The Inner Odyssey

Alden's jaw turned slack.

When she was younger, the Keeper of the End had loved Alistair…?

'W-what?'

For the second time in as many minutes, Alden felt overwhelmed with shock. The Keeper was bombarding him with revelation after revelation that stunned him. He wasn't sure if his heart could keep up. Shaking his head, the young man tried to stop the surprise from showing on his face.

Unfortunately, his efforts were in vain as Morrigan's sad smile deepened.

"It was just a one-sided crush. Alistair wasn't like the other boys. He was- is a good man. Elara is lucky to have him. They make a good match."

She sighed a little wistfully, her wrinkles deepening as if to reflect her emotional state.

Then, before he could pry any further the Keeper changed the subject.

"Are you aware of how this world was created?"

Alden blinked at the unexpected question.

"No."

Morrigan smiled knowingly.

Then suddenly, the room turned absolutely dark. Not a hint of light was present.

The blackness was impenetrable.

Alden felt like he was trapped in a deep void.

…An abyss.

An instinctive sense of panic washed over him.

However, he soon calmed down as he heard the Keeper's voice resound from the darkness, mysterious and solemn.

"First, there was darkness. Deep, ancient and primal."

Abruptly, small pinpricks of light appeared all over the dark void, illuminating its desolate expanse.

"Then, there was light. Nebulous, radiant and brilliant."

The scene changed just as quickly as it had done before. This time, the blackness roiled and seethed while the light seemed to shine brighter.

"A clash commenced."

Alden was stunned by the ferocious clash. Each tried to devour the other, to no avail. It felt destined to continue for all eternity.

However, the two forces soon stopped fighting.

The darkness and light began to fuse.

"Then, they became one."

Alden's vision suddenly cleared.

He blinked.

He found his surroundings exactly the same as they had been before.

Untouched.

How did Morrigan show him the vision?

'Vision…'

The word replayed in Alden's mind.

He looked at the milky-white eyes of the Keeper and froze. His breath caught in his throat.

The Keeper of the End…

Was an oracle?

That would certainly explain how she had shown him how everything was created. It must have been among one of the many visions she had once seen.

Alden was prepared to shrug off the sight of light and darkness clashing.

Except he didn't. Because, for some reason, it felt familiar.

His brows furrowed. He racked his brain, trying to find the source of the familiarity. Eventually, all the hair on his body stood on end.

He paled.

Because… he had already encountered how everything was created before. Back inside the imposing citadel within his core.

Alden shivered.

'What does this mean?'

Obviously, it hinted that the towering fortress was an important place. He just didn't know what connection it had with him.

…Or, to be more precise, the connection it had with his future self.

In any case, Alden decided to give it a name.

'The Citadel of Genesis.'

That was a very fitting name, in his opinion. He nodded to himself, satisfied.

A few moments later, he snapped out of his reverie to find Morrigan gazing at him curiously.

Had her sharp senses alerted her to something?

Alden swallowed, hoping the old woman wouldn't ask questions.

Luckily for him, she didn't.

He cleared his throat.

"Apologies if I'm being too blunt, but what does possessing knowledge of how the world was created have anything to do with becoming the next Keeper of the End?"

"Oh, it has everything to do with it, my dear,"

Morrigan smiled enigmatically.

Alden couldn't help but feel frustrated at her vagueness. Why couldn't she just say what she wanted to say without speaking in riddles?

'I guess that's just oracles for you. They are a weird bunch.'

Shaking his head slightly, Alden listened to her next words.

"There is a Legend out there depicting that Erebus and Lumina - the two progenitors of existence - are in a deep slumber, and will awaken when the time is right. A sizable number of people in the Sanctuary, and even those who lived back during the Age of Prosperity, have treated it as folly. But, with what you and I know about creation…"

Morrigan's voice trailed off.

However, Alden understood what she was trying to imply.

That legend…

…was very much real.

Alden didn't know quite how to feel.

On the one hand, it made sense. They, as a race - and everything that encompassed all creation - had to have come from somewhere.

But for some strange reason, it didn't occur to him that there were beings out there holding so much power.

Power…

Above even the Asterons.

'Will I ever reach that level?'

Alden allowed himself to dream a little.

This new revelation really hammered in the point that he was still just a frog in the well.

He sighed.

In the future - it could be eons, a century, or even half a century - Lumina and Erebus would awaken. Alden wondered what would happen after that.

Would the two progenitors destroy everything and create it anew, heralding a new cycle of creation?

Would they just watch humanity struggle in their fight against the forces of Defilement?

Alden had his doubts about the two beings. He kept that to himself, though.

Morrigan continued speaking.

"As part of this Legend, it is also stated that when they awaken, Lumina and Erebus will rid Arkanis of the Apocalypse. The method they will use is unknown, but it is prophesied that the End will come about when they no longer slumber."

'The End?'

Alden blinked.

Was Morrigan hinting at the end of existence? Or did the End refer to something else?

Alden groaned.

This discussion with the Keeper had changed his worldview. He could already sense the beginnings of a headache. Idly, he wondered where the Asterons fit into all of this. As if sensing the thought, a ghost of a smile appeared on Morrigan's lips.

Alden froze and held his breath.

"They are after this,"

A golden key suddenly appeared in her hands.

"...The Key to 'Their' resting place."