"Hey, Seeker," the boy began, his voice casual yet brimming with thought as his fingers moved with practiced precision. Each nail directing the cosmic orchestra before him, commanding comets of assigned colors. Red flared like molten fire, blue shimmered like cascading waves, and gold spun threads of brilliance against the backdrop of infinity.
"Yes?" the companion responded, with a steady tone, its presence felt, rather than seen, amidst the void.
"Let’s say... that guy," the boy continued, the comets twirling in response to his gestures, "manages to reach the Spark of Creation—and destroys it."
A pause.
"...What next, huh? What happens after that?"
The Seeker stayed silent for a moment, as though absorbing the question. Then came the reply, soft but definitive.
"Hm... Nothing much. We''ll probably, just... die."
"Awwh," the boy murmured, his fingers resuming their celestial choreography.
"A line humans favor," the Seeker added with a hint of detachment. "But the truth? It’s basically a coinflip."
"A coinflip?" the boy echoed, curiosity glinting in his eyes.
"Yes," the cosmic voice said. "A chance for a connectionless Spark to emerge against the odds, birthing another cycle of existence... That would reduce The Concept of Malice to a mere, worthless joke."
"And the other?"
"...True annihilation."
"Yeah... I expected that," the boy replied thoughtfully, weaving a comet into an intricate spiral.
The Seeker, its voice tinged with quiet amusement, kept the dialogue going, "Disappointed? You’re not looking forward death? Is your avatar, perhaps... afraid of it?"
The boy’s fingers faltered, the lights dimming slightly before flaring anew. "I guess... death’s just another type of boredom I haven’t experienced yet. Right?"
"Possible," the Seeker acknowledged, its tone contemplative.
"I may not look forward to it if it’s too boring," the boy said, crafting a comet into a shooting arc of violet. "But otherwise? I don’t really care."
Silence settled between them, a vast and intimate quiet that seemed to echo across the cosmos. Even the meteors stilled, their movements muted, as though respecting the weight of the moment.
"...Same," the Seeker finally admitted, under a whisper.
The boy grinned faintly, the corners of his lips curving upward as he reignited the orchestra. The comets burst back into motion, a kaleidoscope of chaotic beauty painting the void.
"Good," he said with a soft chuckle, his gaze fixed ahead.
...
.....
<hr>
On the now calm street, Lucifer was pointing dramatically into a random direction, "Towards the pawnshop!".
Ryna, her face alight with amusement, gently corrected him, "It''s in the opposite direction, Lucy."
Clearing his throat, Lucifer quickly recovered. "Ahem! Yes, of course! I knew that!" he said, pivoting to follow her lead.
Fortunately, the pawnshop wasn’t far. The short distance was a blessing, especially after everything they’d endured so far. As they made their way, Lucifer’s eyes darted around, taking in the strange and wondrous sights of this world. From regal-looking officers to an orc in formal attire—complete with a fancy hat and tie—carrying a briefcase while riding a raptor. The surreal image was made even stranger by the fact that this all happened on a street where cars zipped by as if it were the most ordinary thing in the world.Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.
Baffled, Lucifer muttered under his breath, "That''s one helluva car you''re driving there." He hadn’t intended to be heard, but the orc turned to glance at him. Flustered, Lucifer quickly averted his gaze and picked up his pace, falling in step with Ryna and Kai.
The trio continued down the bustling street, each step revealing more of the world''s peculiarities. Just as the silence began to settle, Kai’s sharp whistle pierced through, followed by the loud, grating screech of something massive cutting through the air. "Wooo! Celebrities!" Kai exclaimed, pointing skyward. "Look, Lucifer! It’s a limousine!"
Lucifer’s jaw dropped as he followed Kai’s finger. A colossal red dragon soared through the clouds, its scales gleaming like polished metal.
"Didn’t you say griffins are the ultimate vehicle? What’s the deal with that thing?" Lucifer asked, his shock evident.
"Well, kinda," Kai replied, shrugging. "For a single person, griffins are the pinnacle—symbols of aristocracy or military might, if not both. They’re fast, powerful, and impossible to miss. But dragons? That’s a whole other league." He paused, rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly. "Truth is, I don’t know much about them. I meddled with this world, sure, but I didn’t dive into every detail. Honestly, I’m just as curious as you are. That means I''m also excited to figure out how the currency works. That’ll be fun!"
<hr>
They finally arrived—the pawnshop.
A towering building loomed over the trio, casting a long shadow that shielded them from the sun. The pawnshop itself, however, was a modest apartment nestled on the ground floor. Lucifer, taken aback by the incongruity, voiced his skepticism loudly. "This is the pawnshop? Is this place even legit?"
From within, a man’s gruff voice responded, "Would you like to see the official documents? I’m not scamming anyone here." The owner emerged, his tone dripping with dry humor. "What kind of fool would go against the law at my age—the very climax of life?" His words carried a weight—a reminder of life’s fleeting nature, something Lucifer had long since lost.
Breaking the somber moment, the owner clapped his gloved hands together and refreshed the conversation. "So, what brings you three here? I hope you’re not here just to question my business."
The man was a dwarf, tiny of stature as one might expect, but his presence was anything but small. His hair, a striking mix of black and blonde, was unusual yet distinctly tied to his origins. Stroking his thick beard with a gloved hand, he scrutinized the trio, waiting patiently for their reply.
Lucifer, after carefully considering the old man’s words, regained his composure. "Yeah, so apparently we’re explorers—"
"Gotcha. Show me the items or gems," the old man interrupted briskly.
Lucifer didn’t mind the interruption; getting straight to the point was efficient, and he appreciated that. With a theatrical gesture, he pretended to search through the pockets of his haori. In truth, he drew the stones directly from his very being. Having consumed an entire reality before, his body served as an endless repository for items. The old man raised an inquisitive eyebrow at the display. "I’ve seen very few who wear those kinds of clothes," he remarked, gesturing toward Kai and Lucifer.
"Is that so?" Kai replied, making a mental note of the observation.
The interaction was brief as the owner turned his attention to the gems. He placed the first stone into a tool crafted from polished metal and glass—a special analyzer designed to identify gems and evaluate their weight, purity, and properties. The process began with a dark blue gem, roughly palm-sized. The machine displayed its findings: |Aquatikk Spark – A gem able to create water. Weight: 202g. Purity: 77%.|
"You’re off to a good start, kid. That thing sells decently," the old man noted with approval.
Next came a pinkish stone, as if trying to copy the grandeur of the sunset itself. The analyzer revealed: |Tear of the Clouds – A gem that provides easy-to-control gusts of wind. Weight: 337g. Purity: 84%.|
"Basically, a glorified hair-dryer," the old man quipped, earning a chuckle from Kai.
The group spent a while working through the gems, but the day’s most remarkable moment came with the final stone. The old man picked it up, removed his glasses, and inspected it closely, as though bracing himself for what was to come. With a deep breath, he placed the gem into the machine. The stone was a deep violet adorned with white specks, resembling either a miniature galaxy or a Christmas globe filled with ink instead of water. The analyzer took longer than usual, seemingly re-scanning the gem multiple times to verify its authenticity. Finally, the results appeared: |Obsidian Jade – A gem with teleportation properties. Weight: 333g. Purity: 91%.|
The old man’s jaw dropped. "How’d you get something like this, boy?"
Lucifer retrieved the gem from the machine and slipped it back into his haori. "Dumb luck, I guess. Found it on the 14th floor of the nearby ruins."
"Damn... Lucky you, huh? So, not selling it?" the owner asked, unable to shake off his disbelief.
Lucifer grinned. "Not for now. Let me learn about these two rocks first."
"Two?" The old man raised an eyebrow, but knew better than to press further on these types of clients. "You do you, kid. But these other ones? You sellin'' them?"
"Yes!" Lucifer confirmed.
The owner offered a hefty 11,000 eons for the remaining gems. Ryna, eager to show off her math skills, chimed excitedly, "We can buy 11,000 loaves of bread with that!"