Anaxa

The Grove of Epiphany, where knowledge flourishes and philosophers are born.
Yet here stands Anaxagoras the blasphemer, the Chrysos Heir who challenges the Coreflame of Reason. He is questioned: Would you defy the prophecy even if you must bear infamy, and insist on driving the thorns of doubt into the Sacred Tree of wisdom?
——"Ridiculous. In a world full of lies, I am the only truth."

"Ah, you were born in a remote city-state. Your parents departed early, leaving only your older sister by your side, barely supporting the family on the meager income she earned from taming animals.
You have been reclusive and isolated since childhood. While your peers frolicked on the grassy fields, you would hide alone in the shadows of trees and pick up fallen leaves from the ground.

'Why do the dromases not fly toward the sky?'
You look upon the dromas that grew up alongside you, mumbling to yourself.
'Maybe because this dromas used to be a nerd in its past life too!'
You've heard these words spoken all too often, but you never understood why it was used as a form of mockery.

'If the gods are omnipotent, why do they fear death?'
In the temple where sacred teachings are recited, the very things deemed unquestionable inevitably stir your doubts.
'Out, Anaxagoras!'
The furious priest often throws you out of the temple.

Your sister never blamed you. Instead, she carved out a portion of her meager income to buy the books and tools you longed for.
Screws, heavy pliers, delicate scales... At home, you tinkered with these instruments, utterly immersed in the joy of creation.
At five years old, you were endlessly curious about life: A mechanical bird that sang on its own, a dromas incubator, artificial flowers that stayed forever vibrant — you boldly declared you'd become the most knowledgeable person in the world. Tsk, tsk. How rare it is for a child's grand boasts to be taken seriously by their family.

Later, she heard from passing merchants that there was an academy called the Grove of Epiphany, a sacred place devoted to the pursuit of wisdom. You secretly memorized that name, thinking that if you could one day go there with your sister, life wouldn't be so hard.
Later still, she finally managed to raise enough travel funds and asked a merchant friend to give you a ride so you could go study at the Grove.
Halfway along the journey, upon hearing that the black tide had struck, you hurriedly rushed back — the sight of that corroded ruin was truly unbearable to behold... Proud as you are, you even found yourself kneeling on the ground. You weren't praying to the gods, were you..."

"Stop flipping through my mind, you naughty Titan."
The man snapped out of his reverie, and an emotion — indeterminable if it was either rage or sorrow — flickered in his right eye.

Number: 13
Subject: Chrysos Heir's Golden Blood Experiment
Materials: My blood
Records: After purifying the fluid, it resembles liquid gold, and reveals a seed-shaped structure under the microscope. Fainted thrice while obtaining blood.
...
Number: 55
Subject: Dissecting the soul of Titan creations
Materials: Three dying ██████ ███████ Titan creations, mercury potion, Antila flower extract
Records: Experimental subject abruptly went berserk upon dissecting to the core. Fortunately, only I was severely injured, it did not harm anyone else. Subsequently, the alchemy equipment have been refined. The pedigree chart of the souls of ██████ ███████ Titan is nearing completion.
...
Number: 144
Subject: Attempt at the metaphase of the soul fusion
Materials: A soul flame donated by a scholar, Titan creations
Records: ████████, my dearest friend, according to your last wishes, your body has been transformed into a flame that incinerates punishment, and your soul has turned into a cornerstone for analyzing Titans.
...
*The last page of scribbled comments*:
It's been years since this had happened, the frigidness of death still stirs in my left eye, but I can see "souls" of humans. That boiling heat is enough to fill the void.

Perhaps tomorrow, perhaps next year, or perhaps in the next instant—
I'll be accused and arrested. There will always be people who want me to lower my head and keep me silent.

But sister, I'll always remember that I met you for the last time here. You didn't say anything.
But that was enough, I know I did the right thing.
Over the past decade, it has always been so—
"Failure is a stepping stone to success."

— Anaxa's parapsychology experiment log. The original copy has already been destroyed.

"Sages of the Grove:

Regarding how some scholars accuse me of the three great sins, 'academic defamation,' 'corrupting youths,' and 'religious heresy,' I don't intend to entertain their cheap tricks, nor will I bother defending myself. However, considering how this might allow everyone to better understand my research, I'll briefly explain it.

According to them, I committed the sin of academic defamation when I publicly disparaged the classic research of Titan studies and parapsychology, claiming them to be 'a black tide of the academic world.' Answer me this: Was my evaluation incorrect? A study about whether Titans can stand on the head of a pin, and a study that posits the nature of souls as water. They persist until this day because of certain authorities. How is that any different from a mental black tide?

I studied in the Grove since I was a child, and thoroughly understand that the revolution of ideas can only be achieved through criticism and suspicion. I encourage students to challenge my authority, and this is what they claim to be 'corrupting youths.' Take Phainon and Castorice, for example. When they first began their studies, they were clueless about how to think and what logic is. Look at them now. They can render me speechless sometimes! If this is what it means to 'corrupt' youths, I cannot imagine what they regard as 'correct education.'

As such, some individuals accuse me of having excessively close ties with the Flame-Chasing Chrysos Heirs, claiming that my theories help them seize the Coreflames. Indeed, I once consulted Tribios about lost history, and both of my most brilliant students happen to be Chrysos Heirs as well. And what of it?

I am also what they call a Chrysos Heir, but I've never had blind faith in prophecies. If gods are truly the purest and most eternal beings that have ascended above the mortal world, then listen well: The world only has one god, and that is indestructible "truth"!
Only disciples of truth can continue on this path. The authorities who proclaim themselves to be sages fear the fall of god.

You suggested that both parties take a step back to deescalate the situation... My apologies, but I don't intend to do that. On the contrary, I would like to give a word of advice to those who wish to accuse me—

The future world will understand me, and all of you who raise accusations against me should be more afraid than me when I await my verdict!"

— An improvised speech by Anaxa, during a meeting of the sages

"Even up till today, I still disagree with that bizarre Flame-Chase Journey. However, there is one statement that left a deep impression — Losses are a constant on the Flame-Chase journey.

I never believed that the Chrysos Heirs shared the same destiny, but I am undoubtedly also on the path of losses.
Yet, I have not lost enough... In comparison to what I pursue, I have not lost enough to fulfill the law of equivalent exchange.

After I had proposed the theory that the nature of souls of Titans and humans are no different, and that souls are constructed from seeds of wisdom, I have been waiting for a chance to prove it once and for all...
Now, the opportunity has presented itself! It came rather unexpectedly, but also right on time.
Today, I can finally make up for the regret, akin to a calamity, from numerous years ago.

I gained inspiration from death, and should repay as such.
My body shall become the vessel to forge the Coreflames of gods, and my soul shall become the chains that force the gods to bow. That will become the ultimate evidence for my theory!

I am incredibly happy now.
I once smiled like this, when I first created a mechanical bird that could fly in the sky. My hands once trembled like this, when I developed a new life through incubation.

My future students, if you see these words, it proves that my endeavor has failed at the final step, falling just before the break of dawn.
Use my results to the fullest extent, and make me the subject of your research! Step over my body and take the torch from my hands. Use me as the firewood to ignite the flames that will bring light to the truth!
Do not fear blasphemy—
It is already a sin to transcend the gods, so what if you become a god!"

— One of the echoes in Anaxa's memories after the Grove had fallen, which vanished because nobody discovered it