"..."


    Amelia and Karteira observed silently. It was not their places to question his words.


    Instead, they looked at the giant spider.


    "Orion. It''s looking at you."


    Amelia noticed the spider''s eyes moved in a very subtle manner, and indeed looked at Orion.


    All of its eight eyes stared at Orion, and before they understood anything, Orion''s body fell backward.


    "Wait a-"


    Both jumped to catch him, as him and the Remnant closed their eyes.


    ~


    "This sensation..."


    Orion looked around him. A vast expense of white, similar to what Tiohr-nam showed him before.


    "This is the last resort of a Remnant to talk with us."


    *Tap* *Tap*


    The sound of footsteps echoed behind Orion. The moment he turned around, he noticed a very handsome man approaching with his hands in his pockets.


    "I suppose you are that Remnant?"


    Lowering his caution to the bare minimum, he knew that this place wasn''t one where fighting was necessary.


    "Indeed."


    The man stopped a meter away from Orion, and crossed his arms.


    This person was nothing like the people he saw until now. He was stunningly handsome, had a manly face, yet not too stern, muscular, yet not too much, and his voice was the definition of a gentleman''s voice.


    Orion observed him in details. Blonde hair falling back to his knees in a high ponytail, rectangle glasses, always a smile on his face.


    His clothes were very distinguished too. He wore a white shirt with black strip under his vest, a black pair of pants that looked similar to what Florian wore, and shiny brown shoes.


    ''Is that really the same being as the giant spider?''


    He began to question reality for an instant.


    "I am Silka, the Father of the Arachnea."


    The man placed his right hand on his chest, and bowed forward. Orion returned to his senses, and introduced himself.


    "My name''s Orion Feales. The last survivor of the angel and demon factions."


    Silka straightened, before placing his finger on his cheek.


    "That is not very beautiful, that nickname. Don''t you have a classification for yourself?"


    "What do you mean by that?"


    Confused, Orion asked.


    "Hmm~ Everything that is born in this world possess a beautiful name. You have yours, and I have mine. But everyone is connected to a faction by necessity. It is a way to bring disparity in beings, while making them learn of each others cultural differences."


    "You may be the first of your kind, yet you do not have a name for yourself. You may belong to those two factions, but the fact is, you are something completely new. Choosing a new name doesn''t mean you reject the others, by the way."


    Orion registered the Remnants words and thought on them.


    "So, you are telling me to create my own faction? And that this won''t affect my connection to the angel and demon factions?"


    "Exactly. As a matter of fact, I will even go as far as guarantee it."


    Conflicted by the sudden topic, Orion looked at Silka.


    "How can you be so sure? Is this related to your aspects?"


    Silka showed signs of surprise.


    "Oh~ You know about our attributes, that is very helpful. In that case, let me answer with my most honest answer."


    The man closed his legs together, straightened completely his body, and placed his right hand on his chest again, but did not bow this time.


    "As I have said before, my name is Silka. I rule over the aspects of Beauty, Culture, Language, and would you believe it, Honor."


    If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.


    "That sure is one aspect that is not related to the three others. But that means that most of our world exists thanks to you."


    Feeling a little tinge of happiness in his heart, Silka bowed.


    "I am but only a part of what this world is made off, but if even one person can realize the beauty of this world, then my efforts weren''t in vain."


    He continued while making wide movements with his arms.


    "The environment, landscapes, and disposition of the landmarks. The various cultural advancements I have offered to every factions, and the pleasure to learn about everything."


    "Those were my greatest achievements. It wasn''t easy, but it was worth it. Even though nature itself refused to help us many times, it accepted my advises and made changes that were definitely worth it."


    "To make the world more beautiful, so that more entities learn that beauty is not only physical, but in everything around you, that was my goal."


    Shocked, Orion asked.


    "Did you say ''nature''? Does nature have an ego?"


    Silka tilted his head slightly to the right.


    "That is a good question. Though, I won''t be able to give you the definite answer you are looking for. Because it is simply too complex to define as an living entity."


    "..."


    Waiting for the answer, Orion stared at him.


    "Oh~ Yes! If there was a way to describe it as close as possible to its prime function, I would call it a system.


    "A system... Like a being that does tasks without thoughts?"


    "Precisely. You have a very beautiful and honest mind, I can tell."


    With a big smile, Silka looked at Orion, which made him slightly uncomfortable.


    "Thank you for the explanation. Though, every time I encounter a Remnant, I always get to learn something unrelated to the current situation."


    While shrugging, Orion smiled back.


    "The feeling I have looking at you is one of a scholar. The more you learn about our world, the more it quench that thirst for knowledge in your soul, I can see it."


    But then, Silka''s eyes opened wide, and a single drop of sweat fell from his cheek to the floor.


    "Oh~ The Remnant of Life, and the Remnant of Power. That is something unexpected, but... yes, that is beautiful indeed."


    "I can also feel the warmth of the elementals on you. And..."


    "Hmm~ No, please forget about it. I am simply rambling."


    With a nod, Orion took it as the eccentricity of the Remnants talking.


    "With everything concerning you, I believe you came to my children to save them. Sadly..."


    A very sad gaze fell on Orion.


    "We were powerless. The corruption followed us when I sealed us in this space, turning the land against us. In fact, I had realized that too late, and there was nothing we could do."


    "The very first thing the corruption did was to turn me into a powerless entity. I was unable to open the barrier sealing my children, and was only made to watch as they turned against each other."


    "From what I felt, hundreds of them died moments after the barrier broke."


    Orion stood his ground, and honestly told Silka.


    "That was us. I am not going to proudly boast about killing them. Even if corrupted, we never enjoyed taking their life."


    "I love to fight, not taking lives. But once corrupted, there is no other way to rescue them but to kill."


    Silka shook his head with the same sad gaze.


    "I understand. In fact, I am myself on the verge of dying. There is no way around it, and my strengths are leaving me as we speak."


    "As you''ve said, this body of mine was lost to corruption, there is no way to remove it."


    Looking down, Orion clenched his fist.


    "I''m very sorry. If I was stronger, maybe I-"


    "Do not apologize. It was not your fault to begin with. We took our safety for granted, and forgot to take countermeasures against the corruption, thinking it was only the humans we were against."


    "The fact that you''ve managed to save even a little number of my children makes me more than appreciative of your efforts. Sending my other children to rest is also something I am grateful for."


    Orion''s emotions calmed down.


    "You do represent the aspect of Honor."


    With a smile, he walked closer to Silka.


    "Can I do something for you before you die completely?"


    Surprised, Silka regained his smile.


    "It might be too much to ask, but if you are familiar to the Tree of Life, then maybe..."


    Silka talked to Orion about multiple ideas he had.


    ...


    "That''s... crazy. The Remnants aren''t doing things with mild feelings."


    Orion crossed his arms and began to ponder on the success of these ideas.


    "I know how wrong it sounds, but if it can help the world, I am ready to leave everything in your hands."


    Silka placed both of his hands on Orion''s shoulders.


    "Tiohr-nam was right. Remnants are always kind-hearted."


    "Right?"


    With this last exchange, the white expense disappeared, and Orion regained his consciousness.


    ~


    "..."


    When he opened his eyes, he noticed both Amelia and Karteira looking down at him.


    "Are you alright? You suddenly lost consciousness."


    While thinking, he remained lying where he was, until he realized that he had his head on both thighs.


    ''Damn it you two!''


    He stood up calmly, and helped them stand up too.


    "I''m fine. I just conversed with the Remnant."


    "You did?"


    Shocked, they both looked at him, their mouth wide open.


    Silka, in its original form, opened its eyes slowly.


    "Silka. I will accept your proposal."


    Magic exploded around Orion, as he aimed Alcyone at him.


    "Your burden, I will shoulder it until I die."


    The giant spider closed its eyes.


    "Just like you asked me, I''ll sent you to rest with your mind intact."


    "T...han...k y..ou."


    *Click*


    Alcyone fired a spinning arrow at the Remnant, and gouged a hole from its head to its back. Green blood sprayed everywhere, covering the village under him.


    The surviving arachnea looked at in the air in despair, yet knew it was coming. They held no grudge toward Orion and his friends, as they knew their father was dying.


    Silka''s body began to disintegrate slowly. The particles moved toward the air, but Orion refused to let them go.


    "Magic Absorption!"


    The Remnants particles began to rapidly join Orion and rotate around him.


    "What are you doing!"


    Karteira tried to stop him, but it was too late. The particles enveloped Orion in a golden cocoon, sealing him from the outside world.


    "Damn it! Mother told me not to let him do that!"


    She punched the cocoon as hard as possible, but it remained intact.


    ''Amelia...''


    ''Ego?''


    Suddenly, Ego''s voice echoed in Amelia''s head.


    ''Stay calm, this is important.''


    ''...''


    ''What Orion just did. It was not part of his destiny.''


    The only thing they could do was to watch until Orion walked out of the golden cocoon.


    "Orion..."


    Ten minutes later, Silka''s body completely vanished, and all of its particles joined the cocoon. Another five minutes later, and the first crack began to appear.


    *Crack* *Craaaack*


    The cocoon exploded, and revealed Orion unchanged.


    "This sure felt wrong."


    He stretched his body after staying still for fifteen minutes and looked at his friends.


    "Your eyes..."


    "Yes."


    With a nod, Orion revealed the truth.


    "I''ve became a Remnant."


    A web sigil with a white outline appeared in his left eye, before vanishing.