Chapter 825: SOS Signal
|WHAT!?|
The First Progenitor screamed in shock, eyes widening as they sensed it.
The Eternals scattered across the Numbered Multiverses sensed it.
The Aggressors within the Dark Multiverse sensed it.
All Envoys of Chaos and Order sensed it.
It lasted only an instant.
A microsecond.
However, they, who were closest to the Cosmic Forces responsible for all of existence, could sense it.
A Force that was neither Chaos nor Order had stirred.
One that the First Defenders knew all too well.
For the first time since the Reign of Chaos at the dawn of the New Era, ’Balance’ had acted.
And that was a problem.
The Existences of the Cosmos were hardwired to constantly doubt the Existence of a Force beyond Chaos and Order.
But now, with this, the Eternals and Aggressors alike became fully aware that the so-called ’Theoretical’ Third Cosmic Force...wasn’t so theoretical anymore.
’Why!? This wasn’t the plan!!’
The First Progenitor panicked, their usual calm nowhere to be found.
Then they froze.
’!’
Something else was happening.
The ambient concentration of cosmic energy across the Cosmos was rising.
Goosebumps ran across the First Progenitor’s body, every hair standing on end.
It was a familiar sensation.
’An SOS! Why?! Because of Balance?!’
They instantly realised the Cosmos was about to issue an impending SOS to all its inhabitants.
Because of their nature, the First Progenitor could perceive this occurrence before it manifested.
They had sensed this before the Last Progenitor was conceived, and delayed the SOS until the Cosmos gathered enough energy to send out a second after they were conceived.
Since they knew it was coming, the First Progenitor could already infer the content before the Cosmos raised the energy concentration to the level required to forcefully disseminate it across all universal systems, channelling it down to the intended Main Entities.
If the Cosmos had reached the point of gathering energy, then the message was already constructed, allowing the First Progenitor to intercept the Cosmic System and read the contents of the message to know what was about to be sent out.
Given the timing of events, they had no choice but to use their Authority as an Envoy of Balance to peruse it, and in the same manner that the words would have echoed within the minds of all who received it on behalf of their Universes, the contents of the Cosmic SOS message now echoed in the mind of the First Progenitor.
From a space untouched by time,
A fragment of the end slips through unseen.
And now, as the child of destruction matures,
Death begins to reawaken.
’...what? Death?’
The last few SOS messages from the Cosmos had been triggered by either existences or items from the Previous Era that the Cosmos considered dangerous.
In this particular case, ’Death’ must be the danger.
Given Balance’s sudden action before the Cosmos’ autonomous system released this message...
’It must be connected to why Balance acted.’
That left the First Progenitor with three clues.
’Death.’
’Balance.’
’Previous Era.’
There didn’t seem to be much linking the three together, however.
’Whose Death is it referring to? And it mentioned the ’Child of Destruction’. That can only mean ’Last’. Is this ’Death’ connected to Last?’
The moment that thought formed, the First Progenitor’s head throbbed, their eyes widening as a realisation instantly dawned.
’My memory...is incomplete?’
They instantly understood that something had sealed their memories, and only one THING could have done so.
’Balance? Was I also targeted by the Secondary Spell? But who did I forget? The Secondary Spell erases the memory of ’someone’. The reaction just now means I made a connection...so this ’Death’ comes from the Previous Era...and it’s a ’Person’.’
With that thought, Balance’s secondary spell, already fractured by Lostvayne and further split open by Arthur’s self-admission, now broke wider as the First Progenitor pieced the puzzle together and connected the dots.
Time passed, and eventually the cracks grew enough for the memory to slip through.
In the Previous Era, when one spoke of death, before it meant the ’absence of life’, it meant a ’Person’.
And their name now echoed in the First Progenitor’s mind.
’So, it was her! This is both good and bad... If she enters the current Cosmos, then THEY will know Last is still alive.
If the Cosmos sends the SOS, THEY will also know Last is still around, and this Era will be done for!’
Realising who the ’Death’ mentioned in the SOS truly was, the First Progenitor also understood that the SOS could NOT be sent out.
It wasn’t a matter of simply delaying the SOS like before.
’But I can’t do that right now. The Cosmos has grown resistant to my interference. I couldn’t eliminate the SOS it sent before Last’s birth, and I could barely delay it.
What’s worse, doing so forced me to ’take a side’, and I nearly unmade my existence.’
Repeated interference over a trillion years had come back to haunt them in the worst possible way.
’I need help... Hyperion!’
Without hesitation, the First Progenitor tore open space and stepped through, emerging directly in Hyperion’s Throne Room, where the Titan was engaged in deep discussion with several Ancient Breed Titans.
They did not speak a word as they seized Hyperion and warped him away from the Dark Multiverse, depositing him at a seemingly random point in open space.
Naturally, Hyperion was dumbfounded.
If not for the fact that he recognised who they were, he would have resisted the sudden teleportation.
But before he could even voice a question, the First Progenitor spoke.
"Hyperion, I need your help!"
"..."
The titan remained silent for a moment, narrowing his eyes.
Their voice was...trembling?
The First Progenitor had been showing far more emotion than usual of late. First came Anger, and now, Fear.
Before Hyperion could respond, they continued speaking.
"The Cosmos is about to send out another SOS. I need your help to stop it!"
"...another SOS?"
Hyperion, recalling the last time the First Progenitor had mentioned SOS messages, asked with a frown.
"And you want to stop it?"
"Yes. I need your help. There isn’t much time. Once the Cosmos gathers enough energy, it will send it out, and it’ll be a repeat of the ’prophecies before the last Progenitor’s birth.’
I’ve stopped too many SOS messages already, and the Cosmos has adapted to my existence.
I never meant to delay the last one. I intended to erase it entirely, but since the Cosmos had adapted, it resisted my interference, and I could only stall it. The second one completely slipped past my power.
Now, I can barely even hold another back, so I need your help. The Cosmos has no adaptability against your existence, which means I can use your power to stop it.
You don’t need to do anything much, just serve as a battery for me."
After speaking, they paused, almost as if catching their breath, before adding softly.
"Please."
"..."
Hyperion remained silent, his golden eyes meeting their iridescent orbs without a word for a while.
Then, he asked.
"What are the contents of this SOS message?"
"...I can’t tell you that."
"Why do you want to stop it?"
"I can’t tell you that."
"What would happen if it’s sent out?"
"I can’t tell you that."
The First Progenitor’s responses to Hyperion’s questions were negative, to say the least.
"So what can you tell me, E—"
"Do NOT speak my name, Hyperion! Order has influence over you!"
"..."
Hyperion’s expression darkened at those words, but he couldn’t refute them, because he knew they weren’t wrong.
As the Aggressor of Creation, it was only natural that the Cosmic Force of Order, which had birthed the Concepts the Aggressors governed, would have some degree of influence over him.
Or at least, that is what one would normally think if they didn’t know the truth about the circumstances that allowed Hyperion’s continued existence in this Era.
The Survivors of the Harmonia Era all endured by entirely different means, and contrary to what the Seekers of the Truth believed, the First Progenitor had no part in any of their survival, except for the Fourth.
"You should know this, Hyperion," the First Progenitor said, "if any of THEM were to discover my name, my existence would be forfeit.
If I were to reveal anything about this SOS to you, all your efforts across the past hundreds of billions of years would be wasted, and this Era would end just like Harmonia did, the only difference being the force behind it."
This was something Hyperion already understood, so he couldn’t refute them either.
"And why did you come to me despite this?"
"Because I have no choice, Hyperion.
Who else did you expect me to go to? Gaia? You know what she is, Hyperion. I might as well cast a ritual, summon the Incarnation of Chaos trapped in Elo Katra’s core, and tell them everything."
"No need to say any more, you’ve made your point."
Hyperion sighed, pressing his fingers to his head as he muttered, "Fine, I’ll help you."
"Thank you."
The First Progenitor was audibly relieved, but soon their emotions became indiscernible as they turned away, the iridescent lights within their dark hood narrowing in thought.
’There’s no way Balance’s unplanned awakening and her continued existence aren’t because of Last.
Just what has he done this time? I wanted to leave him be, but it seems he keeps doing things that endanger his own existence.’
Silently clenching their fists, the First Progenitor decided.
’I should send him a warning. This SOS message... let’s stuff it into his head.’
