As my body lay in my bed in the Dyson Sphere the Cosmos went on as my Thor aspect kept monitoring, spreading, and cataloging my ever-increasing area of influence. The part of myself that I thought of as Adam, my core, withdrew until I only existed within a place of peace and quiet. Of course, just as I realized that, my perfect memory reminded me that one of the best ways to get to sleep was to visualize yourself in an Empty theater with a white screen in front of you, they try to keep it white. The human mind doesn’t like nothing and eventually, the screen will fill up. When it does, you fall asleep dreaming. I hadn’t believed it when I read it in an issue of Psychology Today, that had been on the coffee table in the waiting area when I was waiting for a doctor for my yearly school physical. I’d been 12 at the time but as always my mind pulled the memory with perfect clarity. While the darkness around me wasn’t a white screen, it was empty and my subconscious mind filled it up.

I also realized that I had not achieved this level of rest since, well since I’d talked to Abi so long ago. I could call her forth and activate my copy of her at any time but that wouldn’t be fair to her. She was now a sentient being with her own body and I was sure she’d eventually be able to pass through The Eye. The Eye, why was I thinking about The Eye? They were Aperture’s into the next stage of existence, or more accurately they were doors that only souls could pass through. But I’d passed through it and I hadn’t been dead. Also, I could manifest myself back into that Cosmos if I wished now. Well, I was pretty sure that I could, I hadn’t tried yet, but doing so was on my shortlist. Souls? That’s why I was dreaming. I seemed to be able to see them with my spell True Sight that I was constantly maintaining, though I’d never thought about it, I just always kept it up. With my mana regeneration being so high, I’d never worried about it.

I received messages through my interface informing me that “I died” yet what had my ability One said? “Thor and Johnathan are permanently connected across any distance through any dimensional tear, across any time.” That ability had fallen off when I’d gained the Fundamental Ability Undying which said; “You will reform at the nearest place of power containing Life Magic if killed. While you are not truly immortal, the powers that granted this ability have decreed that you will be resurrected and reformed a number of times equal to the souls you’ve spared from utter annihilation, this includes all souls across all Universes that were saved. What did you like to say? “A number of times best phrased as a Scientific Number.”” I hadn’t even considered double-checking the changes when they had converted to Soul Abilities. A combination of both of those abilities had created the Soul Ability Incessant- “Should your physical body be destroyed your soul remains and will reform your body immediately. This is a by-product of your chaotic and nanitic composition as well as a benefit of your Karmic Luck. You are immortal”

Why was my mind focusing on these three items? Because the changes had happened when the Unknown and Warning beings had been smart asses right after I found myself in Nothing1. Neither one of those two sounded like Ptah or David. In fact, looking back a couple of other changes had been made. I’d gained the ability of Perception, but it no longer showed anywhere, though I had no problem perceiving reality, no matter where I was. It had also been rolled into one of my Soul Abilities. Something was “off” and my subconscious finally had the time it needed to show these glitches or oversites to me.

I thought about it for a few moments then realized that with the abilities, even though the changes they went through, I had never actually died. As long as nanites existed somewhere my soul had always been anchored into a nanite. Additionally, I’d never traveled to a realm of pure souls. I’d traveled to planes and universes and seen souls within them but I’d never actually been a soul myself. Even as I came through the Aperture I hadn’t transformed completely into a soul. I’d become energy and as my nanites were smaller than the particles of energy they’d become I’d still had physical form when I came into the place between places. Or was it called the place between places because I hadn’t made it to the true destination because I wasn’t truly a soul? Was I like the Ascendent from Stargate SG1, one level up from this level of reality yet not fully transcendent into the realm of souls? If so, Then had I ever met a true God?

Holy Shit! Every being I’d met so far had been mortal at some point, except for one. Every single one. They leveled, they gained experience, they died, they went back into the cycle then they continued. So long as they wished to grow in power they could return and try again and increase the power of their Soul. That made complete sense. No matter what I did I could never get that last .01% of my Absolute Soul to reach 100% because if I did that, I’d let go of my anchor to this reality, this Multiverse of Chaos, and struggle.

I thought myself more powerful than the Gods because my attributes were so high above the God’s I’d encountered. Was it because I’d been lucky or unlucky? Now that I thought about it, I’d met one being far more powerful than myself but I knew of three. They were so far above me that I hadn’t even been able to view their stats without their permission. The True Labyrinth who I’d met, and the two beings that had toyed with me in Nothing as one referenced a code that had to be rewritten. Was that a reference to the System?

If the conjecture of my subconscious and now conscious mind were true, how would I be able to find the truth? I’d have to use the scientific method and I had a really good idea of how to get started. Before I started though, I’d need to check on Ne’lix and I might actually need to go back on my word. Damn, I always liked keeping my word to assholes.

Thor, pull the Emperor to a safe location and protect him. I’ll be there shortly -Adam

Adam, your timing is impeccable, a group had just teleported in to destroy him. The Emperor has been removed and awaits your pleasure in the base you created on Pluto. -Thor

` I redirected nanites to recreate every ship I’d destroyed in orbit around Vrax and returned everything I had modified to the way it had been. There wasn’t much to do in that case but I did include rebuilding the moon bunker that had been detonated in an attempt to destroy me as part of that replacing-things-I’d-broken gesture. Then I set about creating the document of change that the Emperor would agree to abide by. Simple stuff really, keep doing what he was doing before I’d come along. Leave Ne’lix the hell alone and also set up Ahrem’s parents for the rest of their lives, and after issuing a public apology for putting the Empire in such jeopardy by lying to a being more powerful than the Gods of this Cosmos, maybe not that last part. He was prideful after all and had to save face. If my suspicions were correct though, nothing that I was doing here would make any difference. I wondered if it could be as simple as a belief system? I’d find out in short order.

I brought myself out of sleep, used the nanites to completely clean and prepare myself to meet the Emperor then teleported to the base under the surface of Pluto. The room the Emperor was waiting in had been made comfortable by Thor. There was a couch and a vidscreen where the Emperor was watching a news program from Vrax on.

“The New Vrax Order failed to remove the Emperor from power. Portal use is still limited and no one has been able to detect the whereabouts of the Emperor…” the newscaster was saying as I appeared and shut the vidscreen off with a thought.

“Adam,” the Emperor said warily

“Emperor,” I said happily. “How are you doing? Are you having a good day? No? Well, let me see what I can do to help with that.”

The Emperor just looked at me like I was a snake and he was waiting to be bitten by.

I shrugged sheepishly as I said, “I may have overreacted a bit. You are the Emperor of one of the largest empires I’ve ever come across. I should have expected you to have megalomaniac tendencies.”

“Did you bring me here to insult me?” the Emperor asked with steel in his voice.

“Maybe a little, if I’m being honest,” I said. “That said, I’m going to return you to your throne room with a list of instructions you will follow. They’re not going to be too hard on you.”

“Let’s get this over with,” he said resignedly.

“Seriously, what’s up with the att…forget it, my fault, I’m just going to let that go. First, I have returned the entire fleet of ships I destroyed. They’re sitting in orbit around Vrax, or they will be shortly. Second, A girl from Earth named Katie, you know I never did get her name. She would have been in the kids processed the day that nuke was set off on the Moon. Please see to her continued education and make sure her family, and the Family of Ahrem Bianci are well taken care of.”

“Thank you for returning the ships, they did represent a huge investment of time and resources. If I might ask, Why Katie and the mother and father of Ahrem Bianci?”

“Katie was the childhood friend of Ahrem. While Ahrem and I are the same entity, as far as anyone is concerned. I was much more before I became Ahrem and Ahrem will not return. Katie has lost a friend and I’d just like to make sure that she, and everyone else I named, are taken care of. Third, you are to take no action against Ne’lix. I’ve already had to talk to two overzealous agents of the Agency. I would suggest that as soon as you return you put out an empire-wide order to that effect. Also, I will be going away for a while and Ne’lix will have the ability to help you tremendously

“Why would I need his help?” The Emperor asked.

“It’s not what he can do for you that is important. It’s the information I downloaded into his mind that he has access to and his ability to influence the mechanism by which I took over your empire that should be of interest to you. He has a very good idea of what I will and will not tolerate and how I will react if anything goes awry.”

“Is that all?”

“No, but this last is more of a caution and a warning. There are entities out there more powerful than me and the God’s that you know of here in your Cosmos. They are trying to insinuate their way into the lives of your subjects, yourselves, and even your Gods to get you to adhere to them, worship them, and swear your allegiance, even upon Death to them. You know the Gods are real and understand what a promise even in death means. You need to get with the top minds in your empire and devise a way to keep your populace free of their corruption.”

“Am I swear my allegiance to you then?”

“No, I want nothing from you or any of the people of your empire. My Tyrant act was done because you lied concerning my actions. I don’t take kindly to individuals lying about me.”

The Emperor nodded, “As ultimatums go, yours is quite lacking.”

I laughed lightly, “It was not my original intention to make such a display of power. Things just snowballed out of control there for a bit. Also, there were other factors in play that have now been dealt with. I’m about to open a portal for you to reenter your Throne Room. Anyone that tries to attack you will be stopped but will not be harmed in any other way. You may release them by saying ‘As you were’ and their name otherwise they will remain statues. Not to worry they will be well fed and hydrated, they just won’t be able to move. I would suggest that if, after you make your announcement, someone tries to attack you again that you leave them frozen for a while. I leave it to you to set the time limit. To clarify though, any that attack Ne’lix will be destroyed immediately.

“Understood, and thank you, I will make the announcement as soon as I’m back. Will I see you again?”

I looked thoughtful for a moment as I thought about it and said, “It is very possible. After everything has settled down ask Ne’lix to come to you then in private, ask him about the immortality function of the devices within himself. Tell him I mentioned for him to ask. If you live for as long as is possible now, then we will surely meet again.”

I opened a portal to the Throne Room and watched the Emperor step through. Closing the portal behind him as I contacted Ne’lix

An announcement is going to be made by the Emperor. I changed my mind, he’s still going to be the Emperor for a while and I let him know to contact you if he has questions. You’ll probably get that summons sooner than later -Adam

Thanks, why are you laying this on my shoulders? Ne’lix

Something came to my attention and I’m going to step away from everything for a bit. If you need me I’ll be monitoring this communications channel, otherwise, I will be out of range. -Adam

Okay, I guess. Good Luck – Ne’lix

I broke the connection and willed myself outside of the Cosmos, it was time to put the scientific method to use.

1 – See Chapter 66