Happy new year to all. Here is the start of the year I give you my gift : a new chapter. I took time because I wanted to do a "big chapter" but it takes too long so I'm going to divide it into two parts, or even three. This is the first part.
BEYOND THE GATE. Part 01.
Everyone had spent the night in their own way.
Rory had reached level 20 in World of Warcraft with a « night elf death knight ». She wanted something a little familiar to herself. The Apostle wasn't really trying to have fun, she didn't have the heart for it. However, she needed something to take her mind off things and maybe she could actually help Grassac by taking an interest in his game. Her mission to make him "worthy of death" remained. At this stage of things, she had nothing better to do anyway.
As a class she had decided to take "death knight" which seemed more familiar to her. She had also chosen "gnome" at first but when she saw the difficulties it posed to her in terms of moving around in this virtual environment, she immediately recreated a character from another race, Night Elf.
At first she had thought of taking "human" but a little fantasy wouldn't hurt. There were no "night elves" on Falmart, only Elves and Dark elves. While she was quite familiar with dwarves and gnomes, not to mention humans. She had rejected the idea of taking a character from the "Horde" faction because Grassac had chosen a human from the "Alliance" and that would have prevented them from being together, which she was trying to do precisely.
Something that upset her was that she couldn't choose her name. The computer did not accept "Rory" because it was too short and "Rorymercury" did not please her either because it merged her first name with her last name. It seemed too weird to her.
In the end she had opted for "Antonina". It was the name of her best friend and rival at the temple of Emroy, when she was still human, so long ago….
On the other hand, there was one thing that she liked. It was the company of other players. Admittedly, they had just met but she liked their attitude. The people were nice and the fact that they didn't know she was an Apostle and treated her "normally" was nice too.
The world around her was an illusion, but it was a beautiful illusion. She had found it pleasant to play for a few hours with these people.
It was like a throwback to her distant youth. Most people think that the evolution of the mind comes with age and experience. It is true but a little known fact is that it is also linked to the aging of the body. Despite being almost 1000 years old, Rory had retained, roughly, the mentality of a 15 year old, with some adaptations due to her nature as an Apostle of Emroy as well as the experience gained.
So it was nice to be with similar people even if it was just a game. Their company was very refreshing and made her feel good.
As for the monsters to kill…. Frankly they were funny. Having already met a good part of them on Falmart, these were very different. Ogres with a horn who practice magic? Ghost mounts and giant owlmen?
The funniest part was that they left "loot" behind. As if a giant scorpion that lives under the sand in the desert walks around with gold coins or "mageweave cloth" on his body.
She was beginning to understand what this "dream game" was alluring after all. The reality she had been experiencing for some time had become so depressing….
Now the sun was rising and she would have to leave the game soon to make another decision. Stay here with Emroy playing World of Warcraft to distract herself from her real problems and help Grassac become "worthy of death", or accompany Amiek to the Gate to meet the other Celestials?
Sure, she could take Emroy with her, but she wasn't sure that would be a good idea. Who knows what the other Celestials might decide to do to her god ?
The decision was made by someone else and Emroy's Apostle was now outraged, humiliated and furious. As she explored the "deadmines" dungeon she heard something deeply unpleasant.
"My dear little Rory, how are you?" said a mischievous voice in her mind.
For a moment Rory's heart stopped beating.
"HARDY?! BUT WHAT…. ?!"
"Oh ? Is this a way to welcome your fiancée, your future wife and…. Your new goddess?"
Regaining control of herself except for her composure, Rory's response was quick.
"I WILL NEVER MARRY YOU! NOW EXPLAIN TO ME HOW YOU TALK IN MY HEAD? ONLY MY GUARDIAN GOD CAN…."
It was then that Rory realized something.
"OH NO !"
"OH YES ! In summary, since dear Emroy is…. Unavailable, I designated myself to take care of his day-to-day business. I am therefore, until further notice, the new goddess to whom you owe respect and obedience"
"Did you…. self-proclaim yourself!? How ? What is this nonsense ?!"
"Wait a minute, I want to check something."
The next moment…. Hardy appeared in front of Rory. She was in the form of a young Elf with long blond hair. The appearance she had before her ascension.
"This place is wonderful. I can incarnate myself here as I want."
Rory was very tempted to see if she could "kill" Hardy like she killed the fake monsters in this game and make her disappear. It was tempting. VERY tempting. Alas she had to restrain herself as she did not know at all the consequences that this could have.
"I asked you a question," she said.
"Fascinating. I can even touch the walls, feel the air in my lungs. Maybe I could eat something…. Or woo someone?"
"HEY!"
"Yes ? What's the matter ?"
"My question !"
"Oh yes. How did I proclaim myself to be your new tutelary goddess? Well I'll tell you everything. It's very simple actually. After the battle of Italica, and especially what happened to Emroy, you can imagine that we had another meeting between the gods on what to do."
A few hours earlier.
The gods held an assembly. Although supposed to be emotionless, they all felt uneasy. The situation was much more serious than they had imagined. What had happened to Emroy was more convincing than anything.
"Well, I declare the meeting open. You can speak." Zufmuut said without enthusiasm.
Silence reigned for a minute. It was Palapon who ended up speaking first.
"I am of the opinion that we continue with Emroy's plan."
"WHAT ? DO YOU WANT US TO END UP LIKE HIM ?!" Elange asked, shocked at such a frightening prospect.
"A group attack may be more successful."
"Against the one who defeated Emroy, perhaps, but what will we do for the others? You saw like me that they are much more powerful but also much more numerous than us. There are only 12 of us. The preparations for war that we had decided upon recently seem to me quite useless," declared Deldort.
"Only if the images that this "Amiek" showed to the people of Coda are true. We had already determined that at least part of it was wrong. Especially this story of gods with a physical body".
"Let's go then. Let us have no illusions. It was surely true. Such powerful beings need not lie about this. There is no reason. As for the rest, everything we've seen since confirms that it's all true. The truth is there is not much we can do. What happened to Emroy is the best proof of that."
"Maybe we could negotiate?" Lunaryur suggested.
The god of music preferred the songs of peace to the drums of war. His peaceful nature had often been good advice to everyone….. However, Deldort, god of oaths and therefore by extension of contracts and everything related to diplomacy and trade, was unfortunately less optimistic.
"To negotiate ? By offering what and in exchange for what? Our allegiance against their non-interference in the affairs of our world? It is obvious that these "Celestials" are not interested in us, nor in anything that we could offer them. They will do as they please and we will have to put up with it as best we can, hoping that it will be bearable".
"So you would give up without doing anything? It's cowardice! " said Palapon.
"Cowardice?! Do you take me for a warrior? " asked Deldort.
"At this hour a simple soldier would be more useful to us than you."
If Emroy was the god of war and madness, the god of revenge was no different. Revenge was often linked to murder and madness.
"Amazing," Hardy sighed.
All eyes turned to her.
"What did you say ?" Zufmuut asked.
"The situation we are in. It's like being in the Senate of Sadera, an arguing crowd of children. We are, however, the guardian gods of this world. So I find this situation incredible. she said calmly."
Again Hardy was right and as usual the gods hated that she was right.
Palapon had a plan. Simple but logical.
"Let's destroy the Gate. They'll be stuck on the other side and we'll be more careful the next time we open it. Assuming there's a next time."
Ral spoke in turn.
"I see three reasons that make this plan far too risky to attempt. First, you're assuming that we'll be able to destroy the Gate before those "Celestials" have time to react. It's very optimistic. Second, if we can open or close the Gate at will, then why can't these obviously more powerful beings do the same? Finally, even if everything goes as you hope, what do we do with the one that is already there?"
It was silent again. Each trying to come up with arguments to counter Ral's in hopes that Palapon's plan might work. Alas, Ral was absolutely right all along. There were no counter arguments.
That's when the god of music had an idea.
"The only thing we can do is wait and hope for an opportunity. For that this Elf, Tuka, is our best hope. "
"What do you mean ? " Elange asked.
"Thanks to Rory, we can see what's going on in this city and we've seen some interesting things. This "Celestial", Amiek…. He HAS emotion. He CAN be manipulated to some extent. He takes into account the opinions of the Elf who accompanies him or of this human, Colt. We can use Rory to persuade Tuka and attempt to bend the Celestial. It has already worked in Italica. We might get lucky on that side. Perhaps just enough to avoid disaster".
"Again, it is a very optimistic plan. In fact, it's not even a plan, it's more like a mad hope." Duncan pointed out.
"Whoever has a better idea let me know. I'm interested. Force will not help us, but maybe a peaceful approach will achieve something," Lunaryur replied.
"I vote for this proposal, unless indeed someone else has something better to offer. " said Mirittia.
Once again, no one had better to offer.
….
….
….
….
Hardy had an idea, but she wasn't sure if the other gods would approve of her plan. She felt that it was better for her to continue in her corner and carry out her plan by putting the other gods in front of faits accomplis. It was not with light heartedness that she would put this plan into action. It would kill a lot of people and therefore give her a lot of work. So she sincerely hoped it wouldn't have to come to that.
-O-
At this moment, the goddess of the underworld paused in her story.
"It was then that dear Mirittia made a pertinent remark."
"Probably a remark I'm going to hate since you're here."
"I like that little aggressive side, but let me finish first, will you? After all, we're going to have to work together from now on."
"…. Continue your story…. " replied Emroy's Apostle unenthusiastically.
-O-
"Another problem arises. Who will take care of Emroy's estate for the time being?"
"Hardy of course. On the one hand it is she who has the most affinity with the world of the dead and on the other hand it is because of her that we are in this situation. "
Hardy disagreed. The idea of having to deal with all sorts of murderers, mad warriors and bandits, furthermore, almost exclusively males was out of the question. She would have thought otherwise if there were a few women, like the warrior bunny, warrior virgins or Amazon tribes, but there were not enough to her liking.
Although after thinking about a certain small detail….
"I gladly accept. It will be an opportunity to try something new. I'm sure Emroy will congratulate me on his return…. If he comes back. "
"Besides, managing a horde of savages should not be very difficult. Just let them keep fighting each other." she thought secretly.
All the other deities looked at Hardy for a moment. No one believed her.
" Okay. I had a bad idea. Anyone else then? " asked Deldort.
"It can't be me anyway. I am the god of order, I have no affinity with Emroy's domain. '' Zufmuut explained.
Then Palapon spoke in his turn.
"Me of course. Emroy and I have common areas. I am the most qualified."
Hardy wasn't going to let it go that way.
"You are the most qualified to work with him certainly, but not to manage souls. Once revenge is accomplished here, they are free in the afterlife. Death washes away all sins, even revenge. I remind you that it is one of our rules."
The God of Vengeance grimaced because what Hardy was saying was true.
"I could try. Emroy has often called on me for armor for his warriors." Duncan said.
"It has nothing to do with dealing with the afterlife and you know it. You need someone who knows what to do. It's not your case, it's mine," said Hardy with a smile on her face.
"She's right. You need someone who has a minimum of experience in this area. She is the only one."
Ral didn't like Hardy any more than the other gods, but she had to admit that she was often right. However, she saw very well what Hardy wanted to do.
"It's Rory isn't it? "
"Uh…."
"It's Rory. " Elange sighed.
"How can you think of that in our situation?" asked Palapon, jaded.
"Oh, I'm good. We are in a catastrophic situation as you say. So I don't see any harm in profiting a little. Besides, it doesn't change what I said. I am best qualified to take care of Emroy's estate AND my little Rory. Can anyone seriously say otherwise?"
"Again, she's right," Ral agreed.
"Good, let's put the question to a vote. Who wants to take care of Emroy's estate? "
Palapon and Hardy raised their hands.
"Who votes for Palapon? "
Palapon was the only one to raise his hand.
"Who votes for Hardy "
Hardy and Elange raised their hands. The others didn't want to make this unpleasant decision even though deep down they had to admit that it was better that way. At least Hardy was effective when she really got involved.
After the vote, there was nothing more to discuss for the moment.
-O-
"So, that's how I became manager of Emroy's estate, with the responsibilities (yuck) and the perks (you). " concluded the goddess.
It was one of the rare moments when Rory would have wanted to resign from her post as Apostle.
"Mirittia then made me a list of recommendations to take care of you. You know how much she likes you, don't you? Not as much as me but still. "
"She likes all children or what looks like it, whatever their age. Note, I like her too. She is a bit like the grandmother I never had. "
"And to me she is my spiritual mother. After all, she was the one who made me an Apostle so long ago. "
"Yes, even goddesses can make mistakes. You are the best proof."
"Didn't I tell you we were going to have to work together? Show a little goodwill. I gave myself so much trouble for you."
Rory appreciated Hardy's efforts as much as being caught in a forest fire (very bad memory for Rory) but there was nothing she could do about it.
"And Giselle in all this? She is your Apostle. Not me."
"Oh Giselle? She is busy. I entrusted her with a special mission."
"What special mission? "
"That…. It's a secret. " Hardy replied, putting her index finger to her mouth.
This startled Rory. In the current context, what secret special mission could Hardy entrust to Giselle? Surely something regarding the appearance of Celestials in the world, but what?
Rory steeled her will and mustered up her courage.
"Very well. Things being what they are, I'll live with it as best I can. I will do what you tell me…. "
"I waited 2 centuries for you to tell me that! " Hardy interrupted with a big smile.
Rory couldn't decide which was more annoying: Hardy's nonchalant attitude or the goddess' desires for her.
"I will do what you tell me that can help Emroy or this world! Don't think for a second that you'll get anything else from me. "
"Oh you hurt me. I who nourish so many good attentions towards you. Anyway, I'll settle for that... for now. Well, I'll let you go back to your…. work ? I would come to visit you. Even if it's an illusion, it's a very nice environment. See you later my dear. Ah, one more thing. Even if it's not real, that purple skin color and those elf ears look great on you." Hardy replied, disappearing with a smirk.
Rory was furious but she couldn't help it. She felt the nasty depression galloping back into her head.
Then she heard a voice.
"Rory? What is happening ? "
The Apostle had completely forgotten about her team.
"We are waiting for you for the dungeon boss." said one of the players using a mode of communication called "teamspeak".
The player of course could not know that he was talking to a universe from a distance. It was the leader of the guild who had recruited Rory and was testing her in this dungeon to see if she was reliable.
As a rule, Rory wasn't used to following orders except those of Emroy. However, as an apostle of the god of war, she fully understood the importance of the chain of command, even though she was treated like a rookie. Strange sensation, but not unpleasant.
" I'm coming, I'm coming. "
-O-
The conversation between Lelei and her pig was disconcerting. Cato El Atestan who had "listened" all evening until he collapsed from sleep was flabbergasted.
Lelei handled it so naturally and the pig was as smart as a human, even if he was sometimes hard to understand because of all the "Groink" that punctuated his sentences.
"So if I understand correctly, you animals can talk to each other?"
"Absolutely. Groink. "
"On the other hand, you can't talk to humans?"
"Not just humans, elves, dwarves, and most creatures, Groink, that walk on two legs. Except the Orcs who understand us a little…. But they mostly talk about eating us, Groink, or using us as beasts of war. Groink."
"And…. Do you know what your role is with me? Why did the goddess Oshtur make it so that we could understand each other? I don't believe she did this for no reason."
"I don't know, but thank you. We'll have to ask her if we'll see her again. Groink."
Overall, the conversation had mainly focused on the quality of life of the pig which required some adjustments. He had not asked for a pond but he found it very pleasant to be able to bathe. Lelei had therefore made some adjustments including a small bathtub.
"Monsieur" also had some requirements regarding the quality of his food. Certainly, barley, corn and wheat were good for him but he now wanted some "accommodations" like mayonnaise, mustard or herbs. He had never tasted it. How had he even heard of it in the first place?
Outside of that….
"Damn it's unbelievable how talkative it can be when you understand what he's saying. I wonder if they're all like that," Cato thought.
Later, when Timus wanted to go to bed, Lelei opened the tome of Oshtur again. This one had changed again and looked more like a normal book. A book of magic dealing with various subjects.
-The kingdoms of Faltine.
-Summon and converse with the elementals.
-Thaumaturgy for Dummies.
-How to recognize the demon and protect yourself from it.
-The 7 suns of Cinnibus.
Etc….
However, Lelei noticed that there were still blank pages in the book and space in the table of contents. Apparently Oshtur had a clear idea of what Lelei needed to learn, for now at least.
It was late but now that she was perfectly reassured about Timus, she still wanted to read the first chapter.
-The holy trinity of the Vishanti.
Cato still couldn't see anything in the book. He was somewhat worried and disappointed that he could no longer help his young apprentice, whom he loved like his own daughter.
"Goddess Oshtur. You took my apprentice under your wing. So I would send you a prayer and ask you to protect her. She is so dear to my heart…. nut don't tell her."
Normally, Oshtur hardly listened to prayers, rather she listened to the incantations of magicians who called on her name to give strength to their spells. However, having taken a personal interest in Lelei for reasons known only to herself, she had kept an ear out for those close to the young woman, including her teacher. The prayer had indeed reached the Goddess.
"She already knows Master Cato. She already knows that," she thought simply.
-O-
Persia hadn't slept, but that was okay. As a demi-human of the Neko race she was able to go two nights in a row without sleeping.
Delilah, on the other hand, had slept very well. The crystal maids had taken very good care of her, and the medical devices had taken care of all her problems. Including that old thigh injury. She was like new.
"You're okay ? You scared me yesterday when you passed out." Persia asked.
"I am very well. I feel great but... Where am I exactly? '' answered the Warrior Bunny.
It was not the Neko who answered but the crystal servant who had supervised Delilah's medical treatment.
"You had an acute attack of motion sickness, more commonly called "airsickness" coupled with a decompression problem. Your species seems to tolerate changes in pressure poorly. Nothing life threatening but enough to cause unconsciousness. You were brought here for treatment. We have also repaired all the damage that your body has suffered in recent years at the same time."
"The damage that my body has suffered in recent years?"
"This right leg injury. Performed by a pointed weapon. A Saderan legionnaire spear, presumably. We have regenerated muscles and nerves. We also removed the scar. " replied the synthetic being.
Delilah looked down at her thigh. Indeed the stiffness she felt since the battle where she had received this wound had disappeared, as well as the scar.
She meditated for a short moment but no more.
"Thank you very much uh…. Excuse me, but what are you?"
"I am a multitasking unit assigned to your service."
"Assigned to my service?!" asked the Warrior Bunny who wasn't sure she understood.
"Yes. As long as you decide to live in this city, I will be your appointed personal servant, responsible for serving you to the best of my abilities."
"Eh ?! There must be a mistake, it's me who... actually, I was assigned by my master, Count Colt Formal of Italica, to serve Lord Amiek. I don't need…well, I mean, I'm the servant."
"The Primo designer Amiek gave us very specific instructions to put ourselves at your service and to accommodate your stay here to the best of your requirements. Interfering with your goals would go against this order, so we will help you in the best way possible to achieve them. I assure you there is no mistake. What are your orders, my mistress?"
"Yes, it freaked me out too when those crystal women explained that to me. The sorceress had told the truth. They are perfect slaves. Or rather, tools that move by themselves." Persia explained.
Delilah was now speechless. She ? Have servants? To be a "mistress"? It was the complete opposite of everything she had known since birth. It was very hard for her brain to accept. This had to be cleared up with Lord Amiek before a horrible misunderstanding left the Count and Lady Myui in trouble.
"Then…. May I speak to Lord Amiek? I…. I believe there was... A mistake somewhere. I would like to correct this immediately…. Pl…. Please." she managed to stutter.
"The Primo designer will be available in 37 minutes at the Gate. On his instructions you will travel with him to the other side of the Gate with a few others."
"Go to the other side of the Gate? Me ? To do what ?"
"Information unavailable. The Primo designer has ordered your presence. Would you like to express a disagreement to him?"
"NO NO NO ! Of course not ! I am here to serve Lord Amiek. Of course I will go with him." exclaimed Delilah, fearful that she had made a mistake.
"So would you like something to eat or drink while you wait for your departure? "
"Uh…. Yes, I would like a glass of water please. "
"Very well. And you Lady Persia, do you want something? "
Persia couldn't believe her ears.
"Excuse me, did you call me "Lady"? "
"Yes. According to our information, this is the appropriate terminology. Would you like to make a change? "
" I…. I do not know. I'd prefer to have more information before answering you. »
"What do you want to know ?"
"I don't know either. I haven't thought about the questions yet."
At that moment, Delilah's stomach gave its own opinion.
"Grooowl".
"On second thought, I would gladly have something to eat."
"Very well it will be ready in 2 minutes."
"Huh ?"
Two minutes later, the food had been synthesized. There were all of the Warrior Bunny's favorite dishes. She didn't know how the crystal women could know that, but the dishes placed in front of her were too beautiful for her to wonder. Eat first, ask questions later.
The explanation was quite simple. While healing Delilah, the robot women had thoroughly analyzed her physiology as well as her mind and therefore knew her food preferences perfectly now.
Bon appétit then.
-O-
If Persia had not slept, Pina and Bozes were perfectly rested. Thanks to the "magic bed" their dreams seemed to come true overnight and now they were telling each other their experiences.
"It was amazing Princess! It felt so real but only with the good parts. "
"Oh yes, I know. " replied Pina, blushing.
"It all started during a meal with the troop, then we were suddenly called in as reinforcements to repel an invasion of savage tribes from the South. You were leaving with the bulk of the troops and leaving me behind in a logistical role to train the new recruits who would join the army soon. "
"It's pretty believable. Although I would love to fight alongside you Bozes, I would nominate you for this role if it were to really happen. "
"Training new recruits was not easy. Among them there was still a young man who, without being exceptional, made more effort than the others. Aegidius he was called. "
"EXPLAIN ! » asked Pina, who felt a crisp anecdote coming.
"At first the training was not going well. The young recruits had all kinds of problems. The girls didn't really want to be there. They had been sent by their families who hoped that this would be an opportunity to place them with you Princess and gain future favors. The men were there for the same reason…. And also tried to seduce us. "
"Nothing really new. Keep on going. "
"The men very quickly learned a lesson in humility. They believed that being men and us women, they would have the advantage even without training. After receiving a few good knock-offs and achieving nothing, most of them left to join the regular army except for a few, including Aegidius. He really got involved. He was the son of a palace guard. Normally he would never have been able to join the Order of the Rose, but a senator had promised his father a favor for some services rendered years ago. This is how he was able to integrate the order. As he worked hard, he progressed quickly. Very quickly. "
"And what about women? "
A sadistic smile now appeared on Bozes' face.
" As per usual. The first week, they had to wear the armor and walk 20 leagues (about 32 kilometers) then they had to ride horses for 8 hours each day the rest of the week. Only then did they learn to shoot with a bow and wield the sword."
"I have already said that I am against this kind of practice. It discourages vocations. Anyway, I guess since it was just a dream…. "
"After a month, we were called in for reinforcement. The war was not going well and we had to come to your aid immediately. "
"You say a month…. But Bozes, we only slept a few hours. "
"Indeed. The flow of time seemed different. At the time it felt like a month had passed and I didn't realize I was in a dream. As if it was all real. However, now that I think about it, this month seems to me to have only lasted a few hours indeed. "
"It's not that important. Continue your story. "
"So we came to your rescue, after having endured ambushes, bad weather, and all the difficulties that a real army can encounter. The morale of the new recruits was at an all-time low. I tried to motivate them but I could see that the troops were about to disperse. "
"How did you avoid widespread desertion? "
"I…. Do not know. I think this dream is made in such a way as to suit the dreamer. It tries to be realistic but in the end I think I couldn't "lose" in this dream. In this case, it is thanks to the support of Aegidius. He had a certain talent for inspiring me courage. "
"Only to inspire you with courage? " asked the princess with a knowing wink.
"I admit that if he had really existed…. No. Even if he really existed, nothing could have happened between us. I am the second daughter of the Marquis Co Palesti, one of the noblest houses of the Empire. I can't have a future with an "almost" commoner. Either way, that decision would be up to my father, not me…. And I already know what his answer would be. A foreign Apostle like this Amiek, he would have nothing to say, but the son of a guard…"
It was true, alas, admitted the Princess.
"I could interfere. Use my influence if you really want to. "
"Thank you Princess, but if it ever happens, I think I will do my duty first. My loyalty to my family is as strong as my loyalty to you. "
"Let's go back, tell me the rest of your dream. "
"It was the final battle. The enemy had overwhelmed the walls of Sadera. The hordes seemed endless. There were all kinds of demi-humans that I had never seen. They were covered with scales, they had horns, big teeth. They looked a lot like Wyverns. Yet, instinctively, I knew they were "half-dinosaurs". I don't know what "dinosaur" means, but I had that word in mind when looking at them. I don't know why. Do you know what that means, you princess? "
"No, but since it was a dream, it was surely a word your mind invented to name the monsters. You might as well have called them "Mokaidgi" or "Briatonos". It's probably just a name like any other without any meaning. "
"I guess that's true. Very quickly…. You were only three. Yourself, Panache and Beefeater. I was desperate to come to your rescue, but it was impossible to cross such a horde. The mass was so dense that I couldn't find any openings. Fighting of course, but charging into the pile would have been suicide. We were a hundred at most while there were thousands between you and us. Then something unexpected happened."
Pina was struggling to contain her impatience. Bozes' story fascinated her.
"We heard a cry, at least I think it was a cry, reasoned on the battlefield, and immediately the horde fell back. I first thought that he wanted to regroup to reappear on the attack, but no. In fact, they had retreated to give way to a monster. "
"A monster ?"
"Yes, their leader apparently." She was a woman, well, I suppose. Already she was all black and was 3 meters high. Her body had no legs but she stood upright while crawling. Kind of like a snake but its tail was straight above its head with a poisonous stinger at the end. The tail was curled above her. You could see the sting oozing poison. She also had 6 arms, two of which ended in huge claws and her face…. It was the most monstrous thing I have ever seen. It was all black with two big teeth moving in front of her and eyes…. Humans. She had multiple human eyes on her head. Frankly, I hope I never meet such a creature in the real world. Now that I think about it, it reminds me of those insects that can be seen in the warm provinces by the sea of Albion and which are made into a weapon of war.
"Scorpius? "
"Yeah, that's it. I don't even know if you can say it was a demi-human. She was so monstrous. From the top of the hill, I could see her heading towards you, killing everyone in her path. Her claws could cut a man in two in an instant and her arms held shields to protect her body, at least the parts that were not covered by her shell, which were her belly and her chest. She was making her way through the great gates of the Imperial Palace in your direction. "
"It was then that I noticed that as the horde of monsters retreated, they had become less compact in certain places. Enough to lead a charge and get to you. "
"And that's what you did? "
"Not exactly…. I was about to charge when Aegidius suggested a plan. "
"Come on, tell. "
"He suggested that instead of going to you, we should charge the advancing monster. He said it would be a huge blow to the enemy's morale if we managed to kill her. He said it would be much easier to get to her than to get to you and that even if we managed to get to you, we wouldn't last long against all those monsters. Killing the leader in hopes of calming the pack was our best bet. That…. Or escape, which was, of course, out of the question. I felt he was right."
"So you charged the abomination?"
"Not exactly. In fact Aegidius suggested luring some of the enemy forces towards us so that I could, with the help of five others, attack the monster with no one in the way. His plan was the right one…. Alas, that meant sacrificing him and the rest of the troops. It was a horribly difficult decision. I had all the trouble in the world to resolve myself."
"Bozes, it was just a dream. Aegidius and the troops did not exist. The monster army did not exist. Even the "Princess Pina" you saw fighting didn't exist. No one is really dead."
"I know, I know. But when I was in the dream it was…. I knew it was a dream, but at the same time every fiber of my being was convinced it was all real…. And now it doesn't bother me anymore. As if it was all just a dream. "
"Go back to your story. I can't wait to find out the outcome. "
"The ending is quite simple. Truly. Aegidius led the charge against the troops located near the monster. They were taken completely by surprise. Meanwhile, the monster had reached you and you were fighting her with Panache and Beefeater. In vain. With these two claws she stood up to Beefeater and Panache, while her tail was constantly striking in your direction. The monstrosity was strong but it was also dexterous. She knew how to fight very well. Sometimes one of you managed to counterattack but her body was completely protected. Maybe a hit to the head would have done something but since she was three meters tall you couldn't reach her. "
"So what ? "
"Well …. The sting eventually reached you and pierced you through the shoulder. You collapsed almost immediately as the monster fell back on Beefeater and Panache. That's when I ended up getting behind her back and knocking her down with the impact of my horse. Under the effect of the shock I was taken aback but the monster fell. "
"Too late to save 'me' then. "
"While she and I got up, I ordered Beefeater and Panache to carry you to safety. They were reluctant to let me fight alone but I reminded them of their oath of loyalty to you and that your life was more important. That's when I started to face her. The fight was... Supernatural. I fought with all my strength but I couldn't break through her only weak point. Her belly was too well protected by her shields…. And the rest of the shell was even thicker. Finally, a blow of pince ended up making me fall. "
"So what ? So what ? " asked Pina, excited like a little boy captivated by a fairy tale.
"So she lifted her poisonous tail. I could see the sun shining around the stinger with a drop of venom on the tip. I tried to get up again but my armor was too heavy to do it fast enough. The thing had no intention of waiting for me. "
"And that's when you woke up I bet. "
"Um… No, not exactly. That's when Aegidius and the rest of the troops managed to join me and attack the monster from behind. It saved my life but my friends were caught in the crossfire. In front of them, the monster, behind them, the horde of half-dinosaurs. The thing then rushed at Aegidius and decapitated his horse, unhorsing him in turn. This is where I saw an opportunity. "
Pina was drooling so much she liked the story. It was like those great tales of heroic warriors fighting monsters and dragons to save the people or their beloved.
"The monster strained leaned over my friend. At that moment, she no longer saw me, I was completely behind her. I ran stepping on her tail to try to reach her head and ended up on her back. Under the effect of the extra weight she fell forward and I was able to plant my sword in her head. It was not easy but the shell was thinner here. It was like sinking my sword into wood. It takes effort but with all my weight, and especially the weight of my armor, I managed to press hard enough to pierce the shell and reach her skull. She stood up for a moment, screaming, then I finished shoving my sword through her head. Eventually, she then collapsed and did not get up. I then helped Aegidius to his feet."
"Nice fight, but for the rest of the battle? "
"Once the monster died. All other demi-humans have ceased combat. One of them approached me. It had a flat head with a horn in the middle, a "half-triceratops" apparently, although I don't know how. He came forward with arms raised and unarmed. A sign of peace from what I understood. Normally I would have rejected it but I was not in a strong position. The half-triceratops then said that since I had killed their queen, I was now their new queen and "the horde" was now at my command. He knelt down in front of me and asked what my first order was. I don't know what surprised me the most. That he considered me his queen or simply that this creature could speak ?"
"It seems a little big to me. I know that this kind of ritual exists among barbarians outside the Empire but there…. It's a bit too big a story to swallow. Anyway, it was a dream, so I guess you could say anything goes. And me in all this? While you were becoming a barbarian queen, I died poisoned a little further? "
"I was going to come there. No, you are not dead. I explained to them that my loyalty was to you. As they knew their queen's venom well, they had an antidote. I demanded that he give it to me and they obeyed. You have been saved. "
"Less and less credible." said Pina, who was beginning to find the story a little too naïve to believe, much to her disappointment.
"You said it yourself Princess. It was just a dream. A dream that ends well. "
"How exactly does it end?" "
"In summary. Aegidius and most of the new recruits survive. The monster army agrees to retreat to a peaceful place in the empire where they become new vassals. You are bedridden for several months but you recover completely. I make a Triumphum to Sadera with yourself and Aegidius. The Emperor and the Senate recognize our merit and formalize the Order of the Rose as a full chivalric order on par with the Order of the Red Wyvern and the Imperial Guard. "
"And after…. "
"So on the evening of the official acknowledgment of the order and the celebration of victory, while you monopolize the attention, I see Aegidius quietly leaving the party. I informed you about it and followed it. He didn't get very far. Simply on a somewhat isolated balcony in the west wing of the palace. He was watching the moon. It was then that I joined him to ask him why he was not participating in the celebration. He explained to me that he did not like this kind of festivities, even in his native village the rare times they took place. We talked a bit more and then…. "
That's when Bozes blushed.
"He was… so beautiful in the moonlight. After the triumph, my father would not object to something happening between us, especially since he saved my life. My father is a man who places his family above his rank or titles of nobility. He would have refused a commoner, but he can accept a lieutenant of an order of chivalry officially recognized by the Emperor himself, especially when this lieutenant has just received a triumph and a title of minor nobility. Finally what I want to say…. "
"He kissed you right? " asked Pina, captivated by this tale of a rose-water novel.
"Not exactly…. It was I who kissed him and then…. "
"And then ? "
"The sequel in the next dream…. I guess. At least, if I still have the opportunity to use this…. " machine".
Pina was a little disappointed but she understood.
"And you Princess, what did you dream of? "
….
….
….
….
With someone else, Pina would probably have lied or evaded the question. Her dream was too "personal" to be told lightly. However, Bozes was her best friend on the one hand and on the other hand…. The two girls shared similar tastes on some "very personal" things. Consequently, Pina accepted, even wanted, to have a moment of "shameful complicity" with her friend.
"Well, I was at the Imperial Palace in Sadera, but I had made some changes. "
"Some changes ? »
"Yes. Oh, the palace and the city were the same, but there were changes in the people and…. To myself. "
"Which ? »
"Well, there were no women. There were only men, between 15 and 25 years old. They were scribes, knights, guards, slaves etc…. "
"Ah and compared to yourself what has changed? Let me guess. You were an Empress and you were the most important person in the world. All the men in the world had to obey you without arguing, right? "
"Not quite. There was no real Empress function. There was an Emperor though."
"Oh? Did you dream of your father then? Or the crown prince? »
"No, my father wasn't there, and I confess that I hardly dream of my brother. "
"So who was the Emperor? His first adviser Marcus? No, I know. It was our fencing master Gray Co Aldo. "
"No Bozes, the Emperor…. It was me. "
"I don't understand. You said you weren't Empress. "
"No, I was not Empress, I was the Emperor. I had chosen to be a man in my dream. "
….
….
….
….
After a moment recovering from her surprise, Bozes asked a question again.
"It is possible to change…. Uh…. our shape? "
"Of course Bozes, since it is a dream. Remember what the crystal woman told us. Anything is possible as long as our mind is capable of it. I guess I could have dreamed of being a bird or a fish. "
"It's a good idea. Next time I will dream of being a Wyvern. Or maybe, a Flame Dragon. All will fear me and I could fly. It must be a lot of fun to be able to fly and be the strongest being in the world and since it's a dream, there's no harm. So you were the Emperor? What were you doing then? Did you administer the Empire or did you go to war to civilize the barbarian tribes? "
"Uh…. Not exactly. "
"So what were you doing?"
"Tell me Bozes, do you remember when the girls of the Order of the Rose accompanied us to spy on the thermæ of the royal knights? "
"Of course Princess. It was a kind of defensive war between them and us. We were trying to spy on them while they were taking their ablutions and they were trying to stop us. "
"Yes, and we always hoped that "something" would happen in these baths. Manly friendship between men can be so beautiful when it reaches….. a certain level. "
"Unfortunately nothing ever happened…. But the view was still magnificent."
Both women were now smiling as they thought back to those times. Then Bozes began to understand.
"Princess…. You used your authority as Emperor to enter the baths and see for yourself, is that it? " she said, blushing.
"Again, not exactly, no. It was my dream. Let's just say that men didn't need to go to the bath to prove their "manly friendship"... The men of my dream, barbarian slaves from the South, knights of the nobility or scribes were also very willing to…. Prove to other men…. them…. feelings…. At any time of the day…. And even in public…. And I was a man myself. "
"Bonk" was the sound of Bozes' brain stopping for a short amount of time.
"Princess. You…. You don't want to say you have…. "
Pina then rushed to put her hand over Bozes' mouth. There are some things you don't say out loud.
For a moment, keeping her hand over her second-in-command mouth, Pina looked right and left, as if someone might be listening (of course the Princess couldn't know that every apartment in the city was constantly monitored by all sorts of systems comparable to surveillance cameras, although much more sophisticated. The concept of "privacy" does not interest the Celestials, especially when they observe their test subjects. Whispering is useless when you are in the presence of a machine that can record your thoughts).
WARNING : PINA'S « ADULT FANTASY » MODE ENGAGED.
Then Pina put her mouth to Bozes' ears to tell her some things about her dream as a man in a man's world. Things "that we do not say out loud".
At first, of course, the Princess, or rather the new Emperor, was confused. Finding yourself in a male body with many more muscles and new "unknown sensations" was disorienting, but not unpleasant in itself.
The dream machine being connected to the spirit of the princess, had perceived her discomfort and had acted accordingly. Besides altering certain levels of neurotransmitters in Pina's brain to make her more…. Bold, the machine had also adapted the dream in such a way as to create an environment where the princess would quickly feel completely at ease. Very quickly, the attitude of the males, and the nature of the situations that Pina dreamed of, changed to appease her and help her "cross the line".
It took the form of a young scribe, who had an extremely shy attitude and who "needed help" as well as a "hormonal boost" in the "Emperor's" brain.
After that, everything went very quickly. The young scribe had become the first to be "educated" by the "Emperor" (although in fact it was rather Pina who had learned on this occasion heaps of things about the functioning of the body and the "way of thinking" of males, things a woman should never normally know).
No discipline without authority. Pina therefore began to design various ways of "punishing" clumsy or disobedient slaves. The old "carrot or stick" system, with another kind of "carrot" and another kind of "stick". The two being, so to speak, exactly the same "tool" although used differently depending on whether the princess used " her " "tool" as a "carrot" or as a "stick".
Honestly, Pina….. liked both methods. She had also devised a few new ways of "rewarding" and "honoring" the loyal knights of the Empire and "educating" the young and innocent servants of the palace still ignorant of the "Duty to the Emperor"... In a world where there were no women.
Subsequently, Pina had also described his/her very personal way of redoing the games of the great circus of Sadera. The combats were only with bare hands and the body of the oiled gladiators. They also wore gloves and helmets to avoid damaging their opponent too much. Pina liked fights between handsome young men, but she didn't like their handsome faces being too damaged? So, the losing gladiator was not killed. As for the winner who won all his fights in the arena and thus became the "champion"…. He was invited to the private apartments of the Emperor, where Pina "rewarded" him personally.
Everyone considered this "reward" as "the greatest of honors", starting with the gladiator himself of course.
Sometimes Pina also honored other gladiators who had lost but whose "fighting spirit" she admired. Especially those who had defeated several enemies during the same combat. It was another fighting style that looked more like modern wrestling. Punches and kicks were prohibited. Seeing their oiled bodies wrestling with each other was a magnificent sight for the Princess/Emperor.
Spectators think EXACTLY the same.
She had also made all kinds of changes to the new imperial court theater plays that gave a whole new meaning to the word "romanticism" (although some would have said that on the contrary, "romanticism" was completely absent from these "works" to be replaced by a more "concrete" form of love).
Finally, there was also a policy to vary the days in the world of Pina. Things were much less aggressive than in the real world though…. But they had become much more "physical". The senators (not greedy and embittered old men like in the real senate but rather handsome and sensitive young men) were not part of opposing factions but rather "complementary"…. As Pina saw the perfect "complementarity" between men.
The debates were just as "passionate" as in the real world, but it was a different kind of "passion". Political decisions essentially consisted of extending the Empire by "subjugating" the "barbarians" to the outside (who were also beautiful in their animal skins). Simply "submission" to the Empire was…. "different" just as battles were fought and won differently.
.
PINA'S "ADULT FANTASY" MODE ENDED.
In short, in her dream the Princess had not hesitated long before living out all her fantasies, from the most humble to the most delirious, and had spent an excellent night (although in her dream, she had slept very little. Her "responsibilities" in time as Emperor to look after the "well-being" of "his" subjects, taking up a lot of "his" time), the best of her life so far, from her point of view anyway. With this new understanding of the male sex (or at least a part of it), she did not hide to tell everything in detail to her best friend.
"In my dream I had the impression that it lasted about a month".
Bozes was now red as a strawberry and the Princess drooled thinking back to her dream. If it had been up to her…. she would gladly go back to bed.
"I…. I hadn't thought of that sort of thing. I think I would try something like this too. For uh…. For a purely artistic interest of course."
"Oh ? Truly ? With Aegidius I bet? "
Now Bozes was blushing so much that she turned burgundy like a raspberry.
"Well…. Now that you mention it…. It is true that he would make a very beautiful…. Uh…. Model…. For…. Uh…. To erect a statue."
"Only to make a statue?"
"Princess. I…. You…. WE absolutely have to bring these beds back with us. We must try to get more for the order of the rose. It is necessary for... The cultural development of the Empire? FOR THE ART! THERE YOU HAVE IT ! THIS IS NECESSARY FOR THE LOVE OF ART! »
"Yes, for the love of art…. and to help women better understand men" admitted Pina who herself felt again in the grip of an "artistic fever".
"Or men to better understand women, Princess. "
"I hadn't thought of that but I like your idea. For once I think of my brother when I say that. I think it would do him a lot of good to learn how the women in his harem feel when they're with him in times like this. I'm sure it would help him understand a lot of things."
The two friends burst out laughing. A sincere laugh although a little "perverse".
It wasn't going to last. As they laughed, their laughter was cut off as a voice was heard.
"Princess Pina Co Lada, Knight Bozes Co Palesti, the departure from the other side of the Gate will take place in 15 minutes. Please complete your preparations. An escort will be at your disposal to guide you. "
Pina and Bozes' laughter froze as they looked each other straight in the eye, as if they could talk to each other just with glances.
After a brief moment needed to snap out of their reverie and return to harsh reality, the smiles faded from their faces.
"Princess. We…. We have to go. I confess that I am worried."
"Me too. I have a knot in my stomach. The fate of the Empire may depend on this encounter. "
"How do you imagine the Apostles on the other side? "
"I do not know. I hope they are simpler than this Apostle because I really don't know how I could negotiate with this "Amiek". At times I feel like I'm dealing with a child, at others I feel like I'm talking to... I can't say what. It's so... strange. "
"It is a pity that the Count is not here. He stayed for weeks with the Apostle. We really needed his advice. "
"TRUE. Unfortunately we will have to do without him. Okay, are your things ready? Can we go there? "
"I haven't really had much to prepare other than the clothes I'm wearing. I imagine they will provide everything needed once on the other side. "
"Without a doubt. "
Pina and Bozes chatted for a few more moments before the door opened and let appear the crystal woman who had greeted them the night before.
"Princess Pina Co Lada, Knight Bozes Co Palesti. Please follow me. We are expected at the Gate. Are you ready? "
"We are following you." the princess declared with renewed determination.
Moments later, the two women got into a vehicle resembling a giant red lemon. Which was floating about 30 centimeters above the ground. Inside, ultra-realistic screens made it possible to see outside the vehicle.
Pina and Bozes were intrigued but after everything they had seen the day before, they needed more now to succeed in really surprising them.
"Tell me, I noticed you now address each other using our titles of Princess and Knight. Why is that ? " Bozes asked.
"While you sleep, we have updated our behavioral program to better accommodate you. It quickly became apparent that in order to agree with you, some form of protocol had to be respected. As compliance with this protocol is not, as a whole, contrary to the laws of the city, we considered it preferable to apply it. There are still some laws that you will have to follow. For example, you cannot have someone arrested at your will or require the provision of one or more slaves. Overall, although you enjoy greater privilege, all the laws of the city apply to you. As well of course as the decisions of the Celestials. "
"The laws of the city? Who decides on these laws? The Apostle Amiek I suppose? "
"No. The laws of Neo-Alnus are decided by the residents. Currently, the inhabitants of the village of Coda."
"Wait, I'm not sure I understand. Are you telling me that it is the peasants who make the law here?" Pina asked, in complete disbelief.
"It's a little more subtle than that, but overall yes."
"But…. It does not make sense. How could simple peasants administer a city? It is the duty of the upper classes, the duty of the nobles." retorted Bozes who could not believe her ears.
"A concept called "democracy". It allows people to decide what they want for their city. "
"THEIR city? I thought this city belonged to your 'Celestials'," Pina asked in astonishment.
"This city was built by the Primo-designer Amiek who left its use to the inhabitants as long as they respect certain rules such as not going to certain areas among others. Apart from that, this city belongs to those who live there and who are free to administer it as they wish. In any case, these are the directives of my programming. "
"Your programming? What is that ? "
"The rules that define my existence, or the way my mind is constructed if you prefer."
It was then that Pina remembered what Lelei had explained: "They are perfect slaves, or rather intelligent tools."
" I…. Understand." answered the princess who, in a way, regretted that the crystal woman was not a real person.
Shortly after, the vehicle arrived at the Gate where almost everyone was gathered.
-O-
Amiek had been working through the night designing and testing some devices that would allow [Carbon Life Forms/Humans and Demi-Humans/Mortals] to accompany him across the Gate with [some level of protection/safety measures/precautions] and understanding to deal with what was ahead.
Otherwise, it would have been like dropping a handful of insects into the circuitry of a giant computer. Not only would the environment have been [completely incompatible/unsuitable/hostile] for them, but they would also have been [intensely disoriented/completely lost/unable to understand]. Not to mention the physical risks involved.
The result of his work came in the form of metal circles that could be placed around the head like "headbands".
Their [function/utility/what they were used for] was quite simple in principle although taken to a very sophisticated level. Inside the "headbands" was a basic artificial intelligence that "fused" with the brain of whoever put it on. This increased his knowledge and, by interacting with his computer functions, allowed the person to [establish a procedure/focus/think] faster and store much more information. It was a kind of additional synthetic brain matter. Like adding disk space, memory sticks and programs to a [information filing and processing system/computing device/computer].
The computer in question being the brain of the person.
The other part of his job was to compile all the [data/analysis/findings] he had obtained since his arrival on Falmart as well as the results of his experiments. He had to prepare for the [judgment/verdict/result] of Apotheos the Evaluator who would decide [the consequences/what would become of him/his future]. Perhaps he would be considered "adult" and then he could fully take his place within the host, or he would have to return to the Dyson sphere where he had grown up to [resume his studies/continue his education/ take another tutorial]. There was also the possibility that he could return to Falmart to continue his experiments. It was [the possibility/the eventuality/the sequence of events] that had the least chance of happening, however.
Yet it was the latter that [had his favor/he wanted to implement/he preferred].
He had learned to appreciate the environment in which he currently evolved and his work. Mortals were [interesting/pleasant/he had a certain fondness for them.]
The Celestials were perfectly capable of experiencing feelings. Simply, their function and their understanding of these said feelings were such that they gave it little importance. The satisfaction of a job well done was usually the only emotion they felt with any frequency, the others feelings were very rare but not non-existent and NEVER influencing their judgments.
However, since his arrival on Falmart, or rather, since he had [transmigrated part of his essence into a carbon-based biological vessel/assumed mortal form/became human] with a human brain, many of these emotions were manifesting more strongly than he would have thought possible. Certainly it was [predictable/normal/anticipated]. He had anticipated that the neurochemical functioning of a human brain would influence him. Of course he had taken precautions. In no case would he deviate from his mission.
Precautions that obviously needed to be updated…. But [it could wait/there was no rush/later].
Finally, his most important task concerned… Tuka.
Accelerating the development of an Eternal was a simple but tricky procedure. Each step of the process had to be scrupulously observed.
First there was the subject's genetic update. It was [just standard/easiest/benign procedure] because Amiek had already initiated the genome adaptation process when he first looked at Tuka. The process was therefore already [well advanced/in progress/implemented]. Then he had to do body modifications. Normally, genetic modifications to the Elf's cellular structure would have taken months or even years. He would have to stop the ongoing process to [change cell chemistry/make biological modifications/alter metabolism] himself and finally connect the program in Tuka's DNA to his artificially reconstructed body.
Until then, this was not too much of a problem because it was purely physical, material manipulation. DNA resequencing and multiple cell transplants were no big deal.
No. Things became more difficult at the level of [The psychic scheme/the brain/the mind]. When she woke up, Tuka had to be perfectly adapted to her new body and her new perceptions immediately. She would have [no time/no delay/no opportunity] to adapt bit by bit like Eternals usually do.
Finally, the most difficult task was to balance the whole. Create [the interconnections/all the links/the harmony] between the body, the spirit…. And the specific energies to the Eternals. Normally this process could take millennia…. And Amiek only had a few hours to [achieve this balance/complete the set of links/achieve harmony] in Tuka. Even for a Celestial, it wasn't easy. [The Homo Immortalis/The Eternal/The Young Elf] wasn't in danger, but if he didn't manage to finish it in time, she could remain in a state of catatonia for centuries, while this balance was restored, naturally installed.
It was a paradox: With all eternity ahead of him (and even that after, and that still after)…. He didn't have time to wait though. [In practice/Fortunately/Totally unexpectedly], Amiek's job turned out to be much simpler than expected. Tuka showed [amazing/surprising/unsuspected] adaptability.
It was probably no coincidence. The modifications that unknown forces had applied to manipulate the ancestors of Tuka and make them lose their function of Eternal, had left the race surprisingly [easy to manipulate/malleable/it was very simple to operate the Elf].
In addition, the "headband" device he had designed and tuned specifically for Tuka would give her a little extra time to ease her transition.
Amiek had been able to complete his various tasks on time. There was still an hour before the departure beyond the Gate, which allowed him to [do some checks/proceed to some checks/be certain of] last minute. Normally a simple time warp would have given him all the time he needed, but such a procedure could be [inappropriate/difficult/dangerous] near the Gate.
Anyway, everything was ready and done now. He just had to wait for everyone to be there.
Which wasn't long.
The first to arrive, apart from Tuka who was already there and was now emerging from her sleep, was Lelei who in no way wanted to be late at the risk of not seeing what was on the other side of the Gate. Now that she was reassured about Timus' state of health, she could once again devote herself to the search for knowledge.
Tuka looked around her. The first thing she saw... Was that her sight had changed. In fact it was rather as if she had been blind and now the light of the world was hitting her eyes with full force.
Amiek's manipulations had ensured that she was not disoriented and fully able to use her new abilities, or rather, her latent awakening potential. However, there was still the "magic" of her "first time".
The world hadn't changed but she was seeing things she had never noticed. She saw "the things that made up the things" and their meaning and how they were in order. Tuka had absolute awareness of everything she saw. She saw harmony. The world was in fact balance and communication. She saw how each elementary particle, a concept she was unaware of before waking up, "communicated" with adjacent particles, exchanging fluxes with them. Tuka saw how everything was connected, from the tiniest speck of dust to the stars that formed them there for billions of years.
Then she turned to Amiek.
And then she saw what was closest to perfection. It was as if all the harmony around her was condensing in this precise place into a kind of knot with complex and intertwined patterns. Words couldn't describe it but she thought it was beautiful. She wanted to touch him but at the same time she didn't dare.
Before she could take any more time to rave about the beauty of the universe, Amiek called out to her.
"We have to [go to/leave/to move to] the Gate. The moment of transfer is near. "
"I am ready."
Which was true. Tuka had finished all her preparations the night before because she wanted to be absolutely ready for departure.
Shortly after, the Celestial and the Eternal were the first and second to stand in front of the Gate.
Pina and Bozes arrived soon after. They couldn't afford to be late at such an important time for the fate of the Empire.
Then it was now Persia and Delilah. They were mainly there to serve "Lord Amiek" as they had been ordered to do. Normally, they would have been the first to arrive. In fact, they simply wouldn't leave Amiek's side without his order. However, Delilah's discomfort and Persia's concern had delayed them. They still arrived on time.
Finally, Rory and Grassac arrived. The conversation with Hardy had angered Emroy's Apostle and she had made a scene for her "apprentice". Grassac was happy to see Rory come out of her apathy, even though now she looked more like an erupting volcano, but at the same time it almost put them behind.
After the usual greetings, everyone was about to cross the Gate.
"Excuse me, but it looks like the Gate is bigger than the last time I saw it ". remarked Lelei.
"It is [indeed the case/an exact observation/you are right]. To facilitate various needs I enlarged it. It was necessary to [avoid/prevent/stop] a number of side effects. "
"What side effects?" Pina asked, worried.
"Spatio-temporal distortion, tearing of the fabric of reality, inter-dimensional fusion for the most part."
Pina didn't understand a thing, but on second thoughts she had more important things to think about. If the problems that might arise were avoided, then the matter became irrelevant.
She could not realize that what is a problem for humans, such as an earthquake for example, was not considered a problem by the Celestials.
Anyway everyone was there, ready to cross the Gate with their own apprehensions.
Only Grassac seemed relaxed while eating a ham and cheese sandwich.
"Transportation awaits us on the other side, but before we cross the Gate, please put this around your head." Amiek said as he handed out the devices he had designed that night.
Of course, everyone wondered what it was, but it was Grassac who asked, with all the intelligence that characterizes him, the question.
"What is this stuff for? "
"These [psychic booster/brain adaptors/mental regulator] will allow you to better understand what you will see. They will also prevent you from going to restricted areas or being [sterilized/sanitized/disintegrated] by maintenance units. "
"They serve to increase our intelligence?" Lelei asked.
"Yes, but it's only temporary. They will have to be [returned/decoupled/removed] in a few days. "
"Why ?"
"Prolonged exposure would create an interdependence between your brain and the device. Removing this could be [traumatic/disabling/disturbing]. You would be obliged to keep it [permanently/definitively/all your life] or undergo a specific psychic operation. I want to avoid that."
For once, the first for some…. Everyone understood what Amiek meant. The devices that Amiek had provided increasing their intelligence made it much easier to understand.
"What do we do now ? " Grassac asked with his new enhanced intellectual abilities.
"We are crossing [the interdimensional corridor/the threshold/the Gate]," Amiek replied simply.
And they walked through the Gate.
Well, that's over for now. Don't worry, you won't have to wait (too) long for the second part. In fact it is already almost finished but considering the time I need, I decided to break this part of the story into two or maybe even 3 chapters.
The "highlight" of this part concerns the Princess's dream. I frankly find this aspect of her personality (which she shares with most of the other girls in her order of knighthood) too funny to ignore. In the manga, when she flirts with Itami (who doesn't realize it) thinking that she regrets not being a man, or that she considers Risa's Yaoi drawings "works of art", I find it too funny. I could not resist the urge to push her delirium to the limit. Besides, if you were in her place, with a machine capable of making you dream what you want, what would your dreams look like? Do you have a super power that will allow you to fly in the sky and launch bursts of energy with your hands against the "bad guys"? A galactic intrigue where you would be the savior hero of the universe in your high-tech commando armor with some kind of laser rifle in your hands? Or would you be the master of a giant harem with all the anime girls you like?
Pina chose a variant of the last option for her first dream (although she has particular tastes but hey, tastes and colors….).
I sincerely hope you had a good laugh. It was a ton of fun to write that in any case, even if I do not intend to do it again.
Come on, see you soon for the real big piece: the meeting with the Celestials.
