Gun of Ashes

The Golden Dawn, led by Roger Cruz, possessed advanced knowledge and technology, but the current world’s infrastructure was insufficient to replicate past technologies. Thus, they divided—some returned to the sanctuary, utilizing the remaining equipment there for research, while others roamed the earth, spreading foundational sciences across various nations, hoping to accomplish everything after several generations.

Most of the members were the reassembled Nation-Builders, hence the entire world ascended under the division of the Golden Dawn.

But one day, an event changed everything.

The elder’s words stopped; he seemed reluctant to recall these memories.

"What kind of divergence?"

Lorenzo showed no intention of letting the elder off, prompting for more details.

"About the Inexpressible."

The elder said.

"After centuries of research by the Demon Hunting Order, they’ve developed a significant understanding of the Inexpressible. One could say that the demon hunters’ power originated from the Inexpressible, thus Edron was aware of the impending disaster."

"The population reached its peak; the Inexpressible would awaken from its slumber."

Lorenzo replied, acknowledging a mystery yet to be resolved—a dilemma he currently faces.

"Edron refused to yield to such threats. After creating such a beautiful era with great effort, how could he bear to see it destroyed? Hence, he gathered a large group of elite demon hunters; they were Ascenders who could infiltrate the depths of the Well of Ascension to battle the Inexpressible.

Roger was among them. With the collaboration of alchemists and Nation-Builders, the world’s civilization accelerated forward. Although insignificant compared to the glory of the former humanity, it was the most hopeful attempt in our numerous restarts and struggles."

The elder remains in regret, lamenting his own powerlessness.

"I couldn’t do anything; I’ve lived too long. Not only has my body been ’optimized,’ but even my memory. My life is so fragmented, I can’t even remember my wife’s looks... Maybe I never had a wife. Apart from my duties, I remember nothing.

I can only watch them entering the Well of Ascension."

"And then?"

"And then they failed; they genuinely felt the Inexpressible’s insanity, descending into despair under its whispers.

Both Edron and Roger were affected; their connection with the Inexpressible intensified, and due to this immersion, their ascension deepened."

"They became void Spirit Bodies, just like me."

Watson, who was silent all along, spoke at this moment, seemingly understanding the origin of the Watchers and aware of Edron’s anger and agitation back then beside the Well of Ascension.

"More or less, Roger departed in despair, and we never found traces of him again. Edron then proposed the ’Watcher Plan.’

Upon returning from the Well of Ascension, Edron realized he was under the gaze of the Inexpressible and would become a ’gateway,’ transforming from guardian to persecutor, with no hesitation he issued a series of orders.

Edron sealed the Authority · Gabriel, and the related information was burned. The only documentation, ’Revelation,’ was corroded and shrouded due to its connection with the Inexpressible, becoming difficult to read.

The path of ascension was severed.

The other Ascenders involved in the Well of Ascension action were summoned by Edron; he knew they too were polluted and had the potential to become ’gateways’.

Thus, he stripped these Ascenders of their self, completely losing the meaning of autonomy, turning into one tool after another.

Soon after, Edron, using this extraordinary power, constructed layer upon layer of defensive perimeters around the sanctuary, and had his ethereal self ’dimension-reduced,’ absorbing demons and death row inmates, combined with the flesh they constructed from thin air, creating the vast demon named Leviathan, with its [Gap] becoming the Watchers’ abode.

Leviathan prowled the sanctuary’s edges, hunting any living creature attempting to approach, thereby severing any possibility of learning about the path of ascension from within the sanctuary; self-less Watchers followed orders, pursuing any potential threat, thus encircling human cognition within a nearly perfect barrier, isolating the Inexpressible outside."

The elder narrated this dark and cruel ritual, feeling the pain of his ineptitude.

"The Watcher system is of great importance; it requires an immortal and rational manager. For this reason, Edron plunged himself into slumber, prolonging life while avoiding further erosion by the Inexpressible, only awakening upon encountering problems that Watchers couldn’t solve.

And before entering slumber, Edron made his last command."

"What?"

"To hunt Roger Cruz, he too returned from the Well of Ascension, also potentially capable of becoming a ’gateway.’

The elder spoke of past tragedies, yet his mood gradually relieved, perhaps from finally having someone to converse with, or due to releasing pressure, he continued narrating.

"The two were close friends, thinking they could join hands to save the world, only to end up like this.

Since the Well of Ascension, no one has seen Roger Cruz; his last recorded action came from the Nation-Builders’ report, describing how they were under Roger’s orders, initiating war when the population reached the warning line to reduce numbers.

Thus, without Ascenders or knowledge from the sanctuary, with nothing at all, it was as if everything returned to a long time ago."

Lorenzo and Watson remained silent, as the elder’s account unraveled past mysteries one after another.

"Finally... finally, there’s me. Roger and Edron both made their choices; I should make mine too.

Unfortunately, I’m neither a warrior nor a scholar; I’m just a pitiful recorder, more importantly, I’m a coward," the elder chuckled, "but some things can even be done by cowards."

"What did you do?" Lorenzo asked.

The elder patted the solid Iron Coffin and said.

"I asked those old fellows who haven’t died yet to perform one last ’optimization’ on me, so I could live until now, waiting for your arrival."

A fragile, aging, yet stubbornly surviving brain tissue.

"I want to live."

The Secret Keeper whispered.

"Live unscrupulously."

"I want to become a monument of flesh and blood, commemorating humanity’s glory."

"Old day’s glory."

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