Chapter 644 Destiny or Misdirection: Truth's Trial
"You have my deepest sympathies, Truth." The words slipped out without my noticing, but when I did I meant every word. If this was the alternative, I would gladly take what Truth was doing to me.
"Don't. That is the reason why she despises us both, and why I took you on this path filled with despair. We are cowards, but your purpose is to become better than me. You must kill us all when the time comes. If you don't, this will never end, and one day you will be standing here explaining this to another. I was never able to kill the Eldritch, but not for a lack of trying. Akasha still exists, but I don't think that I have to explain that to you."
I put my hand up to stop him and then spun my fingers back. "Hold on, and let's rewind. You said something pretty important there about me killing you. I get the other two, but why you, and how can I kill something that you couldn't?"
Truth sighed a long, heavy sound that made his figure shimmer for a moment before he regained control.
"You are far different from me, Galio. You've walked a similar path but you've made different choices. You've learned from failures, you've shown the strength to accept your faults and move forward," Truth started. "That is your true power. The ability to empathize, to love, to forgive... These traits make you a god among men, far more than any divine power can."
He paused for a moment and looked directly at me with a stern, somber expression.
"And as for why you must kill me... You have seen the cycles of pain, the mistakes I've made, the harm I've caused. It is time for a change. The cycle has to end with you, or it will be as I said, and there will just be more of us playing this game. That red Chaos? That is the Eldritch that I pushed outside of reality, but he was able to infect Matthias because you pushed him to the same place when you sealed him away. That creature will lend its power to any who asks for it so long as it is to cause chaos. Each of us only wants one thing in the end."
His words hung in the silence between us, rooting me to the spot. The gravity of our conversation, the implications of his statements - they were a lot to digest. I already felt a heaviness settling in my chest, like a stone sinking in the abyss of an ocean.
"Well, I have a pact with both of you, and I have the power to save Xieus. I also understand that the three of you only want chaos, destruction, and truth, but why do you think that I could take the place of you three?" I asked, and reality snapped back to the rock floating in the abyss of space with my doppelganger.
"You honestly think that having three deities messing with the very fabric of reality all the time is a good thing?"
I shrugged and flopped down on the ground. This trek was mentally exhausting, but my mind was still sharp enough to understand how bad having just one being ruling over all could be. There was the potential for greatness, but how long could that last? What if I got bored, or angry?
"The idea of being the most powerful and omnipotent entity that ruled over everything is terrifying. At least you have those two to build your character. Alone, you might have done great things, but you might also have destroyed everything," I said as I stared up at the stars.
"Interesting. You have grown more than I had first thought. A respectable answer that earns you forgiveness for attacking me before. Now that you understand all this, and have passed my test I will explain how Akasha's power works. While I gifted you with True Magic, her power is only born from the desire to destroy everything and bring eternal darkness," Truth began, his voice echoing through the empty cosmos.
"She has the ability to drain the life essence of planets, reducing thriving worlds to lifeless husks. In addition, her ability to twist emotions and manipulate minds gives her a psychological edge over her enemies. However, her most terrifying power lies in her excellent ability to regenerate. She can reform herself from a single atom, preventing permanent death."
I gave an involuntary shudder. "If what you control is called True Magic, and it gives me the power the create and warp reality, what is Akasha's ?"
"Desolation's End, and do not mistake my power with hers. They might appear similar, but where mine is meant to create and reshape, hers consumes and destroys. The yin and yang of our existence. Destruction and creation, but she has forgotten the balance a while ago."
His response made me doubt the choices I've made. If Akasha's power was truly as destructive as Truth claimed, would I ever be able to stop her?
Observing my troubled expression, Truth quickly added, "You don't need to stop her or kill her. That is just as impossible as killing me. My test earlier was to see what your honest response was to the question. Your answer was a good one, but far from the only one."
"So, what do I need to do?" I asked, feeling at a loss for the first time in our conversation.
"Do? Do you not understand why I made this Pact with you? Do what you would like! Save the girl! Kill the bad guy! Why do you think I care? As you said, I only wish to see the truth that I have not!" His voice boomed, engulfing me in a whirl of sound and reminding me of the immense power he wielded effortlessly. As his voice started tapering off, it was like a fog was lifting from my thoughts.
"I can see more clearly now. I can make my own choices. Shape my destiny" I said, finally realizing what was left to do. Truth said nothing, only nodding, his gaze steady on and I knew this was the beginning of an essential chapter in my life.
I knew now. In this cosmic game of gods and reality, I was the wild card. Guided, but not controlled – I could save them all. I had a daunting task ahead: to defy destiny, to protect those I cared about, and to bring justice to the manipulative forces that toy with the lives of beings across galaxies.
As the stars shimmered around me, I felt the new power within me brimming to the surface. The paths were now open, a million possible outcomes leading from each. I was now truly a force that would shape the destiny of the universe for better or for worse.
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