Before The Fall (origins)

Beacon

"Asura?  Anybody?"

Silence.

"Dad?"

More silence.

"Well shit."

"That does explain your current situation."

"Who's there?  God, it's dark in here."

"No one."

"Then who are you?"

"Not who.  What.  Where.  When.  Why.  How.  Who."

"You said who."

"Thank you."

"You're weird."

"You're welcome."

"Do you know where the exit is?"

"There is no exit.  There is no entrance.  This is nowhere."

"Excuse me?"

"Gesundheit."

"That not what I meant."

"Who is this Asura?"

"Well...that's a very good question."

"Processing..."

"What?"

The darkness was suddenly punctuated by a beacon of light, rising from what seemed like the floor towards an unseen ceiling.

"Is that you?"

"I am not here.  Neither are you."

"I don't understand what you're saying."

"You don't know.  That is my job."

"What are you?"

"This is not your question."

"What is my question?"

"This is not your question."

Magrathea inched towards the beacon.  The pillar of light illuminated the area somewhat, revealing pillars if stone, roughly hewn out of the stone.  It was way too quiet.  Something was wrong.

"Repeat your question."

"I don't know my question.  But you said repeat.  So I've asked it before."

"Accurate."

"What have I asked?"

"This is not your question."

Magrathea was so close to the beacon that he could reach out to touch it.  It was coming from a pool of what looked like water in the floor.  The water glowed with incandescent light.  He knelt down reverently, and peered into the pool of water.  One meter in diameter, it seemed to go in forever in depth.

"Repeat your question."

"You've either answered all my questions or ignored them.  So it's not a question I've asked you.  An judging from your reaction earlier, whatever 'you' are..."

"You are intelligent.  Do you want to see?"

"See what?"

"That depends on the question."

"You said something interesting earlier.  And it wasn't from my question.  It was an answer to yours.  But now I do have a question.  And I have to repeat it because now it's my question."

"..."

"So I'm correct."

"What is your question?"

"Who is the Asura?"

"I can show you.  Look into the light."

Magrathea had the sudden urge to put his head in the light.  So he did.  The last thing he saw before light flooded his vision was a glimpse of a crystal in the pool, bleeding white light.

Then light flooded his vision.