A dim blue light enveloped both Josh and Sen. The short monk, who, up till then, Josh had been internally calling ‘the bald and freaky voice in my head’. The surrounding light lifted the two and placed them face to face with... well, Josh wasn’t quite sure what they were looking at. He was a tall, powerfully built, middle-aged man, shaped out of continually involuting glowing blue lines. He was wearing what looked to Josh’s sci-fi-tainted mind, like robes most comfortably worn by guys who fought with lightsabers and used the Force. The closer Josh looked, the deeper the lines seemed to transect into infinite repeating detail. In seconds, Josh had to stop staring and turn away as his eyes started to burn from the continued exposure to the glowing fractals.
Regardless, Josh was sure he had never seen any person that the... projection... apparition... was supposed to be a representation of. A quick glance over to Sen told Josh that Sen all too well knew exactly who it was. If Sen’s downcast eyes and look of shame meant anything.
Senyak spoke first, or attempted to, his mouth working with no sound coming out despite what Josh could see were strenuous attempts at making his voice work.
Josh, whose most recent memories included—
—Having his mind and hormones invaded by a socially inept space alien who looked like a Shaolin monk.
—An elevator death match with a sixty-eight-year-old receptionist who had almost kicked his ass but had instead, quite literally, busted his balls.
—Last but not least, having his face slammed–repeatedly, mind you–into the street by a man after he had whacked that same man in the head with a half-inch steel bar so hard that it had bent around his face.
Enough is enough! This glowstick-cosplaying ghost guy is the last straw!
Josh started running for his life, screaming down the alley–
Or, at least, he would have... If he could have moved his legs or made sounds with his mouth. Instead, all Josh did was float there ineffectually. The only seeming control he had was the ability to move his head and eyes and control his breathing. Well, control was a rather strong word in the face of his rapid, panicked gasps and narrowing vision.
The figure spoke. “I am a Consciousness Clone of the perfect Immortal Zenyak Marztanak, Grand Patriarch of the Marztanak Hegemony, and grandfather to the sole remaining Heir of the Marztanak Hegemony, Senyak Marztanak.” The Clone gestured meaningfully toward Senyak. “As well as, and perhaps more immediately pertinent, Zenyak is also the benefactor and potential patron to you, Joshua Elias Tanner.” He looked Josh in the eye with a gaze that could pierce tank armor. “At this junction, I am also the potential bane of you both.
“I accurately represent the Grand Patriarch’s mentation, persona, goals, and proclivities. I also have access to his knowledge and an infinitesimal portion of his power.” The Clone let his credentials hang in their thoughts for a moment and then proceeded with just as much vigor. “I am here to determine if you two will pursue cultivation through the mortal spheres... or not.”
Though Josh had thought it impossible, the Clone’s glare became even more steely. “At present, as you are rather apparently aware, neither of you has control of your body below your neck. Similarly, I have also silenced your vocalization capabilities.
“I assure you that Zenyak Marztanak suffers no fools. As I am an exact representation of him, down to the small mole on his left rear cheek ... nor do I. Somehow, the Clone managed to stare both of them in the eyes at the same time.
“The probability is one hundred percent that you both lack the foundational knowledge and wisdom to understand just how close to the end of your paths you are. Because of this, I have mercifully limited your capabilities to act foolishly until Karma is balanced...”
The words trailed off into silence. Joshua slowly ceased his head shaking, useless eye-rolling, and mental struggles. Senyak had already recognized the futility of similar actions several moments before.
Clone—Hegemony... what the hell is that— and Senyak’s grandfather?
Josh wasn’t sure of anything, except strangely, the wavelength of some of the light the Clone was shining was near the 400 to 405-nanometer length. His eyes hurt to look directly at it for more than one to two seconds. Josh briefly wondered how he was definite about such an obscure point, not having any science background beyond the odd show caught on the Discovery channel as a kid. However, somehow, beyond a shadow of a doubt, Josh was certain of its accuracy. He resolved to chalk it up to multiple head traumas in the last several hours. At any rate, he continued to gaze steadily at the ultraviolet-neutral-zone near the Clone’s feet.
Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.
Seeing their acceptance, the Clone continued. “Good, our time is brief. If you survive, and when I am confident it will be goal-productive, I will allow you the opportunity to ask meaningful questions.
The Clone shifted his attention to Josh, “I will start with you, Joshua Elias Tanner. You are the one who needs to accept a much more significant change regarding your conceptualization of your current reality– What we Immortals call an iteration– than most mortals can comfortably grasp. Your iteration is only one among the infinite others that can be traversed by the spiritually awoken–”
The Clone bit back its own words and stared directly into Josh’s eyes with deadly sincere contempt. “-- Yes, Joshua Elias Tanner, I am aware that you do not attend ‘church’ regularly– A meaningless concern to our current discussion–
He can read my thoughts!?!
Yes, obviously, ‘I can read your thoughts’... though that is hardly a significant feat when your mind is shouting loud enough for anyone to hear. Please attempt to control your consciousness so you do not interrupt me again.” The Clone’s steady glare could have refrozen the last fifty years of globally warmed and melted glaciers.
After a pregnant pause, the Clone continued. “... Presently, your spiritual potential is dormant. You must follow my commands and activate it. At the center of your spirituality, just below your physical navel, your physical being meets your spiritual reality. This union is your core, and it is full of spiritual Essence. You will now attempt to sense your core with your mind. When you do, you will experience a gently glowing golden aura around it.”
The insano-train Josh was riding on had just gone completely off its rails. Josh’s eyes boggled at the seeming absurdity he had just heard from the Clone’s mouth. While his confusion was genuine, if Josh was honest, there was a fair amount of self-chosen obstinacy. He was at his limit with the bizarro events that had occurred to him since entering the school’s elevator. Up to and including being hog-tied and silenced by a member of the Blue Man group standing before him.
Again, knowing every thought in Josh’s head, the Clone leaned his glowing blue face, with its impossible myriad of renewing, shimmering outlines, to within two inches of Josh’s eyes. “I said... now, Joshua Elias Tanner.”
Josh blinked and looked away in pain as the personal space in and around his retinas was fried with emitted UV rads.
The Clone then continued reading Josh’s mind like a roadside billboard, “This is no game, Joshua.” A sudden sensation of violation occurred, as though someone was sieving his mind through a pasta strainer to witness his entire life in an instant. “You are not ‘tripping balls’ on some hallucinogenic substance. This is very much real...” The Clone grinned a wolfish smile, “... Yes, I absolutely assure you that your life is in very real danger.”
The blue face’s smile dropped, and the Clone continued matter-of-factly. “Your physical body and metaphysical existence have been… anti-resonated by the Anima Essence of countless mortal lives and had undergone the irreversible series of interactions across physical and spiritual levels of your existence. Yes. This is a situation you are not in any way equipped to survive. I am currently keeping that fate postponed.” The Clone moved nose to nose with Josh and spoke in an unmistakably slow and deadly tone. “...If you persist in disregarding my instructions, I will allow your elimination via the complete expungement I currently hold at bay. I will allow this to happen for no other reason than your own recalcitrance and focus my remaining efforts on Senyak.”
Expungement?!?
“Death Joshua Elias Tanner. You were exposed to concentrated soul Essence because of Senyak’s failed containment of Hantal Brundox. This exposure would have eliminated your physical and spiritual being without Zenyak’s direct intervention.
“You were granted this mercy to balance the Karmic debt Senyak owes you for stopping the genocidal harvester Brundox. Sparing your life was the best way of achieving the desired Karmic balance. A balance which I openly admit significantly improves Senyak’s chances of success in his tasks by all predicted probability outcomes.” The Clone turned his head away, and Joshua saw his cobalt-hued fractalized eyes roll. “...Yes, Joshua... You are useful. Karmic balance is in everyone’s best interest.” The evolving lines of the Clone’s face hardened into blue steel, “But, as with all things... there are limits to how far and for how long I am willing to extend my assistance in the face of your doubts and obstinance.”
Still, Josh’s mind had a few remaining questions the Clone considered valid enough to respond to in real time. “Yes, Brundox is the entity you identify as the cockless wonder who ruptured your sack, killed Sadie, and curb-stomped your ass.”
“Yes, being expunged will prevent you from ever seeing or assisting your progeny, Sophie, to reach maturity.”
Joshua’s face clouded at that, and his throat swallowed several times silently.
“Lastly, Joshua, it is Karmically appropriate to inform you that probability predictions also show a significant increase in the success of Zenyak’s desired outcomes and objectives when you not only survive but advance together with Senyak toward Transcendence. Yes, Joshua, Zenyak is concerned with a great many things, including the continued existence of all reality as your tiny mind conceives it. I assure you, its survival is by no means guaranteed.”
The Clone finished with Joshua’s internal questions and bluntly moved back to his own agenda. “You are now fully informed. I am allowing you five Earth seconds to elect compliance or expungement. Choose now, Joshua Elias Tanner.”