestowed his attention and caresses upon the youth. But the scientist merely turned away, as if he didn't recognize him.
'Has Aeon come aboard?'
Having personally encountered Their majesty, Lord Ravager's expression turned cold and he couldn't take his eyes off the harmless and fragile-looking explorer. His trusty sword, Dawn, remained in the room, but even unarmed, his resolve to protect the Astral Express crew never wavered. Only Stelle, noticing her friend's strange posture, approached him in bewilderment, a bag of snacks in her hands.
"Oh, they're pretty harmless guys." But even the poor, unlike Madame Herta, were little interested in the new arrivals. After spending several days on Amphoreus and over two weeks on various meetings and errands, she had accumulated a plethora of game updates.
"Don't you think that face looks... familiar?"
Leaning toward Stella, he whispered softly and pointed to the man whose true identity as a member of the Intelligensia Guild was being questioned. The girl looked earnestly at his refined features, which befitted a researcher, and at his robe-clad figure, before uttering:
"Oh, he looks like a mad scientist from that game!"
"That's not what I meant," Phainon sighed, giving in. Sometimes his heroine was too outspoken. "Doesn't he look like... Oroboros?"
When Lord Ravager emerged from the ruined world, only the unknown awaited him, barely recognizable from the administrator's records. Joining the Astral Express crew not only brought him some peace of mind but also allowed him to begin preparing for his meeting with Nanook. Even the offer to test the Simulated Universe was an act of Madame Herta's assistance in studying the Aeons, even though it carried the risk of being destroyed from within by the forces of Irontomb. On the contrary, this brilliant woman only welcomed such a challenge.
Through his research, he learned that the Gods of this world sometimes traveled in human form. For example, Pom-Pom spoke of Akvili, who endured all hardships with dignity alongside his comrades and independently forged the Path of Trailblaze.
So why shouldn't Oroboros appear here as a human? But why...
Phainon spent several hours closely observing the newly arrived guests, who were settled in the common car and engaged in intellectual conversations with Welt and Himeko. Despite the time spent, he still managed to learn nothing, and the scientist, who called himself Anaxogoras, paid him no particular attention and did not behave strangely.
Perhaps with the exception of his excessively long gaze at the others—he resembled a lurking snake hunting its prey... But that could just be his imagination.
Outside the Express, outer space never changed, a thick darkness stretching into infinity, interspersed with cold stars. It was impossible to tell whether it was day or night, just as it was in Ochema. At some point, everyone wearily wandered off to their rooms, and in the common car, beds were made for the weary scientists.
After leaving Amphoreus, Phainon's dreams were always sweet and peaceful, as if Cyrene were watching over them, as in their childhood, telling them only stories with happy endings. He'd come to love a good rest, and March 7 even helped him choose softer pillows when they stopped on a planet, but today he was shaking, and the images before his eyes were choppy...
Realizing something was wrong, he awoke abruptly, his heart pounding in fear. A familiar face loomed over him, minty locks of hair falling across his forehead and cheeks, and his eyes sparkled with a scarlet glow, lending a particularly terrifying charm to the smile on his lips. Covering the alien lips with a pale hand, the Oroboros who appeared before him whispered in a chilling voice:
"Quiet, child of Destruction. The more you resist, the more I want to devour you."
Aeon's words sounded like a simple joke or intimidation, but the tail tightly wrapped around his body prevented Phainon from taking a breath. The cold and dampness of his scales made his skin crawl, and by continuing to resist, he only hastened the moment of death by suffocation.
When Lord Ravager froze, looking defiantly into the scarlet eyes opposite him, Oroboros withdrew his hand.
"Child of Destruction..?"
"And what else should I call you, obstinate servant of Nanook?"
That day, this Aeon's gaze, filled with glittering gold, and his indifference left a deep scar on Phainon's heart, and anger flared every time he heard the name of the one who had condemned their world to suffering. The words of others reawakened this dormant feeling within him.
But Oroboros, watching him, was unmoved by these vivid emotions.
"Your blood is blessed with gold, and your will brings Destruction," a slender finger stabbed the young man's chest, indicating his hatred-scarred body. "Even if you rebel against Him, your actions do not contradict His vision."
Hearing this revelation, Phainon's eyes widened, unsure what to say. It was true that the logic of the Aeons differed from that of the average person; anyone hearing of Lord Ravager taking up arms against Nanook would conclude that he had abandoned the ideals of Destruction. But Oroboros, looming over him, thought otherwise.
Mesmerized by these words, he continued to listen meekly.
"Since you've become more obedient, how about we discuss the terms of the deal?"
Like a tempting serpent, Oroboros used his wiles to draw attention to the reason for his presence here. His heavy body slowly rose, releasing the young man from his embrace, and his tail slid across the floor with a soft shuffle. Before our eyes, Aeon turned back into a simple scholar, his dark shirt long enough to cover his slender, bare thighs, and his long, snow-white robe looking ridiculous without pants.
Having pulled out a chair, he sat down on it, crossing his legs. If this behavior hadn't been a quirk of the true person before him, devoid of etiquette and human morality, Phainon would have been embarrassed by such provocative actions in the middle of the night.
"First, let's clear one thing up. Today was our real 'first meeting,' although the imitation of that genius girl was quite accurate."
"What are you saying?" Remembering the vulgar image that had appeared before him in the Virtual Universe, Phainon's mouth fell open, and the smile on Aeon's lips only widened. "I knew about it..."
"Of course you knew. I wouldn't waste time on such obvious things. It was a warning."
The harmless and fragile-looking figure sat arrogantly and calmly on the chair, only the dim light of the nightlight lending a touch of warmth and vitality to his pale skin. His gleaming scarlet eyes were chilling, reminiscent of a lurking predator, and, if you think about it, the desire of the Oroboros he'd encountered had been, first and foremost, to devour him.
Unsure why Aeon had been so kind to him, reminding him of his true nature—incomprehensible, greedy, thirsting only to devour as much as possible—Phainon was about to ask how he'd been forestalled, as if reading everything on his agitated face.
"It's an act of trust before further cooperation."
'But you just admitted you want to eat me...'
The thoughts of higher beings were indeed unclear to an ordinary person, but the Lord had never heard of Himself being renowned for His love of fun, like Aha, so he accepted this gesture of goodwill. Sitting up in bed, the young man felt a chill run down his skin from the strange liquid left behind by the scales.
...and yet, it was rather strange to immobilize him like this for conversation.
"So... what do you expect from me?" Phainon was direct in his words, looking into the scarlet eyes. After his encounter with Nanook, he couldn't bring himself to pay homage to someone like Him.
"Nothing special. Simply fulfilling the duty of Lord Ravager in the form I desire." Though Oroboros smiled, it seemed more like a serpentine grin.
The duty... of Nanook's emanator..?
Kill Aeon
The thought was familiar to Phainon. He woke with her and stared at his hands day after day, imagining how one day they would plunge Dawn into the chest of that Aeon with the cold gaze, and golden blood would flow down the blade—blood that this time would not belong to his comrades. And then the act of vengeance would be accomplished.
But even though he had the courage to desire Nanook's death, which would only fall by his hand, it never occurred to Lord Ravager to raise his sword against other Aeons. He enjoyed Pom-Pom's stories of Akviili's selfless and epic journey, which made him nostalgic for the heroes of Amphoreus, whose stories were recorded in the book. He listened with mild curiosity to Madame Herta's dolls, which spoke of Nous's incredible intellect and the achievements of the Geniuses Society, which included herself, of course.
Phainon glanced at Oroboros, who had been expecting such a reaction, with bewilderment and wariness, and asked,
"What... Or rather, who do you mean?"
"Such a long life and you still lack caution," He merely chuckled, not answering directly. "Then I'll explain it differently. Imagine those you call Aeons locked in a single room with no way out until a certain point. Space was limited, and food quickly ran out, but among Them are some who are quite weak or recently injured... so why not eat Them?"
For some reason, even the allegory of Oroboros boiled down to food, but Phainon easily grasped which Aeon, whose Path had recently suffered, He was referring to. Everything returned once again to Nous, the one for whose destruction he had been created.
True, Lord Ravager decided to refuse immediately; he hated the thought of dredging up the past or being distracted from his main goal. But a slight curiosity prevailed, and the question burst from his lips:
"Does the Path of Voracity intersect with the Path of Erudition?"
He had heard from Resurrection that the nature of the Aeons' actions was still unclear, but what was true for each of them was that they sought to destroy anyone who came into contact with the idea of Their Path. Thus, Xipe devoured the Aeon of Order, leaving the Path forever without a master.
There were also cases where the Aeons united against a common threat, such as Tayzzyronth. Or had long-standing feuds... But none of these reasons suited Oroboros, so why..?
"Ah, that," His gaze grew distant as he took in the view from the window. As if He weren't even there, Oroboros paused for a moment, and a tragic whale song echoed through the Astral Express, making Phainon's skin crawl. "I am driven by simple curiosity."
He had never had the opportunity to devour other Paths, so what would they taste like? As expected of this Aeon, all His actions were driven by an insatiable hunger, the cause of which was so innocent and yet terrifying.
Curiosity.
The soft singing of the whales ceased, and Phainon's heart sank—was the entire crew and guests on board in the stomach of Oroboros's true body, or had He merely teased the stubborn Lord Ravager and left? Observing the stranger's pale face, He performed another act of goodwill and calmed the frightened puppy.
"Mastery is what brings change, and what this world mourns. This need is so great that even Insatiability cannot devour it entirely." Glancing at the door that concealed the corridor leading to the other rooms, Oroboros narrowed his eyes, glowing in the darkness. "Although, frankly, that doesn't diminish my desire. Stellaron, Pure Children of Anāsrava, descendant of Long and rebellious child of Nanook..."
"Okay, okay, I understand," Phainon waved his hands, willing Eon to quickly forget his fleeting thought of swallowing the entire Astral Express whole. "But... if it doesn't have to be Their, why not change the target..?"
"I see you're suggesting someone whose blood flows through your veins," Oroboros said, covering his face with his hand, lost in thought. The scientist's fake identity made it seem as if they weren't choosing a snack for Him, but rather discussing serious scientific achievements. "In this scenario, I'll end up the loser for a number of reasons. First, Their's guarded by loyal children, and they're not as restless as you. Second, there's a contender for the position that will become vacant, and I'll have to do double the work..."
Perhaps Phainon had gained some understanding of Oroboros during their brief exchange, although more likely, it was simply a manifestation of human arrogance. Observing the others' hesitation, he awkwardly suggested,
"What if I take on all the obstacles..?"
"Oh, you want to undertake such a great task? Commendable persistence," Aeon muttered, and the young man caught a note of happiness in his voice he hadn't heard before. A faint spittle glistened in the corner of his lips in the lamplight. "The more inaccessible something is, the more you desire it."
Even though he spoke of the Path of Destruction promised to Him and Nanook, uroboros's gleaming, hungry gaze was directed at Phainon, and Phainon shuddered. A premonition screamed danger, but Aeon's earlier acts of goodwill had slightly muted it.
Either gaining confidence, or again displaying the arrogance toward higher beings so characteristic of only a few, Lord Ravager added,
"Once the goal is determined, no longer count me among His... children."
Recovering his composure in the face of a feast so incredible, something he had already witnessed in the distant future, Oroboros looked at Phainon with curiosity, as if he had encountered a strange animal.
"Nanook usually instills loyalty in his servants, but I see only complete rejection. How interesting."
"My past should be no secret to someone of your stature."
He tried to suppress the sadness in his voice, but just remembering his home with its scent of wheat fields and fresh mint, the comrades he had left behind, made him want to howl at his fate once again. Only one thing warmed his soul—now no one from the journey of the Flame Chasers need endure cycle after cycle of suffering, while he would bear the mark of their aspirations on his heart and shed blood time and time again.
"Of course," Oroboros confirmed easily. After the veil of Memory lifted, the epic of the heroes of Amphoreus spread so far that it inadvertently caught His eye. "Since you've taken on more work than I originally planned, how about a small favor?"
Curious, Phainon looked up from the floor, but the chair was empty. The scholar silently found himself behind the door, already closing it and whispering goodbye,
"You may deny it, but for me, you still follow His vision. There are several ways to escape Destruction, and here are two of them: dissolve in the belly of Voracity and become one with me, or... embrace Trailblaze."
These words, echoing in Phainon's mind, were spoken with such ease, as if the answer had been there all along, only he alone hadn't grasped it. Aeon left his room, which instantly became silent, and a half-naked young man sat on the bed, examining the carpet on the floor.
To be imbued with the Trailblaze... hadn't he already traveled with the Nameless? What did that really mean..?
The excitement of the new thought overwhelmed him, and Lord Ravager couldn't sleep. Only when a familiar voice rang in his head, sounding so close, as if Oroboros were whispering in his ear, did he come to his senses.
[Oh, yes, I forgot to mention. That genius girl's imitation is truly good; she managed to convey the effect of my saliva.]
A subtle guess crept into Phainon's thoughts before the voice could finish.
[It wasn't my intention, but I forgot myself and let a little out. Its effect ignites hidden desires. ]
...his gaze was fixed on the bulge in his pants as the last words echoed in his head. Realizing that the unusual vigor, unnoticed due to Aeon's presence, was arousal, he blushed to the tips of his ears and froze, unsure of what to do.
But to his relief, the strange fantasies weren't caused by him, but by the effects of other's saliva.
Phainon sat on his bed all night, clenching his fists on his knees, afraid to touch himself under the gaze of Oroboros, who guarded the Asral Express like a snake guarding its territory. Perhaps it was just an illusion, but its hungry gaze seemed to burn through his skin.
...
For the crew and the rescued members of the Geniuses Society, the night was quiet and calm, thanks to which everyone awoke from their peaceful slumber and energetically went about their business. In the communal car, the scientists were scribbling formulas on the board, questioning Himeko and Pom-Pom about the hyperspace jump, while in Dan Heng's room, several of them were studying the extensive database and, with their master's active participation, expanding it.
As if one of the powers of Trailblaze was to connect people's hearts, everyone was busy with their own affairs, only one man sat on the sofa, lingering over a late breakfast. His gaze, curiously focused not on the blueprints or calculations, but rather on the people milling about with a strange glint, until he was interrupted.
"I'll join you, Orobos..."
"Call me by another name," Aeon quickly corrected him.
"Alright, Anaxa..?" Phainon tried to recall that bizarre name, even more difficult to pronounce than his real one. "Then shall I sit next to you?"
"As you wish."
It had been a restless night, and Lord Ravager's hair was fluffed up, while his eyes looked a little sleepy, but in the past he had often been awake instead of asleep, so he didn't feel particularly tired. Sitting down next to the scholar, he peered into his half-empty plate and, pursing his lips, handed him his steak and some potatoes.
"Eat well and don't overthink things," the young man reminded him, causing only surprise. "Is something wrong..?"
"As I said yesterday, my desire doesn't depend on how much food I eat." Simply smiling at this amusing action, Anaxa pushed back the other man's portion. He noted with interest that it looked larger than the others'.
"I remember," Phainon sighed, slowly eating the food on his plate.
His habit remained the same: embodying the hopes of others. Even though his soul was free from the shackles of Amphoreus's fate, he still had a long way to go before he could display a modicum of selfishness. Remembering Oroboros's fondness for delicacies, reducing all conversations to food, he gave up part of his portion almost without a second thought. Only later did he consider how nice it would have been if Aeon had limited himself to just an extra helping of steak, rather than his friends.
As the succulent taste of the meat spread across his tongue, Phainon was plunged into memories of Aedes Elysiae. Welt Yang had once compared him to a lonely traveler, longing for a homeland lost in time, and that accurately described the feeling weighing on his heart. It manifested itself in such small things as the taste of the food—the rich meat juices, the sweetish fresh vegetables, and fried potatoes—everything was so delicious, yet at the same time unfamiliar, unfamiliar. Sometimes he would occupy Pom-Pom's kitchen and try to recreate his mother's dishes from his memories, but the difference in ingredients meant their taste no longer reminded him of home.
"Oh, do you miss your homeland?" a voice suddenly brought him out of his thoughts.
"How did you know..?"
Remembering how Oroboros had entered his head last night, Phaonon flushed. While it was no problem for Him to mentally speak to him, it was also no problem to read all the perverted desires he'd had, where he'd pressed his wet lips and inhaled the scent of minty freshness on his neck, where his palms touched his hips and their bodies merged together… He was too ashamed to look the object of his sexual fantasies in the eyes, especially when he knew about them.
But noticing his reaction, Anaxa merely snorted into his fist.
"When a voracious eater like you looks at food with a sour face, there's not much reason for it," He said, and Lord Ravager mentally exhaled, still feeling his heart pounding.
"...you have a fairly good grasp of human psychology," Phainon muttered, a little offended.
"I ascended from the Leviathan flock and am distant from humans, so these are merely my observations."
Another detail Lord Ravager noted in his new acquaintance, emphasizing his inhuman origins. Whether in the dim light of the nightlight or now, Oroboros offered no chance to discern a side of him worthy of exploration, remaining inscrutable and detached.
But this didn't deter Phainon. Brief excerpts from Dan Heng's archives about Leviathans surfaced in his memories, and the little that was known about these creatures had almost been lost to history. Only a single representative sat before him, as if stepped out of the surviving legends of beautiful and graceful creatures that did not survive the war. He gave Anaxa a look that left him perplexed. Never before had anyone looked at Aeon or the cold, thoughtful scholar whose image he'd created been like that; it was something unfamiliar, this… compassion and understanding.
The gazes of the God and the one who had spilled Their blood met, and a subtle sense of longing for something unattainable and distant arose within them, like a mirage or ripples on water. Like two victims of a catastrophe, previously unknown, gazing at each other in silent understanding, their hearts bleeding in unison.
Confused by the silence, Phainon buried his face in his plate. Anaxa, unfamiliar with such a vibrant palette of emotions, merely maintained the silence.
Stelle watched this scene, more because her sleepy gaze fell on it than out of genuine curiosity. She'd been awake all night, playing through the game's updated content and reclaiming her top ranking, and now she was sleepily rubbing her eyes and yawning, while March 7, beside her, had been anxiously holding her bow at the ready since early morning.
"My other self replaced me today for the first time since Amphoreus... There really are those nasty bugs on board!" Frightened by the door opening with Dan Heng and the other scientists, the girl clutched her weapon tighter.
"Bugs..? What bugs?" Stella ruffled her hair, not understanding her friend's words.
The days passed aboard the Astral Express in the bustle befitting everyone embarking on the Path of Trailblaze before the stop at the nearest planet, where the scientists were to disembark. All these days, while Oroboros moved freely through the carriages, Phainon couldn't let it go far from him, feeding the hungry Aeon cookies from a bag whenever he stared at the carriage for too long. At night, he would fall exhausted, and in his dreams, he would see the seductive figure of a man with pale skin that left scarlet marks, whose voice would sweetly whisper in his ear, moaning his name in pleasure. After such revealing scenes, all that awaited him was waking up in the middle of the night and an embarrassing stain on his pants.
After all these restless days, Phainon couldn't help but sigh with relief when he saw the members of the Intelligence Guild at the Astral Express exit. Really... Oroboros isn't going to eat this planet, is it?
He didn't need to search the crowd to accurately direct his gaze to Anaxa. He stood with his arms folded across his chest and looked at the man approaching him without much surprise, already accustomed to this overly intrusive company.
"...you're not going to eat this planet, are you?"
"Ha," Aeon merely let out a sarcastic laugh, having heard a similar question too many times over the years. "If that were possible, I'd have feasted on the entire galaxy long ago."
Oroboros had long since realized that the young man before him was far from stupid, merely overly preoccupied with various trivialities. So restless and attention-seeking, and always bringing strange things and looking expectantly—isn't he just a puppy?
Remembering the main reason he'd approached Anaxa, he leaned a little closer and placed his hand to his face, whispering,
"Um... When will your saliva wear off..?" His cheeks flushed, lending the young man a particularly charming air.
Looking at the embarrassed Phainon, who couldn't look him straight in the eye, Aeon suddenly burst out laughing. His laughter was so sincere and resonant, so out of place in the image of a detached scholar, that he couldn't help but stare.
"Ha-ha-ha... What are you talking about? This body doesn't have the same effect as the real thing," he explained, wiping away his tears and smiling, watching the young man's face grow increasingly shocked. "The arousal could last a couple of minutes, maybe an hour... But no more."
Then why...
Phainon covered his face with his hand, his eyes wide with the sudden realization that had struck him. Was he really so depraved that he fantasized about fucking Aeon and even enjoying it so much that Aeon would cling to him with his hands?
Realizing that his thoughts had returned to the explicit scenes, he tried to push them away and cleared his throat, still flushed.
"Um... I see... I'll take that into consideration... Then farewell..?"
The Higher Beings were incomprehensible. To receive Their gaze was tantamount to incredible good fortune, to enter Their service offered a chance on hundreds of planets, but to meet Them in person, without being connected to Them, was a privilege so rare that a single page long list could be compiled.
Glancing at him with narrowed eyes, Anaxa merely replied with a smile:
"No need for such words. I am wherever my gaze falls, and right now it's directed at you, Phainon from Amphoreus."
The young man watched in amazement as the retreating figure disembarked from the Astral Express with everyone else, to blend into the crowd, disappear, and not be the one anyone would be looking for. Although he had freed himself from the anxiety that had accompanied him all these days, after some time, Phainon found himself examining the darkness of space and the stars embedded within it, trying to discern there the promised attention of others.
***
Living as a Chrysos Heir of the Flame Journey, Phainon had never known a time when the Titans were kind to humans. Only the light of the Dawn Device reminded them that they were loved by their creator and not abandoned to their fate, but even he had sunk into eternal silence and did not answer their prayers.
Their connection with Oroboros, however, was different. As if knowing every step of his difficult journey, Aeon cast his gaze upon the youth and gently guided him in difficult times. It was so unusual—not to wander blindly along an unknown path, but to feel a hand guiding you. He could also arrange audiences simply for the sake of it, citing simple boredom, and then dismiss the Lord Ravager once he'd answered all his questions.
Those dreams where he touched Aeon too sensually came less frequently now, but in exchange, they grew more detailed. Scarlet eyes gazed at him tenderly before Oroboros lowered his lips to his groin, kissing his fly and making him blush. Slowly lowering his pants, he watched the other's growing arousal and turned a slightly sly gaze on him, taking the tip and licking his lips. Saliva trickled from the corner of his lips, causing his body to burn even more intensely, and his blue eyes to cloud over with the growing lust within them.
Phainon didn't know which dreams he liked best: the one where he buried his hand in his mint-colored hair and roughly thrust into an open mouth while Aeon clung to his pants, or the one where the scientist straddled him, slowly removing his clothes, tying his hands with his tie, and impaling himself on his cock with pleasure on his face.
Whatever it was, he shouldn't have imagined Oroboros like this, but... His body always captivated his gaze, and one bold fantasy followed another.
And once again they met, and Phainon was mesmerized. The gigantic figure towered over him, elegantly leaning on his hand and listening intently to the youth, who was barely half the size of his fingernail. Chains flowed over his naked body, intertwining with his ponytail and the scarlet patterns on his body—many times in his sleep, he'd erased them in a fit of passion or left his mark on them.
[Celenova didn't fall at the hands of Trailblaze, but was freed from the shackles of Destruction... Quite interesting,] his lips were closed, only a familiar voice filled his head.
"Another pillar supporting Nanook has fallen, that won't interfere with our plan."
["Ours," heh...]
A soft chuckle made his heart beat faster, and Phainon looked away from the scarlet eyes watching him. He'd grown up in a world where mortals could ascend to divinity, and he wasn't in the least intimidated by the gigantic form of Oroboros; it had never tried to harm him, often merely making gentle jokes.
Standing directly on Aeon's body, his gaze fell upon one of the eyeless heads, which had fallen wearily and seemed to be gasping for air. Seeing their interest and concern, he answered easily,
[Ah, my body hasn't recovered after I devoured one of Tayzzyronth's swarms. They were resilient enough to take turns trying to chew their way out.]
Just imagining thousands of beetles swarming beneath his skin made Phainon wince and glance sympathetically at the torn, eyeless head, unable to wriggle like the others. Looking at the towering Oroboros, he asked, knowing he couldn't cover that vast distance himself.
"May I touch it..?"
[ … ]
Aeon remained silent, his expression unreadable. Only the trembling of his eyelashes betrayed a fleeting expression of indignation or surprise.
When Phainon turned again, disappointed, to the injured part of Aeon, the eyeless head lay meekly before him, its mutilated mouth closed. It was smaller than all its brethren, but still larger than a man, capable of swallowing him whole.
Having encountered this inhuman part of him so closely for the first time, he hesitated for a moment and cautiously reached out, touching the sharp teeth with his palm. It was so... unusual. Instead of gnawing off his hand, the head pushed back, reminiscent of an attempt to rub against him, like a petted stray kitten.
However, the next moment, overexcited, it opened its mouth, and wet saliva fell upon a startled Phainon.
The audience with Aeon ended abruptly, and he found himself back in his room on the Astral Express, still soaking wet. His face flushed as Lord Ravager felt an involuntary surge of arousal from the mind-numbing scent, though the gentle voice in his mind didn't make things any better.
[You've done well. We're done for today.]
... Phainon swears that if Oroboros had called him a good boy, as in one of his many fantasies, he would have come immediately.
Perhaps the saliva of Aeon's real body was too stimulating for a human. Locked in the shower, Lord Ravager stood for several hours under the cold water, stroking his cock with his hand and imagining, imagining, imagining, being touched by His cold hand, or swallowing his cock with his mouth to atone for his guilt, or sliding down the shower wall while being fucked under the streams of water.
The next day, he came down with a fever from hypothermia, forcing Himeko and March 7 to spend a sleepless night at his bedside, bringing down his fever and listening to his ravings about someone's voracity...
***
There was something dreamlike about his encounters with Oroboros, an illusion of what was happening when the gigantic creature appeared before him, speaking condescendingly. Only small hints, like an aroused state or clothing stained with saliva from playful, snake-like heads, made it clear that what was happening wasn't part of his imagination.
But this time, everything was different, and Phainon couldn't even say why.
A lush garden appeared before his eyes, its fragrance touching his nose, enchanting him with its sweet aroma. The soft rustling of the leaves overhead caressed his ears and lulled him, and the young man almost sank into a meditative state. Looking around, he suddenly thought he had found himself in the Fuli's Eden of Blessed Insight, but as if reading his thoughts, the stranger above laughed.
Lord Ravager raised his head and spotted Oroboros reclining lazily on one of the thick tree branches, watching the guest in his abode with his long tail dangling.
"This place is for convenience, don't pay any attention. No one would build such a beautiful garden for Voracity."
"Convenience..?"
Phainon wasn't quite sure what he was getting at, watching in fascination as Aeon wrapped himself around a thick tree trunk, descending. His fingers glittered with golden claws, which he tapped against the tree in time with the other's heartbeat until he hooked his chin, lifting it.
Oroboros loomed over Lord Ravager, his tail coiled around him, staring hungrily at his agitated expression. His demeanor was reminiscent of a predator, a snake that has caught its prey, and the young man felt his body weaken in its deadly embrace, his mind clouded.
"Sometimes Aeons reward their followers for good work," the golden claw brushed across his lips, cold and frightening. "But we don't share such a relationship... so what should I do?"
Oroboros's characteristic was a frankness that stunned everyone, a bluntness that softened only after he became part of human society. He spoke the truth with ease, as if it lay plain before His eyes, and only watched with interest those who were equally frank with Him—for, according to Aeon, everything has a single source, and so everything dissolves easily in His stomach. So why make distinctions?
But sometimes, when it came to the feelings that belonged to this inhuman being, He hesitated and spoke in riddles, if He didn't remain silent.
"What should you do..?" Phainon repeated, confused, swallowing thick saliva at the sight of the fantasy face so close, his lower lip thoughtfully pulled aside by a finger. "I can wish for everything... I want..?"
Aeon, watching him, said nothing; there was no need. He was perceptive enough to know how much this youth lusted after the body of a higher being and how passionately his dreams were filled, since the sight of Oroboros made him blush and look away.
What a charming puppy.
Aeon's soft smile, fleetingly visible, spurred Phainon on. A brief impulse charged his body, and he craned his neck to touch the lips opposite—lightly and innocently, like a young and inexperienced youth at the sight of his first love. Smiling at the awkward way his lips licked rather than kissed, Oroboros dug his fingers into the youth's fluffy hair and guided him.
His heart fluttered just from the cool palms caressing his flushed cheeks, or the soft exhalation into a kiss, and the scarlet eyes turned to him, gleaming not with lust, but with a deeper feeling, while a fire blazed within his body. Phainon convulsively swallowed the saliva mixed on the tips of their tongues, and a hot lump burned his stomach, descending all the way to his groin.
Oroboros cupped his face in his hands, observing his flushed features, over which strands of tangled hair fell. It was so delicious that the arousal only enhanced the Lord Ravager's beauty, and Eon barely restrained the urge to pounce on him, to taste him as quickly as possible.
"Come on, come to your senses and curb your desires a little. This could be dangerous..." There was no lie in his words, for His saliva was not intended for lovemaking, only for the maddening pleasure of a delicacy.
Phainon couldn't stop his rapid breathing. Oroboros was too much: the thick tail wrapped tightly around his body, squeezing his aroused flesh. His kisses only fueled his passion, making him squeeze him even tighter. His face had appeared in his fantasies many times, and he considered it too sinful not to gag that mouth with something. All his thoughts were focused solely on the wet lips he longed to fuck.
Aeon's eyes widened in surprise as a strange heat touched his scales; it was so pleasant and warming, making him cling even tighter to the body. A hand thrust forcefully between the coils of the tail, grasping the tip dancing in the air and squeezing it.
"Oroboros," Lord Ravager muttered before him in a hoarse, low voice, and the higher being dissolved in eyes the color of molten gold. They were different from those he had seen with Nanook; their beauty lay in boundless love and frozen longing, the depth of which touched the heart.
He pressed his lips again to her parted lips, running his tongue over them and deepening the kiss, the pressure of which made Aeon helplessly loosen his grip. Clinging to Phainon with his hands, he felt the warmth of their palms on the cool scales that rose higher to his waist, squeezing it and preventing him from using his tail to immobilize him again. In that short time, the youngling had become so beautiful that Oroboros had no chance to regain his dominant position as his lips were pressed, licked, and bitten, and he was not allowed to breathe.
Phainon pressed him against the tree trunk, his hands tracing his waist and kneading his flat stomach with his thumb, tense from the overly gentle touches, while his entire body burned with arousal. Wet kisses trailed down her cheekbones, jaw, and exposed slender neck, not ignoring her quivering Adam's apple and nipping at it.
Oroboros rose up, his tail guiding him, his lips exploring every corner of her body. They pressed against her collarbone, leaving a noisy scarlet mark there, reminiscent of a blossoming flower on pale skin, and descended lower, encircling her nipple.
The cold metal imprinted itself on his tongue, and Phainon curiously scratched his pink aureole with his teeth and sucked on the gold chain, encouraged by slender fingers that dug into her fluffy hair, now like tongues of flame, and tugged it back with a frank sigh escaping her lips.
"Hn... Phainon..."
A cool palm rested on the young man's face, and he turned his gaze upward, to the breathless Aeon, pressing his face against his kissed and saliva-slicked chest. Oroboros held his breath at the beautiful sight, unable to maintain contact for too long with his eyes, whose greed now trembled with insatiability. He pulled him up to bite his lower lip and slowly pull it back, as if tasting the Lord once again.
In his dreams, Aeon always seemed like a passionate lover, lost in pleasure. He kissed the tip of the other's penis and, watching the other's intense reaction, ran his tongue along the entire length, sucked on the balls, and then returned to swallow him whole. Phainon also imagined him tying him up with every available means, robbing him of the strength to resist with sweet words right next to his ear, only to stretch himself with his fingers under his embarrassed gaze and rub his ass against the aroused, oozing flesh, impaling himself with a soft moan.
But in reality, Oroboros pulled him into a lingering kiss, swooning from such close and sensual contact, from the way Lord Ravager pulled back and examined the face before him for a few moments, such deep emotion in the depths of his eyes, and then touched him again with even greater tenderness.
Suddenly, Phainon felt a stab of pain in his arm, which was pinning Eon to the tree, and broke the kiss, looking down. At some point, several eyeless heads emerged from the long tail and, as if mischievous from lack of attention, bit him in several places, tearing his clothes.
"Oh, that turned out to be harder... than I thought..."
It seemed not only Oroboros's appearance was disorganized; even his thoughts had turned chaotic, and he could no longer control the little ones, who playfully nipped at Lord Ravager, tearing his clothes with their sharp teeth and leaving their marks.
Watching huge holes appear in his dark pants, Phainon noticed Oroboros's hand descend, stopping just below his navel. His fingers spread apart, revealing a previously unnoticeable cloaca, and he pulled the stranger's hand toward it, inviting him to touch it.
Enraptured by the sight, Phainon accepted the offer and plunged his fingers in, feeling them squeezed and the first moan escaping his mouth.
"Not so fast," Aeon whispered with a grin, hiding his embarrassment at the sudden sound, and pressed a quick kiss to the other's lips, distracting his attention. "Haaa... I told you, slower..."
The young man froze as a cool hand guided him. Using the Lord's warm fingers, Oroboros pursed his lips and rubbed his back against the wood as he pleasured himself. It was such a delightful sight that Phainon couldn't resist withdrawing his knuckles with a frustrated sigh and thrusting again.
His tail flexed and weakened under the caresses; it was even worse than trying to stand. Aeon pressed his cheek against the broad shoulder and clutched the body offered to him with his hands, trying to contain the explicit sounds in his burning lungs. But the trembling only shook him more, throwing his thoughts into disarray and leaving only one desire—to press closer and feel more, enough to reach the peak of pleasure and satisfy his inner hunger.
Not in a dream, but in reality, holding such a needy Eon in his arms, Phainon felt himself going mad, the endurance honed during training in the barracks wearing thin. Letting him hang on, clinging to his shoulders, he dropped what remained of his pants and couldn't hold back a sigh as the engorged flesh was released.
The head of his penis gently pushed into his cloaca, and Ouoboros dug his fingers into the shoulder blades beneath. It wasn't just the size; the sensations were also different, and he felt something between the temptation to thrust his hips forward and the desire to let the young man prove himself, as before.
The walls squeezed his cock tightly, and the Lord gritted his teeth, almost coming the moment he entered. It wasn't hard to imagine the comment he would make...
But Oroboros could hardly say too much now. The tip of his tail waved in the air, occasionally rubbing pleadingly against Phainon's thigh before retreating shamefully. His head was filled only with the sensation of trembling throughout his body, caused by the pressure on the walls of his cloaca.
Swallowing, he bit the golden sun pattern on the strong neck, flickering dangerously before his eyes. The young man hissed and ejaculated, unable to fulfill any of his fantasies except the one of filling Aeon with his sperm.
Phainon pulled back, expecting to see the white, viscous liquid flow down his tail, but instead, the cloaca closed tightly, trapping everything inside. Oroboros only smiled at his disappointed expression.
"Did you really fantasize about something else?"
Knowing that He always spoke as if He could truly read minds, Lord Ravager looked away and said with complete honesty,
"I thought I'd see... my marks on you."
The Aeons' train of thought was elusive, and the sequence of their ascension to Them was still unclear, but something remained constant. Just as before, Oroboros loved star fragments, and His heart could still be swayed, especially after meeting Phainon.
His eyes widened in surprise, he looked at the disheveled young man, so charming and... delicious.
Pinned to the ground, Lord Ravager gazed at Aeon looming over him, his eyes filled with a new, unfamiliar emotion that flared with increasing frequency the more he examined him. Quickly brushing away the strands of hair clinging to the other's face, perhaps only to distract himself, Oroboros leaned toward him, kissing him sloppily. He cupped his cheeks, brushing his lips over every spot he could reach—his nose, his eyelids, his forehead—and stopped at his ear, chuckling hoarsely:
"Perhaps we should try something different..."
Before Phainon could even process what he meant, the weight lifted from his body. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw slender legs, along which ran the same mysterious scarlet pattern, forming words or symbols he couldn't decipher.
Only the thin golden chains on his chest and arms covered his body. A completely naked Eon sat on the other's hips in his human form, not intending to give the youth even a chance to get used to the idea. Taking the warm hand in his own, he intertwined their fingers and kissed the back, watching the Lord's reaction, as in his dreams.
"Shall we fulfill one of your fantasies, Phainon from Amphoreus?"
He sounded infuriatingly confident, as if he knew every wet dream the young man had. His gaze followed the white teeth that lightly bit his palm and paused, waiting for him to continue. One thought followed another, and Phainon didn't know what Oroboros wanted from him. He followed a hunch, unclasping their hands and pressing gently against the wet lips, thrusting inward.
His eyelashes fluttered as He accepted the first knuckles as slowly as he had his penis, smacking and licking them, and Phainon was sure the sight was even more enticing for some reason than the way Aeon had fucked himself with his hand. His fingers went a little deeper, and a small tongue appeared between them, and his eyes glistened with moisture as the root was pressed. There was something enchanting in the thought of how small Oroboros's mouth was, capable of accepting only two fingers, yet He coated them with saliva with such rapture that He could have swallowed a little more.
Perhaps Phainon had truly embraced the Path of Voracity, since he enjoyed how well that mouth worked and wondered how much it could absorb...
When the teeth touched his fingers and Oroboros was truly close to losing control, he slowly withdrew them, drawing a translucent string of saliva between them and his lips, which broke and dribbled down the other's chin. Looking down at the Lord Ravager with his characteristic arrogance, Eon looked as if he were annoyed at how his food had been taken from him so quickly, but he merely licked his lips.
Lifting his hips, he allowed the wet fingers to trace the ring of muscle and insert one of them, feeling a slight discomfort. This was different from the way they had slid into his cloaca; it seemed easier to assume a female form, but such thoughts quickly left his mind when a broad palm touched his engorged member.
Looking at Phainon, Oroboros saw a look of worry on that handsome face that was unflattering. Though he hadn't said a word, it was clear this little brat was trying to distract His attention with something more pleasant, and He... simply gave in.
As the fingers stretched his hole, Aeon arched from the intense friction on his cock, pursing his lips and suppressing the moans that were threatening to escape. He felt a gaze roving over his body, stopping now at his arched neck, now at the pink marks on his chest and the swaying chains attached to his nipples, now at his tense, intricately patterned stomach, and even at the cock in his palm—this gaze was too depraved on the body that belonged to Aeon, and Phainon could easily be accused of blasphemy.
Even though he was planning to kill Nanook, was there any point in that?
Aroused simply by the sound of Oroboros moaning above him and drowning in the pleasure of his hands fucking him both front and back, Phainon pulled his fingers from his clenching hole. His palms were too wet to hold Aeon's hips in them, and he suddenly sighed in disappointment at the emptiness that had formed inside him and looked at the young man.
"Oh, is this another fantasy of yours? Good."
Even though he'd said it at random, he was completely right. Phainon couldn't say anything in his defense.
Leaning one hand on his stomach, Oroboros raised himself and with the other guided the head of his penis directly to his entrance, impaling himself on it eagerly, already knowing what would happen next. It was slippery, and for a while, Aeon merely rubbed his buttocks teasingly against it, accompanied by Phainon's muffled moans that caressed his ears. His palms rested on his hips, supporting Aeon from another slip, and the head slid easily inside.
Oroboros had never considered Voracity to be connected with carnal pleasures; that was merely a superficial view of the entire Path. But the more this Lord Ravager showed him new possibilities, the more Eon wanted to dissolve in these vivid sensations, reminiscent of the pleasure of devouring something completely unknown.
Phainon's fingers slid down, erasing the scarlet patterns beneath them and turning them into something chaotic. Surprisingly, this only added to Oroboros's charm. So chaotic and depraved, capable of nothing but moving his hips and impaling himself on aroused flesh to satisfy his inner hunger, and opening his mouth only to let out his name or a lustful moan.
Yes, that description suited him better now—lustful.
It was much better than in his dream. Phainon could feel the still-cool skin beneath his palms, as well as the tremors that hit his bundle of nerves every time he suddenly thrust his hips. His eyes watched with pleasure as his arms failed to hold Aeon's body, and he slowly slid downward until he fell completely onto her warm chest, losing all control of the pace of their sex.
Lord Ravager buried his nose in her slender neck, smelling a familiar scent there. Instead of the marine scent of the Twilight Leviathans, Oroboros exuded woody notes and mint, reminiscent of Aedes Elysiae, as if it had been created especially for him. And the thought that this Aeon was his alone was intoxicating.
Clasping his buttocks, he spread them apart, fucking Aeon as if he wanted him to be saturated with his scent—so that anyone lucky enough to gain an audience with Insatiability, or the geniuses luring him into the Simulated Universe, would see traces of his belonging on him. It sounded terrifying and terrifying, but finally reaching the body of Oroboros, who had occupied his thoughts since their first encounter, Phainon couldn't stop smearing kisses on his slender shoulder, then biting hard, watching as the teeth mark appeared, just like the one left by the eyeless heads or Oroboros himself on the image of the sun.
The resounding slaps filled the quiet garden and were the only sound in their ears, besides the moans and the rapid beating of their hearts. The hot lump that had been constricting his groin slid further, and, feeling the release, Phainon pressed Oroboros tightly to himself with his arms, thrusting one last time and spilling inside. Exhausted, as if he'd been through a training session in the barracks, he threw his head back on the grass, breathing heavily.
Aeon's penis, sandwiched between two wet bodies, slid limply all this time, smearing precum across his stomach. When the Lord suddenly pressed him against him, he nearly choked from the sudden stimulation, and semen spurted from the head, staining them both in white liquid.
Watching the sprawled Oroboros on his chest, Phainon couldn't help but smile softly. Moving him slightly, he pulled out his spilled penis and curiously probed the entrance, from which still warm liquid was flowing. His gaze followed two spread fingers, viscous semen flowing down them, just recently inside him...
"Maybe I should turn around?" he suddenly asked, all the while looking at the self-satisfied Lord Ravager.
"Can I..?"
Almost bursting into tears at such impudence, Oroboros merely closed his eyes and settled more comfortably, leaving Phainon lying there with hope in his eyes.
"Dream on."
...
Oroboros's long tail hung from a thick tree branch, its scales shimmering enticingly in the reflections of the light. Utterly satisfied, He lay down and closed his eyes, oblivious to the young man sitting naked alone on the grass. His body was covered in teeth marks and the marks of his tail's binding, and Aeon secretly watched him with one eye, enjoying the sight.
"What about my clothes?" Phainon shouted to the now-sleeping Oroboros, rising from the ground.
"Irrevocably lost," He said simply, waving his hand. "You can go back and put something on if you need to."
Without giving the Lord a chance to respond, Aeon had already banished him from his territory, as if they hadn't spent several days in each other's arms. Finding himself naked in the middle of his room, he shivered from a cold he'd never felt before and hurried to the closet to dress.
Would he really have to have several sets of clothes on hand before sudden encounters with Oroboros? He hadn't even considered the possibility that Aeon had simply used him and then abandoned him.
A few hours later, Himeko and March 7 returned to the room, where she was anxiously tending to the still-unhealed wounds on his back. She examined the various marks with bewilderment, and even her mind, prone to all sorts of inventions, couldn't figure out where Phainon had been.
"You fell into a snake nest and spent several days there..?" she suggested timidly, then added, "Very large snakes."
"Next time, warn me or one of the Crew if you're going to be away. We need to know where you are so we can come to your aid," Himeko gently scolded him, not asking about Lord Ravager's whereabouts. She was someone who didn't meddle with other people's secrets, and Phainon appreciated that now more than ever.
"I will..."
Even though he said that, he wasn't sure how patient the Aeon of Voracity would be with warning him of such encounters in advance. Thinking of Oroboros blissfully resting in the shade, content, Phainon thought it would be nice if he could visit him himself, climb a tree branch, and gaze mindlessly at the foliage, and then at the sleeping face beside him.
He wondered if this could be written down as another reward for his good work in the future. Who knew how generous this Aeon was to him.