"Shall we continue climbing, or do you have more questions for me?" Hugo rose to his feet and asked. Bones followed suit, replying that the questions could wait until after they descended the mountain. He too was eager to reach the summit and learn the secrets Hugo was so willing to share. With renewed determination, they resumed their ascent, their minds focused on the revelation awaiting them at the summit.
At the end of their climb, Bones gazed upon a beautiful display of colors merging beneath the sky. If he were any higher, he felt he would've been able to glimpse light breaking through the dark clouds.
"Quite the scenery, isn't it?" Hugo commented, breaking the silence. Bones nodded in agreement, then shifted his gaze ahead to the starry night. Sensing Bones' attention, Hugo decided it was a good time to start explaining the significance of their arduous journey to this remote location.
"There is a secret known only to ascendants, one they are forbidden to divulge. Have you ever pondered how many ascendants have vanished over the years, leaving no trace?" Hugo paused, allowing Bones to contemplate the question before he continued. "I've delved deeply into the intricacies of ascendency, hoping to unveil its mysteries, yet every lead I pursued reached a dead end, offering no explanation. It wasn't until I forged a contract with the masters that I began to connect the dots and uncover the truth. You see, the contract held a loophole, permitting the exchange of information through telepathic connection. Although the masters were restrained from disclosing everything by some unseen force, I managed to glean enough." Hugo's words hung in the air, laden with mystery and significance.
"Bones, what do you see in front of you?" Hugo suddenly posed a question, seemingly shifting the topic. Bones gazed ahead, then replied, "Stars and…" After a brief pause, he added, "an absence of stars. What is that?" He pointed toward the pitch-black expanse devoid of stars.
"That is what we came here to see. Have patience and observe closely at the void. Give it a few minutes, and you will have your answer," Hugo explained cryptically, urging Bones to remain patient and attentive.
Bones contemplated Hugo’s words, then settled into a cross-legged position, resting his head on his knuckles as he observed intently. Minutes slipped by, marked by an eerie stillness. If anything, the expanse devoid of stars seemed to stretch before his eyes. After twenty minutes, Bones suddenly rose to his feet, taking a few steps forward, his gaze locked ahead with intense curiosity.
"It moved?" Bones questioned incredulously. "I'm certain I'm not imagining it; did the area without stars shift?" Turning to Hugo for confirmation, he sought clarity. Hugo briefly averted his gaze from Bones, focusing on the void, before posing a question of his own.
"The shape, observe the shape of that area. What does it resemble to you?
Puzzled, Bones followed Hugo's gaze and observed closely, eventually discerning the faint outline of a flipper. "It looks like a… flipper?" Bones replied, his words laced with uncertainty. Yet, Hugo's reaction left him perplexed.
"Precisely! It is a flipper!" Hugo exclaimed, confirming Bones's observation with unwavering certainty.
“To be correct, it is a flipper of a certain creature, a cosmic traveler!” Hugo’s words deliberately omitted crucial information, heightening the tension in the air. Bones waited expectantly for Hugo to continue, still fixated on the flipper, when he sensed Hugo casually adjusting his monocle.
“Well?” Bones interjected impatiently, prompting Hugo to fumble with the artifact before securing it over his left eye.
“So, as I was saying, the cosmic traveler, and the vessel of our world, the Cosmic Turtle…”
A moment of stunned silence followed the revelation, during which Bones remained frozen in place, processing the startling information, while Hugo exchanged glances between Bones and the flipper. After a minute, Bones finally uttered a confused "huh?" and resumed his vigilant stare into the void, hoping to catch the elusive moment when it moved, seeking confirmation that what he had just heard was indeed real.
"I was in the same state as you, left speechless, confused, and filled with doubt. So, I climbed another peak, examined the flipper from a different perspective, all in an attempt to confirm that what I was witnessing was indeed real, and Bones… it is real. Even the master hinted at its authenticity, albeit vaguely, but I'm certain it is genuine! I'm also fairly confident that this revelation would explain the disappearance of the ascendants!"
Finally, Bones turned to him, raising an eyebrow inquisitively. "It would? How? What's the connection?"
"I'll explain everything, but first, let's take a seat, bring out the drinks, and enjoy the view, shall we?" Hugo proposed, effectively easing the tension he had helped build up. Bones nodded, calming himself down, then settled into a cross-legged position once more while uncorking a mana flask. Hugo joined him in a drink, raised a toast, then took a swig from the bottle before beginning.
"I'll strive to be as straightforward as possible, and please keep in mind that everything I disclose is based on my own interpretations, derived from years of research and theoretical exploration." Bones nodded, promising to consider Hugo's words carefully. He pricked up his ears, fully attentive and prepared to listen to Hugo's explanations.
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"First, to clarify, our world is a cosmic turtle, merely a vessel, and we are its inhabitants. Objectively observing the behavior of turtles, I believe we are journeying towards an unknown destination. When the system opened up to us, it unveiled numerous paths leading to a pinnacle of power in this realm, which is what an ascendant represents. However, at this apex, I posit that another path is presented to them, one leading beyond the confines of our world.” Hugo momentarily paused, sensing Bones’ eagerness to ask questions. Raising a hand to signal him to wait, Hugo continued.
“Of course, considering we have ascendants among us, I'm convinced that the option to depart manifests in the form of a system prompt. Those who remain likely chose not to leave, for various reasons. However, there's something else, something I wasn't able to confirm or uncover any additional information about, aside from what I derived from Master Vyrus. Have you heard about The Creator?” Hugo inquired, and Bones, lost in contemplation, recalled reading something about it back in Westbrook almost a year ago.
“I learned of a figure, an administrator designated to oversee our world. While I don't know his exact purpose, except for his role in enforcing silence upon the ascendants, I believe that figure is The Creator, the harbinger of the system.”
Bones set aside the information about the so-called administrator, his mind still processing everything and his imagination running wild. Visualizing a sea turtle gliding through the stars, enveloped by boundless empty space, Bones nearly choked on his drink. He turned to Hugo with a sudden realization.
“I just had a thought. If our world is likened to a turtle, does that mean it’s not round?”
“W-well, it’s more flat than round, yes,” Hugo replied, taken aback by Bones’ sudden intensity. He added, “But you might be taking the turtle analogy a bit too literally.”
“Wait. No, that doesn’t make sense. Why isn’t there a single entry in any of the books about such a grand revelation? I can’t imagine no one ever reached the end of the world and thought, ‘Hey, where’s the rest of it?’” Bones raised a valid point, albeit with a touch of sarcasm.
“I understand why you would think like that. There are two reasons. First, the body of the turtle, like the flipper we see, is only visible from this side of the world. Second, it’s not physically possible to reach the edge, no matter what direction you take.”
“What, how can that be?” Bones voiced his doubt. Then, after pondering for a moment, he asked if it was the doings of the enigmatic administrator. Hugo praised his astute guess, admitting it is a possibility as he didn’t know the exact reason either, but he affirmed his statement as the truth, adding that Zlogrog had attempted it before, only to fail.
Hearing Hugo mention the Skeleton King, Bones took his statement at face value and inquired why the masters haven’t left. They’ve been at an ascendant tier for thousands of years - what reason could they have to stay here?
“I told you before that the Skeleton King regretted not advancing his race to a Titan, right?” Hugo asked, and Bones nodded in confirmation, recalling the conversation.
“The King hadn’t given up trying to find a way, though. Despite exterminating the giants off the Ghed continent, there’s a whole new continent across the ocean to explore, a few times the size of Ghed too. He spent an unimaginable amount of time, scouring through lands in search of members of the Giant race while honing his skills, taking on the strongest of adversaries. Unfortunately, his progression has reached the limit and stagnated. Having no challenges to tackle and no one capable of challenging his combat prowess, I believe Zlogrog will leave us soon - in a decade, if not sooner.”
“As for Master Vyrus… he can’t leave. Not by normal means anyway.”
“What do you mean? Because he is bound to the citadel?” Bones interjected.
“That is one of the reasons, but no, the main reason is because he is not from this world. He came here as a slave through the portal, and only through the portal can he leave. And unless the undead faction from somewhere in the universe invades us, I doubt he will leave.”
“I see… What are we doing here then? What is our purpose?” Bones asked, his voice tinged with the weight of existential contemplation.
Hugo took off his hat for the first time, dusting it off while emitting a barely audible ‘hmm’, before formulating a response. “There’s no definitive answer to your question, you know that. But if I had to posit something, I’d say the system is a test, designed to separate the weak from the strong. Ultimately, it all boils down to reaching the apex of power and departing from this world for the next destination.”
"That's a somber perspective on our existence, defined by the survival of the fittest.” Bones remarked. “It becomes even more profound when you consider the possibility of other worlds like ours, all converging toward the same fate. Who's to say what awaits us after ascendancy? Perhaps it's just more of the same, only on a grander scale."
Hugo listened attentively, then after Bones finished, he admitted he was glad to have someone to talk to, share his findings, and ponder ideas with. Bones chuckled and said he had noticed, then inquired if Hugo really had no one else to talk to. Hugo solemnly nodded, explaining that no other undead in the city shared his interests. Master Zlogrog was a battle maniac, only interested in growing stronger, while Master Vyrus was difficult to communicate with. He further elaborated that sometimes he wasn’t even sure which of Vyrus’ many personalities he was talking to. After a brief silence, Hugo’s demeanor shifted. He turned to Bones, his expression focused and serious.
“Bones, what we, the undead, aspire to accomplish is to increase our forces, even if that means painting the entire world in our image in order to drive off the invading demons.”
“That sounds a bit extreme, to be honest,” Bones responded.
Hugo acknowledged that his views seemed extreme but defended his reasoning, stating that Bones had yet to understand the value of a soul and how much it is wasted on the living. “You may not see it now, but with time, I believe your stance will change much like mine did. I won’t force our ideology on you. If anything, I’d like you to develop on your own, with the freedom to make your own choices, wherever they may lead you. Of course, I will present you with different opportunities to grow stronger. It’s up to you if you will take them or find your way on your own.”
“I appreciate that, but I’m inclined to listen and learn from you rather than delve into the unknown on my own,” Bones stated without hesitation. He had already thought things through, whether to put his trust in Hugo and his teachings or not, and after listening to him over the past few days, he decided to trust him.