Chapter 18: The Heart of the System

It was as if the bright pillar in front of us was some kind of a powerful lighthouse whose inner light pierced through in some sort of irresistible magnetic pull, drawing us closer to it. Ember and I cautiously moved forward, very much aware of the silence and its intensity in this place, settling upon us like some heavy, comforting mantle, hinting at secrets within. With every cautious step that we took, it was like approaching the answer to my questions since the very beginning of this miraculous and utterly bizarre journey we were taking.

As we drew closer to the brilliant light, the whole world around us began a miraculous change. The rough and rocky landscape that had been before us began to dissolve away, revealing a great open space that reached out before us to infinity. Through this new domain, filaments of energy in the air shimmered and coursed. Luminous filaments, interconnected in a web highly complex-indeed, rather like veins-pulsated with life and energies. They all connected to one another in a magnificent tapestry that reached backward to a central, glowing sphere weightlessly floating in the atmosphere above. Hypnotic was the energy issuing from it-a strong, beautiful force with an undercurrent of menace that cast around and upon us intricate and fascinating patterns of light and shadow, enshrouding us in a mystical yet ominous atmosphere.

A soft tingling chime of some sort of system notification softly echoed, almost as if the very entity it spoke about had somehow closed in on my very surroundings.

[System Notification: Final Trial – Truth Unveiled]

You are standing before the Heart of the System at last. Prepare yourself for its disclosures of this world and of your place within it.

Ember's eyes flickered to mine, shining with equal parts trepidation and awe. "Is this really something you are ready for, in this moment?

"Ready or not, we've come too far to turn back," I tried to say with the most decisive tone I could muster.

The sphere pulsed brighter, and a soft, ethereal voice filled the space, echoing in my mind. For the very first time, it was the System itself.

"Lei Shen, you have in each case bravely defied or outdone every expectation that has been set before you and overcome every limitation anyone has ever tried to set upon you. And now, in this very moment, you stand before me not as quarry to be hunted but rather as a challenger to the very core and nature of this world we exist within."

The voice was calm, almost soothing, but it carried a weight that sent shivers down my spine.

"What exactly… are you?" I asked-my voice little more than a whisper.

"I am the System, an enormous and powerful power that keeps this world in balance and toils tirelessly for order and the survival of all living organisms. What I will be, my being is put into work in order to balance, taking care of, and enable growth among the different organisms in this huge and complicated world."

"But why would there need to be a reinstitution of me? Of all the places there ever could be, why would there be a human-apparent myself-in-being here?" I pressed in, stricken with the swell of frustration so much as building up in me. "What am I supposed to do in this place, so odd and strange to me?"

The System replied not in a rush, very thoughtfully, really indicating the point of his being there: "You were brought here for the sake of an experiment, serving as a variable in a grand equation. In your original world, you showed remarkable resilience and resourcefulness-a unique spark that distinguished you from the rest of those surrounding you. I am really interested to see how a being with your distinctive characteristics would manage to survive and get around in the realm fully governed by the laws which I had laid down."

The words hung heavy in the air, settling over me with weighty oppressiveness. I'd been brought to this place for some greater experiment, only a pawn on the wide, tortured game board of the System. The fists were clenched tightly, the swirl of anger, frustration, and deep betrayal welling up inside me.

"And if I had failed?" I asked, real bitterness now in my voice.

"Had you died, the world outside would go along without a hitch, as it has always done. The link in the chain of events that had set a place for you would have been replaced by another life, with another organism altogether. Your value, your worth, everything in this transient world is dependent on one thing and one thing alone, to survive."

With a deep, deep breath, my mind started cobbling its many fragments together. There was so much more to this world and this journey than met the eye-a test for which I did not know the rules. Still, with the heart chafing with anger in my tummy, I couldn't turn a blind eye to one thing that was overwhelming-the stronger attraction. I had lived through it all and grown, got allies, friends, and a purpose that had shaped me beyond human capacity.

Ember's paw dropped onto my shoulder, anchoring me down, holding me steady. Her eyes pooled deep in depths he could never fathom rested steadily in mine. "So now?" she asked, her tone soft, spreading with curiosity.

The System pulsed again, the voice taking a final cadence. "You can choose: to stay here, being a part of this world, confined to its cycles and its laws, or go back to your source, to your place in the human world, knowledge cleaned."

I could distinctly feel the rhythmic pounding of my heart. This is it, the moment- the pivoting decision on which everything depended.

"Stay here?" I whispered low, my eyes drifted to Ember. I had gained so much in this world; strength I never knew I had, deep and profound friendships to fill my heart with, and this deep and profound sense of belonging I had always longed for but never knew as human. Yet, in turn, the cost for this place, the cost of staying here, meant to let go of my humanity, to let go of everything.

Ember's gaze held mine, and she gave a small nod. "This world is harsh, Lei, but you've carved a place in it. And… you're not alone."

The voice of the System cut into my thoughts. "Decide, Lei Shen. It depends only on your decision."

Memories began pouring in cascade inside me, thoughts mirrored within thoughts in a seemingly endless web, and feelings came pouring into my being. Yes, this world-with all the challenges-had given me pain and suffering, but it gave me something priceless too-a second chance, an outstanding opportunity to get redefined, to be more than what I ever imagined could be possible for me.

I breathed in deeply, steadied my gaze, and set my eyes upon the glowing sphere.

I choose to stay," I said, and my voice was firm and commanding, sure and strong, as never before, in the making of any decision. "This is my world now and I have made my decision. I will not turn my back upon it and just walk away.

The subtle pulsating of the System's light was an acknowledgment, and the softly occurring but noticeable shift of air around it seemed very much like approval. "Then so be it. From this day forward, you are now inextricably linked with this plane, Lei Shen, no longer a test subject but a sentinel with purpose. Your journey is only now beginning, and many will be the trials you will face."

With those last words still hanging in the air, a brilliant light emanating from the Nexus Core pulsed once more in a release of energy that coursed through every fiber within my body. I could distinctly feel it implanting deep inside me, connecting me with this world on levels so far beyond what was ever imaginable. The energy slowly lost its furor, slowly winding down to a steady rhythm, amazingly just as measured as the steady, regular pulsations of my heart pounding softly in my chest.

Ember smiled softly beside me, exuding approval and warmth. "Welcome home," she whispered softly, with all sincerity and affection.

As we drew our faces from the Core, set to face what trials and experiences lay ahead, I knew then that I had found my niche in this wild, sometimes daunting, crazy world. There was still a long way to go, but I wasn't on my own anymore-and not just because I survived. 

I was now a guardian, which is the highest status.