Adam decided to let the part of himself that he’d automated handle everything and sent a simple command to his Controller in his Mindspace, it was so much easier when he gave that part of himself a name, like Thor or Odin. Maybe he’d think of that part of himself as Command and Control or CC for short. Yeah CC sounded good. He sent his wishes to CC
Adam: CC, that’s your designation now, you know short for Command and Control, also, you know how you just felt about me telling myself what all of you already know in there, yeah, the feeling’s mutual so we’ll just ignore the fact that we each know what the other is going to say after the first couple of words and live with the fact that we are me…Too much, yeah too much. Integrated the pattern for any quintessence we don’t have, make sure to do so for each Step of quintessence then use the most, convert them to Step-2, and bring all quintessence abilities up to Step-2 Legendary as quickly as possible.
CC: Understood, this will take a few moments.
Adam purposefully stopped paying attention to his body, though he did keep an eye on the surroundings while he considered everything that had happened with the Khau’ting. Could he have handled that better? Probably. Step-3 and Step-4 creatures getting ready to come through the Earth and turn humans into literal meat puppets. On second thought, yeah, fuck those guys.
He’d come a long way since he’d taken out those two criminals in New Mexico. Even so, he’d killed 61,022 sentient creatures and a lot of other sea life as well. It was too bad he’d been shoved into the Astral, if he could have used his Aura Sight, maybe he could have detected a soul and seen what happens next.
He also considered the fact that he’d only received 11,359 Quintessence total. That was only 18.6% of Atlantean and Khau’ting he’d killed if he was getting one quintessence per creature. He knew in some cases he’d be getting a couple so that percentage was high. It was probably closer to 10%. That meant that Quintessence were not an automatically lootable item from every single creature he killed. It was going to take him a lot longer to get his Cultivator rank up if his hunch about needing Step-4 Quintessence to increase his Cultivator Rank Above Class X was correct.
Exactly 1 minute and 53 seconds later he received another message.
CC: 8 Step-1 Quintessence have had its patterns Integrated. 20 Step-2 Quintessence have had its patterns Integrated. 162 Step-1 Quintessence were utilized to bring Teleport and Planar Travel to the Rank Step-2 Legendary. 960 Step-2 Quintessence were utilized to bring all Quintessence abilities not already at Rank Step-2 Legendary to that point. Your math is not wrong, it should have taken almost seven times as long. Stutter-Step was utilized to increase the absorption of all remaining Step-1 and Step-2 Quintessence. Currently, you have 11 Step-3 Air Quintessence in your Shadow Vault
Notable items from ability updates.
Flight can now attain Mach/Warp 14. Warp 14 is 537,824 times the speed of light if this ability is using the 5th power. We suggest that you try to acquire an ability that will protect you at such velocities.
Mold Chaos can now create up to 128 tons out to 7,000 feet away from you.
Teleport has a range of 128,000,000 miles.
True Sight, Aura Sight, and Technomancy all have an effective range of 2,100 Feet. At Step-2 each rank increased the abilities range by 200 feet instead of 100 feet.
Adam paused for a moment, that was a bit of an upgrade. It also meant that more powerful creatures would be able to detect him further out. He needed to increase his abilities as fast as he could. Especially those that allowed him to detect threats. He went back to reading the update on his abilities.
Personal Map now has a range of 8,192 miles around you. Though any areas will be fogged, or greyed, out if you have not visited the location or your information is outdated.
Stutter Step now allows 14 combat rounds per 1 combat round at a mana cost of Step-2 Legendary. New functionality has also been unlocked. This ability can be set to personal and will allow one-half of the combat rounds for only you at the same mana cost. You can now engage in combat and take 7 Combat rounds worth of actions for Legendary Step-2 Mana. Note, costs by Step are still being correlated. We suggest that you do not try to do this with mana costs any higher than Step-1 legendary.
All other abilities still work as previously understood. The only ability we do not know what the upgrade did for you is Planar Travel.
That is all for now.
Adam closed his interface and activated Planar Travel
Planar Travel activated.
ERROR, Planar Travel has been shut down.
The ability Planar Travel is being reworked.
Please Wait
Please Wait
Please Wait.
Planar Travel has been reworked!
Planar Travel 1.01 – Allows you to travel between target locations in different Universes, Dimensions, Realms, Realities, etc. This ability has three modes.
Mode 1: Activating Planar travel will add the current location to a list of Target Locations. Target Locations can be deleted at any time. You may only have 7 Target locations for Each Step. Please note, this ability creates a Spatial lock to the current location. Various rules govern these locks. On planets, it will be the same geographic location and elevation. In locations that are not on planets, the location is locked to the coordinates of the nearest Stellar body or Universal coordinates in three planes from the center of the Universes, Dimensions, Realms, Realities, etc. Care should be taken when traveling to locations that have not been visited in a long time. Current number of Target Locations: 0 of 14.
Mode 2: Activating Planar travel in Mode 2 will allow you to teleport, or open a portal up to 10 feet in diameter, to a location on your list of Target Locations that are not within your current Universes, Dimensions, Realms, Realities, etc. You may also attempt to target locations you have visited but have not added to your Target Location. Chance of success is based on the Memory of location. If the Target location is known to the Interface, Planar Travel will deposit you there.
Mode 3: Activating Planar Travel in Mode 3 opens a Portal to the closest Universes, Dimensions, Realms, Realities, etc. to the location you are currently in. The various Universes, Dimensions, Realms, Realities, etc. are constantly moving. There is no guarantee that a location will open to the same Universes, Dimensions, Realms, Realities, etc.
Planar travel does have a range limit though it is not a measure of distance but of energy requirement. This ability may open portals to other Universes, Dimensions, Realms, Realities, etc. of equal or lesser Step. Ranks within a given Step do not matter. To open a portal to a Step-3 Target Location the ability must be Step-3 or higher.
Note: Abilities “Perfect Memory” and “Dual State” are Synergistic with this ability
Interesting changes. Adam activated Planar Travel in Mode 1 and received a notification.
You have added this location to your Target Locations for the ability Planar Travel. Lock Type: Planet.
Adam thought about Earth, his underwater base near Hawaii, and the Airlock. He activated Planar Travel Mode 2 and received a notification as he found himself standing in the Airlock on his base on Earth. He quickly activated Planar Travel Mode 1 and received a second notification. He checked them both quickly.
Planar Travel ability use successful. Memory of location 100% identified and located. Location 99.9% similar. Teleport Successful.
You have added this location to your Target Locations for the ability Planar Travel. Lock Type: Planet.
Adam took in the area and then visualized the chamber he created in the tunnel through the Planetoid where Tash’Vaylar and he had dropped out of the Vital Flumen. He held that location in his memory and then activated Planar Travel Mode 2. This time a Warning popped up.
WARNING: Memory of location 100% identified and located. Location 14% similar. Would you still like to teleport to the targeted location, Yes or No?
14% Similar, which indicated something had changed. If his math wasn’t too far off it should have been right on the edge of the explosion. Still, the location could have shifted and damage could have been taken. Adam chose “Yes.” The universe went dark for a second then he felt the heat which immediately subsided.
He looked around and found that the opening to the Vital Flumen had been sealed and he was in a small stone room. He checked his notification.
Planar Travel ability use successful.
He set the task of handling messages and notifications back to his CC then activated Planar Travel Mode 1. He noted the notification toggle and that let him know he’d saved this location. His nanites were still all around him here and he had them open the door only to find himself enveloped by a plasma field. Adaptable keep him safe as he activated Flight, and moved out into the tube the Vital Flumen had once flowed through. He flew off toward the spot where he’d been captured and found himself in a steaming environment. He set his flight path for a straight trajectory and increase to 60 miles an hour. If as he suspected he was in the fireball of the antimatter explosion the pressure should be forcing it to shrink. The heat would create steam and outside the region of steam, he should find water again.
No sooner had he thought it than he found himself slamming into water. He took a little damage which his regeneration handled then viewed his Personal Map. It was time to check on the portal. Adam looked at his Map and realized it might still be within. The fireball. He thought about things for a moment then slowed to a stop and activated Obscure.
Adam dropped his focus to his Soul Core and concentrated on creating an ability that would protect him and allow for minimal environmental disruption as he navigated through any medium including vacuum. He focused on one of the Step-1 motes and willed it to be absorbed.
You have chosen to integrate a mote of Chaos into an Ability. The ability “Variable Quintessence” has been activated. New Ability sought: Category: Defense. Energy Type: Chaos. Ranged: Self. Goal: Prevent environmental damage from speed related to movement ability Flight while in Atmosphere or Warp Speed. Is this information correct? Yes or no?
The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.
Adam chose “Yes.”
Congratulations you have integrated the Chaos Quintessence ability “Freedom of Flight” This ability has a cost equal to the cost of Flight in use. This ability bends space and time around you while the ability of Flight is activated. While your body moves through space it does not do so as physical matter. Instead, your body’s mass is transformed into pure energy, and you travel as if you were a single photon, though you are completely aware of your surroundings. Additionally, you are slightly out of phase with reality allowing only energy, space, time, and gravity-type attacks to affect you. Energy Type Chaos. This ability will only activate with the Ability Flight. This ability can be turned off at any time. NOTE: Doing so while at very high speeds can have catastrophic consequences. The mana cost for this ability is identical to the mana cost of the Flight Ability.
While he was focused on his Soul Core and dropped beneath to find the node for his new ability. He quickly brought it up to Step-1 Legendary for 6 Step-1 Chaos Motes and then Step-2 Legendary for 84 Step-2 Chaos Motes. Next, he visited his Mindspace and added Freedom of Flight to the fragment of Conscious that was controlling Flight then pulled his focus to the real world and sped off at Mach 14, or 10,220 miles per hour.
Over the next hour, Adam did a quick reconnaissance of the area around the “star” that was once the Khau’ting empire. It didn’t take long for him to map it out. He wondered what would happen if he went to warp speed. What the hell, you only live once, or twice or…
Adam activated Warp speed and speed away from the false star at the speed of light. When he hadn’t died instantly he continued to step it up until he was traveling at Warp 14. He was traveling so fast that his Personal Map wasn’t even trying to keep up, it was just a blur. He allowed the speed to continue for 30 seconds then came to a stop, turned around, and headed back the way he’d come. He’d traveled over 3 trillion miles in 30 seconds, and nothing had changed. He was still in a water world with constant pressure throughout. He guessed it could be a giant nebula if it was in a universe but he should have felt pressure variations. This realm was weird.
30 seconds later, Adam found himself back where he started. While he was flying back he noticed the clock and the date for the first time since waking. It had been over five days. There was nothing in the Immortal ability that talked about losing days. Even so, he needed to do something about that plasma fireball in this Ocean.
He found a bubble a little farther out and flew onto the Island and landed. He activated Planar Travel Mode 1: Locked the place he was standing into his target locations and went back to Earth.
Very quickly he looked over the World News and noticed that things were destabilizing worldwide. There were rumors that China was going to make a huge announcement at the United Nations at 9 a.m. He checked the time, it was 7 a.m. in New York. He should be able to make it.
Two hours later found Adam in New York City walking into the UN with a valid security card with all access and a business suit that, while not bad by the best designer on the planet, looked like it was. It had been nothing to fly east, use technomancy once he was as close and Mold Chaos to create everything he needed. Creating the CC to take care of the mundane stuff was one of the best ideas he’d ever had.
Adam was on his way to the main chamber of the UN to listen to China’s declaration and step in if necessary. Adam wanted to let things play out but if what China was going to do was going to destabilize the world even more, he’d have to step in. He really didn’t want to be the crazy dictator type again. As he entered the UN he sent detailed files of procedures to spread out to the nearby solar systems with his nanites to Al. Might as well give him something to do too.
***
Chairman Zao Ching Lao sat through the call to order and waited for the President to call on him. China continued to prosper long after China ‘embraced’ capitalism. Didn’t the fools know? Everything the Chinese did was for the growth of the Chinese. Capitalism had never been ‘embraced.” It had been the tool they used to bring the once-prosperous United States to its knees. He was shaken from his thoughts as the President called on him.
“Chairman Zao Ching Lao from China”
Zao Ching Lao stood and moved to the podium. “Good morning. As we all have things to do today, I will be brief. Today I stand before you to request payment in full by the United States of America on the debt that they have borrowed from our country. This is our official notification that the United States has 30 days to request an extension or produce the funds that are owed us.”
“This is outrageous!” Ambassador Stillson of the United States declared “You do not get to change the rules in the middle of the game!”
“Order! Order! We will have Order!” the President stated as murmurs filled the room.
Once the murmurs had quieted, Chairmen Zao Ching Lao continued, “Ambassador Stillson, knows full well that a clause within the contract for each loan states that China may make a formal announcement requiring payment in full giving the United States 30 days to respond. You have been so notified publicly.”
“Do you have any idea what this news will do to the Stock Market?” Ambassador Stillson asked.
“I do,” Chairman Zao Ching Lao said smugly
“Absolutely Nothing!” a man declared as he walked down the aisle toward the President and Podium
Chairman Lao watched the President look at the newcomer and without hesitation call out, “Security!” A moment later there was a soft explosion as something exploded in a disguised flower holder. A man stood up holding his hand, slipped, and started to fall. Before anyone had even registered what had happened the man had fallen through a horizontal hole a foot above the ground and disappeared.
Security men and women rushed toward the man and started to slow when their weapons and clothes started dissolving. In moments, each was left butt assed naked. The man made a shooing motion to the guards as he said, “There are some fluffy white robes with anything that might have been considered personal to you outside the doors. Your name is nicely printed on each robe. That said, if a Security member touches an outer door after you leave before I say otherwise, you will all lose every single hair on your body, both ladies and men. If you identify as other, I don’t fucking care. If the word security is in their job description, they’ll lose their clothes and weapons just like you as well as their hair too.
“You can’t do that!” one of the braver security guards said
“Robert, look at your right arm.” The man said.
Robert looked at his arm and watched as each hair fell off his arm from the elbow to the hand.
“Should I continue, or will you all make sure no one comes in? I should note the reaction will be swift once that door closes. A single touch and you all lose your hair. If that is not enough to deter you, I’ll have to think of something.” The man said.
The security personnel exited the chamber and the door closed. The man sighed as black circles covered every panel of glass. While the illumination in the room somehow stayed the same. Chairman Zao Ching Lao was quite impressed with the display. Whomever this man was he either had fantastic magic or unbelievable technology.
“The man reached the podium and there was an audible click as everyone heard the microphone get switched over to someone else then he spoke. “Hello Everyone, I’m Adam and I’m not from around these parts, meaning the Universe. If you’re wondering why I sighed I’ll tell you. Exactly 3 seconds after the door closed the Security Chief couldn’t believe the nonsense and touched the door to open it. Each of the doors into this room is now covered by a wormhole that leads to the Andrews AFB Tarmac,” Adam said pausing for a moment as he looked giddy, “Oh my, one of the gung-ho women and three men, now nude and hairless because I am a man of my word, have decided that the images when they opened the doors were just illusions and stepped through. Oh, she’s trying to come back, hold on for a sec, need to move the portal, that should get them out of reach. Oh! There’s security. Oh damn, that looks like it hurt. They tackled her onto the tarmac. Concrete against her sensitive bits, that’s going to leave a mark,” Adam said as a screen appeared in the air showing the scene from the Tarmac. The delegations all watched as black circles similar to the ones in front of the doors and window panels opened and closed as security tried to chase down three other naked people running up and down the runway at Andrews.
“What is the meaning of the is?” The President screamed in a loud voice.
“That, oh that’ That’s just we bit of fun, This next part should be interesting,” Adam said as the single screen separated into six screens that all the delegates and their assistants could see, then six surprised faces appeared on each.
“For context, each of the individuals you see here is at an undisclosed location and has had a screen very similar to the one you’re looking at which is separated into one large image and pictures of other five individuals. Let me introduce you to, Commander Shen and Commander Kong. Both serve China and are currently on the Moon and Mars at undisclosed locations,” Adam said as two Chinese flats appeared in the corner next to each. “Major Anders and Captain Collage both serve the United States Military. One is on the Moon the other is on Mars also,” he continued as two American Flags appeared in the corner of their images, “The last two are Comrades from the reintegrated Russia, They are Commander Egorov and Commander Fedorov.”
Chairman Lao froze. He also noticed that the American and Russian Ambassadors to the United Nations froze as well, “Adam is it, why do you fabricate,” he started to say as a very small screen showing the exact location of the Chinese moon base, visible only to him appeared in front of him. He also noticed that the Russian and American Ambassadors had similar small screens in front of them. No images were visible from the backside. Three seconds later the three small screens disappeared.
“Forgive me for interrupting you Chairman Lao,” Adam said with a hint of mirth in his voice. Commanders as a token of my appreciation for your due diligence in serving your respective countries you will find that your food stocks, water supply, and air supplies have all been miraculously topped off. Ironically, all waste disposal is taken care of as well. Additionally, you will find hot meals and drinks, though no Alcohol, in your mess, enough for everyone to enjoy themselves. Please inform your chain of command then enjoy your meals. I will be visiting you in the coming days to make sure that you have everything you need after I talk with your leaders,” Adam said as the screen disappeared, “Now Chairman Lao, Ambassador Cline, and Ambassador Morozov,” you weren’t about to deny to these fine people that you set up covert secret bases on the Moon and Mars were you?”
“We have no such…”Ambassador Cline started to say as Ambassador Morozov finished his sentence, “bases on either planet!”
“Not to be too picky but the moon is not a planet,” Adam said.
“So you have magic Adam, we have magic too,” Chairman Lao said with a hint of mirth.
“You mean this guy,” Adam said as a portal opened and a man flew through and was grabbed and halted by Adam as if he were nothing. Then Adam struck him so fast that his hands blurred until a Chinese man in a black combat suit lay on the ground in an unconscious heap the next moment. “Sorry about that, He was flying as fast as he could to break into this room,” Adam said as he picked up the unconscious Chinaman one-handed and dropped him through a portal that opened beneath him. The Chinese man fell through the portal and landed heavily” ”He will be all right shortly, he’s just stunned,” Adam called down to two stunned doctors in scrubs in perfect Chinese.
“What is the meaning of this, You dare attack a member of China,” Chairman Lao demanded.
“Dare? I’m pretty sure I just did. Also, No shaking in my boots. I have no family on this planet that you can leverage so let’s just skip the part where you try to find a way to control me, you can’t. Why? Haven’t you wondered why the only place Uranium is working right now is in power reactors? I did that! Now go take a seat and I will explain some of what is going on,” Adam said as he waited until Chairman Lao took his seat next to his Ambassador that hadn’t moved since this all began. Chairman Lao was beginning to wish he’d not come to deliver the Ultimatum.
Once Chairman Lao had seated himself, Adam spoke, “I believe that I have established that there is a new world power on the stage. First, let me assure everyone that I do not want to take over any country or take away anything from anyone, including funds legally owed to the Chinese that have been borrowed by the United States, or any other nation. China has done a brilliant job of putting up with the greed of the west and prospering from it. For me to come along at the end and take all their hard world would be unfair and dishonorable. I believe in Fairness and am not dishonorable. I believe I have also proved that I am a man of my word as the security forces here found out.”
“Then why are you here?” The President of the United Nations asked.
“I am here to warn the World of two worldwide problems that all of you will have to work to resolve. The First problem the Americans have been made aware of. There is an Alien force that has moved in and tried to subvert various governments in this world. They are known as the Pelza Empire,” Adam said as he started walking toward the Ambassador from the Philippines who was opening her purse and trying to withdraw something as Adam reached out and grabbed her arm holding the purse.
“Unhand her now!” The President said
“My dear, would he be so kind as to take off the magical ring, or I will take it off for you, with it on the finger.”
Chairman Lao watched as the woman removed a ring and the room went dead silent as the skin on her head shrank into her skull, her hairline receded, and her hair turned white. She also had two black lines running from her eyes down her cheeks
Her black eyes looked at Adam belligerently as she tried to move. He didn’t even see Adam move and suddenly the Collar she’d pulled out of her purse was on her neck.
A portal opened beside Adam, “General Cain, this is one of the Special Operatives of the Pelza Empire. Do not take the Collar off of her, for any reason. Whoever does won’t live long enough to regret their decision”, he said as he pushed the Ambassador through the Portal and it closed.
Adam continued, “Now as I was saying there are two problems. The Pelza Empire in comparison to the peoples of Earth is at least 30 times more powerful per person and they are both a technologically and magically proficient race far ahead of humanity, any of you. The second problem is one of nature. Global Warming is not going to make the seas rise. A natural connection between this Universe and another is.”
“That’s absurd, there are no other Universe, the Ambassador from France said, it is how you say, Science Fiction.
Chairman Lao watched as Adam raised his hand and a chamber was created out of thin air, “This chamber is made of completely solid Transparent Aluminum, 6 inches thick and 15 feet on a side, or about 5 meters,” Adam said as he opened a portal that allowed him to step through and inside. The portal closed and Adam’s voice seemed to be coming from everywhere as he said. I should only be a moment” and disappeared.
Chairman Lao, pushed his panic button but nothing happened. Others were trying to make calls out as well. That’s when everyone around the chamber noticed a one-foot wall of a slightly green transparent substance began raising from the ground around the Aluminum cube.
“Is that lead-lined glass,” someone from behind Chairman Lao asked.”
No sooner had the question been asked than a portal opened and water flooded into the cube as all in the room saw Adam float into the cube. Behind him, through the portal, off in the distance, a roiling plasma cloud of oranges, reds, and yellows billowed. Adam’s voice came over the speakers, “Earlier today an Empire known as the Khau’ting used to live at the center of that fireball roughly 100 miles away through that portal. The world that fireball is in isn’t really a world, it’s a universe made of water, from what I can tell. Now the Emperor there ordered the descendants of Atlantis killed, to the last man, woman, and child. That fireball, “Adam said pointing his thumb over his shoulder, “Is what happens when someone uses magic to create 100 pounds of anti-protons,” as he finished talking the portal inside the cube of Aluminum closed and the water, cube, and walls of lead-lined glass all melded into the floor leaving Adam looking clean and dry.
“How do we know anything you say is true?” The Ambassador from India said.
“That’s a fair question, except for the Alien in your midst the radiation badges inside the lead wall that all turned black, or the various images I’ve shown, I mean sure this could all be a giant hoax,” Adam said with a grin which suddenly turned menacing, even though he was being jovial. “First, I do not have to prove anything to any of you. Second, the problem with the Water Universe is not the race I just obliterated. It’s the fact that very shortly a natural portal will open between our world and it somewhere on Earth and it will start pouring water into this world. I am here to give you that warning. Atlantis failed, and its people were captured and destroyed. You all need to work together to prevent this. Now I have taken up enough of your time. America, Russia, and China, please contact those bases that don’t exist on the Moon. In a very short while a portal is going to open that will shoot the plasma from the center of that star in the other world into space away from Earth. Might want to let them know to have their instruments ready. It’s only 200 miles in diameter so it shouldn’t last too long, Tell them to be ready in about an hour, I have another meeting to get to,” Adam said as the portals around the room vanished as Adam did with a slight pop.
Chairman Lao sat back in his chair
“Chairman is there anything I can do?” his Ambassador asked.
“Yes, send exactly what Adam said to the military. They are to treat it as fact and prepare equipment to take data.” Chairman Lao said.
“Yes Chairman,” he said as he pushed one of his quick keys.
***
Adam teleported out of the UN and directly into the Oval Office.
“I was expecting you, the Secret Service has been told to stand down,” The President said.
“Thank you, Mr. President. As a word of caution, I would consider having at least two of them in the room with you at all times. I know the big three have supers, the most powerful being the Chinese man licking his wounds in Hong Kong, but there are others and the Aliens seem to like Dimensional hopping and teleporting as much as I do.”
Thank you for the advice, Adam. I will take it into consideration. If I might ask, why are you here?
I need to buy or lease land near Hawaii and I understand that the United States has a debt problem, which will only get worse once The UN recovers and Chairman Lao realizes I did not ask him to withdraw his debt request.
“Would you?” The President asked.
“Good Heavens no, what kind of message would that send. No, I stopped by today to make the United States Government an offer it cannot refuse. A map of Hawaii appeared on a screen in the air with an area highlighted. He included an area 1 mile offshore of Hawaii out to the international line and 3 miles north and south of the location of his base. Adam pointed at the highlighted area. I wish to purchase that from the United States Government for 600 trillion dollars.