Villain Retirement

"Is this what Sister and the others felt when they tried finding me across the multiverse?"

[No, they had it worse since they did not really have the help of the transcended me.]

"Hm. It is a good thing that King was not able to enter into your mind, Ahor Zai."

[He would have never been able to, Boss. He did not know I was even on the space station. And even if he did, I have already integrated myself with this space station. To try and destroy me is to destroy the space station.]

"Hm."

Riley was back in the view deck of the council, overlooking the circular auditorium which was now probably the size of a football stadium due to the large number of Hera variants in it. The number, however, was already a lot fewer than before due to the fact that they were actually already being settled in other universes, finding a new home in them.

They entered the portals that were neatly arranged at the center of the auditorium, each with a clone of Riley in tow just in case there was a chance that Hannah and the others might have been sent to a universe that was not actually dying.

The other half of Riley's clones, on the other hand, were sent to dying universes to try and search for them. So far, however, they have not been lucky as none of the clones returned with any news.

…And it has been a month since they started.

[We would need to wait for the space station to recharge to its full capacity again soon, Riley. Are you sure you do not want to focus on the dying universes, instead of opening portals with a much lower chance of providing results?]

"..." Riley glanced at Ahor Zai for a few seconds, before looking back down at all the Hera variants who were hugging each other goodbye, as this will probably be the last time they would be seeing their friends,

"No, let them have this moment, Ahor Zai."

[But they could have this moment at a later time, Boss.]

"No, they will not," Riley's eyes did not stray away from the Hera variants as his voice slightly lowered, "Once we find Hannah and the others, or if we do not find any of them at all — then there will be no later for the multiverse, Ahor Zai…

…It is time to do my purpose and turn all of creation into nothing."

[I see,] Ahor Zai closed her eyes and nodded, [I would very much like to be there when it happens, Boss.]

"You will be there before, when it happens, and after," Riley let out a small breath.

[After…?] Ahor Zai tilted her head as she was slightly confused with Riley's words, [But after you are done destroying Creation, there will be nothing left.]

"..." Riley turned to look at Ahor Zai, "I am a Primordial, Ahor Zai. I will serve as the end of this Creation, and perhaps create the next. Paige and I come as a pair."

[Where did you get this information from, Boss?] Ahor Zai's eyes started to light up like there were several fireflies in them, literally. Almost as if she was trying to save each of Riley's words above everything else.

"From Nothing."

[...]

There was a sense of sadness in Riley's voice. A cadence in his voice that Ahor Zai has never really heard from him before, loneliness.

[I see,] Ahor Zai's eyes continued to light up as she moved everything she knew about Riley on the very top of her memories, [You turn the current Creation into Nothing, while Paige Pearson creates the next. In technicality, both of you are Primordials. One of destruction, and one of birth.]

"I suppose so, Ahor Zai," Riley closed his eyes and breathed out, "And by definition, you will be too."

[Me…?] A gasp whispered from Ahor Zai's lips as she looked Riley in the eyes.

"You will have the hardest task of it all, Ahor Zai. You will be there to witness it all," Riley remembered the conversation he had with Navi, "You will be riding to waves forever."

[I… am a Primordial too?] Ahor Zai's eyes started batting several times, [Does that not mean that Miss Hera and her variants will be too? They will never die.]

"I have not thought of that, Ahor Zai," Riley blinked as he heard that, "Then I pity them that they will witness eternity as I already have — it is not a beautiful existence."

[You have witnessed eternity?] Once again, Ahor Zai's eyes lit up.

"I have," once again, the sadness in Riley's voice was evident, "Nothing tricked me into doing so, and I was trapped in it for a very long time. I bear witness to an alpha and an omega."

[How long is a very long time, Boss?]

"Long enough that I have changed, Ahor Zai," a small smile crawled on Riley's face as he let out a long and deep sigh, "Long enough that I have forgotten who I am."

[I have noticed that, yes. Others would probably not, but I do,] Ahor Zai nodded to herself, [There was something different about you that I thought you were a different person when I saw you again.]

"Everything returned to me when I was brought back to Nothing's domain," Riley continued to watch some of the Hera variants leaving, "But right now, I am only pretending to be the same person I was before I experienced eternity. I am sure Miss Hera noticed it too."

[Then may I ask what you are truly feeling right now?] Ahor Zai stepped in front of Riley, blocking the view of the auditorium as she looked him in the eyes,

[!!!]

Riley did not need to say anything at all to her, however, as the look on Riley's face and his eyes said it all. As soon as he dropped all the facade, what was left there was absolutely…

…nothing.

Riley was already emotionless before, but he did still have feelings and it was evident from his micro-expressions. But now, even with a smile on his face, it was almost as if Ahor Zai was looking at a being that did not really exist in the same plane as them anymore.

Ahor Zai covered her mouth before her breath could turn into a gasp. She looked at Riley from head to toe, before tears started trailing from her cheek.

[Riley Ross… is gone.]

"...I did not really think of it like that," Riley did not really respond to Ahor Zai's words as a hint of a smile finally crawled back into his eyes, "Perhaps that is what it was, Ahor Zai. Riley Ross truly died then for the very last time…

…and I am what returned."

Riley started looking at his hands, taking in a deep breath before shaking his head.

"Please do not tell this to Sister, Ahor Zai," a whisper escaped Riley's lips, "I do not want her to know."

[Of course, Boss,] Ahor Zai bowed her head, [This information will only be for me and Miss Hera.]

"..." Riley then glanced back, only for him to see Hera looking at her with her mouth slightly open. In truth, she had actually been there from the start. In fact, before Riley asked Ahor Zai his question about the multiverse, he was previously talking with Hera.

"...What the fuck did I just hear?" Hera could not help but bat her eyes a couple of times, "I did notice there was something different about you, but when you told me that you experienced creation and the end of time I thought you were being metaphorical…

…but you really did?"

"I did, Miss Hera," Riley nodded.

"But you were only gone for a few minutes, Riley," Hera's breaths started to stutter, "You… you were only gone for a few minutes."

"I was gone for a very long time, Miss Hera."

"How long is a very long time?" Hera repeated Ahor Zai's question, "And answer it by years and stop being vague."

"I do not remember how long, Miss Hera. I lost count somewhere," Riley smiled.

"I told you to stop being vague!" Hera raised her voice as she stood in front of Riley.

"I am not being vague, Miss Hera. I truly lost count," Riley shook his head, "Why does this seem important for you to know?"

"What number were you in when you stopped counting," Hera looked Riley in the eyes.

"A trillion years," Riley answered, "I suppose I might have not really lost count, I just saw no point in counting again. Are you perhaps worried because you will also have to experience that, Miss Hera?"

"No, I will adjust to that…" Hera's voice quickly turned quiet, "...I am worried about you, Riley."

"Me?"

[Ha…] Ahor Zai let out a gasp as she once again covered her mouth, [I did not know you carried feelings of love for Riley, Miss Hera.]

"W—I don't!" Hera quickly took a step back and waved arms, "No, no. I mean I am really really worried about everything else. You were a monster before, Riley… but you were still human, you were human, Riley."

"Thank you for saying that, Miss Hera."

"But now…" Hera looked at Riley from head to toe. She stayed quiet for a few seconds, but widened her eyes after a while, "Wait, do you even still feel anything when you kill someone?"

"..." Riley returned Hera's stare, before looking to the side, "I do not know, Miss Hera."

"You… don't," Hera blinked as she continued to stare in Riley's eyes, "You don't feel anything anymore."

"I have already said that, Miss Hera."

"No, no…" A smile crawled on Hera's face as she pointed at Riley, "This… this could be a good thing for the rest of us. That means we could actually persuade you to stop now, to stop killing."

"No," Riley immediately shook his head,

"I am still ending everything, Miss Hera."

"Wh—"

[Wait!] Before Riley and Hera could continue their conversation, however, Ahor Zai suddenly raised her voice and her hand,

[...We might have found someone!]