Chapter 1632 (2/2)

Yet due to that same capability, Randidly would have an easier time going forward if he was accompanied by the Pinnacle Seekers. For example, if Randidly went alone through that spatial wall and encountered that massive yellowed skeleton image, he wasn’t sure that he would be able to proceed any deeper. He estimated he could escape with his life, but forcing his way past it would not be a quick endeavor.

“If you are worried about your status as a member of Military High Command… Don’t be,” Claudette stepped closer and unleashed another winning smile toward Randidly. But perhaps due to some lingering shock, the expression wasn’t as single-mindedly bright as it had been previously; there was some conflict in her heart. Yet she spoke confidently, all the same. “We clash regularly against the military, but that is just due to their refusal to acknowledge our decisions as legitimate. For someone like you… the Pinnacle Seekers can even be a friend.”

Seeker Thunder Wing chuckled and nodded in agreement. “The short truth is that she’s right. And I’ll be blunt; we’ve noticed the way you were holding back your image. Significantly so. If you are doing this to deceive us, don’t bother. We won’t target you for your potential like I’m sure you’ve experienced from other factions in the Nexus. In fact, that potential is why we’d help. Just like part of the reason I’d tell you about that item is so you can improve yourself. We all wish that another individual would reach the Pinnacle. That is the reason that we Pinnacle Seekers work together.”

Pursing his lips, Randidly slowly nodded. Seeker Thunder Wing’s words sounded genuine, and moving with the Pinnacle Seekers would definitely help keep his followers alive. He spared a glance to the side, where Kerwin was patting Lay’mel’s back as the elf sat on the ground and covered his head with his hands. Randidly’s lips twitched. He looked back to the Seeker and spoke. “Then I’ll do my best to break through the spatial wall. But first, I’d like to hear the information you have about my pyramid.”

Seeker Thunder Wing nodded and gestured for Randidly to follow him. The seventy or so Pinnacle Seekers that survived the conflict ceased their gradual retreat and moved to set up camp at the top of the slope, near the spatial wall. Randidly saw several powerful individuals within the group giving him and Seeker Thunder Wing thoughtful frowns, but no one spoke out against their lingering.

Seeker Thunder Wing beckoned and the two men walked some distance away from the rest of the group. Claudette watched them go, pressing her lips together as she watched. When they had gone about twenty meters, Seeker Thunder Wing cut sharply with his hand and a powerful electromagnetic pulse surged to surround them, shearing away all ambient sound.

The middle-aged man turned and regarded Randidly calmly, stroking his chin. Then he shrugged. “Well, there is no reason to beat around the bush. When I saw that pyramid, I first thought that I must be mistaken; the object you hold hasn’t been seen in the Nexus for two thousand years. But considering some of the broader trends of this most recent Cohort… the movement of raw Aether, the emergence of this Nether King… I suppose the Nexus is approaching an inflection point. And in dangerous times, old secrets will always dislodge and float to the surface.”

While Seeker Thunder Wing slowly spoke, Randidly looked down at the crystalline pyramid. As he noticed earlier, there were five layers to the pyramid. The bottommost, and largest, layer was pure silver. The layer above that was ivory. The middle layer was sapphire. The second from the top was translucent. And the tippy top of the pyramid was a dull red. The combination of colors was even rather off-putting. There was something ancient and sinister about the Hierarchy of Burden, even to Randidly’s unfamiliar hand.

But it’s still my Fatepiece. Randidly said to himself. With this, I’ll be able to somehow strengthen my soul. Whatever that means...

And all those slight feelings of discomfort when he looked at the pyramid were magnified by one thousand whenever Randidly looked at the tiny black stylus. The implement might be innocuously shaped, but the material was heavy and foreboding.

“That item… is one of a certain type. Generally, they are called Hierarchies.” Seeker Thunder Wing continued. “There were originally five in total, as far as I know. They each relate to a particular… aspect of our existence that was changed during the Nexus Reformation, after the Second Cohort. Or I should say that in the First and Second Cohort, these five Hierarchies were tools given to the Nexus’ chosen representatives to deal with the increasingly problematic complications that we faced.”

“You… were alive for the earlier Cohorts?” Randidly asked curiously. Before he could even begin to judge the information that the Seeker was providing, he hoped this question would give him a little insight into the powerful man.

Seeker Thunder Wing responded with an awkward, smile, although his eyes began to gleam as he looked at Randidly. “Truthfully, no. I was born during the Second Cohort, but the Third Cohort began by the time I had a firm grasp of my own image. Most of what I’m telling you I learned from the generation before me. But still, it should be accurate. I… am relatively confident in my grasp of history.”

Randidly’s eyebrow twitched. Ah, that’s why he was so enthusiastic about sharing his knowledge. He can’t even help himself; Seeker Thunder Wing loves being a know-it-all.

“These Hierarchies… you said there were five? What were they called? Why were five created?” Randidly asked. Would that make his Hierarchy of Burden a sixth Hierarchy…? Then perhaps understanding the original five would give him some insight into how his Fatepiece.

“There were five because constructing the Nexus ran into five extremely large issues,” Seeker Thunder Wing cracked his knuckles and then folded his hands in front of himself. “You understand how Nexus Citizenship works, yes? How the higher citizenship gives you ‘access’ to a larger portion of the Nexus? The Nexus Reformation after the Second Cohort reorganized and layered the Nexus so it wasn’t so… heavy. So it didn’t create as much ‘drag’ against the base universal laws. After all, the Nexus was originally conceived as a method to accomplish the impossible; that drew interference from the universe.

“Five individuals were given powerful items to address those five problems. The Hierarchies had three functions: they helped the user detect issues, they bestowed upon their user a powerful capability to address the problem, and finally, they acted as a skeleton key that allowed those chosen individuals access to the secret places of the Nexus.”

Seeker Thunder Wing scratched his cheek and frowned as he thought for a few seconds. Randidly inwardly rolled his eyes; it was obvious that the man was pausing dramatically for effect. “As for the Hierarchies… I believe the five were the Hierarchy of Margins, the Hierarchy of Current, the Hierarchy of Will, the Hierarchy of Karma… and the Hierarchy of Burden.”