Nexus did not sleep.
It listened to the breaths of its seekers, awaiting their rise.
Arthur sat atop a bridge connecting the Lower Sigil Quarters to the Fighting Ring, where seekers attempted to rise. After obtaining the legacy, and understanding its purpose, Arthur was no longer lost.
A sigil floated beside him.
It served no purpose nor function — it existed for the sake of existing.
No one demanded the sigil fulfill any expectations. No one claid the sigil was less important because it couldn't change the world.
"You have been quite quiet, Sir Arthur," Ali said from behind him. Arthur didn't turn, and the man sat next to him. After their training in Nexus, Ali was more corporal than before. He was a middle-aged man with a thick beard and kind eyes. "Have you found your purpose, or did you lose it?"
"Neither," Arthur replied. "My greatest purpose is to serve no purpose."
"That's a rare thing to hear. Do you care to elaborate more?"
"Elaborating would make it forceful," Arthur said with a smile. "That one sentence is enough for . It should be for you too, right? No need to overcomplicate it."
"…that's absolutely right," Ali said with a nod. "I apologize for my relentless curiosity. I indeed have the bad habit of uncovering hidden truths. Perhaps the greatest truth is the one that doesn't need uncovering."
"A universal truth," Arthur agreed. "How is your training?"
"Going better, thanks to the things that you have taught us," Ali admitted. "I thought I would be your teacher, but our roles have reversed in the blink of an eye."
"I still have a lot to learn."
"…can I ask sothing, then?"
"Go ahead."
"If you serve no purpose, what drives you forward?" Ali asked.
Arthur paused.
Then, he stood.
A breeze passed. Their robes fluttered. Arthur stood atop the bridge's railing and took a single step forward. He took another, and then a third. After reaching the end, he turned around and returned to Ali.
"My journey on this bridge served no purpose," Arthur said as he sat. "Yet, each step carried my will and desire. I did as I desired, and I reached the end and returned as I desired."
"Freedom."
"Absolute freedom."
"Does that an you won't achieve the things destined for you?"
"If I don't desire to achieve them, then no."
"What if it ans saving the world?"
"Of course I want to save the world," Arthur said with a laugh. "If I could stop the world from exploding, I would. I want to grow old with my fiancée and quite possibly have kids. I also want to explore the rest of the world. Do you have any idea how exciting that sounds?"
"Oh. That's quite sensible," Ali said, then paused. "What if there exists a world about to end, but it wouldn't affect your life? Let's assu that saving this world would put you in danger and requires great effort. Would you ignore it for the sake of your peace?"
"If I already know about this world, I wouldn't have any peace of mind," Arthur said as he rolled his eyes. "That's just guilt-tripping right there. You remind of my father."
Ali raised a brow. "What kind of man is he?"
"I just told you — manipulative, cunning, and always scheming."
"What did he do to give you this opinion?"
"Nothing I care enough to explain now," Arthur said. "In any case, he had a similar idea to yours: I should save the world and rule it, or whatever. The bastard never even asked about what I wanted to do."
"That does sound like bad parenting."
"Damn right it is."
"You sound… different," Ali said with a frown. "You were withdrawn ever since I t you — hidden behind a façade of cold indifference and apathy."
"I'm cautious when I need to be," Arthur said with a shrug. "I do feel more like myself — a personality I lost ever since my life changed. But you know what, Ali? I'm tired of letting things change . These stupid powers and legacies just take and keep on taking. Screw that. I want to do the taking."
"You just sound ungrateful now," Ali said. "These powers allowed you to survive, so I wouldn't call them stupid."
"And I'm so damn grateful," Arthur acknowledged. "But they are eating at , every day, like little bloodsuckers trying to erode . I haven't felt like myself for the past three years. I was either numb or enraged."
"I've seen your powers," Ali agreed. "They are powerful enough to have a backlash, and that explains it. However, is this the real you, or just a new change that this legacy has brought with it?"
"I'm not sure," Arthur admitted. "I just feel… less restrained. It feels like learning how to control my soul allows to be more comfortable in my own skin. I'm no longer concerned with what others think and do."
"Does that include being more talkative?" Ali said with a smile. "You've said more words in the past five minutes than you did in the past two weeks."
"You know what? It does," Arthur answered with a grin. "I will never bury how I feel again. My words will find themselves into the world, whether others like it or not."
"I do like this character of yours better than cold apathy," Ali said. "So, what now?"
"Now?"
"What's our next move?"
"Our agreent ended when we reached Nexus," Arthur said with a smile. "Have you grown attached to us, old man?"
"I'm far from old."
"You look old."
"I changed my mind. I no longer like this character of yours," Ali said with mock anger. "You should go back to being quiet. It suited you more."
"It suited you more," Arthur laughed. "I'm just teasing. I wouldn't travel through this realm without my old, wise friend who knows very little, but sohow knows so much."
"That indeed defines perfectly," Ali said with a nod of approval.
"Indeed, it does," Arthur said with a smile. "Our next move is simple. We ascend. However, we have to et so people first. We have yet to pay the lord of this city a visit."
"That would be difficult."
"I think it's necessary to understand what lies ahead," Arthur said as he rose. "Let's go and intrude on so lords, Ali."
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