Zenyak’s consciousness clone continued without pause, turning this time to Sen.
“Senyak, your task is to rise through the five mortal levels of cultivation—foundational, physical, mental, spiritual, and cosmic, to once again reach Immortal Transcendence... And your cultivational growth is expected to surpass all independent mortal cultivators in this and all iterations you inhabit.” The look of incredulous doubt that formed from the constantly rolling fractal lines of its face told volumes of what the Clone thought about Sen’s chances of accomplishing this.
The Clone glanced up and spoke to the heavens, raising his hands in an uncharacteristic display of hopelessness as if pleading for a reprieve from what he was about to say and do. “Regardless of my individual estimations about your likelihood of success–”
Blue-white lightning flashed through the sky, immediately followed by ear splitting thunder that made the gravel on the floor of the alley rattle. The Clone turned back to both of them with a distasteful look of forced acceptance of a futile task. “... My instructions are to give you both several boons to foster your advancement through the mortal levels of cultivation.”
“Your boons are thus—” The Clone waved his hand in a small gesture, and golden writing appeared in the air between him and them. Almost as if a legal and binding contract was being formed.
OPTIMAL CULTIVATOR’S PHYSIOLOGY
“All cultivators are not created equally in the mortal realms. Many physiologic and spiritual variants exist. However, to get both of you here at this present time, Zenyak was obligated to completely recreate your physical and spiritual beings from the subatomic and supra-spiritual levels – As Zenyak does nothing in less than absolute perfection – you are both gifted with the optimal starting position.”
The Clone gave them both a side glance and grudgingly spoke from the corner of his mouth, “... Probability estimates are that you will be able to cultivate and grow at exponential rates with these improvements if you are adequately motivated. It is also certain that without these perfect physical vessels and spiritual energy, neither of you would have been able to comply with my requirements thus far...”
“Your second boon...” Another small wave of his hand and more golden writing in the air—
Myself: THIS CONSCIOUSNESS CLONE Of ZENYAK MARZTANAK
“... And my knowledge concerning the foundational necessities of cultivation.” The Clone raised both his brows in a way that invited either of them to challenge his next statement. “... My guidance will be to prevent you both from stumbling in the dark longer than what is necessary to benefit your growth. I will provide my insights when I determine you have a need. We predict that this boon will also increase your rate of cultivator growth by at least an order of magnitude.”
The Clone took them both in with an increased air of seriousness that Josh had already learned not to ignore from him. “... My continued presence comes with a warning. Understand that you are now in an iteration twelve aspect doorways from any inhabited Immortal location. We have done this for a specific reason. Any–” The Consciousness Clone nodded to both of them curtly, “... Absolutely any significant Immortal interference of beings from the Transcended realms, beyond communication with this Clone, is prohibited. Any voluntary communication on your part will immediately place you both under consideration for expungement.”
Senyak raised his hand and received only a curt look from the Clone. “All contact with Immortals is prohibited ... Even from my family and my Ka bond– former Ka Bond?”
The Clone leveled an unhealthy look at Sen. “Yes, particularly from them. However, should any Immortals you have outstanding confrontation issues with decide to take this opportunity to even any imagined scores against you... Their interference will be dealt with on a case-by-case basis.” The Clones' eyes thinned, and he glanced at Sen from the side of his eyes. “... At some point such Immortal involvement may be considered a viable source of motivation. Particularly as you near transcendence yourself. For now, all involvement is prohibited.”
Josh rolled his eyes and spoke before thinking. “Thanks for the pep talk, Newt Rockne. If that’s your idea of positive motivation, I’d hate to see what you consider negative motivation.”
The Clone shifted his glance to Josh. “... Of all the things you have said today, Joshua Elias Tanner, that is by far the most correct.” The Clone again waved his hand. More golden letters appeared.
KARMICALLY LINKED CULTIVATION PARTNER
The Clone glanced at Sen and then turned to Josh. “Through his ignorant actions, Senyak has Karmically bound you both together on the Path of One. You will both have significant benefits in cultivation advancement while in any material-matter iterations because of this...” The lupine smile of a hungry wolf lifted the Clone’s cheeks as he stared at Josh. “But more on this later...”
One final wave and the now-expected accompanying golden lettering appeared.
A CULTIVATION PROBABILITY INTERFACE
The Clone stepped back to include both of them and was once again all business. “... I am going to brand this interface onto both of your cores. It is impossible to overstate its value. The interface will provide immediate feedback on your current physical and spiritual status. As your cultivation increases, it will also improve to provide you with richer and more in-depth environmental information concerning the spiritual beings you are dealing with, as well as time-space locations and directed goal organization.”
“This last boon will require another practical application.” A nod from the Clone released the restraints, and Josh and Sen dropped the six inches to their feet, making them both stumble in their sudden freedom.
The Clone raised his hands with its right palm facing out at Senyak’s core, the left facing Josh’s. Remembering their last ‘practical application,’ was a lovingly given severed femoral artery, both Josh and Sen flinched reflexively and raised their arms in a simultaneous guarded stance... Sadly, it did neither of them any good–
Instantly, Josh’s mind filled with unfiltered-solar-radiation level agony. The searing pain began at his core and spread out along his meridians, pulsing in greater amplitude and frequency as the seconds ticked by. Nothing Sen had exposed Josh to had come even close to this skull-pounding, soul-burning torture. Every inch of him, including his hair follicles, hurt.
Josh grabbed his head and kept it still to try and lessen his misery, to no effect. The cranial overload steadily increased until his teeth felt loose in their sockets. Josh didn’t know how he knew it, but he was certain, and without a doubt, that Senyak was going through the same exact horror he was feeling. At some point, Josh lost consciousness and fell into the never-ending expanse of white noise swirling around him.
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He was face down in the alley over his bent knees when he woke. His shirt and pants were wet and grimy from the ground, and his forehead had small pieces of asphalt gravel stuck to it. His ears still ringing, Josh absently scraped away the embedded rocks free from his skin. Josh’s core still smoked from the searing brand the Clone had placed there. But the pain receded with every second.
Rising to his feet, Josh noted that Senyak was also stirring. Several choice words and even a few questions for Zenyak’s Clone came sluggishly to Josh’s brain as it came back online... But the human had already accepted being outclassed in any confrontation with the glowing blue being. It was clear that the Clone gave absolutely zero fucks. Perhaps more importantly, Josh had started to believe what he was hearing. They were both at the Clone’s mercy for their continued existence. If Josh wanted to see Sophie again, he needed to play along... So, instead of reacting with his instincts to rage about everything that had and was currently happening, Josh stood there sullenly... waiting...
Apparently, being... whatever Senyak was... hadn’t made the experience of core branding any easier for him. The shorter man, dressed like a monk, had risen in a stagger to his feet. He was mirroring Josh’s stance of tortured acceptance. Even wearing the same intense glare that Josh hoped he was giving the Clone, though he was relatively sure that his own merely manifested as an ugly grimace.
“Excellent! You both survived!”
A momentary flicker of what may have been genuine surprise and something else unreadable passed over the Clone’s ever-shifting fractalized face. An actual chill ran down Josh’s spine at the Clone’s sincerity in conveying the distinct possibility of them not surviving. Then, it was back to the Clone’s agenda. The third-degree soul burns they had both just endured apparently required no further mention.
“Activate your Cultivation Probability Interface’s biologic assessment by intending it to assess–”
Josh raised his hand. The Clone’s eyes jumped to him, drilling two metaphoric holes through his face. Foolishly or bravely, he decided to ask his question anyway. “Will everything having to do with our cultivation be based on our Intent? And probability… How is the condition of my body a ‘probability.’”
The Clone’s eyes blazed with obvious frustration at having to answer such basic questions. He nonetheless proceeded.
“The probability interface not only assesses the condition of your body but its current status in relation to intensely elusive metaphysical properties.” The Clone waved his hand and began listing several. “... Essence location and quantity, cultivation status, requirements for Karmic advancement. Skills and abilities Karmic Attunements will provide, etc… Much like you humans very well describe with Heisenberg’s Principle are that you are unable to detect the physical location of quantum particles without using means that alter their location and trajectories… One can never fully understand what is happening in the spiritual realm with certainty. Any interface that reads spiritual effects and reports on them in the physical reality is really just interpreting probabilities.” The Clone finished with raised brows, querying if Josh had understood. He immediately nodded his head yes.
“...Good, now concerning your first question–” The Clone began, but seeing Senyak nodding his head concerning cultivatory Intent, he raised a blue fractalized hand in an ‘after you fashion’ and said simply, “Yes Senyak, save my proverbial breath and answer this question for Joshua, will you?”
Looking nervous at the Clone’s surprising response, Sen responded in a slightly timid voice, “In Immortal Cultivation, one’s Intent, or their supremely focused will, is the primary lever of action. It takes millennia of your Earth’s solar rotation– years to achieve the necessary concentration even for us ... which is why I was so surprised you survived our test of healing ...” Sen looked surprised as well. His voice was flecked with mild undertones of awe at Josh’s continued existence. The Clone shifted forward on the verge of interrupting, and Sen sped up to finish his last thoughts on the matter. “What we are being requested to do–
“Demanded ... He is demanding it of us.” Josh mildly corrected Sen, seemingly more out of the habit of a teacher of word smiths than of any malice toward Sen.
At this correction, Sen glanced at the Clone. The Clone nodded. “Joshua is correct. Abstaining is absolutely not an option for either of you.”
Sen sighed, still seeming uncomfortable with the uncompromising terms Josh and the Clone were willing to bandy with and found an acceptable middle ground. “What the Consciousness Clone greatly desires us to do is to focus our Intent in a method similar to how we circulated our Ka through our meridians, but instead–to turn that same Intent toward the Brand that now exists on our mortal core. Sen cast a quick glance at the Clone, who seemed only bemused by Sen’s next statement. “... After what we just went through, I’m sure you can feel it as well as I can– both spiritually and physically.”
Josh absently rubbed at his aching navel as he responded in a breezy tone to no one in particular. “Oh ...You could have just said so ...” He was obviously not foolish enough to direct any confrontational words at the Clone.
Sen and the Clone gave each other a meaningful look.
The Clone proceeded to discuss the core-branded interface as if it were a new app for their cell phones. “... Your Essence fuels the interface. As I have already said, it will assess your current physiologic and spiritual condition. The functionality of the probability interface increases with your cultivation. Pragmatically, the interface can take any visual or auditory form to inform you of its data. However, given your current mental acuity levels, I have set its notification level to simple.”
Ignoring the Clone’s snide comment, Josh intended as the Clone had instructed and immediately noted the presence of a green and blue bar over to the right of his visual field. There was also a small circle at the top center of his vision. The circle’s bottom was 10 percent opaquely filled in.
The Clone spoke over his inspection of the interface’s data and pointed with his hands, indicating what Josh was seeing. “The green column on the right reflects the overall status of your physical well-being. Should you take an injury, it will decrease. Yellow indicates a moderate condition. Red is for when you are facing critical damage. An empty black status bar is irrelevant, because if you ever see it, it means you are dead, and I have been saved from the trouble of expunging you myself...
The Clone raised an index finger to the top center of Josh’s sight line. “Spiritual strength is reflected by the small figure at the top center of your visual field, along with a visual representation of the current level of dedicated Essence in your core. When the core image is full and golden, you will be ready to advance to the next level of your cultivation. You can see from the spherical shape that you both are very early in the Foundational Tier.
Continuing like an airline steward during preflight instructions, the Clone spoke again. “The blue bar to the right of the green bar reflects how much free Essence you have available to use. Free Essence is what you both used to heal your femoral artery wounds. This Essence has yet to be dedicated to advancing your core and can be channeled at your discretion to enhance your actions or heal the wounds you are likely to get–”
The Clone paused and glanced meaningfully and or menacingly at Josh. With everything that had already happened, it was getting hard to tell which, with this edgy, ‘always one step from expunging you,’ guy. “... Yes, Joshua, it is like ‘gas in your tank.’ Once used, it is gone. Released back to the iteration. You can obtain more by absorbing Aura, which you have been attuned to, or taken directly from other spiritual beings’ cores–”
“The interface is a... a video game?” Josh couldn’t help but blurt out at the pure inanity of what he was seeing.
The temperature in the alley dropped several degrees at Josh’s impertinent interruption. “That is not an entirely incorrect assessment, Joshua Elias Tanner. As already stated, I have set the visual cues to ones you would be familiar with to limit the variables that might otherwise confuse your simple mind.” Narrowing his gaze and looking straight at Josh, he added, “No further interruptions, or I will restrain you again. Now, for another practical application.”
Josh could see Sen was as frozen in terror as he was facing down the now dreaded phrase. Josh could hear the Clone’s smile at their discomfort in his voice.
“Fear not... at least this time. I merely require a status check of the functionality of the interface. Physically striking each other one time should suffice.” He chuckled smugly. “No use of weapons and avoid fatal damage... if possible.”
Josh took a double take at the Clone. “I get to hit Senyak? For free?”
The incredulity bubbled up through his expression to place a maniacal smile on his face. All the while, strength from the possibility of payback flowed through his limbs.
A vulpine smile once again crossed the Clone's face. “Why yes...” The Clone raised a hand to Sen while keeping his eyes on Josh. “... Senyak was an Immortal combat specialist and has retained that knowledge. What should he have to fear from you, Joshua Elias Tanner? But beware. He can strike you one time as well... should he be able.” The Clone raised his hands to both of them. “Strike each other now.”