"Yes, I'm alright," I replied to Airi.

She seemed to be able to talk as a seperate entity in this place and was even floating outside of my body. I looked warily at the blue orb.

"What is this place?" I asked Airi.

Instead of Airi, the blue orb called Otien replied.

"It's a memory space. I was able to show you those memories through this conduit."

"A memory space, huh."

I checked my body and it seemed alright, but it didn't feel like my original body.

"Am I dead?"

"No, your body has just been teleported into the passageway you saw earlier in the memories. However, I was the one who brought your consciousness to this place since only consciousness can exist in this space."

It looked like an enclosed space but I couldn't see any boundaries. The blue orb called Otien was directly in front of me while Airi floated beside me.

"Alright, about the things I saw.....were they the history of your people?"

I asked him while still being a little wary. But he didn't seem to have any ill intentions.

"Technically, yes. They were the people I served. Their civilization was called Agniv."

"What was your reason to show me those memories and what are you?"

"I was made by an ancient entity and was provided to the Agniv people to assist them with the knowledge accumulated by the civilization and to store their memories. If you want to find a parallel, I'd say I'm more like an artificial intelligence from your memories. I worked exclusively with Dr. Revati after she was granted custody of me. Regarding why I showed you the memories, I think you should have a talk with Airi."

I looked back at Airi. I couldn't read her feelings as she was outside my body so I left that question for later.

"I see. Wait, you can see my memories?"

"Yes......parts of it. I can see that you were in a different world not unlike our civilization and you died there and then somehow you came to this world. But, I cannot see your childhood in this world nor how you were able to come here. In fact, the very first memory of you in this world I can access is you waking up near the forest."

"Ah, that's because I was sent here by someone. Wait, you can't see that memory?"

"I can't see anything between your death and your arrival in this world. It's like a white film is covering that part of the timeline."

"I see."

It was probably a mechanism from the goddess to deter anyone from knowing about her.

"Those creatures I saw. What were they?" I asked him.

"I do not know where they came from but they came to this world through meteors. The first sightings were recorded near the Volian pass. After that, many meteors continuously struck the planet. Something else followed them soon after. But regrettably, I don't have any information about the entity that followed them."

"Are you talking about the black orb?"

"Yes, but it only showed itself to absorb the creatures and did not interfere directly with the invasion. It appeared when most of the people in an area were dead and then disappeared soon after it absorbed some of those creatures."

"I see."

The black orb was a more dangerous variable than those creatures since I don't know what it wanted and what its goal was.

"How long ago did it happen?"

"According to my internal calendar, it has been exactly one million two thousand and twenty one years. This is the 22nd year."

"Wow. How have you been alive for that period of time?"

"I'm not alive but yes, I have been functioning for a very long time due to my creator. By absorbing the raw energy from this world, I'm able to keep myself charged. One charge lasts for a few millennia. So, after every few millennia, I need to go out and recharge myself again. It's not that uncommon, if you compare it with a normal dragon's lifespan as they are alive for over two hundred thousand years. Ancient dragons for much longer."

"But you're not a dragon, are you. Do you remember your creator?"

"I'm not, yes. And no, I don't remember my creator. The only thing I can remember is a white space where I was created not unlike this space and my creator ordering me to assist the Agniv civilization."

"I see. So, you have a physical body as well?"

"Yes, unlike your support, I do have a physical body and a core," He said turning to Airi.

"I cannot figure out your support bot at all. It looks like me but it isn't like me at all. And it is integrated to your consciousness. I've never seen such a support system. There are no records of ever being something like that."

"Ahaha, Airi is certainly unique."

I said, looking at her. She floated next to me, humming happily, listening to the conversation.

"The dagger. Was it you who made it?"

"Yes, the key card had a chance of being discarded due to the state of the civilization so I had to make an item that wouldn't get thrown out. So, I made it in the form of a dagger and inscribed the key sequence on it. Well, it just teleports the person who holds the dagger to the passageway."

"I see. And those creatures, is there a chance for them to return?"

"Yes, unfortunately. In my time, they were researching the possibility of an invasion after finding mention of the creatures in an excavated ruin. After dating the ruins, it was established that the ruins were a million years old. After the invasion, it became certain that they return every million years. But the exact time is not clear."

"W-wait, then we don't have much time?"

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.

"Yes. It might be tomorrow, or this year or 20 years later or maybe 100 years later. But we know that they will return soon."

"I see. Do you know what was their goal?"

"Unfortunately, I don't have that information. There was no dialogue. They suddenly attacked and wiped us out. The only strange behaviour on their part was the black orb absorbing the creatures and all of them entirely disappearing after the invasion. I searched but I couldn't even find fossils of those creatures."

"Master, you need to get stronger." Airi interjected from beside me.

"Yeah, seems like it," I said smiling at her.

"I saw that you were a very advanced civilization. Why couldn't you fight them?" I asked, turning back to Otien.

"Because we were an advanced civilization, we grew complacent and our growth stalled. By the time we had an epiphany, seventy percent of the world was already overrun by the creatures. Also, we were only able to harness magic through a conduit. Magic was something that was discovered only a few centuries before the invasion. We didn't have any practical users like mages that are so prevalent nowadays. We were more of a magical engineering civilization rather than a practical one."

"I do have a theory. I think the emergence of mages and other magical professions have been heavily influenced by the refugees that came from other planets."

"Are you talking about the elves and dwarves?"

"Yes, those races has an innate talent for magic manipulation. I think in time, that talent spread among the humans as well and their understanding of magic grew."

"I see. That certainly makes sense."

It is entirely plausible. Elves even had a seperate magic called spirit magic that is different from the usual magic humans use. The humans might have drawn inspiration from them and improved themselves through the years with the next generation becoming more adept at magic manipulation. It was more like evolution.

"Well, since you brought me here, am I correct in assuming that you need something from me?"

"Yes, I've actually waited a long time for someone to come to this ruin so I'll not deceive you. I want revenge for the people that lost their lives. The people I cared for and helped, became lifeless in front of me. They perished without getting the chance to fight back and were slaughtered without mercy. I want them to feel the same. This time, I'll not let the people of this world fall to those creatures. To that end, I would like to work with you."

"I see."

It certainly is infuriating watching so many people die and even more so if you cared for them. I could understand his feelings. Otien almost seemed human. I looked at Airi. She just hummed quietly.

"What do you think, Airi?"

"I don't mind. The more allies we have the better." She replied.

"Alright, if Airi's okay with it, I don't mind you tagging along."

"Thank you. I also have a favour to ask. Do you remember Dr. Revati?"

"Are you talking about the doctor that was helping the survivors?"

"Yes. She lamented that she couldn't do more for the people so she wanted another chance. She put her consciousness in a dormant state. I promised to wake her up but there was no need and so I waited for the right time. She needs a living being to wake her up. As you can see I am artificial so I'd like your help in waking her up."

"Didn't she die? I thought I saw her body enclosed in a chamber."

"Yes, she did. But before dying, she was able to seperate her conciousness. After researching about homonculus she was able to harness the power to create a separate body for herself. She gave me the duty to initiate the process and I already started it two thousand years ago expecting the pending invasion. I have been waiting for someone to wake her up."

"I see."

"The favour I want to ask you is to wake her up and team up with her to face the catastrophe that will come."

"What do you think, Airi." I asked turning to Airi.

"Doesn't matter if it's one or two. We will need more capable people in the future anyways."

"Sure, I'll help you with that." I said, turning to Otien.

He seemed to relax after I agreed.

"But, can a human mind survive a million years. Wouldn't she be delirious?"

"She had stopped time for her conciousness so there was no information going in. The last thing she might remember will be her separating her own conciousness. So, she might be able to live for a few hundred years at least."

"I see. I understand. I'll help you."

"Thank you. Let's make sure that this world does not face the same fate again."

After agreeing, Otien released me from the memory space and I found myself standing in the passageway that housed the survivors of the massacre. It was dark. I conjured a small fire to light my way and saw that roots and vines had grown everywhere and it didn't resemble the clean space I saw in my memories. I created wind blades to cut the vines in front of me as I walked forward. They rotated in midair and continuously cut the vines blocking my path. Soon, I reached the familiar laboratory door from the memories. There was a space to slide in a keycard. I took the dagger and slowly slid it into the space. The letters in the dagger glowed and the laboratory door opened slowly making a creaking sound. It didn't look like the same laboratory. Parts of the roof had fallen off and were buried under soil. And there were roots everywhere. As I stepped forward, a blue orb hummed to life and came up to me. It was the blue orb I had seen near the doctor's cyro chamber in the memories.

"Is this the place?" I asked.

"Yes," said Otien.

I looked around and I could see two chambers set side by side like in the memories. They had no vines or soil on them and were perfectly clean and a small light was coming in from them illuminating the surroundings though it was very faint. It seems Otien took care of them. I looked at the chamber that housed the doctor and I could only see a skeleton covered by mist. The flesh seems to have eroded away.

"The black chamber houses the homonculus body of the doctor. Please be careful."

"Alright. I'm ready."

"Please look for a device added at the bottom of the chamber and turn it counter clockwise."

I did so and the device seemed to suck a vast amount of energy from me. The hatch made a hissing sound as it opened with a small amount of mist escaping from the chamber.

When I moved closer, I could see the naked figure of a girl sleeping inside. She looked to be in her teenage years. She had white hair and had a resemblance to the doctor but looked quite young.

I quickly brought a blanket from the shop to cover her and waited.

After some time, the girl's eyes opened.

"W-where am I?" She said holding her head and looking around until her eyes fell on us.

"Doctor, you're back," Otien said from beside me beeping.

"W-wait, Otien?"

"Yes, doctor."

"I see. Can you tell me how many years have passed?"

"It's been one million and two thousand twenty one years."

"Th-that long?"

"I didn't even know if the equipment would have been able to survive for so long."

"I have been taking care of it. I'm sorry I wasn't able to wake you up sooner." Otien said.

"I see. And, how's your body?"

"It's not that great. I might need servicing."

"I see."

Then she looked at me.

"Are you the one who awakened me?"

"Yes, I'm Rayce. Nice to meet you."

"I see. If Otien trusts you, then I will trust you as well. I'm sure you have been informed about the details."

"Yes, thank you, doctor."

"You can call me Revati. Doctor seems a little too formal."

"Alright, Revati."

"Umm, but could you get me some clothes first. It's cold and uncomfortable. Or do you like watching this naked body of mine?" She said smirking.

I instinctively smacked the top of her head.

"W-what are you saying?"

She held her head and looked at me with teary eyes. It seems the doctor might be a little more than what I bargained for. At least, her sense of humor hasn't eroded away.

"Ahem, yes, please wait a moment."

I opened the shop and brought out a few clothes made for teenagers and gave it to her.

"What are these clothes? Is this the fashion nowadays?" She said running her hand over them.

"Ah, it's from a different world."

"A different world?" she asked, looking interestedly at me.

"It seems we need to have a long conversation. But, let's get out of here first."

She jumped down and got dressed. After that, she practiced walking for a while and then walked over the room touching various things. She went near the chamber that housed her real body and looked at it sadly for a while. As if making a decision, she looked at us and smiled and motioned for us to start moving outside.

"W-wait, there are people outside. I don't even want to think what will happen if they saw you. They'll probably take you in as an interesting specimen from the ancient era." I said, quickly remembering.

"That can't happen." Otien said.

(Master, you should be able to teleport them to the mansion quickly and come back here.)

(Good idea.)

"I'll teleport you to my house. You can rest there and I'll come back after meeting up with the people I came with. I'm actually on a quest to investigate these ruins and I came with a group of people." I explained.

"I see. But, did you just say teleport. I don't see a teleportation device," the doctor said, looking at me.

"Doctor, I'll explain later. Please hold onto him." Otien said.

"Alright."

She and Otien moved closer to me. When they were near enough, I closed my eyes and thought of the mansion for us to teleport to.

As I waited for the teleportation, nothing happened. I opened my eyes and we hadn't moved at all.