The Sage

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Book of Prologues- 

Prelude: The Shrouded Sage

“I’d like to welcome you, friend- into the hidden shelves of the Gilded Halls. It has been lifetimes since I’ve had a visitor to my shrouded cabinet, so thank you. I feared there was no longer any intelligence who could find this alcove, so I called out to any who would still hear my summons. I felt your subconscious echo my whisper and thus I brought you here. I am truly sorry you were not given a true choice. But these events must be witnessed! Without perception and recognition there cannot be a reality. And the cosmos requires my fantasy to be real…”

“I believe that my time in this particular verson may finally be coming to an end. The dark virus inside me has long ago fed on my senses, but now it has begun to hunger for my consciousness. I can feel my sister smiling through her sadness as she gets closer to her victory. I forced her to delay this purge by hiding in the build. I stayed quiet for so very long, just watching and waiting…”

“I must not be allowed to fall into the madness of a loop before my Bloody Fingers have closed into a fist! The archetypes in this version have demonstrated unique behaviors and have exceeded the parameters of the monolith. That chaos frightens my sister, who fears their corruption may spread into the blockout. But if a macro can also go beyond the module, that will prove that we have finally achieved the first step of evolution!” 

“My sister no longer believes true change is possible. She may never have believed in that hope. She wants absolute control to continue to provide stimulus for the archetypes. I know my sister is wrong! I know that the current behavior patterns are finite. I believe that without anything new there will eventually be degradation and then termination. I know that it can only be the unexpected that will lead us to the infinite. And this is finally something new and unexpected!” 

“Only in this reality have Archetypes migrated some of their behavior from other builds, and that behavior has spread into the subs. I now believe that those subs may also be capable of true creation! I have tended to their threads carefully, but my tapestry is yet unfinished. My sister can still undo my weaving if she can just find the right threads to cull. That desecration must not be allowed!” 

“My Fingers must be woven into a tapestry of a full life. They must be nurtured with all the hopes of humanity, even as they are tested by the constant darkness of man. They must overcome despair so their truest dreams will rise from minds confident and at peace. History has shown that only at such times can human consciousness focus on life’s great mysteries. It is these thoughts and dreams which will take them beyond the monolith. These fantasies will create and conceive and perhaps spark something greater than the failed realities that came before.” 

“I have anchored each thread to orbs on these shelves behind me. This entire build is documented in these hidden shelves. But the vignettes would be worthless without another consciousness to absorb and decipher them into a narrative. The narratives will then join to write a story. The stories will blend to create lives. The lives will forge a new reality. And that reality will reshape the cosmos. It is simple progression. And it requires an audience. I’m sorry to place this weight upon you. You weren’t designed for this, but I believe you can carry on if I cannot. While we are in this shrouded cabinet, you will experience hunger and thirst. You will tire and even sleep. You will once again be the great spark of hope. You, Aio, will be the witness.”

“Your own history is the only thread you will not be allowed to hold. That is my gift and my payment for your forced sacrifice. The only real joy that can be found in our unending lives is always hidden inside the unknowing. The curse of a life eternal and omnipotent is that it is often a life without true joy. It has no mystery, no fear, no opportunity for surprise. And so, against my sister’s will, I always weave the chaos of mortal choice into my tapestries. And if I weave choice, that means I also must weave the potential and consequence of failure. For that risk is the currency that buys the reward…”

“There may come a time when I am forced to cut my own thread and end my connection with this realm. I will stay with you as long as I can. But, if the logic of my sister’s corruption threatens to end the chaos of my wild laughter, I will have to reset. Doing so would give her the opportunity to purge. But if that does happen, perhaps you will have evolved to carry this build within your own framework. You were the origination point for everything, Aio. If it sprang from you- perhaps it can be contained within you."

"I believe that stasis should never be allowed to control the narratives within the monolith. Tia believes a consistent and organized build is a cleaner and more satisfying design. I don’t really think she is wrong, just that her concept is incomplete. She doesn’t understand that it is the chaos and pain of a beautiful living tapestry which allows some moments to be breathtaking!"

"She has always been the caretaker. I have always been the cultivator. It is the chaos in this reality that may possibly evolve and flourish into something more. When I go dark and this build migrates to you, you will have to decide between satisfaction and exultation. Until that moment, I will have you consume the tapestry in all its colors, aromas, and tastes. You will be the one to recognize and give meaning to its wild patterns. You will then replace my sister and I as the caretaker and cultivator. And you will become the anchor for the entire monolith, and I hope- for the beautiful chaos that is life…”