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In recent years, the Titan had been known to disappear for long periods of time. Many in Abolish seemed to think it was because he was either playing some grand mind game with the other emperors or because he was actually exploring other realms.

Koh’s opinion was the latter. And he also felt--or hoped, perhaps--that he might know why.

Sermung was regarded far and wide as the most powerful being in this realm. There was, therefore, precisely zero chance that the Children had not approached him at some point or another. Whether the man had realized it or not was another question, but if he really was traversing other realms on a regular basis, then there was the matter of why.

Why would the most powerful man in the world, the greatest defender of the mortal realm, leave it behind?

Perhaps because he and Koh were of similar purpose.

Perhaps he left because he came to understand that there was a threat to this realm which could not be truly defeated here.

Koh understood that about the Prime Hunt. Ultimately, it was a toothless endeavor. Important, yes, but the Children could not be killed here. They would simply reincarnate every time. Koh did not mind. This was the quest granted to him by his master.

But he also knew that such a mission was difficult for others to accept. To fullly join with him in seeing it through. The angels, for example. Koh knew how they viewed him. A ram butting into a wall. A shark biting the tide. Hopeless, even now.

Over the Ages, the few who came to know of his quest always reached the same conclusion in the end.

That it would be better to seek the Children out in their realms and slay them there. Kill them truly and forever.

And perhaps they were right. But that was not his master’s wish. The Children were his own kin, after all.

Koh still remembered a time when the master’s affection wasn’t even in question.

When Koh ran between Avar’s legs. When he jumped on Cocora’s lap. When he licked Ettol’s face and wrestled with Hada. When he inspected the newcomer, Secho, only to wrestle with him, too.

When he was the playmate of all Children.

In his weaker moments, his less certain moments, Koh sometimes found himself wondering if such a time might ever arrive again.

But no. It would not. Those days were gone.