Gilgamesh watched as millions of people glared at him. He had no idea what they were on about, honestly.
So what if Dorian extended an invitation to him that any one of them would kill their firstborn children to acquire? It didn't matter to him how they felt. It didn't matter to him how anyone felt.
All he cared about... was not caring at all.
To those people, they grumbled among themselves and regarded Gilgamesh as a monstrous-level idiot. They almost couldn't believe that such a maniac could exist.
To actually turn down Dorian of all people.
"Hmph," a man turned up his nose at Gilgamesh as he spat.
"What could Dorian see in a vagrant like him?" A woman mocked as she dusted her robes.
"Perhaps he felt sorry for the poor lad. Wanted to give him a chance to actually live a meaningful life."
This and other remarks were thrown Gilgamesh's way, but he felt nothing and said even less. His mind was clear, and his thoughts were calm.
Or, it would be more accurate to say that he was forcing himself to maintain a state of perpetual numbness to everything- even the lingering feelings within himself.
Closing himself off to the many feelings directed at him, Gilgamesh sat and waited for them to leave.
The tournament ended with the first place winner receiving a three seeds of true energy upon which they could meditate, while the others received more minor prizes.
Gilgamesh did not really pay attention to any of it. For some reason, he felt his gaze being attracted to the destroyed Book Collection in the endless sky of the Library.
It called to him; something about it.
Wahvu eventually bade Gilgamesh farewell, while also telling him that he was free to visit his sect whenever he wished. All he needed to do was ask for Sect Elder Erridas.
Gilgamesh said goodbye, and lingered longer in the Spiritual Oasis. He did not even notice the Empress eying him nonstop. He merely looked out at the frozen surface of the tranquil water as he basked in the shade, thinking of something or nothing.
He stayed in that state for some time.
His crimson eyes were dim as he suddenly sighed. That was when he realized that the people were all long gone. Before he could even look around, he heard someone cough right next to him.
A soft wind blew, and long white hair blew over to him, just barely brushing against his shoulder. Turning to look, he saw a woman in a golden dress, staring right at him.
Gilgamesh did not notice her right next to him until he saw her, reminding him of the many times people had popped up right next to him without him realizing.
"My senses have dulled significantly, it seems. I can't even detect someone when they're right next to me."
The Empress nodded slowly, her blue eyes shimmering, "If you're used to spending thousands of years doing nothing but sitting and staring off into space, then it makes sense- doesn't it?"
Hearing her voice go from authoritative to lowly and respectful, Gilgamesh was a bit taken aback before he cleared his throat and recovered. "What do you want with me, woman?"
The Empress shifted at that, then swallowed, "I'm sorry if you feel I invaded your personal space, but I simply could not contain my excitement. I even sent my people away in a hurry just so I could ensure your secret was kept."
With a brow raised, Gilgamesh turned slightly, "My secret?"
"Yes," she nodded rapidly, "I wasn't the only one that took note of you staying here for the last thousand years, but I was able to make you seem a bit less interesting by suggesting that I could see through you a bit."
"That was a lie, of course," the Empress suddenly added, as if she was wary of offending him.
Gilgamesh frowned. "Why would you do that?"
"Because," she took a breath, "I have had to sit back and listen to the stories of this 'Dorian,' and slowly see myself pale in comparison to him. I am nothing in his eyes, but you are special enough to warrant his attention. He even offered such an invitation to you, going through the trouble of searching for you for years, even."
"That, coupled with the fact that you haven't visibly aged after a thousand years, and that I can sense no true energy in you, but clearly saw the Nature of Enlightenment fully manifest in your eyes."
"All these things give me reason to believe that you are, without a doubt, a monstrous prodigy just like Dorian. I think you may even be a Seeker of The Sovereign. That is why I will go to any lengths to get on your good side."
Gilgamesh came to understand where the Empress' thinking had led her, and so he pressed his lips together thinly and tilted his head expectantly.
"So," he pursued, "what is your ask?"
The Empress' suddenly became sheepish, and she pressed her fingers together hesitantly as she bit down on her lip. "You see... The thing is..."
Gilgamesh waited for her to spit it out.
"I wanted to know..."
He continued waiting.
"Do you think you can consider...."
He was getting tired of waiting.
"Spit it out, woman," he softly barked.
"Okay, okay, sorry," She said, immediately sounding defensive.
Taking one final moment to swallow, she hung her mouth open and carefully spoke. "Can you... instruct me?"
There was silence for a few moments as Gilgamesh reassessed her words.
"You..." He shook his head, "You said what?"
The Empress, emboldened by a successful attempt, spoke louder and clearer. "Can you please instruct me?"
Gilgamesh widened his eyes and stared at the floor.
'So I did hear her right. Is she crazy or something?'
Straightening up, Gilgamesh folded his arms and brought his legs in closer to him. "Why the hell would you want me to instruct you? Do I look like the kind of person that can teach anyone?"
The Empress nodded with no hesitation. "Just the fact that you look nothing like a supreme master, means that you most definitely can be one."
Perking up, the Empress made a sharp movement that caused her chest to wobble and jiggle, momentarily attracting Gilgamesh's gaze. "Also!"
"Let's not forget about the Nature of Enlightenment I saw in your eyes during your thousand-year stay in my Oasis. You were trying to discover traces of The Sovereign, weren't you?"
Gilgamesh frowned, "That's the second time you mentioned that. What exactly is that: The Sovereign?"
The Empress paused, "You mean you don't know?"
Suddenly, she froze and her eyes widened, fearful and full of regret.
Of course he knew! He must have asked because he wanted to know what she knew!
"I mean... Of course you know, but I'll share my interpretations with you, no problem."
Gilgamesh could tell, in that instant, that a misunderstanding had been made. Even so, he did not feel the need to correct it, so he just listened.
"Throughout the Library, everyone knows that there are practically endless natures of true energy. As pathways through cultivation are created, true energy natures are derived from the Source Of All Things."
"There are only ancient myths and stories passed down across countless years, but they all refer to the same thing when talking about that same Source. They say that the Source Of All Things is comprised of the power of the very first Natures of True Energy."
"Those Natures are where all natures in the Library come from. They are The Sovereign Natures- the Origin of the Source and, in turn, the Beginningless Library itself."
Gilgamesh instantly made the connection between what he heard and the Mother of Scriptures. It seems that there was some knowledge of her being spread around back then. "How did those ancient peoples come to know of this?"
The Empress stretched out her legs and sat back, propping herself up with her arms. Her golden dress tightened around her breasts, and Gilgamesh saw the perfect print of her nipples through it.
He glanced at them, casually giving them a 7 out of 10 rating before he continued to listen.
"The legends point to an ancient figure that was once granted knowledge of the Source Of All Things, and that person went on to teach an entire empire of many truths. Apparently, that ancient figure- referred to by a single letter, 'A,' taught many of the people that went on to dominate some of the Book Collections we see above us."
Gilgamesh followed and nodded. He felt like God had just gotten bored one day and decided to create a character that possessed a fraction of her knowledge. If he could, he would ask The Scripture, but that was out of the question.
"That person, 'A,' told those people about The Sovereign Natures, but did not name them or even tell of what they were capable of. They just seemed to know that they existed, and that was the extent of their knowledge regarding them."
"If 'A' knew any more, they did not allow it to be recorded in those texts."
Gilgamesh suddenly yawned, "So, once again, God plays around in lives and no one can do anything about it."
The Empress seemed confused, "God?"
Gilgamesh carried on as though he did not notice her, "God is a real bitch, that she is. But so what, am I right? She created each and every one of us just for some fleeting sense of entertainment. That's all we are to her, isn't it?"
Speaking more so to himself than the Empress, Gilgamesh carried on a bit. The Empress listened to him with rapt attention, her eyes darting this way and that as she seemed to study Gilgamesh words as he spoke them.
"God and The Scripture are one- it's her inherent nature, you see- so she utilizes it freely, crafting stories, lives, feelings, natures- you name it. She can do whatever she wants with her creation, but then people like me come along."
"People she feels the need to create, despite the fact that she knows she won't be able to control us in the end..."
Gilgamesh suddenly slowed down, his eyes glistening. "People like me... the stone that God can't lift... despite the fact that she created it..."
All of a sudden, the Empress shot to her feet, excitement heavy on her entire face. With a single slender finger, she pointed at Gilgamesh and practically shouted at the top of her lungs.
"That's exactly it! You just perfectly described the Source Of All Things the way 'A' described it!"