Chereads / New Infinite Soul / Chapter 12 - Branded by Fate

Chapter 12 - Branded by Fate

"Two legendary immortal warriors, true ancient pharaohs with the power of creation, battled seven times, each lasting for seven centuries, with a battle occurring every seven millennia. This battle of universal peace and order versus universal chaos and supremacy threatened to destroy the grand universe.

"As a result, all the races were forced to pick a side to support. There can only be one Eternal Truth. Eternal War, formerly True Pharaoh Chaos, evolved the true principle of Universal Chaos and reigned as the victor. With his victory came the birth and destruction of many galactic star area realms within the Divine Universe."

"So then, the Eternal Silence who mastered Universal Peace died?" The little boy in white was stunned.

"Unfortunately for the Eternal War, beings of that level could never truly die. Especially so for honored Eternal Silence. The power of Universal Peace leaves one blessed with the most substantial soul and body constitution in existence.

"Of the thirteen universal treasures, the [Infinity Soul] is the most mysterious. Although it is ranked third behind the [Eternal Star] and the [Evil Origin], it is arguably just as powerful.

"The [Infinity Soul] itself exceeds the limits of this Divine Universe. It stood on par with the nine heavens, the divine ennead. True Pharaoh Universal Peace's soul can produce or merge with any energy thanks to his [Infinity Soul]!

"This included the magical energy of the nine heavens, the power that structures our entire reality, the legendary Dark Matter! Such is the power of the [Infinity Soul]," said the elder. "If not for his peaceful nature, the Eternal War would have never been able to defeat him."

"What's that, Grandpa? What is dark matter? What is an infinity soul?" asked the little boy in white, Sylvester.

"The [Infinity Soul] harmonizes the heavens. It brings balance to cancerous forces. The capabilities of that universal wonder within this universe are genuinely infinite. It is the most extreme force of neon in existence. This is because the [Infinity Soul] is an existence that exceeds the world and can stand on par with the heavens.

"Perhaps it transcends the highest skies! True Pharaoh Universal Chaos knew he couldn't honestly kill the master of the [Infinity Soul]. He just needed him dealt with long enough to evolve.

"This could be considered the Eternal's only rival in life, his arch-nemesis," said the old dog.

"So True Pharaoh Universal Chaos sacrificed his life source to strip honored True Pharaoh Universal Peace's soul of all its magical properties, even paying a high price to severely shatter the [Infinity Soul], which contained honored True Pharaoh Universal Peace's remnant consciousness, divine sense, personality, secrets of formulation, and memories of life.

"The [Infinity Soul] pearl was like a second soul of True Pharaoh Universal Peace. True Pharaoh Universal Chaos even plundered all of Universal Peace's inner worlds, transforming everything of value into egg-shaped cosmic energy-sealed stones, which he scattered across the universe. This is why each cosmic egg possesses the mark of infinity."

"So that's what a cosmic egg is…" The child nodded in understanding.

He had a cosmic egg in the primordial soul ring, and the hidden lemniscate was indeed how they were identified.

It was only now that the young prince discovered a problem.

He couldn't possibly have been told the origin of cosmic eggs before now! This was new information.

The prince was far older when he had even first heard of these so-called 'cosmic eggs,' older still when he obtained his own. The little boy in white started to realize that this was no memory. This wasn't a dream either. He didn't actually know this man he referred to as 'grandpa' so intimately, but he somehow knew this person was honest. He somehow existed outside of reality.

So then, who was the older man before him, and what was behind this illusion?

"After being scattered for millions of years, the [Infinity Soul] has finally neared completion. Only two lemniscate soul pearls are left unfused; the remaining have already merged with a newly chosen hero. You were almost complete, and you even found another pearl. However, a big chunk of you is missing.

"Now, fate has interfered, taking control of the steering wheel. The other half of you awaits. The [Infinity Soul]'s return will herald a new age. It has already begun to change fate and rewrite history with its mighty influence," said the elder, looking at the little boy in front of him deeply.

There was a crazed look in his eyes.

"Yes, but…how does this involve me, old man?" said Sylvester skeptically. 

The old man smiled mischievously as if he had long since realized that the boy would discover he wasn't dreaming.

"You will forever be involved. You have been branded by fate! There is no infinity without you, and no you without infinity." The elder's voice echoed heavily in the youth's mind, leaving him one last message before sending him unconscious again. "If you want freedom, then you must be patient! Only the God of Infinity can create your dream!"

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  To be lost in an abyss of darkness was a tragic fate. The concept of time is an illusion when nothing exists.

Deep in a dark and endless void, an uncountable number of the banished souls flowed through space and time. They were all infantile and floating on their backs, staring blankly into the darkness. They were merely traveling through the abyss with no consciousness, no free will, only the impulse to drift ever forward as if some mysterious law pulled them like a soul stream.

It appeared to be an endless river of infant souls from a distance. This river was wide by thousands of kilometers, infinitely deep, and it seemed to go on forever and ever without an end in sight.

For countless millennia, this darkness remained the same. Unchanging and unfathomable. Until one particular day, the start of a series of variations in this unchanging Samsara. First, a soul with a unique seal floated in one spot without moving an inch.

From a certain angle, the other souls were all lying on their backs and staring upwards as they drifted feet first in one direction. This new entry remained stationary and face down, head first towards the incoming souls' direction. This soul maintained this state for a millennium until another change occurred.

There was another soul that experienced specific changes after it passed by the stationary soul. Almost at the instant it floated past, this new soul suddenly began to glow brightly. As time moved, that soul, which was initially pale grey like all the rest, first changed pale green, then blue, then silver, and finally, it turned golden and released an intense light wave that instantly wiped out millions of surrounding souls.

Then this golden soul transformed into a golden sword of light, shot into the distance, crashed into a wall of chaotic space, and exploded through the barriers of this plane with a BOOM. There was a blinding and deafening sound before the light and noise vanished utterly, the void instantly mending itself. After that, nothing major happened. The former soul remained stationary. For a few years, tranquility had returned. 

Until suddenly… another light flashed. 

More precisely, a flame. 

Deep in the mass of grey clouds, a green fire slowly burned brighter until it began to affect the souls surrounding itself. Suddenly, every soul within seven kilometers of the flame instantly burned until nothing remained. Then the glow vanished.

Sylvester Tricko slowly regained consciousness but awakened to utter darkness amidst a splitting headache. He grimaced through the pain and tried to clear his mind. 

'What is this?' He seemed able to recall only his name.

Sylvester. Any complicated thought made him feel a hot and painful sensation as if his skin was being seared.

Skin?

Somehow, this term felt weird even to think.

After an unknown period passed, he could finally think a little more clearly. For a moment, all was blank. He did not know who he was. He did not even know if he was. What exactly was the state of 'being' anyway? Did he genuinely exist just because he questioned it? What was existence? Sylvester felt unsure, but he knew it should be more than this. Suddenly, his consciousness shook, and in the pupils of his eyes, one could see two tiny emeralds dancing.

Sylvester could finally remember himself.