"...A single draught will not only help you break through to the next level with ease, but will also solidify your foundation so thoroughly that your advancement will be flawless. No instabilities, no weaknesses - only pure, refined power. Take it, this is what you need the most right now."
Zephyr glanced at me uncertainly, and I met his gaze with an almost imperceptible nod. My eyes screaming: ’What are you waiting for? Take it!’
This was once in a lifetime opportunity, and he needed to seize it firmly.
"Thank you for this generosity again, Senior. I will not waste it," Zephyr said respectfully as he accepted the vial.
Ossian gave a satisfied hum. "Now, come. Take the stone. Your journey begins..." He turned toward the Nexus Stone. "The time-"
I coughed, not subtly at all. The sharp, intentional sound cut through the solemn moment, freezing them both.
Ossian’s large skull turned toward me, the purple light in its sockets flickering. Zephyr looked back, a guilty look crossing his face as he realized the oversight.
I offered a faint, knowing smile. "Aren’t we forgetting something?"
Ossian coughed as well, the sound more awkward than mine. "Ah... My sincerest apologies, young Lumin. In my eagerness to prepare your companion, I... nearly overlooked you entirely."
He sounded genuinely sorry, a masterful touch in his performance.
Zephyr nodded in shared guilt, though I didn’t take it to heart.
It was natural; Zephyr was clearly the spearhead, the powerhouse. While I was the unexpected variable.
"Then tell me, young friend," Ossian continued, his tone turning to amiable consideration. "What is it that you desire? A weapon to match your friend’s? An armor to shield you?"
I pretended to think carefully, tapping my chin before my smile returned, sharper this time. "First of all... I want... knowledge."
The chamber fell silent.
"Knowledge?" Ossian repeated, the word hanging in the air.
"That’s right, knowledge," I nodded, my voice losing its playful edge and becoming serious. "The real story of the Great Convergence. Not the ballads or the glorified tales. I just want to know the truth. What exactly caused it? What were the major battles, the turning points, and the key figures involved?"
"And of course," I took a step forward, my gaze fixed on his violet eyes. "I want to know about the Abyss."
"I want to learn its true nature. Is it just a simple planet, a realm, a force of entropy? And how does it corrupt? And can we undo the corruption? Or are there any ways to prevent/guard against it?"
"..." Zephyr’s eyes were widening with each word. So was the Ossian’s.
"What is its hierarchy?" I picked up my pace. "Does it have generals? Kings? Its rulers? Specific entities we should be terrified of beyond those ’common’ abyssal wraiths?"
I wasn’t asking for a power-up, well, not yet, at least.
Because it was more important to learn this information first.
Besides, there really would be ranks among Abyss’s forces, like Abyss Lords or Abyss Princes. They would usually be the main antagonists of the main characters in mid to late arcs in stories where Abyss acts as the final enemy.
So, I needed to know the names and powers of these potential future bosses.
"And," I added, another important thing, "I want to know about the other ’scars’. The other places where reality was torn during the Convergence. Their general locations, what happened there, and if they were ever truly sealed. If one prison exists, there are likely others, forgotten and waiting to be discovered. Or to break open... We can’t defend our world if we don’t know where all the doors are hidden."
I finished and let the silence stretch.
I wasn’t just asking for tools for the ’journey’; I was asking for the strategic map that could win or lose the war.
There were more things I wanted to ask, of course, but these were enough for now. Too many questions at once might seem suspicious, and I was genuinely interested in hearing Ossian’s answers to these fundamental queries.
"...Truly remarkable," Ossian finally replied in his now usual praising tone. "You continue to surprise me, young Lumin. While most would seek power, you are seeking an understanding. You understand that knowledge might be the greatest gift of all. Alright then, I will-"
"With all due respect, Senior," I interrupted gently but firmly, "it’s not a gift. What I’m asking isn’t the gift you asked for from me. I am asking for the essential information we need to have, even a sliver of a chance of succeeding in the task you are giving us." I paused and gave him a wink. "I will ask for the ’gifts’ after we establish what we’re up against."
The chamber fell so still that I could hear the faint, ethereal hum of the Nexus Stone. Ossian looked... dumbfounded, considering his jaw was slightly unhinged.
Just like when I refused his request at the beginning.
Zephyr was staring at me as if I had just declared that I was going to wrestle the abyssal horror bare-handed.
Come on now, I’m not that crazy...
Well, I might be crazy for being continuously rude to a powerhouse like Ossian.
But it’s all necessary, for the sake of our survival.
"I... see," Ossian said after a beat, the words slow with a strange mix of astonishment and perhaps newfound ’respect’. "My apologies. You are correct. This is not a reward; it is a prerequisite. Forgive this bad habit of an old man."
He drew himself up, the shadows deepening around him. "But you must understand. The knowledge you seek... is a weapon that cuts both ways."
He paused, staring right into my soul. "Are you willing to learn truths that might shatter your understanding of the world? To carry secrets that could drive lesser minds to madness? The history of the Great Convergence is written in blood and shadow, and the nature of the Abyss..."
"I’m willing," I said without hesitation, without meeting his gaze directly. "We must know what we are fighting. I want the truth, not comforting stories."
"Good. Good," Ossian nodded slowly. "Then I will tell you what I can. And on that note, I must remind you that five hundred thousand years... is a long time. I have forgotten much, and some memories have become... vague. Therefore, my knowledge may be lacking in certain areas."
I nodded in understanding. "That is reasonable, Senior. But every little detail you remember will be extremely useful to us. Even fragments of truth are better than complete ignorance."
...Half an hour left.