Upon hearing those words, Astra immediately thought back to the Demigoddess of the First Dimension. She wondered if She, or if some other existence, used an ERROR artifact to bring the humans from the previous Earth to this place.
"Perhaps the Demigoddess used an ERROR Artifact that corresponded to the concept of transportation? Not only that…these artifacts are dimensional anomalies. Just going based off of observation alone, those effects that happened on that night could've been a dimensional anomaly."
"Maybe this is why Kayla never ended up telling me the reason behind why I turned pale? I mean, she did say that I couldn't have known why and I wasn't strong enough. It completely lines up!"
"Could this mean that only I was supposed to be transported, and something went wrong in the process?"
"This also explains why the Demigoddess has been trying to message me in such strange ways. She has to message me this way because any other way can possibly kill me…?"
"Another way could be that She is weakened, and She had to use an ERROR artifact to transport us over. This also explains why She is messaging me in such strange ways. She literally has no other choice—exactly lining up with what Kayla has said!"
"Then, she has also said that the reason involves something that happened thousands of years ago. Could it be that some battle happened involving the Demigoddess, causing Her to be weakened, leading Her to call out for help? But why me specifically?"
"I doubt it's a coincidence. Could it have something to do with the 'do not look at the night sky' message? Could that be referring to something I'm not supposed to look at, like something on par with an ERROR artifact?"
"Could it be…that message was telling me not to look at a deity? What deity can represent the night sky?"
"The only one that comes to mind is the one who has the authority over the First Dimension…"
In that moment, she had a thought—a thought that almost felt blasphemous.
"What if the Demigoddess was defeated by a mysterious deity…and They took Her place?"
Narrowing her eyes to control her unease, she deepened her voice and said:
"What if the Dimension of Science and Physics has a mysterious God behind it?"
James chuckled softly.
"Heh, well the Dominions thought that a mysterious God was behind that dimension a few thousand years ago. However, they slowly began to accept the religion. I believe a treaty was made by the Saints of the main Dominions and that dimension, but I'm not sure. I have to confirm it in one of my readings…"
Astra noticed that her heat rate had calmed down as she heard him somewhat clear up the doubts of the mysteries of the First Dimension. Her unease had also left her body.
"I see…so that means that there is a chance that the Demigoddess still has Her place…" Astra still had her doubts regarding this conclusion.
"Regardless, I don't want to think about this anymore." Naturally, she tried to stop herself from thinking about these possibilities.
This was because she had noticed that the more she thought about these things, the more uneasy she felt, and the more her body was turning into something indescribable.
This feeling was only illusory, but it still felt so real that Astra had to stop her usual thinking process.
She didn't want to accidentally know about something she couldn't know about!
So, Astra had decided that she would have to wait until she gets stronger before she gets to know these things. Once she gets that level of strength, she would have to ask Kayla.
Or, perhaps even more unlikely, the Demigoddess.
Composing herself, Astra proceeds to ask another question.
"Do you know anything about Anomalies?"
James tapped his wrist once more, changing the information on the hologram.
"Yes. I was just about to explain it to you."
"Like the Strata and the Artifacts, Anomalies also have their ranks. As for what they are, they're simply threats caused by Ethereon or other supernatural related instances. Whether it be from people, beings, monsters, mutations or artifacts, it doesn't matter."
"Also, for our rank, we will mainly be dealing with Phantom-class anomalies with an occasional Specter-class. Though, we might have to deal with higher anomalies if there is a lack of information. This is rare, though."
James immediately tilted his head towards the contents that were on the hologram. Astra did the same. They read:
Phantom-class Anomaly: Subtle anomalies; often undetectable and has a limited range up to a few dozen people. Must be dealt with by a group of Awakeneds or one Ember. Ethereal Artifacts are not needed.
Specter-class Anomaly: Noticeable anomalies that can affect hundreds or thousands of people. On the smaller end, must be dealt with by a group of Embers or one Sentinel. On the larger end, must be dealt with by a group of Sentinels or one Vanguard. Ethereal Artifacts from Tier 8 to Tier 6 can be used, but usage must be approved by a Vice-Captain (Tier 6 and Tier 5) or a Captain (Tier 4).
Fracture-class Anomaly: Dangerous anomalies that can affect entire towns and surrounding regions. Must be dealt with by a group of Exarchs, a group of Vanguards led by an Exarch that has a Tier 3 Artifact, and/or one Pillar. Usage of a Tier 3 artifact must be approved by a Minister.
Eclipse-class Anomaly: Extremely dangerous anomalies that can span cities on the lower end, and countries on the higher end. For the lower end, it must be dealt with by a group of Pillars, and/or a group of Exarchs led by a Pillar that has a Tier 2 Artifact. For the higher end, it must be dealt with a Celestial on the level of at least a Paragon. Usage of a Tier 2 Artifact must be approved by a Vice-Leader.
Oblivion-class Anomaly: Danger level on this anomaly cannot be quantified effectively. The range of this anomaly spans a worldwide range at the minimum, and can affect interstellar civilizations at its highest end. For the lower end, it must be dealt with by a group of Paragons, each Paragon having a Tier 2 Artifact. This must be approved by a Vice-Leader, however this can be bypassed depending on the danger level of the situation. For the higher end, it must be dealt with by a Luminary using a Tier 1 Artifact. Approval by a Leader is not necessary.
Omega-class Anomaly: Danger level on this anomaly cannot be quantified effectively. The range of this anomaly spans a range that can end all life in the universe. This Anomaly must be dealt with by the Saints or a group of Luminaries led by a Saint—each Luminary wielding a Tier 0 artifact.
Reading attentively, Astra had a few thoughts.
"Heh. James says that I'll only be dealing with the least threatening anomalies for now, but who knows what can happen knowing my abnormality?" Astra almost gave a nervous chuckle.
"Heh, an Eclipse-class Anomaly is a lot more dangerous and terrifying than I thought…it's almost comical how I got caught up in the middle of that."
"In hindsight, it's also not that surprising why Kayla acted like such a matter was trivial for her…she's supposed to deal with anomalies on the level of Oblivion and Omega."
After less than a second of reading, Astra proceeded to ask a question.
"For the anomalies that are on the level of Oblivion and Omega, at what point do the Demigods get involved? I struggle to believe that they would just let the world, or even the universe, end just like that, right?" She asked, tilting her head to the side and raising an eyebrow.
James crossed his arms and locked his gaze with Astra's golden eyes. His expression was not tense, but it was serious.
With a deep voice, he muttered, "You are aware of why the Demigods and Demigoddesses aren't active in the world, right?"
Astra nodded.
"I'm aware."
"Yes, I've read up on that. They restrict Their presence to the point of silence in order to save humanity. But given that my Demigoddess is able to communicate to me—albeit strangely, I find it hard to believe that the Demigods who are at the pinnacle of the dimensions are truly unable to affect the real world." Astra added in her head.
"Where do they even reside in the first place?" She asked inwardly, knowing that James wouldn't give her an answer.
"In that case, the reason why the Demigods aren't active on the land is the same reason why they don't get involved in these Anomalies." James explained, his voice slower.
He sighed, casting his gaze to the side. Later, his lips curled up into a faint smile. It was not one of relief or happiness; instead, it looked as if it was out of accepted disappointment.
"I had the exact same question as you when I first joined here."
"In fact, I always wondered if the deities truly have to be silent…"
Astra continued to look at James with an expressionless face. She related to his statements, but she didn't feel anything in particular.
"Anyway, that was another tangent." James tilted his head upwards toward the screen, his voice picking up.
"Do you know anything else about the history of our universe?" He asked.
"Not anything that you can't find on the Internet," Astra replied bluntly.
He chuckled.
"Excellent. Let me explain to you some history," Unexpectedly, James's pitch increased slightly as a genuine smile was wrapped across his face.
He got excited, which surprised Astra a bit, causing her eyes to widen slightly.
"As you know, the Chaotic Eon had an environment that was completely hostile for humans. Mysterious existences had roamed about the cosmos, causing any sense of order or civilization to collapse. Some rumored that beings from the other realm had spilled into this time period causing such an environment, but I found no documents confirming such a thing."
"However, the interesting thing that happened during this period was the human comeback," James spoke as if he was talking about a sports game, the hologram light illuminating his innocent smile. "Hehe, specifically how they came back. While it is true that the Demigods were able to help humans leave that Eon, the way how they did it is still heavily contested."
"Though, the leading theory is that two certain Demigods had come together, created an army of guardians, and drove back those mysterious existences."
James didn't even change the contents of the hologram, as he never prepared this information for Astra.
She was also interested, so she didn't mind.
"The guardians of old still exist today, residing in the cosmos. There's a reason why those mysterious creatures never happened to invade our galaxy."
"Anyway, that's not the interesting part. The interesting part is the names of the two Demigods. After connecting some details, I was able to figure this out."
"What are the names?" Not hiding her curiosity, Astra had inquired.
"I'll tell you, but make sure to never say the names of these Demigods in any language other than Dreamurian, and especially not any ancient languages that were spoken in the Chaotic Eon. Such things can be considered as actual blasphemy."
Astra nodded, patiently waiting for the names.
Of course, she already knew why Dreamurian was the perfect language to say these names. It was because it was the language of the Dreamscape—which clearly had concealment abilities.
In a second, James had moved his mouth to say the names:
"The names of the Demigod and Demigoddess were Adam and Eve."
Astra gasped. She couldn't hide her shock as her stomach churned slightly from unease.
James laughed, expressing his delight from Astra's reaction.
"Haha! Shocking, I know. But I can say this with certainty. It is much harder to find the names of the other Demigods, though. I still don't know why that is."
"Unfortunately, I don't know which dimensions Adam and Eve correspond to. If I had to guess, it would be the First and Second Dimensions, since they were the first and second Demigods."
"Adam and Eve? Could it be that there is some correlation to the Christian Bible? This world truly is even more similar to the previous world than I thought!" Astra was completely shocked, but for an entirely different reason than what James had thought.
"Not only that, but they were the first and second demigods. This definitely correlates to them being the first and second humans!"
"Wait, does that mean that there are angels like Michael and Gabriel in this world too? Perhaps in the other realms?"
Astra shook her head out of disbelief. She immediately followed up with another question, her voice slightly hurried as if she needed to confirm something.
"Are there angels also? Like, there are deities, so there should also be angels, right?"
James' eyes lit up even more.
"Yes, thanks for asking! However, don't make the mistake of assuming that an angel is a rank that you can achieve."
"Instead, they are a race, like how humans are a race. It is just that they reside in a higher realm than ours."
"We do not know the name of that realm. Some people call it the upper realm, while others call it the heavens. All we know is that angels reside in that realm, and there might be ranks among them also."
"Some people also believe that the deities reside in that realm, but no one is able to confirm it."
Astra sighed, feeling a bit of disappointment due to the lack of information on angels.
However, she was still glad knowing that they exist. She wanted to ask if there was any footage of them, but she refrained herself from doing so. They exist in a higher realm, how or why would they be visible to mere human cameras or eyes?
As for Adam and Eve, she felt a strange unease due to the mention of their names. It was similar to how she felt when she looked at the night sky on that night.
Calming herself down, she tried to question why she felt that unease.
"Why did the mention of those names make me feel uneasy…?" Astra asked, however she didn't have any leads so she couldn't make any conclusions.
No, it was more like she didn't want to make any conclusions.
Hence, she tried her best to dismiss the thoughts regarding the first two humans. While doing so, she noticed that it was quite hard for her to think like how she usually does in this world. Again, she began to understand a little bit more why the name "Ethereon' and things regarding it were classified.
Noticing that Astra's skin appeared as if it was fading into white, like the effects from an old film, James' eyes had widened in surprise. Feeling a little guilty from making Astra shocked, he decided to change the topic.
"Okay, that's the last tangent that I'll go on today," He said as he rubbed his forehead. "I think that's all the information I have to give you on this presentation."
"Of course, additional information such as mission details, training details, Ethereon classes etc. will be provided to you as you progress as a Dreamlander."
James stood up as he pressed the button on his wrist twice, turning off the hologram.
The room instantly turned a little darker, with the only sources of light being the pillar of light in the center and the holographic chairs.
Astra continued to be seated as she patiently waited for instructions. Her skin was back to normal, like it had never slightly faded.
"Before we begin with the ritual, what scenery would you like? I can transform the walls of this room to any scenery to enhance your mental state. This will increase the chances of your ritual succeeding."
Astra didn't hesitate to speak up, as she already thought about this. She had known that this room would have transformed the scenery to that of the user's wish as evidenced by the room being drowned in darkness, and by the fact that a proper scenery to the user's wish would make the user's motivation greater.
"I'd like the scenery of the night sky." She said in a soft, almost ethereal voice. Her hands were on her lap.
"As you wish." With a thought, James had allowed the walls of the room to turn into a starry, enchanting, blue night sky.
Even the foggy ground was now covered in stars and nebulae, making the room feel as if they were on a spaceship traveling through the cosmos.
Due to this change in atmosphere, the illumination of the room came from this space ambiance, lighting up Astra's, Sonar's, and James' figure.
"Do you like it? I can change the colors of the night sky if you wish." James asked in consideration.
"I like it as it is." Astra didn't have any complaints.
"Okay, good."
"Before we begin, I must inform you of some things." James said, his voice getting deeper, serious.
"Ethereon is very dangerous. As a Celestial, you will feel different than how you were as a human. Again, it is always better to be cautious than to not be cautious, even at a low level when risks are relatively low."
"As a Celestial, and as a Dreamlander, you will experience horrors that most humans won't experience in their lifetimes. This will become increasingly prevalent as you get stronger."
"On that note, as you get stronger, you must always stay grounded in your principles. Not only does that make it easier for you to become stronger, it also makes you safer."
"Again," James said, his crimson eyes getting more intense as he locked eyes with Astra. "You will experience horrors, and you will experience deaths."
"After all, our motto is: 'Protectors of peace, destroyers of madness, savers of life, even when we face death.'" James spoke with a faint smile, his pupils getting darker as he glanced at Sonar.
Astra nodded. Even though she didn't fully understand what those words meant yet, she knew that she had to prepare herself mentally.
She knew that she would get to understand the full meaning of those words as she gets stronger—her experience with Mia was the strongest piece of evidence that continuously pierced her mind.
"With that being said," James continued to speak in his low voice. "Do you want to become a Celestial, Dreamer Sera?"
Astra stood up and walked closer to the pillar of light in the center. Her face remained expressionless but her soundless footsteps were heavy.
For some reason, she felt like she had the world on her shoulders.
She felt as if each step had carried countless purposes, aligning with her literal step walking over stars.
Her lips began to move as she thought about all of the people that had wished for her to become stronger.
Lucian, Loken, Kayla, Mia.
Even though she wasn't really close to any of them, she still felt a strange sense of responsibility. A responsibility that felt similar to that of proving that Polaris would shift.
She then thought about all of the people that she cared about—all of them who would benefit by her becoming stronger. Only by doing so can she find them again.
Xavier, Aria, her mother, Alexandria. Even the eccentric Himiko Tanaka crossed her mind.
Completing those thoughts, her mouth finally spoke out the words:
"Yes, I would like to become a Celestial."
James smiled as he walked closer to the pillar of light, approaching the same distance away that Astra was from it.
Then, James looked at the three orbs on the light. Astra followed suit.
James swept his eyes across the dark blue orb with blue velvet hues, the green and blue orb that looked as if it was alive, and the strange white orb that showed random scenes of possibility.
Intently examining the orbs, he said, "Each orb represents a dimension. The dark blue orb represents the Dimension of Dreamscape, the green and blue orb represents the Dimension of Consciousness, and the white orb represents the Dimension of Possibility."
"Choose an orb, and you will get the powers of the dimension it represents. However, do note that the ritual varies depending on the dimension. Don't worry about that though. I have the corresponding rituals that are needed depending on what you choose."
"Make sure to choose wisely, but don't do it based on how powerful you think it will be. All dimensions are equal, so their powers are equal. Instead, choosing a dimension should depend on your self-awareness, application and understanding. So it's best to choose a dimension that you feel would be best suited for you in checking those boxes." James explained.
He later sighed as he thought about something.
"Oh, and also. There was supposed to be an orb corresponding to the Dimension of Energy, but we weren't able to find it in time. So, we replaced it with the Dimension of Consciousness." He elaborated, since he felt that Astra would've been interested in that dimension.
Astra visibly frowned.
"Sigh, there is no Dimension of Energy. If that was one of the options, I'd choose that one in a heartbeat. It's the closest thing to the Dimension of Space, Time and Physics. Plus, it's a somewhat scientific dimension also…"
"Is it possible to switch dimensions after you become a Celestial?" She asked, trying to find another way to potentially use the Dimension of Energy.
"Well, you can. Though it is extremely dangerous. Once you choose a dimension, it slowly becomes a part of you. And, trying to insert another dimension inside of your subconscious can cause disastrous problems, leading to a loss of self. This risk increases exponentially every time you advance."
"So it is best to do so at the earlier stages if you have to advance, but it is safer not to do it at all." James calmly explained.
Astra listened attentively. She sulks inwardly, thinking, "Well, there goes my chances."
"I mean, I can always wait until an Energy orb shows up. But who knows when that's going to happen? Plus, I'm on a time limit…"
"I guess I have no other choice but to choose between these three."
"What would be the best? I feel as if all of them have their advantages when it comes to the criteria he explained to me."
"For example, for Dreamscape, I'm already in the largest country representing that dimension. This means that not only would I have a home advantage if I choose it and stay in Morpheus, but I would also experience better guidance. Plus, Mia is a Celestial from the Dreamscape…"
"For Emotion and Sentience, I would say that this one is perhaps the most beneficial when it comes to self-awareness and understanding. For example, couldn't you use the powers of emotion and consciousness to help your self-awareness and understanding of yourself? I'd say this is probably the easiest to refine for me…"
"For Possibility, I would also say this one suits me. I'm a divergent thinker after all! The only problem is that this dimension seems a little rare, meaning there might not be a lot of resources in Morpheus to give me guidance. It also seems the least straightforward out of the other two…"
Astra took a deep breath as she stared at the three orbs for a few seconds after thinking.
James continued to stare at Astra, occasionally glancing at the sleeping Sonar.
After more than 5 seconds of staring at the orbs, Astra spoke again.
"Okay, Captain Smith. I choose Consciousness."