Michael

There is a young man here named John who I met yesterday for the first time during my rounds of collecting stories with Max. There are two really interesting things about John in comparison to everyone else here besides the fact that he is the first earthly human we've had in almost 7 ten-days, that's many years back on earth.

We have all been wondering what has been going on back home for there to be no ascension for so long, but we are all still mostly sticking to our regiments as though nothing is amiss, at least those of us that still have regiments to follow. John like me apparently spent a bit longer up on the mountain with his Welcomers than is usual and yes with Jonah as well, it seems the old man has taken a liking to taking in strays.

John is apparently from the year 2109 in what is apparently a very well established space fairing Earth, almost the entirety of the Sol solar system has been imaged or raidered and mapped and almost a quarter of it explored and claimed. But there are no earthly human arrivals from the years 2090 till now, 2109, and everyone is anxious about what that might potent about the happenings on Earth.

According to the academics of this strange world I have found myself in everything here is an isotope of everything back on earth. Isotopes are for all intents and purposes the same things but they have slightly different characteristics especially when it comes to total energy potential.

According to the extensive studies they have conducted even our bodies are somehow deconstructed into almost the molecular levels as we pass through whatever it is we pass through and then reconstructed in this new form that has high ether affinity. We basically all emerge on Gaia with bodies ideal for this environment to the extent that we even initially surpass even the natural inhabitants of the planet before we Awaken and plateau in our growth.

Everything we had with us as we transitioned also goes through the same process of change but of course its organic matter that is prioritized. My watch looks the same and mostly works the same but all its elements, the lead in the batteries, the iron springs, the glass. Everything is changed but organics finish the change first and an ascendant human immerges whilst the changes on everything else continues happening slowly over time.

The very laws of physics aren't exactly the same here as though even the very fabric of this universe is an isotope of the one back home, even though earth was apparently born of Gaia if you believe their bullshit theory of world creation. Their periodic table for instance is much broader and widely spaced looking like a fantasy game scroll with names like 'daemon fire' or 'styxian' or 'mythril' and 'uru'.

Previously undiscovered elements aside the is little to no comparison to earthly humans and Gaians. They are a different breed of human that the 'enlightened' call 'high humans' in whispers amongst themselves. Some of the enlightened that were scientists on earth theorize that with the current fire-arms and ammunition we used on Earth we wouldn't be able to kill a Gaian human with aura enhancing abilities, let alone an Awakened person.

Which brings me back to this John Mark Ranger. In every science fiction movie or novel it has been theorised that humanity would at some point try to gain immortality or improvement by combining itself with some of its greatest creations, in most cases technology. And so it would seem with John who has a type of interface inside his head that connected him directly to the cybernet via neural link technology, giving himself fast as thought cybernet access and information.

He has an augmented right eye that allows him to directly visualize this interface and apparently had access to a basic AI before the transition to Gaia. He's also both genetically modified and has a robotic left arm, all the way to the shoulder joint along with subdermal fibers along his torso and going up the back of his neck that act as both a type of body armour but also remain conductive to internal electric impulses.

He seems to think he spent something like a millennia going through the transition being less than a speck of dust in a vast endless universe without a body. His experience is very similar to my own as I've since gathered we all have mostly unique experiences when it comes to the ascension process. How many other modified humans are lost in that endless void that is the world between worlds? The none organic modifications are the prevailing theory as to why we haven't had anyone ascending from earth in a while and according to John he is one of the least modified people of his generation.

I walk down the hall and at a respectable pace, greeting the few people I've come to know in my 6 months at this place. Its a beautiful compound with space to spare, interesting people and so much more to teach me. But Saya is back from her mission and tomorrow we will prepare to leave for her home.

I'm like a little boy about to kiss a girl for the first time because I may get lucky for the first time on this world now that she's back. According to my friends her absence has caused me to be obsessive about training but really I was just making sure I am as able as possible for this trip. I've never sparred with her or even seen her spar but something about her warns me that she would destroy me in combat, a competent woman is very intimidating but also very sexy.

The arrival of this John guy has my curiosity peaked though, I mean the man does have a neural chip in his head. Something that was only theoretical if even that back in my computer engineering days, and his eye... I wonder how his augmentations will fully adopt themselves to life on Gaia.

"Hey there stranger." Mirabilis says as her head appears out of thin air floating bodilessly.

"Shit!" I exclaim startled before taking a relaxed stance and striding past the floating head, she got me again.

"Oh come on don't be like that." Her head says floating next to me keeping pace.

"Are you even really here?" I grumble, then I sigh calming myself down.

"Yes I'm here." She says her entire body becoming visible as she walks besides me. "I wanted to see you as soon I heard Saya was back, you going to Sandaria with her?"

"Maybe, if she likes, I don't know." I say with a shrug.

She gives a grin but keeps silent as we walk to the tavern Saya should be in together for some reason. We turn to what could be considered the shady side of the compound but is really where theft and pick pocketing are sort of frowned upon but allowed so the shadier types can practice their skills.

You don't come to the Avant Block with anything you truly value unless you're confident it won't disappear when you blink, I've lost so much stuff here that it isn't even funny anymore. They don't take it easy on us earthlings just 'cause we are relatively defenseless in this part of the Compound.

"Do you know how the rule of no sex with us earthlings until a year passes started?" I ask Mirabilis without looking at her, I don't want to see that silly grin on her face. Why does she still do that anyways when she can make her illusions appear anyway she wants.

"The Brothel instituted that rule actually."

"Brothel?" I interrupt, I've heard that term before numerous times but people here explain only when they feel like it, no one seems to feel like explaining what this Brothel is.

"The Brothel is a temple dedicated to the deity of lust, sex, fertility and sexual health. You go there and the priests and priestesses take care of you like you couldn't even imagine." She says dreamy eyed.

"Right, so you were saying?" I interrupt her far away gaze causing strange sights to appear above her head, I can't believe Max told her about comics but I will admit she's really good at portraying though bubbles I just find them are bit uneery.

"Apparently you earthlings are only used to physical sex and having real sex before you have fully stabalised messes up your development."

"Slow down a moment, what else is there to sex besides physical?" I ask stopping her with a hand to her shoulder, this is really good stuff and if I'm to get lucky I need to know.

"Aura and spirit of course, sex is a blend of all your senses with another person in a very intimate level. Taste, touch, sight, hearing, scent, feel, aura and spirit. At least the very best sex involves spirit but its not always the case." She says and we continue walking.

I get the proverbial bees and birds talk as we head towards the tavern, I hardly notice our stalker until Mirabilis creates a giant horrifying snake illusion that has the barely 12 years old kid falling all over herself to get away.

A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

"Hahahahahahah, did you see that?" She laughs with her full belly almost bent forward in her mirth.

I shake my head as I head to the tavern door, this world is really fucked up sometimes, I think to myself shaking my head.

*

"Hey you", Saya says into my ear from behind me wrapping her arms around my waist.

"Hey to you too." I say leaning into her as her hands explore all over my torso and loins with hungry vigour.

"So you've been here 6 months now." She says not paying attention the the eyes that her actions have drawn from the other patrons.

"Yes..." I say leaning into her, that's another thing that this world seems to allow for. There is no such thing as a man being innately stronger than a woman here, not with things like aura or Awakening that make strength a very subjective thing from person to person.

The dynamic of male female relationships isn't anything I'm used to but I find being able to fully lean into her knowing she won't even budge mildly comforting, and I suspect that she could pick me up with one arm if she so chose.

"And Mirabilis here tells me you spent 3 months up the mountain with Jonah." She says casually, Mirabilis appearing besides me seemingly out of thin air with a scowl.

"Yes, I was up there about three months." I say with a raging erection in my pants.

"Then you only have a month left in your celibacy don't you?" She whispers and a shiver goes up my spine, I can feel her smile as she kisses me on the cheek and siddles up to Mirabilis.

"Mira." She says opening her arms.

"Saya." She responds as they hug each other.

"How have you been, its been what, 2 years since the mission in Caracas?" Saya asks still holding Mirabilis.

"Yes 2 exactly and I've been fine working on a long regular assignment for a while, not the excitement you guys get at the mercenary branch of Conclave Proelium."

"Yes well you're old, I'd get bored quickly doing your old woman's regular assignment with little variation."

"Yes well my Welcomer duties are over and I thought I'd head to the Tundra with you and Mike here, I've actually never been there."

"We could always use an extra sword arm in these dangerous times, can you believe slavers tried to catch me on my way down here few month's back?" Saya says taking her seat and indicating for a drink.

"You don't mind hosting me at your home for the duration of my stay?" Mirabilis asks in that voice of hers that's full of mischief, sometimes I forget she is in her 60's.

"Why would I, we have plenty of room and if you misbehave one of my little sisters can sort you out." Saya says nonchalantly taking a single gulp of the shot before her then downing half her ale with a sigh.

I didn't know they knew each other and I don't wanna interrupte the conversation 'cause I'm getting little snippets of insight into Saya and her life from the exchange. I slowly drink my own ale trying to seem cool and uninterested while my ears burn from eaves dropping.

"I think it's time I settled down and I was wondering if your da had any room in his life for another mate to keep him busy, I kn-." she doesn't finished as she ducks a mug that sails over her head.

"You even take one look at my da and I'ma wring your neck you hear?" Saya says seriously to snorting from the bartender and giggling from Mira.

"Oh come now Saya, every woman that has heard of him is curious how he keeps so many women happy and with child so frequently. How many mates does he have now, 9? And he is barely past 40, some of whom are said to be even stronger than he is, the man is a legend." Mira says loudly to sniggers all around us from most everyone close enough to have been listening.

I think I'm starting to see why Mira has issues with her dad, he sounds like a philandering asshole and aparrantly everyone knowns about it. If her mother is anything like her I don't see how she could endure shit from any man, but I may be jumping to conclusions.

"She hasn't told you who her parents are has she, especially her dear da." Mirabilis says mischievously with a silly grin.

"Shut it!" Saya hisses under her breath with a scowl that only seems to widen Mirabilis' grin, I've never seen this side of her.

"Our dear Saya here is practically royalty to the Proelium, her father and mother having saved the Den Compound from certain annihilation by a Reaper that had ascended from the Underworld. Her mother was like a weather witch calling a storm as she caused gale winds seemingly by spinning her sickle-chain over her head, the thing seeming to extend in length as it spun creating a dark oily cyclone overhead.

"Her father a sharp humming mass of lethal barbarian muscle streaking brightly to the breech with a menacing presence of sheer slaughter. I didn't even know either of them were Awakened until that day when I felt someone's soul presence for the first time in my life even with my meager level of soul sense .

"I haven't since that day felt such intense soul presence and I'm not the only one, they weren't the most powerful or even the most skilled individuals at the Den at the time of the attack. But they were the only ones able to stop a Grimm Reaper on the rampage, even one leagues beyond them in power."

"How did they stop it?" I ask taken in by her description of Saya's parents and their exploits.

Saya snorts besides me, "they were stupid and they got lucky. A reaper should have cut them to shreds but zanpakutō's are very good at hiding what they truly are if they want to."

There is so much I want to ask more about in that statement, why wouldn't they have survived, what's a reaper, what's a zanpakutō, how did they save a compound if they weren't the most powerful, how old are her parents, in fact are they even human cause her eyes are the most exotic green and gold I have ever seen and her pupils are slits like that of a cat sometimes.

"Yes well it's not like they had a choice is there?" Mirabilis says sipping her drink. "One of their children apparently decided that challenging the reaper to a battle was a good idea."

Saya frowns then pouts looking slightly peeved, this story keeps getting more and more interesting.

"You can come along I guess, you can be my guest and I'll get you lodgings." Saya says ignoring Mirabilis then looking at me with the side of her eye. "Don't believe everything you hear from her, she's a crafty one"

"I wouldn't dream of it." I say even as a tall athletic black man with a bold head and a bushy black beard who immediately reminds me of Common the rapper leans towards her ear and whispers something to her.

She nods, "Wes this is Michael O'Hare, Michael this is Wes Midnight, an old friend of da's and a hell of a warrior witch and weapons specialist. You and your friend Max need to see him for your armorments before we can leave tomorrow.

"Nice to meet you." I say holding out my arm and we clasp forearms a moment, his grip is strong and his forearm is made of tightly corded muscles.

"Find me at the witch quarter of the Langhurd Block, ask for the Midnight boutique and you'll find me. See you when I see you." He says in a deep rumbling voice and walks smoothly out of the tavern, people slightly moving out of his way as he walks to the door.

"Interesting fellow." I say trying to place him in a niche in my mind or categorise his role in this zoo of diversity and surprises. "You said 'witch' didn't you, I'd expect him to be called a 'warlock' or something."

"A warlock is a whole other thing, trust me a witch is bad enough." Mira says sipping her drink whilst Saya nods in agreement.

"I don't know what they've been teaching you here in this backwater of a compound but you do not mess with a witch Michael, if you do you have to make sure it's dead afterwards, am I clear?" Saya says looking at me seriously.

"Crystal." I say in acknowledgment.

"Good, the trip will take us about 6 months unless we fly or teleport, since we can't do either it will be a hard 6 months through some other people's territories and not all of them friendly. So far there are 12 in my traveling party, my cousin Cyrus, my 3 partners Stacey, Lavender and Dewan, Wes and his apprentice Wiley, some random new guy who who wants to get out of Hangarie but I didn't catch his name, you, your friend Max and now Mira here. That about makes 12 with me included. I'm gonna report the names of the departing to Master Aaka's assistant today and collect any dispatches he wants delivered." She finishes her drink then gives me a peck on the lips.

"Go say goodbye to the rest of your friends, you may not see them for many years. And it's going to be a hard journey so you better be sure you're ready to make it." She says holding my hand but looking away, giving me a chance to change my mind.

I shrug, "I'll see you tomorrow then, I'll see you both tomorrow."