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Chapter 149: An Odd Paradox VIII
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"I'm starting to regret booking a spot on your team. I suddenly feel like I'm joining a bunch of graduates from Arkham Asylum." Zatanna rubbed her temple in dismay.
"Oh my? Lady Zatanna afraid of crazy?" Ian chuckled, feeling amused, "And this isn't crazy at all. They're just trying a few things for scientific research."
Zatanna shook her head, "Scientific research? You mean how the Cat is trying to collect cracks of the very core of space and time to sell later? And the other is trying to make the cracks worse by breaking them with bats?"
Ian shook his head, "You're mistaken. What Selina is trying to do is collect an unnatural anomaly for later studies, and she will of course donate some to other researchers for faster progress.
It's all for science. It's definitely not for money though some considering how valuable it's, I'm sure all of them will be willing to donate something back in the name of science."
He then eyed Harley, barely holding back a laugh. The girl was giggling to herself. Her insanity seemingly manifested around her in a cloud of delirious chaos of colors.
She had dozens of bats around her if not hundreds. She was using them one by one, swinging at the fractures in space.
However, all that is left is just about nothing but the bats' handles as every speck of the bats that went through the fractures just evaporated silently in an instant.
"Harley, on the other hand, is just enjoying herself while testing her powers and a few theories."
"She has powers now?" Zatanna ignored his first words, used to his nonsense by now, and instead asked with curiosity.
"No, but who knows, she might awaken some if she hit hard enough." Ian shrugged, enjoying the view above him, feeling the warmth of the sun slipping out through the gaps to reach him.
Most of what he can see wasn't the sky but numerous veins acting as a barrier against the intruders, trying to enter without permission.
The vines were so massive they could bring down buildings, complemented with smaller but faster veins, they formed into a formidable barrier.
And the vines were quite obedient. All it took was a word from Ivy for them to act mostly on their own, stopping the owners of the land from entering their land without permission.
The people trying to enter were quite strong, sent personally by the united states to diplomatically have a conversation with Ian, amongst them was someone quite dangerous, Cyborg.
So the vines weren't the only protection against them. There were a few magical barriers and wards below that, followed by a few Sweet Roses, waiting to launch their crystals.
Zatanna was having a headache as she looked around, "The world is ending, and yet you all... Aghhh, I must be losing it because I also feel like trying a few things."
"Well, go ahead. Don't be shy and enjoy yourself." Ian smiled before focusing on the ones still trying to get in, seeming even more desperate.
By this point, things have already reached an unrecoverable level. Many beings did their share of experimentation and manipulation, leading numerous Paradoxes to appear.
All they had to do was to discover duplicate things that can cause a paradox. This universe is odd as in even if the same person meets a past or a future version of themselves, a paradox won't be triggered.
Yet in this special scenario, it did. That naturally made many beings across the universe confused, and curious.
And they all noted something, duplicate versions of people only appeared in Gotham. It was almost as if a bunch of people were just going about their daily life until they started noticing peculiarities.
Those peculiarities quickly turn to loneliness as you suddenly realize you're in a completely different world. The only ones you can lean on for comfort are those like you.
You'll find that you don't belong there. The world rejects you because you aren't the version the world wants you to be. Depression, suicidal thoughts or you can meet your other self and vanish with it.
It's just like the first Paradox victim. It happened in the spot right before Ian, which is why his current location is so important. Why it's deeply desired and why the governments would stop at nothing to get it back.
It's patient Zero. Where it all started. The source. The first Paradox, it was named. The important part for basically everyone was that Ian had something to do with the Paradox.
And indeed, it's everyone on earth's problem because by this point, the fractures in space-time had branched out so far out of the earth. The phenomenon was inconceivable to the point it made most people on earth desperate.
"There isn't much time huh..." Ian noted while stroking his chin, drawing a question out of Xanadu.
"What's your purpose exactly? I would very much like to know." She seemed truly curious, hopeful even.
"My purpose? It's of course finding the tools to get answers, but most important of all, it's preparations for the future."
Ian smiled as he brought Xanadu close to him, gently stroking her hair. He then added, "One can have numerous goals. Some might be born out of necessity. Some out of desire. There are plenty of things that can give birth to goals."
Xanadu's eyes lit up, understanding that he understands what she truly wanted to ask, "And what gave birth to yours?"
"A few things... Mostly Necessity and fun though. I have to rise, but there is no problem having a bit of fun along the way."
Ian stroked his chin with a frown, suddenly sensing something, but he still gave her one last piece of advice before finishing things up.
"You know what they say. There are skies beyond our skies, so explore the extent of those skies, and surpass them. Perhaps you can find a goal amidst that, or who knows perhaps your goal will be to surpass those skies."
Ian frowned even more as he eyed one of the Paradoxes, seeming in more of a hurry, "Btw, aren't you like thousands of years old? So why seek me for advice? I thought you'd have plenty of goals by now."
He was truly curious but the odd smile that surfaced on Xanadu after hearing his words somehow drove a chill through his spine, "I'm only a few hundred years old, okay? And I look fabulous."
Ian raised his brows, failing to see the problem, "I mean, yeah, you're gorgeous. What's your point?"
"Hmm," Xanadu seemed speechless for some reason before she let out a sigh of dismay, 'Right, I almost forgot who am dealing with.'
She then took a deep breath, feeling waves upon waves of energies swimming through her, "You'd be surprised at how many beings have no purpose, most even older than me, so thanks for the advice... I've regained my powers."
Ian nodded, "Yeah, I noticed like a week ago which is why I was confused why you handed me your hand a week ago because I thought you're already immortal and you don't need my force anymore, but I still did it because whatever."
"..."
And then there was silence as Xanadu appeared frozen in time, drawing a mischievous smile out of Ian, "I wonder why? Anyway, I'm off."
And then he vanished, appearing very close by, right in the middle of the fractures actually, in a very hidden spot.
"Yo Luci!"
"Lucifer." Lucifer corrected.
"Hm? Why not Luci?"
"Why? Good question. I'm just worried for your life and happiness because something tells me that if you continue to say it, something bad might happen." Lucifer wisely advised.
"Oh," Ian nodded, eyeing Lucifer weirdly before remarking, "What a weirdo. Anyway, what might you be doing here?"
In here means amidst the intricate tunnels shaped by the numerous fractures, very dangerous tunnels because touching the fractures will likely mean death.
This was the source. The first Paradox which led to numerous paradoxes spurting out, branching out.
The fractures branch out in an odd manner as it instantly happens. At one point, they're small and the very next moment, they become massive.
That unfortunately means that the fractures took a lot of lives and significant portions of land.
The entirety of earth was being swallowed. No, the entire solar system, and if not stopped, it will continue on to overwhelm the entirety of existence.
So Lucifer's answer to his question wasn't too surprising to Ian, "To keep it going. To watch the show, and I'd very much like you to obediently watch the show with me..."