I didn't know how to answer his question. I was too overwhelmed by all the information I had heard.
All the anger, all the emotion I felt, evaporated in an instant. What I heard completely changed what I had always thought of as absolute truths. Libiac, the gods, humans... they were just another link in an infinitely larger chain.
"Didn't you just explain the creation of the universe to me?" I asked, stunned.
"Not the universe, William." She corrected me calmly.
"The multiverse."
"Huh?"
"That's right. Each of my sisters is in charge of her own creation: her own universe. Some small, some immense. All of them make up the great canvas of existence.
As she said this, the earth in the palm of her hand transformed into a small galaxy spinning gently on its axis. I had no choice but to accept this overwhelming reality: many of the theories we believed to be mere fantasy turned out to be true.
"The human race is, among all the species in my universe, possibly the most creative and curious. That curiosity has led them to look beyond their own limits. Despite being a young species, you can touch on concepts that you don't even fully understand... yet."
"Wait a minute! Did you just say 'other species in our universe'?"
"Of course. Or did you think you were the only ones in the vast cosmos?" She looked at me amusedly when she noticed my reaction.
"Well, I mean... wow." My mind couldn't handle it all.
"But enough of that for now." She continued seriously.
"As I told you before, there is still much history to be told. You sensed it, didn't you?"
"Yes... I had that feeling." I replied as I tried to compose myself.
"And you're not wrong, but it's not time to hear it yet. Because when you do, you won't just be a listener. You'll be directly involved."
"Involved? Does that mean that in the future...?" I could only look confused.
"You'll find out eventually. After all, this involves all of us, without exception," he said with unusual gravity.
"Something serious happened, didn't it?"
"You'll find out. For now, let's get back to what concerns us: remember, William... you're still dead."
That reminder hit me like a bucket of cold water. Although I had already accepted it, hearing it again was a hard blow.
"Hahh... so what will happen to me?" I asked resignedly.
"You will be sent to the world that belongs to you, along with your companions. After all, everything follows a path. Everything has a purpose to fulfill, and yours has not yet been completed."
"Even you have one, being a goddess?"
"That's right. Even I, whom many consider perfect, have a purpose. Every being has one, since the beginning of time. And that includes death as well. No one can escape it, only accept it."
"Thank you for explaining this to me. I didn't know how to feel... but thank you."
"Now that you understand, let's continue with your journey to the other world."
She transformed the galaxy in her hand into two small universes that revolved around each other, as if in an ancient dance.
"First, I will explain where your companions went."
"Okay..."
"They were summoned to the universe adjacent to mine. That is..."
"To another universe!? Not to another planet on ours?!" I exclaimed, completely beside myself.
"Don't interrupt me." She scolded me with a grimace.
"Oh, sorry..." I bowed my head in respect.
"They were summoned to what would be the 'Earth' of that universe. Dievas, the young creator goddess, was inspired by my universe, especially the human race. She was very curious about you.
"That... that sounds very familiar..." A sense of déjà vu shook my thoughts.
"Yes, it's exactly what you imagine. Your imagination as a race is truly remarkable."
"A fantasy world, right? Magic, swords, kingdoms, summoned heroes, demon kings... it's an isekai, for God's sake—I mean, Libiac's!"
She burst out laughing at my reaction.
"I admit it: you humans are incredibly expressive. Charismatic, even among the most advanced races."
"Eh, oh... I'm lost again."
"Don't worry, it's normal," she said with a warm smile.
"Now that you have a clearer idea, let's see what will happen to you."
The scene changed suddenly. Now we were in what appeared to be space... but it wasn't dark. Everything was illuminated by stars of different shapes and colors. And, at an incalculable distance, stood a gigantic, colossal tree, beyond comprehension.
"That is the Tree of Beginnings: Yggdrasil. It was our mother's first creation. The beginning of everything. The anchor of the multiverse. It is also her home."
"Incredible..."
"Now, it's time to leave. As you well know, you died during the summoning, so you cannot be brought back in the same way as the others. There is only one option left."
"Rebirth? Something like that?"
"Exactly. You will be born as a human in that universe, but you will retain your memories and personality. You will no longer be connected to my universe like the others. You will be, in every sense, part of the Dievas universe."
Libiac came closer and took me by the shoulders.
"You know what that means, right?"
"Yes... it probably means that I won't be able to return to my world like the others. It's a final goodbye..."
"It is. But as I told you, everything has a purpose. And the results, although uncertain, may lead to something greater. Don't be discouraged."
"Okay. So... what do I do?"
"Leave it to me," he said with a gentle smile.
"Wait. I don't want to be conscious from birth with all my memories. I'd be bored out of my mind!"
"Hahaha, very well. Then I'll make your memories come back little by little as you grow up. Only the essentials, your strongest feelings, will be with you from the beginning."
"I like that better. But... how will I meet my companions if I'm born again?"
"Easy. They've just arrived, but you'll be born sixteen years earlier. That way, you'll grow up in that world and be ready when the time comes to meet again.
"I'll be born in the past...? So that means when I see them again, I'll be my current age, right?"
"Exactly. For them, there will be no difference. They'll just notice that you look different."
"So... I already felt their arrival, right? That's why I had that strange feeling of energy..."
"Yes. You felt the mana of the summoning. And you also know that you are preparing yourself."
"Time travel... so complex, so tedious..." I put my hand to my temple.
"Precisely for that reason, time must not be altered, not even by us goddesses. Only my older sister, Kairo, has power over it."
"So involving her means that... I'm important to this, right?"
"Much more than you can imagine. I expect great things from you, William... or rather, Luahn."
"What?! You just change my name like that! Don't you have any final advice, a warning, anything?"
"Don't worry. Do what your heart tells you. Your actions will speak for you. Besides, Dievas is eager to meet you. You can count on her."
"...Then, we'll see each other again."
Libiac gently touched my forehead with her fingertip. Everything went black. My consciousness faded away. The last thing I felt... was falling, falling gently, as if I were sinking into a deep sleep.
*
POV – Libiac
"Luahn... you are just as Dievas told me you would be."
I looked at the empty space where William had been, now reincarnated as Luahn, with a mixture of nostalgia and hope. The energy he left behind after his departure still floated in the air, vibrant, like a lingering echo.
"I remember the first time she told me about you... it's been over two thousand years since she shared that dream with me. In it, she described your voice, your rebellious spirit, your doubts... even your clumsy jokes. You were the spitting image of what she told me, and now, at last, I have seen you with my own eyes."
"So, her future companion, huh?" I thought, smiling slightly.
I never imagined that one of my "children," born of my creation, would be so important to the future not only of one universe... but of all. Technically, he wasn't mine; he wasn't born in my domain, but that didn't matter. The lines that separate universes are thin when purpose crosses them.
"Everything flows as it should. Destiny is an unstoppable current."
I allowed myself a few more seconds of contemplation before turning my attention back to the rest of the multiverse. My mind, connected to the vastness of time and space, felt the tensions in the fabric of reality... and knew that I could not waste any time.
My mother, the primordial goddess, was single-handedly holding back the cosmic aberrations that dwelled beyond the veil. Beings that should not exist, entities that distorted the very essence of existence.
"She cannot hold them back forever. The chosen ones must be ready. All of them. Not just Luahn, but also the others in the other universes. They don't know it yet, but the time is coming."
I looked toward a specific point in my universe: Earth.
"It is time," I whispered into the void.
"Time for me to make my presence known."
Humanity was, among the sixteen primary races, the last in many respects. In technology, magic, cosmic consciousness... but its potential was enormous.
Dormant, yes.
Hidden, but real.
"With my guidance, they will evolve rapidly. They will no longer lag behind the other races. They cannot remain in ignorance. The age of revelation is about to begin," I affirmed, as the golden light of my energy began to shine upon Earth.
Just then, an energetic jolt stopped me.
"Hm? What is this...?"
I turned my attention to Dievas' universe and felt a warm, joyful rush that filled me with surprise. It was like a welcome song. I didn't need to see any more: that energy could only come from her.
"Wow, Dievas... I can feel how happy you are from here. You finally met him, huh?"
My younger sister's excitement resonated like a sacred song through space. The meeting with Luahn had taken place, and she... she was ecstatic. For her, that moment was much more than a simple introduction: it was the fulfillment of a long-awaited vision.
"I can almost see her jumping with excitement like she did when we were young."
For a moment, I felt jealous. Not of Dievas, but of the bond she was beginning to form with him. But it wasn't dark envy... I too longed for moments like these, to feel that pure and spontaneous connection with a unique being. But now was not my time. My role was different.
I looked back at Earth and felt the chaos. The sudden disappearance of Luahn's entire class had sown confusion, fear, and wild theories.
"Abductions, secret experiments, conspiracy theories... some even got it right, or came too close. Interesting."
I reflected for a moment.
"I could introduce myself now... but no. They're not ready yet. They must calm down first, even if only a little. Fear blinds, and I need them to be able to see."
Humanity would take a great leap forward... but all in good time.
For now, Luahn was beginning its new cycle, and the multiversal board was slowly rearranging itself.
The threads of destiny were silently tightening.
The game had begun.