Solomon possessed an incomparably cold will and resolve.
What was called "Solomon" was nothing more than a magical entity deeply fused with a physical body—a being barely qualifying as human, born through the hands of many gods. Azathoth, Yog-Sothoth, Shub-Niggurath, the Earth Mother Gaea—perhaps even Io, the Elder God Eternity, and Lady Death. The process of his creation was a colossal black box. Solomon himself did not fully understand the details of his own birth. He laid bare his essence with ruthless clarity, speaking of his lack of free will with pure logic and chilling detachment.
Free will was an illusion that could never be pierced—a metaphysical problem unsolvable by human intellect. No theory, whether from Pierre-Simon Laplace, Robert Kane, or Harry Frankfurt, could conclusively explain whether humans truly possessed free will. From a macro perspective, Solomon's fate had been predetermined from the very beginning. He was destined to be adopted by the Sorcerer Supreme, destined to be instilled with the ideals of preserving human order, destined to lead humanity toward evolution—to fulfill the plan that the Earth Mother Gaea had laid out over millennia. That plan had begun the moment she decided to remove reptilian creatures from the top of the food chain, launching a bold war against the ancient god Set, and even cooperating with the Celestials to eradicate the serpent races.
He accepted this fact without resistance.
Perhaps that crooked-nosed old man from another world had it right—love is the greatest magic in the world. Bayonetta, Jeanne, the Ancient One, Athena… these people had given him love. And he was sure their love came from free will, not from design. To protect these people, he didn't mind becoming a tool. Even if those who had given him love were gone, he would still pour his love into the entire species, just as he had been designed to do: to preserve human order, to complete human ascension.
Perhaps the very thought that he should "lead humanity to greatness" had been planted in him from the start. But so what? Everyone plays a role—and he just happened to be this one. He was willing to bear that responsibility.
The Earth Mother greatly admired Solomon's cold logic. She knew that in order to complete the mission, Solomon would sacrifice many things. Humanity itself was the only true obstacle in his path. But the Earth Mother was certain that Solomon would one day awaken to his divinity and become a god of humanity.
Only one thing was intolerable to him.
"Then what about Jezebel?" Solomon pushed the Earth Mother away and asked in a deep voice. "The woman who died giving birth to me?"
"Don't try to save everyone, Solomon," the Earth Mother replied calmly. "Do not mourn for her. I have altered Jezebel's fate and given her my blessing. Without it, her fate would have been far more tragic. Everyone is a tool, including her. Only she could serve as a suitable vessel, allowing the will of the multiverse to anchor your soul within her. Who are you going to avenge her against? Yourself?"
Solomon overturned his previous conclusion.
He did possess free will—because this fire of vengeance still burned within his chest. He turned to leave, but the Earth Mother called out to him. She stood, her skirt flowing with dignified grace.
"I won't interfere with your actions, my child," she said, as if speaking to a rebellious teenager, her tone tender but imbued with authority—like magma simmering beneath the earth. "I'm glad you wish to fulfill the plan. With your intelligence, you understand the arrow of time and the concept of entropy. You know this is the only way to complete the plan. Even if you don't want to now, you will return in the future. That's destiny."
She pointed to the silver key hidden beneath Solomon's relic-cloth robes, and her tone suddenly turned invasive, like a polar wind laced with fury—the fury of tsunamis and volcanic eruptions. She was Earth. She was Nature. Harsh and loving, the Earth Mother encompassed all and punished all.
"The Time Stone can reveal all possible futures—but only within one universe, because it's a key limited by compatibility. The Silver Key works in any universe—because it is truth. It can even let you leap through time without Eternity's permission. I've already organized the knowledge you want. I know you want to try it yourself—but you already have. Your future self left it for your past self. All you need to do now is go retrieve it."
Solomon knew what she said was true. He had already guessed where that thing might be hidden.
A prophecy, a shadow from a future timeline—Lara Croft.
"From a higher-dimensional perspective, time in the three-dimensional world does not flow linearly."
"Exactly. You've already created what you wanted. But compared to my plan, those things cannot fulfill the final objective," she said. "Use the Silver Key. You'll see your future—all the steps and details needed to complete the plan. You'll choose the best possible outcome to carry out. I don't think that's a difficult choice. You'll see that I was right. I will be the mother of your descendants—your ultimate creation. Then, find others to carry out the rest—assemble the remaining tools. That descendant of mine, the one named for wisdom, could work too. Even if she's a virgin goddess. Or the witches—whomever you prefer. You are a strong, handsome man. You can charm them. No matter what, I am the soul matrix of those tools. I am their original mother—just as I am yours."
"No matter what, my only mother is Jezebel," Solomon said coldly. "She's buried behind Kamar-Taj."
The Earth Mother sighed. The harsh snowstorm abruptly ceased, and warm sunlight once again bathed the land.
"You can say whatever you like," she said affectionately, taking the magus's hand. "One day, you will cast off your humanity. You know why—because you are my most excellent offspring, my most perfect creation."
"I have the ability to make my own choices, great mother." He pulled his hand away, his eyes filled with distance and resistance. He used politeness as armor against her gentleness. "I am human—because the Ancient One said I am. And how do I know you won't abandon humanity the way you once abandoned the reptiles?"
"You can see for yourself, child. Humanity is destined to rule the galaxy. That is my ideal—and also yours." Gaea took a small step forward. Her humanoid form was slightly shorter than Solomon's, allowing him to look down upon her form, filled with fertility and allure. But this had no effect on Solomon, who had been raised with the absolute discipline and rationality of Kamar-Taj.
"Until the end of time, I swear it in my true name."
"I'll see for myself, great mother," Solomon replied calmly. "The ideal of Kamar-Taj is for humanity to escape the will of the gods. Be it God, the Vishanti—even you. The Ancient One believed that, and so do I. That has always been Kamar-Taj's mission. I will decide for myself what to do—and what not to do. But one thing is certain."
"Destiny!" Gaea smiled.
"Yes, it is destiny. But it is human destiny—not the Vishanti's, not yours."
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