The Martial Unity

Of all the immortal sages gathered, the Astromind was the most frustrated by the unveiling of the manifold.

Decades of gazing at the universe.

Decades of data gathering.

Decades of developing sophisticated equations that described the universe.

“All for waste!” he cursed out loud. “That goddamn space-time manifold has changed everything! Now I have to start from scratch! Rgh!”

His composure was the lowest among the calm and sagely sages who were seated around him.

However, his frustration was understandable.

None of them had had their fields so utterly warped beyond recognition that their existing base of knowledge as a whole was called into question. They would probably lose their minds too if all their knowledge were rendered outdated by some sort of reality reset.

The Esoterist frowned. “Your data and readings are most certainly different from mine, but your knowledge regarding the fundamentals of the laws of physics, astronomy, and astrophysics should largely be the same. The fact that the Panama Continent continues to exist with all of us atop it without melting out of reality. The fact that we are able to merge with the true world and the true universe smoothly without causing some sort of clash of metaphysics should prove that the most underlying laws of physics are identical, shouldn’t it?”

That calmed the Astromind down as his sharp, dark eyes softened.

“You’re right. The biggest clue is the fact that gravity on this continent hasn’t changed, and our satellites have not fallen, and we’re still organically at geostationary orbit,” he continued with a knowing tone. “This means that the manifold’s geometry was mathematically intrinsic as opposed to extrinsic.”

It was the difference between merely stretching sheet of rubber versus fundamentally changing its shape. The former in the case of space and time would preserve the laws of physics while the latter would change them.

It meant that the underlying insights that the Astromind were still stunningly consistent with the universe as he knew it, otherwise they would simply cease to exist as the particles in their body would adhere to new laws, which would almost certainly destroy them.

However, it still meant that all the readings and the data that he had collected about the universe were useless due to being impeded or distorted by the manifold in some way or another. Thus, on a practical level, he couldn’t use old data for planning missions to space as he had hoped he would be able to.

“The true universe should be our highest priority as opposed to the true world,” he directed a sweeping gaze across the many projections of his colleagues across the table. “The true world is frankly irrelevant.”

“I strongly disagree with that take.”

The mature voice of an older woman from across the table calmly opposed his view.

Her attire was the most ordinary among the immortal sages, with a warm sweater atop a simple shirt and trousers that went up to her folded legs. Her flowing, white hair was tied in a neat bun, while she held a warm beverage in one hand.

She shifted her glasses with a disapproving glance at the Astromind.

“The true world is the only thing that matters.”

The Astromind sharpened his gaze.

“The universe was irrelevant before the unfolding of the manifold,” she continued with a composed, academic tone. “And it will be irrelevant after the unfolding of the manifold. However, the history of our world and the history of the true world…”

Her orange eyes lit up with great passion.

“They define our past, present, and our future.”

Her sharpened attention returned to the Astromind.

“We have a duty upon human civilization to learn of our history.”

It wasn’t surprising that the Scrier, the woman who had led the charge of humanity’s understanding of their history, particularly in the Empty Ages of which very little was known.

Where did human civilization come from?

Why were there cities in the Beast Domain?

Why did they seem devoid of esoteric substances in their technology and structures?

What was the true story of this world and humanity’s place in it?

These were the questions that she had tirelessly dedicated herself to over the centuries.

“The manifold has revealed that our understanding of human civilization’s past is extraordinarily limited,” she spoke with a knowing tone. “We don’t understand where we have come from because our perspective of the world has been tinted because of the manifold. However…”

Certainty entered her eyes.

“I believe that we finally have all the pieces needed to fully understand our true history.”

Many of the immortal sages gazed at her with curiosity.

“I believe that I have a theory upon the true history of this world and our civilization.”

Her tone was intense.

“Pray tell, Miolna,” the Author remarked with curiosity in his auburn eyes. “Tell us what you think the story of human civilization is.”

She nodded at the immortal sage of literature before taking a deep breath.

“The basis of my theory is the evidence sequestered from the Lost Cities in the Beast Domain,” she began. “The information that we have gathered from the remains of their infrastructure, their civil engineering, the fossilized remains of skeletons, what remained of their writings. Indeed, the Lost Cities have highlighted our greatest understanding of the past.”

This was known.

These preserved cities were wellsprings of knowledge on the past.

And yet, they weren’t the only sources of evidence.

“I have looked to human civilization as well,” she continued. “Our civilization. Our people. I have looked into our oldest records. I have looked into our most ancient documentation and any and all preserved evidence of humanity’s time in the Empty Ages and…”

Her eyes darkened.

“…Found almost nothing.”

The immortal sages around her stirred in thought at her strange proclamation.

“Isn’t it rather strange?” she asked with a knowing tone. “We have so many groupings of humans across the entire continent, from small settlements to giant Sage-level powerhouses, and not a single one of them has any detailed recordings of what human civilization was like prior to roughly one thousand and three hundred years ago.”

The air tingled with uncertainty as they pondered her words.

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