Ash’Kral remained silent, deep in thought after Nocturn left... he knew that Nocturn’s hopes of solving the Three-Body Problem had been extinguished a long, long time ago. It wasn’t just him... all Higher-Ups shared the same sentiment.
Yet, Ash’Kral refused to accept the ’truth’... besides the fact that it was the sole method he had to achieve his goal, Ash’Kral had studied the Three-Body Problem more than anyone else.
The others had given it a couple of attempts at most before giving up... but not him. Despite the great hurdle awaiting them, Ash’Kral’s hopes for Levi were still as high as ever.
’I am going to show you all... just wait.’ Ash’Kral narrowed his pupils coldly.
Shortly after, Levi switched back to his main soul while he still had some control... unfortunately, he hadn’t returned without bringing some corruption with him.
The majority of the Sun’s corruption was stored in the Sun Soul, but about 20% invaded his main soul. But Levi wasn’t bothered by it at the moment.
His expression remained solemn as he kept scanning around him, feeling like Nocturn’s presence was still hanging around them.
"What’s the meaning of what he did?" Levi frowned, a bit freaked out.
Nocturn had literally clutched his heart and restored his sight just to take it away again in less than two seconds... Levi didn’t know if he did it to test his reaction or to scare him off with a warning to never repeat such a transgression. Either way... it didn’t feel good to know that his life and even his dream were in the hands of another entity.
"Don’t overthink it... It’s his twisted way of saying hi." Ash’Kral eased his concerns and switched the subject back to the Omnithar Genie. "Bring out the Lantern... we should be in the clear."
Ash’Kral had no intentions of sharing the conversation between him and Nocturn with Levi... why would he? If Levi were to find out that not even Nocturn, one of the most powerful and mysterious entities in the universe, believed in the Three-Body Problem, how could he maintain the same confidence?
Realizing that it was useless to analyze Nocturn’s reaction, Levi dropped the matter for now... then, he replied with a displeased expression, "Don’t order me around, Ash... I ain’t your servant."
"..."
"..."
Ash’Kral and the Titan glanced at each other and then shook their heads at the sight of golden misty corruption swimming inside Levi’s main soul... Levi didn’t even react to what he said, feeling like it was the natural response to being given an order by a peer.
Usually, he wouldn’t mind, but the Sun did mind... it did excessively.
No further ado, Levi summoned the Lantern of the Lost Keeper and brought it close to his face.
Ash’Kral and the Titan were left intrigued at the sight of a tiny prismatic starry genie floating inside the Lantern, moving all around like it was the first time he was free to move... he was the only one jumping between other dormant wisps, making it easier to spot him.
The moment the Genie noticed Levi, he came to a sudden halt... instead of the chaotic emotional waves from before, a resonant, telepathic voice echoed in Levi’s mind.
It was slow, deep, and held the weathered weight of someone who had finally found rest.
’I have drifted through the currents of time as a gear in a machine of death and destruction. You have given a weary soul a harbor where the System cannot reach.’
The voice softened, emitting a warmth that was rare for an entity of its kind.
’For this sanctuary, and for the dignity of a choice... You have my gratitude, Equilibrium of Chaos’ Heir.’
’Equilibrium of Chaos’ Heir...’ Levi raised a brow. ’Did he find out after the integration?’
Levi had a feeling that the Omnithar’s merge with the Lantern might have connected him with the Genie on a spiritual level... just like the Soulleech Maw.
’You’re welcome... it was a great risk, but I am glad I went for it.’ Levi nodded in acceptance and then asked, ’Do you have a name?’
The Omnithar Genie went quiet for a few moments... Levi didn’t rush him or anything, having a feeling that the question had brought up some terrible memories.
’A name... I had one.’ The Omnithar Genie sighed heavily. ’We all did...’
Hearing this, Ash’Kral and the Titan showed a somber expression, already knowing the horrific truth that had befallen the Genie race... and its relation to them.
’May I know what happened?’
Levi didn’t hesitate to ask... if Ash’Kral refused to share some of his knowledge about the past, then he was going to hunt it down piece by piece on his own.
Fortunately, the Genie felt deeply indebted to Levi and had no intention of rejecting his request.
The Omnithar Genie’s voice changed, emitting a hint of ancient sorrow. As he spoke, his prismatic form broke apart into a starry screen, projecting flickering images of a time before the stars had fully cooled.
’In the beginning, during a time earlier than the Age of Origins... the Genie race manifested naturally as echoes of the Universe’s First Breath.’ The Genie shared calmly. ’When the Universe first spoke itself into existence, we were there... one of the first and few creations, unrelated to the Origins.’
’The Origins?’ Levi wondered. ’You mean the Primordial and Ancestral Trees?’
’Yes...’ The Genie nodded slightly. ’We preceded their creation because... we were born with the sole mission of wishing the Trees of Origins into existence.’
’Huh?’
Levi was left stunned at once, not expecting such an earth-shattering truth... the all-powerful Trees of Origins were wished into existence by the Genie race?
The same race that was currently enslaved and given a lowly role of rewarding Rifters? Levi just couldn’t fathom it.
The Omnithar Genie knew that the truth was heavy-handed... still, he took his time to show him.
The mist inside the Lantern shifted around, showing a brief image of radiant, formless, colorful beings joining hands with their kind... they floated in a silent, infinite void without a spark of life around them.
The Genies joined hands and spoke a single unified wish to the universe... its answer appeared as sixteen Origin Seeds being born in the center of their circle, each one emitting a unique aura based on its laws.
One seed looked like a Sun, burning with a bright, golden heat.
One was as dark as a void, pulling everything toward its center.
One looked like a yin-yang symbol, with black and white light spinning in a perfect circle.
One was pure white, overflowing with life.
One gave off a shadowy, ominous, deathly aura.
Another was gray and moved strangely, skipping through time and jumping across space as if it couldn’t stay in one spot.
The other ten seeds floated nearby, each representing a different fundamental part of reality.
’We were designed to create the universe by the universe, using our own powers and authority as a price for the wish to be accepted... some of us were even erased during the process, and yet... we kept going until we served our destiny.’ The Genie’s old voice whispered. ’After fulfilling it, we nurtured and grew the seeds into the Primordial and Ancestral Trees until they developed their own will... only then did we let fate guide them as the universe intended it.’
Levi listened quietly while watching the scenes play out in front of him... he didn’t know if the Genie was telling the truth or not, but Ash’Kral and the Titan’s silence was all the confirmation he needed. The fact that not an ounce of information about this showed in the network made him understand that the truth was buried... buried by them.
For what reason? He already had a couple of theories, and still listened to the Genie utter them.
’Alas... we didn’t expect our own creations to turn against us once they had gotten stronger than us... We were hunted down and enslaved to be used to fulfill their own selfish desires.’ The Omnithar Genie’s tone showed a tint of disappointment. ’We didn’t know why... were they threatened by us? Were they scared to have their authority be questioned once the truth of their creation came out? Or did they just greed for our powers even if they weren’t as powerful as they used to be... we didn’t know, and we were left silenced forever, not given even a chance to ask.’
The Omnithar Genie paused for a moment, and then he showed a faint, starry smile across the misty screen while staring at Levi’s sickened expression.
He could tell that Levi was reconsidering his relationships with his own Origin Seeds, the Titan, and Ash’Kral, who kept such a disgusting truth hidden from him.
To turn against your own creators once they were weakened? It was an epitome of cowardice.
Sure, the Genies were born with the sole purpose of wishing the Origins into existence... which technically meant that they served as tools of creation, not the real creators.
Still, it was a nasty move.
’Not all were part of the hunt...’ He added softly, ’The Nine Senses Origin Tree... she was amongst a small circle of Origins, who went against their peers to save us... they might have failed, but we will always remember their kindness.’