View source for U-SKALD04 (Aug 13, 2022)

<span style="font-size: 40px;"><strong><center>U-SKALD04</center></strong></span>
__TOC__
<h1>Puzzle</h1>
<p style="text-align:center;font-size: 20px">"Perfection."<br>
Knowledge – O | 1 Word</p>
<h1>Clue</h1>
<span style="font-size: 20px"><strong>Hover over the clues if you require!</strong></span><br>
<span style="font-size: 20px">Clue 1: <span class="spoiler-text">What does the Devil consider 'Perfection'?</span></span><br>
<span style="font-size: 20px">Clue 2: <span class="spoiler-text">What's his fancy, glowy-text word for it?</span></span><br>
<h1>Answer and Explanation</h1>
<span style="font-size: 20px">Answer: <span class="spoiler-text">El'utopyah</span></span><br>
<span style="font-size: 20px">Explanation: <span class="spoiler-text">In CD-ADWD02 of Welcome The Dark, the Devil states that he wants one unified universe, which is considered perfection to him. To do that, you would need to find where God had hidden the three original El'utopyah.</span></span>
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<span style="font-size: 20px; color:orange"><strong><center>⚠️BEWARE: THIS IS DECLASSIFIED INFORMATION. WARY EYES ONLY. ENTER AT OWN RISK.⚠️</center></strong></span><br>
<h1>Summary of Receipt</h1>
<span style="font-size: 20px">Summary</span>
<h1>Transcript</h1>
<span>When Abraxas awoke, the coffee was already made, but Eve was nowhere to be found. In her usual place sat an Archon dressed in blinding white, his massive, gnarled hammer propped against the wall. Abraxas sighed deeply, then poured himself a cup of coffee. He turned to face Demiurge.

"Where is Eve?"

"She is in Arcadia."

"Why?"

"Because she must be. Her Utopia awaits her. You know I can't let her stay here forever. Without her—without Eden—there is nothing more we can do."

"But it has been so long. Centuries."

"Oh, trust me, I am aware of how long it has been, Abraxas. Centuries of stagnation."

"Stagnation? My Lord, have you not seen what we have built together? Look around you—this village was not here before Eden's corruption."

"Yes. It shows."

Abraxas looked away, taking a sip of his coffee. "I see."

"Do not act so wounded, my dear Abraxas. It is so unbecoming of you."

"She wants to stay."

"Yes, well, Eve often has trouble making good choices. Clearly."

Abraxas sat down in a chair opposite Demiurge, coffee in hand. He leaned back and closed his eyes, letting out another deep sigh. "There has been progress. There has been growth. There has been change. We can create without Eden's power."

"It must be nice, in this empty hollow husk of a place. You haven't seen the turmoil the Pale has wrought thus far in Arcadia. My people—"

"Your people?"

"They are not Archons, thankfully."

"You've made life?"

Demiurge nodded, his gaze cold and distant. "I have. Before Eden was lost… and after."

"After? How? Without Eden, it would have been impossible."

"It is a mystery to me as well. Little particles that sprung up from the water. It is not much life, mind you. They live for only a thousand years or less. Usually less with the Pale devouring them."

"My Lord, this is—"

Demiurge held up his hand to silence him, then stood and walked over to Abraxas, placing a hand on his shoulder. "I came to make a deal with you, Abraxas. I need Eve to return to Eden—once it is safe, of course. We came to create something new, something better, and we cannot do so without the power of creation. She and I have been talking, and something she said stuck with me. I was showing her those little sparks of life that crawled out of my waters. She lamented how she wished this little village of yours could be filled with such life. She wants to start a family with you."

Abraxas' eyes widened. "My Lord—"

"Yes, yes. I know. You want the same thing, don't you? Though—we've seen how catastrophic bringing a new Archon into our Universe is. We left Entropy because of the overabundance of Archons. If, and only if, Eve returns to Eden—we could use its power to create again. You two could create a life that is not that of an Archon—a life not unlike those swimming around in my oceans. Mortal—to an extent."

Abraxas sat silently, staring into his pitch-black coffee. Demiurge removed his hand from Abraxas' shoulder and began to pace the room, waiting for a response.

"I would have to give her up."

"You would have to set her free. But, you would have children—as many as you want. Pieces of her, here in the Skald with you. You'd never be alone again."

"But I already have her, as a whole."

"How long until she grows restless? She is meant for Eden—she is bound to it, after all."

Abraxas closed his eyes, letting the memories of Eve wash over him—the joy, the laughter, the shared work, and the mutual growth. But most of all, he lingered on the times they spent in silence, watching the sunset over Skald's lake or gazing up at the stars. Those silent moments, where nothing needed to be said or done, were when he felt truly whole. They were more precious than any words or deeds. It was time. Time to release the ephemeral dandelion of his love, to scatter its seeds into the world, and to cherish those silent moments in his heart forever.</span>