NOTE: Please remember that Timeline is nothing but the manifestation of a timeline here.
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Chapter Begins:
If there was anyone else in Albus' place, then he might have faced difficulty in comprehending the necessity of Timelines having Bubble Entities.
He, however, had known, and still knew, the meaning of Greater Good.
It was another matter that Albus didn't agree with it, especially when innocent lives were of concern. Or when the people in power manipulated others in its name.
Albus vividly remembered when he had fallen out with Grindelwald on the same subject of the greater good. Now, his old friend was dead.
If Gellert had died a natural death, after spending almost half a century imprisoned in a lonely cell, then Albus would have made his peace with it.
A part of him now wanted revenge.
Another part of him worried if he was even capable of seeking vengeance.
Bubble Entities… The two words rocked Albus' mind as it failed to comprehend the sheer scale of powers and concepts involved in it.
What did it take to become such an Entity? How much time? How many lives?
Were there truly beings of this level in… a Random World?
A name came out of Albus' mouth before he could control his tongue. "Death…"
Circe giggled. "Not bad…"
King Solomon looked at Albus from under his violet hood. "HE is indeed the Bubble Entity of our Random World. Now, HIS authority is on par with the Seven Pillars of Reality, the 7 Primary Timelines.
"Even though a Bubble Entity is nothing but a parasite, feeding on the timelines, IT also supports and protects them for obvious selfish reasons. Such is also the case with Death."
There was, of course, another reason why the Timelines tolerated such an existence.
Now that Albus had heard the Order mentioning it already, he couldn't help but ask the question. "Who is the Outer One?"
"Not Who, but What," Abdul Alhazred corrected. The Book, Necronomicon, blurred over his head as if it didn't exist in one place. "Now you know the timelines, from Primary to Tertiary are alive. And what is alive must die. Such is the nature of the Multiverse.
"An Outer One can, theoretically, feed on the laws of the timelines of different Random Worlds, cause resonance between the said laws, and generate fused timelines, tailor-made for His purpose."
A chill ran down Albus' spine, his blue pupils shaking.
The conclusion he had just come to, after listening to the Yellow Seat's words, was just too horrifying.
Circe giggled again. "Yes, an Outer One has no Bubble of His own. That's exactly why He can create artificial Random Worlds based on fused timelines and become…"
Albus met the Red Seat's gaze as if he could see her eyes and completed the words, "… a Deep One."
…
A silence reigned unceremoniously in the colossal hall.
The Imperishable Artifacts had no concept of breathing, but even Albus' breathing had gone still as if he were a statue.
Just what kind of abysmal existence were they dealing with? And why? Why this timeline of all?
"You must be wondering why your world?" the Green Seat worded Albus' thoughts. "For this, you first know how a Timeline dies."
Albus' eyes went wide.
For a moment, he had thought dying and taking birth were just words used by the Six for the Timelines for the lack of better options.
Now, from the way the Witch of Endor uttered the word die, it seemed they had meant it literally.
"In almost all cases," Hermes said, answering the Green Seat's question, "a Timeline's existence revolves around one being. Now there are many names for such an existence. Like The Destined, Anchor Being, The Holder, etc.
"The most commonly accepted term in the Multiverse, though, is Prime Character.
"When a Timeline's Prime Character dies, the Timeline also ceases to exist. There is no preventing this demise. Not even a Bubble Entity can do anything if a Timeline were to lose its Prime Character. It's Absolute."
Albus frowned, trying to make sense of these words.
"Let me clarify it with an example," Hermes continued, glowing Orange. "Consider the Seven Keys of Reality, or the 7 Tertiary Timelines. These are the timelines that only exist around a single event.
"Albus, can you guess who is the Prime Character of the Global Wizarding War?"
Albus Dumbledore had become a humble old man after all these years. Still, a touch of pride was there, burnt into his magical prowess. He was about to say his name when he suddenly paused.
A face flashed across his eyes, oozing out of the old memories.
"Newt Scamander."
Albus looked at King Solomon from where the answer had come from.
"In all Seven Keys of Reality," the Violet Seat explained, "which are centered around the Global Wizard War Event, if Newt were to die, then that timeline would also cease to exist."
Circe leaned over the table.
This time she neither giggled nor scored.
When the words came out of her mouth, they possessed unbearable seriousness, bordering… fear.
"Of course, a Timeline's death is not an Outer One's goal," the Red Seat told Albus. "It's something much sinister.
"Now, you must have already realized how important a Prime Character is for not only the Timeline but also for the Bubble Entity. You can also say that whoever controls the Prime Character, controls that particular timeline.
"As the Outer One can't control the Prime Character, He… introduces His own Prime Character."
"What?!" Albus thundered, stunned.
But Circe wasn't finished.
"When such a Character is introduced," she said, sounding ominous, "his or her existence becomes supreme for both the Timeline and the Bubble Entity. That's why, in the terminology of the Multiverse, such a Character is called — The Supreme Character."
This time, another face appeared in Albus' mind.
It belonged to a girl, barely 11 years old, and far more innocent than all the faces present here.
Suddenly, he recalled the last words said by Yellow Warlock, and his face crumpled.
"We had always thought Darcie Malfoy has become a Supreme Character, replacing Harry Potter as the Prime Character," the Green Seat, Witch of Endor, said. "From the things we have seen her do, as an Obscurus, we have already confirmed our doubts. Things couldn't have taken a worse turn for this world.
"For now, this timeline is one of the Seven Mirrors of Realities. If the Outer One takes complete control over Darcie's destiny, then He can replace one of the Seven Pillars with this timeline. Such a Timeline is like a cancer for the entire Bubble."
Albus found himself facing the most ridiculous situation.
"Then why are you all not doing something?!" he thundered, losing control over his emotions. "Why let The Yellow Warlock…"
Albus paused because the Witch of Endor had raised her hand.
It was Hermes who explained the situation to him.
"The Yellow Warlock can't be an Outer One," he said, shocking Albus. "If he was, then Death and Timeline would have already annihilated him. But he is, most probably, controlled by an Outer One himself. Such a scenario has the greatest probability, I am afraid."
"But what if…"
Circe snapped. "There's no what if! Timelines live and die. Bubble Entities feed on timelines, but also protect them. An Outer One feeds on timelines' laws but snatches them from the Bubble itself.
"Both Bubble Entity and the Timelines can never co-exist with an Outer One.
"Such is the Rule. It's all part of a system, Albus Dumbledore!"
Albus took several deep breaths.
It's been so long since he had been reprimanded.
He looked at the only one who would hear him out. Albus stared at the Violet Seat, and asked, "What if The Yellow Warlock is an Outer One?"
King Solomon shocked everyone with no reply at first. Then, under the stupefied gazes of the rest of the Imperishable Artifacts, he looked up beyond the magical skies and then looked back at Albus.
"Then that would be a glitch, wouldn't it?"
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