After the scream - 1 billion universes remaining

Orion and Jason were not in a hurry, but they left the planet. What was the point of staying a minute longer within the unpleasant aura of Zoltar when they already had the information they had come for? They had actually obtained something even more important than the location of the gates because that humanoid octopus might be the key to their search. This octopus was an old acquaintance of both men. He was the Monarch of Souls. They had each met him on the day they became Monarchs because he had the ability to locate and identify all the souls in a universe. Since the size of a soul is proportional to its owner's power, Monarchs tended to have souls visible from multiple universes away.

They suspected that the man who appeared in their dream must have a gargantuan soul. The problem now was to find out if he had remained in the same universe. Even though a few million years were negligible in the life of a Monarch, there was always the possibility that he had finished his project and had already left the universe.

With the coordinates in hand, Jason and Orion teleported directly close to the gate. It emanated a mysterious aura with such authority over the surroundings that even the laws of the universe seemed to warp. These gates allowed travel from one universe to another. They were known for being impossible to look at directly, even for Monarchs.

However, they didn't seem affected by the aura of the gate before them, and Jason began to admire the details. It was so brilliantly white that it took only a few seconds for his eyes to start to feel irritated. The entire structure must have been hand-carved from a marble-like material. The rough-edged columns seemed to want to imitate the signs of time's passage, but Jason wasn't fooled. The gate before him seemed utterly indestructible, and even the passage of time must have no effect on it. It stood tall, stretching across the entire field of vision of both men.

'These gates clearly must not be formed by the universes but rather by what created them,' Jason thought, furrowing his brows.

There was a single motif engraved on the gate. It depicted a man. His physique resembled that of a young adult, perhaps in his twenties or thirties. Jason couldn't be sure because his face was hidden behind ample white clothing. The only visible part of his face was his mouth. He had a smile on his lips, as if inviting travelers to use the gate at his feet. He held a cup of Eternity in his right hand, raising it as if to wish passersby a pleasant passage. He might be the man they were looking for, but Jason couldn't be certain.

One detail caught Jason's eye. All the influence of the gate on its surroundings stemmed solely from the representation of the being at its heart. If his mere depiction could cause this phenomenon, then he must possess powers that even Jason could not understand.

'This world holds many surprises,' he finally thought before looking away. Despite the discovery, Jason felt no fear, no surprise, as if all this was one of the most common discoveries in the universe. In fact, he didn't feel much of anything.

He joined his companion, who was too busy giving little pokes to the distorted laws at the foot of the gate.

Passing through the gate was a unique sensation. It didn't feel like teleporting from one universe to another, but rather like a giant leap between two cliffs. There was no octopus in sight to greet them on the other side of the gate.

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"Do you think Frank holds a grudge against us?" Orion asked in a small voice filled with disappointment.

"Not in my memory. Especially since none of us have a strong appetite for octopus flesh," Jason replied.

However, a doubt crept into Jason as he saw his companion mumbling the words "octopus sashimi" with a thin trail of saliva at the corner of his mouth.

'Luckily he came to see me right after losing his memories. Otherwise, he might have fallen out with quite a number of Monarchs,' Jason thought, sighing softly.

Perhaps invigorated by the thought of having octopus sashimi, Orion dashed alone towards the nearest galaxy, forgetting Jason who had remained with his back to the gate. Before following his companion, Jason cast one last glance behind him.

A completely different atmosphere emanated from the other side of the gate. There was a melancholy in the air akin to that of a funeral rite. The aura was heavier on this side of the gate, almost stifling. There was only one motif on the gate: a man dressed in white sinking into the darkness. These two motifs seemed like two sides of the same coin, as if they balanced each other and formed an equilibrium.

'Now is not the time to think about it,' he thought before joining his companion.

Orion had already approached a green galaxy spanning several hundred thousand light-years. He had unconsciously approached it because the remnants of the Monarch of Souls' aura could be felt there. On various planets, residues gently glimmered in their field of vision under the starlight. These residues were linked together and formed a multitude of constellations that sometimes encompassed entire solar systems.

However, through the eyes of the two men, two planets stood out due to the size and intensity of their residues. They were now approaching the first planet. On its surface was a human civilization whose technological advancement must allow them to travel to the four corners of their own solar system. Jason wasn't even sure they were aware of the existence of other races, other civilizations, or even the existence of Eternals and Monarchs.

The Monarch's aura was most concentrated within the cities, so they decided to approach one at random. The two men quickly noticed that the Monarch's aura was spreading from headsets present in the stores and the homes of the inhabitants themselves.

On the immense buildings, the advertising screens said: "Come discover the new virtual video game Monarchy! The game is now available thanks to the Frank headset already on sale! Tread its fantastic world! Slay hordes of monsters! Participate in breathtaking dungeon raids and much more! Improve your character through nearly endless quests and become the hero of prophecy! Now available for only…"

These advertisements were accompanied by images of the game where one could see immense castles and cities populated by fictional races. The landscape alternated between verdant plains, abyssal oceans, and forests whose tree canopies touched the clouds. All these landscapes were populated by monsters and bosses whose hunting must be the main occupation of the players.

On other screens were interviews with the game's top players, guild representatives, and members of various governments on the question of an international competition within the game. This new game seemed to be an integral part of the inhabitants' lives even though it had only been released a few months ago.

Out of curiosity, Jason and Orion borrowed a headset before opening it to see inside. A viscous ball that Jason recognized was nestled among the electrical wires and other electronic components. A particularity of the Monarch of Souls' aura was that it spread within the secretions of his tentacles. In a distant conversation, he had confessed that it was mostly the product of his sweat.

"Do you think we can eat it?" Orion asked.

"No, it's one of the secretions of our dear Mr. Octopus," Jason replied nonchalantly, admiring the city.

"Octopus…" Orion mumbled.

There was then a discreet swallowing noise.

"..."

Jason remained silent, thinking that the meeting with the Monarch might turn into a culinary disaster.