DDBIII -Epilogue (WIP)

# Epilogue: Dreams Are Eternal

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*Endymion -Six Hours after Aeon defeated Xane Bronte in the martial challenge.*

The iron doors groaned as they slowly opened, a sound that reverberated through the cold stone halls. In the darkness, I sat in silence, my hands bound with shackles that shimmered with a faint, eerie light, wrought with spells and techniques designed to keep even the most powerful beings constrained.

“Travel to the subterranean city four days west of here,” a cloaked figure said through the doorway in a raspy voice as a small beam of yellow light deactivated the shackles. “Find someone named Selene and tell her, ‘Dreams are eternal under the pale moonlight.’ Further instructions are in the bag.”

The cloaked figure tossed a black spatial bag onto the ground and quickly vanished as if they were never there, leaving the door wide open.

My lips curled into a wicked grin, taking the bag and leaving the cell in silence. Nearly skipping down the empty halls of the Bronte Clan dungeon, I couldn’t help but marvel at how convenient they’d made everything. A clear path, supplies, and instructions—all laid out perfectly for me.

They hadn’t forsaken me. Of course not. It was their idea to embrace the fear in the first place.

I knew firsthand how powerful fear gods could be. Two of them had wiped out my entire clan in a single night. But the Bronte Clan saved me and gave me what I needed to survive. I was on my way to joining the main family.

I’d heard about Xane’s death and thought briefly about replacing him as the young scion. It wouldn’t take much—just silencing a few deities at the seminary first. The plan, detailed in the note inside the bag, would make it possible.

Trusting in that, I let my mind wander to my personal vendetta. The Bronte Clan’s plan would lead to chaos, but I owed a deadly visit to a certain goody-two-shoes who dared to get in my way.

Twice now, Aeon had made me look like a fool. That nobody god, crawling out of nowhere, dared to think himself better than me.

I couldn’t get his face out of my head—that look of pity and disgust, haunting me during my time in that dark cell.

I couldn’t best him when we were in the lower realm, but the Bronte Clan had given me enough resources and spare denizens to reach Tier 3 before the seminary war games tournament.

I only needed to define my mantle and create my domain.

Laughing to myself, I skulked through the shadows as I left the Bronte Clan military base. I could already see the look of pain and despair on Aeon’s face when I took Xane’s old slut, that big-titty fairy, and the stuck-up elf right in front of him. Aeon wouldn’t be able to do anything but cry and moan in the face of true terror.

Flying west for four days as instructed, I stuck to the shadows and avoided being seen. I couldn’t afford to be caught—not yet, when there was still so much left to do.

It was probably already out that I was loose and wanted by the seminary, but I wasn’t truly worried. No one would find me when I reached the city. Once there, I’d gain the strength and allies I needed.

Eventually, I approached a long, jagged mountain range steeped in twisting shadows. The faint scent of blood and the taint of death filled the air, and I breathed it in deeply. It was the sweetest aroma, lifting my already high mood.

At the bottom of the deepest, darkest ravine, I found four deities cloaked in shadows, on high alert.

“And who the fuck are you?” one of them asked, reaching for a dagger.

“I come with a message for Selene,” I said, holding back my excitement.

The cloaked deities glanced at each other before breaking into loud laughter.

“You,” one of them sneered, looking me up and down. “Want to see the Dread Maiden?”

“Let him in, let him in,” another choked through his laughter. “I’m sure she’d love some new fear stock.”

My anger spiked, a vein bulging in my forehead, but I contained myself. These guards didn’t feel like fear gods themselves, but I couldn’t afford to anger them if I wanted to get into the city.

Grinding my teeth, I followed them in silence as they led me through one of the most powerful barriers I’d ever seen.

Hours later, I reached a gated archway at the bottom of a long stone stairway, guarded by more shadowed figures. They’d been notified by the first set of guards and let me through unmolested, directing me to Selene’s place.

“Abandon all hope,” one of them murmured as I passed by.

The subterranean city was large, lawless, and alive with danger.

Shacks made of stone and brick sprawled haphazardly in loose grids throughout the cavern. Dark figures stalked the dirt roads, eyeing one another with dangerous intent, daring each other to make the first move.

The alleyways were littered with trash and passed-out deities high on supernatural drugs and demonic drinks.

I even caught sight of a child being gripped by the hair and dragged away screaming by someone they didn’t know.

I laughed.

If you couldn’t protect yourself, you didn’t deserve to live. This place was far better than the stuffy seminary and its infuriating politics.

Here, I could truly be myself. There were no professors to tell me what was right or wrong.

I followed a side path overgrown with moss and mushrooms until I reached what looked like a dilapidated castle.

It was made of volcanic rock and had three crumbling spires. Stepping one foot over the threshold of the outer gate, I froze as a suffocating presence locked me in place.

A goddess appeared before me, dressed in a black Victorian gown and wearing a broken black crown. Her arms crossed under her flat chest, she leaned lazily against the gate, cleaning her long black nails.

“Are you an idiot?” she asked, blowing on her nails.

I struggled to speak under the immense weight of her presence.

“Because you look like an idiot courting death,” she continued, her harsh purple eyes locking onto mine. “No one steps into Selene’s territory uninvited.”

I felt like a small prey animal, staring down a massive lioness.

“D-dreams are—” I stammered.

Her eyes narrowed, and the pressure eased slightly. “What was that?”

“Dreams are eternal under the pale moonlight!” I shouted, panting.

“Where did you hear that?!” she yelled, and the pressure doubled, cratering me into the ground.

“B-bro.. Bronte,” I whimpered.

The pressure lifted, and Selene jumped in front of me, grabbing me by my collar.

“The Bronte Clan has need of your assistance,” I said quickly.

“And they sent you as payment,” she said, looking me up and down. “Well, I suppose,” she licked her purple-painted lips, “your fear does look rather tasty.”

I released my divine presence, pushing everything I had at her while readying my poison needles. “I am no one’s prey!” I growled. “I bring payment in my bag, but I will not be your plaything.”

Selene’s eyes dragged slowly to the bag still on the ground, and she smiled menacingly, completely unaffected by my efforts. “You’re cute,” she said, dropping me.

“Now come on,” she added, turning away. “Let’s see what exactly the most powerful clan in the realm has need of from little ol’ me.”

Releasing my presence, I picked up the bag, panting as I followed her into the castle.

She was stronger than me, far stronger. But in time, she would fear me too—just like everyone else.

For now, I had a mission. The seminary would burn. The fear gods would rise. And Aeon would die—him and everyone he cared for, starting with that purple-haired bitch from the Ivy Clan.

I would cut off all his support before hunting him down like a wild beast. All I needed was patience.