Vile Rabbit

"Sad, isn't it? this prison." muttered Gideon in a deprecating tone. "forced to relive the moment I made the most painful decision of my life again and again, forever,"

"I guess this prison would be difficult to endure for someone like you," replied Apexion in an indifferent tone as his fate star illuminated the surroundings as it attempted to gaze at the fate of the outer world.

"Someone like me?" Gideon questioned in bewilderment. A second later, his eyes flashed with understanding. "Yes, you're right. Someone like me, who was born at this life tier, I guess would find it much more difficult bearing mental tribulations than those who climb to this rank step by step… I guess you could endure a prison like this easily, oh Pathfinder."

Apexion's fate star stopped shining after concluding that there existed nothing other than this world in the era or prison. He realized,

"Perhaps, but I would rather not have a verbal competition about who has a stronger will when we all know the answer… I have something better in mind. Tell me a story. Tell me about the era leading up to the Battle of the End, and most importantly, tell me about the five entities who fought across time, especially the one you call Father. The Divine Path Maker."

After he finished demanding, a bestial aura of savagery and death exploded from his body, boom! letting Gideon know he would not take no for an answer. He would get the information he wanted one way or another, willingly or by absolute force.

Gideon remained seated. His Grand Law of War blazed around him, protecting him from Apexion's aura, but there were no traces of battle intent within his bleak eyes. For one, he believed that battle with Apexion was pointless; it wouldn't allow him to escape from this coffin.

And two, he wouldn't win, he was only invincible in the 8th tier among those who were not Pathfinders. When they were involved, the title of "same-tier invincible" went to them, especially Apexion, who he believed to be an Alpha.

"There is no need for a battle of which we both know the outcome... I will tell you my story. Besides, I long to converse with someone other than myself," he said calmly. His eyes dazed for a moment as he scanned through over a billion years of memories, most of which were him trapped in this coffin. Then he spoke:

"Before I was born, my brother gidan and I spent a very long time gestating within the core of a extremely strong realm cluster home to hundreds of millions of realms.

When I finally emerged, the first thing I saw, perceived, sensed, apart from my brother was him: Father, the one you know as the Divine Pathfinder. The first Pathfinder.

He stood above us like the god he was, but not as a god of dominion, but a god of kindness. His eyes, that reflected the universe, gazed at us with kindness and warmth.

We ventured with him around the universe. I watched him spread his path wherever we went not because he wanted something in return, no. He just genuinely wanted other creatures to evolve, to transcend their preordained limits."

As he spoke, a ethereal flaming throne materialized behind Apexion, and he sat in silence.

"We wondered for ages, in that time my bond with in grew. He became my father in truth.

It was during these journeys, we met the second Pathfinder, Adam.

At that point, he was a very weak and pitiful creature at the 3rd tier. He belonged to a primitive tribe of humanoids who called themselves humans.

Being among the weakest life forms possible, naturally they were prey, literal livestock, reared as delicacies for a tribe of tier 4 creatures.

Yet Adam rose. Becoming a Pathfinder, carving out a path that morphed his tribe from prey to predator.

Adam was a creature who centered around his tribe, humanity. He embodied the essence of humanity, and every facet of his path was forged around and for humanity.

He wouldn't hesitate forsake all else to ensure the survival and prosperity of humanity.

He joined our journey. We became good friends. He revered Father deeply."

Gideon voice lowered with reminiscence.

"A very long time passed once more, and I met the third Pathfinder, The Ender. He was an extremely special creature.

The only one of his kind, he was a Nirvaleth Worm, a creature born from pure death and life energy. He was born at the 7th tier, basically an innate being without any of the drawbacks.

How I envied him.

I was there to witness his birth. It was one of the most beautiful things I have ever witnessed, a giant black and white flower of life and death blossoming.

He was a creature obsessed with life and death. His path was centered around them.

He also joined us on our journey. Like a family, we ventured into many unventured lands and saw many untold things.

In time, Father took us to the World of the Innate. It was there I met her, Mother, the first innate being, and also one of the five beings.

Not long after we arrived, Father departed with urgency. He said he was going to evolve to the 9th rank.

How I wish I had went with him, for that was the last moment I saw him before the war, before he imprisoned me in this god forsaken place.

Perhaps had I gone fate would have changed.

Not long after, Adam and Ender left as well.

Gidan and I stayed on the Innate World. We bonded with them especially Mother. I loved to look at her beautiful hair.

At that time, she was the strongest being I had met even far, far stronger than Father before he left.

It was also during my time in the Innate World that I came to understand just how godly Father truly was.

The oldest innates told legends of him. They described him with a single word. True miracle. Above the likes of even you, oh pathfinder and soon you will know why.

'A miracle not equal to me but beyond!' thought Apexion, his eyes shining with curiosity.

Gideon continued,

"You see, before Father, the very concept of evolution didn't exist. No creature could imagine transcending its innate life level.

Not because of cognitive inadequacy, but because the idea simply did not exist. It was not with in the natural laws of the universe.

All beings live and died at their birth tier. As you can imagine, innate beings ruled this era as undisputed gods.

Then father came.

No one knew how he did it. Some stated that he was just an ordinary creature belonging to a tribe called the Seekers, a tribe of tier 5 creatures obsessed with discovery.

One day, he climbed atop a mundane mountain, sat cross legged and closed his eyes. When he opened them, boom! Reality it self began to change. Bit by bit, life started to imagine the impossible. Evolution."

'He birthed a new concept in reality.'

Apexion's mind raced with many thoughts.

"If what you say is true, then he is truly a miracle. Every being who walks the path of transcendence owes him homage," he said out loud. But in his mind, he was saying something else:

'How hateful! If the Divine Pathfinder is really the source or embodiment of evolution, that would mean every single creature who has evolved has been polluted by his essence, including my self… How can one hope to surpass a being whose essence permeates the very path they tread? HOW CAN I DEFEAT HIM? Detestable! I must find a way to get rid of this pollution as soon as possible.'

In that instant, he dedicated ninety percent of his will/ computing power in developing a purifier…

He asked Gideon to continue, which he did.

"Yes, every creature who has ever evolved owes this to him… But you, oh Pathfinder, owe him even more."

"What do you mean?"

Apexion's eyes narrowed. Gideon answered.

"Legend says that when Father reached the 7th tier, the universe trembled, and something ancient awakened, something that instinctively didn't like that he had disrupted the natural order, the universe's will.

To it, his presence was like the annoyance of an insect buzzing around your head. So it reached out to slap him to death.

But it failed.

Even though it was countless times stronger than Father, it couldn't completely kill him, for the concept of evolution, had already taken root in the universe, meaning that to kill father it would have to destroy apart of itself, something that it wouldn't do.

Since it couldn't kill Father, the universe did the next best thing: it prevented another creature like Father from being born by birthing a law of the highest order, that made it impossible for any more Pathfinders to exist.

Father was extremely upset by this. So when he reached the eighth tier, he defied and trampled on the law of the universe, shattering it.

In doing so, became the first being to defy the law of the universe.

Thus allowing more Pathfinders to be born, including YOU."

Apexion remained silent. The more amazing the Divine path finder was, the more the caution and resentment grew in his heart.

For he knew there was an extremely high probability that he and this miraculous being and he were destined to be enemies.

His instincts told him such.

"!"

Suddenly he thought of something, and immediately questioned,

"Is he the source of ascension particles?!?"