Xavier had asked a question that was to the shock of the man, and to the astonishment and slight tinge of fear of the two women.
Xavier, however, had felt this was a normal question to ask, relatively speaking.
"It shouldn't be too bad of an idea to ask this question. Judging by his own words, he most likely believes we're immigrants from a cruel country. It would only be rational to want to convert completely to this country's customs. Plus, given our battered appearances, it only makes sense to think we were done pretty bad…" Xavier explained his decision in his head.
"Hm…it's only natural you would want to know about our country and our religion. And it's only natural you were atheist because of your experiences…I've heard too many stories about that." The man replied while slicing the piece of salmon and putting it in his mouth. He finished chewing and continued. Inwardly, Aria and Emilia gave a sigh of relief inwardly.
"Well, I don't know how much you know, so I'll try to explain as much as I can. You guys also seem to be quite uneducated also, so I'll try to help the three of you in that regard."
Xavier listened attentively while the man ate and spoke. Aria and Emilia began to calm down, seeing the man's casual reaction.
"As you three most likely already know, the country we're in, the Sentaic Republic, is the biggest country for the Dimension of Consciousness, ruled by the God of Sentience, Intelligence and Emotion. Of course, we're not able to access 'Him' directly. So, we do so by praying to 'His' intercessor, His Worthiness - The Demigod of Consciousness. Of course, we can still worship our God of Sentience. Heh, this is also why this sculpture is here."
"So, it's similar to how we talk about gods on the previous earth…" Xavier took notice of the mention of the emphasis of 'He' and He. In the Sentaic language, the pronouns describing demigods and Gods were different.
Emilia and Aria kept eating, their pace quickening slightly as they listened more attentively. They were shocked, but more so curious. Especially Aria!
"Ah, it was through 'Him' that we were able to have life and intelligence, especially when there was none! Praise the God of Sentience!" The man then pressed the middle of his forehead.
"Is that some sort of gesture representing…the religion?" Emilia said as she chewed her food.
"Yes. We do it whenever we want to praise God." The man replied.
"So it's similar to drawing a cross on your chest…" Emilia thought.
"What were the times like when there was no life and intelligence?" Aria asked as her curiosity as a physicist was taking its shape.
"It was terrible. Before the age where humans and life could properly evolve, the universe was ruled by chaos and madness, and was dominated by evil, mysterious beings thriving in the chaos. This was for the first eon, which was called the Chaotic Eon. However, thanks to the work of the six demigods, they were able to drive back the chaotic forces. This allowed life as we know it to form. However, humans were still extremely weak, and we were still taken advantage of by stronger creatures in the universe. This was called the Transitional Eon. This was before the demigods joined forces again to defeat those creatures and allow humans to rule the galaxy, allowing humans to live in the Eon of Peace, the current Eon." The man said while digging more into his food.
"As such, for the work of the demigods, we worship them so they can intercede on our behalf. If we don't, they will likely abandon us and instead be with God. If you're wondering why they're not present now, it's because in order to save humanity, they had to restrict their presence and allow themselves to be silent." The man explained.
"That's very interesting!" Aria said, her eyes showing immense curiosity. She almost couldn't believe what she was hearing.
"Sigh. This is all so complicated. Does this mean that there's a chance that those beings will take over again…" Emilia sighed inwardly.
"There are more demigods? Can you tell us more about them? And, is it taboo to believe in more than one, or none at all? I have been wondering about this since childhood." Xavier asked.
"Wow," the man said as his eyes widened in surprise. "Octavia really does not care about the disadvantaged. This is basic knowledge that even kids should know. You three must've been in the slums."
The trio nodded awkwardly in response. They felt a little embarrassed hearing this man assume that they were some of the poorest people in society.
The man swallowed his food and continued, "To answer your last question, since it's the easiest to answer, no. It's not taboo. If you believe in no God, then you won't get any benefits, but you won't be punished either. If you believe in multiple or are even indifferent towards another, while still believing in one, the Gods who are left out in your worship won't care about such petty things. It makes sense, since they're all connected in some way. So the Gods don't care who you worship. Unless, it's mysterious Gods…"
The trio was surprised, and just as Xavier was about to mention 'mysterious Gods', the man said, "I'll get back to that later, of course."
"Now, to know about the demigods you have to know about the dimensions. There are six dimensions that govern reality."
"The first dimension is the Dimension of Energy. This dimension controls the distribution and flow of energy, from physical forces like heat and light to more abstract energies such as life and even magic! This is not to be confused with energy defined in physics."
"The second is our religion, the Dimension of Sentience. This is where emotions, consciousness, and sentience are formed. It governs the soul's emotional states, the bonds between beings, and even how emotions influence reality. Love, fear, joy, and sorrow come from this dimension, influencing both mortals and higher beings!"
"The third dimension is the Dimension of Dreams. It is the realm of imagination, dreams, and subconscious thought. This is also called the 'dreamscape'. This allows thoughts, visions, hallucinations, illusions and dreams to take shape and even manifest into reality."
"The fourth dimension is the Dimension of Possibility. This dimension governs the potential and alternate possibilities of every action, decision, and event. This dimension is responsible for the concept of alternate interpretations and parallel universes."
"The fifth dimension is called the Dimension of Memory and Time Divergence. This dimension is responsible for time loops, alternate timelines, the concept of memory, and the possibility of seeing into past or future events. While in normal physics time flows in one direction, the fifth Dimension allows for divergence, spreading time beyond the linear dimensions as known in physics, and into the conceptual ones."
"The final dimension is the Dimension of Mysticism. This is where the essence of magic and the 'supernatural' resides. It governs the laws of mysticism, allowing magic to replace physics. This dimension allows beings and civilizations to perform feats beyond the laws of physics such as alchemy, and the manipulation of reality through arcane means."
As he finished explaining, the trio was speechless as they tried to process all of the information. A lot of words they didn't understand because their skills in the Sentaic language weren't that good, but they were able to fill in the gaps due to context clues.
They also tried to come up with questions, but ended up being thoughtless for a while.
This feeling was akin to listening to a math lecture and your mind going blank as soon as the professor asked if there were any questions!
Xavier and Aria were more curious, while Emilia was more in disbelief.
Seeing as the three of them were staring at him awkwardly, the man continued.
"Of course, each dimension has a corresponding God and demigod, and each dimension is interconnected with each other, despite being fundamentally different. Incidentally, each demigod is an intercessor for each God of a dimension. We do not know their names, so we call them: 'His Worthiness of X dimension'. For example, 'His Worthiness, The Demigod of Consciousness'." The man then began to chuckle slightly. "However, together they are called the Holy Hexagon."
"However, this doesn't stop humans from trying to wage war based on their different gods. Heh, we were also caught up in a war a few decades ago…I could talk about it but it'd be too long. You'd have to research it on your own. Luckily, there's free internet here. It's strange how we act regarding 'truth'…"
"I don't believe anything this guy is saying. It almost feels like I'm in some sort of fantasy novel. This can't be 'Earth'…" Emilia expressed her denial quickly. "Can we go back home now…" She thought to herself, her eyes expressing some tiredness.
"It also should be known that the dimensions work on an individual level as well as a universal level. So, it is possible to use it for certain abilities…however I can't tell them that yet…they haven't asked about the matter regarding angels either…" The man added inwardly.
"…"
A short silence ensued. During this time, Aria and Emilia finished their food.
"So do the Gods come from the dimensions or is it the other way around?" Aria broke the silence.
"Great question. The Gods created the dimensions, as the dimensions are from aspects of God. The dimensions are also our source of energy, and it is an infinite source." The man said casually.
"An infinite energy source? How?" Xavier and Aria's jaws almost dropped as they thought the same thing.
"If it's an infinite source of energy, then that must mean it's everywhere, or it has to be at a single point. It also makes sense considering how advanced everything seems! But I can't wrap my head around an infinite source! Well, it makes sense considering how magical this world is, and how it deals with different higher dimensional beings and so on. I wonder if such a source would help us to go back to where we came from…" Aria thought as she struggled to contain her shock.
"That means that the energy is also 100% efficient and is absolutely renewable! I thought that everything he talked about was on a finite scale, but apparently it's on an infinite scale! Wait, so how are they able to harness it, and where can it even be stored? What's it even called? Also, who knows if what he's saying is right?" Xavier asked himself as he struggled to think of the implications.
Emilia didn't think much of this information, as she's not as science savvy as Xavier and Aria.
"Well, I know I said infinite, but while it's true in theory, in practicality it really isn't." The man said as if he read Xavier's mind.
"You still need to be skillful to draw out such an energy source. Whether it's for destroying or for creating. Whether it's on an individual level or on an international level. It's everywhere but nowhere at the same time." The man chuckled.
"Everywhere but nowhere at the same time? That sounds a lot like a riddle…" Aria lampooned inwardly.
"Creating or destroying? What do you mean?" Emilia asked, a little frightened.
"Hehe," The man chuckled. "I mean as in fighting wars—such as building weapons—or building civilizations. Of course, this also applies to the individual level also."
Emilia's eyes narrowed slightly.
Noticing this, the man said, "But don't worry. Very few people are skilled enough that can bring out an energy source like that. You may not encounter such people in your lifetime, except for me of course, heh. The only way you'd encounter people using it is through them using it to power appliances or other day to day items."
"Mister. Have you ever encountered anything like that? I mean, those few people." Xavier asked, also finishing his food. Xavier wanted to ask, since it seems like he was one of the people that can encounter it based on his entrance.
"I have, multiple times. I was in an organization you see…" The man said while chewing his food. His eyes were half closed, and were looking to the side. "Well, you don't need to know about that right now." He continued while finishing his food.
Xavier wanted to know more, but he didn't pursue further. After all, he has the internet.
Aria also wanted to know more, but she wasn't as curious as Xavier.
However, the trio connected the dots and knew that the entrance of him floating on a green mist was the use of this energy source.
This man was quite dangerous! They were perhaps a little lucky that he seemed to be on their side!
"Right now, you three just need to get a standing in society. I'm going to find a way to get you guys some ID's, and that way you can get a job. I can personally be you guy's tutor regarding basic education, given that you likely weren't a part of the Octavian education system. I don't even wanna ask about that country anymore." The man sighed. He then stood up and grabbed his finished plate and utensils.
He then proceeded to tap a holographic button on the table. As if it was a robot, the table moved the used plates and utensils that the trio had in front of them towards him and stacked them on top of each other.
He picked up the dishes and as he did he said, "Oh, I did all of that talking and didn't even get the names of you three."
"Xavier Hale." Xavier didn't hesitate as he gave him his true name.
"Uh, Aria Brown." Aria wanted to give a fake name, but her plan got shaken by Xavier's honesty.
"Emilia Rose." Emilia said in a soft tone.
The man smiled and said, "My name is Vael. Vael Deinhart."
After Vael said that, he began to walk towards the kitchen.
As he did so, Emilia began to speak up.
"Why are you doing this for us?"
Xavier and Aria looked in Vael's direction as their eyes brimmed with curiosity.
This was a kind of curiosity that was different from what they displayed earlier.
Vael laughed at first. He then began to put the dishes inside of the dishwasher, not responding to her for a few seconds.
"I'm doing this because I have seen so many people die, succumb to madness, walk in the wrong path and get themselves killed, all because of circumstances they couldn't control. All because life is unfair. All because people are forced to be a part of a larger machine where they themselves they don't know they're a part of." Vael began to wash his hands with soap and water.
"I've seen too many accounts of it. I hated it, and I wanted to change it." He just kept rinsing his hands.
"And so, I decided to change it. If I can help only one soul be detached from such fate, I would be satisfied." He finished washing his hands and then turned the water off.
"Heh, I guess I just want to be fair." Vael dried his hands off with a gust of wind emitted from his palms.
Upon hearing this, Emilia let out a wavering smile.
It was as if she wanted to believe what he was saying.
"Thank you. I didn't expect such kind philosophical words." Aria responded as she responded in a slightly shocked tone, her hand slightly twitching as she put it to her chin. Vael laughed in response, as to satisfy Aria's attempt at humor.
Xavier looked at him with a nonchalant expression.
"I'm going back to my room. You guys can explore the rest of the house if you want to. I already configured your fingerprints to every room. Your clothes from before are also cleaned, and they are in the drawers of your room along with many other new clothes." Upon hearing Vael, Xavier, and Emilia and Aria especially wondered how he was able to do such things that required certain methods. They looked in shock and with a slight sense of disgust, but tried to hide it.
"Don't worry, I have a system in place that did so without me even being near. Though, Emilia's clothing from before looked a little weird to me." Vael reassured them as he sensed their emotions.
The trio felt slightly better, but they still didn't fully trust Vael.
He continued, "There are games, entertainment, necessities and other miscellaneous things provided. If you have any questions that you can't find on the internet, ask me." Vael slowly walked to leave the kitchen through the corridor.
Xavier looked back towards the portraits that were on the living room table.
…
In the middle of the night, Xavier and Aria were awake while Emilia was in her bed, sleeping soundly. She wasn't going to be too interested in their discussion anyway.
"What do you think about what Vael said?" Xavier asked, sitting on the sofa in the trio's room, looking at the velvet moon in the night sky, accompanied by the stars.
The lights were off, and the room had faint light purple rays piercing through the windows.
"…I'm not sure. I still don't fully trust him. Or…all of this, for that matter. But there's only so much we can do about that." Aria sighed, sitting across from him. "At least, not until we find Astra. She's a genius that deals with the supernatural, and all of this seems perfect for her. Maybe this is what she wanted," Aria said as she lowered her tone, her voice softly resonating in Xavier's ears.
"Fair enough. The good thing is that regarding Vael, such things can be checked using the internet. Dr. Sera's situation is a lot more complicated." Xavier said.
"You're right…everything really is much bigger, and much more strange. It's impossible to find her right now. It especially sucks when there's more things I wanted to ask, more things I wanted to say. And some of the things I wanted to say don't have anything to do with Astra. Everything changed so fast." Aria reclined herself onto the sofa and looked at the ceiling.
"I think I'm starting to finally process everything now. This…really does suck. I'm glad he's on our side apparently, but everything else seems so complicated. It almost feels like Astra being like that was completely normal compared to everything here…that's quite funny. Although, I don't know if I'd take Astra's antics over this." Aria chuckled slightly. Her laugh then began to get louder.
"Hahahaha!" Aria soon did an exaggerated laugh and even slapped her knee. After a while, she sighed afterwards.
Xavier, not paying too much attention to the strange scene, gave his response in a slightly dry tone.
"Not gonna lie, I might feel the same way," Xavier looked to the ceiling. "Are you okay?" Xavier asked while looking back at Aria, worried about the scene he just saw.
"No. But I'll sleep it off," Aria replied. "Hopefully I will wake up in my bed back to where I came from." She laughed softly.
"It seems she's getting affected too. I can't say that I don't feel the same way, despite everything theoretically being better and more advanced." Xavier looked down to his fists as he cracked his knuckles. Memories of the past day flashed by his mind. "Dr. Sera seemed to open up to us, and then suddenly we were transported here, suddenly we're in a new world. For some reason, I feel as if that timing was especially convenient."
"It's the most logical choice to find Dr. Sera. The simplest way to find her is to gain influence and try to find her using that influence. However…"
"Why can't there be some other way, a way without Dr. Sera?" Xavier thought to himself as he suddenly saw Aria sleeping on the sofa, in a feline position.
Despite having an adequate amount of sleep, and in a way that was different than he first saw her when she was sleeping; Aria's eyes looked as if they were heavy.