Against The True Gods

After Caine was knighted, officially becoming the Church's tenth and youngest Holy Knight, a whirlwind of events unfolded.
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Countless parades celebrated his ascension, and he was required to attend numerous official meetings where he was forced to network with influential figures—officials, leaders, and workers from all across the world.

Though tedious, Caine didn't mind much. When he told Bertrand he was tired, it wasn't a lie. He truly was.

These formalities, trivial as they were, gave him a rare chance to relax, to wind down after everything he had endured. But such moments of respite wouldn't last for long.

At the end of it all, Caine was awarded his own Cloud Castle—an estate in the skies filled with every amenity he could desire.

***

[Cloud Castle of Endless Stars]

Caine stood in a spacious room with polished wooden floors. The high ceilings were supported by thick white pillars, and tall, wide glass windows allowed streams of sunlight to filter in. The clouds brushed gently against the glass, adding an ethereal beauty to the scene.

Dressed in simple white robes, Caine stood by a cold metallic table.

On the table lay Adari's lifeless body, naked and motionless.

In one hand, Caine held a scalpel, using it with meticulous precision to dissect Adari's form.

Beside him was an array of tools, neatly arranged for his use.

Originally, Caine had planned to kill Adari and move on without another thought. But during their battle, Caine realized Adari's value was far too significant to discard.

It wasn't Adari's strength that intrigued him—it was the man's nature. Adari was a perfect research subject.

For his plans to succeed, Caine needed a thorough and complete understanding of the aspects. Adari, as though sent by fate, was the ideal tool for such an investigation.

Caine's thoughts deepened as he worked, his scalpel gliding across Adari's flesh with surgical precision.

'The aspects seem to be directly tied to the conceptions of their paths in the Spark Realm,' he mused.

'The body, tied to the Earth Path, is far more than just one of many aspects. It feels foundational—perhaps the most fundamental of all.'

'Like the Earth itself, the body serves as the foundation upon which all else flourishes.'

Caine switched tools, slipping on a pair of gloves as his analysis grew more intricate.

'The soul, tied to the Spirit Path, is more complex. One would assume that the Earth reflects Heaven, but instead, it reflects the Spirit. Curious.'

'Perhaps my understanding is still too superficial.'

He adjusted his stance, leaning closer to inspect the intricate structures within Adari's body.

'Spirits are born from the clashing or harmonizing phenomena of nature. Nature is a product of the Earth's capacity for endless potential and life. In that sense, the body is the foundation that allows the soul—the spark of life—to ignite.'

'The body creates the fertile ground necessary for the soul to spark into existence. Once birthed, the soul stabilizes and burns eternally, much like how the elements of nature clash and harmonize to create spirits.'

Caine's hands moved faster now, his thoughts accelerating with clarity.

'Then we have the World Aspect. For the body to exist, an embryonic form must adhere to the world's laws. Similarly, for the soul's spark to ignite, the world must shield and cultivate it.'

'To exist is to be in harmony with the world. That is the essence of the World Aspect: one's resonance and alignment with the world itself.'

As his understanding deepened, Caine recalled a key moment from his confrontation with Oldest.

During their battle, Caine's illusory world had taken shape, and in that instant, he understood something profound.

'My current World Aspect is merely a seed—a precursor to something greater. The maturing of this aspect will allow me to birth an actual world within my body.'

'The World Aspect then transitions naturally into the Qi Aspect, tied to the Sky Path. This represents a level of harmony so profound that one gains the ability to manipulate the world's energies and aspects.'

'At this stage, one becomes the bridge between the mortal and the divine, controlling the skies themselves.'

Caine's aura shifted subtly, gaining a richness it had not possessed before. His comprehension of the aspects was evolving at a rapid pace.

He paused for a moment, considering the final piece of the puzzle.

'And finally, the Mind Aspect, tied to the Astral Path.'

Caine set down his tools, clasping his hands behind his back as he began pacing the room, deep in thought.

'The mind… the self… the origin. How does it connect to all of this?'

His brow furrowed, and his steps slowed.

'Among all the aspects, the mind is the anomaly. It is unnatural, yet it is a fundamental component of life. It shouldn't exist, but it does—and its presence is essential.'

He paused, gazing out the tall glass windows as clouds drifted by.

'If the body is the foundation, the soul the spark of life, the world the incubator, and qi the glue that binds it all together, then the mind is the spark of defiance.'

'The mind is what allows us to defy, to cultivate, to ascend beyond our natural limitations. Its origins lie in the separation of the self from the world.'

Caine's pacing resumed, his thoughts flowing like a torrential river.

'When the four aspects—body, soul, world, and qi—are at their weakest, they form a microcosm, one that is separate yet dependent on the world.'

'At their peak, these aspects create a macrocosm, one that is independent of the world entirely. It is within this separation that the mind is born.'

His thoughts crystallized, and a faint smile played at the corners of his lips.

'So that is why consciousness forms last.'

Caine returned to Adari's body, his movements now confident and precise. His mind was racing with newfound understanding.

'The body is the foundation of existence. The soul is the spark that animates life. The world is the nurturing incubator. Qi is the force that binds and bridges all things. The mind is the defiant flame that separates the individual from the world.'

'And together, when harmonized, these five aspects birth the hidden sixth aspect… existence itself.'

A silent explosion seemed to erupt in Caine's mind, clarity washing over him like a tidal wave.

'I see. I see. I see.'

Caine's smile deepened as his thoughts shifted once more. His hands began to move faster, his focus unwavering.

'If existence is the hidden sixth aspect, then…'