Chapter 24- Universe Lore

Oliver was back in his sole space. As usual, the world was filled with darkness. But then he saw an orb of light floating not far away from him.

Going a couple of seconds back before he touched the tattoo he heard Arthur notifying him that the analysis was complete.

'So what have you found out about the tattoo?'

{Well truth be told I wasn't able to find out much about it. The technology used is far ahead of technology back on earth, so deciphering much is impossible for now.}

{But the good news is that I was able to find out some of the basic information about it.}

{First thing is that this thing really is the Universal connection device that the voice told about. It does work like any mobile phone but much advanced. In fact, it had many sorts of 'locks' that prevent complete use of the device.}

{So it should be fine to use.}

'I see. So how do I use it?' asked Oliver without hesitance.

{Just for the initiation phase you need to press in between the circle. It's like powering up a mobile phone for the first time.}

{Then it should do the rest on its own.}

'I see.'

..........(and now back to the present)......

As soon as Oliver saw the light orb, the light orb got a bit brighter... Then Oliver heard a women's sound, which was quite pleasant to hear.

//Host found//

//Scanning initiated//

//Scanning complete//

//Two souls found//

//Memory scan level (individual) completed//

//Adapting...//

//Adapted//

//Congratulations primary host Oliver, secondary host Arthur, for setting up the Universal Connecting Device (UCD). I am the AI that will be in your service till the end of your life.//

"You say you are my personal AI. So you must be linked to the UCD right? How does that work?"

//Yes as you have suspected. After a new planet is found, the ruling race of that planet receives the UCD and with every UCD comes an AI which is solely responsible for the assistance of its host.//

//But you might have a wrong idea of us. We AI are much different from the AI back on the earth. Not only are we much advanced than them but much like Arthur we also have a soul. Although in comparison to Arthur, our soles are artificially made while he has a natural soul.//

"I see you have read our memories," said Oliver with a frown.

//Yes this is one of the initialization binding processes. As I have already told you I too have an artificial sole, similarly to Arthur my soul is also bound to you and him. Thus making all the three of our soules connected to each other.//

Listening to this, Oliver couldn't help but get serious.

//You don't need to worry. I wish you no harm, the only purpose of an AI is to serve his/her host. After all even AI do wish to live longer and since our soul is connected to the hosts. If they die then AI dies with them.//

"I understand. So how will you be useful?"

//I have many uses and although the most of features of UCD are locked, for now, there still is the basic information that I can give you to help you solve some of the questions.//

...

"Hmm so how about we start from the top. What was the voice that we heard during the test? And what exactly happened after that?"

//To explain this, you need to understand a bit of our universe first.//

//As you already know that Hatheria isn't the only planet that has any life forms, or in fact even humans. The planet where you were born, planet Earth is another planet where humans thrive. Although there are a lot of differences between the two planets, and the humans staying on those planets, it's an undeniable fact that there are humans alive on more than one heavenly body.//

//Truth is humans not only live on these two but on multiple planets over multiple galaxies all across this universe. In fact, your galaxy is the 6970th on which humans were found.//

//This might seem a lot but in the grand scheme of things, humans are a very small race in this vast universe. Many powerful races who are much more stronger than humans rule this universe.//

...

//It all started when The God race finally told others about the power of Karma. Just like mana which is found on this planet Hatheria, Karma is also a kind of energy or force. Karma is released by every single interaction, when one organism communicates with other. Whether it is touching or talking, every action produces karma but no race was able to use this energy until the God race told them about it. From then started the biggest battle this universe had ever seen. All the top races massacred whatever was in front of them to gain more karma. The more karma they had, the stronger they became.//

//The war didn't stop, many races and species had been extinct under the massacre. Only after a couple of billion years when the universe was at its ends, did the God race finally stepped in. They brought an end to the war. But others were still hungry for karma.//

//The God race suggested that to create a platform where all these wars will be held in form of death games. Outside these death games, the killing will be prohibited. And the most powerful races will come together to form a body that will supervise these games. Thus the Allied Universe Committee (AUC) was formed. And these death games became The Universe Games (UG).//

//Under the God races' suggestions The AUC made three major things, first were the Allied Universe Rule Book. These rules were the ones that every race had to follow unless they wanted the AUC to hunt them down and finish them off. This rule book contained everything related from UG rules, to rules that needed to be followed by the races. Even the rules fallowed when a new planet was discovered is mentioned in the rule book.//

//Second came the UG. The brutal death games where players earned Karma by winning each game. Eventually, these brave and heroic players that risked their lives to gain karma became the future of their races... No one knows when but inspired by their valiantness people started to call them The Karma Players. Ultimately being a karma player became a profession.//

//The third and the most important. After years of research, trials and errors, the AUC finally build the Virtual Reality platform where every race could interact with each other. This place became home to billions and billions of races, species and individuals. Many left their planet to settle permanently in the virtual reality.//

"What... how is such a thing possible!" Both Oliver and Arthur were shocked.

//Yes, this is the power of the AUC.//

//Unlike the virtual reality that you have experienced on earth. The virtual reality platform made by the AUC is completely different. The stage at which Virtual reality has reached has made it not much different from reality. So that's why many have abandoned their own planets to live in the virtual reality. Since there is no difference between reality and virtual reality why not live in a place which is much exposed to the true universe? Unlike the VR dive from SAO, this virtual reality platform is just as real as you and me making it a dreamland of many. Thus it was decided to be called The Dream Virtual Reality (DreamVR).//

The shock that Oliver got was beyond comparison.

//In truth the most of the rules in the rule book are applied in the DreamVR. Like, there can be no killing in the DreamVR, but only allowed in the UG.//

"Does that mean that there is no such rule for individual planets?"

//Yes, AUC does not concern itself with inter-planetal issues. There is no rule preventing killing by a planet's resident to another resident. But they will get involved if a 3rd party that does not belong to that planet kills its residence... Of course, there are exceptions. If the first one to attack is the resident, then the AUC won't get involved if the other party retaliates.//

"Hmm, they sure are meticulous. There doesn't seem to be any grey areas in the rules."

//Yes, that is true. Since the formation of AUC, billions and billions of years have passed. After constant modifications and updates of rules, no grey areas have been left in between.//

//Same goes for the UG and the DreamVR, if you break a rule, you will be punished no matter who you are. The whole AUC will hunt you down.//

...

"Looks like many interesting things are going to happen."

"By the way, you didn't explain what the voice was?"

//That is the Supreme AI that runs the DreamVR, UG and in fact now the whole universe, after all, the AUC can't check up on every single individual throughout the universe. So the Supreme AI runs the whole show//

"Let me guess, all the personal AI's are also connected to Supreme AI so that it can monitor everyone through it right?"

...

//Yes, that is true. Even though we are created so that we help the hosts, the rules can't be ignored. In a simple analogy if Supreme AI is the internet then we are the service providers and web browsers.//

//But please believe me we would never try to hurt our host//

Oliver could feel the desperation and sincerity in the female voice. 'I guess I will trust her for now.'

"Oh yeah, by the way, do you have a name? Calling you AI, again and again will be ... awkward."

//Yes my name is Nana, you can call me such.//

"Ok Nana."

"Can you also tell me how to use UCD as well?"

//As you wish.//

.............................

After a couple of minutes, Oliver finally opened his eyes. The first thing he saw was both Marco and Polo looking at him with a concerning gaze.

"Oliver you are awake... What happened? You almost gave us a heart attack. Don't do any more stupid things without a full understanding of everything."

Oliver felt warmth in his heart. "It's fine now. I do have a better understanding of the situation we are in now."

Next hour, Oliver tried his best to dumb down the information and explain everything he could to both Marco and Polo. After all, this was Hatheria not earth and both of them had no idea what more than half of the things Oliver was speaking was.

"You guys should also activate your UCDs that will help you to understand stuff in much more detail."

"So this A...I ..will explain to us all this stuff?"

"Yes, don't be afraid and try your best to learn much as you can. There is no hurry ask your AI to explain again and again if you don't understand. That is what it is for after all."

//Hey we are much more useful than just an online teacher...And before you ask, no they can not hear me.//

'Fine Fine'

Both Marco and Polo nodded and went back to their chairs. After that, both of them simultaneously pressed in between the tatoo to activate the UCD as if they are power rangers trying to combine their zords to make a Megazord.

Next second both of them fell back in their chairs.

"Hmm.. did both of them faint? Did the same thing happen to me?"