The facts proved that Kaka's survival instincts were quite strong. Reckless as it was, it had made thorough preparations before courting death, so it would not actually get hammered to death.
Before Li Wei could do anything substantial to this sentient shipborne AI, several compartments detached from the Archive Tower with a sharp click and glided along some invisible track all the way to his front.
Arranged by degree of completeness, they were a battered golden scroll, a star chart with a torch-like center, and a tomb that seemed to drift through the void.
At the same time, Kaka's voice drifted over, suddenly mechanical and utterly devoid of emotion:
"Every passage through a cosmic crystal wall entails massive losses of archive data. Thus, archive materials that are too ancient possess only commemorative value as monuments to civilization and hold little reference value for Masta."
"And these?"
Just as Li Wei was feeling puzzled, his gaze fell upon the golden scroll, which seemed almost like a projection of light and shadow, and froze there. Then he slowly extended a claw. The instant he touched it, the information that surfaced in his mind was indeed what he had suspected:
"The relic archive you are currently accessing is the afterglow of Universe No. Yobgdezh, Huo... Natuo."
"This civilization has perished.
"Direct cause of extinction—destroyed by the apotheosis spell of Karsus, the last ruling consul."
Seeing this, Li Wei immediately drew a deep breath and asked:
"Why is the cause of extinction listed as being destroyed by Karsus's apotheosis spell?"
Kaka fell silent for a moment, then answered truthfully:
"This was Karsus's request before his consciousness was extinguished."
Li Wei also fell silent at that. He recalled those dreams aboard the Netheril Magic Ship, dreams that had felt like experiences he had truly lived