Blood Assimilation

Randy listened intently as the Grand Librarian, his words carrying the weight of eons. However, he suddenly interrupted the cosmic being to express his understanding.

"Are you saying that it is fate, regardless of whether virtuous or malevolent in nature, that determines who gains access to the Universal Library?" He inquired, not fully comprehending the meaning behind the cosmic being's remark.

"Indeed." The Grand Librarian nodded in confirmation.

"What of those who seek power without ambition?" Randy ventured.

"Those who aspire to rule in any form without revolutionary ideas are deemed unworthy by the Universal Library, regardless of their achievements. Only revolutionary rulers are accepted, and tyrannical rulers are rejected, regardless of whether their endeavors were perceived as righteous or malicious by others." The Grand Librarian stated profoundly, his voice emanating a sense of passiveness.

"Revolutionary individuals with ruling power and driven by fate are welcomed here. But those who seek power for the sake of tyranny without any revolutionary ideas are denied entry.

So, either way, you need to elevate yourself to the status of ruling over a dominion of some caliber to qualify for the Universal Library's selection?" Randy reiterated the Grand Librarian's words to the best of his understanding.

"Exactly." The Grand Librarian confirmed, his cosmic eyes twinkling with approval.

"I see... Wait a minute. That doesn't make sense. Since I don't have any grand ambitions to rule over anything or anyone, by your logic, I shouldn't have qualified to be here." Randy stated, feeling puzzled.

However, the Grand Librarian seemed to have anticipated his rebuttal, answering him right away.

"That was due to your fate and destiny."

Despite hearing the Grand Librarian's response, Randy still appeared unconvinced as he had no idea what fate really represented in the context in which the Grand Librarian was using to speak. Was the Grand Librarian stating that his fate was predetermined?

If his life was arranged by some entity, then he didn't know how he would be able to reconcile this information with his choices and decisions in life thus far. He needed to pry further if he wanted answers.

"What about my fate? What does it hold? Is it virtuous or malevolent?" Randy curiously asked, attempting to peer into his own existence since the concept of fate seemed ambiguous from hearing the Grand Librarian's explanations, which made him feel ambivalent about the topic.

"The Universal Library only recognizes revolutionaries, not mindless rulers. As a result, it holds secrets for those who dream of greatness, not those who crave power."

Seemingly aware of his concerns, the Grand Librarian tersely answered in a sage-like tone, his cosmic gaze peering into Randy's spiritual eyes. This disconcerting gaze made Randy reaffirm the Grand Librarian's identity as a being overseeing infinite knowledge and wisdom of the cosmos.

"As for your fate, it is uncertain. Most of your future paths are hazy, making it unpredictable. The form you assumed before was most likely from one of the possible futures, one that had no external interferences. However, if an external force were to interfere with your current path, your future paths would drastically change to incalculable outcomes, your destiny suffering in the process."

"Are you saying that my future path might lead to a malevolent outcome?" Randy inquired, feeling a foreboding meaning behind the cosmic being's words.

"Not necessarily." The Grand Librarian's shook his head.

"As I mentioned, your path is unpredictable. In short, even I am unable to see your potential future destination without breaking karmic regulations, an outcome that might alert the apparitions of my hidden location. But don't fret too much. Your mortal form may be weak, but through enlightenment, you shall discover your true potential.

You and the other human were born with mortal bodies but possessed extraordinary legacies, so you should be fine just like that human when they embarked on the path to apotheosis."

With a pensive expression, Randy listened to the Grand Librarian, absorbing and contemplating the hidden meaning behind the cosmic being's long response. However, he suddenly raised his head to look at the Grand Librarian, his gaze filled with curiosity.

"What did you mean by the 'other human'?" Randy inquired, not anticipating a straightforward response.

"Two other mortals preceded you in arriving here, bearing the same unique qualification. In your mortal time reckoning, it would be deemed an exceedingly distant past. If I had to guess, it should be a few centuries using your world's standards."

The Grand Librarian unexpectedly replied, his response devoid of cryptic utterances.

'Two mortals? Could it be…' The cosmic being's revelation sparked a flurry of speculation in Randy's mind, prompting him to seek clarification on the identities of the two individuals to corroborate his conjecture.

"Who were they? Can you enlighten me?" Randy pressed, harboring a suspicion that the two mortals might be his parents.

Unfortunately, the Grand Librarian shook his head, declining to divulge their identities.

"Perhaps someday, if fate permits. Ah... You seem to bear the legacy of one of them. I see… Your destinies appear intertwined somehow. Thus, you may encounter one of them imminently, or perhaps, you already have."

"Legacy?" Randy probed, growing more convinced that the two mortals were indeed his parents.

Despite his conviction, he refrained from certitude without definitive confirmation from the Grand Librarian. He regarded the cosmic being before him, who seemingly disregarded him, realizing the other party did not plan on answering him. He sighed inwardly, resigning himself as he chose to abandon the inquiry.

Although the Grand Librarian heard Randy's words, the cosmic being appeared preoccupied, his boundless gaze fixated as though peering into a distant realm. Abruptly, his form flickered akin to a malfunctioning image on a screen, briefly assuming an ethereal state before swiftly returning to his starry physical manifestation.

"Our meeting has come to an end, young aspirant. It seems my departure is imminent. Lingering in this segment of the boundless space any longer may jeopardize my concealment and compromise my location." The Grand Librarian remarked, his tone conveying urgency.

Randy acquiesced silently, not protesting against the Grand Librarian's final statement, discerning an urgency in his voice that suggested a foreboding threat on its way.

Despite the absence of explicit elucidation, deducing from their earlier discourse and the Grand Librarian's demeanor and urgent tonality, Randy surmised that the cosmic being was evading pursuit, possibly due to the enemy's discovery of his whereabouts.

Though this was mostly speculative, Randy believed it was not far from reality. For a cosmic entity of such magnitude to exhibit agitation after maintaining indifference throughout their encounter, then behaving akin to a fugitive absconding from a crime suggested a formidable pursuer. Randy had less doubt about his speculations being false.

However, these musings compelled Randy to recognize the implications and peril posed by the so-called hidden forces alluded to by the Grand Librarian in their earlier discussion. Aside from discovering the truth about his parents, he realized the imperative of uncovering the enigmatic hidden forces alluded to earlier by the cosmic being.

From the cosmic being's statement, it was evident that a roaming threat loomed over the cosmos. Despite its absence on their planet thus far, it did not assure their long-term safety. On second thought, Randy deduced that the invasion of otherworldly creatures and dimensional rifts might correlate with the hidden forces wreaking havoc across the cosmos.

Upon further contemplation, he realized the coherence of his conjecture, as it could account for all the phenomena afflicting their planet. With a resolute sense of purpose, Randy readied himself to embark on this newfound path, his mind ablaze with both apprehension regarding the concealed adversaries and determination to bolster his strength to safeguard himself and his family against the looming threat.

Unbeknownst to him, the Grand Librarian was simply evading conflict, wary of excessive involvement in the predestined cataclysm of the cosmos. From his experience, excessive interference from a being of his stature might disrupt the delicate balance, resulting in the loss of countless lives.

As a Grand Librarian and one of the Connate Cosmic Existence tasked with overseeing the universe's development, his fate diverged from that of the cosmic beings born after the universe's inception. Unlike him and other connate lifeforms, those new cosmic beings chose to inhabit the Divine Realm of Existence.

Some of these new generation cosmic beings gradually became guardians of the mortal worlds that proliferated throughout the universe's diverse realms.

As Randy drifted in thought, the Grand Librarian waved his hand, conjuring a shimmering portal behind him. Gesturing toward the swirling vortex, the cosmic being spoke.

"Your time has come."

Before Randy could snap out of his reverie, the Grand Librarian solemnly added.

"Depart promptly, lest you find yourself trapped in this place for eternity as this temporarily constructed space is on the cusp of collapsing."

Upon hearing these cautionary words, Randy blinked instinctively and then bowed to the Grand Librarian.

"I am deeply grateful for this opportunity. I vow to repay your trust in the future." His solemn pledge amused the Grand Librarian, who recognized the limitations of his assistance in the current predicament the universe was facing.

If he wished to repay him, he simply needed to become stronger and fend off the threat faced by all living beings in the cosmos. Although the cosmic being entertained these thoughts, he refrained from voicing them and simply nodded in acknowledgment.

However, at this moment, an unexpected development ensued, causing a slight furrow to crease the Grand Librarian's countenance. As Randy turned to proceed toward the portal, his movement abruptly halted, as if he had been petrified.