Chapter 111

Sleeping Beauty

  You ever wonder what the prince really thought when he came along and saw snow white sleeping there surrounded by a bunch of dwarfs? Ever wonder how brazen it was for him to just saunter up and kiss the sleeping woman? Am I the only one who wonders if the boy, the alleged prince, was a fledgling necromancer? Okay, maybe I am a bit cynical about the whole matter.

  The only thing is, here I am, in the fourteenth universe, which is really the second universe I have ever been to. Here I see the love of my life, and realize that even after I save her, I cannot touch her.

  Once again, I feel pangs of jealousy over Wizard me, and his way of constantly having a dream life. Then again, part of me almost must root for myself, right? If I try to sabotage this, then what leg of indignity do I have to stand on when I complain about others taking away my own happy ending.

  Still, seeing her there, in a coma I pause and let out a long breath.

  I know, I should just think of this Jess as just an evil twin. The one that will try to seduce me away before making me live a life of ruin. Hah! Fun fact, that has already happened.

  Now I see the reason why most stories end after the ultimate evil is vanquished, the world that is left behind sucks. At least from the hero’s perspective.

  I know, how presumptuous to say that I am the hero, when I literally have nothing to show for my successes. But I am working on them.

  Starting with these first few projects.

  Mind Heal.

  I find all the sloppy work of Celestial Chet; I even see the golden message written in Jess’ own script in her mind. This is the script that is causing the current paralysis.

  There we go, that should be good enough…

  “Huh? What? Where am I?”

  Badump, badump.

  At this moment I am so glad I no longer have Guardian wings, lest they give away my true intentions.

  “AHH!”

  She shrieks, literally screams at the top of her lungs at me, when she sees me.

  “Hey now. I’m not that ugly, am I?” I ask. I almost want to check to make sure I am not wearing the mask of Chet still. But no, a quick check lets me know that I am still me. Well mostly me, I am hiding my electric silver hair and my glowing purple and orange heterochromatic eyes.

  At that, she pauses. Then she looks around.

  “Wh, where are we?”

  We are on a hillside with lush grass fields going on for miles in all direction. This of course is an illusion. At least I think it is? Though given that this is a temple, this might be some type of perfect pocket dimension, or maybe a link to the heavens themselves. In any case I don’t really know the exact location.

  “You are in the awakening Temple. Here you are awakening to find that you are going to be a powerful psychic.” I state.

  With that, she nods. “Okay, I think I remember that. But how are you here? I didn’t think that such a feat was possible.”

  I raise up a finger, then realize she has a good point. “Good point. I technically shouldn’t be able to be here, but I well…” I trail off, as I realize the truth is far to crazy for me to even explain. Honestly, how could I say something as bombastic as yeah my first time through life I saved not only my universe but your own. During that time you had a run in with this universe’s version of my brother, who happened to be a Celestial…don’t get me started on them. Anyways, after I saved the universe time got restarted, but since it was a Celestial who altered your memories, that change would be permanent. Thus, why I came here. Yeah, I lived that, and even I don’t believe that one. So, I come up with the next best thing, I lie convincingly.

  “Would you believe that I am your one true love, who came from the future to save you. That after I rescue you from this temple you will see a weaker scrawnier version of me, but you will know that it is me, and that you should try your best to give me a chance?”

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  Jess just raised an eyebrow at that.

  “Too much?”

  She nodded. “A bit.”

  “Right. So would you believe I am your fairy guardian spirit, sent to make sure you progress through these temple trials at maximum difficulty?”

  At this Jess crossed her arms over her ample chest. “Fairy guardian? Then where are your wings?”

  “You know, the one time when they would actually be useful to have.” I say to myself. I could just grow a pair, but that would be pointless at this point.

  “Look, how about we compromise. I clearly came here to heal you. That much you can hopefully tell by how your mind is suddenly alive. Now if my guesses are correct, you have been in here for a little over a day now. Which means that you will likely need food and water here shortly.”

  At this Jess pauses and cocks her head to the side. “You don’t know?”

  “I don’t know what?” I ask.

  “Sadly, that is the first truthful thing you have said this entire encounter.”

  “Hey, I mentioned you being here in the temple and awakening as a psychic… Oh, that is it. You have a Mind Reading power; Gods I am stupid.” I say, trailing off.

  “It is Emotion Reading, but yes. I agree with you. You are stupid.”

  “Hey.” I say, in mock outrage.

  “You truly believed it when you said it.” She pointed out, Gods even alternate Jess was amazing.

  “But still, we should get you out of here before your body dies.”

  “Wait, you actually believe that don’t you?” Alternate Jess states.

  “Yeah, why else would we need to get you through this as quickly as possible.” I admit.

  She stares at me for a long moment, then responds. “Look I don’t know where you got your information, but in a temple your body is in a state of suspended animation. People could literally be in here for millenniums and never have a thing happen to their bodies.”

  Hearing that, I felt a pang of hope blossom in my chest. “Wait, one second.” I said, as I held up a finger then took a step back.

  Then drawing upon memories of my Jess, I focused on her and was drawn to her by my remaining psychic resonance.

  Total Recall.

  Poof.

  The next minute I am in a field that looks the same. If it was not for the slightly different futuristic outfit being worn, I’d swear that I reset time again.

  There on the hill is my Jess, she is lovely as always. And there I can see her chest slowly rising and falling. A quick scan of my healing lets me know she is alive.

  Then I check her with my massively increased Spirit Attribute and feel that her soul is broken into very small pieces. She is dying, and likely would die, if I left her here. No wait, that couldn’t happen, she is in suspended animation.

  She is safe, I let out a long sigh of relief.

  Then another thought hits me, what about the fifteenth Jess, or sexy alien Jess as I mentally refer to her when Prime isn’t around to rat on me. She too must be in a similar state.

  Making sure to touch my Jess again, to reestablish a resonant connection. I teleport away, to the fifteenth universe.

  There, I see the world is in chaos. It was clear that the planet I am on was at war for many years before the behemoth even appeared. Or before I even came to the time loops.

  Seeing Alien Jess, I realize she is but one of a dozen patients in an overcrowded hospital.

  “What, you can’t be here.” An orderly stated.

  Realizing I don’t have much time, I decide. It is likely a stupid plan, but I can’t let Alien Jess die. Not here, not like this. Not on an alien planet that would seemingly let her die to save a few measly resources. Moving quickly, I place a hand on Alien Jess’s arm, then I teleport us both back to my Jess.

  Total Recall.

  Poof.

  Now there are two Jesses there, somehow this seems like a fitting place for both. Right now, I realize I am the only one who can get to these two. These two beautiful people who sacrificed their lives and their spirits to save the universes.

  “I’ll be back. I’ll get stronger and I’ll find a way to get Spiritual Healing, I tell them.” It is an empty promise. I don’t even know where to start looking. Logically, I know that those powers should be found in some type of pocket dimension gained from killing a certain type of teleporting Prolaxian Herald. The only problem is, I killed off all the Prolaxian heralds for both my universe and those from the fourteenth as well.

  Then I remember my past lives. Well, they weren’t really my past lives, but faked memories of possible past lives I could have lived. Lives that were forced into my mind, to make me able to deal with the future that would soon come. A future that still nearly killed me, well nearly killed us all.

  Still those memories from my past lives contained clues, and locations of other temples. Temples that could offer profound powers, so long as I got to them and pushed myself through every challenge they offered.

  “I need to first get stronger. But I will be back.” I say to the two Jesses that are now both sleeping soundly on the hill. I take one more look at them, and I realize that their spirits are being healed slowly, but they are also dissolving just as quickly. There was just too much damage to heal, but they do have a minor Spiritual Regeneration type effect going on in their bodies. Seeing them like this, I pause as I realize there is still a chance to save them both.

  “I can still save the universes, the way I want to. It will just take a little longer.” I mutter to myself. With that, I decide it is time to pop back over to Alternate Jess, to make sure she doesn’t do anything too crazy. Also, who knows. I might be able to piggyback off of her run and gain a few extra Free Attribute points myself.

  With that as a motivational factor, I take a step away from my two sleeping Jesses that are resting soundly on the Temple on my home world and universe. Then I close my eyes, only to reappear next to Alternate Jess.

  Total Recall.

  Poof.

  Then I am there, next to Alternate Jess.

  Alternate Jess looks at me for a moment. It is clear she is up and moving about, her muscles seem to be tight, making her need to stretch. This is only natural as she has been in a coma for a few months, I begin to think. But then realize that the months she should have been in the bed were erased, weren’t they?

  “Oh, sorry. I am just so stiff.” She says, stretching her arm in front of herself in a pitcher’s stretch.

  “No, you’re fine.” I say.

  “Oh, you have a bit of moisture.” She noted dabbing at just under her right eye. It was clear she was pointing out the spot to be mirrored on my face. I instinctively reach up and am somewhat surprised to feel she is right. There are a few drops of tears on my face.

  I guess I was a little more excited than I thought to realize I could still save Jess, that there was still time to save them both. To thank them both. Healing them and their souls, that is likely the least I could do for them. But first, I need to help alternate Jess.

  “Right, Teleporting, it causes wind friction to the eyes. Nothing to worry about.” I say.

  Alternate Jess just stares at me for a second, then finally after a moment she nods.

  “So, you are going to help me with this temple run?” She asks.

  “Yes, choose the maximum difficulty.” I tell her. But before she can do anything, the temple system itself begins to speak.

  “Maximum Difficulty set. Warning: While you can leave the training at any time. You cannot reset your base difficulty rating."

Current Rating: Nightmare.

  Nightmare? This was new, I never got the Nightmare rating in my last time through. Also, I wonder how I can still take the trials here, when I realize “this is a different universe. That’s why it registered me as a new contestant.”

  Jess just stares at me, like a deer caught in the headlights. I could see why too, from her perspective I came upon her like a necromantic prince in Snow White, awoke her then told her we were going to run her awakening ceremony at Nightmare difficulty.

  “Don’t worry, I’ve got this.” I say to her. I did, at least I hoped I did. I did manage to take down not one but three Behemoths after all, how hard could a little temple run be?