*WARNING*--Just did first wave of 'fixes'.

Author's Notes: Okay, this is not a chapter, it's an 'Interlude'. This is where I explain some aspects of the story that can't really be explained any better. This is a short story, with indirect bearing on the Elsgod series. All the Postulates are universally correct. (You will probably see their impact on my story in later chapters.)

Yes, the term 'philontic ties' is ripped straight from the "Ender's Game" series.


Interlude 01


Sent//* --kdls0948.gov
From//* --Kahleb Ledstar
To//* --Alistari Ashtear

Greetings Dr. Ashtear. I represent the interests of the Guardia government, by word of his Highness King Guardia XXXIV. We would like to request your help in verifying the authenticity of certain documents we have obtained. That is the contents of the attachment.

During an excavation on the Southern Continent, with the cooperation of the Porre government, we discovered the ruins of what appeared to be a scientific laboratory. The attached documents were found within.

You will of course be paid for your services, even if you simply disprove them. We appreciate your cooperation in this matter.

-Colonel Ledstar

[The attached documents contain pressed scans of very old looking, yellowed typesheet.]

Postulate #309

If for some reason the timestream should ever split, through methods and means beyond anything Mankind has built, discovered, or manipulated to date, then an exact copy of each universe would be created. If somehow the split is a result of the action (or inaction) of a person, then each result of each possible outcome of that situation will be reflected in each universe.
[Below this, in shaking manuscript as opposed to printed sheet:]
At latest, there are six possible outcomes to any given situation. For instance, if a person is at the threshold of life and death, they will obviously either live or die, but the METHOD of living or dying is what is different. Recent axioma have indicated that an environment can only hold so many outcomes with the limited variables it can accommodate. Therefore, it could infer that if the timestream did split it would not just be in two, but at maximum, six.

Postulate #310

As stated in the previous Postulate, a split in the timestream is theoretically possible (if not that probable). In this situation, each an every being would manifest in each different dimension at the same time. There would be vibrations that would manifest between them all to suggest that each of these people have a central self that connects them to the place where the original timeline used to be, but unfortunately one cannot speculate on how patterned energy could exist outside time.

Previous statement notwithstanding, if the timelines were ever combined the result would be a combination of all previous timelines. Of course, history predating the split would remain unchanged unless somehow people from that time managed to interfere with it in some way. The combination would be, as near as one can calculate, completely random. If a building existed in three timelines and not in the other three, it could just as easily exist as not exist in the new timeline. It isn't just that way when the number is in balance; a trait unique to one timeline can easily overrule a shared trait of five timelines through sheer chance.

The denizens of such a combine would exist, for moments, with memories of all the different timelines. Their 'beings' (the energy that maintains their sentience) would become as one. However, the influx of information, multiplying the total sum of knowledge in the being's brain by (upwards of) six kicks in a survival mechanism in every living thing. These beings simply store the information away, and wait to learn about their environment.
Example:
A girl has just been brought into the combine. All of her past 'selves' lived in a timeline where she had a pet dog, however in two of the timelines that dog was killed. The memories with the dog and the memories without the dog exist at the same time, but her mind represses them. She opens a door and the dog comes in, quite alive. Her mind automatically recalls the memories from the correct timeline(s).
This process takes up a considerable amount of energy in humans, exercising areas of the brain usually left inactive, even in magicka. It would seem that whoever designed us might have installed such a massive brain for just such an eventuality (?).
It must be noted that this method of elimination is not always correct, and there is inexplicable room for error in the process. Some Lesser Animals do not display this method. For more information, defer to Postulate #267 for information on 'Philontic Ties'.
[Attachment ends.]

[A message recorded by a ferret program snooping Head Scientist Ashtear's mailbox. This message, since irrelevant, was immediately discarded.]

Sent//* --asat001.fate.net
From//* --Alistari Ashtear
To//* --Kedge Shoresong

Hi cousin, sorry to bug you like this, but I thought you should know, that pesky Guard finally discovered that I was hoarding chocolate in my desk, I think he's going to wait until I'm not looking an eat it all. Imagine, he even had the gall to ask me if I was really hiding it there! I think I'd better hide it better. I'd recommend the same to you, those Guards are getting quite sharp these days.

As usual, give my regards to your mother and sister. Oh, and say hello to that cute girlfriend of yours for me too ^^.

Love,

Aunt Ashtear

[Alistari Ashtear's response.]

Sent//* --asat001.fate.net
From//* --Alistari Ashtear
To//* --Kahleb Ledstar

In response to your request. After carefully consulting all the given information, I have determined that these documents were either created by a madman or someone that wished a very thorough fiction to be their legacy. As is commonly known, temporal constant only allows there to be one timeline at any given time. The space outside the timeline, which would in no way be effected by the split, is simply too small to accommodate such a change.
As a matter of fact, if something such as a split actually occurred, through methods unfathomable, it could very well mean the destruction of reality.
While these papers were quite ludicrous in their ideas, they were very thorough. Perhaps there is something to be gleaned from further study, in that voice I would like to recommend a contract to inspect all other documents extracted from said site.
Out of curiosity, what are these ruins dated as? To have such a firm grasp on reality as to accept that we must move through time would require some advanced sciences; Sciences that have been available so recently that even the oldest research faculty could hardly be called a ruin. Is there anything to indicate Reptite origin? Though I understand the official statement issued by Guardia regarding this 'myth' there is still strong evidence that such a proto-culture existed at some point in the far past. This information is highly preterit due to the fact that certain 'Reptite' artifacts, (proven 'fakes' of course) contained a cipher that could convey additional understanding when applied to a document.
Looking forward to you response.

Alistari Ashtear

[Alistari Ashtear was later contracted out to inspect the 'relics'. Unfortunately all were as inaccurate as the first, though Dr. Ashtear made very complete copies, under the pretext that there might be some deeper cipher that they didn't know about.]

Addendum to report:

[The artifacts in question were recently destroyed, mid 1050 a.d., when an fire of unknown source swept through the ruins, destroying all the artifacts in question.
Though unlikely atmospheric phenomena have been attributed to the destruction, several scientists and soldiers claimed to have witnessed a woman walking amongst the flames:
"...like something out of a cheap movie. Pretty lady lookin' like a demon, moving through flames without being burnt, fire springing from her hands..."]

[Official inquiry status: Case Closed]