‘Hmm,’ said Hector. ‘Would there even be a definitive way to determine whether the planet is alive or not?’
‘Well, again, what do you mean by “alive?” Do you mean “possessing a consciousness?” Do you mean “self-aware?” Because there are plenty of single-celled organisms that wouldn’t fit that criteria.’
‘Aw, hell, I don’t know...’
‘You don’t know what you meant by alive?’
‘I always feel so stupid when you start bringing up scientific shit.’
‘Well, good, because that’s why I bring it up. Not to help you learn anything. To make you feel stupid. It gives me great pleasure.’
‘I’m sure it does.’
‘I was being facetious.’
‘Were you, Garovel? Were you?’
‘Don’t get all pouty on me. I’m trying to help you.’
‘Okay, so is the planet alive or not?’
‘You weren’t listening to me at all, were you?’
‘I listened to you spout a bunch of vague bullshit!’
Garovel laughed. ‘Wow.’
‘Remember that conversation you had with Rasalased?! Well, that’s what talking to YOU is like!’
‘Alright, there’s no need to hurt my feelings,’ said Garovel. ‘What didn’t you understand?’
‘I don’t know! I was just wondering if there was more to the planet’s... energy or whatever. More than most people realize, I mean.’
‘The answer to that is yes.’
‘Okay... so... could you elaborate?’
‘Not really, no.’
‘Why not?’
‘Because, as far as I am aware, nobody really understands the planet’s “energy or whatever,” as you put it. So we’re not sure if that means it’s alive.’
‘But, uh, you said that “alive” had a weird definition and that I’m dumb.’
‘I didn’t say you were dumb.’
‘Sounded like you did.’
‘Then you misheard.’
‘Yeah, well, I bet you were thinking it.’
‘No, but I’m thinking it right now.’
It was Hector’s turn to laugh.
A dark serial novel. Set in a modern fantasy world called Eleg. Mature language. Updates every day at noon PST by ~400 words.
Sunday, August 7, 2016
Saturday, August 6, 2016
Page 1243
‘And what would that be?’ said Hector.
‘I don’t know--what WOULD it be?’
‘Argh. Just tell me.’
‘No,’ laughed Garovel, sounding almost like a stubborn child.
‘Ugh...’
‘I feel like you know the question already,’ the reaper said. ‘It seemed like you were working your way up to it. Maybe just cut to the chase and ask me, hmm?’
At first, Hector didn’t know what Garovel meant. But as he thought about it, an idea did pop into his head. It was something that had been bothering him for quite a long time now, on some level. Even before Garovel told him about this “ardor.” Perhaps even before Garovel told him about the Undercrust. There was just something about the nature of souls, about everything he’d come to learn of them during his time as a servant.
‘...Where do souls come from, exactly?’
‘That’s not the question.’
‘...Do they come from the planet?’
‘Mm. Getting warmer.’
Hector took a minute to deliberate. It was a bit of a leap, but if he supposed the answer to that last question was “yes,” then...
Hector tilted his head. ‘...Is the planet alive?’
‘There it is!’ Garovel laughed. ‘Well done, my dear boy.’
‘Nobody knows if the planet is alive?’
‘Depends on what you mean by “alive,” now doesn’t it? Certainly, if you just mean, as an ecosystem capable of supporting life, then yes, the planet is obviously alive. And the molten core is like it’s heart, and if you destroyed the core, you’d essentially be “killing” the planet, right? There’s no real debate there. But if that’s not what you mean by “alive,” then... Well. Things get a bit more difficult to figure out, to say the least.’
‘I don’t know--what WOULD it be?’
‘Argh. Just tell me.’
‘No,’ laughed Garovel, sounding almost like a stubborn child.
‘Ugh...’
‘I feel like you know the question already,’ the reaper said. ‘It seemed like you were working your way up to it. Maybe just cut to the chase and ask me, hmm?’
At first, Hector didn’t know what Garovel meant. But as he thought about it, an idea did pop into his head. It was something that had been bothering him for quite a long time now, on some level. Even before Garovel told him about this “ardor.” Perhaps even before Garovel told him about the Undercrust. There was just something about the nature of souls, about everything he’d come to learn of them during his time as a servant.
‘...Where do souls come from, exactly?’
‘That’s not the question.’
‘...Do they come from the planet?’
‘Mm. Getting warmer.’
Hector took a minute to deliberate. It was a bit of a leap, but if he supposed the answer to that last question was “yes,” then...
Hector tilted his head. ‘...Is the planet alive?’
‘There it is!’ Garovel laughed. ‘Well done, my dear boy.’
‘Nobody knows if the planet is alive?’
‘Depends on what you mean by “alive,” now doesn’t it? Certainly, if you just mean, as an ecosystem capable of supporting life, then yes, the planet is obviously alive. And the molten core is like it’s heart, and if you destroyed the core, you’d essentially be “killing” the planet, right? There’s no real debate there. But if that’s not what you mean by “alive,” then... Well. Things get a bit more difficult to figure out, to say the least.’
Friday, August 5, 2016
Page 1242
‘Yeah,’ said Garovel. ‘I’ve tried a few times, actually. Everyone experiments in their youth, right?’
‘Your “youth,” huh? What were you, like, five hundred?’
‘Two hundred, the first time. Occasionally, I give it another shot, just to see if anything’s changed. I might do it again, eventually. Assuming someone doesn’t kill me first, that is.’
‘Hmm. So how does it, uh...? I mean, what happens when you go up that high, exactly?’
‘I start to lose consciousness.’
‘Ah...’
‘It might be for the best, though. Can you imagine how terrifying it would be if you flew up into space and got lost? AND you weren’t able to die? So you just... drifted? For millions of years, potentially? If not billions? In fact, who knows if you’d ever find your way back at all?’
‘Shit, when you put it like that, why would you even risk going up there?’
‘Mm, curiosity.’
‘Reapers must get REALLY bored, if that’s all it takes.’
‘That’s a bigger problem than people usually realize. I bet there are plenty of wars that were largely the result of some bored reaper.’
‘I can believe that,’ said Hector. ‘But, uh. I’m still wondering, um...’ He had to take a moment to find his wording. ‘Well. Hmm. What’s the planet’s role in all this?’
‘Heh. What do you mean?’
Hector’s brow furrowed. ‘What do you mean what do I mean? And what’re you laughing about?’
The reaper laughed outright at that. ‘I’m just getting the impression that you’re about to ask me a particular question that nobody knows the answer to. Something that a LOT of people have been trying to figure out for a very long time.’
‘Your “youth,” huh? What were you, like, five hundred?’
‘Two hundred, the first time. Occasionally, I give it another shot, just to see if anything’s changed. I might do it again, eventually. Assuming someone doesn’t kill me first, that is.’
‘Hmm. So how does it, uh...? I mean, what happens when you go up that high, exactly?’
‘I start to lose consciousness.’
‘Ah...’
‘It might be for the best, though. Can you imagine how terrifying it would be if you flew up into space and got lost? AND you weren’t able to die? So you just... drifted? For millions of years, potentially? If not billions? In fact, who knows if you’d ever find your way back at all?’
‘Shit, when you put it like that, why would you even risk going up there?’
‘Mm, curiosity.’
‘Reapers must get REALLY bored, if that’s all it takes.’
‘That’s a bigger problem than people usually realize. I bet there are plenty of wars that were largely the result of some bored reaper.’
‘I can believe that,’ said Hector. ‘But, uh. I’m still wondering, um...’ He had to take a moment to find his wording. ‘Well. Hmm. What’s the planet’s role in all this?’
‘Heh. What do you mean?’
Hector’s brow furrowed. ‘What do you mean what do I mean? And what’re you laughing about?’
The reaper laughed outright at that. ‘I’m just getting the impression that you’re about to ask me a particular question that nobody knows the answer to. Something that a LOT of people have been trying to figure out for a very long time.’
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