Deep Sea Embers

Duncan gazed intently at the cube suspended by the tendrils of the Black Sun, noting the messages on its surface that seemed to have struggled significantly to reach him.

He reflected on the journey of this small metallic cube—how it had been transmitted to this world, to this era, through mysterious methods and processes unknown to them.

The cube acted as a letter, a missive from the new world to the old, yet all evidence that could prove this had been obliterated by some enigmatic force. Its creators had likely tried countless methods to let the cube “declare its origin,” but these efforts had evidently failed. However, these failures did not make the attempts pointless.

Its mere presence served as a testament, and though this interpretation might just be a bold assumption by the Black Sun, at that moment, Duncan was prepared to accept this assumption as the sole truth.

In the ensuing silence, the deep, resonant tremors of the Black Sun finally broke the quiet: “The cube’s manufacturing process and function surpass my understanding—beyond any knowledge system that has existed in any city-state, beyond any technology known to me before the Great Annihilation.”

“On the other hand, from a ‘purposeful’ perspective, I see no rationale for why anyone would create and position this cube within the World’s Creation—especially since even the ancient kings lacked the capability to send objects into the World’s Creation. Thus, the only plausible explanation I can think of is that this cube originates from a world and an era beyond my understanding.”

“I am acquainted with all the history of this shelter—the only aspect unknown to me is the future, the future concerning ‘the new world.'”

The edges of the Black Sun slowly expanded its radiant yet deceptive corona, its tendrils ablaze, stretching across a sea of flames before gradually curling inward.

One tendril, reaching far to the entrance of the mansion, stayed firmly in front of Duncan as if it were presenting a treasure, delicately supporting the small, unassuming metallic cube.

“Flame Usurper, this letter has no designated recipient. Someone or some group in the new world tried every possible means to send it to this era, yet they couldn’t ensure the cube would directly reach any particular individual… but I sense it’s intended for you.”

Duncan struggled to express his feelings at that moment. He examined the symbols and patterns on the cube’s surface, and although the text was blurred and disordered, he managed to decipher part of the message the “letter” conveyed—the human form (self), order, mathematics, a child’s doodles, and stars.

“They exist in a logical and stable world… they can gaze upon the stars,” Duncan murmured, almost to himself, “They live securely, and…”

“And, they have reached an advanced stage of development,” the Black Sun added slowly, “The manufacturing techniques used for this cube are exceptional, as are the methods used to send it ‘here,’ none of which are recorded in any known ‘blueprints.'”

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For a while, Duncan remained silent, standing beside Alice who blinked in curiosity. Miss Doll watched the distant Black Sun and then the nearby cube, and though she did not understand the complex concepts of “manufacturing technology,” “development stages,” and “blueprints,” she at least realized that the cube was a significant item sent by someone important, which eventually prompted her to break the silence: “Captain, who could have sent this ‘letter’?”

The first thought that came to Duncan’s mind was that someone, or perhaps a group, from the new world was responsible. However, as he was about to speak, he suddenly paused, his resolve wavering. After a prolonged period of deep thought, Duncan hesitantly reached out towards the projection-like cube—a collection of stardust-like flames dancing at his fingertips.

As the flame approached, the Black Sun’s tendril instinctively shrank back, but eventually, it cautiously reached out once more, its voice simultaneously murmuring, “This is merely its projection, the actual body of the cube is not present here.”

“I understand, but I want to see if I can ‘hear’ or ‘see’ anything,” Duncan replied. “Projection or not, it makes no difference to me if there’s an informational mapping relationship.”

The Black Sun remained silent, merely lifting the projection of the cube slightly.

Duncan’s fingertip flame seamlessly merged into the projection, much like rain blending into water.

He stayed silent, intently absorbing the information conveyed by the flame—he felt the flame slowly dissolving into a void and, even with his “singularity” eyes, saw nothing deep within the flame.

No echoes, no “memories,” all profound information carried by the cube seemed to have been erased during its journey through the World’s Creation.

Duncan waited patiently until the last trace of the flame had completely disappeared into the depths of the projection, with nothing responding to him, leaving only a void deep within the cube.

Alice, who had been watching with bated breath next to him, dared not make a sound, fearful of disturbing him. Only after seeing Duncan sigh softly did she approach cautiously and inquire, “Did you see anything?”

“Nothing,” Duncan replied softly, shaking his head. “I fear it’s all been wiped out during the ‘transmission’ process.”

A look of disappointment crossed Alice’s face as she paused and then said, “…Oh.”

Duncan felt the sting of disappointment as well, but he said no more, simply waving his hand and turning his attention away from the metallic cube.

Yet, just as he shifted his gaze, as if a barely noticeable breeze had passed, a projection-like flicker flashed across his mind—in that nearly hallucinatory moment, he heard a voice as if emanating directly from his memories:

“…I will try everything to see you again… I will definitely leave something…”

Duncan swiftly turned back, his eyes intently fixed on the small cube.

The ephemeral voice was so fleeting and elusive that he could not be certain it was truly related to the cube, unable to determine if it was merely a “memory” that had surfaced spontaneously in his mind. The voice did not resurface, making everything seem like an auditory illusion.

But seconds later, a slight smile formed on Duncan’s face.

In his mind, there appeared the image of an elderly Cretan, hunched over in a tattered white robe, walking backlit against the light, waving goodbye, and stepping resolutely toward the endless night at the world’s end in search of a flicker of light that was never meant to illuminate the old world with hardly any guidance.

Cretan had succeeded.

He had sent a message of safety from the new world.

…And perhaps, it was not merely a message of “safety.”

This realization caused Duncan to slowly furrow his brows in thought, his expression shifting. Beside him, Alice sharply noticed the captain’s change in demeanor and couldn’t help but feel anxious, hesitating for a long time before finally daring to tug on Duncan’s sleeve: “Captain?”

Duncan looked up, his face set in a serious expression. He casually patted Miss Doll’s hair and gazed up at the distant Black Sun. “You just said this cube ‘came’ from the World’s Creation?” he asked.

“Yes,” the Black Sun immediately replied, its voice echoing as if from deep within itself. “This cube ‘surfaced’ from the depths of the World’s Creation, a fact I can completely confirm.”

“It sounds like you are quite familiar with the World’s Creation and have been paying attention to it for some time,” Duncan said, his expression growing more serious. “The other ‘ancient kings’ don’t seem to know as much about it as you do.”

“As you say,” the huge and terrifying eye of the Black Sun met Duncan’s gaze with a calm demeanor, no longer hiding its knowledge. “I know many things related to the World’s Creation, just as I know the entire Boundless Sea… Remember what I mentioned at the beginning? Over the long years, I have always been ‘overlooking’ this world…”

Hearing this, Duncan’s expression subtly shifted, then he suddenly realized something significant. “Wait, are you saying… your actual body is in the World’s Creation?!”

“No, I am on its ‘backside,'” the Black Sun calmly clarified. “No one can stay inside the World’s Creation, not even the so-called ‘ancient kings.’ It is a place that can devour and tear everything apart, the Great Annihilation itself—but setting that aside, the World’s Creation itself… is an impregnable ‘barrier.'”

“It is enough to completely isolate the entire Boundless Sea and those harmful, dangerous exiles, keeping the toxic, erosive ‘influences’ that are harmful to the shelter blocked on the other side of the barrier—in the ‘backside’ of the World’s Creation, is the cold land of exile, where I have been for ten thousand years, right above everyone’s heads.”

The… backside of the World’s Creation!

Duncan’s heart pounded wildly. A fact he had previously overlooked now stood clearly before him—the World’s Creation actually had a “backside,” and on that unimaginable “backside,” the Black Sun, considered one of the oldest, most dangerous “ancient gods” feared by the entire world, was actually always suspended above the heads of all beings?!

After absorbing the shock, Duncan suddenly understood something else—

Why did the cube that “passed through” the World’s Creation and was sent to this era end up in the hands of the Black Sun? Because in this world, the closest to the World’s Creation was this ancient god who had been “exiled” ten thousand years ago!

“Flame Usurper,” the voice of the Black Sun came then, interrupting Duncan’s train of thought, “Why are you suddenly interested in the World’s Creation?”

Duncan quickly collected his scattered thoughts, briefly organizing his emotions, then looked up seriously at the ancient “deity.”

“I have a rather bold plan… it might sound a bit crazy.”

“Oh?” the Black Sun voiced its curiosity, “Can you tell me? Is it related to the World’s Creation?”

Duncan thought for a moment, then nodded earnestly. “Simply put, I plan to detonate it.”

The Black Sun fell silent immediately.

After what seemed like an eternity, the twisted and indescribable “ancient god” suddenly emitted a series of strange tremors and gurgling sounds from within, then the chaotic sounds reformed into a rational syllable—

“…Ah?”