"Our leaders simply consider it a responsibility. You could compare it to caring for a young one who has yet to mature and cannot properly fend for themselves."
Harod's gaze swept across them.
"So I suggest that you use this opportunity well."
Pretty words, but the underlying message wasn't difficult to understand.
Take what you're given and don't fucking complain.
Still, Frost couldn't exactly say Harod was wrong.
They were stranded in another world with no money, no shelter, no understanding of local laws, no knowledge of the language without their mysterious Systems translating it for them, and no ability to protect themselves from the kinds of monsters apparently wandering around beyond the walls.
They weren't exactly negotiating from a position of strength, but once again, Frost had been left with more questions than answers.
'Evolution? Lower Order? Higher Order? Ascension?'
The terms were somewhat self-explanatory, but what exactly did they mean in this context?
Was there some sort of classification system for entire worlds?
And if Earth was considered Lower Order, how many worlds were there?
The scale of this whole thing was becoming larger and considerably more ridiculous with every passing second.
Then there were these supposed representatives of theirs.
'Of course they headed into the city the first chance they got.'
Frost couldn't exactly judge them too harshly for that, though. He definitely would have done the same thing, given the opportunity.
He didn't particularly care about much beyond himself, his own well-being, and his mother.
Harod finally moved toward the side of the shack, where a crude table and chair had been set up. He lowered himself onto the chair, rested his arms against the table, and interlocked his fingers.
"Now, for the most important matter... I will explain the basics of your Evolution Systems, what Evolution itself entails, and what Earth's Ascension means for all of you."
'Finally.'
"But before we get to that," Harod continued, "I will listen to any questions you have concerning what I've already explained."
Frost looked around at the fourteen people sitting with him. Judging by their expressions, that silence wasn't going to last very long.
Jennifer was the first to raise her hand.
Harod glanced at her.
"You don't need to raise your hand."
Jennifer awkwardly lowered it.
"Right... You mentioned representatives from Earth. Who exactly are they?"
"Government officials, military personnel, and several individuals your people consider influential," Harod answered. "Those who arrived early and possessed sufficient authority organised themselves rather quickly. Linden's leadership recognised a temporary delegation so communication with your people could be simplified."
Frost almost rolled his eyes.
'Of course they did.'
Jason spoke next.
"When are we going back to Earth?"
"I don't know."
Jason frowned. "What do you mean, you don't know?"
"Exactly what I said. Your world's First Ascension is ongoing. Until it concludes, travel between Earth and this world is outside our control; We do not even have your world's coordinates, though we are working on it, and even then, safe teleportation would require setting up proper facilities on your world for a two-way link.
"We suspect our worlds must be in the same universe, since moving so many people across universes is simply unheard of, so based on whatever information we get from your people, you can expect us to locate your home world soon.
"Regardless, the oddest thing is the fact that you people keep appearing at different intervals, and we still have no clear understanding of how many more people will keep appearing."
Frost's thoughts immediately turned to his mother. He clenched his jaw before asking his own question.
"Is there any way to find out whether someone from Earth was transported here? Like some kind of registry?"
Harod nodded.
"There is an arrival registry, although it is incomplete. New arrivals are appearing across numerous territories, not merely Linden. Once you're registered, you may submit the name of anyone you're searching for."
Frost quietly exhaled.
At least that was something, though it wasn't enough to ease his worries.
The others seemed to be relieved as well; though they hadn't asked the question themselves, it wasn't surprising that they each had someone they cared about.
Cassie spoke next.
"You keep saying First Ascension. Is this some sort of trial? And what exactly happens if Earth fails this Ascension?"
"That is... considerably more complicated."
Cassie's expression darkened. "Meaning?"
"Meaning the consequences depend on the nature of the Ascension and its outcome. Each Ascension is always different, and failure does not necessarily mean your world will be destroyed, if that's what you're imagining."
"Necessarily?" Jason repeated.
Several people immediately began talking at once.
Harod raised a hand.
"Enough."
The shack gradually quietened.
"I can already see where this is going. Every answer I provide will create another five questions because you lack the necessary context to understand them. Allow me to finish explaining. Afterwards, you may ask as many relevant questions as time permits."
He looked across the fifteen students.
"Trust me. Most of what you're about to ask will make considerably more sense once you understand what kind of place you have actually entered."
He gave them a few seconds to settle down.
"Now, I should give you this disclaimer. I am not here to provide answers to every single question you may have. As I have already said, there are things I cannot tell you, and the longer you spend in this place, the more you will come to understand that information itself is an extremely valuable resource."
Harod paused briefly before continuing.
"The multiverse is a vast place, consisting of many universes, galaxies, solar systems, worlds, different races, civilisations, and things far beyond what any of you currently understand. Much of this you will naturally learn as time goes on, so there is little point in overwhelming you with information that has no immediate relevance to your situation."
He leaned forward slightly.
"But there is one thing you should understand from the very beginning... Power, intelligence, and resources rule over all."
The shack remained silent.
"These three things form much of the foundation upon which civilisation throughout the known multiverse is built. There are many variables that determine a world's place within the greater hierarchy, just as there are many variables that determine the position of an individual, race, or civilisation within that world."
Frost listened carefully.
'So Earth isn't just at the bottom because we're weak.'
At least, that was what Harod seemed to be implying, or what Frost understood.
"In this pursuit of power and Evolution, however, existence has its own means of governing and assisting life. The Evolution Systems are the backbone of much of that structure."
Harod gestured vaguely toward them.
"You can think of the Evolution System as something the universe grants us mortals to assist us along the path of Evolution."
Jennifer's lips parted, but Harod immediately raised a hand.
"Before you ask, no. We do not know whether the multiverse itself is actually sentient."
Jennifer slowly closed her mouth.
Frost pursed his lips.
Harod had clearly given this explanation enough times to know what question came next.
"Saying that the universe granted us the Evolution System is simply a figure of speech we use to make these concepts easier to understand. There are countless theories concerning the System's true origin, some scientific, some philosophical, and others religious. None have been conclusively proven."
He lowered his hand.
"What matters to you is that the Evolution System exists, it follows rules, and as far as our civilisation knows, its influence extends throughout the known multiverse."