Legacy of the Dark Sage

"Hmm…" Kairos slowly nodded his head. "I suppose an automaton is the closest creation that is comparable to them."

"…"

Kairos chuckled after seeing Kyran's expression. The latter was good at concealing his emotions by acting indifferent. But that was rendered useless before Kairos who could sense his thoughts and emotions. And at that moment Kairos sensed Kyran's annoyance.

Most likely, Kyran thought Kairos would withhold information about the Fates even after saying he would tell him everything.

Rather than assuring Kyran that he would not hide anything, Kairos started with a different approach, much to the younger man's chagrin.

"You mention about the Realm, the Rules and Magic being abstract in form."

Kyran took a deep breath, deciding to humor Kairos and see where their conversation led them.

"Was I wrong?" he wondered. "I said that based on my initial understanding of them. I did not include the possibility of them being able to manifest into a different form."

If dragons could change their forms into humans, who's to say that The Realm, Rules, and Magic could not do the same? Then again, the latter three were fundamentally different from the former so this might also be impossible.

The Realm is where all planes existed. Rules provides order and stability to all existence within The Realm. Magic serves as the fuel to ensure The Realm will function.

If one only considered the above description to describe the three creations, it would be hard to draw their definite image. Only if they managed to have an in-depth understanding of them could one imagine what form they might take.

"Hmm... it is understandable. And base on the things running through your mind at this very moment, I can tell you that you are still on the right track."

"Why do I feel like you're messing with me."

"I see that you dislike others peering into your thoughts."

"Yes."

"A very reasonable reaction."

"..."

"Kidding aside, the Deity's creations can indeed take another form. Unfortunately, I can only tell you what form Rules took— but apparently, you seem to have figured it out already."

"..."

Basically, Kairos sensed Kyran's thoughts and deemed he guessed the Rules form correctly.

"Runes," Kyran said with a sigh.

"Yes."

"You say you can only tell me what form Rules can take, does that mean my guess about Magic is wrong?"

"Not exactly. As you have already guessed, Magic is the energies that flows in the surroundings. Its form can still be considered abstract, but once it is absorbed and used..."

"It can take on any form based on the magic spell."

"Correct."

"And? Can we go back to the Fates?"

"You already met them. But what exactly is it that you have seen when you met them?"

"They don't exactly have a form... they only showed up as pairs of huge eyes."

Kairos nodded, "I'm sure they did. If they showed up in their true form, the balance that kept the two realms from breaking will be destroyed."

"Seeing those eyes gave me the impression that they have human forms. But technically they are not really humans."

Kairos smiled. But his smile did not look like he was agreeing to Kyran's words. Rather, his smile was similar to a teacher that was patiently waiting for his student to realize their wrong.

And Kyran realized this almost immediately and he looked at Kairos in disbelief.

"The Fates are humans?"

"They are, and yet they are not. Can you guess why I said that?"

Kyran fell silent as several thoughts flashed through his mind.

There were several things that still doesn't make sense to him, and one of these was how humans came into existence. He initially guessed that humans were a mutation of the Ancients. But it seemed that was not the case.

"To be honest, when I first inherited all the Overseer's knowledge, I was shocked beyond belief at the truth I have discovered. Nonetheless, after knowing everything, every doubt I had finally made sense."

Kyran looked at him in silence. He could not imagine how Kairos managed to stay sane after inheriting all the Overseer's knowledge. Because Kyran admitted that he might not be able to do the same.

While he was fond of learning and wanting to absorb as much knowledge as possible, there was a limit to the kind of knowledge or information he could accept. And he did not think the knowledge that Kairos inherited could make him stay compose.

"The Deity was the original human, and he created the Fates in his image. For what purpose?" Kairos asked looking at Kyran in anticipation.

Kyran was exasperated at Kairos attitude because he felt as if he was treating him like a student or a child. In the end, he did not refute the older man and tried to contemplate on his question.

"Once more, you are on the right track," Kairos commended upon seeing through Kyran's thoughts.

"To ensure all creations follow their premediated path, the Deity left the Fates in-charge."

"Premediated path... does that mean The Fall is also something that has to happen?"

"That is the thing," Kairos replied with a sigh. "No one truly knows if The Fall was part of that path. Even the Overseers before me had no answer to that.

"Nevertheless, we believed that the Fates had started to veer out of the premediated path's course."

Kyran fell silent. He actually agreed to Kairos because that was how he felt when he met the Fates. In fact, he had an inkling that the Fates started to change the path right after The Fall.

'No... there is a possibility that they started to veer out of course even before The Fall.'

Kairos nodded in agreement upon sensing Kyran's thoughts.

"We thought so, too."

"We?" Kyran asked but soon regret it. Because he had a feeling, he would not be happy with Kairos's answer.

Kairos chuckled at Kyran's reaction. The younger man could not see it, but his complexion actually paled a little as soon as he guessed the answer to his own question.

"Don't worry, I am not referring to them," Kairos assured Kyran.

When he said them, he was referring to Cade, Rin, Nolan, and Anette.

"Although they had their own thoughts about the matter, that was all they are. I cannot disclose the knowledge I possess just to anyone you see."

"You only told me because I am the Realm Scion."

"Ah... I am quite happy to hear you say that."

"I was being sarcastic."

"Yes, you are indeed," Kairos replied with a chuckle.

"..."

"When I say we, I was referring to the remnant soul of the previous Overseer of the Towers."

Kyran raised his brows in surprise, "His soul still remains?"

"Yes," Kairos replied with a sad smile. "But let me correct you on that and ask that you refer to the remnant soul as she."

Kyran cleared his throat. How would he know the remnant soul was a female?

"You are still in touch with her? I thought after she passed on her responsibilities as an Overseer to you, she will move on."

Kairos shook his head, "The reason she stayed on as an Overseer of the towers is not only because she did not have any successor but because she still had a lingering attachment to the living."

"You're not going to tell me that she hoped to meet the next Realm Scion or something before she can finally move on, are you?" Kyran said with a frown.

"That is precisely the reason," Kairos replied, beaming at him good-naturedly.

"..."

"Seeing as you have not fully accepted your identity, however, I doubt she can pass on in the foreseeable future."

"... Is that an attempt to make me feel guilty?"

"I have no such thoughts. Although, if you do feel any ounce of compassion toward her, then I do hope you'll consider accepting being the Realm Scion."

"The Ancient Magic Cores the Four Greatest Minds were researching were meant to be inherited by a human, right?" Kyran ignored Kairos's last statement and veered their discussion back on track. "You said the Deity is the original human. Does that mean we, humans, are created in his image?"

Kairos sighed inwardly at Kyran's obvious refusal to accept his identity as the Realm Scion. In the end, he decided not to push the topic, at least for now.

"Yes."

"And who created the humans?"

"The Ancients."

Kyran was once more rendered speechless. He should have expected it, but he admitted that the answer came out of nowhere.

"One of the Greatest Minds found a way to extract the Deity's essence. Using that, she experimented on it by adding her own essence. Soon, she succeeded in creating the first humans."

"..."

"I know you are still in doubt. Allow me to expand more on that subject another time."

'Another time...' Kyran inwardly paused as he looked at Kairos.

Kairos smiled at him, "Yes, Void Master. There will be another time."

"...That's good."

"Now, where were we? Ah, yes, the King of the Ancients' refusal to comply with the Higher Being's demand led to a devastating war that continued for years..."