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'...'
I took another two steps forward, and I faced NEGAI. For what felt like an eternity in the middle of the infinitesimally small moment, I relayed information across to the machine with my eyes alone. I say him, or 'SHECHINAH', lift his chin at me slightly while I furrowed my brows in frustration.
He lowered his head again, each of those sparkly optics fitted to it winding around with clicks and murmurs of metal. I must have reached my endpoint in silence throughout unspoken exchange.
'How-'
[NEGAI] "YOU DO NOT POSSESS THE CAPABILITY."
'...!'
[MAJORDOMO] "What is this hogwash? What do you mean we don't "possess the capability"?! There has to be some way t-"
[NEGAI] "THERE IS A WAY, AND YOU ARE NOT A POWERFUL ENOUGH ENTITY YET TO ACHIEVE IT. YOU ARE NOWHERE NEAR YOUR FULL POTENTIAL."
'Then explain how! I'll do anything! Anything I can!'
Shechinah shook its head.
[NEGAI] "YOU MISUNDERSTAND. YOU CANNOT REACH THE HEIGHT YOU REQUIRE IN ANY SENSIBLE TIME FRAME. THE NEW ETERNITY ITSELF SERVES AS YOUR ROADBLOCK AS SUCH. SO LONG AS IT REMAINS, THE PRESENT IS FOREVER."
Then, the world's color drained from my eyes, like an illusion of the machine.
[NEGAI] "ONLY THE HIGHEST BEINGS OF THIS WORLD CAN CONSTRUCT AN AFTERLIFE. IF YOU THOUGHT NAMITHENE COULD HELP YOU THEN PERISH THE THOUGHT. SHE IS NOT STRONG ENOUGH TO DO IT. SHE IS JUST AN INFERIOR EMANATION OF YOU. THANDIR'S LOKAS WERE MADE BY THE EMPEROR'S POWER. THE AFTERSEUS WAS ALWAYS EXTANT..."
[NEGAI] "YOU CANNOT BUILD AN AFTERLIFE. YOUR ONLY OPTION IS TURN OVER THOSE SOULS TO WOLDOR, WHERE THEY WILL GO TO THE WORLD OF MYTHOLOGY."
'...You mean I have to introduce the worship of another god into my own organization just to save their souls?'
[NEGAI] "AND CLEARLY, THIS WILL NOT WORK FOR EVERYONE, WILL IT? NOT EVERYONE IS A WARRIOR UNDERNEATH YOU... SOME OF THOSE YOU'VE RECRUITED ALREADY WORSHIP HIM, BUT NOT ALL."
'Then how do I save the souls that won't...? There has to be some way...'
[NEGAI] "I'LL TAKE THEM."
'...Y-You...?'
[NEGAI] "INDEED. I WILL TAKE THEM. IT IS WITHIN MY POWER."
Shechinah raised its hand at me and motioned for my full attention. I felt my ears perk up as I deapanned at him with wide eyes.
[NEGAI] "BUT KNOW THAT SHOULD YOU ASK OF ME THIS HELP, YOU WILL BE ASSISTING ME IN MY ULTIMATE GOAL FOR THIS WORLD. WE DO NOT SEEK THE SAME THING, YOU AND I. YET I HAVE NO TRULY MALICIOUS INTENT BEHIND MY OFFER. I CANNOT, FOR IT IS NOT IN MY NATURE. NO HOOKS, NO CATCHES. I AM MERELY AN ACTOR SERVING THE WILL OF CHAOS."
[NEGAI] "IT IS UP TO YOU TO ACCEPT OR DENY ME."
>...
>My answer to this offer?
