The Ashen Keeper

Chapter 124

"Grandmaster ... I did not expect to see thee here at all."

"I wish I could say the same but alas, I have been expecting you!", replied the Grandmaster clearly happy that she was present.

"What would thee want of me?", she asked. She was curious as to this 'trial'.

"Do not ask me. It is a trial that you set up in the future. I am only here to host it. But, I can tell you a few things that I know of."

"Not everything?", she asked with hopes.

"You are the only one who knows everything. Maybe there are more but these are matters beyond my knowledge. Furthermore, these trials are not there for no reason. The results of these will all be necessary for your present."

"And why would I leave you to explain everything? Do I not leave any other else for this matter?", she asked hoping she doesn't sound rude but the Grandmaster noticed it.

"I feel hurt but I agree. I am not someone to trust but you have no choice. I am the last one. I am the last one to survive intact. There exists no other choice but for you to trust me and for me to trust you."

"It appears that things are very bad in the future."

"These are the consequences of combining worlds for no reason. Nobody, not even the very creator of these worlds could have predicted this. Anything that can go wrong, went wrong in this combined, deranged world.

What is it that humans call? Murphy's Law if I'm right. Well, let us say that Murphy's law is shown to an extreme in this badly combined world. Oh, it is faster to just show you."

He turned around and started walking. Before that, all she could see for their surroundings was a white blank. Now, just as soon as the Grandmaster turned as head, she was in a different environment.

She looked up the sky only to see nothing there. It was dark but there was no sun or a moon. There were no stars either. However, she could see slight cracks in the sky. They looked fragile like broken glass as if they would soon break. Yet, she could still see.

They were in what seems to be a rocky valley. They were surrounded by mountains and walked in a small path between them. It was only a short while before the view changed once more. It was a huge sprawling gate made of stone. There was a runic inscription on top of it.

"Abandon All Hope, Ye Who Enter Here"

It was boldly unscripted on the top. Moreover, she could sense her own aura all over it. For what reason did she left this behind.

"Ah, ignore that one. You left it there to sound 'mysterious' according to you. The actual inscription is inside."

She smiled slightly at this. How could she not know her own intentions even if it was her from the future. She clearly left it as a joke. Although things seem hopeless, it was good to see that she has not lost her sense of humour. She was not sure if this counted as a joke.

They entered there and walked a small path once again before coming out to the open where there was a stone slab beside a cave hold. It was also unscripted in runic inscriptions.

She looked at the Grandmaster hoping she was not feeling particularly hilarious the day she made all these. It was good for fun but she did not want to come all the way here to read another practical joke.

"That's the actual inscription. You claim that it will serve you as a reminder for the future."

Now, that she got a confirmation, she leaned in closer for a look. Too bad it did not state anything clearly. Vague clues once again. Good thing that the Grandmaster was here to explain things. The words were as ominous as the first inscription.

"No cost too great.

No mind to think.

No will to break.

No voice to cry suffering.

Born of Light and Dark, this world shall lose the blinding light that plagues the Nightmare.

Seek the vessel that seal the dark when all things fail.

Thou art the last keeper of this accursed world.

Do not let it go out of balance."

'What?', was the only thing she thought once again. It is not a good thing that she has been thinking of this word more often than ever.

"Just come with me, you will understand all of this after you see these.", the Collector beckoned her into the cave without even looking at the inscription. After all, why should he? He has had all the time in the world to look at this.

She followed him. It was dark to the extent she could barely see anything. The collector clicked something and lights lit up in the dark hallway. The ground still rocky as it was outside but there were futuristic pillars emerging from them.

On top of these pillar were holograms that stretched to the end. She looked at the first picture. It was flame emerging into her. She recognized this. This was when she first came to this world. It has been a more than a few years.

"This was when you first arrived to this world if I recall. Things have been stirring before but it is when you first arrived that everything emerged to light. In a way, you were the spark that lit up all these things.

Each world has its own way of surviving. Your world survive only to the flame. My world survive only by the hands of our creator. And that world of nightmares survive due to the dreams of their Great Ones.

When all three are combined, their ways of survival collide. Do you understand? Each were doing perfectly fine on their own. Even yours was doing fine on its own. Everything was screwed up when these three were combined in one."

"And why would these three combine? Who would have the power to do all this?"

"You!"

"Me?"

"No, not you. Someone from your world. Someone who can no longer stand the circle of suffering. One who could not stand the fact that their suffering is merely entertainment for 'them'! Someone who longed to escape 'their' sight.

And guess what?! That person succeeded. Now, that person is no longer here. That person is now enjoying life in her new world that she created. One not even 'they' know!

Remember this for eternity, keeper! No world lives without 'their' interest. No world exists without 'them' creating it. I do not mean the gods. I mean the very beings that created these Gods. The beings that created our creator.

Without 'their' interest, the world will eventually perish like all others. That person managed to survive that. By now, she is living in peace where there is no suffering. In a way she's in heaven while she left this hell for us."

"And who would that person be?"

The Collector stopped his rant and took a moment to collect his breath. Does he even need to breathe?

"I don't know for sure but you call her Painter."

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This is Chapter 124 and I copied some quotes.

Also, the main part of the plot is coming. This is what you would call the climax of this entire fanfic.

You may feel confused by explanations will come