"Leave her the fuck alone."
My voice cut through the noise like a blade as I stepped in front of them, my stance casual but my presence anything but.
I felt eyes on me from all directions—onlookers frozen in their places, whispering amongst themselves. But I couldn't care less about useless bystanders who would rather watch than act.
"What the fuck did you just say?"
The largest one turned to face me, his thick brows furrowed in anger.
I chuckled, tilting my head toward the woman beside me. She met my gaze with curiosity, intrigue flickering behind her violet eyes.
"Question, miss…"
"Vorethia."
She replied smoothly, her voice carrying a subtle elegance.
I smirked. "Vorethia. Did it sound like I stuttered? Or is that dumbass just hard of hearing?"
She let out a small, amused smile. "The latter."
The brute's face twisted in rage. "You bitch!" He reeled back a fist, aiming straight for her.
[Absolute Edict - Command Engaged.]
[Rules Established: Sing 'You Rock My World' for 15 minutes.]
Always wanted to go to an MJ concert, but this would suffice. Plus, it wouldn't draw too much attention to me. Win-win.
The moment the ability took effect, they froze. Their bodies stiffened in place, shock flashing in their eyes as their lips began to move against their will.
"You rock my world, you know you did—"
The thug on the left started, his voice coming out in an awkward baritone.
The gathered bystanders exchanged confused glances, but curiosity won over hesitation. Some leaned in, interested.
"And everything I own I give—"
The one on the right continued, his voice cracking slightly from the effort.
I grinned, deciding to join in just for the hell of it.
"The rarest love who'd think I'd find—"
Singing with exaggerated passion, I winked at Vorethia. She giggled, clearly enjoying the absurdity of the situation.
"Someone like youu to call mine!"
The leader finished, his voice full of forced emotion.
Oh, this was just the beginning.
I clapped my hands together and turned to the onlookers with a dramatic flourish. "Sing it, boys!"
"And girrlll I know that this is love…"
The left one crooned, stretching his arms dramatically toward the audience. "I felt the magic's all in the air!"
"Dunn!" I added the beat, nodding in rhythm.
"And girlll I'll never get enough, that's why I always have to have you hereee wooo!!"
The right one finished, putting in an almost impressive amount of effort.
The crowd actually started getting into it, clapping along as if they were at an actual concert. Some even pulled out recording devices, capturing what was undoubtedly going to be viral in the next few hours.
I chuckled and sauntered toward Vorethia, hands in my pockets. Behind me, the impromptu boy band was still locked in their performance, their humiliation all but cemented. Cheers and claps erupted from the audience.
"Now, that's what I call a performance."
Vorethia raised a brow at me, lips curving into a sly smirk. "Impressive.." she mused. "You didn't even have to lift a finger."
I shrugged, glancing over my shoulder at the struggling trio. "Why bother when you can make your enemies entertain you?"
She giggled. "And here I thought I'd seen everything."
Leaning in slightly, I lowered my voice just enough for her to hear. "Stick around, Vorethia. I've got plenty more tricks up my sleeve. But more importantly, are you okay? You're not hurt, are you?"
She scoffed lightly, crossing her arms. "Like those insects could harm me. Tell me, Eternal, what is your name?"
Her words caught my attention. Eternal? That wasn't a term just anyone used.
Still, I gave a slight smirk. "Tyros Celestorn. Question—would you like to eat tacos with me?"
She tilted her head slightly, intrigued. "Hm… tacos? What's that?"
"…"
I went silent.
"…What?" she asked, blinking at me in confusion.
I stared at her, expression unreadable, for a solid five seconds. "You don't know what tacos are?"
She frowned slightly. "Should I?"
I dragged a hand down my face, exhaling dramatically. "No. No, this is worse than I thought."
Her brow furrowed. "What are you talking about?"
Gripping her shoulders, I stared into her violet eyes with the utmost seriousness. "Vorethia, this is a crisis. A tragedy. A sin against everything good in existence."
She let out an amused smirk. "You're being dramatic."
"Am I?" I gestured wildly. "A world where someone has never tasted tacos? That is a world I cannot, in good conscience, allow to continue."
A chuckle slipped past her lips, though she quickly masked it. "And what exactly is a 'taco' supposed to be?"
I sucked in a sharp breath. "You're about to have your entire existence changed."
Behind me, the three goons were still miserably finishing the last chorus of You Rock My World. Their voices were strained, their energy drained.
I smirked and snapped my fingers.
[Absolute Edict - Command Disengaged.]
The three collapsed instantly, gasping like fish out of water, their humiliation permanently burned into their souls. The audience erupted into applause before finally dispersing, still humming the tune.
Turning back to Vorethia, I grinned. "C'mon, we're getting tacos."
She crossed her arms, lips twitching. "And if I refuse?"
I placed a hand over my heart, mock-wounded. "Refuse? After everything we've been through together? After witnessing such a historic performance?"
"You mean forcing people to sing against their will?"
I shrugged. "Tomato, tomahto."
Vorethia sighed, shaking her head. "Fine. You have one chance to impress me, Eternal."
"Oh, believe me," I grinned, "you're about to experience divinity. But first—" I looked her up and down, noting the rags and dirt. "Definitely gotta clean you up and get you new clothes."
She raised a brow. "Are my current garments not satisfactory?"
I deadpanned. "…No. No, they are not."
She exhaled through her nose, a faint smirk playing on her lips. "Very well, Eternal. I shall allow you to dress me."
"…Could've worded that differently."
She giggled.
After that, we started to make our way to a nearby tailor's shop.
"So Tyros.." Vorethia started, she was curious what his reaction would be knowing who she was.
"Yeah go ahead Vorethia." I responded, giving her my attention.
"What if I told you, that I am the Void?" She looked up at him.
"Then I would ask you, just what the hell you were doing on the street dressed as a homeless person." I replied. I tried to extend my senses, to see if I could feel some type of power, but felt nothing.
"Testing to see if the Eternals are actually compassionate and you won't be able to sense my power. I am above your understanding, Eternal."
"Interesting well do you mind showing me proof of that claim, or am I just supposed to take your word for it?" I asked, arching a brow.
Vorethia smirked, as if expecting the challenge.
"Proof? Very well."
She stopped walking.
And then—
Reality itself wavered.
The air around her darkened, the sun above seeming to stretch and distort, bending toward her like they were being sucked into an unseen abyss. The lantern lights flickered, struggling against something unseen, unfathomable.
I felt it then.
Something vast. Something endless.
Not just power—something beyond power.
The street beneath us cracked, the people around us unknowingly stepping around the disturbance as if their minds refused to acknowledge what was happening.
And just like that—
She let go.
The moment passed, reality snapping back into place, the world pretending like nothing had happened.
She turned to me, her violet eyes gleaming.
"Does this suffice?"
I blinked.
Shook my head.
Exhaled sharply.
"Well..I traveled the world with an SSS class Void Goddess does sound like a good ass novel.."
"..what?" She questioned back with an amused raised brow.
"Nothing so let me get this straight. You—the literal embodiment of the Void, destroyer B of civilizations, cosmic eldritch mystery—decided to play homeless for a day just to see if mortals would treat you like shit?"
She nodded. "Precisely."
I raised an eyebrow.
"…And if no one helped you?"
"I would have erased them."
I stopped walking.
Turned to her.
"You were gonna wipe out the whole city?"
Vorethia simply tilted her head, as if considering my words.
"No. Not just this city. Everything."
I stared at her.
She stared back.
"…Because no one gave you a sandwich?"
She let out a soft laugh. "A crude way to phrase it, but yes."
I actually laughed at that, this shit was crazy.
She smiled. "And yet, here I am, untouched, intrigued… thanks to you, Tyros."
"So one more time-" I laughed. "I saved all of existence because I made three dumbasses sing Michael Jackson?"
"Essentially yes."
Her bluntness made me laugh harder.
She smiled. "You continue to surprise me, Tyros."
[Unique Fate Event has been triggered!]
Fate has taken notice of your actions. The course of existence has been altered.
New Path unlocked.
That made him pause immediately.
'Well that's new, a New Path? What does that mean?' I innerly questioned.
[You have been marked by the Void.]
Entity: "Vorethia" has taken an interest in you.
Effect: Make the right choices and you'll be able to gain a new unique Charism!