According to Lysander, a Li is a unit of measurement used for distance on this planet. It is approximately half a kilometer, or, as he would say in his youth before the imperial measurement system was finally dumped in the 2030s, a third of a mile.
Until that day, the Professor had never heard of a Li. If something similar had ever existed on Earth, then he was simply ignorant of it. Regardless of that minor detail, he knew for a fact that a Li was around 500 meters. That knowledge hadn't come from his current chauffeur, Lysander, as the two hadn't communicated at all during the journey. Not only because Morgan was placed in an invisible force field bubble but because the Kraken was an ass.
Morgan knew how long a Li was because he was trapped inside a bubble with nothing to do besides math. He calculated their speed using the eight-meter distance between the trees they passed by in a blur of motion. By doing that, he got a number for how fast Lysander ran per minute and, by using more math, discovered they were actually moving at bullet train speeds. Which is why it took roughly 15 minutes to reach this pavilion. This means 150 Li is 75 Kilometers or a little under 50 miles for any geriatric American. The Professor truly hated doing math. But he hated boredom even more so.
The orchard covered most of the island, save for the edge of land on which the pavilion was built. The preferred aesthetics of the alien architect closely match that of the Hellenes of old. However, the Professor was getting used to the uncanny resemblance by now. Seeing an open-air building made of white marble columns arranged in a rectangle didn't shock him much. The roof was triangular and made of the same unadorned material. However, large strips of featureless black cloth stretched between the columns blocked any inside views. Either this Mistress wanted to keep the wind out, which would defeat the purpose of an open-air structure, or she had privacy issues. Or it could be that she likes the color black. The orchard starting 20 meters behind him would attest to that theory.
Lysander placed the chair down beside an opening in the cloth walls. Morgan felt the space before him and found the bubble of force had been dispelled. The Professor stood up, brushed the creases out of his clothes, and addressed the Squid with all the respect he could muster.
"Did you want a tip or..." he asked, slipping the Apple into his lab coat.
"No payment is necessary from the Honored Guest. I live to serve my Mistress." Bowed, Lysander and Morgan couldn't help but notice a malicious glint in his eyes. "However, may this humble servant offer some advice?"
This was clearly a trap.
"Please do." Said Morgan, curious as to what he was up to.
"Please keep in mind that while you are a guest here and are entitled to all the rights that entails, you are still a lowly Mortal." Said Lysander while still in a deep bow, though it wouldn't be a surprise if he wore an unseen shit-eating grin. "My Mistress is a being that has nearly come within arms reach of true immortality, a true Bodhisattva. I would love nothing more than to properly convey just how great the divide is between Mortals and divinity. Yet I fear you and your entire Species would wither and rot from the ravages of time before I could impart a meaningful amount of information. So, for the sake of brevity, I will simply gift this piece of wisdom. An ant," the bastard paused then to look up and didn't even bother to wipe the grin off, "would do well to remember what happens when they try to walk alongside Giants."
Bodhisattva? A Buddhist term here? The plot thickens.
"What very sensible-sounding advice, Lysander. I have to admit I wouldn't have expected wisdom from someone like you," Morgan said quietly before stepping forward and invading the Servant's personal space. "Truly, I have much to learn, but in the spirit of wisdom, I do have to correct you on something you said."
"Oh?" Chortled the Squid, disgusted by the sudden intimacy but refusing to step back. "Is Honored Guest going to say he is not an ant? This Servant deeply apologies if offense was given where none was intended."
"Don't be ridiculous; of course labeling me as an ant was appropriate. I would have to be an idiot not to understand that after all I've seen." The Professor stretched his arms out to show how small he was in a world so big. "Your mistake was in describing how wide this divide is between the Host and me. As per your own words, the distance can't be that great."
"Oh?" He asked laconically as a black ring formed over where a human heart should be.
"Being nearly within an arm's reach of immortality still means one has yet to grasp eternity. Ants and giants are equal in at least one thing: they are mortal." He gently grabbed either side of Lysander's darkening face and brought it closer to his, like an adult making sure a child was paying close attention. "Squids are mortal, too. You would do well to remember that."
"Is Honored Guest threatening this humble Servant?" The light in Lysander's eyes burned with the desire to rip apart the upstart aberration.
"Of course not, don't be ridiculous." He released the Kraken. "I was only pointing out the obvious. Besides, how could I ever be a threat to someone so fast? You could escape before I could take a stance."
"Ka-kaka ka!" Came the Host's cackling laugh from beyond the cloth walls. "Mr. Morgan, please stop teasing my young pet and come in."
Her voice was utterly enchanting to the ear, breathy and just oozing femininity. Though it conjured up a horde of unsettling impressions despite that. In the back of Morgan's mind, he heard the cries of the revolutionary and the roars of the imperial. The muffled argument between the unrelenting force and the immovable object through thin walls. The dull thuds of striking fists and sharp cracks of breaking bones reached a crescendo as neither side would back down. That voice always carried one thing within it, regardless of the tone or the words.
Conflict. Plain and simple.
"Your house, your rules." Shrugged Morgan before turning on his heel and made to enter through the opening. Then, a thought gave him pause. He called out behind him. "Could you bring the chair in behind me? I brought it from home, and it'd be a shame not to use it. We older ants can get fussy about that kind of thing." He entered without ever looking back.
Morgan threw open the black curtains, ready to…
"Sweet merciful god, you're gorgeous." Morgan gasped and ran faster than any senior citizen had any right to in a pitiful attempt to get closer. "How can you be so purple?"
The black cloth only blocked the outside view from three sides of the pavilion. The fourth side was left completely open for the structure's inhabitants to bear witness to the majesty of the sea—a purple sea.
The Scientist ran till he came to the end of the white & black marble floor and only stopped because to take a single step more would mean his death. The Pavillion, it turned out, was built on the edge of a sea cliff standing 300 meters above the purple waters. His brain dimly noted that the lack of experiencing any increase in elevation during his ride here hinted that the entire island rose that far up as well. That note was quickly stored away as Morgan had bigger fish to fry.
He hugged a nearby column for stability and stared down wide-eyed at the different shades of water. It was mesmerizing to watch the violet depths transition into amethyst waves as they crashed mightily into the lilac-stained cliff face. The ecologist swallowed hard when he noticed something was moving with purpose from under the lavender seafoam. For him to be able to spot it from this high up, the supposed creature had to be close to a blue whale in size.
The Scientist decided right then and there that this sight alone made it all worthwhile. Even if that prick of a squid suddenly kicked him off the cliff and he fell to his doom for some interplanetary prank, he still wouldn't regret a thing. He would die happy. Afterward, he'd enthusiastically haunt his killer.
"Enjoying the view, dear?" Giggled his Host from behind him.
"Very much so." Sighed Morgan contentedly as he turned to face her.
The interior was spartan in its décor. Placed in the center of the room was a featureless table made of an impossibly dark wood, likely harvested from the plentiful resources outside. His chair was placed by one end while the other was within easy reach of the giant throne. A wooden throne made of the same material, but the back had intricate displays of violent scenes carved and then outlined with gold. The seat cushion was purple and thick, just like the two oversized pillows on either side of the women seated there.
The woman wore a black toga-like dress cut in a way that would leave the right breast exposed if not for the golden shimmering cloth wrapped around her modest assets. Her outfit lacked footwear, making Morgan wonder if he should discard his own shoes.
The Host smiled at him, and she just might be the most objectively attractive woman Morgan had ever met. She was the embodiment of youthful beauty with the figure of someone who had recently entered adulthood. Her skin was pale to the point of being called porcelain, contrasting perfectly with the void black hair spilling over her shoulders. Her thick lips, sharp nails, and outline around the eyes were just as dark. However, he doubted the effect was from wearing cosmetics, as he noted the skin on her fingers became the same color the closer they got to the nail.
"You seem disappointed, dear." She chuckled and waved for him to take his own seat. Lysander stood behind the throne and gave him a murderous look.
This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.
Morgan ignored him.
"I like your eyes." He admitted in the way of a compliment before sitting.
It was true. The Professor found her eyes the most stunning feature of all. Not only did they glow especially bright under the pavilion's shade, but they were heterochromatic like his. The left was salmon pink, while the right was a pale white barely noticeable from the sclera around it—the colors of flesh and bone.
"Thank you!" The bubbly Host seemed genuinely happy from the observation. "Many who meet me find them disturbing; even my peers have trouble looking me in the eye."
"Peers?" Morgan asked, interested in increasing his sample size of alien life. "What? Is the rest of the pantheon here, too?"
"Patience, my Guest." She chided him playfully. "One should finish one meal before starting another, after all." She raised a hand and put down all but three fingers. "I believe it went: name, species, and pronouns correct?"
"Indeed. I would go first, but my attentive Host is already familiar with me. Also, I prefer to be called by my last name, if you don't mind. If you do mind, then add Professor before it or just use the title.
"Duly noted Professor." She giggled before the Kraken randomly bowed and left the pavilion without another word. "While my pet retrieves some confections for us, I will greet you properly." She sat up a little straighter then, her jaw set with pride as she finally introduced herself. "I am Eris of Clan Nyx, Bodhisattva of Strife and Discord, and Progenitor of the original Snub. I normally use 'She' and 'Her', but like many of my Rank, there are days where I feel more fluid."
"I figured, but didn't want to assume." Nodded the Professor, outwardly unbothered, but internally his worldview was tearing at the seams. He pushed past the pleasantries to give some temporary relief from the existential crisis. "I do have a few questions I need answered before we speak about this offer your," Morgan almost said 'reverse pay phone' but managed to turn on the proverbial dime, "messenger told me about."
"I figured, but I did not want to assume." Eris chuckled with a twinkle of mischief in her eyes. A practical man would ask about the odd familiarities between this world and yours first, but you strike me as someone with more sensible values." They both turned to face the sea.
Oh dear. The Professor was starting to like her.
"I am what I am." Morgan chuckled dryly, turning his attention back to her. The Scientist leaned forward as if trying to keep the secret just between them. "So, how do you keep it so purple?"
"Tell me, Professor, have you ever heard of a method of creating poison known as Gu?"
"I actually have." He frowned, not sure why the sudden change of topic. Still, he rolled with it. "I once taught a course on venom at the school where I am currently employed. A Gu is more legend than historical, but a student would ask the same question almost every semester, so I researched the topic."
The Professor cupped his hands together like he held an invisible jar over the table. "The method varies from telling to telling, but the gist is the creation of a poison made from animals. The poisoner places several different venomous creatures inside a jar before sealing it. Then they bury the jar so the animals trapped inside have no choice but to eat each other to survive. Each time an animal killed and consumed another animal, its own venom would grow more potent. Over and over, the cycle would repeat until only the winner remained, its venom having reached supernatural levels of lethality. After a certain amount of time had passed, the poisoner would dig up the jar and harvest the deadly crop. Sometimes they would simply take the venom to use as a completely fatal poison, other times they would release the creature in the home of the intended victim." Morgan snorted up at his Host. "It always surprised me when I told my students that it's almost certainly just a myth from ancient Nanyue. Not only would any animal that breathes die when the oxygen ran out, but venom doesn't work like that. However I will freely admit that some dart frogs do get their toxic skin from their diet of poisonous insects."
"Very good!" Clapped Eris excitedly. "If you can grasp that method, then you should easily grasp the nature of my Gu Sea. Normally this sea appears just like any other from your world. However, I have altered the environment so that events play out exactly as you see now. First, I found a suitable location and filled it with salt water. The life within was carefully chosen and selectively introduced over the course of a hundred years. Then I had thousands upon thousands of a certain type of herb planted all along the sea bed. This particular herb is known for releasing a special toxin when specific environmental conditions are met. In this case, it is when the plant feels its waters are overpopulated by creatures. This toxin heavily dyes the waters but its main effect is to drive any creature exposed into a mad killing frenzy. When one plant starts to release the toxin, those around it follow suit. In fact the toxin is commonly used as the main ingredient for high-grade Berserking Pills, not that you would know what those are. Personally, I find the herb a useful tool in recruiting new followers."
She said all that like a proud student explaining her science project.
"This sea is a giant Gu for getting pets like your Kraken." Said the Scientist with grotesque curiosity. "Once the population of sea creatures reaches a tipping point, all it takes is for a single plant to feel threatened for things to devolve into a salty battle royal… So the toxin dyes the water purple?"
"No, dear." Her smile became a wicked thing, and if he were a religious man, he'd be reaching for a cross. "It dyes the waters blue. The water becomes purple by the end of the first day. Actually, you are in luck, as this is only the second day of this cycle. Normally, the population takes tens of thousands of years to grow enough to trigger a cycle. You must have been Fated to witness such beautiful conflict."
"Lucky me." He agreed before asking quite seriously. "Is that why Lysander is such an asshole? He's bitter about being forced to fight and kill till he was the last one swimming?"
"KA—KAKAKA!" Eris cackled so hard she shook the literal foundation of the building. She quickly reigned in the laughter so as not to send the section of the cliff into the literal sea of monsters. "No, of course not, dear. My pet simply holds to the traditional values when dealing with non-cultivators, especially when your form so closely resembles mine. Sadly, that is the case for many of my peers."
"He…" Now Morgan was really thrown for a loop as he stared at Eris in disbelief. Though a small part of him did celebrate, as there was now a valid reason to screw with the Squid as much as humanly possible. "He hates me… because I'm not a farmer?"
"Oh!" gasped the Bodhisattva, covering her lips like she had spilled tea. The innocent gesture was a little jarring after her excitement about describing the Gu Sea. "I have touched a subject best left alone for now."
The Professor opened his mouth to protest but closed it in the end. He noted the odd interaction and focused on the more significant issue—a task made significantly easier without a giant purple distraction in his peripheral vision.
When Eris revealed her identity, he knew deep down in his heart that the reveal was the final nail in the coffin—a coffin that held in it the certainty of humanity's independent development.
It was surprising to discover your planet wasn't the only one that held life in the Universe. It was unsettling to know that your planet was definitely the technological inferior of the two. It was a baseball bat to the back of the skull to learn that aliens not only existed but also came to your planet to be worshiped as divine by your ancestors.
Morgan knew there was no way an advanced alien civilization that visited Earth's past and stayed long enough to impact human culture this deeply would have ever truly left. No, they would have stayed and directed humanity's development from the shadows. Always watching, always guiding. How much of his people's actions could be traced back to these so-called Bodhisattvas? Could they be behind the approaching war? Is that why they're reaching out? Does it have something to do with this offer? So many fears, questions, and feelings fought each other in a mad contest for what he should address first. Above all, the very notion that the slop the History Channel pumped out for years was even remotely accurate made him sick to his stomach.
"Take your time, dear." Sympathized the embodyment of literal Strife and Discord after he had just sat there silently for a minute. "Believe me, Professor, I understand your discomfort, at least in part. It was a complete shock to all of us here when we discovered how much our Universe influenced yours."
"Thank you, Eris." Sighed Morgan as he leaned back in his char for a very uncomfortable-
*TH-Thump, Th-Thump*
What had Eris just said?
*TH-Thump, Th-Thump*
"Shocked?" Asked the Professor as hope made his heartbeat pound merrily in his chest. "You say you were shocked when you discovered your influence on us? I don't understand. How could that be in any way a surprise for you?"
"We only managed to make direct observations of Earth successfully a short while ago. Two weeks, I believe you would say." She shrugged sorrowfully before immediately smiling fondly at the memory. "Things became very interesting when the first Divination came through the Bifröst, and we saw a statue of Laozi. I thought war could flair up at any moment." Her expression suddenly became a pout, and she slumped forward on her throne. "Then Agustus ordered a thorough investigation before any information could escape. The entire mess was cleaned up in a day."
"Agustus?" Choked Morgan. "Laozi?"
"I did, dear." She sighed and tried to explain while still irritated at the two historical juggernauts. "Emperor Augustus is my Faction's Tathāgata; think of the position as the leader. Laozi, a Celestial Court spy, was sent to monitor this project. Still, we were ordered to pretend he truly is here to assist us. How are we to pretend that an Alchemist could ever assist in a."
She turned to him with the fiery passion of a partner who desperately wanted to talk shit about a coworker. But one look at the Professor's face made that mouth shut without him even needing to speak. Perhaps the great being blushing faintly on the other side of the table had forgotten who she was venting to. While this might be a regular Tuesday for her, it was Revelation for him. Receiving such consideration from a creature whose divine portfolio consisted mainly of being problematic and ensuring others follow suit felt off-brand to Morgan. It could be that the two-armed son of a squid was right about her taking a liking to the lesser Mortal. In any case, now was not the time to look a gift horse in the mouth. That would come later.
She cleared her throat and continued in a more befitting manner.
"I am aware that you have similar men in your history, and that similarity is no coincidence. Our influence extends even deeper into humanity than just the elements of myth. We have reached into the very souls of your greatest people. Not most of them, but for the few who do hear our stories always have a tendency to make our history yours."
"So we were influenced unknowingly. This…” Morgan spun a dreadlock around as he weighed this reality with the one he feared he had. "This was unexpected. But not an unwelcome one. I really thought for a second that my-"
*TH-Thump, Th-Thump*
There was something else she said.
*TH-Thump, Th-Thump*
"Did you say 'Our Universe'?" Asked the Scientist, seriously wondering if he had developed a heart condition in his old age. "Am I in a different Universe?"