"We have humans who claim the same title," she continued, her tone sharpening. "But most merely imitate what they don't fully understand. Still, I wonder—do you think they would follow the same path, if given the same conditions? Or would our presence —our very interference—limit the natural arc of their evolution?"
Ikenga folded his arms, his tone deliberate. "If you had asked me that before we knew other worlds existed, I'd have proudly said their growth would never meet the expectation. I would have told you their limitations were carved in stone, a result of their nature, their blood, their narrow view of reality."
He paused, looking up to the room ceiling which depicted a picture of a war between demons.
"But now," he continued, "now that we know other realms intersect—now that knowledge bleeds across worlds like ink on parchment—I can't say that anymore. The exposure to what lies beyond their stars… that alone changes everything."
