Legacy of the Dark Sage

Kyran silently listened as True Void narrated the

First

True history of the Human plane. It was mostly the same as what Stella, the First Time Keeper, told him, apart from a tiny yet important detail.

When Kyran first suspected that the history of the Human plane before the establishment of the Ylfaen Kingdon was wrong, he initially thought the Royal Family twisted the truth. He was convinced then that they did that to ensure Layla's image, which was sickly yet adored by many, would remain that way even after her apparent conspiracy. In a sense, compared to Caelan, an illegitimate, unwanted son with no magic talent, it was better to save Layla's reputation. Besides, it was true that Caelan mingled with unwanted visitors, whom they called the 'demons.' So, turning him into the bad guy was not hard. Furthermore, when his innate magic was revealed, its unknown nature made him even more fearsome.

However, after Kyran learned more about the truth, mostly because of Stella's story, he could not shake the feeling that there was something more that he did not quite understand.

And now, Kyran finally undesrtood what had been bothering him after hearing True Void's story.

Simply put, most of the things that Kyran heard so far were true.

The Dark Sage indeed terrorized the Human plane. Except, instead of Caelan being the culprit, it was True Void. Or, to be precise, his corrupted soul.

"...What...?"

For the first time after True Void relayed his story, Kyran muttered a soft reply in confusion.

True Void, without turning to look at Kyran, smiled bitterly and repeated, "You heard me right. I did terrorize the Human plane."

"But the Demon Clan..."

"They also came and terrorized the Human plane, but after I was sealed."

"...Huh?"

"Have you ever wondered why the Human plane is the only one in the Lower Realm not completely affected by its laws? Or why it remains hidden from the other beings in both realms?"

"..."

"Everyone believes the Land of Desolation is the only path connecting the two realms. But that is wrong. The Human plane hangs between the two realms, and because of this, its existence is concealed by both realms."

"...Wasn't the Human plane being protected by the Ancient Magic users' Fate Code immunity?"

"It does conceal it from the Fates' influence. But mostly, its unique position and existence are protected by the two realms. Do you know why that is?"

The questions were unexpected. But surprisingly, Kyran was able to grasp its meaning and the answer.

"...Because it is the only existence intact from... The Realm."

True Void laughed mirthlessly, and his shoulders seemed to droop further.

"You

Really

Are the Realm Scion," he said. "If not, you will not have realized it."

Kyran did not respond. However, this truth explained how the Regis Terram remained connected to the Dragon Plane's terram. Moreover, it also explained how he could open a gate to connect the Lower Realm and the Higher Realm without resistance.

The Human plane was not just a remnant of the Land of the Ancients. It was also the only proof of The Realm's continued existence.

After a moment's pause, Kyran broke the silence and asked, "Why... was there two histories?"

"Because the First Time Keeper interfered with so many timelines."

Kyran's eyes widened as realization struck. He then remembered being left confused after hearing Stella's story. In the end, he could not make sense of that confusion and just accepted her story with a grain of salt.

"Stella was not bound by the rules of Time because she possessed the Time Core. Thus, she could go back and forth in several timelines and interfere many times. However, whenever she changed something, the Fates would correct it. However, the Fates' correction was minimal because their influence on the Human plane is limited.

"Because Stella interfered so often, the Human plane suffered several timelines. Though there is only one timeline actively running, when she returns to the past or goes to the future, the memories and experiences of everyone in that timeline become intertwined.

"When the Royal Family made Caelan the villain, they believed it because their memories had been twisted by the memories when I terrorized the Human plane."

"...Is that why the history written in the Ancient Magic book read like that?"

"Read like what?"

"It wrote about how a mage from certain families could birth a mage that possesses Ancient Magic if they fulfilled some requirements. But that is wrong. There are no such requirements. No... there is only one... If you are born with the Ancient Magic Core."

"Anything in that book reflected the reasoning of the current timeline. Before that, the history would sound like this, 'The Dark Sage captured humans and experimented on them. Those who survived his ruthless experiments were planted in an Ancient Magic Core. Unfortunately, only three managed to survive.'"

"..."

"When the human who received the Time Core learned how to use her magic, instead of going back in time to change history, she chose to go to the future. I don't know what she saw, but eventually, Caelan appeared before me.

"No one managed to adapt to the Void Core. But suddenly, a frail young man who could use Void Magic appeared before me. Imagine my surprise when I saw a human able to use Void magic. Contrary to what the woman who went to the future expected, Caelan did not kill me. He only sealed me and returned. That was the only time when two timelines had collided significantly."

True Void's explanation answered Kyran's question of why Sovereigns in the Lower Realm knew the Dark Sage and was afraid of him. Yet, they did not know about Caelan.

True Void did not mention it, but Kyran understood that the timelines he referred to only applied to the Human plane. The timeline outside it was unaffected.

"...But if Caelan sealed you, then that timeline's future should have changed."

"Only one timeline should exist."

"But..."

"The moment Caelan returned to his timeline, the timeline where I terrorized the Human plane was erased."

"!"

"That was I lost possession of the Ancient Magic Cores. However, the Human plane adapted to the sudden change. When I terrorized the Human plane, I used Layla. The future timeline the woman who adapted to the Time Core went to... although I don't know what happened there, I guessed I found a suitable human to plant the Void Core. That was how Caelan appeared before me.

"However, instead of destroying me, Caelan only sealed me. He then chose to return to his timeline; however, because of his decision, without knowing that he had erased the history of his timeline, he had arrived at a time that the Fates corrected.

"In that corrected time, there was a short time when there were two Caelan."

"!"

"But they soon merge, with Caelan's memory of the true history intact. I thought the three Ancient Magic Cores were lost because the timeline where I ruled the Human plane got erased. But the Human plane adapted to the corrected time, and instead, the Ancient Magic Cores turned into something that humans of certain families inherited.

"In the corrected timeline, a different catastrophe terrorized the Human plane. But before that, the Dragon Clan came and hid there. Then came the Spirits Clan and, soon, the Demon Clan. The rest is as you already know."

"..."

Kyran was silent for a long time. He had so many questions; now that it was answered, he was speechless. He never expected that such a thing would happen in the Human plane. Moreover, he never expected that True Void, or to be precise, his alternate ego, the Dark Sage, appeared like that.

Somehow, it now made sense to him why Caelan kept telling him not to hate Layla. Even though she still ended up as the true villain in the corrected timeline, this was because she inherited the memories of the Layla that the Dark Sage corrupted.

Layla did not remember it, obviously, and Caelan was the only one who did.

In fact, Caelan was the only one who remembered that there was a timeline where the Dark Sage existed. Everyone thought he harbored special feelings for Layla, but Kyran was now confident that it was never the case.

Caelan simply hoped to help Layla return to her former untainted self.

But that was no longer Kyran's concern. Right now, he was more concerned about what True Void said: the Human plane was the only proof of The Realm's existence.

Simply put, the Human plane could be considered The Realm's heart.

All this time, Kyran had thought Shaiha was the heart of The Realm. She was also called The Heart of the Cosmos, after all. But that was not the case.

Shaiha was only related to the Realm Scion, as she was the one that would connect the four Ancient Magic Cores and perfect the awakening of the new Realm Scion.

"...It is time for me to rest," True Void suddenly said, forcing Kyran out of his reverie.

"..What?"

True Void stood up and finally looked at Kyran, "There are still so many things to tell. But I don't have to say them, I'll just have to give you everything. My memory... and my remaining core."

Kyran scowled, "What are you suddenly saying...?"

"You can't absorb any magic energies, right?"

"What about it?"

"It's because you are connected to me."

"I don't understand what you're—."

"Do you really not understand? Impossible. Your insight is among the best in both realms."

"..."

"My existence is already an anomaly, that is why you can't realize your true

Role

."

"True Void—."

"I was the Realm Scion before The Fall, and only with my death can you truly be the real Realm Scion."

"No!"

"It has been fun, Void Halfling."

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