Chapter 223 The Task Of Chaos
Fate and Chaos are two entities whose followers fight each other, but only a small portion of them understand why they do so, or rather only they know the true reasons.
Most of Fate's followers fight because they believe that Fate is the true good, even among the Fate Knights only a small fraction of them know what Zayne saw and what he heard now.
Why Order, Oracles, and Crusaders fight on Fate's side is understandable.
It's not that they want power, although they do, and it's not that they don't know why, no, they just realize it's for the best. After all, first and foremost, Fate is about stability.
Fate was both fair and completely hypocritical as it would never help anyone who really needed it. While someone talented or lucky could easily get Fate's attention and become a Fate Knight.
It was unfair to a certain extent and ironically, could lead to the destruction of the lives of those who needed just a little help, a little push. However, it was the kind of world that was within certain limits calm, predictable, and most importantly, understandable.
Order, Crusaders, and other powerful followers of the Fate could put up with injustice for a minority that no one would even hear of so that there would be order in the world so that the future would be certain.
This was why Chaos was the main enemy of the Fate Followers, as this power could change everything they valued so much.
The symbols continued to fade from the petals, while in Zayne's mind, perhaps the most meaningful words of his life were spoken.
His heart was already beating fast, as his fists were tightly clenched and his teeth clenched to the limit.
As the very minority whose lives no one would even know about if it wasn't for Fallen Fate Online, he had felt this way his entire life, and now these words couldn't get out of his head.
"In that case... What are the Chaos Rules?" Zayne asked with narrowed eyes, "Don't try to trick me. I won't believe that Chaos is actually good, I've seen what Chaos Hearths are capable of!" Zayne growled, not wanting to fall for the manipulation, even though it wasn't true.
The strongest manipulation, no, the best lie was the truth, for deep down everyone knew where the truth was and the truth could not be justified.
Perhaps Bellflower heard him, perhaps not, but the flower could not answer his question exactly, though it was not necessary.
First Bellflower spoke of Fate, so now it was Chaos' turn.
'Chaos does not follow an order, for imaginary order can only lead to Fate, where the weak are forgotten, and the strong are praised, no matter the reason. In short... Chaos empowers anyone who tries, who never breaks no matter how many failures... If Fate forgets the weak so that there is a clear order, Chaos can empower anyone...''
'Many people think Chaos is pure evil, especially Chaos Hearth... but, who is the real villain? Could it be you?
A few lines disappeared from the petals, penetrating Zayne's mind.
'What...? I'm the villain? What kind of nonsense is it talking about? Zayne was completely baffled. He didn't consider himself the nicest person, and his sense of justice might be warped like all other people, but he was definitely not a villain, nor was he a hero.
'What do you think Chaos Hearths is? Is it Chaos's attempt to bring destruction to the world? 'Perhaps... in some cases, it may lead to that, but it will not be Chaos's will, it will be up to the Chaos Hearth itself and its creatures.
'Cause, Chaos Hearth is the opportunity for monsters to change their lives and start evolving. Yeah, sometimes they destroy others to do it, but that's the way the world works, that's the way nature works.
'And you were the one who cleared out some Chaos Hearths. You killed those monsters, and took away their hopes for the future. That's neither good nor bad, for in doing so you saved people. However, while to some you are a hero, to others you are a villain. Isn't it obvious?
Zayne had nothing to answer. Unlike the simple stance of the Fate, clear and direct, though with dark pages, Chaos's one was complex, but Zayne realized what was going on.
However, it wasn't enough for Zayne to somehow drastically change his attitude. Monsters were still monsters, and it was enough for him to know that Fate wasn't pure goodness to stop the likes of Selania.
However, Bellflower wasn't done yet.
'Chaos can empower anyone, talented or not, worthy or not, none of that mattered, only perseverance and willpower mattered. You became one of those whose life changed with Chaos's arrival, and you know about the dark side of the Fate...'
'Agh...? What are you talking about? Zayne inwardly exclaimed.
'Fate is the bright light that tries to hide its terrible darkness, and Chaos is the vast darkness followed by the light that gives a future to even the most hopeless and lost, the ones the world has forgotten...'
'For you, it has become that light... because... if Chaos enables and changes what Fate and the world would rather forget... What do you think... What entity triggered the joining of the two worlds...?'
Zayne's eyes went blank for a moment as he realized that all those words were true.
The first thing people noticed was that the stats from Fallen Fate Online were transferring into real life, and everyone was too surprised to wonder what entity was responsible.
'Chaos Coin made it possible to use skills and merge the physical state for the two worlds... Then, I was able to open a portal where Chaos was more involved... In that case... It's more likely that Chaos caused the two worlds to merge than Fate, isn't it?'
Bellflower didn't give Zayne a direct answer, but there was no need to since it was obvious to Zayne.
His life had changed after the appearance of the Fallen Fate Online. He found money for his sister's treatment, and friends became more self-confident, and better understood what life was all about.
Whether Zayne wanted it or not, Chaos was what changed his life. Chaos didn't do it specifically for Zayne's sake, but without that event his life would have only continued to slide into an abyss, deep and merciless.
'As always you have a choice... You can pass the test that Chaos has prepared for you, or you can refuse... Acceptance does not mean that you will become a follower of the Chaos, but you will completely give up the features of your world that you have in this world...'
'In return, becoming a full-fledged citizen of two worlds at once will give you the opportunity to understand your power and more... More precisely, it is the only way you will be able to pass the test that is set for you in the Dark Lands... If you refuse, you will return to the academy, but it is unknown whether there will be such a chance again...' A voice sounded in Zayne's head, then the tips of the flower rose up, pulling away from Zayne's head and breaking the contact.
Zayne fell to the ground with a deep stare and heavy breathing. Finding out the truth about Fate had been hard, but this was a whole other level. After all, he thought Fate had helped him both in the beginning and after, but really the catalyst for everything was Chaos.
'Was the beginning of my journey the fight in the village when I got the Fate Coin...? Maybe the cleansing of the first Chaos Hearth...? 'No... definitely not, my beginning was him...' Zayne internally muttered while fragments of his battle with the black wolf permeated his mind.
He had been unlucky enough to face the most dangerous opponent around Landow Village back then, but was that it?
Fate wouldn't help someone who was unlucky, and it didn't happen, Zayne had fought the wolf in terror, trying to kill it as soon as possible, and then it returned, which showed his will. This was more suited to Chaos's way than Fate's one.
The fight in the village was just a consequence of him not surrendering, and Fate only paid attention to his and Rolf's fight because it was an important event. They were more important than the ordinary villagers.
"Fine... I agree. I want to get out of here, but even more, I want to find out what my power is and its hidden origins... That wolf was just the catalyst it's obvious." Zayne said confidently, gradually rising from the ground.
The Bellflower trembled, and then all the petals shone brightly, turning into bright particles. Only one petal remained of the flower, a very small one, about the size of the palm of his hand.
The petal hovered around Zayne until it stopped in front of him, then the petal began to rotate until it stopped, pointing north with its sharp tip.
"So, that's where I'm supposed to go, right? Fine, let's get started." Zayne nodded slightly, looked around, and followed the petal.