"Information? Any kind of information?" Atlas asked seriously.
"Yes... but you can only think about those questions during this encounter. So, what do you think about my proposal?"
Jasper repeatedly demonstrated that his statement had a solid base at the last minute. He knew their names and about the Nihility Dimension, something that had left Atlas's heart trembling.
This matter was a piece of valid evidence, yet since Jasper was asking for his permission, it was clear that the Nihility Dimension was beyond his reach, even with his absurd powers. He wasn't even worried about his intrusion because, inside that Realm, he was the sole overlord with authority, similar to a God there.
The only doubt now was his real purpose?
Why did he need the Nihility Dimension?
Was he looking for a specific portal hidden there?
Reaching this conclusion, Atlas questioned the strange creature again: "Where do you want to go?"
"Well... there will be a point in the future where we will meet again, and at that time, I will only need your help a single time. A safe passage out of this secluded dimension." Jasper reassured again: "I will even swear that no harm will be dealt to you or your closet one from my actions."
"How can we trust you? We both know that there are multiple ways to escape the restriction of an oath if one deeply desires it."
This time was the turn of Deus to speak out his doubts and didn't leave Jasper any other choice other than to make things more transparent.
"A Soul Contract will solve any future problem. If any side violates this, body and soul will perish permanently. This kind of contract is deadly even for someone at my level."
"True..." Dues relaxed and then looked at the young man: "Now it's up to you if you want to agree."
Undoubtedly, this was an excellent opportunity, but there were still many unresolved mysteries surrounding this matter.
As if sensing his thoughts, Jasper looked back at him and warned: "You will get no answer to those questions, so don't waste your time. Give me your reply now!"
Seeing Deus acting so calmly, Atlas didn't waste more time and agreed.
"Good... then let me give you a few simple suggestions. Don't ask me anything too absurd, or we will only waste time. And don't waste this good opportunity asking me about your protector or the Nihility Dimension."
Yet again, the creature's words surprised him and the other two because one of the questions was indeed related to him.
"Okay, before we start, let's stipulate the contract..."
Suddenly, a thin veil made of pure energy appeared between them. Shortly after, words written in the common language of the Oblivion world appeared, stating the conditions and the parts linked to the contract.
"It should be fine like this, right?" Jupiter asked, looking back at the duo.
"Yes..."
"Yes..."
"Great... touching this part, the contract will be defined."
As soon as Atlas' hand touched the bottom right corner of the veil. The words exploded in a dense fog of particles that equally flowed inside Atlas and Jupiter's bodies.
It was a strange sensation but not harmful at all.
"Since the contract is established, you have five minutes to give me your questions." Jasper announced with a solemnity expression but also warned the young man one last time: "Clever questions will give you better results."
The countdown of five minutes started as soon as Jasper gave his last words.
There wasn't much time to waste, so he looked up towards the sky and pondered deeply.
Although a minute passed. Finally, a simple question emerged from the young man's mouth: "When will be the perfect time for me to use the teleportation portal hidden inside the ancient site below my grandparents' house?"
This question could give him more than an answer and could solve many future problems related to his security and his family.
"Smart question, little boy... go ahead!"
Receiving his approval, Atlas didn't stop and asked again: "Where can I find what I'm looking for once I cross the Endless Primordial Desert?"
"Hmm... It's vague but still feasible. I can't promise a good result because the answer depends on your heart's desire. Yet, I can grant you this wish if it's to your liking."
Atlas expected such a response and accepted it nevertheless.
"Fine... one or two more questions, depending on your next one."
This time, he didn't look up and instead turned his head toward Deus, who hastily shook his head: "This is your fate, so don't look at me."
'Mmm... one or two more... what will be the most useful one?' Atlas thought, reaching a point where things were getting pretty nasty: 'Should I ask about Falgnis and Falerra's brothers? The gains are undoubtedly enormous with this response. But, There is something that I need more than anything else?'
There were still three minutes to find a good question, and Atlas let his mind work rapidly in search of the best one.
'I should ask about the Nihility Dimension's origin?'
Atlas's curiosity about that strange place had grown significantly after gaining the Eternal Sun Soul Art because he felt that there was something more hidden inside that small cavern, truth related directly to his past and future.
He also wanted to know more about his mother and father. He truly wanted to ask about them directly, but with the first question, he was sure to obtain some hints about them.
A difficult choice was standing in front of him, and it took him almost all the remaining time to find a valid conclusion.
Lifting his head negligibly, Atlas looked directly at Jasper and asked: "I want to know the exact location of Falgnis and Falerra's brothers."
This was his third question. As for the last one, he hoped there was another one, and he was waiting for his response.
"Well... As I warned you, asking about some issues is heavier than average. Such a question could be simple in your eyes, but its true value to this Universe is far too great." Jasper commented, looking troubled: "I can answer this question fully only if you sacrifice all the other possibilities, including the first two."
Surely, Atlas didn't expect such a response. In fact, almost all of his previous plans were utterly ruined by it.
"The impact on the balance of this world is so enormous because of them?"
"Well... you should have noticed the potency of those fruits and even got a seed of a Tree of the Underworld." Jasper commented, a bit frustrated: "Little boy, you broke the balance too much in the last months. Even your protector is holding back because of that."
Hearing Jasper speak so much about all his secrets sent chills running deep in his heart. The veil of mystery around this strange vagabond kept increasing, warning Atlas to never stand on the wrong side of this fellow.
It took him a while to recover from the shock, but finally, Atlas gave him his thought: "There should be a way where I can get a proper answer to at least these three."
"Mmm... it's possible, but you will lose in accuracy."
"What if I renounce to the second question?" Atlas tried to find a better solution, yet he had underestimated the weight of his last question.
"It's meaningless."
After hearing how much the position of the other Elementals was worth, Atlas couldn't sacrifice it, so after giving it some other thought, he chose to compromise.
"Fine... no matter the result, I want to know the information about those three matters."
"As you wish..."
Since both parties had reached an agreement, Jasper didn't warn him anymore and accepted Atlas' condition.
Standing silently on the side, Deus had looked at the due with rapt attention and a tinge of unities, especially after Jasper's blunt words about the secrets hidden inside the young man.
In his long life, he had never encountered someone like this creature, and sure enough, such a meeting had washed away a bit of his arrogance. Such matter had even lit a bit of curiosity about such a character, and he couldn't help but stare at him intently when the creature's turn to respect the contract came. After all, he wanted to know what powers he would have used to gain the required answers.
It's been almost ten minutes since the fated encounter, and right now, Jasper was standing again with his feet on the dark red sand.
A small stone object was before him, tall as his pelvis and large as a medium barrel of wine. The stony surface of the object was clean and smooth, except for some parts where tiny crystals were mounted.
At the top stood a wide wooden plate with vague and strange carvings. The symbols seemed like inscriptions carved on the wood, yet they were something never seen before.
"Okay... step a bit further!" Jasper shouted, looking a bit more serious than before.
Kurmanus took his warning seriously and jumped back a few times, halting his huge body half a mile away.
Suddenly, dark clouds started condensing above the vagabond as if something was attracting them above his head. In a few seconds, miles around him were veiled by dense black clouds where even the sun couldn't be seen. And the creature floating in the sky and resembling a miniature sun was gone without alerting anyone.
Standing on top of Kurmanus, Deus's expression was beyond ordinary, and his eyes, like those of Kurmanus, glittered because what was happening in front of them could only be described as a spectacle.
"It's a tribulation... The Heavenly Lightning is descending into this world. How is that possible?"