------
The next thing she realized was that she was sitting in a simple but comfortable chair in an unadorned room with warm brick walls, and a brightly lit fireplace. The room was stark, almost ascetic in its lack of any decorations, the only other items being a simple rug and another chair that was occupied by an older man. The man looked rather average, with greying hair and a simple short greyish-white beard. He looked like a human, but somehow, he also seemed to defy such simple classifications. In a sudden realization, she realized that he was a unique existence, just like she was.
“Perhaps less unique now.” The man spoke in a dry voice in response to her thoughts. “Yes, I can read your thoughts. Part of the whole omnipotent thing. Yes, you can turn it off, and I will for the rest of the conversation. Just wanted to make a point.”
“And what point is that?” She asked in response.
“That despite all your power and abilities, I could do it. To give credence to the idea that I am what and who I claim to be.” The man responded. “Not that I really need to prove anything. It simply makes things easier.”
The man couldn’t be described as handsome or unattractive. He simply was. Just like a normal man you could pass on the streets of any mortal world every day without noticing. He didn't look really old either, just worn. His eyes especially carried the weight of so many years that even her experiences seemed a blink of an eye in comparison. She got the feeling he had chosen the appearance on purpose. Her more supernatural senses couldn't catch anything from him. In fact, they didn't seem to be working at all. She hadn't felt this blind in a long time.
“Where are we?” She asked, confused by her senses coming up empty.
“Everywhere and nowhere at the same time. As I don’t really exist in a single place or time, nor does this room. And for the moment, neither do you. That’s why your senses are not working correctly.” He offered an explanation even to the unasked part, and for a moment she was sure he was still reading her thoughts. “It’s written on your face. And it’s not the first time I’ve had the reaction.”
“So, I’m not the first one here?” She asked.
"Not by a long shot. But you will be the last to come here as my guest." He stated with certainty. The man seemed to have the utmost confidence in himself in general.
“The emperor said you’d explain.” She prompted. “I at least assume he meant you.”
“Yes. I would imagine this seems a little confusing. You’ve already realized who I am. Or at least what I am. I have countless Names, but those hardly matter. What does matter is that I’m dying.” Despite the grim statement, it didn’t seem to affect him much.
“Why? I was told you’re omnipotent. Surely you could fix that.” She pointed out.
“I could, and I have. Many times, in fact. Though you more than anyone else alive today should understand that everyone will eventually reach a point where they no longer want to go on. The problem with omnipotence is that I self-actualize. I'm dying because I want to die, and because I think I should be dying. I fought against it for a long time, but eventually, I came to terms with it." His voice made no indication that he felt bad about that fact.
“So, then we come to the question I will most likely repeat many times. Why?" Karna looked him directly in the eyes.
“You’re going to have to be more specific now that I’m no longer reading your thoughts. Why what?” He seemed faintly amused by his own question.
“Why come to terms with it instead of fixing it again? Why all this charade? Why me? Why here? Why like this?” She listed out several and gestured for him to take his pick.
"Let's start with the most obvious. There always needs to be someone occupying my position. Someone needs to keep the multiverse working. You wouldn't believe the number of issues that can crop up. In case you're wondering, I wasn't the first, and you won't be the last. I'm tired. I've existed for longer than you can even imagine. I've seen everything, experienced everything, and I've forgotten more, purposefully of course, than even you've ever known. I've even tried resetting my memories a few times, but the problem with omnipotence is that they keep coming back.”
He continued. “As for why like this, I needed someone to come take my place, and more specifically that someone needed to be you. If someone else, like Pride, had come before me, they would indeed have been judged and rejected. The whole game was designed to bring you here. If there had not been a risk of someone you dislike taking the position, you wouldn’t have come. You were chosen long before you were born in this life.”
“Why me?” She asked the most important question.
“Why not you? I understand that's not really an answer you want to hear, so let's give a more satisfying one. I should note that you aren’t the first one to reach this point. There had been others that I brought to this place and ultimately decided to reject. Long before you even lived your first life in fact. However, the old saying about perfection being the enemy of good enough holds true. I sought out perfection and never found it. I suspect I was far from perfect when I was in your place. You are good enough. You fulfill the necessary qualifications, and unlike the other times, I no longer have the time to wait for perfect.”
Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.
“So, what? I get the job because I’m the only one good enough of those alive at the moment?” She asked, almost feeling a little offended.
“Essentially. But don’t let that make you feel bad about it. You are still special, just not quite as special as you thought. Besides, there's another matter. As I said, I'm dying. I don't want to be alone when it happens. I want someone like you here to witness my final moments. Only someone like you can truly understand the sheer weight of all those years pressing down on you, even if even you’ve only scratched the surface of that bottomless pit. I don’t want sympathy, nor do I expect it. I simply want you to keep me company until it happens.” His blasé attitude about his own death was a little disturbing even for a reincarnator like Karna.
“If I’m going to be given unlimited power, I’m going to be making some changes.” She suddenly said.
“I wouldn’t expect anything different. A slight word of warning though I don’t expect you to heed it right away. Many of the things that seem arbitrary or wrong are that way for a reason. Fixing them will lead to unintended consequences down the line. I expect you to try anyway. I certainly did. I experienced many failures until I learned that lesson, and I would be shocked if you won’t go through the same. And besides, you might succeed in some places where I failed.” He genuinely seemed to mean what he said.
“There are certain obvious issues in the multiverse you can’t just expect me to ignore.” She knew he was likely right about some things, but she also knew she had to try.
“There are and I’m not going to stop you. Just keep something in mind. True free will can only exist when there are consequences for our choices. Many of those obvious issues you speak of are the result of that free will. I’m not saying it’s right or fair, but you already know life isn’t fair. It never will be. Many of the biggest injustices exist because those living in the multiverse choose that path. Because they choose their own interest over the interest of others. It’s not right or wrong, it just is. And if you take that choice away from them, then it’s not really free will anymore, is it?” The man pointed out.
“And free will is more important?” She asked, mostly just probing his opinion on the matter.
"It has been during my tenure. You don't have to take the same path I have, just keep in mind that there will be consequences if you tamper with something as fundamental as free will. You could make everything perfect and a paradise for everyone. Except, your version of paradise wouldn’t be perfect for everyone. It might be for you, but some people love being pigs and rolling around in the mud. But that is your choice. I’m simply pointing out the risks involved to save you some headaches in the future, not that you shouldn't try at all."
“Are there any actual limitations to the power you, and in the future, I will possess?” She asked carefully.
“I don’t need to read your thoughts to know you’re thinking of the one called Duskclaw and her progeny with the one called Arjuna. I can understand the need to help with recent loss. You can bring them back. You could even bring back the child you lost in your first life. To answer the question though, there are no hard limits. You can theoretically do anything, but I’ve already said that there might be consequences. If something you do ends up breaking something fundamental, you’re also the one that will have to fix it.” The man stated what was perhaps obvious.
She was quiet for a moment. “Out of curiosity, what if I had lost to Pride? I mean, the fight wasn’t exactly easy.”
“The funny thing about not being bound by time is that you don’t have to guess. I knew you would win. That’s part of why you were chosen. The emperor had to stack the deck a couple of times, but on the whole, you acquitted yourself with very little need for help.” His answer didn’t actually make her feel any better. It was like her path had been predestined from the start. Like her choices weren’t really hers, although she knew that was not true. She had made all the mistakes and the bad choices herself. The seers always said that the future was in constant flux. The man in front of her likely simply knew beforehand which of the paths came true because he was outside time.
“Have we met before?” She asked, something about the man feeling a little familiar.
“We have.” He smiled a bit. “And before you ask, no we didn’t. While I might have been tempted long ago, I lost any and all such interests before you took your first steps.”
Karna smiled a bit at that. “To tell you the truth, I still half expect this to be a trap of some sort. That this will turn into a fight.”
“There would be no point really. Not in the trap or in the fight.” The man just shrugged, not explaining any further.
“So how does this work?” She gestured around herself.
“It’s impossible to explain. In a moment, I will no longer be anymore, and you will take my place. You will instinctively know how everything works, and how to do things. You will hold the position as long as you choose, and until you find someone else to take the position, at which point you can pass on.”
“Sounds dull. All work all the time?” She asked, a little alarmed.
The man laughed genuinely, although his voice didn't lose any of its dryness. "The multiverse doesn't really need all that much effort to maintain. And since you can exist anywhere and at any time, you are perfectly capable of multitasking. Once, when I was bored, I created a galaxy where every person that existed was a copy of me. Not one of my brightest ideas, but just an example of what you can do. You can live many lives at once and do anything you want. So no, not all work and no play. Just that at some point the play part with lose all meaning. It won't happen immediately, but it will happen eventually."
“Could someone theoretically kill me?” She asked, trying to find the edge cases.
"Aside from being all-powerful, and omnipresent, no. Not even if you make yourself vulnerable on purpose. It's one of the few things you cannot do. As I said, someone always has to occupy the position. Until someone else takes your place, you will always return here. Well, not strictly here, but nowhere and everywhere at once." His explanations were consistent and agreed with what she’d heard before.
“What are the qualifications to take the position? I mean, if I have to find someone to replace me eventually, I should know.” She moved on.
"There are really only two hard requirements. A soul powerful enough to handle the process, and not completely insane. The latter one especially is surprisingly difficult. Your friend Envy for example? Yeah, she wouldn't be a good choice despite all her better qualities. Beyond that, the rest is up to you." The man moved his weight on the chair a bit. "And seeing as your questions are becoming less and less relevant, I think it's about time."
He looked upwards towards the completely unadorned ceiling. “Can I ask for a favor?”
“Seeing as you’re giving me unlimited power, sure.” She replied a little cheekily.
“Could you just…pat my head and say goodbye as I pass? It’s been a long time.” He asked for something much simpler than she’d assumed, though she wasn’t really sure what she’d expected really.
She decided to oblige him and got up to stand in front of him, put her hand on top of his head, and tussled his rough hair a bit. "Goodbye." She even managed to mean what she said.
One moment, the man was there, and the next moment he was gone. At the same moment, she realized she could feel everything. It was like her magical senses, but on such a humongous scale that it seemed impossible. Yet she didn't feel overwhelmed either. The information wasn't overbearing, just there, should she need it. She could also feel how everything in the multiverse was at her fingertips. The whole multiverse was much larger than she'd anticipated. She'd seen much during her lives, but even that was just a tiny fraction of what was out there.
She also knew why and how. Why everything was the way it was. How everything worked. Why her. The answer was, as usual, rather simple. He'd said it himself. Why not her? Her hands itched to implement some changes, and she would. With a bit of time. There was another concept that no longer really applied to her. Time.
First things first though. What should she pillowify first?