"Say that again."

Sero stood in disbelief, staring at Aphiel sitting on her bed. The goddess twiddled her thumbs nervously, unable to meet Sero's gaze. 

"Um... the gods have noticed that the highest concentration of the banished gods' energy is located in what you call the 25th Zone," Aphiel began. "The problem is, this revelation was brought to light when the council realized that it arose after... you started to grow in fame."

Sero walked over Aphiel's desk, taking a seat on her chair. 

"So," he swallowed hard. "You don't mean to say that all of this is because of me... do you?" 

The goddess tittered nervously. "Do you remember yourself proclaiming that your existence would cause things to happen?"

"Because of Perfect Recall, I do," Sero groaned, burying his face in his hands. "Please, tell me I didn't jinx everything."

"I understand how you feel, champion. The truth is, even if you did not arrogantly state such things, I believe I told you that your Class was bestowed upon you by a higher being for reasons that elude even the wisest of the gods."

Sero looked up, still not looking particularly convinced. "But what does this have to do with me now?"

"Even if you had chosen different paths after I brought you back to Earth, this would have still occurred. Your existence is an anomaly, seeing as your abilities are far beyond what a human, or god for that matter, should be able to handle."

"Alright, so my Class and abilities are broken and overpowered, I got that already," Sero made a face. "You saying that because of that incredible potential, different powers are just drawn to me? Like how Culling wants my skills to make everyone equal?" 

Aphiel closed her eyes, frowning. "I am not sure the best way to explain this, but champion... while I was searching for answers behind the wicked presence and archaic artifacts used recently, I was able to find more information behind your unique Class."

Sero raised an eyebrow. "Oh?"

"It was only a limited amount of information, but after searching through the Divine Codices, I discovered the record of a Class that contained tidbits of your Class. However, its name was... unpleasant to learn."

Sero's eyes widened as he leaned in. "What was it called?"

The goddess bit her lip. Sero could see the troubled look in Aphiel's eyes as she took a deep breath. 

"The Godslayer."

Sero froze. A chill ran down his spine. "You mean... I'm the Godslayer?"

"No, no," Aphiel shook her head quickly. "The Godslayer is a different Class, but it had information pertaining to the Scholar. In fact, alongside the Godslayer and the Scholar, there is another Class that is grouped with the prior two, collectively known as the Trio Primor."

"The Trio Primor...?" Sero repeated, his voice barely above a whisper. "What do you mean, grouped together?"

"In mortal terms, the information I acquired from the Divine Codices was barely enough to fit a page of a book," Aphiel explained. "The records of the Godslayer dictated its abilities, but it also contained information about your Scholar Class as well as the last Class. The last of the Trio Primor is called the Concept."

Sero's eyes widened. "The Concept...?"

"It was not much, but I was able to learn that the Trio Primor were originally titles given to divine beings. The Concept was the creator, the one who breathed life into everything you and I know to be. The Godslayer was the law, the power that destroyed and ensured death balanced the cosmic scales. Finally, the Scholar was in charge of preservation, amassing histories and knowledge of everything in the universe."

"So.. that's who I am? I'm supposed to keep track of everything in the world?" 

Aphiel shook her head. "That was the duty of the being before you, champion. Your Class is nowhere near as omnipotent as your predecessor, but it does explain a few things."

"Like what?"

"Why the banished have gathered their forces in your area. The Scholar is a being that naturally draws in everything for the purpose of preservation and record-keeping. Thankfully, it appears that your Class is the only one that has Ascended so far. Imagine the imbalance that would occur had there been a Godslayer or Concept that Ascended."

Sero frowned, thinking about it. "So you're saying that because I'm the only Scholar out there, I attract the attention of powerful beings that don't belong here?"

The goddess nodded. "Precisely. Why do you suppose such strong champions are also around you?" 

"That... makes sense." Sero murmured, still thinking. "So I'm kind of like the center of this weird cosmic tug-of-war, huh?"

Aphiel nodded. "Indeed. It is a dangerous position to be in, but one that you have proven yourself capable of handling thus far. If it makes you feel any better, this would have happened to someone else, had they Ascended as a Scholar instead of you."

"It... does and doesn't at the same time," Sero sighed, rubbing his eyes. "I appreciate your support, Aphiel, but I feel like I'm just getting started. There's still so much I don't know, and every time I think I've made some progress, something else comes up to throw me off course. Speaking of which, do you know any more about my Rationality passive?"

Aphiel tilted her head. "What is it that you wish to know more about?"

Sero hesitated before telling the goddess how he felt that something, not necessarily his Rationality, had encouraged his frenzy instead of calming him down.

"Well, you see, there are times when I feel like my Rationality should help me keep my cool, you know? Like, when I'm about to lose control, or when something really bad happens, it should be able to tell me to calm down or give me a fresh perspective, right? But it doesn't always work like that. Sometimes, it feels like it does the opposite. It makes me more... irrational, I guess."

The goddess's face fell. "Champion... you may be experiencing what mortals call a 'mental breakdown'."

"Uh, I know what that is, and I'm pretty sure I haven't. Yet." 

"Perhaps that was not the best term to use, but Rationality is not a passive to rely on to temper your emotions. In fact, I believe that Rationality's original purpose as far as the first Scholar was to further enhance comprehension, not regulation."

Aphiel paused, considering her next words carefully. "Champion, have you considered the possibility that your Rationality may be influencing you in ways you have not considered? Even a divine being such as myself cannot always remain level-headed in dire situations. I think... you may be dangerously manipulating your emotions. It would explain the dissonance you appear to be feeling, as well as your recent behaviors."

Sero frowned, thinking about what Aphiel had said. "You might be right," he muttered. "I mean, when I think about it, I've kind of been using my Rationality as a crutch, you know? Like, if something really bad happens, I just tell myself it's not that bad and I'll be okay, and I don't really feel anything. But maybe I'm just avoiding the emotions I should be feeling."

The goddess nodded. "That is a possibility. However, it is also important to remember that not all emotions are negative. There is such a thing as healthy anger, for example. It can drive you to fight for what is right and just. It is when those emotions become unchecked and self-destructive that they become a problem."

Sero considered this, thinking back to the rage that had consumed him during the battle with the dragon. "You're right. I mean, when I'm angry, I feel like I can do anything, you know? Like nothing can stop me. But then there are other times when I'm just so exhausted, or sad, or scared, that I don't want to feel anything at all. It's like I just want to shut everything out."

"That is a common reaction among mortals, especially those who have been through traumatic experiences. However, it is important to acknowledge and process those emotions, even if they are unpleasant. Bottling them up can lead to further emotional distress and potentially harmful behaviors."

Sucking in a deep breath, Sero let it out slowly, glancing back down at his hands. "Sounds like I need to go to therapy," he muttered with a dry laugh.

Aphiel smiled sympathetically. "I cannot recommend it highly enough, champion. In fact, I can arrange for you to meet with a trusted mortal therapist, if you wish. They may be able to help you navigate these emotional waters more effectively."

"No, it was a joke- never mind." Sero said quickly, not wanting to actually go to therapy. "I'll... figure it out, I guess." He paused, looking up at the goddess. "Thanks for talking to me, Aphiel. You're always there when I need you."

"Not a problem, champion," Aphiel replied with a gentle smile. "You are always welcome to talk to me, and I am always here to help you. Just remember that acknowledging and dealing with your emotions is an important part of being human. It may not always be easy, but it will make you a stronger, more resilient individual."

"Yeah, I'll keep that in mind," Sero said, standing up and stretching. "I guess I should get back."

Aphiel gave him an adorable wave goodbye before Sero willed himself back to his apartment, finding Amaya gone already. The afternoon had settled in, the sky a soft blue that seemed to bleed into the edges of the world. He flopped down onto his bed, feeling the familiar creak of the frame beneath him. 

"Oh, shit," Sero muttered, snapping his fingers and calling forth Moss and Lime. 

The twin dragons burst forth, noticeably bigger than before. Instead of being the size of puppies, they were now as big as a full-grown dog, still possessing the same feathery down in their respective shades of green. They circled around Sero, their wings fluttering lazily as they sniffed the air and made happy squeaking noises. 

"Jeez, you guys grew bigger out of nowhere," Sero remarked, scratching the back of his head as he studied them. "Did my rampage force you two to grow?"

The dragons squeaked happily, circling around him before coming to a stop on either side of him. Moss nuzzled against Sero's side, while Lime climbed up onto his chest, curling her tail around his arm. They both looked up at him with their big, round emerald eyes.

"Lime," Sero gasped for breath. "You're a bit too heavy to be laying on me now."

The little dragon just cocked her head to the side and squeaked, as if she didn't understand. Sero chuckled, scratching her under the chin. "Well, I guess that's okay. You're still small enough to be cuddly." He glanced over at Moss, who was still nuzzling against his side. "And you, Moss, you're just the right size. Good girl."

He took a deep breath, enjoying the feel of their soft fur against his skin. He closed his eyes, allowing the warmth from their bodies to soothe him. The tension in his muscles began to ease, and he found himself drifting off to sleep.

---

Once again, Sero shouted in pain as he felt Lime use his body as a launching pad, albeit much harsher this time as the dragon was now an adolescent. The twin dragons raced to the door, barking happily as Sero heard another knock.

"Sero?" Amaya's voice from the other side caused his heart to skip a beat. 

"Uh, y-yeah, I'm coming!" Sero called out, scrambling to his feet. He winced as he felt the pain from Lime's launch still coursing through his body, but he ignored it and hurried to the door, not wanting to keep Amaya waiting any longer. When he opened it, she was standing there with a soft smile, her silver hair flowing over her shoulders. She had changed out of her liaison attire, opting for black leggings and a simple gray t-shirt.

"Were you asleep all day?" Amaya asked with a playful grin. "You never texted me back during my shift."

"I was..." Sero replied, trailing off as he noticed the time, nearly an hour before sunset. "Shit, I didn't realize it was that late."

"It's okay," Amaya shook her head. "I know you've been having a pretty rough time lately, so it's understandable that you'd need to catch up on some rest. Have you eaten at all since breakfast this morning?"

Sero rubbed the back of his neck, feeling guilty. "No, not really." 

"Then do you want to grab dinner with me?" 

"An offer to dine with a beauty like you? Of course," Sero grinned, stepping out of the doorway to let her in. Amaya glanced around and gave the two dragons a curious look before sitting down on the couch. "They've gotten pretty big, haven't they?"

"Oh, yeah. I guess something happened to them when I... lost control..." Sero glanced away. 

The pair lapsed into silence before Amaya gave a reassuring smile. 

"Well, let's forget about that for now. What are you hungry for?"

Sero shrugged. "I don't really care. You pick."