Villain Retirement

"The… Eternal Child? The one you specifically told us not to meet?"

The inn they were in had absolutely no idea what was happening, and none of them seemed to be heeding Death and the others any mind; completely unaware that they were in the presence of beings that could just make them disappear in the blink of an eye — or could they?

Karina could not really help but just be slightly anxious as she noticed the hint of wariness and hesitation in Death's eyes. If a Primordial was acting this way, then the so-called Eternal Child was a problem they did not need right now.

As for Riley, well, he was just letting things happen, waiting for all of it to just come together like he usually does; his eyes, just observing Talia talk with the Eternal Child, whose long golden hair was obviously extremely well taken care of with the way it just flows and moves with his slightest movement. And soon, Talia pointed at him and the others, making the Eternal Child turn his head.

"You must be Riley Ross, then?"

The Eternal Child disappeared as soon as he turned his head around, however, only to reappear right beside Riley with a bright, and extremely friendly smile on his face.

"Yes," Riley only blinked a couple of times as he looked at the Eternal Child. Riley somewhat reminded him of Bulwark; extremely feminine, but obviously male — the only difference between them was that the Eternal Child's beauty was something Riley probably could never explain.

Eternal Child — not because he looks like a child, not at all. But just by looking at him for a second, it was quite obvious that there was a sort of… childishness around him that was just oozing out, especially with the way he smiled like he was about to let out a giggle any second.

"Woah…" Enel's eyes widened as he pointed at the Eternal Child's face, "...You look more pretty than Karina!"

"And who is this little guy?" The Eternal Child crouched down as he patted Enel's head, "I'm figuring you're Riley's son?"

"Yes! And that's my sister!" Enel then pointed at Karina, who could not help but just slightly back away as the Eternal Child looked at her.

"H…" Karina was completely at a loss for words as she found herself suddenly lost in the Eternal Child's bright blue eyes; his long golden eyelashes, almost like feathers that were keeping her entrapped… and ensnared.

Karina wasn't only at a loss for words, she also found her breath slightly fettered as she continued to stare at the Eternal Child's angelic eyes.

"Wow…" The Eternal Child then slowly approached Karina while also staring at her face, "...You inherited your dad's wide mouth."

And with those words, Karina found herself being thrown back to reality as her eyes started to twitch.

"And what's wrong with having a wide mouth!?"

"Nothing at all, it's quite beautiful, in fact," the Eternal Child let out a small chuckle as he bowed his head, "I figure you can fit a lot inside there."

"What the fuck…?" Karina could not help but raise an eyebrow as she looked at the Eternal Child from head to toe, "And you shouldn't have a mouth at all."

"I'm sorry, that wasn't my comment," the Eternal Child let out a small sigh as he very lightly hit his head, "The voices in my head are quite intrusive sometimes."

"You're… crazy?"

"No, I have 4 different souls inside me," the Eternal Child moved several steps back as he once again bowed his head, "My name is Viel, I would guess the young lady here has already told you about me?"

"I am older than you, Viel," Death covered her face and sighed while shaking her head; the tone of her voice, almost incredibly human as she spoke with Viel, "And no, I only told them about your name, not your unique… circumstances."

"Well, so that a little of your curiosity will be gone…" Viel then stuck his hands together before very slowly pulling them apart, and between his hands… was what seemed like an entire mini-universe,

"...I have 4 gods residing in my body — a righteous god, an evil god, a human turned god, and… the god of karma and reincarnation, Death's son."

"..." Death only closed her eyes with Viel's last words.

"I can be a little unstable, but I'm okay," a slightly cheeky smile crawled on Viel's face, "So…

…what are we doing here? The walking plot armor told me your friend has something to do with all of this?"

"Walking… plot armor?" Karina looked at Talia who Viel was pointing to, "And wait, what are you doing here, exactly?"

"Feisty, I like that," Viel pointed at Karina, "You remind me of a lover."

"W—"

"So…" Viel clapped his hands and did not let Karina speak another word, "...Where do we go, new friends?"

"It's best if you sit this one out, Viel," Death let out a small sigh as she grabbed Viel's hands, "We are not playing a game here."

"Really? Look at this place," Viel looked around the bar before peeking out the window, "This obviously calls for an adventure. Relax, Death…"

Viel then let out a sigh as he placed his arm over Death's shoulder, "This will be like old times when you, Celestial, and I went on our adventures."

"...We never went on adventures," Death squinted her eyes.

"Exactly, that's why we should go now — where is she, anyway? Is she still pissed about me making her live inside me for a while? I really didn't know it was possible."

"It's better if you do not meet her," Death sighed, "And also, that is why we are here — to figure out what exactly is happening to them, and to the Outerverse. We are trying to search for Paige Pearson to get… rid of this illusion."

"Illusion?" Viel blinked a couple of times as he once again looked around, "What illusion?"

"You are fully aware that the Outerverse is not this kind of world, Viel," Death shook her head, "Something happened when Elementia and I disappeared."

"What are you saying? This place isn't an illusion," Viel then raised an eyebrow, "It's real — these are real people from the multiverse, Death."

"What do you—"

"Stop lying," the tone of Viel's voice slightly deepend as he suddenly moved closer to Death, placing his face just a foot away from her as he stared into her eyes, "Stop lying to these people, Death."

"...What's he saying?" Karina's eyebrows started to lower as she looked at the two back and forth.

"I would also like to know, Death," Riley blinked a couple of times as he looked at Viel, "Although I have a feeling I already know."

"Riley Ross…" Death closed her eyes as she looked at Riley, "...It is best if you remove that feeling altogether, for your sake."

"What the fuck is going on?" Karina was slightly confused as to what was happening as Viel, Death, and Riley just looked at each other in silence.

"Well, my beautiful angel…" Viel smiled at Karina, "...The—"

"Do not tell her," Death quickly interrupted Viel.

"I don't know the circumstances here, not at all," Viel raised both his palms, "But even I know you should tell them, Death. Because I will tell them, you know how impulsive I am. I like telling spoilers."

"They—"

"The people in the multiverse are not real, oops. I said it," Viel then smiled as he took several steps back, "I'll leave your group for now and enjoy some milk on the bar, ciao."

"What…?" Karina could not help but blink a couple of times as she looked at Death in confusion, "What did he just say?"

"Riley…" Death only glanced at Karina for a few seconds before turning to look at Riley, who had his eyes closed while holding Enel's hand, "I truly am sorry."

"What… why are you sorry?" Karina forced out a chuckle as she looked at Talia, "Do you know what she's talking about?"

"...I do," Talia took in a small breath before just walking away.

"Wait, where are you going!?" Karina let out a small scoff, "What's going on…? What the fuck is going on!? Are you fucking telling me that the people in the New World aren't real…?"

"Paige Pearson—"

"Are you fucking telling me my siblings aren't real…?" Karina once again forced out a small chuckle as her eyes slightly turned red as soon as she looked at her dad, "No… no fucking way. Am I… Am I real? Is Arthas real?"

"Both of you are," Death closed her eyes and nodded.

"...Renna and Lucy?" Karina looked at Death, but Death refused to say anything more.

"Wait, what the fuck… what the fuck? I'm so confused right now," Karina lost complete control of her legs, causing her to lightly swat away one of the inn's patrons from their table as she sat down, "No… no. Dad… Dad… Oh no…"

Karina then quickly stood up from her chair as she quickly rushed toward Riley, who was just staring at nothing in particular and just stood there. Karina stared at her father's blank face for a few seconds before fully embracing him; her whimpers, escaping muffled from his chest.

"Oh no… no, no…"