The journey's last leg

[Amaterasu]

Ludicrous.

That was the only word that came to Amaterasu's mind as she witnessed the final moments of Tearen Wover, a man of such power that she felt defenseless as a newborn before him. It was ludicrous of her to think that she had any sort of understanding of this universe's deeper workings. It was only a glimpse into the thoughts and feelings of a creature that had spent far more time in this world than her and that had gone through hardships unlike any other. It was ludicrous of her to say that she had witnessed one of the greatest evils when faced with the goat-horned warlock of Hero's Graveyard. It was ludicrous of her to believe that she had earned the title of kami in the pantheon of the universe with the child's play that she had performed so far. It was ludicrous of her to consider herself worthy. Her entire existence as kami of the sun appeared ludicrous when compared to the existence of this creature, who was a god among gods.

So ludicrous was it all that she laughed into the Void, loud and bright with a voice that was neither his nor hers. But as she laughed their voice became hers again and as quickly as the other body had merged with her it separated itself again, and reformed into the unseeming black orb in her hand that this had all started with. And it left a great emptiness behind.

She did not feel like laughing at all anymore. In fact she felt like crying again. To have seen a glimpse of Omni's true face... her meeting with him had not been one bit like the one he had had with Tearen. It was as if he had humored her, played along with her game like a parent playing with their kid, whereas Tearen had spoken to the deity almost as an equal.

A kid. That was the best way to describe herself right now. Like a child throwing a tantrum when not given what they wanted, stomping their feet and claiming that they'd "show" their parents. The only difference was that she hadn't actually stomped her feet. What a strange series of coincidences it was that had led her to obtain this item, to let her get a glimpse into the bigger reality. 

She realized that there was no turning back though, and this time she thought so in a far different way than only minutes ago when she had first returned to this empty expanse. The insight that Tearen had given her had torn away the paper walls that had concealed the world beyond the little, secluded reality that she had explored so far, and revealed just how much there was beyond her horizon. How big the world to explore was. How many people there were who were Primes like her. How many people and cultures there were.

How great the grand evils that simmered beneath the surface were.

She tucked the orb into her sleeve and began to walk the leyline with more hurried steps. This was not an evil like Orochi, like Kyubi, like Crimson Helm or even Yami that she could hope to stand a chance against. It was an evil so great that this man, Tearen Wover, had sacrificed his very existence to create an item that could eradicate it. And be it through fate or through an idiotic coincidence, it had fallen to her to hold that item. And perhaps, in good time, to use it.

She could only hope that if that time ever came, she would be worthy of it.