152 Fate of the Universe

"Do you remember what you said last time we met?" Sethrii asked Zoey.

They were sitting at a table in the heart of a foul smelling dungeon and having a conversation as if it was a normal day. The only thing missing was a pot of tea.

Zoey nodded and replied, "Wasn't it about my Heritage and finding the sealing array for it?"

"Correct," Sethrii said. "At the time I left rather hurriedly as what you had said troubled me greatly, and I was able to discover some things. Allow me to explain;

When this universe was born, we gods and goddesses were born with it and were given tasks. My task for millennia was to watch over the barrier that surrounds this universe and protects it from the void, also known as the Divide, and other universes. Since we are only a Tier 3 universe and still far from reaching Tier 2, we are not capable of fully defending ourselves against some threats, and that makes the barrier very important. This is where you come in.

See, you have a Harmonic Heritage, something that has been an intrinsic part of this universe since its birth. Part of our instructions after we were born said we were to make sure that there would always be a certain number of Harmonic Heritage users in existence at all times, and over the millions of years since then, that is what we have done.

Harmonic Heritages are, in a way we do not fully understand, connected to the universe, the barrier that protects it, and the gods and goddesses themselves. Without Harmonic Heritages this universe would almost literally fall apart.

However, what you said about sealing your Harmonic Heritage alerted me to a greater threat. Harmonic Heritages are not meant to be sealed. In fact, it should be impossible to seal due to the nature of the Harmonics that are in play. So I did some digging and what I found was troubling.

Someone is using Harmonic Heritage carriers to poke holes in the barrier that protects our universe, and this 'sealing array' may have something to do with it. The god's eyes here on this planet are limited, so we don't know who or how, but you Zoey, are on the scent."

"So you think that whoever this secret organization is 'protecting' Harmonic Heritage users with this sealing array is the culprit?" Zoey asked.

She was taking this all in a rather matter-of-fact way. It was troubling that she would not be able to hide her Heritage, but that issue could be solved later.

After a moment Sethrii said, "I think whoever it is that is hiding Harmonic Heritage carriers is only part of a bigger scheme. The skills and knowledge required to use Harmonic Heritage carriers to poke holes in the fabric protecting the universe would take a lifetime alone just to collect and develop. Whoever is the mastermind here, they are very likely close to godhood in strength and knowledge."

Zoey nodded thoughtfully, then asked, "So what does this all have to do with the corrupted? There has to be some connection, right?"

"Correct again," Sethrii said with a nod. "You may have guessed that our universe is one of uncountable universes in the whole of the multiverse. Out there beyond the void there are unknowable and unthinkable horrors that exist only to consume and destroy. You already had an encounter with one such entity in your old universe. You called them the enemy.

The corrupted are not the enemy you fought. They are far weaker, only a probe, a test. For all we know they could be the vanguard of something far worse, sent to gain a foothold and open the way for the main force. One thing is certain though, this planet called Darren has become the battleground that may determine the very survival of our universe.

Every god and goddess not currently occupied has their eyes on this world now. Some want to simply obliterate the planet therefore solving the problem. But the majority think it prudent to investigate our foe to understand their methods. Knowledge is power in the literal sense when it comes to the realm of the gods."

Zoey took a moment to absorb all that information. She considered herself fairly broad minded, but the multiverse concept was a lot to wrap one's head around. Then there was the enemy and the possibility that it was not the only all-consuming entity out there... It was a thought that made her heart cold and her blood boil.

But there was something else. What exactly was her Dark Star Heritage? It was clearly related to all of this, and in her old universe it had been the only weapon that had proved effective against the enemy. The mystery surrounding it was deep.

After thinking about it, Zoey looked back to Sethrii and asked, "What do you think about my second Heritage? Is this Dark Star related to all of this somehow?"

Sethrii turned thoughtful for a moment, then said, "It's a possibility for sure. To be honest, your Dark Star Heritage is a mystery to me. When you accepted my Arbiter's Mark and connected to me, I confess I tried to look into it out of curiosity, but I was denied access. Whatever the origins of your powers and the Dark Star Heritage, it is beyond the knowledge and powers of this universe... The only way to know for sure is to unlock the true potential of it and find out for yourself."

Now that was... unexpected. But after Zoey thought it through, it made some sense. But who was responsible for all this?

Zoey thought for a moment, then said, "Not too long ago I was in another dungeon near Sand Pit. In there I recovered something called 'Dark Star Shard'. When I absorbed it my body and inner world went through some significant changes. I also had heard a voice telling me that the Dark Star was something I carried and that I only have a small part of it.

Sethrii seemed to have a small realization when she heard this. "So that was what that was," she mused thoughtfully. "I noticed when I made you an Arbiter that your inner world was vastly different from others I have seen among humans. For instance, I have never seen one with a sky before.

It is likely that these Dark Star Shards hold more secrets. I will see if I can develop a way to find more. If someone placed them here for you, then they must have intended for you to find them."

Zoey nodded in thanks to the goddess. She would like to know more about this mysterious power inside her. If she had to face the enemy or any entity similar to it again in her lifetime, she did not want to do it unconscious, she wanted to be awake when she ripped them to shreds.

If she got the opportunity, she would make them pay the ultimate price for devouring her universe.

That was a promise.