Noah's eyes were radiant as he processed what she was offering.
Did he really come across another old babbler who would talk and talk and talk to reveal things about existence he did not know? He had encountered beings like this before, ancient existences who could not resist sharing their accumulated wisdom with anyone who showed even marginal interest.
Okay old hag, he thought. We love listening to babblers.
So he humored her and asked with genuine curiosity, "What is the oldest Echo?"
Naldine's expression shifted to something approaching solemnity, her features taking on weight. The blue singularities in her white eyes slowed their orbiting, as if even they recognized the significance of what was coming.
"Listen well, for these words predate most of what currently exists."
Her voice dropped to cadence that felt ancient, each syllable pressing against THE Primordial Archive with heaviness that made even the Grimoires seem young by comparison.
