Church of Technological Truth

"First of all, I have no intention of being your enemy, or Jaeger's enemy," the master said calmly, his voice thin and weak, as if it would disappear at any moment. 

"I can feel hostility from you, but I assure you that it is unnecessary. I have no reason to be hostile toward you."

Hal's eyes narrowed. "Really? Jaeger might not feel the same way. Just in case you're unaware, the previous generations of God's Chosen, those who swore loyalty to Jaeger, met their end because of you."

"The former envoys brought that upon themselves," the master replied, his voice steady but tired. "They broke the rules on their own and faced the punishment they deserved. It was not my will that determined their fate.

"The Chosen are drawn from various star field races, and occasionally, some fail to see the bigger picture. Their actions were meaningless in terms of the astral world and, in some cases, even worked against the natural order."

Hal crossed his arms. "It sounds like you didn't agree with what they did. Are you saying you have no issue sharing this astral world with another ancient god?"

The master seemed to consider this before speaking again. "They say you might be Jaeger's new Chosen, but from our conversation, I see you don't yet understand how the laws of the astral world operate."

"I'm new to all this," Hal admitted, clasping his hands. "Maybe you can help me understand."

The master's tone became even, almost rehearsed, as he explained. "There is no competition or conflict between the gods. We exist because the universe requires us to exist. We act according to the laws of nature, nothing more.

"Even concepts like death, destruction, and rebirth are simply parts of this law. We listen to the voice of nature and act as it dictates. There is no room for conflict among us.

"When Jaeger fell, I appeared and took over this star realm. That was the natural course of evolution. Now, as my time nears its end, Jaeger's return to reclaim this realm is equally natural.

"These laws are immutable. It is not my place to resist them."

Hal frowned, absorbing the explanation. "You're basically saying you're puppets."

The master did not seem offended. Instead, he nodded slightly. "That is a vivid way to put it, though it doesn't quite capture the truth. We see ourselves differently. Fulfilling these laws is our mission, the reason we exist.

"I understand why it's hard to comprehend. Even among my envoys—those closest to me—only a few fully grasp this reality. But at this point, it hardly matters."

The master's voice grew weaker, his words slower, and Hal couldn't help but sense a strange sadness. Charlie, watching from the other side of the screen, thought the master resembled a dying elder, worn down by time and fate.

"I am dying," the master said at last.

Charlie blinked in surprise, taken aback by the sudden admission. He leaned closer to the screen, trying to make out more details of the master through the dark, blurry mass that obscured him. Even with high-resolution filters, the master appeared as nothing more than a shifting shadow. 

Yet, Charlie's gut told him the master wasn't lying.

"What happened?" Hal asked, his voice steady.

"It's nothing shocking," the master replied, his tone almost casual. "New gods often emerge when the old ones are nearing their end. It could be coincidence, or perhaps it's the self-correcting mechanism of the astral world.

"I was attacked unexpectedly, caught off guard by a weapon I couldn't counter. I've managed to hold on, but I know my time is short. When I heard Jaeger had returned, I became even more certain—my end has come."

Charlie and Hal exchanged glances. "Attacked?" Charlie muttered under his breath. The thought was staggering. From what little they knew, even Jaeger—just awakening at a fraction of his full strength—was overwhelmingly powerful. The master before them should have been far stronger. Who, or what, could overpower him?

"This is why I sought you out," the master continued. "To give you a warning. You must beware of something called 'technology.' It is the greatest taboo of the astral world."

Charlie tilted his head slightly. He had heard whispers about this, but the reasoning had never been clear.

"Long before the histories of your species—or any other species still surviving—this was not forbidden," the master explained. "In fact, it was once seen as a natural development of intelligent life.

"Some galactic races began developing the ability to create and innovate. They used this creativity to build their own ways of understanding energy and matter, pushing their civilizations forward."

"That doesn't sound so bad," Hal said, shrugging.

The master's tone hardened slightly. "At first, the gods thought so too. We watched and allowed them to advance, thinking it was simply part of their growth.

"But we were wrong. 

"As civilizations advanced, they became unsatisfied with using their technology for creation. Instead, they began using it to destroy. They built weapons, starting wars that spread chaos across the galaxies. 

"They didn't just harm themselves—they attacked others, stealing resources, conquering planets, and leaving destruction in their wake. The astral world was dragged into this endless cycle of war and suffering.

"By the time the gods realized the danger, it was too late. Technology had become a seed of destruction, something that intelligent beings could not use responsibly."

Hal was silent now, processing the gravity of what he'd just heard.

"The gods reached a conclusion: technology could not be allowed to exist. It was banned, across all star realms and all galaxies. This is why the astral world enforces such strict prohibitions."

Charlie's expression darkened. "So you wiped out every civilization that developed it?"

The master sighed. "That was the plan. But even we failed. Some civilizations developed their technology so far that they surpassed our expectations. They were able to survive our efforts to destroy them, going underground and forming a coalition. 

"These remnants of different galaxies came together to create an organization. They share knowledge, advance their forbidden science, and hide from the gods. They call themselves the 'Church of Technological Truth.'

"And now, they've come to this astral world. I was unprepared for their weapons, and their attack is what will soon kill me."

The master's voice remained calm, as though describing his own death was nothing more than stating the weather.

"My warning to you is simple: Beware the Church of Technological Truth. If I fall, their next target will be Jaeger, the new god of this star realm."