The Nebula’s Civilization

In Avartin, buildings in the shape of triangular prisms weren’t preferred. This was because given limited land, triangles resulted in a significant waste of space. Consequently, in Avartin and many other parts of the external space constrained by physical limits, buildings were typically constructed as rectangular prisms, that is, cubes with six faces.

Yet here, numerous spires in the shape of triangular prisms soared high. Space didn’t signify physical limitations in this realm, and more importantly, it was about inner meaning the shape embodied.

Each angle represented the past, present, or future, or perhaps the old gods that have vanished, the evil gods they opposed, and the new gods that emerged in between. Alternatively, it could imply the logical structure of positive, negative, and the synthesis in spacetime, or metaphorically reflect the relationship between Avartin's external space, the magical space of inner space, and the Hall of Myriad Stars in between the two.

Naturally, the three angles, not facing each other, could carry even more meanings according to the observer, as affirmed by the Constellations of the Hall of Myriad Stars.

This place, where numerous triangular spires towered, was the Hall of Myriad Stars.

Beneath the Hall of Myriad Stars, the Prairie of Beginnings still existed, although the Tower of Trial had been removed. The removal of the tower didn’t mean the disappearance of ways to reach the Hall of Myriad Stars. Those being tested had to pass through different trials presented by their own lineage and had to cross their own final door located somewhere in Avartin or the Prairie of Beginnings.

Passing through that door, one would step on the rough ivory-colored stone floor supporting the Hall of Myriad Stars and could see the towering triangular spires reaching high into space. Each spire varied in height and had fine distinct patterns and decorations, yet from a distance, they seemed similar and alike.

However, contrary to first-time visitors' beliefs, there weren’t as many spires as Constellations, nor did each spire belong to a Constellation; and the spires and Domains did not correspond one to one. Each spire was connected by corridors running horizontally. It appeared that the closer to the center, the more corridors were connected, but being in a place not limited by physical constraints, naturally, there were even more corridors that were unseen.

The Hall of Myriad Stars existed amongst these numerous spires, and its interior space was larger than it appeared. Roughly estimated, it was already larger than Avartin and the Prairie of Beginnings combined, which was similar in size to Avartin.

It was said that the apparent triangular spires of the Hall of Myriad Stars merely architecturally revealed the vertical values and horizontal connections held by the Constellations of the Hall of Myriad Stars.

At the very top of the tallest triangular spire was a place called the Myriad Magic Mirrors. In the Myriad Magic Mirrors, there was a large and massive celestial telescope. This telescope was made of brass, a product of magic engineering that combined scientific technology with magical mystique. The lens of the telescope was crafted by the greatest artisans of the Hall of Myriad Stars over the last 300 years using nanotechnology, and the brass gears containing the secrets of time were extracted by the Wizards of the Vaseniol Tower beyond causality.

The creator was Nebula, as well as the Constellation of Design, the Delicate Weaver, the end already complete, Wisdom. In the homeland of the Constellations, the Constellation of Design set his name as Wisdom, not so much because he had deserved it, but because he had longed for it. However, now in Avartin, having obtained knowledge that he had long yearned for, he came to live up to his name, Wisdom, making Myriad Magic Mirrors his greatest creation since the Creation.

Beneath the body of the Myriad Magic Mirrors, tens of meters in size, was a not-so-large Lizardman sitting on an antique copper-colored wooden chair covered in red velvet, looking through the eyepiece.

It was not a surprising sight for a black-scaled Lizardman to be in the Hall of Myriad Stars, but this Lizardman's left arm was unique, a prosthetic made of thin brass similar to the Myriad Magic Mirrors itself, with brass gears. This one-armed Lizardman was the owner of the Myriad Magic Mirrors and was called Starcatcher, just as he had been in the past.

The Starcatcher took his eyes off the Myriad Magic Mirrors and looked up at the sky with his bare eyes.

‘It’s beautiful.’

Due to the atmosphere and light source imitating those of Avartin, the Prairie of Beginnings experienced artificial day and night in alternation. However, the Hall of Myriad Stars existed outside such orbits, and therefore, the only view was of the night sky at all times.

The night sky visible from the Hall of Myriad Stars directly projected that of Avartin, so the sky the Starcatcher was currently observing was also a part of Avartin's cosmos.

‘Let's see…’

The Starcatcher slightly tilted his chair to pull out a small monocular from his possession. Although it was a small monocular made of wood, it was sufficient for the Starcatcher, who was adept at observing stars.

The first thing the Starcatcher looked at was Yonda, the first moon of Avartin. To the Starcatcher, Yonda wasn’t too interesting a satellite.

As with satellites lacking an atmosphere, no matter how long one observed, there was hardly anything noteworthy due to the absence of noticeable change over time. However, Yonda had been interesting lately.

The Starcatcher slightly turned the eyepiece of the monocular to see not the present but the past of Yonda. He saw a spaceship, nearly destroyed but skillfully managing to land, and astronauts wearing space suits getting off the spaceship. Although they received help from the Apostle, it was admirable for the Starcatcher to see such feats accomplished with technology far inferior to that of the Hall of Myriad Stars.

Through the monocular, the Starcatcher saw a Vampire named Muel awakening three gods and, knowing her mission was complete, leisurely taking a walk on the moon. This Vampire left the most footprints on Yonda and took the steering wheel from the Apostle, leaving many tire tracks as well. The Vampire enjoyed Yonda as much as she could and then boarded the spaceship to return.

Yonda then quieted down once again.

‘However…’

The Starcatcher turned the eyepiece the other way, beyond the present into the future.

Occasionally, spaceships arrived on Yonda, and the number of astronauts conducting experiments and investigations gradually increased, with semi-permanent buildings built and astronauts beginning long-term stays. This space, called a lunar base, didn't expand quickly but grew steadily bit by bit.

The Vampire who had taken a walk on the moon also showed her face a few more times. It seemed she greatly enjoyed her lunar walks.

Around the time families of researchers, not just researchers, began to stay, the Starcatcher took his eyes off the monocular. Looking at Yonda with the naked eye, the moon, yet untouched by the future, was quietly resting, reflecting the sunlight as it always had.

The Starcatcher turned slightly to look at another satellite. It was the second moon, Loom.

Loom had left the orbit of Avartin and entered the orbit of the Prairie of Beginnings, and now, it had even started orbiting the Hall of Myriad Stars. Therefore, Loom was now considered the first moon of the Hall of Myriad Stars rather than the second moon of Avartin.

This destructive weapon, which was created consuming a great amount of religious resources, initially had a different design purpose. The presence of a factory capable of performing numerous different roles and the enormous void inside that could accommodate anything implied that this artificially created satellite was meant to be an ark.

The important matter was where the ark intended to depart to, and now both the Constellations as well as the Starcatcher knew Loom's intended destination. Loom's target was the space of evil, the space beyond the universe.

Loom was the space where the entities of evil, the evil gods and their offspring, were isolated from Avartin. The old gods had promised this and executed a scheme among the evil gods, during which Loom was constructed.

As some of the evil gods were deceived, Loom was completed and became an incarnation of destruction and attacked and burned them, securing victory, but only leaving wounds. Had that not happened, Loom would have been able to depart as planned, burning the entities of evil and searching for its home.

With the help of the Hall of Myriad Stars, almost all of Loom's surface and internal modules had been repaired.

Now, the Constellations of the Hall of Myriad Stars were helping so that Loom could possess value beyond its initial design, and the Constellations that were once evil gods willingly accepted this help and, at the same time, handed over control of Loom to the Hall of Myriad Stars.

The Starcatcher looked at the scene once more with his monocular.

On the dark surface of Loom, Sung-Woon said, "Are you sure? The Hall of Myriad Stars will not restrain you. If you wish to leave, you can."

"No, we will not leave." The Constellation of Loss, Dide, said, "We do not need to search for a home to depart to."

"Why not?"

"Because Avartin has now become our new home."

Sung-Woon accepted their decision.

The Starcatcher took his eyes off the monocular. Then, instead of looking at the night sky or through the eyepiece of the Myriad Magic Mirrors, he looked down at the monocular itself.

The monocular was an ordinary item. It was gifted by a Lizardman who had become an Apostle and loved adventures. Knowing how useful it was to observe stars during his voyages, he gifted it to the Starcatcher out of respect.

Due to the technological level of that era, its magnification was now inferior even to the cheap binoculars sold in Avartin's markets. Even the eyepiece had become loose over time, merely rotating left and right.

Of course, other people would not have the ability to see the past and future using it. What had changed over time was the Starcatcher's eyes.

The first thing the Starcatcher saw in this Afterlife was the night sky. Continuing to ponder over the night sky and making astonishing discoveries was like a blessing for the Starcatcher, but soon he encountered limitations.

The observable universe was smaller than he thought. By then, the Starcatcher was already proficient not only in celestial telescopes but also in astronomical observation technologies that recorded numerous observations of the universe, convinced that more about stars could be learned from data and numbers rather than just looking up at the night sky.

As a result of Sung-Woon's endless support, the Starcatcher became proficient in the theories and limits of the universe outer space could reach and could already draw conclusions about the observable universe. That conclusion was so clear and bright that, paradoxically, it seemed to the Starcatcher like looking into a predetermined future.

No, the Starcatcher had seen the future. He saw Sung-Woon continue a long war with Hegemonia and eventually win.

He also saw the evil gods appear and threaten the Pantheon with the second moon, Loom. After the Pantheon emerged victorious from Loom, they then faced the Fall and the Starcatcher saw the Empire battle the old gods. He also saw Sung-Woon ultimately win, establishing the Hall of Myriad Stars and the Constellations, establishing a new order.

The Starcatcher confirmed that the conclusions his knowledge and insights had formed were being repeated in the real world. He realized he was seeing the future, looking beyond the current stars to their future, and he remained silent for a long time, not to scatter the future with his clumsy words… Until someone who understood him appeared.

***

[Starcatcher, many are concerned about your silence.]

A system window appeared in front of the Starcatcher, following the first trial Lakrak conducted.

The Starcatcher considered maintaining his silence, but opened his mouth due to prolonged loneliness. "Sanctuary, I saw the great Star Spear of Lakrak fall upon the crown of an old god decades ago."

[Did you foresee the future?]

"Yes. It may be hard to believe though."

[No, I believe you, Starcatcher. With your insight, you could certainly reach Extrapolation.]

"Extrapolation?"

[Just as great Wizards reach Tuning, great scholars reach Extrapolation. Knowing two points, the past and the present, you can draw a line to the third point, the future. It's not strange. The Constellations would rejoice that you have reached such a state.]

However, the Starcatcher was sad. "Does that mean the future I saw is real?"

[Yes, perhaps.]

"That sad future?"

[Starcatcher, what did you see?]

"This is what will happen next..."