Sigilborn: EVE's Echo

Intima shifted, morphed, warped. The residents weren't aware, but their King had just reversed time inside the plane in which Intima was constructed.

"Cool trick. Let me guess, you probably manipulated causality so the people don't even notice?"

Julius commented, but he didn't get a reply just yet. Lucius seemed to be a bit. Sadder, like he was reliving something he wished to keep away forever, and that bit? It did hit Julius's heart. But it's not like he hasn't experienced grief as well.

It was now a scenery that seemed to be pulled straight out of a painting, blue skies, green grass, elves running around, enjoying their lives as usual. But just as Julius expected. Traders, from the human side.

'Yep.. Colonialism lives on... Maybe these guys are British. Who knows.' 

The Elves initially refused trade, but. Humans brought foreign objects that Julius knew all too well. They really did seem to be taking tactics from the British.

'Drugs. Imperfect ones, it's prep for war, they're trying to damage the elves before even lifting a sword or using their Sigil.'

"Indeed. That was their plan. But. Thankfully, we refused."

Lucius stared down at the humans that tried to force the elves into buying, their image distorted, faces blurred, and morphed into something straight out of a horror movie.

But it was out of disgust; he didn't want to see their faces after what they had done. 

After that, it was as expected: a young Lucius, no older than 9, was the only one from his tribe who fought back. And Julius had to admit, even without his Sigil's full capability, he was kicking ass. 

"What even is your Sigil. If you don't mind me asking."

Lucius was silent. His younger self was still fighting down below. He didn't look that much different, only that his eyes were a deep black. Not the ever-changing gradient they were now.

"My Sigil. It allowed me to grow into a god and made a path for me to follow. Initially, it was just immense strength. But. After fully using my Sigil's abilities. I managed to create Intima, where I am and will remain a God."

That checked out, young Lucius was crushing skulls and breaking bones like it was nothing. And that continued on for around 7 years? Maybe 8.

Time didn't pass for either Lucius or Julius, and the 'dream' or 'movie' ended with Lucius over his dead wife's body, letting out a blood-curdling scream.

"After that, I made Intima and drove out the humans myself. It was 170 years ago, and they feared that I might come if they wrote about me in their historical records. That's why I am absent."

Julius stared at Lucius, a small smile on his face. One that seemed too perfect.

'Hm? Good excuse. I don't believe this guy is fully telling the truth right now.'

Lucius' eyes widened a fraction for the first time in surprise. He couldn't read Julius' thoughts.

Every time he peeked in there, it was just an infinite layer of fake memories, him eating with Julius, him dancing, everything. And it was too much cosmic effort for him to read Julius' thoughts.

Apart from that, it felt like he was watching a dream inside a metaphor surrounded by noise and static, colors that only Lucius could comprehend, shapes that none had discovered. It was. Amazing.

It was something beyond even his near divine comprehension.

"Well... You should go back. Millie will be in your care from now on."

Lucius was awestruck. Were all humans of the past this smart? Then it's good that Julius hasn't awakened his Sigil to its first rank yet. Because that might be the end of the world had Julius became evil.

Julius was silent. He knew Lucius had discovered his newly constructed failsafe. He knew Lucius still could read his thoughts, but now he'd need to actually work for it, and for a being that hadn't done anything but think to make stuff happen?

That was already too much effort.

"Alright. But. Tell me about ranks first, would ya? I'll be more able to protect your daughter when danger does strike? Because your daughter isn't that strong after all."

Lucius sighed softly, the sigh holding back his chuckle. Julius wasn't going to let up at all, especially since he seemed like the type to salvage everything he could from a conversation until the information ran dry.

"Very well. It's easy. Ranks are determined by your family. Even if your Sigil is basic, the higher it goes up in rank, the more complex and powerful it gets. That's why some families in the human world, even if their Sigil is making things lighter for them, are so strong. Because Ranks and Breaks determine everything. A Sigil is just a base. What's your's, Sir Julius?" 

'Sir Julius'? Already? Cute. Julius tried his absolute best, and it was probably gonna be the most he would do in this life. Making it inconvenient for a near god-like being? Yeah, nothing's topping that. 

"I don't know, to be honest. I think it's just me forcing mana to eject out of my body at high speeds to slash. I can't control sharpness or speed. Just that, depending on the amount of mana I put in, the size can increase or decrease."

Lucius nodded, the memory plane shifting away back to Intima, where Millie was still talking to the clone of Julius, now with a small smile.

"The clone is a perfect copy of you. Seems Millie does like you."

Julius was disgusted. He was NOT, going to entertain a fucking 10 year old. He might be 4 right now. But he's an adult mentally. That's just weird...

Unless some older elf woman stays with him. Then he might talk.

"Yeah. Anyways. I want to ask you for a favor. For me and Millie."

Lucius' eyebrow quirked up a bit before a small smile spread across his face. It was impossible for him not to do anything for his beloved daughter.

"Alright. What can I do?"

A small, greedy smile spread across Julius' face. He was gonna milk Lucius's omnipotence until it ran dry. Which it couldn't. So he's basically controlling a near god.

"Well. Make it so that my Sigil awakens. Not even go up 10 Ranks. Just awaken it."

Suddenly, Julius' body felt a bit lighter, his hands and legs glowed a dim golden color, before it calmed down. He felt the strength that had just been awakened. It wasn't a tsunami; it felt like a small spray of power.

"Done. But I also discovered your Sigil has the potential to go up to Rank 7. Good number, most noble prodigies have that. Millie has Rank 8 as her max, though. You'll need to convince your Demon on your own, though. I can not help with that. Now, I'll transport both you and Millie outside of Intima. Good luck."

'Yeah. Fuck Millie. Rank 7, huh? That's good. Very good.'

That means his ceiling his amazing to start with, now all he needs is 20 years before becoming unbeatable... Maybe not, but. It's a hopeful dream.

With that, a blinding light enveloped Julius and Millie.

"Good luck." Lucius' whispy voice uttered before, silence.

Suddenly, they were both outside in the middle of the forest where Julius' leather bag was, and in front of them, another cloth bag filled with clothes.

"Alright then. Millie. Let's get to it then. We have 7 more days of journey left before we reach that stupid academy."

Millie nodded ecstatically, her golden eyes filled with an innocent excitement one would expect from a 5-year-old.

"Okay! Let's get to it. Jily Wully!-"

Julius grabbed her hair and gave it a tug, a scowl on his face.

"DON'T CALL ME THAT YOU TURD!"

Millie let out a giggle, unaffected by the tug as she nodded.

"Okay!~"