Ego leaned against the pillar with crossed arms, staring back at the unmoving sun through the near opaque shape of the entity. It felt like hours. Conflicting thoughts pushing him to one of the three choices laid before him.
One Vincent longed for getting behind the wheel and do as he did before: help humanity in his own way together with Raven. The other one wished to destroy everything by letting the Sentinels loose upon Sirius. Both fought to take control for months, years, maybe decades in this twisted world under the two suns.
But Ego was nothing. He had no final goals to give him meaning beyond survival. Yet in this Temple he felt some form of purpose. The Shards floating several dozen meters above his head called to him, beckoned him for action. For a decision he had fully to embrace and commit to the consequences that would follow.
"You are afraid of death, despite wishing it for so long."
The entity had broken the silence between them. It appeared confused as it saw through Ego's mind. In truth, he knew the costs of dying. He would kill the very thing he had tried to obtain. To him this was not a choice.
"And if I choose you?"
The entity left out hundreds of chuckles into one. It spoke with a voice similar to Raven's, yet distorted by an endless stream of whispers which followed every word. It spread its upper tendrils around Ego akin to an embrace. Enveloping him with the same pale green hue It had.
"You will become not only whole, but your own identity at last. All it takes is one word."
Become The Key."
It paused as it reached for Ego's ear. A cold whisper sent shivers down his spine. A bright flash of light followed.
"Bring me to the Great Sphere's Entrance."
"Test the sharpness of your sword against another. And when that is not enough, unsheathe your cunning as the hidden dagger that ends the fight."
