HEX: Aspect Of The Void

Chapter 110 - Vessel

"Memory Drain!"

As I said those words, suddenly I felt a strange sensation coursing through me.

"This is strange..." I muttered.

This feeling I'm getting, It's not the effect of Memory Drain. This is...

My eyes bulged and I immediately tried to remove my hand from his head, but it was too late. A bright golden light shone and before I could do anything, everything went dark.

"WHO ARE YOU...?!" A voice called out to me.

I opened my eyes slowly and found myself in deep darkness, all alone. As I drift through this endless abyss, I sense no one. There's nothing here.

What is this? Where am I? I have no idea. 

"HOW FASCINATING... FOR YOU TO ENTER INTO THIS PLANE... YOU MUST BE SOMEONE WHO SURPASSES THE VESSEL" The strange voice around me uttered.

The echo reverberated around the dark space. I looked around, and even with my heightened abilities, I can't sense the one who is speaking.

"Who's there?" I asked.

"THAT IS EXACTLY MY QUESTION. DOES AN INTRUDER ASK OF THE IDENTITY OF THE OWNER OF THE HOUSE? ISN'T IT THE OTHER WAY AROUND?" The voice responded.

This entity... the fact that I can't sense them must mean the real body isn't present. Whenever I activate [Memory Drain] my mind is linked to my target, creating a passage where the information flows through. The passage goes both ways, meaning just as the target's mind is vulnerable to me, I'm also vulnerable to them. But, since I am usually the more powerful one out of myself and the target, the control leans to me. This way, I'm able to access their mind without them being able to do the same to me. After the transfer is complete, the bridge disappears and I obtain the memories I desire.

However, this time around something has done wrong. Just before I appeared here, I felt a different sensation. It seems the one at the other end hijacked the control and instead used Memory Drain against me, accessing mind instead. This can only mean one thing, this other being is more powerful than my current self.

I'm certain it can't be Jared since I'm clearly superior to him. So who... Who is the one hiding behind the shadows? If I had to guess, it has to be...

"Are you a god?" I asked.

For a moment I heard nothing. The vast, empty space just seemed to reflect my voice to me. 

"KUAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!" The voice let out a hearty laughter.

"HOW INTERESTING. THAT'S QUITE THE THEORY YOU'VE GOT THERE. HOW DID YOU MANAGE TO ARRIVE AT THAT CONCLUSION?" It asked

Since I'm currently at the mercy of this strange existence, I better play along for now.

"Is there any other being capable of this?" I asked with a shallow smile.

Currently, I'm unable to do anything on my own. Since it's just my mind that is here, I can't use HEX or ROOT. I'm entirely vulnerable at the moment. Such a deep miscalculation, I let my guard down. Jared's existence is a mysterious one, yet I still created a channel between his mind and mine just for information. Why didn't I take into account that it could be used against me like this?

"WELL, YOU ARE NOT WRONG, BUT YOU ARE NOT RIGHT EITHER." The voice answered.

"I don't understand..." I replied, genuinely confused.

"I AM NOT A GOD, YET I AM. HOW MUCH DO YOU KNOW ABOUT THIS 'VESSEL' THAT YOU HAVE LINKED WITH?" The strange one asked me.

This being isn't a god? Well now that I think about it, that makes sense. A god's usual demeanor isn't like this. This entity is being way too lenient and casual to be one. At this point, the gods would have gotten pissed that I intruded upon the mind of someone they are connected to and that I'm speaking to them so casually. Yet, this being is talking to me so easily. However, such power they possess is not something any other existence but the gods can have. Is there another being as powerful as the gods existing in this world? There's so much I don't know. Maybe I can find out some answers by conversing with this mysterious person.

"He calls himself a 'Hero'. I know nothing of his nature of existence, and I find it strange as well. Just what are you? What is your connection to Jared?" I asked

"....." The voice remained silent for a while.

Did I jump the gun? Maybe I was too impatient and rash in my question.

"THE ONE YOU CALL JARED IS MY 'VESSEL'. HE IS A CHOSEN ONE WHO WAS CREATED IN AN ENTIRELY UNIQUE PROCESS, DIFFERENT FROM OTHER HUMANS. WHILE HIS APPEARANCE MAY BE SIMILAR TO THEIRS, HIS EXISTENCE IS COMPLETELY DISTINCT" The voice answered.

I know Jared is different from ordinary people, and the fact that even from his creation he has always been non-human explains his absurd amount of Essence and Aspects. But what's with this whole 'Vessel' business.

"THE VESSEL WAS MADE FOR TWO MAJOR PURPOSES. THE FIRST IS TO SERVE AS A CONTAINER FOR MYSELF..." It continued.

"And who are you?" I asked, unable to control my curiosity.

"I AM AN ARTIFICIAL 'GOD'!" 

What? An artificial god?! Does this mean what I think it does?

"Y-You are..." I muttered.

"YES. I WAS CREATED BY THE PRIMORDIAL ONES THEMSELVES. I AM A PRODUCT OF THE CULMINATION OF THEIR JOINT EFFORT TO CREATE AN EXISTENCE AKIN TO GODS." It said.

Those guys... They really did it? 

Before the existence of the world, Primordials have existed. As the oldest of them all, I know the birth of every single being after myself. Initially, I considered myself a lone existence and was secluded for a very long time. However, suddenly Leviathan appeared. After he did, the other Primordials just began to exist one after another. It took some time, but after a while passed, the next one would be born. After several eons, all five of them were born, though at intervals. As for the gods, as we created portions of the world, they began to manifest and were bestowed authorities and dominion on particular portions of the Aspects. 

The existence of gods and Primordials has never been due to an intentional cause. It just happened naturally. That is why I am extremely shocked to hear this. After all, the one who brought up this idea to them in the first place was none other than myself!

"So, you're an artificial good, and Jared is your vessel. For what reason did the gods create you?" I asked.

So far, there has been no ill intent in the tone of this artificial god. Also, from their sincere responses, it is clear that they don't intend to be my enemy. This means I can get away with asking questions, at least for now.

"THAT RELATES TO THE SECOND REASON FOR THE CREATION OF THIS VESSEL... THE POTENTIAL AWAKENING OF THE DECEASED PRIMORDIAL, HEXARION." The artificial god said.

What?! Jared's existence, the reason behind the Hero's existence and the creation of this god is because of my resurrection? That sly bastard, Leviathan. He must have suspected something. Surely he doesn't know of my revival plan, does he?

"No, calm down..." I mumbled to myself.

There's no way he knows the details of my resurrection. He most likely isn't even certain of it. If he was, I'd be dead by now. It's just a suspicion at this point, a contemplation on his part. Leviathan has always been like this, extremely clever and calculating. He takes after me in that field.

"So, the 'HERO' is like a failsafe in case the Evil One awakens? Interesting" I stated.

"STRANGE VISITOR, YOU AMAZE ME. YOU DO NOT APPEAR TO BE THE SLIGHTEST BIT FAZED OR SURPRISED BY THESE THINGS I HAVE REVEALED TO YOU. DID YOU HAVE PRIOR KNOWLEDGE OF THESE THINGS?" 

"No, this is my first time hearing of it. It's just not surprising for those Primordials to do something like this. That's how much they want their brother gone, and how far they are willing to go." I smiled.

"OH? YOU SOUND AS THOUGH YOU ARE FAMILIAR WITH THEM... HOW CURIOUS"

"Oh, no... Not at all. It appears I do not know them the slightest bit" 

".... I SEE...." The artificial god responded.

Now, this is quite a strange turn of events. It appears my siblings have their suspicions that I could still be alive, or I will be soon. This means I need to move even cautiously from now on. However, this information is very useful. I can use this to my advantage very well. In the meantime, I should gather more information. From the looks of it, even though they succeeded in making an artificial god, it is still incomplete. It doesn't possess an appropriate emotion befitting of a god and its nature is purely neutral. But it is still more powerful than me in my current state. This much tells me how far I need to go in order to regain my former strength.

"I have a question for you... Isn't this Vessel too weak to be a failsafe for the awakening of the Evil One?" I asked.

I mean, surely they know I will be weakened state even if I awaken, but a Primordial is still a Primordial. A joke like Jared is not even nearly enough to be a threat to me!

"YOU ARE CORRECT IN YOUR LINE OF THOUGHT. THE VESSEL, JARED IS INDEED TOO WEAK FOR THE TASK WITH WHICH HIS EXISTENCE HAS BEEN ENTRUSTED WITH, AND THAT IS WHY... THIS HERO VESSEL IS A FAILURE, AND SO AM I." The artificial god responded.

A failure? I knew it. But if that's true, then that can only mean one thing.

"There are more of you, aren't there? Hero Vessels and Artificial gods!"