Those who do not remember the past are condemned to repeat it.
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Well, another 10,000 words. These chapters are getting longer and longer.
I'm proud of myself!
Just a fair bit of warning: This chapter's gonna get real out of wack at the end.
Of course, please, I hope you have a pleasant experience reading my newest work.
Good luck.
P.S.: Read the notes at the end.
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Six months have passed since I became Zanoba's tutor. And what else could I say except "progress!" Finally, after six long months of training, Zanoba cast his first wordless spell. Oh, how happy we both were! For Zanoba, he could move on to crafting dolls with Earth Magic. And I now had confirmation that anyone could wordlessly cast if put through the correct training.
With his improvement in silent spellcasting also came refinement in controlling his super strength. His blessed child ability was basically him using magic to reinforce his limbs, so if he knew how to silently cast, he could also do the exact opposite. His control was shaky, and he'd often lose his touch when he got excited. But hey, progress was progress.
Now, onto his craftsmanship. His advancements were simply extraordinary. It seems I didn't make a mistake when I said I saw hidden talent. Or perhaps he's advancing quickly because of sheer hard work and effort. He had come a long way in this field. I still have the first figure he made displayed on my desk as a paperweight. And when I compare it to the dolls he makes now, I can barely even say they were made by the same person. He still has a long way to go till he reaches my level, but he's catching up to me. I hope he surpasses me one day and takes on his own apprentices. I want to leave my legacy in this world.
But, besides all that. I've been doing quite a bit of reading in the Shirone Library. Getting to know all the obscure and abridged legends and putting them back together was a great way to spend my time.
All that aside, I discovered something. This world was young. It was only a bit older than a hundred thousand. Compare that to Earth's 4.5 billion years of age. This world might as well have been a baby. Anyway, here's a bit of history recapping.
More than 100,000 years ago is what we now call "the Ancient Age of Gods." Seven gods ruled their respective worlds. The God of Man, God of Demons, God of Dragons, God of Beasts, God of the Sea, God of the Sky, and God of Void coexisted with each other. These seven worlds were seven textures, judging from the various texts. I could have been wrong, but that was my best hypothesis.
Around twenty thousand years ago, the seven worlds began to fall. The God of Dragons, enraged that someone had killed his beloved wife, annihilated the barriers separating the seven textures. With his five Dragon Kings, the God of Dragons began destroying the other worlds, leaving only the Human and Void worlds intact.
Before the God of Dragons destroyed the Human World, the Dragon Kings turned on their god, having had enough bloodshed. Their battle resulted in mutual destruction.
The God of Void guided the survivors of the five destroyed worlds to the Human World. They could not live in the Void World as there was literally nothing. Around here was when the timeline diverged from the one I read in Enuma Elish. In that legend, the God of Humans guided the refugees, not the God of Void. There wasn't even a "God of Void" mentioned in Enuma Elish.
I wonder if the altering of history left this God of Void out. Enuma Elish was incredibly biased towards the God of Man, while he was barely mentioned in the stories I read in Shirone.
Ten thousand years ago. Known as the Chaotic Period. It was when the ancestors of modern humans and the refugees from other worlds began clashing in battle.
Almost no literature exists from this period, but I was able to put together a rough outline of what happened.
The Beastfolk began living in the forests, the Seafolk controlled the oceans, the Skyfolk secluded themselves in the Red-Wyrm Mountains, and the few remaining Dragonfolk went into hiding.
The two remaining races-Humans and Demons-began fighting on the plains. Back then, the Central and Demon Continents were joined by land and were called the Great Continent.
Seven thousand years was when the various magical spells and sword styles were developed. Runes were also discovered in this period. The Voidfolk from the Void World also integrated themselves, becoming the ancestors of Elves, Dwarves, and Halflings.
Soon after, the First Great Human-Demon War occurred. I suppose it was like WW1 and WW2 back on Earth.
A thousand years passed, and the battle still raged on. The great hero Arus requested the help of an unnamed Voidfolk to forge a weapon capable of slaying the Immortal Demons. He was refused by the Voidfolk, as he was a peaceful being and did not wish to participate in bloodshed.
After Arus and his five comrades left the Voidfolk's dwelling, an injured young man appeared on his doorstep. Said young man happened to a young Saint Millis, who had dedicated himself to slaying demons after his family had been killed because of the war.
Touched by his bravery, the Voidfolk nursed him back to health and taught him magic and swordsmanship. Before he left on his journey, he gifted Saint Millis a holy cross and a flaming blade.
This section didn't make much sense to me. Why would the Voidfolk give a boy out for revenge a powerful weapon while he gave nothing to the six heroes trying to end a fucking thousand-year war?
The Voidfolk probably had a reason that wasn't recorded in history, but I'll never know.
After Saint Millis left the Voidfolk's home, he joined Arus and his five comrades and helped them defeat the five Demon Kings and the Great Demon Emperor, ending the Great Human-Demon War for the time being.
This was when the humans began to become stupid. Five thousand five hundred years ago, the humans got drunk off power and began waging war against the other races. Demons were commonly used as slaves in this period, and war lasted for five hundred years.
As if that wasn't enough, the Second Great Human-Demon War broke out after five hundred years.
Seeking vengeance for a thousand-year grudge, the Great Demon Emperor, Kishirika, stirred the demons into action. The demons made allies of the Beastfolk and Seafolk, overwhelming the humans. The humans were driven into a corner.
Eight hundred years later, the Second Great Human-Demon Wat ended. The humans fought desperately for those years and finally forced their enemy back. This was thanks to help from the same Voidfolk who helped end the First Great Human-Demon War. He gifted some guy called Aldebaran a set of golden armor. Aldebaran gathered ten thousand men by himself and defeated the powerful demons. He was said to have been able to fight one-on-one with the Great Demon Emperor. His final attack was so powerful that it created a hole in the Great Continent, splitting it into the Central and Demon Continents.
There was now a hole between the continents. Aldebaran asked the Voidfolk for assistance once again. Using God-rank magic, the Voidfolk had summoned water from beyond the sky and filled the pit. This formed what is known as the Ringus Sea today.
Peace finally settled over the land once the continents split.
Things were calmer after that. During the next three thousand or so years, the Demons were gradually driven from the Central Continent. The Humans were clever and used diplomacy to corral all the demons onto the Demon Continent.
The Central Continent was lush and easy to live on, whereas the Demon Continent was barren and prone to magic accumulating in certain areas. The over races helped with the endeavor, hoping another war wouldn't break out.
The Demons most likely resisted, but whatever their reaction was, a war didn't break out. As a result, they soon became desensitized to how they had been restricted from leaving their continent.
In that harsh environment, civil war naturally broke out. This forged the Demons into fierce warriors, but their numbers quickly dwindled.
And then, Demon God Laplace was born.
In this world's history, there were many Demon Kings and Emperors, but only one Demon God.
In a relative blink of an eye, Laplace rallied the demons and conquered the Demon Continent. The records from battles then turned into war chronicles that were passed down. Even now, Laplace is treated like an idol on the Demon Continent. He spent many years cultivating his empire, grooming his race to be tough and fierce.
Five hundred years ago, Laplace began his military campaign.
After long years spent winning over the Seafolk and Beastfolk, Laplace finally made his assault on the Central Continent. The humans were forced into a war far more brutal than any they had fought before.
Laplace launched his invasion from the south, draining all the human military power there. Then he set his wyrms upon the land, making passage through the mountains impossible. After that, he took the humans by storm, attacking with a separate unit from the north, scattering his enemies.
In a short time, he gained total control of the north and south. Then, from both directions, he pressed his assault on the western region.
Forced into a corner, seven heroes convinced the Seafolk to lift their blockade, then set out on the seas for the Millis Continent.
Millis had escaped the invasion for many reasons, such as the barrier and the topography that made it difficult for a large army to disembark. The Great Forest also covered the north.
Now allied with the demons, the Beastfolk took control of the Holy City of Millis. So, the Seven Heros set about persuading them to their side. Or rather, it was less persuading and more taking-the-children-of-each-Beastfolk-clan-hostage-and-threatening-to-kill-them-if-they-refused-to-cooperate. In the book, it was said the children cooperate willingly, but let's be honest. Who the fuck would fall for such obvious lies? Around this time, the Legend of Setanta happened.
It came to the day of the decisive battle. The last remaining kingdom of Asura mounted all their effort for the final battle. Soon, the seven heroes came, leading the holy knights of Millis and the Beastfolk in an assault on Laplace's main stronghold.
After a violent confrontation, four of the seven heroes were dead, but they successfully sealed Laplace away and destroyed his closest companions. Three heroes survived. The Dragon King Urupen, the North God Kalman, and the Armored Drago King Perugius. They were hailed as the Three Demon God Slayers. But they didn't "slay" anything.
At the end of the battle, things got interesting. Another war broke out not even a day after the fight with Laplace ended. It was described as less of a war and more of a massacre.
The Titanomachy. A battle between not the inhabitants of this world but between foreign stars who landed upon this planet.
As if the gods were judging the Humans and Demons for their misdeeds. A star of judgment landed upon this world. The star's name was Octantis, the dark titan.
That didn't line up with what I had read in the Legend of Setanta, though. Maybe Anima and Octantis were the same person? But that couldn't be right. Anima was described as an ageless boy, while Octantis was a black titan who stood even above the Red Wyrm Mountains.
The dark titan began rampaging on the planet, tearing both the Human and Demon Continents asunder. Yet salvation came to the inhabitants of this world in the form of white titans who descended from beyond the heavens and battled against the dark titan.
The Titanomachy lasted for six days, and in that short period, the Demon and Human Continents had become scorched deserts and blackened wastes. The Red Wyrm Mountains were split in two, causing their height to be cut in half. Most of the Skyfolk died in that rampage, the survivors fleeing to the Divine Continent. The Humans and Demons weren't faring much better, and only the Asura Kingdom survived to tell the tale.
Though the dark titan had been defeated, the damage had been done. Two continents were no longer habitable, and the Humans and Demons fretted over what they could do. Fortunately for them, a miracle occurred.
Those who saw it described the event as "a blessing from the stars." I do not know what that meant, as not much else was recorded. But the Demon and Human Continents had been restored to their former glory the following dawn. Even the once-deceased had revived, though without any recollection of what had happened.
The Demons and Humans saw this as a divine sign. They stopped their petty squabbles and signed a peace treaty. The blockade on the Demon Continental was lifted. The Demons could now freely travel to other continents. Racial discrimination against demons was prohibited. It was sort of like the Declaration of Independence.
Unfortunately, the deep-seated discrimination against demons still continued today, but things were peaceful.
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Speaking of peaceful... Last night was the most tranquil one I had in a long time, and I managed a few hours of sleep. I would have needed to rest eventually, or my mind would start breaking down. But that's beside the point.
"Little brother."
"Please wake up. Our time in this realm is limited."
"We bring urgent news."
I awoke to the annoying chatter of my brothers and sisters. Well... I wouldn't call it "annoying," but I never enjoyed waking up. Judging from the tones of their voices, this was gonna be important. So I forced my eyes open.
"Yeah, yeah. I'm awake."
A back void filled with starlight entered my eyes. Though this time, it wasn't entirely substance-less. I was sitting in a field of white flowers. Their appearance didn't ring any bells, looking like a lily crossed with an orchid. They reflected starlight, making them seem made of diamonds. There were patches of black-colored grains and wheat a ways away. They seemed to suck in all light around them, contrasting with the white flowers.
This was an island floating in the Sea of Void, a small sanctuary. My Celestial Eyes subconsciously activated, and my attention was almost forcefully drawn to the ground.
'Are those...eggs?'
They were few and far between, but multicolored eggs were buried below the ground. There were two kinds of eggs. One was of a lighter shade and dominated by white. The other was almost entirely black, with rare smidges of color randomly appearing. The patterns on the eggs constantly shifted and rolled, like the surface of a star.
'This world had more definition now. I wonder if...'
My connection with the Celestials had deepened, but it had also waned. I know it doesn't make any sense, but bear with me. The Primordial Runes, or "Celestial Runes," as Sol calls them, were my first link with the Celestials. They were the catalyst, I guess you could say.
After about a year of casting them non-stop since I had to form the Rings of Light, my brain had gotten so used to the Primordial Runes that it couldn't distinguish them from literary letters.
I still could if I focused, but one day, I found myself absentmindedly writing a letter to Roxy and noticed I was using Primordial Runes instead of the Human Language.
However, the Celestials were all, well, asleep. Since an age long past, the stars and black holes have slumbered in the Sea of Void. The sprites I speak with are only their shadows, terminals with not even a fraction of their authority. And because the Man-God constantly tries to spy on me, the shield they placed has begun to crack.
"Ah... It's about the Faker, isn't it?"
I've already felt their protections weakening over the past month. It won't be long till the Man-God can see me again.
"Yes, brother."
Sol stepped forward. He...changed? His form seemed less blurry now, no longer shrouded in flames and plasma. My brain and eyes had adjusted; he looked like a human at the end of his teenage years. His skin was deeply tanned, with patches of skin darker than the rest. I guess they represented sunspots that often appeared on his star's surface. His face reminded me of a great pharaoh of Egypt, but it was also similar to a European model. He wore a kilt-like skirt. White sash-like fabrics covered his upper body. Golden eyes glowed faintly in this Sea of Void, and blond hair lightly swayed as he moved towards me. The gem that once floated above his head was gone. It had been replaced by an orb embedded in his forehead, with the same symbol as before engraved within.
"Well, you had a pretty big make-over, didn't you, Sol?"
The Celestial slung an arm over my shoulder, chuckling as he pointed behind him.
"Yes. We all did, little brother. Thanks to our mind link deepening, we now have an anchor to the material plain. We can focus our powers more easily and form more defined bodies."
"What do you think, little bro? We did this just for you, you know?"
Sagittarius Beta hopped up to me with a spring in her step. She ruffled my white hair. Her appearance was distinctively Greek, but her black hair and gray eyes streaked with purple ruined the cosplay, making her seem Asian instead. Her clothing was on point, though. Purple undergarments and black robes complimented her youthful beauty. Her gem was also embedded in her forehead. A quiver and bow were tied to her back, made from a material that seemed to glitter under starlight, a reference to the favored weapons of Chiron, I'm guessing.
"Right, thanks, sis."
Hey, I'm just noticing... Why is she taller than me? In the past, she barely reached my hips with that small form she took. She'd grown a fair bit now that she was in the form of a sixteen-ish human, but my adult stature should have still been taller!
"Did I shrink?"
"You did."
Sagittarius Alpha walked up behind us. He wasn't much different from his twin in appearance. They would have been indistinguishable if they were the same gender. But gender didn't exist among stars, so...
Unlike his sister, Sagittarius Alpha had no visible weapon on him. He gave off a youth-nurturing aura unlike his sister's, which leaned into cheerful rambunctiousness.
"Take a look."
The black hole waved his hand, and a small mirror appeared before me. Hmm... I wasn't in the body of my past life anymore. Golden eyes stared back at me, and white hair with tints of blond was jumbled from my elder sister's messing around. The gem on my forehead was colorless and transparent but had developed a pattern. Four stars in a line, and I could make out three spots darker than the rest, like a void waiting to be filled. They formed a waterscoop-like formation, almost like a constellation.
"I see. Why'd I change now?"
"We have a few theories, but we don't know for sure." Sol dismissed the spectral mirror summoned by Sagittarius Alpha. "For now, let's congratulate you. Two of the seven bodies have already been built, and another is almost done. It should be awake once you leave this realm," there was an odd tone in his voice. Soft and reassuring, but also a hint of regret. I already knew the Celestials didn't want to push this burden onto me, but... "You shouldn't push yourself too hard, little brother. You may have a body of the divine, but your mind and soul are still human. They need rest."
"I'll cut to the chase." Sagittarius Alpha told me while Beta patted my back. "This will possibly be our last gathering for a long time."
Ah. I see. With the protections weakening, it would be a while before they could visit me without the Man-God's influence.
"Is it because of the Faker?"
"Yes, it is. The Faker will be able to see you again very soon. We don't know exactly when, but make sure your main body doesn't do anything suspicious from now on. We have done all we can but only managed to seal your memories from him. He will still be able to read your thoughts, so be careful when he eventually presents himself to you."
"So I won't be able to do anything too outlandish as Rudeus Greyrat, then?"
"Yes. You must use your homunculi bodies if you are going to do something crazy."
"I see..."
This will make things difficult. No matter. My human body has already been deployed to Shirone. I should have ample freedom here.
"Is that all, elder siblings?"
"Yes. Our warnings can only aid so much. The rest is up to you, brother dearest." Sol's tone was solum.
"Yeah! Besides, we'll help our baby brother anytime he nee-"
I whacked Sagittarius Beta on her head with a baseball bat. Huh. I thought magic didn't work in this realm. Well, the more you know, I guess.
"Oww..."
"I may be a couple of million years younger than you lot, but I'm not a child. In fact, I'm surprised you're not mistaken as a child with how immature you are."
All the black hole could do was pout in a corner. Sagittarius Alpha shook his head in exasperation while Sol just laughed.
"Oh! By the way. I came across something while browsing the Shirone Archives. Does the name 'Anima' ring a bell to any of you?"
The mood dipped. It changed instantly from joyful to solemn. Sol's eyes darkened considerably, and the Void twins ceased their bickering.
"Where did you hear that name, brother?" Sol asked.
"In a book called 'The Legend of Setanta.'" I quickly answered.
Sol's eyes held emotions I couldn't even begin to unravel. He began reaching his hand towards me but then withdrew at the last second, an unreadable expression plastered on his face. "Do you mind if I look through your memories?"
"Wha-Why?!"
The minds of Celestials are linked. They're a sort of hivemind in that regard. However, they can only access each other's senses, memories, and thoughts when both parties allow it.
"Please, brother. Just this once. I promise to not do it again."
Sol's tone seemed pleading, almost desperate. I felt two hands find their way onto my shoulders. Sagittarius Alpha and Beta also shot me a subtle look.
"Just do it, Rudeus. Sol's been grasping at straws for the past ten thousand years. He needs confirmation." Sagittarius Beta's voice was unlike her usual one. This kind of seriousness seemed out of place.
"B-Bu-"
"Please, Rudeus." Sagittarius Alpha pressured me. "We'll explain everything after Sol's done."
This was the first time the Celestials had called me by my name. Instead of referring to me as "brother" or "sibling." I knew something was off. I sighed in defeat. They have done so much for me. I could at least let them scroll through my mind.
"Well, go ahead. I give you my consent."
The other three slumped in relief. "Thank you so much, brother."
I shrugged. "As long as you don't look at the more private memories, it's fine."
A hand cupped my gem, and wisps of fire encircled Sol and me. Ancient markings began flying before my eyes. They were what I had read in the Legend of Setanta. More specifically, they were about Setanta's teacher, Anima.
I should give some context. The Legend of Setanta was about a young Adoldia Beastman. Said Beastman had been kidnapped when he was just a baby and was forced to be a slave for five years. When Anima, his teacher, found him, he was on the brink of death.
Anima took the boy back to his home and raised him back to health. Then, by the boy's wishes, he bestowed the name "Sétante Cu Lainn" onto the young Adoldia and began teaching him spearmanship. When he turned twelve, his teacher gave him a red spear that never missed its target when thrust.
The following chapters told of his exploits after he left his teacher's home at twelve. Finally, he died in the battle of Laplace after landing a critical wound on the Demon God.
The last chapter was somewhat off and seemed out of place. It detailed what happened after Anima learned of his student's death, describing him as "the Star of Calamity That Torn the Demon Continent Asunder." I'm guessing that this was the Titanomachy.
As I was given a complete recap of the legend I'd read, Sol finished viewing my memories. He withdrew his hand and let his arm fall limply to his sides. He gave a shaky sigh and collapsed into a kneeling position, his face buried in his knees. Tears began dripping from his eyes. They were golden, almost like liquid flames.
"So?! What did you find out?!" Sagittarius Beta pushed.
Sol didn't respond for a moment, quietly sobbing on the ground. "Thank goodness. That was surely him. Dear Father, thank goodness."
"I'll take this as confirmation that he's alive?" Sagittarius Alpha walked up to the star, placing a reassuring hand on his shoulder.
"Yes. Anima and Octantis are alive. That means Polaris is, as well."
What was going on? "Can someone explain what's going on to me?"
"Yes, yes. Of course. I owe you that much, Rudeus." Sol wiped his tears, though he didn't bother standing back up. The two Voidsouls sat down, too. Sagittarius Beta grabbed me and placed me in her lap. I pouted.
"Hey. Didn't I say that I'm not a baby?"
"If you were a star, you'd still be incubating in your egg. So you're a baby."
"Hmph."
"Hey, you two. Don't fight. We're about to tell Rudeus a story, aren't we?"
Sagittarius Beta sighed. "Yeah, yeah."
"Sorry." I sulked. Yet despite that, I cuddled deeper into Sagittarius Beta's stomach.
The Voidsoul obviously felt it, shooting me a wide grin. "Now, Sol. I think it's best if you tell the story."
"Ah, yes. I was one of the few people who knew him well. If Pollux were here, she could have told his legend better, but..."
"She's still searching for him in Material Multiverse." Sagittarius Alpha answered when Sol trailed off.
"Well, she'll return when he's found. She's one of the few people Anima trusts, right?" The almost child-like hopefulness in Sagittarius Beta's voice was reassuring that she was back to her unchanged self.
"Yes, yes. Now, without further distractions." Sol coughed, scratching his cheek in an "I'm thinking" way. "I think visual effects would be appreciated."
Sol drew a hoop in the ground with a stick he got from who-knows-where. The white lilies vanished when the circle was complete, leaving a white, rippling surface. He then dipped a finger into the white portal-like thing. A thin, almost invisible string was attached to his fingertip when he pulled his finger out. He brought the thread to the gem on his forehead. Words flew again, floating from Sol's jewel into the white puddle like forging a connection.
An image appeared in the white puddle. A constellation that looked like a water scoop, with the star at the tip of the handle being the brightest. The Little Dipper, and the North Star.
"Polaris, the North Star, was my twin brother."
Two baby humanoids were shown in the puddle. One looked like a young Sol, while the other had white hair and golden eyes.
"We were both born at the end of an age called 'the End of the Beginning.' We were the last two stars born during that age. Soon after our creation, Father used the Fourth Miracle to go into hiding. I suppose you could say that our birth caused Akasha to be sealed from Mortal eyes."
"Really? Why?"
"Rudeus. In your past life, you spent it searching for the Root. What you sought the Lesser Root. A being known as the "Eyes of Akasha." Father is the Greater Root."
A tree appeared in the puddle, its lower trunk split from its upper leaves. "If Akasha was a tree, the Greater Root would be the trunk and roots, while the Lesser Root would be the leaves and branches. Do you follow so far?"
"So... The Greater Root is the main foundation, while the Lesser Root is the countless possibilities born from said foundation?"
"Exactly. I didn't expect you to figure that out so quickly," Sol reached over to pat my head before continuing. The puddle faded to show a black void. Suddenly, a light lit up in the void's center. "In the beginning, a god was born with the Multiverse. A conscious being whose body was the Multiverse and whose mind was Akasha.
"Back then, there was no Greater or Lesser Root. They were still combined as a single entity. The entity chose to not interfere in mortal affairs. He was someone who had no emotion," Sol had a far-away look in his eyes. The kind that someone would get when recalling a sad yet nostalgic memory. More and more lights appeared in the black void the puddle showed, but none were as bright as the one that appeared first. "But after he created us, the Celestials, his mind was tainted by an idea instilled. We were his children, and that stirred the change in his heart. He wished to reincarnate and walk the world by our side like a good parent."
The puddle zoomed in on two spheres of plasma. "So Father created two vessels meant to hold his soul. Can you guess who they were?"
"It was you and Polaris, right?" I asked.
"Yep. You got it the first try," Sol reached over to ruffle my hair. "But he was Akasha itself. A true immortal. No mere body could hope to contain him."
In the puddle, a humanoid with three eyes stared back at me. The Primordial's body seemed to be covered with stars. A dark tendril wrapped around one of the eyes, pulling it out from its socket. Golden blood encompassed the image.
The blood then condensed into the shape of a rough sphere. It floated above what I presumed to be the God of Creation's hand. The gouged-out eye was there, too. Levitating about another "hand." Flames and plasma circled the two orbs, eventually forming two stars.
"To create vessels capable of holding him, he gouged out one of his three eyes. The eye became the core of Polaris, and the blood he shed became my core. His plan worked, and we were capable of becoming his body."
One of the stars abruptly shattered.
"However, when he tried to possess Polaris, he realized that a soul had begun to form. He quickly tried stopping the possession, but it was already too late. Polaris died before he could even be born."
The scene in the puddle was not pleasant to look at. A humanoid seemed to be raging in grief. Sol looked towards the sky while Sagittarius Alpha and Beta closed their eyes sadly. A heavy atmosphere hung over us. The weight of an unpleasant memory wasn't something to be taken lightly.
"We were there when Father attempted the reincarnation," Sagittarius Alpha said.
"When he realized he killed one of his own children... It wasn't a pretty sight," Sagittarius Beta nodded solemnly.
"He didn't try to use me to reincarnate, as my soul was beginning to show, too. And Father didn't want to use the corpse of my twin. It would be a constant reminder of his failure."
The puddle now showed the inhabitants of the Six-Faced World pointing at the North Star.
"Polaris's soulless corpse is what you humans call 'the North Star.' Our physical bodies can exist and burn even without our souls." Sagittarius Alpha answered the dominating question in my mind. If Polaris died, then why can I still see the star?
The mortals vanished, and the puddle now showed the God of Creation curled up in a fetal position. Chains and bindings wrapped around his body as his eyes slowly closed.
"Father, unable to bear the thought of having killed one of his children, went into a purifying slumber that would get rid of the guilt in his heart. He wanted to return to his original, emotionless state."
A star exploded in the image.
"But then the Celestial War happened."
"Yeah. I think you told me about that before. What was that?" I asked.
Sol thought for a while. "I think I forgot to give context."
The puddle now showed two Starborn. They looked familiar to me, but I couldn't quite place where I had last seen them. Shadows began creeping up their legs, eventually covering their bodies. When they emerged again, I finally recognized who the two were. Sagittarius Alpha and Beta.
"When stars reach the end of their life, we don't 'die.' Instead, we reincarnate into Voidsouls. Or black holes, as you call them."
Okay. Celestial biology was fascinating, sure. But what does that have to do with a literal war?
"When we become Voidsouls, we gain a kind of...natural instinct." Sagittarius Alpha supplemented. In tandem, the images in the puddle shifted to a black hole sucking in an unfortunate gas cloud. "We are obliged to feed on anything and everything. That kind of feeling is overpowering. And, since Father had just left us for an unknown time, we were greatly saddened, too. Those facts combined caused us to go insane."
More and more stars exploded in the image the puddle showed. The black void was filled with temporary light before everything was sucked away.
"We didn't discriminate and devoured anything that crossed our path. Even our own siblings. Soon, the Celestial population had declined to just a few million." Sagittarius Beta sighed regretfully. "I know they say it wasn't our fault, but I still feel guilty sometimes."
"I know, sister. I know." Sagittarius Alpha wrapped an arm around his twin.
The puddle now showed humaniods gathering around a star. They seemed to be performing a ritual of some sort.
"The remaining Starborn were becoming desperate. So, as a last-ditch effort, they used Polaris as a catalyst to summon Father." Sol looked towards the sky, towards the rough direction Polaris would be.
The star slowly morphed into a humanoid, resembling the ones surrounding him. The following scenes were of raging battles and bloody wars. I would much prefer not to describe them in detail. The final image was the God of Creation losing another one of his three eyes.
"They succeeded, and Father helped them reawaken the Voidsouls from their insanity. As a result, gouging out another one of his three eyes. But looking at the destruction they had caused, it was evident that other lifeforms wouldn't survive if us Celestials remained awake."
The God of Creation held a golden orb of light in his "hand." He pushed it into his "chest" area. From where the golden sphere entered, cracks began forming on the Primordial's body, eventually splitting him in two. The two halves regenerated into two distinct figures. One was a middle-aged man with a long beard, and the other was a young boy with three eyes.
"So Father split his body in two. The body his soul resides in became the Material Multiverse, the Greater Root," Sol pointed at the middle-aged man. "Polaris's body was fused with the other half of Father's body and the second gouged-out eye, becoming the Lesser Root. The Astral, or Celestial Multiverse." He pointed at the young boy.
"The Multiverse where our physical bodies are is called the Material Multiverse. That's where you live, Rudeus." Sagittarius Alpha looked into my eyes.
"And the other Multiverse is where our souls reside, our home. The Celestial, or Astral Multiverse." Sagittarius Beta said with a hint of nostalgia. "To honor Polaris, Father brought a shard of Polaris's physical body to the Celestial Multiverse and made him the light that enlightens the Sea of Void. By fusing another of Father's eyes with him, Polaris's corpse essentially became immortal and will continue to illuminate the Celestial Multiverse until the end of time."
"Okay. I understand that, but what does Polaris have to do with Anima?" I asked.
Sol shook his head, exasperated. He seemed almost nostalgic. "You and your short attention span. I guess you are similar to Polaris like that. I wonder if that is why I see him in you. Alright. Listen closely, little brother. This is truly the beginning of Anima's tale."
...
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...
Forest green eyes opened lazily, blue tinting my vision. Hmm. I see. So Sol was right. My Beastfolk terminal really was ready. I haven't been paying much attention to them recently, being too busy planning lessons and all that other stuff.
With a simple flick, my circuits burned to life. Soundwaves echoed through the glass tube, eventually causing too much strain and shattering my containment cell. I tumbled onto the floor, my skin sensitive and my senses unusually heightened.
Transporting my consciousness back to my main body, I teleported into the storage room to examine my new terminal.
Based on the Beastfolk, it obviously had animalistic traits. However, this body wasn't like the Beastfolk that roamed the manor, acting as servants. This body had two pairs of ears and two tails. One was a pair of cat ears, and the other was a pair of dog ears. The tails were the same as the ears. A cat's and a dog's.
I brought my consciousness back into the Beastfolk terminal, looking at the tails limply hanging on my bottom. I felt the sides of my head, feeling odd that my normal, human ears were gone. Oh, well. My silver hair covered the section where my human ears would be anyway, so people wouldn't know they were gone.
I nodded, my mind focused on one thing. Three of the seven bodies were finished. What am I going to do about the other four, though?
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Roxy
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Many years ago, when I was still at the Ranoa University of Magic, I was apprenticed under the Water Saint, Jinas Halfas. I was young and naive back then, and I said some terrible things to him.
Back then, Jinas was prideful and overbearing. There were times when I couldn't even stand his presence. Though, that was more or less my fault. During my earlier days in his laboratory, I was stupid and dense. And I couldn't understand the hopes he had for me.
Unfortunately, that time didn't last. My "Master" got jealous of my talents and insulted me terribly. I responded in kind, leaving the University as soon as I graduated without saying a word to him. Back then, I had thought teachers were "utterly useless."
Somewhere in my life after that incident, the opinion slowly faded away. I suppose many years of adventuring left me without room for petty thoughts. I myself became a traveling tutor as a second source of income. I was hired by many people to teach many different budding mages. A few ascended to Advanced rank, but they were all painfully average.
That changed, however, when I took on a student called Rudeus Greyrat.
He was barely three when I first met him, the youngest of my students. I had thought his parents were overenthusiastic and had exaggerated his talent. I was wrong. Regular three-year-olds might still wet the bed or cry for their parents at every opportunity, but not Rudeus.
He could use wordless casting since he cast his first spell, a feat never before recorded. He absorbed everything I taught like a sponge sucking in water. It was scary how self-away he was. And his eyes. They were enchanting, almost like a siren's song. Thousands of stars seemed to glitter in his irises. His eyes were two unique and powerful Demon Eyes that froze everything he saw or summoned a meteor shower at will.
He was blessed with talent from birth, that I'm sure of. No average child could be so self-aware at age three. All I had to do was teach him one thing, and he'd figure out five, nay, ten other things.
As if that wasn't enough, his eyes allowed him to see Runes. An art of magic thought lost in the First Great Human-Demon War. He was adept at casting them, too. Forming icicles and fire spears as effortlessly as breathing.
I took the Runes he carved and studied them. And I managed to successfully draw a few functional ones myself. However, I doubt I can match Rudeus, even when he was only five.
He seemed much older than his age, often spying on me in the bath. I wonder what his parents taught him?
I taught him all I could, and he surpassed me before I knew it. After his fifth birthday, he cast Cumulonimbus. A Saint-ranked spell. He became a Water Saint and my equal in magic.
It's odd, now that I think about it. Was it because I spent more time with the Greyrats than the others? Or could it simply be that I've grown fond of that blond-haired boy? When he surpassed me that day, I didn't feel an ounce of regret or envy, only a burning wish to further improve myself. I wonder if it was because I wanted to continue to be called his "teacher."
One thing led to another, and I became an Imperial Court Mage in Shirone's capital. The king had requested that I tutor the Seventh Prince. And that's how I ended up in this situation. A chubby boy rolling on the ground, trying to put out the fire on his clothes.
"Your Highness. You can't come up behind a woman and start groping her chest without warning."
I was fed up. This "prince" didn't act like royalty at all. The only thing I felt was displeasure when he touched me.
"Roxy! Were you trying to kill me?! I'll have you thrown in prison."
Pax Shirone, the kingdom's Seventh Prince. A kid with a bad attitude and a lazy mind. His behavior had been endearing at first, but it soon became a pain. How did he become like this? He wasn't as talented as Rudeus but was still a budding mage. There were rare occasions when he'd strive to improve himself. But those moments had dwindled in the past weeks.
"My apologies. I didn't realize such a weak attack would be fatal. Perhaps a few hours of exercise each day would do you well."
"Grrr! Criminal disrespect! I won't forgive this! If you want my forgiveness, the roll-up-"
I sighed. This conversation happens almost every week now. This was getting nowhere. I patted down my robes and stood up.
"I will be taking a short break. Please use this moment to rethink your actions, Your Highness."
"W-We're still in the middle of lessons, right?!"
"I cannot teach you till you reflect on your behavior. Please use my absence wisely."
Hah... No matter what, I can't stop comparing him to Rudeus. Can I even enjoy teaching after meeting a student like him?
I closed the door roughly, walking briskly along the winding palace halls. Should I go to the training grounds for some fresh air? Or maybe stop by the kitchen to see if they have any sweets...
"How's this, Master?!"
"Yes, that's excellent. However, you applied a bit too much force when carving the teeth. They're now crocked as a result. You have to be gentler, like this. See?"
"Ah! I understand. So I have to use less strength here?"
"Exactly. As you can see, this time, the result is more life-like. However, not everyone can have a perfect set of teeth. So having some imperfections can make a figure seem more alive sometimes."
Unknowingly, I had wandered to the open doors of another classroom. The scene inside was lively, like two friends having a nice chat over afternoon tea. A young boy and a skinny man were hunched before a half-finished doll. The man's hand slipped, and the doll's head broke off.
"Ah. I'm sorry, Master. It seems my super strength still needs some refinement."
"It's fine." The doll's broken head floated up and rejoined its uncarved body. "Mistakes are normal. So let's try again."
The boy looked up, stretching his neck. The resulting popping sounds told me they had been in this position for a long time. His eyes landed on me, and his smile grew a bit wider.
"Miss Roxy. How good it is to see you. What happened? Shouldn't you be teaching your own student around this time?"
His tone was too mature for an eight-year-old. He looked at me with this attachment that I couldn't quite place. He never made any advances on me, and the fondness in his grey eyes seemed more like respect than anything else. He was this kingdom's second Court Mage. Young Lord Animusphere, the famous magical craftsman from Fittoa.
The young lord waved at an empty seat. "You're welcome to come sit with us. We won't mind your presence. Right, Zanoba?"
"Yes, of course not. If Master says you are welcome here, then who am I to deny his request?"
The skinny man in royal clothes was the Third Prince. Zanoba Shirone. A Blessed Child with super strength. Before I came here, I had heard rumors of "a Prince Who Rips Necks." That prince was the same one hunched over a doll, delicately carving away at it like how a parent would treat their baby.
"Then I'll take you up on that."
I sat in the offered seat, and a small cup of tea slowly floated towards me. Lord Animusphere winked at me. I laughed, taking the cup before it hit the table. Right, I forgot to mention this, but Lord Animusphere is another Silent Spellcaster. Are all Silent Spellcasters incredibly talented kids? First Rudeus, and now this Young Lord.
"So, what caused you to abandon your student? Did he try assaulting you again?"
"Yep."
"As I expected. My condolences, Miss Roxy," the young lord had an apologetic and sympathetic smile. "Still no luck gaining his respect?"
In another conversation, the young lord told me mutual respect was the key to a long-lasting student-teacher relationship. I took what he said into consideration and came to the conclusion that he was right. However, gaining the Seventh Prince's respect was more challenging than I thought. Especially since he did some things that made me disrespect him greatly.
"No. It's quite difficult, considering I don't even respect him myself."
"Well, feel free to air out your grievances to me. I can keep an eye on Zanoba while you do so."
"That...is very generous of you, Lord Animusphere. But no, I do not wish to burden you with my problems."
"Preposterous! We are co-workers employed under the same king. It's the least I can do to offer advice when needed."
"O-Okay..." I hesitated but decided to tell the young lord. He was smart. Maybe he could come up with plausible solutions. "So here's my problem. You see..."
...
"I see."
After I finished telling him my troubles, the young lord scratched his chin.
"As I've said before, that is concerning. However, it sounds like you're not trying hard enough."
"Huh? What do you mean by that?" I asked.
"Well, you said that this student of yours keeps falling asleep in class. But you never mentioned that you'd wake them up when they do so. Also, you haven't given him proper punishment for any misdeeds he committed. If you don't punish a student, their reckless behavior will be reinforced. They'll think, 'Nobody's gonna care anyway, so I might as well do it again.' Sure, the student might start to hate you for punishing them, but it's for their own good. And if they can't understand that, they're at fault. Not you."
"But what if the student refuses to go through with the punishment?"
"Then tell the king about it." the young lord said matter-of-factly. "The king will understand since he was the one who hired you. If he doesn't even understand the importance of punishment, then it's a miracle the Shirone Kingdom is still standing."
"I see..." I muttered.
I get it now. After teaching Rudeus, who listened to everything I said and made almost no mistakes, I subconsciously started thinking everyone was like him. But they're not. Rudeus was a once-in-a-lifetime genius, but my student was a simple, regular teen. The light methods I used with Rudeus won't work with someone as immature as my current student.
"I understand now. Thank you, Lord Animusphere. Your wisdom was once again enlightening."
"I owe it all to my own Master."
"Oh? They must have been talented to teach someone so young as you. Could I have the chance to meet them one day?"
The young lord laughed, doubling over and leaning on his chair. "Sorry, but I think that's impossible for you."
"W-What? Why?!"
The young lord huffed, pressing his index finger to his mouth and grinning cheekily. "It's a secret."
...
I left the classroom a while later, feeling like I learned much. Even though the young lord was much younger than I, he still had so much knowledge and wisdom to offer.
I looked back at the peaceful scene. The two were more like friends than student and teacher, good-naturedly laughing at each other's mistakes while trying to help each other improve. Looking back on it, maybe Rudy saw me like that, too. A good friend. Could that be why I didn't feel any negativity when he surpassed me that day?
Young Lord Animusphere treated his student as a good friend and helped him match and even surpass him, all the while feeling proud instead of jealous.
Yes, he was a better teacher than I. And I'm not ashamed to admit it. Anyone could tell which one of us was the better teacher. I wish to be his equal one day. But until then, I'll do the best I can.
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Rudeus/Animus
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I put down the piece of chalk in my hands. It vanished into golden motes of light along with the writing on the blackboard. After a year of teaching Zanoba, we barely had classroom-style lessons anymore. Usually, we'd go to the sparring field and have him cast spells in quick succession. Or I'd be teaching him to make dolls with clay.
One more thing: I noticed that even if I drained his Mana Pool dry, it didn't double the next day. So was my previous hypothesis wrong? Or was there an age limit? Eris's Mana Pool doubled when it was empty, though. So why wasn't Zanoba's doing the same?
Well, that wasn't a problem for him. Because he was a Blessed Child, his super strength was active on day one. Meaning: he'd been using Mana to reinforce his body since birth. His pool wasn't as large as my own or even Sylphie's, but I had confidence it would be enough for him to cast Saint-rank spells, as long as he didn't reinforce his body while doing so. That super strength he had needed a surprisingly large amount of Mana to stay active.
On another subject, I started teaching him Runecraft a few months ago. It was another option he could use to make figurines. Runes barely took any Mana to cast, and you could carve them wordlessly. Zanoba was surprisingly chill about the whole thing about me knowing a lost art. He praised me by saying, "As expected from my master."
"Hmm... It's almost done."
My purple eyes stared at the Magic Circle I had drawn on the parchment before me. It was a summoning circle, but one not from this world. Remember that book on summoning I bought? I took some time reading it and found it quite interesting. I wanted to try it out. Why? Because I wanted another errand boy.
My human terminal-the body I'm controlling right now-is essentially confined to Shirone. This body would make all the money I'd ever need. The Demon terminal was kinda useless. Because I used Master Roxy's hair as the base for the demon body, its hair color was turquoise for some god-awful reason. Master Roxy's hair was sky blue, not turquoise! I would face prejudice everywhere I went. Going around in that terminal wasn't a good idea.
So, yeah. Hopefully, with this summoning circle, I could summon someone who could run my errands. I took inspiration from a Magic Circle I stumbled across in the Clocktower. This time, I used actual ink specially made for drawing Magic Circles. I needed this to be as stable as possible.
As I was checking everything, Zanoba walked into the room. "You're looking tired, master."
Why yes. I had spent the last few nights vigorously working on this project. I'd be surprised if I wasn't tired. Zanoba's eyes landed on the disfigured doll on my desk that acted as my paperweight.
"Master. It is embarrassing to show my failed creation to the general populace, don't you think?"
I barked a short, light-hearted laugh. "Only a select few people comes into this room. And besides, this is the first doll crafted by my student. What kind of teacher would I be if I wasn't proud of something this special?"
"M-Master!" Zanoba seemed moved to tears.
"You can get all emotional later. Come with me for now."
I rolled up the scrolls and stuffed it into my pocket. I scowled as my maroon-colored hat once again covered my eyes. Why did I even buy this?
"Where are we going, master?"
"To the training ground."
I grabbed him by the sleeve and dragged him with me, my Mana jamming his super strength so he couldn't resist. A familiar face popped out as I passed the room next to mine.
"A pleasure seeing you so early, Miss Roxy."
"Huh?! Oh, it's you. Good seeing you as well, Lord Animusphere." Her hat was a bit crocked, and her clothes a bit wrinkled. It was clear someone was in a hurry to get up.
"I told you before, call me Animus. Would you like to join us for a walk?"
"Sure, I'd love to."
Despite her previous doubts, my teacher has really warmed up to Zanoba. She wasn't afraid he'd tear off her neck the moment she said something offensive anymore. The fear was still there, but it had been greatly suppressed when we spent time together. I would go as far as saying she was now friends with Zanoba.
"There's still plenty of time 'till I must teach my student."
She said it like she was talking about some horrid monster than a human prince. Her annoyance shone through, clear as daylight. I chuckled nervously.
"Ahahaha. I take it his behavior hasn't improved?"
"You're right about that."
Zanoba spoke up from behind me. "You two certainly get along well, Master?"
"Well, she is one of the most famous mages in the region."
"But your fame is many times greater than-"
"I said she is the most famous!"
I said it quietly so Roxy wouldn't hear, but I was whispering directly into his ear, so it might as well have been screaming. Zanoba seemed to freeze into a comical position like the figurines he loves. I ignored his trembling, continuing to pull him towards the training grounds.
...
When we got to the training ground, there were already people there. Many knights were swinging their swords or doing practice drills. Well, they work hard, I'll give them that.
I chose a secluded corner where I wouldn't bother anyone and placed my scrolls on the ground. This Magic Circle had many layers, allowing it to conduct both Mana and Od. It was a tab more complicated than your regular summoning circle, but I hope the extra effort would be worth it.
"This that a summoning circle, Lord Animusphere?"
Roxy was peering over my shoulder, her eyes clinically scanning the scrolls I'd placed down.
"Why are there so many layers?"
"It makes the Mana flow easier. If these scrolls were all compressed into one piece of paper, the chances of failure would be quite high. But layering them solves that problem, see?"
"I see... I wonder why no one has ever thought of that..."
"Someone probably did, but history forgot them."
Roxy fell into silence, probably thinking of all the implications this had. Zanoba had been quiet the entire time. He didn't know much about magic, so there wasn't much he could contribute.
"You know, it really surprised me that Druids still exist. Weren't they all wiped out?"
"A Druid is someone who uses Runecraft. It's not like Druids are a specific race."
"Is that so? I see..." Roxy trailed off.
"Alright. Now, I can begin."
"Begin what, Master?"
"I'm going to try and summon a familiar spirit."
With all the scrolls layered, everything was finally set up. I took a step back to better cast my magic. Both the circle and chant were from my old world. I don't remember what they were for. Only that they were supposed to summon great heroes. I remember Flat doing something similar before he died, contracting a great hero of the past. I don't know who killed him. Maybe it was his summoned spirit or another magus of the Clocktower. Right now, it doesn't matter. All I need to know is that this spell works.
"A familiar spirit? Like the ones of Perugius?"
"Something like that. I'm not even sure what Perugius's familiars are, so I can't be sure their Spirit Origins are the same."
"Oh! Is that what all these Magic Circles are for, Master?"
"Yes, my apprentice. Now, please step back, you two. This might be dangerous."
The two people beside me both shook their heads. For different reasons, I'm guessing.
"Master, if this is dangerous, there is all the more reason for me to stay close to you. I can protect you with my durable body if there so be the need."
"This is a rare chance for me to witness an actual summoning. I'm not going anywhere."
I nodded. Who am I to deny the two if they want to stay and watch? Besides, having more people to fight in case the summoned spirit goes berserk gonna be safer. I changed the chant as I thought the original one wouldn't work. I wonder if I messed it up?
"The elements, gold and fire. A foundation of void and the Oath of the Stars. And for my Great Masters, Polaris and Akasha."
The Magic Circles on the scrolls began glowing. Said scrolls began shaking as if violent winds blew through the training field. Liquid Mana dripped from my hands onto the ground. It glowed a faint blue, barely visible under the morning sun.
"Raise a wall against the wind and close the gates of four directions. Come down from the crown and follow the forked road leading to the kingdom."
Faint embers ignited before me. Starfire consumed the scrolls in a raging inferno. Despite everything, the layers upon layers of Magic Circles remained floating in the air, undisturbed by the roaring flames. Without warning, they collapsed and layered themselves on the ground.
"Heed mine words! My will creates your body. And your sword, my destiny! If you heed the Root's call, obey my will and reason, then answer my summoning!"
Using the collected Magic Circles on the ground as a catalyst, the liquid Mana dripping from my fingers took a solid shape. It separated and stretched. As if an invisible brush was guiding its actions. A much more intimidating Magic Circle took form, about ten meters across. Glowing an unmistakable golden hue, it spun slowly on the ground. The original Magic Circles had turned purple, spinning in the opposite direction in the core.
"I hereby swear that I shall be all the good in the world. That I shall defeat all evil in the world."
Actual gusts of wind began picking up. The knights and squires training in the field ran for shelter, thinking a large storm or tornado was coming. My arm was getting heavy, almost unbearably so. I looked up at the sky and noticed six swirling clouds concentrating in a hexagon formation, with a seventh cloud at their center. They were unnatural, shown by their shifting, almost mosaic coloring.
"And let thine limbs be bound with chains of inaction. Thou, whose soul be pacted with seals of old, whose mind weathers an eternity waiting for the final song!"
My arm felt like it was cast from lead. I noticed three red marks engraving themselves on my right hand's back with a burning pain. They were shaped like a butterfly. The summoning circle had enlarged, too. It now covered the entire training field. Looking behind me, I saw that Roxy had built a tent from stone to protect themselves from the raging winds.
"Zanoba."
"Yes, master!"
"Help me keep my arm up."
"Of course, master!"
He bravely stepped out of the stone shelter. His thin frame decreased his wind resistance, and his supernatural strength refused to let the winds make him budge. He walked towards me, seemingly effortlessly. I was jealous of his ability in times like this. I could use reinforcement with Od, but it wasn't as effective. He gripped my outstretched arm and helped me keep it upright.
"Seventh Heaven, clad in the Seven Great Worlds of Power. Come down from the Circle of Binding! Oh, guardian of the scales!"
A kaleidoscopic light engulfed the entire grounds. Thousands of colors I never thought existed showed themselves in that instant. Reality seemed to rip and crack as something manifested before me. The faint sound of chains clicking into place before vanishing was unexpected. I heard the amused laughter of an old man.
"Well, now. This is unexpected."
The aged voice of an elderly man rang through the grounds. I put the hand that held my command spells-I think that's what they're called-to my chest. From the smoke and dust came a man dressed in fancy black robes. There was a thick white beard on his chin, and his hair had long since turned gray. An amused smile was donned on his elderly face, the wrinkles becoming more prominent the wider he grinned. It was like he was a grandpa watching his mischievous grandchild-me-do something stupid and waiting to bail me out with a smirk.
"Servant Observer. My true name is Kischur Zelretch Schweinorg. The Root told me it was in danger, so I'm here to protect it. Things would get terribly dull if the Root got destroyed. This should provide me with some entertainment."
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Servant: =Observer=
-Those who only observe but never intervene. Entities that embody the will of the Root-
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Observers have a base damage multiplier of 0.9x.
Observers have a base star generation rate of 30%.
Observers have a base star absorption of 70.
Observers have a base death rate of 5%.
Observers deal 0.75x damage to and take 0.5x damage from all classes except Foreigners and Berserkers.
Observers deal 2x damage to and take 0.5x damage from Foreigners.
Observers deal 1.5x damage to and take 1.0x damage from Berserkers.
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Qualifications:
Known as the "Heroic Spirits of Inaction" or "Guardians of the Root." Servants of this Class do not, will not, and must not act unless Akasha is in danger. The "Observer" Class is split into two categories: "Celestial Observers" and "Mortal Observers."
Celestial Observers make up the majority of the Observer class. They are a special group of Celestials known as the Awakened Generation. These unique Celestials are the stars and black holes formed in the first billion years of the multiverse's creation, with the exception of Polaris and Sigma Octantis. Back then was the time Akasha reigned, and those of the Awakened Generation have all seen Akasha with their own eyes.
The minority are "Mortal Observers." Mortals who have reached the Root or have been blessed by the Celestials of the Awakened Generation.
In sublimation, the shared characteristic of those in this Class is that all have touched upon Akasha.
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Skills and Characteristics:
The Observer class will hardly ever be summoned. When they manifest, it means Akasha is in danger of being irreparably damaged.
It is impossible to call upon a singular Servant when calling a Celestial Observer. Chain summoning spells will activate and summon the remaining Celestial Observers. They are called forth not by the World but by Akasha to act as its defense mechanism. If Akasha is the body, then the Celestial Observers are its immune system. However, summoning a single Mortal Observer is possible.
Those in this Class have no weaknesses but can only show their true strength when Akasha is in danger. For the Celestial Observers, it is because their summoning will inadvertently cause their awakening. When awakened, a Celestial is infinitely stronger. But that means no other life except Celestials can exist, as their power will sterilize all other lifeforms. For Mortal Observers, it is because the Root will empower them with infinite strength should they agree to protect it from danger.
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Well? Any thoughts? I think I did well, at least,
I didn't meddle with MT's history much, but the unnamed Voidfolk will play a significant role in future chapters.
Also, the Titanomachy. That's going to be important, too. It's not the one that happened in Greek mythology if any of you are wondering.
And about Zelrech. He's not going to be in the story much. As the chapter said, he's going to be investigating the anomaly about Akasha, so he won't have much time to meddle.
He's more like someone who will help push the story along and then vanish.
Also, if any of you wondered why I chose "Octantis" as the name for the dark titan, search Sigma Octantis.
Anyways, Please like, share, follow, and comment.
As always, good luck with your game of life.