Purpose(2)

The revelation that he was in the presence of the Universe's consciousness was mind-boggling. Alaric realized that it was also the reason he couldn't find his connection—it was likely suppressed. "But why?" he asked himself mentally.

As if hearing his thoughts, the Universe's consciousness replied, "Well, that's simple. If you still had the connection, then you'd have been immune to the effects of the soul execution."

Hearing that left him scared out of his skin. The being had just attempted permanent murder on him, and Alaric understood the implications of that statement.

The being probably realized it needed to explain itself. With a sigh, it broke character, and the atmosphere shifted; it became very dire and serious. "You see, you are not of this world, child. I'm sure you are aware, and your soul is in minor dissonance with the previous owner of that body. Still, you managed to fuse, albeit against the odds."

Listening in silence, Alaric couldn't help but gawk at the revelation being leveled at him.

The being didn't stop but continued talking, "Naturally, as the guardian of this universe, I'm supposed to do away with you, since souls that crossover universes are usually corrupted by the abyss. However, you are different, and I'm unsure whether it is a good kind or a bad kind."

Alaric responded by asking, "What do you mean?" He had a million questions running through his head, but he needed to ask the important ones first.

The being continued, "Usually, corrupted souls have the inclination to corrupt, and because they possess abyssal energy, this is an easy affair for them. Their main mission is to bring down worlds that exist in universes. Usually, it doesn't work if they are quickly dealt with, but if they are left to their devices, their strength grows, and they can in turn open portals to and from the abyss, inviting its rot and its denizens to destroy. As you can imagine, it will inevitably lead to the destruction of the universe at large."

Receiving bombshell after bombshell, Alaric could not control his shock. The things the being was talking about were above him. He then asked, "So am I one of those things? Is that why you tried to kill me?" Alaric knew about the denizens of the abyss and their insidious existence, however, they didn't appear that much until halfway into the novel. That was when the "agents of the abyss", as the novel had termed them, began to act.

The being sighed and said, "I thought that was the case, but it is not. You are different; you possess memories of a previous life, and you are still able to use cosmic energy. I knew you were different; however, I didn't want to take chances. I found you because you could manage to forge a connection with me. And when you didn't succumb to the soul execution, I knew you were not an agent of the Abyss, at least not a successful one."

Alaric asked, "Why can't I access my memories? You can see them, right? You said something about what I was like previously," and the being responded, "The abyss is not just a thing; it possesses its own consciousness. That consciousness is what corrupts souls. In its process of corruption, it arms its agents with a piece of information from its previous host and previous life, something it feels will be necessary to successfully destroy or accomplish its mission. In your case, a book you read that was eerily similar to the future of the world you find yourself in. However, something went wrong this time; your soul resisted the corruption, it seems, albeit at a price. The other soul is in turmoil, slowly being eaten away since it cannot endure the corruption."

Alaric realized what the being meant and asked, "Are you able to fix it? And can I get my memories back?"

The being replied, "Yes, but there is a price that must be paid." Then, its featureless face developed a mouth which twisted into a wicked grin.

Alaric hesitated, his gaze fixed on the featureless face of the Universe's consciousness. The being's proposition hung in the air, a sinister undertone underscoring its seemingly benevolent offer.

The sinister undertone of the being's proposition unsettled Alaric. A peculiar discomfort clung to the edges of his consciousness. However, a pragmatic acknowledgement lingered within him—he understood that certain actions required an unyielding resolve, even in the face of moral ambiguity. As he assessed the situation, the dichotomy of his nature emerged.

Alaric, at his core, was not inherently malevolent. Yet, the recognition of his own latent selfishness surfaced. The previous Alaric, a child thrust into circumstances beyond his years, was merely a typical 16-year-old. The prospect of allowing the suffering of that innocent soul weighed heavily on Alaric's conscience. However, he grappled with the realization that he confronted a cosmic being, transcending the boundaries of mortal understanding. This was not a mere binary choice between right and wrong.

Addressing the consciousness, Alaric voiced his concerns and sought an alternative solution. "What do you want, and what solution are you going to give me instead?"

The being, seemingly pleased with his cooperation, outlined its proposition. Recognizing Alaric's unique soul's resistance to corruption, it tasked him with hunting down creatures and agents of the abyss, a mission aligning with his own desire to protect his newfound world from corruption.

"You possess an incorruptible soul, for some reason, that means you can face creatures and agents of the abyss under any conditions, even ones where a normal person should not come out uncorrupted. Because of that, I would ask you to hunt them all down and keep much of your world from corruption. Of course, this aligns well with your plans to live out life in this universe. If you want it to be long, you'll get rid of those pests." The entity knew of Alaric's resolve to live as a resident of this world.

Alaric's eyes remained silently trained on the being, listening intently. Dividing his attention when making a deal with something as vast and powerful was not a good idea. It continued, "As for the solutions, I'll undo the suppression of your memories and then purify the other soul, but I'll have to merge it fully with yours. After the purification, it will no longer possess an ego or anything remotely similar; it will be the equivalent of souls that enter the cycle of reincarnation."

Intrigued yet cautious seeking clarity, Alaric questioned why the purified soul couldn't be sent into reincarnation independently. The consciousness explained the existing partial merger, cautioning against a separation that could damage Alaric's soul irreparably. Accepting the explanation, Alaric sighed, acknowledging the limitations of his own understanding.

Alaric sighed and then said," This is great and all but I still can't use my Principality Origin and I don't even know how to defeat these... corrupted."

The being growing impatient replied hastily, "Yes I'm aware child, you cant use that principality because you are not of the Abyss, I'll take care of that and I will give you a weapon meant for killing corrupted at their very roots so that their essence does not return to the abyss. Do not worry about matters out of your reach, they will bring you no peace."

Alaric contemplated the gravity of the impending tasks. Still uncertain about the path ahead, he posed one final question: "I'm going to return to the body I was in, right?" A silent nod from the featureless face affirmed his query.

With a wry smile, Alaric dismissed any further delay. "Well, what are we waiting for? Chop chop, the corrupted won't kill themselves."