Chapter 3:

The Immortal Transcended state was pure energy. Immortals lived, thought, and acted at rates far exceeding the comparatively sluggish tempo of the speed of light. When Immortals had to be present in physical matter universes (or iterations as they called them), their state of existence could be compared in a small way to being one with the quantum state. Existing everywhere, all at once, able to think, act, and experience all places simultaneously. Much like the free Essence that fueled the multiverse. This was true of Immortals whether they, as Damni had, Transcended to immortality after rising through the ranks of mortal cultivation or if they were propagated by the will and donated Ka of Immortal progenitors, e.g.: ‘born an Immortal.’

The only limiting factor for an Immortal’s strength was how much Karmic Energy or ‘Immortal Ka’ they could channel from the multiverse at any given time. This amount obviously increased as they advanced through the seven levels of Immortal cultivation on their way to the great unknown of Ascension.

Compared to the existence of free energy, taking on a mortal Ka-Dominion was . . . limiting, to say the least. Only having one point of referenced perception . . . Being reduced to one position of actual influential intervention . . . Having all actions performed by things as ineffectual as physical bodies that were subject to size constraints and even injury? It was a quantified reality that the first time most Immortals took on a Ka Dominion, they went batshit-claustrophobic-crazy just dealing with the requirements of experiencing time as a linear construct . . .

But this wasn’t Damni’s first rodeo. She had integrated with Hakari Dima’s spiritual being seamlessly.

As Damni had told the Cheetah Affin, there was no room in a mortal being’s metaphysical existence for two spirits. When Damni had entered the Cheetah Affin, Hakari’s mortal Karmic ties had been severed. As promised, however, Damni had lashed Hakari’s spirit to her own. Regardless, and as Damni had quietly expected, the Cheeta Affin’s original spirit had been stunned by the severance. Presently, all Damni could feel of Hakari’s awareness was that it was regrouping.

A quick recheck confirmed that Damni’s Karmic ties were secure and had kept Hakari from returning to the mortal soul nexus. What remained of Hakari would remain here until Damni left the Ka Dominion. The rest, that is, whether or not the Cheetah Affin’s spirit remnant would have a meaningful experience during their shared Ka Dominion, was up to her spirit’s strength of will. It was an Immortal no-brainer that after having their Karmic ties severed, most mortal spirits would be completely obtunded until the scars were erased by being forged anew in the mortal soul nexus. The stresses were just too great for the relatively small existences to endure and comprehend. Leaving the soul remnants effectively shattered even if they remained outside of the soul nexus. But, as had become apparent during their conversation, the Cheetah Affin’s intent and will were made of stern stuff. The Immortal gave her even odds. Regardless, even the best outcome for Hakari would take several moments of adjustment to join their shared reality . . .

. . . And that was fine. Now it was time to deal with the four yahoos that worm Al’naakir had sent to stop Damni.

Damni didn’t blame the Bisors. Not at all. They were just doing their job and she respected that. But Damni had a job to do as well. There was no way she wasn’t going to let a handful of swole super-jacked get in her way. Though, she was going to try not to hurt them permanently.

When Damni entered Hakari, the Immortal immediately accelerated Hakari’s hormonal, neurotransmitter, and energy production/exchange systems to get her system ready to function at a reasonable level of increased perception and metabolic function.

As the Ka Dominion had stepped onto the stage, Damni had added somatic and autonomic biofeedback amplification to speed up the avatar’s neural conduction and block pain perception as well as autonomic responses to injury. Physiologic pain data and reflex neurologic responses to injury would only slow down Damni’s movements. They were useless to what needed to be accomplished. Lastly, Damni also redirected nutritional supplementation production for accelerated healing and regrowth. Haraki was indeed so sick that she was on the very edge of death . . . But that was before her physiology had been put under Damni’s control. Now the Cheetah Affin was a wrecking machine!

With all of these changes, Hakari’s already formidable fast twitch reaction time and reflex conductions had been tripled. Her amplified neuromuscular response and muscle bundle propagation and recruitment had undergone a factor of four amplification. The avatar was now faster and stronger than all four of the security team put together. But, even accelerated as the avatar’s healing and catabolic processes were, it would take more than mere moments to rebuild the muscle, ligaments, bones, and organs that had been destroyed by her previous wasting disease . . .

So, this . . . confrontation. . . is going to be strike and avoidance. I can deal with that. Existing, at least partially, inside of Hakari’s mind, the Damni knew it was the Cheetah Affin’s preferred method of physical combat as well.

Good, this will be an adequate shakedown of our union. A small smile crossed the avatar’s muzzle as she continued her advance forward.

The first bisor, obviously irritated that the Cheetah Affin hadn’t accepted reality and backed down from his superior size, swept its horns within three millimeters of the avatar’s eyes as a further warning. To her ramped-up perception, the faint was sluggish and telegraphed. But Damni wasn’t in the mood to mommy-coddle his self-serving machismo tactics.

Besides, I need to make this quick.

Faster than anyone present could track, the Cheeta Affin jumped up and grabbed the two front prongs that had invaded her personal space. She then bicycled her legs and torso in a 360-degree continuation of the bison’s original directional momentum. Well-established biomechanical laws were put into full application: If your horns and head are forcefully accelerated in a direction you are already moving, your neck and body are going to go along for the ride!

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The now helpless and airborne bisor spun into the air and off the stage. His rotational momentum was so great that his arms and legs gave a brief impression of a hovercraft’s primary lift fan. His out-of-control body then crashed with several deep bone crunches between the raised platform and the first row of now scattering field agents.

Well, he’s hurt, but he’ll live. Maybe next time he will show a lady a bit more respect . . .

Damni continued on toward the remaining three bisors that still blocked her road to Al’naakir.

In perfect choreography, very much like a well-trained dance troop, they each simultaneously extended a tactical baton in their right grip. The stage thundered under the Cheetah Affin’s feet as they charged in unison to surround and subdue her.

A solid strategy if predictable. . . But it will serve them no better.

The Cheetah Affin intercepted the bisor who attempted to gain position to her rear. Again, she had to hop off the ground in order to perform 4 lightning-quick knuckle blade strikes to his cricoid cartilage. In her accelerated state, she saw the evolving look of shock on her opponent’s bovine features as she flashed. He also had a very brief moment of fear pass through his widening bull’s eyes . . . But he was unconscious before he hit the floor. A skidding pile of muscle and black suit who ended up halfway down the three steps Damni had used to walk up the platform.

He is still breathing, but he won’t rise anytime soon.

Damni shifted the baton she had grabbed from the dropped guard to her right paw. She tested its weight with a Brief flourish. The air around it whistled in her new feline ears, this will do nicely to move things along.

Seeing that the Cheetah Affin was now armed with a tactical baton from their most recently downed member, the remaining two halted their blind run-in and circled Damni at a respectful distance. Obviously waiting for her to make the first move.

Wiser than the last two . . . for all the good it will do them.

A series of blindingly fast strikes with the baton at their knees and elbows and two more overstuffed black suits were lying on the ground groaning. Very likely glad the she-devil in the form of a sickly Cheeta Affin had left them alive to chase after the director who didn’t pay them enough for this kind of risk.

The black curtain Al’naakir had passed through in his mountainously fat Ka-Dominion was still shifting as Damni parted it with the still-extended baton. The opening revealed a small foyer with several doors leading off on both sides of the rectangular space. At its end was a hallway that bent off to the left.

Not seeing the dead end she had hoped, Damni queried her AI, sitting overwatched aboard her transport in geosynchronous orbit. “Yahkam, Has Al’naakir’s Ka-Dominion left the facility?”.

Negative. I have not seen his Dominion on any security footage leaving the facility. Neither have the Techno-Lord detectors picked up any energy surges indicating particle or wavelength transport from there. I believe—

--The scent of Dal Chort’s tobacco leads down the hallway. I can’t hear anyone stirring in these side rooms . . . but the director seems to be having an emotional breakdown talking on the com with someone named Shaitan. He’s in the room at the end of that hallway.

Hakari’s kernel of consciousness, having recovered from the severing of her Karmic ties, interjected in their shared consciousness.

Thank you . . . I’m a bit rusty with interpreting your mortal senses . . .

Don’t mention it . . . This is the first time in years I’ve been able to think clearly without the pain coloring everything . . . Know that I’m grateful if only for that.

Damni nodded internally. Let's go get him!

Damni’s Ka-Dominion, now consciously joined by Hakari, proceeded across the small backstage area. Damni spared a glance through the open doors on each side. All empty dressing rooms. At the bend in the hallway, Damni could finally hear Al’naakir using his com. She could also tell what Hakari had meant by him ‘having a breakdown.’

“. . . I don’t care Shaitan! Do you hear me? Damni is here for me, and what she does will not be pretty the second time! We have to get out of here, NOW— Shaitan!? Shaitan?? Shaitan, are you there —"

Using his conversation as a convenient distraction, the Cheetah Affin proceeded down the short hallway and pushed the partially open door at its end.

Since joining the Masters, Damni had tracked down several Immortals reaping their adharmic harvest of mortal sapients. She had seen some run from her, some fight, but most often, they simply surrendered and allowed the Principle Master to discipline them by redirecting several levels of their cultivation advancement to the entire group of Masters who were currently in good standing.

Damni had even seen some Immortals like Al’naakir take their punishment and then foolishly attempt mortal soul Essence harvesting again . . . But nothing prepared Damni for Al’naakir’s reaction when she confronted him in that small room.

Distraught, in tears, and screaming into his com, Al’naakir’s eyes grew wide with an expression that could only be interpreted as . . . hope? The adharmic Ka Dominion threw himself at the small Cheeta Affin’s feet in an oscillating wave of blubber as he grabbed at her ankles.

“Damni! He’s gotten Shaitan and he’s coming for me! He’s compelled us to obey! YOU HAVE TO KILL this Ka Dominion SO I CAN GET OUT OF IT AND GET AWAY!! QUICKLY BEFOR—

But that was all Al’naakir had been able to get out before the room filled with countless shades of indigo, blue, and violet. A well-built, middle-aged human figure completely composed of constantly involuting blue-shaded fractals appeared among them. Another Ka Dominion, currently subdued and likely holding the well-known adharmic Immortal Shaitan, floated behind him. The newcomer waved his hand and Al’naakir immediately stopped raving and froze. The avatar lifted off the ground, its limbs dangling lifelessly, and was positioned behind them all.

Zenyak Marztanak!!? Transcendence!

Damni immediately dropped to a knee and greeted the consciousness clone of the most powerful Immortal in the multiverse, “Lord Clone!” She put the Cheeta Affin’s head to the floor before her and swallowed past a lump in their throat. “. . . I’m . . . surprised to see you here . . .”

A stern expression solidified on his blue-hued face as an azure-tinged lightning bolt arched between his eyebrows. “Yes, sister Immortal . . . This is awkward . . . What am I to do with you?”

Damni, what's going on? Hakari’s mind questioned as it sensed Damni’s fear but was clearly confused by the recent turn of events.

Well, Hakari . . . I told you Immortality is a myth . . . It is true, no one lives forever . . . The consciousness clone of the most powerful Immortal in the multiverse, Zenyak Marztanak, might just give you a live demonstration of that by killing me to cover up whatever he is doing here!