His new Patron, Eris, warned Morgan about the time dilation. While given with the best intentions, that information was also a catalyst that could've destroyed the Earth's future. On the bright side, it really was only 9am.
Immediately after the disturbing Soul Grafting procedure was finished, the gasping Earthling was told that only 25 minutes had passed since his arrival. This was not a quirk of time flowing at different rates between the universes like he had hoped but a deliberate effort by Eris to make their return journey far smoother. The cyclone of wind and blinding light produced by the golden cicada were the by-products of Aether suddenly being injected into a small area. Saturating the area with exotic energy made any Skill, like Teleport, trigger properly. Apparently, spatial rifts were far easier to open within dense Aether than not. The Bodhisattva described the idea as similar to objects being lighter in water than on land. So before the energy already in his office could spread out and dissipate too much, he was sent back. Hence the need to alter the flow of time on the Vajrayana end.
The Scientist didn't bother to ask for specifics of this Aether buoyancy theory due to her earlier answer to a far more critical question: How had she gotten three and a half hours to fit in a 25-minute bag?
Her response-
"It is a rather straightforward task. Simply isolate a solar system and stretch out the seconds so they are able to hold more time. One could do it with only a planet; however, doing so will likely disturb the orbit of the whole system. In the end, repairing such an imbalance is almost always more costly than the energy saved."
-didn't inspire much confidence.
That said, Eris gave Morgan specific instructions on what to do when he returned to Earth. Her mistake was giving those instructions before launching into a poorly explained discussion on time manipulation. As a result, the Scientist was far more interested in checking the time on his phone than getting away from the landing zone.
Thankfully, he was not alone.
[The Realm Piercer!] Screeched a panicking voice from everywhere and nowhere all at once. [Move now!]
*Whoosh* Something moved through the air above him.
Morgan opted for a more brutal method than standing. Bringing both legs up to his chest, he kicked off hard at the bolted-down desk.
*Wham!* The back of the chair hits the reinforced glass window behind him, forcing it and him to a painful stop.
"Damn it!" He cursed as momentum forced the chair to tip forward and eject the seat senior citizen onto the floor.
[Ouch!] Cried the unseen speaker.
*Shunk* Something dug into the wood floor in front of him.
Blinking away the stars from his vision, the Professor looked up at his would-be killer. Stabbed in the floor was a meter-long, 10cm thick rod made of brass-like metal. Engraved into the alien Artifact were symbols resembling Sanskrit, all pulsing in unison with a soft golden glow. At the top of the device was a solid piece of clear stone shaped into a baseball-sized dodecahedron. With the other end still buried, he assumed it had a pointed tip like on a spear or stake. A heavy stake that would have driven itself through his skull and torso if not for the warning.
"That was close." Murmured Morgan, crawling closer to the Artifact that would somehow blow a hole in Cosmos's Greater Barrier. He addressed the unseen speaker without taking his eyes off the pointy boom stick. "Thanks for the reminder. I assume I am speaking to the Spirit?"
[But of course!] The Spirit said happily. [We shall be traveling together after all, so it is my pleasure to offer assistance.]
Their voice was almost perfectly androgynous, save for a slight infliction that gave the impression of leaning towards femininity. Or perhaps the old man was just hearing what he thought he should. He'll just ask when he gets the chance.
Regardless, the Spirit's words sounded like they came from a pair of expensive headphones—one that produced crystal clear sound without any noise cancellation. The voice, if it could be called that when it didn't originate from vocal cords, must have been spoken inside his mind. A strange experience to take part in but one which made sense as they were possessing the Scientist.
Spirits were a particular species in Vajrayana that were found in every Realm. Each one came from Cultivators of varying species that, for one reason or another, chose to shed their Body and Mind in favor of preserving the Soul. Getting rid of those earthly attachments essentially ended their Cultivation journey. It also created an even greater dependency on Aether, but in return freed them from mundan issues and allowed them to form a closer connection to the Dao.
Much of the specifics were meaningless to him, but they meant the Spirit needed two conditions to be met if it were to return with him to the energy-starved Cosmos. The first was an Aether source to draw on for sustenance and a vessel to reside within. The former was the Aether Reservoir, a gifted tool that looked suspiciously like a leather cord necklace strung with a sphere of amethyst, sitting in his coat pocket. The latter was Morgan.
"That's good to hear from an entity that's Possessing you," the Scientist said, reaching for his fallen phone blindly as he continued speaking. "Not that I can technically hear you at all."
[Hee-Hee! Possession is indeed an accurate term, but our connection is nothing like the Exorcist.] Snickered the Spirit. [In the first place, I am severely limited in an Aether desert like Earth. By the way, you are searching in the wrong location. The phone landed near the desk's right leg.]
From the corner of his vision, he saw the LED light shining from the phone screen.
"Are you tapped into my senses?" He asked before snatching the device.
[Yes. My current abilities are so limited that I can not manifest at all. Other than speech and thought, I am entirely depend on your Body for sensing the world around me. You have my-]
"No need to apologize. I was just curious." He cut them off and navigated to the camera app. "Eris wasn't sure how much influence you'd have on me when we got back."
An alert window popped on the screen, warning him that he would need to delete more media if he wanted to record.
[You have media on this device?] They asked eagerly. [Are there visual stories like the wizard in the traveling blue box stored inside?]
"You mean Doctor Who?" He asked absently as he checked digital storage and found it packed to the brim with essential system functions. "No, I don't have any entertainment media on here. My phone is an antique and needs more storage space. I'll need to buy an SD card for-" What the Vajrayian just said hit him. Tucking the phone into his coat, he glanced at the ceiling, not knowing where to look when addressing them. "You know Doctor Who and the Exorcist?"
[One of the night security staff at the school entrance had fallen asleep with her media device on while the doctor show was playing. It was a howl-o-ween episode where they reference the popular horror film.] The Spirit answered, proud of their pop culture knowledge. [I watched many adventures the night before we first met in your office.]
In his office?
"Wait, you were 28-284?" Morgan asked with a frown, getting to his feet and brushing away the wrinkles from the coat.
[Indeed. I was the messenger tasked with getting you to the negotiation table, and I am proud to say that you did exceptionally well. My apologies for the intrusion, but I observed the proceedings from the orchard.]
Oh? So, the gold object glittering at the cliff edge was the 28-284 vessel. But if the Spirit was an outside observer until Eris summoned them into the concealment Spell before stuffing them into the apple, then how could they be aware of their current agreement? Before that, a more pressing question needed to be answered first.
"That's fine. I doubt you were the only peeping tom today. But before we go any further, I'm going to need a name from you."
[A name…] They said slowly, a note of uncertainty tinged their voice. [When our Patron informed me that you were willing to assist in my journey so long as I assisted in yours, I agreed without hesitation. Now that we are here, there may have been some miscommunication. Are you aware of my… current predicament?]
"You're an amnesiac looking for your past." He answered bluntly before locking the door and drawing all the curtains closed. "Spirits normally keep their memories after ditching their Body and Mind. However, you recently awakened in her care with no idea of who you were. Besides that, she didn't give me any more direct details about you, though I'm told that Eris gave you access to some helpful tools."
[Did she? If so, I do not sense them.] Their tone was back to its original easy cheer. [Perhaps they will become available once we return to Vajrayana. As for a name, I fear I have none to give. We are on a journey to discover my past, and as such, I do not wish to reinvent myself. Could you not simply refer to myself as Spirit?]
The Professor paused and looked to the ceiling once more. Aware the ghostly passenger could feel what he felt, Morgan tilted his head to the side.
"Hey Spirit, it's a big Universe, and we'll probably have to interact with other Spirits at some point. Wouldn't it get confusing if we needed to interview that one Spirit that's floating suspiciously among the other Spirits?" He waited for an answer, but none came. He sighed. "If you don't want a name, then would you settle for a nickname? It's a human custom where those who are familiar with each other give new titles to express that closeness."
[That would not be such an outrageous solution.] They admitted with hesitation. [As we are two Souls bound to one Body, I suppose we are, by definition, close to each other… Very well. What nicknames do you believe will be appropriate?]
"A few come to mind." Morgan said as he looked down at the glowing Artifact still embedded in his floor. "We need to get moving soon, so we'll have to work and talk. I'll rattle off suggestions; you pick the best one."
[Very well.]
Hmm. The Professor wondered if he could leave the grounds carrying the Artifact without drawing attention. No, it's definitely not going to happen. Perhaps if this were two or three years ago, security might've ignored him, thanks to his position. At present, it might be best to find a case to conceal the alien stick-of-doom. Given the Realm Piercer's dimensions, one case did come to mind...
Morgan looked towards the forbidden door and could have sworn on his future grave that it gave off a menacing aura.
"Damn it, I knew that mess was going to come back to bite me in the ass one day." Morgan grumbled before suddenly asking, "Umbra, yes or no?"
[Wha-] The Spirit startled before understanding that the question was, at least, for them. [No, thank you.]
The Professor went to the closet, took a deep breath, and yanked the door open as he ran behind it for cover. He waited for half a decade of procrastination to come crashing down… Nothing happened. It was a good start.
If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.
"Specter?" Morgan suggested as he cautiously poked his head around the door.
[No.] They said, clearly engrossed in what he was up to.
Within the closet, bins were stacked on top of bins until they reached heights that almost scraped the ceiling, and there were at least four to five more stacks behind the first. In between the dusty, cobweb-riddled towers of black plastic were all the items that couldn't fit in a bin. While the item Morgan sought after would be too big to fit inside a bin, it only meant he'd need to pull out row after row to reach the deepest section.
"Spook?" He asked with a resigned sigh.
[No... May I ask what you are doing?]
"This is where I threw all my field and training gear when I got too old to have fun. We need a case to carry the Artifact in, as I'm not trying to get questioned by security for carrying a weapon." The old man began stretching as he prepared to lie in the bed he'd made. "They've been very touchy about that after all the recent Empire terrorism. At best it'll get confiscated, at worst they'll cuff me first and ask questions later. How do you feel about Phantasma?"
[Pardon my assumption, but would a case made to carry a weapon, even a nonlethal one, not also attract attention? Also, I am afraid Phantasma does not resonate with me.]
"Alright Spirit, then how about Anima? As for the case, I got tired of cops thinking the same way you do and stopping me for questioning. So I had a custom case made that's shaped like one meant for an instrument known as a guitar."
Before the Spirit could give an answer, Morgan bent his knees, gripped the handle of the bottommost bin, and dragged the whole row nearly three meters into the room. He might have dragged it further if the sudden acceleration hadn't surprised him into letting go.
Strange. That stack was far lighter than it should have been. It wasn't like the Professor not to have packed every container to its absolute limit. Thoughts of thieves in the night entered his mind only to be quickly dismissed. What would a bunch of college brats do with all the ancient junk he kept around?
[The nickname is better, but I am not a fan of the animal imagery it conjures…] They paused momentarily to consider the suggestion. [I will pass on this name. However, if you describe this false guitar case, I may be able to keep watch for it.]
Morgan stepped into the newly created space to peer between the other rows and, again, saw no promising sign.
Now, the man had to wonder if he was going senile. Was the dart gun even at the university? It should be. The Professor's most recent memory is using it in school four years ago during the fluorescent capybara incident.
"The case is shaped like a rounded hourglass with a long protrusion on top. It's made from a hard plastic with a dark gray color and straps attached on one side." Morgan described his target and offered his best nickname. "Umbra?"
[Umbra? No, no. That will not do at all.] The Spirit declined firmly before adding casually, [As for the color of the case, I would say it resembles more of a black than a gray.]
"It's black, but I'm accounting for all the dust that's probably- You know where it is, don't you?"
[Look to the top of the storage bins you just pulled out.] They advised, and he could hear the smirk they wore, lack of body be damned.
Really? Morgan looked, and sure enough what on first glance appeared to be the topmost bin was in fact, the case. Oops. While he folly was a bit of an ego bruiser, mistakes were part of-
A corner of the Professor's lips twitched as a new nickname came to mind.
"You've just saved us from wasting a whole lot of time." He said while carefully stretching out his arms to grab hold of his quarry. "Good job, Ego."
[Ego? Hmm. Ego is interesting. Certainly more fitting than the others. An ego is the mediator between conscious and unconscious parts of the Sapient psyche, the sense of a person's identity... Yes, I do enjoy the sound of that. From this moment forward, that shall be my nickname. I thank you, Professor.]
"Any time." Morgan said, taking the opportunity to carry the case over to his desk. He made to open it, yet there was one more trial to overcome. "When the hell did I put a combination lock on this?"
Morgan frowned as he eyed the combination lock, pinning the two zippers in place. Compared to the beaten-up and scratched rifle case, this lock was clearly far newer. He vaguely recalls placing a lock here sometime after the glowing capybara debacle. The thinking back then might've been akin to, if one student knows about the rifle, the rest will soon.
Regardless, the issue remains that he didn't remember the combination. Fortunately, he knew where to look.
He switched on the Holo-Projector.
*VroOMMM*
"Holo-Projector. Open file labeled 'Junk Drawer' and display the contents." This was where the Professor stored all passwords or important access codes for anything he thought was essential to keep but not remember, hence the file name.
[What is a Junk Drawer?] Asked Ego.
The Professor opened his mouth to answer, unsure he could explain the Earth phenomena that nearly every home contained. However, the Spirit was spared from the trial as a robotic growl of a voice spoke up.
"VOICE RECOGNITION FAILED. PLEASE REPEAT REQUEST."
The Head Research Officer's head snapped up to the ceiling as he had never once heard those words.
"Holo-Projector." Morgan stood up straight and repeated himself, making sure to speak clearly this time. "Open file labeled 'Junk Drawer' and-"
"VOICE NOT RECOGNIZED." Interrupted the uppity AI. "THIS HOLO-PROJECTOR UNIT IS ASSIGNED FOR THE PERSONAL USE OF THE HEAD RESEARCHER OF BOSTIN PRIME UNIVERSITY. PLEASE REQUEST PROFESSOR CHARLES MORGAN FOR PERMISSION TO USE HOLO-PROJECTOR."
[That is an interesting conundrum.] Ego hummed with interest. [Could the teleportation to Vajrayana have somehow caused damage to this device?]
"Could be. But I doubt it. The box the AI is in is rated to survive earthquakes." He answered with uncertainty. Morgan placed the guitar case on the floor and returned to the chair. "Holo-Projector. Force open to desktop. Override code TAP-3275601-R1C."
"OVERRIDE CODE ACCEPTED." The AI accepted its place in the pecking order, but the tin can just had to have the last word. "CURRENT USER WILL BE RECORDED AS PER SAFETY PROTOCOLS. WARNING: ANY ATTEMPT TO DISABLE RECORDING SOFTWARE WILL RESULT IN A SHUTDOWN. WARNING: THERE WILL BE A DELAY IN START-UP FUNCTIONS DUE TO RECORDING SOFTWARE. PLEASE HOLD."
*VRROOOMMMM!*
"Shut down," he sniffed to Ego as the cooling fans above began to scream for death under the technical strain. "And an alert to security and the police. It's fine; I'll just minimize the window. We'll look up the combination, load up the Artifact, and start shopping for supplies. We have 24 hours before I'm contractually obligated to throw open the gates, and we need to make a lot of stops before we go to my home."
[Of course. I am not sure where our journey will take us, but I am sure there will be many hardships ahead of us.] The Spirit said sagely before switching to a more sorrowful tone. [However, I fear this one will be utterly useless in gathering supplies. Spirits require little save for Aether, and I believe you have much more experience with such long journeys. I fear I will be little more than a useless bystander. Constantly chattering in your ear, so to speak. Unless you have any tasks this humble Spirit could perform in the meantime?]
"Uh-huh." The Professor grunted noncommittally as he read between the mental lines. "Nothing comes to mind. Do you have any idea how you could pass the time, Ego?"
[As a matter of fact, I might have stumbled upon a solution that will benefit us both.] They hinted at him like a car salesman offering a discount just for their favorite sucker. [Professor, did you know that once a memory is created, it is permanently etched onto the mind even when the Soul has forgotten? This is how a Spirit is able to retain their memories of their past life. The exception being myself, of course.]
"I did not know that." The final LEDs flickered overhead. "Let's cut the bullshit Spirit. Why do you want to look at my memories?"
On any other day, Morgan would have been alarmed by such a request. The very idea did set off warning bills, but he couldn't just shut them down outright.
Eris had sworn up and down on her Dao that Ego couldn't forcibly violate his privacy in any way. The connection between them was mutual and voluntary, establishing a relationship similar between guest and host. Even if the Spirit wanted to force their way into memory lane, they'd be forced to stop possessing him first and only then attack him. At the moment Ego only had as much freedom as he gave them.
[Hee-Hehe! Very well.] Snickered Ego as they dropped the pretenses. [The truth of the matter is I have fallen completely for your Earth media after only having a taste of the blue box show. I wish to be given access to only your memories of all media you have ever consumed. I have no desire to know your thoughts and feelings on them or any other thoughts that might have been conjured at the time. Only the visual and auditory senses that originate from the media.]
"Oh, is that it?" The Professor had been worried about a more personal request. His history would stay with him until the grave, but if the voice in his head only wanted to watch more TV while he shopped, it was fine with him. First, he needed to make sure of something. "Media can be distracting, especially the mind-numbing stuff we humans cook up. How do I get your attention if I need to ask you something? Do I just call your nickname three times to summon you or something?"
[A very perceptive question. Firstly, I will be absorbing the content you provide at a rapid pace. I suspect that it will take roughly 15 to 18 hours before I am finished consuming it all. Also, I doubt any vocal summonings could reach me in such a state. So you will need to project any communication to me. Speak mind to mind, if you will.]
"I can do that?"
[Naturally, Professor. Our Souls are essentially touching at the moment, and with some conscious effort, the words can pass between us without the need to give them voice. This is how I am able to speak to you now. Please, give it an attempt.]
"Conscious effort." The Scientist grumbled as he closed his eyes to focus. The room disappeared, and for half a beat, he expected a ghostly apparition to manifest in his personal darkness. When nothing came, he set to work. With his internal monologue as a voice, he projected to Ego. [Like this?]
*Clap, Clap, Clap* The sound of someone applauding echoed in his mind.
[Excellent work!] Cheered Ego loudly before whistling in celebration, the sharp intensity of which caused Morgan to wince. Ego noticed and their following words came much softer. [My apologies. But that was a perfect projection. With diligent practice, I am sure you will reach my proficiency with the skill.]
[Good to know. I'm just happy I wouldn't have to look like I'm talking to myself whenever we speak in public. Lunatics draw attention.] He projected before the darkness he experienced became suddenly brighter. [The Holo is on,] he opened his eyes, [let's-]
Morgan's jaw tightened at what was being displayed before him.
[Professor.] Asked the Spirit curiously. [Who is that?]
The recording software displayed a scarred man sitting in his chair, hunched over his desk, wearing his white lab coat, and scowling up at the ceiling. The Professor had seen this man's picture only hours ago, though it technically was less than half of one.
In his heart of hearts, Morgan knew it had been roughly half a century since that man had looked back at anything.
image [https://i.imgur.com/XQWtxCf.png]
"It's…me." Whispered the Scientist as he began examining his younger self, or rather himself. "Holo-Projector. Change the recording angle to mirror mode."
The hologram flickered and suddenly Morgan was staring into his own heterochromia glare. He stood up and so too did his photon doppelganger. The old man made young again leaned forward as far as the desk allowed. He lifted his left hand, flexed it, and watched the rejuvenated muscles under the fleshy digits flex with forgotten power. With the other appendage, he felt the scar given to him by a hawk from Alaska which made him at least 27.
This guess was outright confirmed as he finally, after almost ten minutes of having it back, realized he had a right pinky. At the base of that pinky was a simple band of polished green stone—a jade ring he had seen not so long ago. The return of the prodigal finger put him squarely in the first month of his 27th year of life. He flexed the long-lost digit and found he could maneuver it perfectly. That alone settled exactly what happened.
[I've literally been returned to my 27-year-old body.] He switched to mental communication as all of this was being recorded. The Professor did not want any incriminating evidence to be floating around if any of this ever came back to bite him in the ass. [I'm new to magi- I mean Cultivation. But if this were a rejuvenation, my scar should have also healed, and my pinky muscle memory wouldn't return so perfectly. Also-] Morgan sniffed his gray-less hair and found the smoking gun he sought. [Coconuts.]
[...I beg your pardon?]
[I was gifted a year's supply of coconut hair moisturizer around this age and never used it again once I went through the box.] He visibly shuddered at recalling the tropical torture. [Saving money was nice, but I haven't been able to stomach a Mounds bar since.]
[You seem surprised. Is this new youth and Dimensional Ring not a part of the deal with our Patron?] Ego asked as the body they inhibited obsessively wiggled their pinky. [Also, I do not mean to come off as rude, but did you truly not notice obtaining another finger until just now?]
[I didn't ask for it. Doing so never really crossed my mind.] The Professor shoved the ring into his pocket only to discover a sheet of folded paper within. He opened the sheet and found it contained a handwritten note from his Patron. He skimmed through the contents as he added absently. [By the way, I didn't have a pinky for almost ⅔ of my life, so cut me some slack.]
[Cut you some what?]
That question alone convinced Morgan to allow Ego to take in all the Earth culture they wanted. He is unlikely to ever meet another Earthling once this expedition starts, and he suspects it'll last a while. In all that time, for all those years, he will make references. It's inevitable.
So why should he suffer alone?