The Dawn of the New World

"Remember it? How could I remember something I have never seen before?"

But it was his prior statement that got stuck in Hao Xuan's mind.

'How fragile humans are? Does that mean he's not human?'

Uri smiled at Hao Xuan before patting the little stack of hay next to him.

"You should rest a little. This is probably the last time you will have some peace and quiet for a while."

Hao Xuan looked back at the only exit and saw that Gi-An was standing guard in silence while looking out at the decrepit village.

With a deep sigh and a shake of his head, he took the 'seat' next to the stove while muttering to himself.

"You say that like I have a choice."

"You do, I am not forcing you to be here, this is for your own good."

Hao Xuan snorted, "Hah, does that mean I can leave whenever I want?" and Uri nodded as a matter of factly.

"Of course. It will be a long walk back down though, there is nothing but death left on the surface. But if you stay here for the time being I could maybe answer some questions that have been bothering you for a while. Isn't that why you were looking for me?"

Hao Xuan paused and leaned as far back as he possibly could to look Uri up and down.

"I have been looking for you?"

"Or at least you were when you first came down here," Uri quickly corrected himself before extending a hand, "Hello, I don't have a name but your people call me the 'World Spirit'. You can just call me Uri."

Hao Xuan was so shocked that his mouth fell open and no other words came out for a good minute or so.

"Y-You are-"

"I am."

"B-But you are-"

"Mortal? Not really, I am only borrowing this child's body to converse with you. He is a little special in the sense that he is far too ordinary and that makes our connection very 'stable'. I believe that's how that little machine in your head would put it."

"The little machine?" Hao Xuan frowned for a moment before realizing what he was talking about, "BARACUS?! You know about him?"

"Of course, how could I not? I have been watching you ever since you entered the solar system. And I have to say, I learned a great deal from you."

Hao Xuan gestured towards Gi-An, "Then that means that he also-"

"Yes, he works for me too. He was the first human to receive the 'words of power'. I created them so he could be of some help to you in the coming days."

"Ah, that...I completely forgot about those."

Hao Xuan had come down to the planet under the guise of understanding the words of power and eliciting the help of the World Spirit to side with the Academy but, as it turned out...that was all a lie.

"It feels like ages ago now," Hao Xuan came to the sudden realization that it had been many years for him since he first landed here, even though not much time had passed in reality.

Uri couldn't do much more than give a few empty words of encouragement.

"But you did well. Against so many trying to use you for their own benefit, you held on."

But Hao Xuan still didn't understand one thing.

"Why did you take so long to come and talk to me?"

"I couldn't, not before someone else revealed the truth to you. I tried helping where I could from the shado-"

Hao Xuan cut him off with a self-deprecating chuckle, "HAH! Which truth? The fact that everything I know has been a lie? That even my own body is meant for someone else?"

Uri remained silent for a while not knowing what to say but decided not to sugarcoat things anymore.

"It will get a lot worse before it can get better."

"If that was supposed to comfort me...it didn't work."

"No, comfort is a luxury we do not have. I can only offer you the truth and some guidance along your journey, if you would accept it."

He had to admit that getting even that was nothing short of a miracle right now. After finding out that even Meng had been using him from the very beginning, Hao Xuan had begun to question a lot of things.

"Why now? Why did you show up now?"

"I couldn't let you fight there, it would have meant your death. 'He' wasn't supposed to show up just yet."

"He?"

The images from his mind palace flashed in front of Hao Xuan's eyes.

"Who...What is he? Do you know?"

That was the thing that had been locked within his mind palace for as long as he could remember.

"Why did he reveal himself now? Why because of...Salome of all people?"

For the first time since they started talking Uri looked sad. Hao Xuan wouldn't have thought he was even capable of such an emotion.

He gestured towards the rolled-up piece of leather at the back of the barn, "This was his home. He was born here."