Chapter 100: All Pieces Fall Into Place
{AN: Chapter 100! Hooray!! Thank you all for reading thus far!}
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The following interaction and conversation was an event that occurred some fifty-odd years back. It occurred in an unknown place and was a secretive incident; the knowledge of its happening was only known to the two individuals involved.
Inside a cubical glass box, situated in some unknown chamber of whiteness, a shadowy figure sat with a bottle of alcohol in hand. Nothing about the shadowy figure could be clearly discerned; its figure, appearance, gender, age, etc, were all unknowable.
Outside of the glass box containing the unknowable entity stood a hood-wearing woman. Her head was covered by a cloak making it impossible for anyone to identify her.
"So, you mean to say that 'Fate' does not exist?" asked the woman.
In reply, the unknowable shadowy figure took a swing of the bottle in its hand and casually replied, "It is not that 'Fate' doesn't exist. Its framework still exists. All I'm saying is that events and characters that were 'destined' to happen and appear may or may not do so. The 'absolute certainty' of 'Destiny' no longer exists within the Universe."
"How could you be so sure?"
"Hah! I don't mean to brag but… I may or may not have had something to do with it."
Hearing its reply, the woman stood in silence. A minute later, she questioned. "Are you God?"
"Define 'God,'" replied the unknowable entity.
"God is a being of omniscience and omnipotence," the woman promptly replied.
"Then, I'm not God. I am neither omniscient nor omnipotent," the entity laughed. "There are others in the Universe that are stronger than me; more knowledgeable than me; and more ancient than me."
"Are 'they' Gods, then?" rebutted the woman.
"What is with your fixation with 'God?'" asked the shadowy entity.
"Simple curiosity," replied the woman. "I wish to know if there exists a figure that is omniscient and omnipotent."
At this, the shadowy figure resolutely shook its head. "There is no such figure in the Universe."
"How could you be so sure?"
"Again, I may or may not have had something to do with it," replied the entity. It then thought for a moment before continuing, "While there is no omniscient and omnipotent God, a class of divine, god-like figures does exist in the Universe. They are tasked with overseeing and maintaining various parts of the Universe."
"Are they powerful?"
"Unimaginably so," the entity severely replied. It then seemingly shrugged its shoulders and relaxingly continued. "Do not be seduced by this power. The rank of 'Divine' is the greatest scam devised by the Universe."
"A scam? How so?"
"The answer to that question exceeds the cost that you have paid me."
The woman stayed still. After a while, she said, "Is that so?"
"That is the case," nodded the unknowable entity.
"Can I pay more?"
"There is nothing on this plane that can equal the cost of your question."
"Even if I were to offer myself?"
"Haha," the entity laughed. "Yes, even if you were to offer yourself."
The two did not speak for a while. The woman stood quiet, seemingly in thought, and the shadowy figure continued to take sips from the bottle in hand.
"We went off-topic there. You tricked me," said the woman, suddenly.
"I merely answered the questions that you asked. Had you not asked, I would not have answered."
"Sophistry. I am still owed my value."
"You are owed nothing. You ask, and I tell. That was the terms of our condition. I have done nothing wrong."
The woman nodded her head, seemingly dropping this issue. She then asked, "Is the Universe dangerous?"
To that, the entity asked, "Is your world dangerous?"
"Not to me," answered the woman.
"The Universe isn't dangerous to me either," replied the entity. "To you, however, it is very dangerous."
"Didn't you answer earlier that there are entities stronger than you?"
"There are. However, strength does not equal total security in the Universe."
"Strength does not equal complete security in this world either. However, it does get you close to it."
The unknowable, shadowy entity laughed. "True." He then took another sip before continuing, "Then, to answer your question; the Universe is dangerous, even to the strongest of existences. However, it is of no real danger to me. I am special, you see."
"How so?" asked the woman, curious.
"I cannot die," replied the shadowy figure.
"You cannot be killed?"
"You misunderstand. I CAN be killed. However, I cannot die." The shadowy figure did not elaborate further.
The woman opened her mouth, wanting to ask why it cannot die. However, she held her tongue when she realized the answer would probably exceed the cost she had paid to the entity.
Besides, she had other questions to ask of this entity apart from the particulars of its strange inability to die. "If 'Fate' no longer exists and 'Destiny' was destroyed, then how does the Universe maintain its order?"
The entity did not immediately reply. "Are you sure that you want to ask me this question? You will exhaust the remainder of your payment should you choose to continue."
The woman hesitated. She then nodded her head.
"Very well, then," said the entity. It then swung the bottle the emptied the remaining contents. It then let out a satisfied groan and said, "That hits the spot."
It then carefully put away the bottle before answering the woman's question.
"The Web of Fate was weaved by the Universe to better manage its inhabitants. The various crosses and intersection within this web is what you call 'Destiny.' I must admit, of all the scenes and sights that I've witnessed across the Universe, the Web of Fate remains the most beautiful."
"That said, 'Fate' and its derivation 'Destiny,' are both terribly inflexible. So-and-so will be born; this-and-that will happen; he-or-she will die; everything was too orderly and boring."
"One day, when I was herding my sheep, I noticed a dead bird lying underneath a nearby tree. I took the dead bird home and handed it to my father. I then asked him, 'Why must the bird die?' To which, my father replied, 'Because that is its fate.'"
"When I heard his answer, I decided that I did not like it. Therefore, I set out to destroy this thing called 'Fate.' Owing to my burning passion and indomitable resolution, I succeeded in my quest. Fate was destroyed and Destiny was ruined."
"Belatedly, after I had accomplished my goal, I realized that I might have overdone it a tad bit. You see, 'Fate,' while inflexible, was necessary to maintain order and stability in the Universe. And now that I had destroyed it, everything fell apart."
"Naturally, I felt a little bit of responsibility toward the issue. Therefore, in a bid to maintain the endlessly interesting Universe, I installed a new system in place. A system that I aptly named: Karma."
"Karma is the intrinsic quantifier and calculator of everything in existence; the hidden 'value' that exists in everything. Now that value existed, credit and debit naturally followed. A period of turmoil followed and eventually, order and stability were restored to the Universe."
"Not to brag, but compared to the previous 'Fate' system, my newly reformed and outstandingly designed system of 'Karma' was much, much better. By removing absolute certainty and introducing weighted chance, I made everything much more exciting!"
The unknowable entity finished talking. It then said, "That is all that I can tell you for the amount that you have paid."
The woman nodded her head. "I will come again after a while."
"Remember to bring me some snacks next time; salted peanuts would be fantastic," reminded the shadowy figure.
The woman acknowledged its request and disappeared from the white space.
Now alone, the shadowy figure lay on its back and clasped its hands behind its head. It rested with one leg crossed atop of the other and hummed a mysterious, catchy tune.
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Fate did not exist. However, Karma did. Cause and Effect were thus decided, not by a predetermined destiny, but by the actions of individuals; be it man or heaven.
Wuzhi's role in the War of Unification was neither that of a calculator nor that of a figure being calculated. Instead, he was the formula; something that brought about a certain result when inputted with different values.
He participated, schemed, manipulated, tricked, and sacrificed, all for the sole purpose of bringing about the conclusion that he desired. The situation in the South Aislan Continent was arranged thusly.
The Mu Household faction army was stranded in the middle of the Scarlet Demon Army faction's territory with their supply lines, originating from Lorden City, cut. They were currently engaged in a desperate battle for survival against the 14th Division of the Scarlet Demon Army.
The Hielanders, led by Biao, upon leading the two armies to clash against each other, left to complete Wuzhi's third and final order; to capture the Port City of Somei, the Heavenly Spirit Empire faction's home base. With some seven-thousand and change men in tow, Biao went about accomplishing this order.
Upon failing to reach the capital of the empire in time, the Heavenly Spirit Empire faction's armies performed a dangerous gamble and successfully retreated from within arm's reach of the empire. They were now rushing towards the battlefield of the Mu Household faction and the Scarlet Demon Army faction to reinforce and assist their ally.
The South Aislan Empire, having committed a blunder by not seizing the rare opportunity to attack the Heavenly Spirit Empire faction's armies when its back was turned, realized its mistake too late. After cursing themselves for being too cowardly, they chased after their enemy in a bid to finish this war for unification once and for all. Alexandros led the chase, protected by his some thousand Hielander guards; the determination for victory was etched on his face.
The Hodgepodge faction, after their run-in with Wuzhi, recovered their position of neutrality; they no longer supplied rations and resources to any of the other factions, adopting a wait-and-see approach.
The location where all these conflicts would meet and explode was calculated by Wuzhi to be the Plains of Trigo, the centre of the continent's breadbasket.
Fate did not exist, and thus, it could not choose its champion. Victory lay in the hands of men.
Such was the will of the heavens.
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Author's Note: ONE HUNDRED CHAPTERS!! *pops confetti*
A hundred chapters and nearly 180k words… all written in a period of three months (let's ignore that strange hiatus in the middle). Thanks a lot for reading and for coming alongside me on this journey thus far. It really, really, really means a lot to me.
This story and its characters are something that I've been imagining for a very long time. The world and its plot have undergone many revisions with many things having been removed and lots of other things added. (Fun fact: When I originally came up with the idea of PoH, Wuzhi didn't exist at all!)
My two most favourite genres are drama and intrigue, and this novel marries both of my loves; it is my child.
In the spirit of not making this AN too long and sappy, let's address the elephant in the room; what the heck was the start of this chapter!?
Answer: It is lore. Sweet, delicious lore. Remember it and store it in the back of your mind. We don't need it now, but it will become important later. That said, why don't you try guessing who the two characters are? I should say that at least one of them is very obvious.
Volume 1 will end shortly, and I suppose I'll leave my thoughts regarding that to a later AN. For now, I shall end it here.
Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you so much for reading. I hope that I continue seeing you here in the future.
Ta-ta!