Infinite Mana in the Apocalypse

What did he say?

He was asked so simply to give up Sigrid!

At this moment, Noah shook his head with a gesture of regret and firm refusal.

"I have grown excessively attached to relinquish my Order now. She has become rather... integral to my existence. However, consider this alternative approach: did you sense how your former friend…your killer, the direct cause for your current Dead status…did you perceive how THE Living Paradox manifested on this side of The Veil recently?"

His expression shifted toward a strategic proposition.

"How about we collaborate on addressing that particular problem? You understand the principle: the enemy of my enemy is my friend...or something like that. We could coordinate efforts against THE Living Paradox rather than competing..."

...!

Noah articulated such proposal, but in response, THE Dead Order simply stared at him with cold expression offering no verbal reply whatsoever.

Her silence spoke volumes about her receptiveness to that particular suggestion!

Oh!

Observing her unreceptive demeanor, Noah continued with shift in approach...this time becoming deliberately provocative.

"I encountered THE Living Paradox when he manifested over here and I somehow managed to survive the experience sufficiently to relay this account. Would you like to know precisely how I accomplished that improbable feat?"

He paused for effect.

"And I must say, having met him directly and now meeting you in this manner... THE Living Paradox is substantially more terrifying to observe and interact with. An entity genuinely worthy of fear...if I still experienced such a limiting emotion."

"Compared to his overwhelming presence, you seem rather... diminished, O Order. Like a lesser version of an existence carrying THE distinction, you understand?"

His voice took on a contemplative quality mixing observation with deliberate insult!

"When he appeared, even existence itself was manifesting commands: 'KNEEL! REVERE!'"

"Reality itself bent to acknowledge his authority. But with you present now... ah, you are remarkably easier to be around, Order. More manageable. Less oppressive. Is this perhaps why THE Living Paradox has been consistently winning across eons? Because you and the other THE entities are simply...lesser?"

BOOM!

At these deliberately provocative words, THE Dead Order looked at him with calmness before transforming into a face of amusement.

She began laughing, the sound echoing across the liminal space with volume!

HUUUM!

"Remarkable! I never anticipated something so diminutive and recently manifested could address me with such audacious disrespect. It actually hasn't occurred... ever? Across my entire existence spanning incomprehensible duration, no entity has spoken to me with such casual dismissiveness!"

At such observation, Noah nodded calmly.

"Yeah, it's remarkably easy to speak provocatively when there exists an impenetrable barrier between us. The Veil provides a substantial confidence booster!"

THE Dead Order approached the Veil even more closely, her massive face locking onto Noah's comparatively tiny form with intensity.

"Haha! I find myself appreciating you despite the obvious provocations. Your audacity is almost... refreshing. Almost."

Noah replied with a casual nod as he floated beside a visibly cautious Sigrid who continued maintaining vigilant observation of THE Dead Order despite ongoing power transfer.

He patted Sigrid's head to calm her existence.

"Yeah, your counterpart appreciates me too. We have quite a compatible relationship, actually."

Her counterpart appreciates him too.

At these specific words, THE Dead Order blinked with sudden shift in demeanor.

She looked between Noah and Sigrid with expression rapidly transforming from amusement to dawning comprehension!

Her eyes flashed with ferocious light.

"Wait... you haven't been..."

Noah blinked with expression of confusion, tilting his head with an innocent gesture.

"What?"

The expression of THE Dead Order became stern and heavy for the first time since their interaction commenced, amusement completely evaporating as she demanded.

"You... haven't been desecrating Order through a carnal relationship, correct? Tell me explicitly...that you haven't been fucking my Order! Tell me you have not been tainting something so profoundly sacred with base physical gratification!"

BOOM!

Noah felt genuine astonishment at this unexpected line of questioning.

He hadn't anticipated such concern manifesting from being apparently focused on Civilization scale conflicts.

But recognizing opportunity to further destabilize THE Dead Order's composure for information, he continued.

"Well... my mother raised me not to engage in lies, so I won't fabricate comfortable lies. Perhaps there has been... modest tainting involved."

...!

The expression of THE Dead Order visibly soured as she said with cold precision.

"Modest?"

Noah sighed as if caught in a transparent deception, and he adopted the tone of reluctant confession.

"Okay, perhaps extensive tainting would be more accurate characterization. But don't concern yourself excessively, it's all conducted in the most sacred manner possible, with appropriate reverence for everything involved."

...!

HUUM!

On the opposite side of The Veil, billowing power began gathering with threatening intensity as white brilliance rose around THE Dead Order's form like storm preparing to break.

A flash of genuine anger appeared in her eyes for the first time during their interaction as she shook her head with a gesture mixing disbelief and mounting fury.

"Haha... this... THIS is precisely why this magnitude of power cannot be entrusted to lesser beings! You don't even comprehend what to do with it appropriately! You actually taint it continuously, day after day, your limited minds utterly unable to wrap around the immensity of what you have gained access to!"

Her voice intensified with conviction.

"This is exactly why you cannot possess Order, you imbecilic creature! You fundamentally do not understand the immensity of one of the Original Civilizations! One of the Primordial Civilizations that existed before all others!"

...!

Original Civilizations?

Noah's eyes flashed sharply with sudden intense focus.

Primordial Civilizations?

Order, Paradox, Emotive, and others classified under such designation?

Was his own Civilization, The Primordial Civilization of Mana and Hunger, also not considered authentic Primordial Civilization despite the nomenclature?

He had finally extracted substantive information from THE Dead Order beyond tactical posturing, and he wanted considerably more!

"Woah, woah, woah," Noah said with his voice shifting toward conciliatory tone, "we were maintaining such productive conversation...let's not become hostile now over relatively minor details. Don't allow that tainting situation to divert us from more significant discourse. Come on now."

His eyes shone with luminous intensity as he pressed on.

"What precisely don't we understand about the immensity of these grand Primordial Civilizations? This imbecilic mind of mine would love to wrap my head around it!"

...!