novelraw Chapter 271: Should I Exist?
Chapter 271: Should I Exist?
Chapter 271: Should I Exist? “Do you finally understand now?” Merlin’s voice echoed into the distant scene as Soren stood in silence—watching it all unfold without a single change in expression. Although his thoughts were a jumbled mess, he did indeed understand.
“The lands of fantasia… A fantasia that can be anything you want it to be.
“King Arthur and his Twelve Knights… They interpreted this world to be Avalon—the mythic hidden island of paradise.”
The King of Avalon he had heard so much about was Him all along…
Merlin nodded. “Correct. In fact, there were many other legendary figures of antiquity who had traveled here inadvertently—all of them possessed their own unique interpretation on what this world could be… That is why this period was known as the Age of Mythologies.
“At that time, the instability caused by the Fracturing forced the Beyond into obtaining more foreign influence from the Astral River. The world was still unstable, and the Willpower of the Collective Subconscious was highly weakened. It needed people with clear visions and ideas—dreams full of ambition—to strengthen itself.
“Of course, this didn’t matter to the late King Arthur. With me by His side, our little cohort formed an entire army, waging a continental war against any who stood in our way. Village after village, citadel after citadel… All of them fell under our banner. The only enemy who stood a chance were the dragons—they were truly tenacious foes.”
A sudden change stirred across the envisioned scene. Soren watched as a figure appeared at the Round Table council room. Donned in dark silver armor coated in white fur and a royal blue cape, was a man tall in stature—the glint in his azure eyes held an authoritative vision, unwavering in its deep-rooted ambitions. His auburn hair sat gracefully beneath a thin golden crown—its radiance shining bright even in the dimly lit room.
Despite his regal appearance, Soren sensed a heavy gloom clinging to him. His expression was fixed in a frown, bleakness radiating from him like a sickness. Even the soft stubbles of his beard reflected this.
So this is the King of Avalon… Arthur… Soren made sure to memorize every detail.
The King of Knights stared deeply at the two maps spread across the table, as if contemplating something profound.
“It was truly a simpler time back then,” He heard Merlin sigh. “If only that decision was never made—perhaps we could have remained happy without needing to know the truth.”
Soren glanced at the Sleepless Guide for a moment, noticing only a faint smile coating his expression. “Are you referring to this world being Earth’s past…”
“Indeed,” He nodded. “There were many groups just like us who arrived here accidentally—all of them known through countless myths and legends back on Earth. Their ambitions were no less than ours, but it was we who ended up victorious in the end.
“And thus, this world became known as Avalon, the mysterious isle we believed it to be. Our empire grew to encompass the entire continent—except for the Runic Mountains which remained under the control of the dragons. During that time, many believed King Arthur’s reign would truly last for eternity.
“And in a way, could you really blame them?
“Arthur not only became one of the strongest Empyreans of His generation, but His twelve knights were each at the level of a Monarch. Not to mention the hundreds of Archmages, thousands of Mystic Grade Phantasms, and a standing army that possessed more than thirty million soldiers!”
Shaking his head, Merlin continued, “But by far the most important thing was Him obtaining the tacit approval of all three Old Gods. At the time, the Serpent of Untruths, the Heavenly Loop, and the Tower of Runes were all said to have arrived in this world with their divinities intact. Of course, they sought to rule over it all… King Arthur becoming their ‘apostle’ was the best way to achieve that.
“In exchange for protecting His empire and securing its future, He would help to legitimize their divine acclaim, setting up churches for each of the deities. Through the Serpent of Untruths, Arthur was then able to spread the lie that this world had always been known as Avalon, adding to His rightful claim. By that point, the other mythological figures who had also transmigrated to this world had no choice but to submit to HIs vision.”
Glancing at Arthur’s figure, Merlin couldn’t help but chuckle. “Every step of the way, I was there to provide that guidance to Him. It was my plans that led to Arthur’s successes. From the war strategies, to even convincing the Old Gods into joining our side… My calculations had all come to fruition! Our golden age had truly begun!...”
“... That was until we made that one singular mistake.”
The words made Soren focus once more.
“A mistake that would make us question everything we had strived to build.”
Below him, Soren spotted another figure appearing at the scene. Unlike the King, his clothing was far less elegant. A slate-grey cloak—tattered at the hem… Its fabric shredded into moth-eaten ribbons that trailed like smoke at his heels. Beneath it, he wore a high-collared black doublet that was fastened tightly by a row of silver buttons.
The dark fabric of his tunic was broken only by a thin silver chain at his hip—binding what looks to be a grimoire of sorts—and a glint of steel on his left arm. Though, even this ornate shoulder plate depicting the Avalon Empire’s sigil had clearly seen better days…
Soren then glanced at the figure’s face—indeed, he too held a rather gloomy expression. His hair was the color of winter wheat—a pale, muted blonde that seemed to have lost its luster over the years… It fell in soft, disorganized waves—long enough to hide the pain in his grayish-colored eyes.
The rugged figure conversed with the King—Soren couldn’t hear their conversation, but he could tell from their expressions that the topic must have been rather grim.
“Lancelot…” Merlin said slowly with a soft chuckle. “He and I shared many disagreements after we discovered that dreaded mistake.”
Lancelot?! The name echoed in Soren’s mind. According to the legends, Ser Lancelot was one of the Twelve Knights of the Round Table and said to be King Arthur’s most trusted friend… However, many of the stories depict him as a betrayer—someone who had broken the king’s trust.
Soren glanced at the scene once more—noticing just how heated their argument was becoming… Eventually, Lancelot turned away from Arthur, heading for the nearby round table. An elegant rapier decorated in gold and silver appeared before him, arranged in a circle with the rest. The proud knight grit his teeth and picked up the blade, sheathing it to his hip before leaving the chamber in silence.
I see… Their argument inevitably caused him to resign from his position at the Round Table…
This did, however, raise many questions.
For one, the legend he was aware of depicted Lancelot as a traitor—someone who had not only abandoned his role, but a villain who eventually caused the collapse of the Round Table. There were even some iterations that characterized him as a lecher—someone who had desired Arthur’s wife as his own. Since that was the case, how exactly did these versions of the myth become so popular?
No, a better question would be why these myths exist in the first place…
Since the events taking place happened in Yarian, how exactly did his homeworld come to possess these myths about Arthur’s Twelve Knights?
And then, it hit him.
The Astral River…
As Merlin explained, the Astral Anima carried by that mysterious stream does not only flow in one direction. Just as anima from other worlds arrives here, so too does Yarian send out its own influence to distant realms beyond the fractures…
And since the connection between Yarian and Earth was extremely strong, the anima being exchanged would naturally be higher!
Could it be that the knowledge about the myth was transmitted to Earth through the Astral River, but due to the filtering, only some parts managed to reach the Collective Subconscious? That would naturally explain why the myth has so many iterations and differences. No one could agree on the truth, because the information that managed to make it to Earth was always incomplete...
Furthermore, since Arthur and his twelve knights were already legendary figures on Earth, the knowledge arriving through the Astral River only served to solidify their place in the history of Earth’s Collective Subconscious.
Soren glanced at Merlin—his eyes itching to know more. “Tell me. What exactly is this mistake you guys committed? Why did it lead to Arthur and Lancelot splitting apart?”
The Magician stood frozen for a while, his smile never fading. Eventually, however, he sighed.
“Convergence. I’ve said this word to you before.”
Soren nodded.
“You see, I’ve been hiding something from you. My explanation on the Astral River’s influence wasn’t really complete.
“Although the Fracturing might have split the universe into countless separate realms, that is only one part of the truth. The reality is that these fragments of the universe… They are being unknowingly pulled back together slowly. We call this phenomenon the Convergence Principle.”
Soren’s frown deepened. “Is it like gravity? But on a cosmic scale?”
“Kind of,” He shrugged. “There isn’t a real explanation yet as to why it's happening, but we can observe its effects through the strengthening of the Astral River. No, a part of me believes that the Astral River itself might be partially responsible.
“I told you earlier that the foreign influence it provides continues to grow year after year. That is due to the Convergence of our world with the other distant realms. The more we converge, the stronger the Astral River’s influence becomes, which ultimately speeds up the process even more—essentially creating a feedback loop.
“Of course, this is relatively a non-issue for other realms. Even if eventually, the dimensions would recombine, the inhabitants in each world would largely go unaffected. Perhaps issues might arise from the Divine Authorities present in each realm, but we have no way of predicting what would happen under such a scenario.”
“Wait, go back a second…” Soren recalled his words. “You said, ‘it's a non-issue for other realms?’ Is that implying…”
“Yes,” Merlin cut him off with a grin. “Convergence is very dangerous for both this world and Earth.”
“.....”
“Consider this,” He crossed his nebulous arms. “Since Yarian is essentially a parallel version of Earth’s past, what do you think will happen if the two realms were to recombine?”
Soren’s eyes widened. “The past and future would mix… Chaos…?”
“More than that.” The Whispering Dream shook his head. “It would be no different from a cataclysm. In fact, I am of the belief that this newly recombined realm would once again experience a reset. Humanity would have to begin from zero, just like they did with the Age of Regression.”
No way…
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Merlin continued, “Moreover, something else would likely occur as well. A clash between the two realm’s Beyonds… Since only one Universal Law could exist, determining its conceptual symbolisms will be the goal of every figure of notable strength. A war unlike any other would spark before the fated cataclysm would have even had the chance to claim its first life.
“This… This is what both King Arthur and Astrea realized… The ruination of this world… It has always been inevitable.
“The return of the past—convergence… This is what the Whispers of History truly reference…”
Suddenly, the scene before him shattered completely. Soren felt his consciousness return to him, as his blurry vision slowly revealed a familiar scene. The infinite cosmos above radiantly illuminated the glass-like surface of the world below his feet…
A world he now understood far differently than he had moments before. Pangeae, the supercontinent… Once known as Avalon but now holds the name of Yarian. This was indeed the Cathedral of Aeons.
“It is important, however, to make a clear distinction.” Merlin’s voice echoed across the infinite space. Soren glanced at the distant abyssal chasm. The hooded figure remained seated there.
“A distinction?” He asked with a frown.
“Yes, a distinction. One that separates the cause from the effect—the clear difference between Arthur and Astrea… Although they were both Foolish Ones, it was the former who brought about this series of events. No—perhaps it was my fault.
“I spoke earlier about a mistake we committed. Come closer, I will show you what I meant.”
With a frown, Soren took a few steps forward, standing next to the mysterious hooded figure. In the distance, the crucified figure of his teacher appeared before him. Soren wasn’t unsure of what to feel…
“So… Where is it? This supposed mistake?” He glanced around, unsure of where to look. A part of him wondered if this too was a manufactured dream—the Sleepless Guide hadn’t actually said otherwise, after all. He could still be steering him away from the truth without knowing it…
With a chuckle, Merlin lifted his nebulous hand and pointed toward the bottom of the colossal chasm. It took Soren a moment to realize what he meant.
“The strange creature? The one asking for its heart?!” Just recalling its horrifying howls sent a chill down his spine.
“Star Apostle.” The Sleepless Guide said in a whisper. “That is what Arthur and his Twelve Knights called it. A creature that has been around since this world’s creation after the Fracturing. It is said to carry the will of the Orbits of Fate—those who seek divinity must obtain its approval, for it carries with it the necessary destinies of this world. The Cathedral of Aeons had once been its home—a place it had created to serve its purpose as this world’s fated guide…”
Glancing at the abyss, Merlin couldn’t help but sigh. “Of course, back then, Arthur also understood this. With the backing of the Old Gods, he climbed Mount Tolarion to seek an audience with it. He desired to claim a destiny that would allow him to rule over the newly named world of Avalon. For eternity…”
“Let me guess,” Soren crossed his arms with a frown. “It refused?”
“Indeed.” Merlin chuckled. “So in the end, the only choice left for Arthur was violence. A choice He
had made a thousand times before across the continent… “And of course, just like those other times, he was once again victorious. Him, His Twelve Knights, and the three Old Gods, managed to defeat the Star Apostle—stealing its heart and shattering it into what you know as the Nine Hollowed Star fragments.”
That’s their origins?... His eyes widened in shock. “So that’s why it wants its heart back…”
The Whispering Dream continued, “After obtaining the Hollowed Star fragments, Arthur ended the Age of Mythologies, ushering in a new era—the Age of Mysteries. Also known as the Age of Eternity during that time…
“Of course, neither I nor Him could have realised just how massive of a mistake this was. This space—the Cathedral of Aeons…
“Only the Star Apostle could control it…”
“What…” Soren glanced up at the infinite cosmos above—the realization dawning on him.
The Astral River… It was continuing to pour its foreign anima into this world…
“It is just as you have guessed.” Merlin confirmed his suspicions. “Without someone to manage it, the Estuary of the Stars has gotten out of control. That is why our Convergence with Earth has rapidly accelerated.
“If the Star Apostle were still here, this realm would likely not have faced the same fate. Moreover, because of the Hollowed Star fragments, the power to decide Yarian’s fate was then foolishly thrown into the hands of anyone who obtained them. At the time, Arthur didn’t understand this threat—He believed that his Age of Eternity would truly last for… well, an eternity.
“It was only after the fall of His empire that we saw how horrifying the effects truly were. The Age of Heresy could really only be described as a nightmare…”
Soren’s lips twitched slightly. The question he was about to ask… He was hesitant to say it.
“Is that why you want me to kill Mistress Sienna? To return the Hollowed Star fragments back to the Star Apostle?”
But the answer he received surprised him: “No. My goal is truly to destroy this world.”
“Why?!” Soren couldn’t understand his reasoning.
“Because the Star Apostle cannot fix what has already been done. It's simply too late.”
“.....”
Sighing, Merlin decided to explain. “I told you before—Astrea… Her arrival in this world was a poison. No, it might be more accurate to say that it was a warning…
“After the Age of Mysteries ended with the Avalon Empire’s disappearance, the scramble for divinity began. With the Hollowed Star fragments determining the fate of the next era, ambitious figures from all over the continent began searching for them. And since there was no one left to manage the Cathedral of Aeons, obtaining the influence filtered in the Side Branches became a top priority.
“These actions, however, had inadvertently caused the weakening of the barrier, and most importantly, an acceleration of the Convergence Principle—something no one knew at the time. Once the Age of Twilight began, the two realms—Earth and Yarian—had already begun their crash course into each other. A crash course no one can stop now… And with every added manipulation of the Side Branches, that fate only grew more and more unavoidable.”
The nebulous cloud forming his figure stirred as he stared deeply at Sienna.
“Astrea’s transmigration… It should have signalled something was wrong to the New Gods. The barrier had weakened so much, a divine figure had once again arrived into this world from Earth—something that hadn’t been seen since the Age of Mythologies fifty thousand years prior.
“And yet, the Flower Maiden and the Slumbering One were blinded by their own greed. They sought to obtain this newly born symbol of humanity for themselves, oblivious of the implications Her arrival spelled for this world…
“Perhaps the Beast of Knowledge knew about this—that is why He ultimately decided to remain neutral during the War of Swords.”
Hearing this, Soren couldn’t help but frown. “So what? Just because the convergence has progressed significantly shouldn’t mean it can’t be stopped. How much longer do the two worlds have, anyway? Another thousand years or so?”
Merlin paused for a moment then answered—his words leaving him petrified.
“Ten years.
“Earth and Yarian only have ten years before their convergence creates another reset.”
“Impossible…” He found himself recoiling, a step taken in a daze. Soren then shot a glance at the abyssal chasm, his composure once again fracturing.
“What about other solutions? Couldn’t there be something else to try?!”
The nebulous figure beneath the hood chuckled.
“Astrea has already tried Her own solution. The Divine Accord She enacted froze this world’s Celestial Fate. All in the hopes of delaying the inevitable… Of course, this came at the cost of Her vowing not to allow any of the Gods—including Herself—to interfere in this world’s affairs ever again, banishing all of them from the planet. She now watches everything from the Silver-Eyed Moon, helpless against my advances…
“And then there was Arthur… He had decided to end His own fabrication—the Lie of Avalon… With the forbidden power of the Nameless Mist, He sought to erase everything He
had created—believing that doing so might allow Him the chance to return to Earth. Of course, Lancelot rejected this idea, but that didn’t stop Him anyway…“With the Forgotten Rune’s help, He managed to defeat the three Old Gods who had once supported His ascension to the throne. But all it achieved in the end was the utter erasure of His empire, leading to the Age of Heresy…”
He shook his head and sighed. “None of the Foolish Ones of History could ever find the right solution to this problem. Their actions either worsened the impending calamity, or had been utterly fruitless…
“But then again, it was me who had led them astray to begin with."
“You… what?..” Soren couldn’t believe what he was hearing.
“Why do you think they used to call me the Sleepless Guide?” Merlin grinned. “That is indeed my role… As someone who helped Arthur grow His empire from the very beginning, He was open to any advice I suggested. Influencing Him into dismantling His own delusions was relatively easy.
“At the end of the day, Arthurwas the type of person who hated endings. As the rightful King, he believed his reign would last forever. He was consumed by madness the moment He learned about the Convergence Principle. With the discovery of the Nameless Mist, the solution became obvious…
“Of course, I only suggested it to Him so that I could finally rid this realm from the Old God’s influence. It largely ended in success.”
He then glanced over at the infinite cosmos. “As for Astrea, Her obsession with balance became this world’s undoing. After I had informed Her about the Convergence Principle, She sought the only solution that could bring about balance: the Divine Accord. After all, one would logically assume that convergence can’t occur if fate itself was frozen.”
His laughter filled the air. “Of course, this was what I had been expecting Her to do from the very beginning. Because unlike everyone else who knew the truth regarding the Star Apostle, I was the only one mature enough to come to an understanding…
“Convergence… It can’t happen if there isn’t a realm to converge with. That is the only true logical solution. A solution no one else could accept but me.”
Soren’s eyes widened.
He smiled beneath the hood. “And what better way to enact it than to simply let the Rift consume this world? With Astrea’s Divine Accord in place, the Orbits of Yarian’s fate stars would continue to desynchronize, allowing for the Vynasians to invade. Of course, this was largely due to me breaking the Divine Promises—something Astrea would have never expected anyone to do.”
Soren grit his teeth. “You’ve truly been one hell of a bastard… From the First Age till now, everything has been progressing toward your goal…”
The hooded figure chuckled. “Your high appraisal makes me very happy, but really, I couldn’t have done any of it without the help of the previous Foolish Ones of History! Their role was indispensable for the achievement of my goals.
“And now, it is your turn, Soren Andersen.” The nebulous figure stared at him—his smile noticeable even through the clouds of glittering dust. “The Last Foolish One of History…. The Lamb of This Era.”
Hearing his words, Soren looked straight ahead, his heart once again pounding louder than ever before. Suspended in mid air, he watched in horror as Sienna slowly began to stir from her slumber.
Her star-spangled eyes focused on the distant visage of her pupil—his expression full of anguish and grief.
She smiled brightly in response. “Do not be saddened, dear. This outcome… It has been fated to occur from the very beginning. You are the only one with a fate not connected to this world—only you could shatter my Soul Weapon, and the millions of fate stars it now holds. This… this is a role only you could accomplish.”
“Mistress…” His expression twisted. “I can’t do it… I can’t…”
Hearing this, Merlin couldn’t help but click his tongue. “How pitiful… Recall your purpose, Mr. Traveler.
“Your question—’Should humanity exist?’—you asked it because you believed humanity wasn’t living up to its true potential. That they were squandering the opportunity their existence brought them…
“So I must therefore ask you—have you lived to your true potential? Your role in this world—the opportunities available to you—what have you accomplished with them?
“Nothing. Absolutely nothing.” He spat. “You fooled yourself into believing you were nothing more than a witness, and yet every act of spectation came with altering the theatre. You have been manipulating the play all along, without an ounce of thinking for the future. Your lashing out against fate has served no one—not even yourself.”
“I know that!” Soren grit his teeth. I know that…
His question… It had indeed been an illusion from the very start. A mirror into his own failings.
After the death of his grandparents, the grief of it all made him abandon all his ambitions. His chess career, his college prospects, even something as mundane as working a day job felt completely alien…
Should humanity exist? From the very beginning, it should’ve just been, ‘Should I exist?’
But his own ego refused to frame the question in this way. After all, how could it only be his own fault? It was his parents who had abused him, his friends who had used him, his grandparents who passed away before getting to witness his greatest accomplishments…
He wasn’t the only one who squandered his potential—humanity itself was flawed from the start. He believed the fault didn’t rest on him.
Because failure… Failure wasn’t an option for Soren, the prodigy…
In a way, it was no wonder the Secrets of the Records ritual sent him to this world. The answer to whether or not he should exist now rested before him:
Should he squander his potential and continue being only a witness, or interfere in the script as the character he had always been?
The former implied ‘No’ to his ritual question, while the latter implied ‘Yes.’
His very existence now rested upon this decision.