17 Ephries had just launched a bomb on Niko. No, not a real bomb. A mental one. “I think you’ve been tricked,” he says. Niko stared at the photo, her breath catching in her throat. The image of the followers and a looming creature killed any hope that she had felt. The smallest spark of optimism she had had now gone out like a matchstick being smothered into the ground. It all felt like a cruel joke. It was all a cruel joke. Her voice choked with disbelief, finally emerged. “But… The message…” she stammered. Her eyes flickered towards Ephries and the monster in the photo. “It said Nova was with him,” Ephries, his face etched with grim sympathy, stepped closer. “That’s what worries me. You see, Monova isn’t the type of person to bluff,” he explains. His voice drops to a low murmur. “I don’t think he is lying,” Niko looked up at Ephries, hoping he would tell her Nova was alive. “However, he is not telling the truth either,” Ephries finally said, his voice a mix of reassurance and fear. The Weaver stood up from his table/seat and walked toward the two, his face, even though it was just a black void, made it clear that he had something very important to say. “Unless…” he says, his voice thick with despair. “He is the vessel,” “Vessel of what?” Niko asks. The PZ’s pages flip in the wind, even though there are no open windows in the room. It stops exactly at a passage about The Absolute. The Weaver begins to speak. “The Absolute, in his time, was a god who spoke the truth. However, the constant barrage of lies from everyone in The Crochet drove him mad. He sought to end it all, to create a place where nobody could lie and only the truth could be thought about. In his rampage, he massacred over half of all observed realities and killed almost every god. Soon, he was imprisoned by the only living god left, The All-knowing. He now resides in the Boundless box, a small artefact with an endless area. After thousands and thousands of years spent in the box, the seal grew weak and The Absolute was able to transfer a small bit of his energy into a person. Though small, it was enough to erase that person and turn them into a ‘vessel’. By erasing their minds, he can rewrite their soul, turning them into a puppet. Once the Absolute leaves your body, you will die,” Niko stared at The Weaver in disbelief. She clutched her chest, her breath speeding up. The image of Nova being a mindless puppet to only be thrown away fills her with fear. “Interesting time to lie, Weaver,” Ephries says. “We know that there is a chance he might live,” The Weaver seems annoyed. “Everyone else died,” he said, defending himself. Niko looked at The Weaver. Then Ephries. Then The Weaver again. Her mind was filling up with possibilities. “His first vessel was when the seal was just a little open. He didn’t have enough power to fully wipe his mind. Which is why he lived,” Ephries said to Niko. “Wait what? Who are you guys talking about?” She replied, her gaze lingering on The Weaver. He lifts his hand and takes off his glove. The black void consuming his face had also consumed his hands. “Do you wonder why I look like this, child?” He says, staring at his hand. “No,” Niko says cautiously. “Because,” The Weaver answers, turning to look at Niko. “I was the first vessel,”
