Against The True Gods-Chapter 114: The Mother(II)

Hearing this, she slowly nodded and clapped her hands. "Close enough."

"I am the Great Mother World Tree—Gaia. In simple words, I am the world’s mother, and you are children of the world. Thus, you are my grandson."

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Space rippled, and the world shook as her words reverberated, carrying the weight of a universal truth. The air itself seemed to acknowledge her declaration.

Caine felt something stir within him, something deep and unexplainable. But his Will remained steady in the face of her overwhelming presence.

"I am the Great Mother of the world," she continued, "meaning time holds little meaning to me. This fractured reality may be a warped domain of our world’s past, but I remain one."

"As long as it relates to this world," she said, her voice resonating with authority, "present, future, and past blur into one. But I digress."

Caine’s gaze narrowed slightly, immediately sensing there was more to her words.

Lady Gaia smiled. "Tell me, child, why do you think you’re here?"

"You saved me," Caine replied without hesitation. Yet, aware she wanted more, he added, "As for why, I’m not sure, Lady Gaia. Perhaps because I could be of use to you?"

"Go ahead," she said, gesturing for him to elaborate.

Caine exhaled, his tone calm but resolute.

"Part of me believes something strange has happened to our world. And another part believes we are under attack."

"Attacked by what? I do not know. What has happened to the world? I do not know either. These are just hunches I have," he continued, his eyes locking with hers. "But I believe the answers to my questions lie here, in this fractured reality, where the secrets of the past are exposed."

Caine’s words weren’t idle speculation. From the very beginning of his life in this world, he had sensed that something was amiss. Zao’s cryptic warnings, the isolation of their world from the myriad others, and the revelations from Elura had only deepened his suspicions.

[Some people may be listening.]

Those words from Zao echoed in his mind, cementing his unease. And then there was his father’s message, one that had all but confirmed his fears. The fractured reality, he believed, held the key to everything.

"You are correct," Lady Gaia said softly, "but you are also mistaken. The answers you seek are tied to this fractured reality, yes, but they are not mine to give."

Her voice grew heavier. "That is not why I saved you."

Her gaze shifted, and she looked toward the distant palace behind him. "Do you know what laws you have broken, child? And why such a tribulation was triggered in the first place?"

Caine shook his head, his expression even and calm.

"You have broken three primordial laws—Time, Death, and Spirit," she said, her tone carrying the weight of her authority.

"You reversed an event that was set in stone, disturbing the very workings of time. You resurrected a being, creating a karmic imbalance that disrupted the flow of the world."

"And above all…" Her voice turned colder, her emerald gaze piercing. "…you sullied and shattered a soul as a mere mortal. That, child, is among the greatest offenses a mortal or god could commit."

"When such an offence is committed, the punishment is absolute," she continued. "It is my duty to deliver that punishment. I am meant to erase you from existence. And that was my intent."

Caine’s gaze didn’t falter, though his mind churned with questions.

"My belief," she said, her tone softening for a moment, "was that you would find a way to survive, as you have with all my previous punishments. But this time…" Her emerald eyes darkened, faint traces of chaos flickering within them. "…this time, something overrode my authority and seized control of your tribulation."

"Something beyond me and beyond all things," she added.

Caine’s lips parted slightly, the answer forming before he could think. "The River of Fate."

Lady Gaia nodded slowly. "It has been calling you since the moment of your birth. I have tried to shield you, for you are still just a child, though you are destined for greatness. Too young to bear such a burden."

Her voice grew heavy with sorrow. "I sealed your affinities at great cost, trying to protect you. But Fate surpasses me and all others. Its call cannot be ignored."

Her gaze turned distant, her tone almost bitter. "Unbeknownst to me, I was made to set a trap for you. Fate is terrifying, child. And I fear you can no longer ignore its pull."

Caine’s mind raced, his thoughts like a storm.

Pieces of a vast, incomprehensible puzzle began to fall into place.

The Coming of Age Ceremony. Elura’s warnings. His Aspects. His Bloodline. His True Will. His Dao Heart. The Pagoda. His mutated senses. His eyes—it had all been orchestrated. A slow, unrelenting game that had led him here.

"It was a setup," Gaia said, her voice low but unwavering. "A grand and elaborate trap. The tribulation you faced was far beyond what even I could stop. Nowhere in the real world or the fractured reality would have kept you safe. You would have perished."

"So I brought you here, to my domain—The World Core," she continued. "A place separate from all things. But even here, the trap awaited."

Her voice grew softer. "This place exists beyond the world’s reach. And that distance amplifies Fate’s influence, allowing it to manifest fully."

She gestured toward the grand palace in the distance. "That palace is an exit back to the world. But if you take it, the tribulation will strike you down."

Her tone grew grim. "The tribulation is powerful enough to destroy not just you, but the entire world. If you return, all will be reduced to ashes."

She waved her hand, and a golden portal appeared beside the palace, radiating an otherworldly brilliance. "This," she said, gesturing toward it, "is the only path you can take."

"It is forged entirely of Fate Laws. It was here the moment I brought you to this place. I cannot interfere with it, nor can I explain it. But it has revealed its name…"

[The Road of Inevitable Sovereignty.]

The portal shimmered, its golden light pulsating faintly.

Lady Gaia then remained silent, looking toward Caine with a sorrowful gaze.

He had no choice but to take the road.