Adam could have stayed under the shower for quite a bit longer but he knew the Lord Protector would be waiting and he didn’t want to antagonize him. He let the warm water run over his body, soaped up, and then rinsed off. Stepping out from the waterfall he picked up a towel that had been left there and dried off. When he was done he picked up his robe, put it on, and left the shower room.
“Hello, Adam, I am adjunct to the Lord Protector, Ethaniel Willowisp. The Lord Protector bids you greetings and hopes that you are well,” Ethaniel said as he offered a curt nod.
“Thank you,” Adam said looking around. “I thought Vanya would be waiting for me?”
“Now that you are up and about, Lady Vanya was needed elsewhere. She does not normally attend to wounded or injured individuals. She was brought in specifically because no one could understand what had happened to you and she has a unique skill set.”
“Thank you for the information. If you happen to come across her in the near future please convey my thanks for her assistance,” Adam said.
“I will be sure to do so, if you’d follow me I will escort you to the Lord Protector,” Ethaniel said.
***
Earth 1314
“We’ve lost the connection,” William Smith said
“What do you mean we’ve lost the connection?” Doctor Elizabeth Brinkle asked.
“I mean that all connections to the artificial universe have been severed?” William said exasperated.
“How is that possible? Dr. Brinkle asked.
“Just before it happened there was an energy fluctuation…” William started to say before the doctor cut him off.
“Where exactly is this simulated Universe stored? Can’t you just go physically check it?” Doctor Brinkle asked.
“Oh right, you weren’t here when we started this “game.”
“What does that have to do with anything?” Dr. Brinkle asked.
“Do you remember the discovery about 10 years back, nascent Universes and Quantum tunneling?” William asked.
“Of course, I do,” the Doctor said.
“Doctor Mason discovered a way to imprint electronic patterns into the structure of the nascent universe. With the help of our AI, we were able to successfully take the project’s structure and imprint it into a nascent Universe. The A.I. governed it.” William started to explain but he was cut off again.
“How many of these nascent Universes were discovered?” Dr. Brinkle asked.
“For all practical purposes, they are infinite,” William said.
“So, this whole time people that downloaded into the ‘game’ and returned were downloading their consciousness into another Universe then coming back.”
“No that was too dangerous. The gear they bought only copied their mind and put them to sleep, or that’s the way it was supposed to work. When they were done with the game the information would be added to their current mentality and they would remember playing the game that their copy participated in. At least that was what we thought was happening.” William said.
“So what has happened?” Dr. Brinkle asked.
“When we first started we tested to make sure if the connection was lost we could unplug them from the “game”, and they would be all right with no memory of entering the game. In fact, the test subjects usually sat up asking what happened because they felt like no time had gone by. Last year one person wasn’t able to jack out of the game. As the year has progressed more and more haven’t been able to jack out.
“Why not, if you’re just copying their minds, they should still be in their bodies, just unplug them,” Dr. Brinkle said.
“We tried, the first person we did that to died. The body was fine of course, our nanite technology sees to that. His mind, however, was gone. After we checked another one of the stuck individuals we tried to reconnect the person to the game but once disconnected no connection could be re-established. Through our administrative interface were able to verify that he was okay. We had the A.I. delete any memory of their life before the game and make a real backstory for the person while we quietly disposed of their body,” William said.
“I see where you’re going with this. Player Characters became non-Player Characters. How many people did this happen to?” Dr. Brinkle asked.
“Over the last year about a million. We finally realized that it was happening to individuals who hadn’t disconnected for about a month straight, though the time varied, that’s why we didn’t notice the problem, to begin with.” William answered.
“And now we’ve lost our connection to that Universe and the A.I. in it?” Doctor Brinkle asked.
“Yes, after the energy spike the quantum tunnel started to collapse and nothing we did had any effect,” William said.
“Okay, first things first, check the temporal acceleration inside the nascent Universe just before it closed. Those readings should be part of the saved data,” Dr. Brinkle said.
William typed in a few commands and then said, “Holy hell! Just before the quantum tunnel collapsed the temporal difference was at least one million to one and accelerating.”
“And there it is, both the cause for the Player issue and the Quantum Tunneling issue. As the time frame in the Nascent Universe increased it became desynchronized. Once they became desynchronized they were never coming back. Obviously, their mind wasn’t being copied, someone was lying about that. As for losing contact through the Quantum Tunnel? Yes, that can definitely be attributed to the time difference. Simply stated the coordinates of that nascent Universe have changed.
“Changed, how have they changed?” William asked.
“As you know from that study that was published a couple of years back, the currently accepted theory is that reality, all of it. The extra dimension, the alternate Universes, and the like, exist as if everything were in an ocean. Though to visualize it you’d need to think of the planet being completely liquid all the way to the core and that the surface of the ocean is infinitely far away. As a bubble gets near the surface, the pressure lessens. As it goes deeper, the pressure increases.”
In this “Ocean” of reality Universes, the bubbles in the ocean, form, and float around. Some are near the surface; others are very deep. Unfortunately, that is where the comparison to an Ocean ends. Instead, depth in this ocean appears to act like what happens when something approaches a singularity. The deeper you go; the more time slows down. The farther away from the center you travel, the faster time fly’s by,” Dr. Brinkle said pausing for a moment.
“I understand that,” William said. “I even understand that our quantum tunneling reaches through the quantum realm to adjacent realities with very similar temporal rates. Too fast or slow and the tunnel collapses.”
“In the analogy I just provided, it looks like the energy fluctuations you’ve detected have changed the buoyancy of the bubbles and they are rushing toward the surface.”
“Do you think we could find them again? We have millions of people online right now.”
“Doubtful,” Dr. Brinkle said thoughtfully, “that said, don’t do anything drastic. We have a little time before this goes public.”
“Yes Ma’am,” William said.
“I’m going to go file my report, I’ll be back shortly,” Dr. Brinkle said as she stood and walked out of the server room. It was so cute how the people of this Universe had come up with that theory. The analogy even worked to a point except there was no ocean and very few could travel to any universe they wanted to. Luckily for her, she was one of those people.
She’d been on this planet for the last 20 years and come to understand these humans. Also, her time here had been quite lucrative. She’d been able to acquire precious metals and trade them back home for a huge sum. Also, she knew exactly why they’d lost the connection. Because she’d been the one to give the coordinates to the Pelza Empire for repurposing. Their ‘game’ was now fuel for those that would be Gods.
Her elevation within the Pelza Empire over the last 20 years had been rapid. The Universe she was in had helped her find targets for her Empire. Hopefully, they’d be able to find another one soon, if not she’d have to provide the coordinates for this Universe. Opportunities for advancement were sparse for those that did not perform well.
Dr. Brittle considered everything as she walked toward the ladies’ room. As soon as she’d made sure the room was clear she teleported directly out of the Universe and into an incoming teleporter at “The Plant” as it was commonly referred to.
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“Halt, Identity yourself!” a guard sporting a very powerful wand stated as she appeared.
“Resplendent. Scout 1314, Returning from Assignment”
“Passcode Resplendent recognized and approved. Welcome back Scout 1314, please wear this badge while in the facility,” The guard said as he handed a badge to her.
Dr. Brittle, Scout 1314, or as her boss knew here, Erika accepted the badge and clipped it to her collar. She stepped out of her designated return point and walked down a short hallway to another chamber and stepped inside. She was immediately teleported to an area that contained many office doors and rooms. She made her way to an unmarked door and knocked once
“Come,” a male voice called clearly through the door
Erika stepped inside two steps, just enough to allow the door to close behind her, and waited. Those that took three or more steps into this office did so at their own peril. She didn’t even know who her boss was but she knew firsthand that people that rushed into this room usually did so once.
“Before we begin I would like to offer my condolences for the loss of your sister Cozbi,” the man said from behind his desk.
Sadness, despair, and then anger entered her mind. Before she spoke she calmed herself and then responded calmly, “Thank you for the consideration. May I ask how she died?”
“You may. I have prepared a memory crystal to help clarify,” he said as Erika’s mind was flooded with images of her sister’s death.
Erika watched Dave and Cozbi’s encounter with this Adam character, as her boss said, “Azshereek Selma died in a viewing chamber nearby.”
As the memory crystal finished its playback in her mind she said, “Mr. Selma is dead?” Erika said forgetting her place, “That must mean that Mrs. Selma must have been in the room with him. She activated the eradication function?”
“Yes, is this going to be a problem?” he asked.
“No, there is no greater glory than to serve, and die, for the Pelza Empire. You would not show me this if you did not need me for something concerning this encounter which means the target survived eradication. I thought that was impossible?” Erika asked.
“We live in a magical Universe, anything is possible,” the man said as he paused to think. “Yes, he survived. No, we do not know how. In fact, we believe even now that he is on Norstrom.”
“How is that even possible? Erika asked disbelievingly. “Once those arrays activate no magic can force its way through those energy walls. They break down any living matter into energy and scramble that energy, it’s what they’re designed to do. How did this man survive that, let alone teleport to an adjacent Universe?”
“You’re quite sure they cannot be circumvented?” He asked.
“I only have my Dimensional Quintessence to Epic and my Space Quintessence is at High but I’m pretty sure if I cannot escape one of those fields, no one can,” Erika said looking thoughtful for a moment before she asked, “Where on Norstrom?”
“We have received reports that an individual that matches the description has stepped in and helped the elves of Kaljaharsi against The Eternal Empire.
“Isn’t that on the other side of the world from the Pelza Empire’s holdings?” Erika asked.
“Yes,” he answered.
“More importantly, don’t they have a Mother Tree?” Erika asked.
“Our reports say yes, oh, you’re thinking Reincarnation or Resurrection?” he said.
“Yes, I don’t think he escaped our arrays. In this place of all places, they are inescapable unless you have Legendary Quintessence and attributes to back them up. I think he died and was reborn,” she said.
There was a tapping of a pen on the table before he said, “For resurrection, a piece of the body would have had to survive. Nothing in that room survived. For Reincarnation, that would not be a problem either except that this Adam killed over 100,000 orcs, goblins, gnolls, and even a few Ogres before it was reported that he was slain by a vampire, only to appear in Tree Haven the next day. Reincarnation usually means coming back as something else or another, yet by all accounts, he appears the same. Something else is going on here and we’d like you to investigate.”
“It is my honor to serve the empire as required,” Erika said.
“Very good. You are hereby promoted to Field Commander. You may revert to your true form after this meeting. A requisition request has already been filed with the supply officer and your uniform and equipment should be waiting for you.
“And my previous assignment?” Erika asked.
“It was my understanding you were returning to inform me that there were no new candidates for transformation at this time?” he asked.
“That was my intention. Unless you think I should suggest that Universe as a new target?
“No, that Universe has proved useful. We’ll give them a little more time to discover more targets for us. Besides, why should our technicians have to do all the work?
“Very well Sir,”
“If that is all, you may go.”
Erika turned, opened the door, and walked out. She had a lot of work to do. First, though, she would finally be able to look at herself in a mirror without cringing. Unenhanced humans were so pathetic looking.
***
Adam took the offered seat across from the Lord Protector as he said, “I would like to thank you again for your hospitality.”
“It was nothing, my concern is for your condition. Do you know what happened?” The Lord Protector asked.
“As far as I can tell, nothing that anyone did to me. I laid down to sleep and I didn’t wake up,” Adam said.
“No system messages or the like?” The Lord Protector asked.
“There were. When I finally woke up I had a message that said ‘Integration Error, Recalibrating 75% complete’,” Adam said.
“Where did you say you came from again?”
“I came from a Universe with a different type of energy-based lifeform. That’s the simplest way I can explain it,” Adam said.
“Try the hard way, maybe I’ll understand,” The Lord Protector said.
“Okay,” Adam said as he thought about how to describe SYSTEM Matrix 001, “You know how a painting captures a person, place, or event?”
“I do,” he said.
“The closest analogy is that I came from a Universe where everything lived within a single painting. When I arrived here I had to be converted from paint into flesh and blood,” Adam said.
“Believe it or not, that makes sense to me. So you came from a place where the laws were different and when you arrived the rules that governed your conversion didn’t get it right so a recalibration happened to fix the problems,”
“Yes and no. I was converted just fine, as compared to what I was inside the ‘painting’ but I was much weaker. The recalibration was initiated by a being that thought to impose his will on my fundamental nature,” Adam said.
“What happened to that being?” The Lord Protector asked.
Adam smiled.
“I see,”
“No, let me explain. He attempted to reduce whatever the rules for the place said I could do. His attempt forced my core to evolve and change from those preset settings. If I’m being honest, I don’t know exactly what the changes he tried to make left me capable of. I do know that he won’t ever be able to mess with anyone ever again,” Adam said.
“You do seem to have a way of leaving a bloody trail behind you,” The Lord Protector said. “That’s not a criticism. We are still very grateful to you for the way that you helped a month ago. If after your display of self-sacrifice and heroism someone tried to punish you or weaken you in some way and you ended them for it. The strong will prevail, that is Nature’s way.”
“Thank you, I thought you at least be upset with me for destroying someone for no better reason than they tried to make changes to me without my permission,” Adam said.
“The Kaljaharsi may be slightly xenophobic and shun the other races but when nature blesses a being by reincarnating them with full memory of their previous life and then that being goes forth and destroys thousands upon thousands of our hated enemies that want nothing more than to destroy our homes, you will find that we will side with that person before we side with some being that we know nothing of,” The Lord Protector said.
“I Thank you for your trust,” Adam said.
“It is nothing. Have you checked your messages since waking earlier?” The Lord Protector asked.
“No, the encounter with the being, the shower, and the short walk over here was all I have had time for,” Adam said.
“Then please, review your messages while I go check with one of my aids and bring us some lunch,” he said as he stood and exited the room.
Adam was hesitant to trust the Lord Protector but again, he’d been nothing but patient and understanding with him. Adam opened his Personal Information to see what had changed.
After a glance at his attributes, the only thing that Adam noticed that was different was that there was an * after the word Legendary next to his base attributes. When he hovered over the “*” a “Step limited by Cultivator Level” message appeared.
The next thing he checked was his abilities. He hadn’t re-acquired any of the abilities he’d lost but he noticed that two of his abilities had changed; “Quintessence Chameleon” had changed to “Variable Quintessence” and the text of “Adaptable” had changed.
“Variable Quintessence ” – You may modify Quintessence you have integrated as needed. Type and Category may be changed as desired. Note: Using this ability during combat is highly discouraged.
“Adaptable” – Chaos adapts to all environments.
Finally, a new ability had been added, something titled “Dual State.”
“Dual State” – Having existed in both holographic patterned Universes and “Normal” Universes you may alter your quantum chaotic state to one that may interact with holographic universes. There are many manifestations of this type of quantum state. NOTE: Dual State allows you to remember and direct your travel through the Astral Plane normally doesn’t allow physical matter to solidify.
It looked like it was going to be much easier to upgrade his Cultivator Rank and also pick and chose what Adam wanted his Quintessence Abilities to do. Dual State would do him no good right now, except when he all but died, but maybe he’d be able to control where he was reincarnated. That could be extremely useful. Adam looked around for The Lord Protector and noticed that he still hadn’t returned.
Very cool, no time Like the present to test “Variable Quintessence.” Adam pulled one Earth Quintessence from his Shadow Vault and absorbed it, then looked into himself to view his core. As before he noted a single star representing the Earth Quintessence orbiting his churning milky white core. As he concentrated on it a message appeared.
Would you like to Integrate one Earth Quintessence, Yes or No?
Adam chose “Yes” and a new prompt appeared as the star of quintessence was swallowed by his core.
Earth Quintessence Pattern Integrated and Stored. You may now convert any quintessence to Earth Quintessence for Integration at a 1-for-1 ratio.
Adam noted that the quintessence that had been converted into a pattern didn’t give him an ability but that was okay, he would be able to find plenty of Quintessence with his Treasure Renderer ability. Of course, he needed to find one of every type of quintessence but he easily had enough to meet the criteria of a Rank X Cultivator in his inventory if all he wanted to do was create Earth, Dark, and Death abilities. Of course, he had one quintessence of Light, Air, Life Fire, and Infernal. Once he used that first one to get the pattern he should be able to create whatever abilities he could think of using any of those elements by converting the rest of the Earth, Dark, and Death Quintessence to what he needed.
Adam knew he was really going to like this new ability. And if he made mistakes, we’ll he could always reset his quintessence, though he wondered if that would wipe out the patterns he’d saved. Probably now that he thought about it. If he was clearing his core of the previous abilities then the patterns would probably go as well because they were also stored in his core. That would make sense. But he could now shape and alter his magical abilities just like he could with the ability Spellweaver. It looked like his chaotic nature wanted him to be able to adapt his magic as needed for some reason.