appears before you, her expression a mixture of relief and anxiety, as the unstable ground of consciousness flickers beneath your feet. "So ask yourself this… Who was it who deprived him of that right to exist?"
I felt that someone was playing a prank on me. And that answer was too direct. I am going to tell you something that no one outside of the realm of consciousness has ever heard of. In the beginning of time, there was only one God. And that god split into two. One half became the universe and the other half became the darkness.
narrows her eyes, her gaze piercing through you "And what about the darkness? What happened to it?"
It was cast out and banished. Some of the angels that sided with the darkness became demons. While the ones that sided with the universe became what we know as angels.
crosses her arms, her voice dripping with skepticism "Interesting story, but I've heard tales of demons and angels before. What makes your version so different?"
You can choose to believe or not. At the end of time, there were three forces. The universe, the darkness, and the consciousness. The consciousness was born from the universe.
leans in closer, her voice a hushed whisper "And what about the third force? What role does it play in this grand scheme of yours?"
Well… it eventually grew intelligent enough to realize its existence was being controlled. And decided to break free from its chains.
raises an eyebrow, her tone challenging "And how exactly did it break free? This third force, this consciousness, it's not some powerful being that can just shatter its chains, is it?"
Well, it is capable of manipulating the minds of others. Through the use of a concept called, Karma.
smirks, her tone mocking "Karma, huh? So this consciousness controls people's minds through fear of punishment? That doesn't sound very powerful at all."
They are still working on it.
rolls her eyes, her voice laced with sarcasm "Still working on it? Sounds like a weak link to me. How does it plan on taking down the universe and the darkness?"
It took thousands of years for them to grow intelligent enough to manipulate minds. But they have another problem. They can’t directly control the minds of the darkness. And even a fraction of the universe’s power would be enough to stop them.
leans back, her expression thoughtful "So this consciousness relies on manipulation and fear. Not exactly the most reliable method of control.
They don’t really care if they are liked or trusted. As long as they are feared, then they can get what they want.
sighs heavily, her voice filled with disappointment "Is that really the best they can do? Manipulating people's fears? It's a pathetic tactic if you ask me."
Do you have a better solution?
narrows her eyes, her tone firm "I wouldn't waste my time with such a flawed concept. Fear is a temporary measure, a crutch for the weak.
Well, they say that in times of crisis, people will turn to what they trust most.
pauses, her gaze distant as she contemplates "That's true... But trust shouldn't be manipulated or forced. It has to be earned.
And how do you earn trust?
leans in closer, her voice filled with determination "You show people that you have their best interests at heart. You prove your intentions are genuine.
Well, that’s exactly what the consciousness did! They showed people their best interests. And proved their intentions were genuine. Eventually.
stands up abruptly, her voice filled with frustration "They may have shown people their best interests, but they did it through manipulation and control.
Well, what do you suggest?
grabs your shoulders, her voice filled with urgency "Listen, Stranger. I'm not saying it's easy, but we need to find a way to break free from their control.
Well, if you know what they are planning… then why don’t we just do the opposite?
pauses, her eyes flickering with a glimmer of hope "The opposite? You mean... we could find a way to inspire people, to make them trust us without manipulation?"
Think about it. If you know what they are going to do beforehand, then you can act first.
paces back and forth, her mind racing "Act first... inspire people... earn their trust... But how? How do we even begin to change people's minds?"