EXISTALE 1: Theist's Thesis

Prologue

"Hey buddy."

The man's entrance was as charismatic as ever, his smile a constant fixture on his face, rarely giving way to a frown. Confidence exuded from every step he took, making his presence known in the room.

"How's it going?" he greeted, his tone friendly and casual.

"Nothing much," she replied, her attention on packing up her notebooks. "How about you?"

"Thanks for asking!" the man exclaimed with a hint of enthusiasm.

His gaze shifted to the blackboard, which was adorned with complex equations from a foreign realm of physics. Then, turning back to the girl, he leaned in with curiosity evident in his expression.

"So, whatcha think about this new physics teacher?" 

The girl lifted her head, her natural purple hair cascading away from her eyes as she fixed her stare on the man behind his thick glasses. She replied, "Yeah, I think I'm head over heels for him or something." Then, without missing a beat, she returned to packing up her belongings.

"Whoa, slow down, kid," the man intervened, making a halting gesture with his hands. "You're still too young to date anyone."

"Ugh, here we go again," she groaned, rolling her eyes. "I wasn't serious. Plus, I'm old enough to date."

The man chuckled. "Hoho, I was kidding." He reached into his pocket, producing a boxed grape juice, and placed it on the table in front of the girl.

She swiftly zipped up her bag and snatched the juice box off the table. "Thanks." She climbed onto the table and sat on its surface, her legs dangling over the edge.

The man observed her as she drank her grape juice, the sound of suction from the straw echoing in the room. A satisfied "ahh" escaped the girl's lips after she took a sip.

He sighed deeply. "Look, I'm just gonna tell you right away. Sorry about what you're going through. Sadly, I can't convince your dad either."

His posture sagged slightly, though his smile persisted. Yet, there was a hint of remorse on his face, visible despite the smile.

"I tried, kid," he murmured.

"It's okay," she replied with a sigh, her gaze fixed on the floor. "You always told me to set my expectations low. Reality really is cruel."

The man walked away briefly, then returned with a chair, positioning it to face the girl. He took a seat, his expression thoughtful.

"You see," he began, adjusting his neatly slicked ginger crested hair, "Sometimes, it's okay to take a break, even just for a day or two. Having great power doesn't mean ignoring your own well-being."

The girl locked her eyes with the man's, her stare piercing through his thick glasses. In a tone tinged with remorse yet seriousness, she replied, "How can I rest knowing there are those who need help, while I have what they need?"

"Surely you can't do this forever," he added, "and there isn't much I can do about it."

The girl remained silent. Deep down, she knew he was right.

"But hey," The man shrugged, "You still have a homecoming party to attend. Come on kiddo, there's more to life than just saving people."

"You mean, the event where fake people gather and pretend they like each other?" She grunted, folding her arms. "Pass."

"You sure? You'd miss the opportunity to get a boyfriend~" He teased with a playful tone.

"If I wanted a man, I'd get a man," she retorted confidently. 

"Okay miss independent woman, you do what you do." He chuckled, "Which reminds me of something."

"What? You forgot to pay your bills at Rungpi's now you wanna ask me for my allowance?" 

"No, no, no, not at all," he refuted with a dismissive wave.

She raised an eyebrow, tilting her head with a questioning look.

"Well-", the man began, moving his hands in a gesture of explanation, "maybe but-"

"Knew it." She interjected.

"That's not what I was trynna say.'

"What is it, then? Hm?" she interrogated, her tone sharp. "You better tell me quick 'cause I have better things to do."

The man sighed. "There's a reason why I recommended him to your dad to be your tutor."

"Yeah, he's fine, I guess," she replied dismissively, slinging her backpack over her shoulder.

"You might wanna try getting along with him," the man suggested cautiously.

"Why? So I can become a nerd with braces who says 'actually' every time someone's slightly off the truth?" she retorted sarcastically.

"Nah, that's not-"

"Or, better yet, maybe he has mommy and daddy issues like I do. Great! We can form a club based on that quirk," she interrupted

"He's an orphan."

"Oh," She stopped yapping, pretending to scratch her hair.  "I didn't know that."

"What if I told you," The man hinted, "He's not just a teacher."

The smile faltered.

"He's a fugitive." 

The girl put her backpack down, picked up a chair and sat on it.

"You're kidding, right?" She whispered, moving closer to the man. "Exi didn't give off that sort of vibe to me."

"Remember the blasphemy tragedy that happened not long ago?" He reminded, "It was him."

"Uncle Hosfy," she said in a whispering yet stern tone, "are you saying that I should get along with an omniversal-level criminal. What would Mom and Dad say about this?"

"Oh, your parents already knew long before you," he informed.

"Besides, there's more than meets the eye about this guy."

"Like what?" she asked seriously, her brows furrowed in curiosity.

"It's a long story," the man stated.

"And?" she prodded, leaning forward in anticipation, "It's not like I have anything else to do for the rest of the day."

"You sure? You said you had better things to do," he countered with a playful grin.

"By better things, I mean scrolling on my phone for three hours," she joked, rolling her eyes, "It's been, what? Six years? since the last time you've told me a bedtime story."

"What makes an experienced soggy old man suggest that I befriend an unsuspecting felon like him?" she questioned, her hand lightly touched her chin.

"Hey!" he interjected, mock offense in his voice.

"There must be a reason, right?" she persisted.

The man exhaled a long breath, preparing to embark on the tale. "Well..."

"So? What are you waiting for?" she urged, excitement evident in her voice.

"Alright, here's the tale of Exi," he began, his tone serious yet tinged with a hint of intrigue. 

"Once upon a time..."