Visdre was observing what he called his 'avatar'. This wasn't a mental construct at all. He had used real life materials and matter manipulation of mental energy to construct himself a body that wasn't his own.

What did he call this avatar? He had the perfect name for it.

This was Somnus.

His incarnation.

It wore a black suit with skin that seemed to be fog. No facial expressions. But not exactly a mask either. The shape was rather human.

But this 'avatar' had no life to it.

Visdre decided to solve his 'personality' issue. If he was to become an idea. A symbol. He would need to go insane.

But someone insane won't always make the most optimal choices. Their values are different then someone neurotypical.

So their actions can be out right destructive to themselves. He couldn't have that happen. So that got him to thinking.

Did HE need to become the concept? Or could he use a puppet?

Why take the risk of being assimilated? Why risk everything for a gamble? He didn't see himself as the main character. His destiny might have been changed by reading the technique. But that could only be abused so much.

He wasn't some indestructible god that would always succeed.

But what if... what if he could make an existence that WAS.

His space bending technology wasn't well developed. It used a massive amount of energy. He was essentially brute forcing the supernatural by using mental energy.

At this point. His body was constantly leaking mental energy. This made the rules of the universe loosen around him. This allowed him to bypass some rules.

But there were limits.

So this got him to thinking.

Consciousness

This entire time. He has been using the mechanism of physical energy turning to mental energy and then reconverting. He was using the power of souls for his feats.

But he never stopped to think, until recently with his avatar project.

What if you could create 'soul'.

What if you could build the generator itself?

Visdre had already done the whole 'I am Somnus' thing when he devoured part of the abyss.

"Devouring..."

Visdre had been working on something quite special. He was creating an artificial soul. He was programming a character much like how one would write a character in a book.

He designed an origin. A backstory. A motive.

Name: Visdre Mallaichte

Born: In the capital of Scotland.

Raised: In an orphanage.

History: His name was decided based on the weird note left in the hospital. Had a condition where his fingers were webbed. This was the reason speculated that he was ditched at a hospital. He grew up being called a freak by other kids. At the age of 13. He ran away from the orphanage. During this time period he stole to survive. He was saved by a fake doctor. He worked for 3 years and studied anatomy. He became a resurrectionist, someone that dug up graves and transported them to doctors. He watched the dissection many times and became a apothecary, eventually becoming a doctor. But he had a uniqueness that nobody else had. A secret that he kept from everyone. He was aware in dreams. ALWAYS aware! Due to his early acts of digging up graves. Vengeful spirits haunted him. In dreams. He was god. He was unstoppable! But these spirits, he could see them and hear them. He eventually was driven crazy in a realization. He tore them apart creating a gateway to the spirit realm. During the day. He was Doctor Mallaichte. But at night... He was the emperor of the spirit realm. An evil lord of spirits, a generator of chaos and distortion. After he grew old. He hired people to bury him alive. As if he was going to an early grave. He died and found absolutely nothing. But due to his uniqueness. He was AWARE in this nothingness. He studied this nothingness. He LOVED it. After an eternity of nothing. He found something. He was able to DREAM. It was a special dream. He could interact with the spirit realm. He explored this realm and became bored of the contracts and schemes of other entities. So he studied their secrets. He then left. He returned to the abyss. He adopted a new name.

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Name: Somnus

Born: In the first layer of the abyss.

Raised: In the spirit realm.

History: This entity studied the contracts and tricks of eldritch beings. Designing himself a body and domain. He came to find out that there was more to reality outside of his bubble of existence. He mastered the law of [distortion].

Visdre felt as if something guided him as he coded the setting of his avatar.

"This is... a little creepy."

He felt a connection start to open with his avatar and his independent consciousness. It was then that his lab was covered in fog.

The avatar looked at him.

"Those old fools aren't going to like this one bit!"

The avatar lifted up their right arm and held it out. A pocket watched formed from the fog. They held out their left arm and waved it. A black cane appeared out of nowhere.

Visdre felt his mental energy rapidly decreasing.

"I succeeded!"

He had created soul! A real soul.

The avatar looked at his hands which were wearing two white gloves.

"This..."

Visdre felt a headache.

He then spoke:

"I'm FREE! Muaha-"

"I'm NOT!-Hahaha-"

Visdre shook is head. Just like how souls he had formed a contract with. He was able to control the body through his connection. This also meant he could see the memories as well.

Visdre was shocked. Why were the memories so... real?

"This! Hahaha. Excellent! A boon! A curse!"

"A plot hole!?"

"My destiny... have I done it?"

The fog started to gather on his avatar.

It turned its head and looked at Visdre.

"Bye! I'll cya later!"

Visdre felt as if space was folding.

"How is it possible?"

Visdre wasn't an idiot. He wasn't going to let this thing spend all his mental energy. So he directly locked his energy field.

"WHAT!? YOU!"

The fog dissipated.

"Wow. This is new. Interesting! May I inquire which great existence you are?"

Visdre finally breathed a sigh of relief.

He smiled.

"Me? I'm Somnus!"

"..."

"No, I'm Somnus!"

Visdre's face twitched.

The avatar looked around.

"You have no laws... how did you restrain me? What happened to my power?"

"Laws? Do you mean mental energy? I locked the energy field."

"Energy field? What the hell is that?"

As Visdre talked to this intelligence. He became a bit wary. So he started to scan through the memories from the soul.

But all he saw was a repeating scenario. He saw 'Somnus' leaving 'Somnus' off at a hospital in a loop.

"Hahaha! You think you are the first to try to read through my sou-"

Visdre cut him off.

"I see... I seem to have attracted some foreign version."

Visdre started to clear the soul, removing the impurities.

"Wait! I have knowledge beyon-"

Visdre stood there in silence.

He continued to wipe the soul clean.

"Listen here! I can give you unlimited power. Full control of the multiverse. I have seen the cosmic order. I kno-"

"Silence!"

Visdre smiled.

"The real Somnus wouldn't beg."

Then the avatar started to laugh.

"You are smarter then you look."

"That doesn't really work here..."

"But surely you should know how contracts work? It isn't a one sided connection. Maybe you have full control for those mortals. But do you truly think I was begging just now? Do you have any idea who I am?"

Visdre felt goosebumps.

"What?! You have no soul? Have you created a true existence? What..."

The avatar was very animated. It was as if he was acting like a clown. He was dancing around and waving his arms around. Pulling at his face. It was a little weird.

"God's Death..."

"God's Death...I see!"

"Well done..."

The final impurities were removed from the soul. Visdre felt like he had just dodged a nuke.

"What the hell was that?"

He looked at the avatar that had become motionless.

It turned its head and gazed at him.

Visdre walked over and tried to take the pocket watch that had appeared. But his hands went through it as if it was an illusion. It then disappeared.