[...Chaos Flow Protocol - Disengaged ]
[...Basic Search Protocol - Psychic Scan Activating ]
[...Scanning...Scanning...Scanning]
[...Scan Complete - Result - 1 ]
[...Initializing Examination Sequence 1 - Psychic Residue… Grade 1... Confirmed ]
[...Initializing Examination Sequence 2 - Soul Residue… Negative… Confirmed ]
[...Initializing Examination Sequence 3 - Metaphysical Residue… Meridian Entity...Confirmed]
[...Initializing Examination Sequence 3.1 - Meridian Entity In-Depth Examination Sequence Initializing… Scanning… Scan Complete… Meridian Entity Inoperable ]
[...Initializing Examination Sequence 3.2 - Meridian Entity designated for resource extraction… Confirmed ]
[...Initializing Examination Sequence 4 - Physical Residue… Confirmed ]
[...Initializing Examination Sequence 4.1 - Physical Residue In-Depth Examination Sequence Initializing…Scanning... Human(Base - Monkey)... Gender(Female)... Age(13)]
[...Initializing Examination Sequence 4.2 - Physical Residue Inactive...Confirmed]
[...Initializing Examination Sequence 4.3 - Physical Residue Frame Stability… Confirmed]
[...Initializing Examination Sequence 4.4 - Physical Residue In-Depth Examination Sequence Complete... Results - Optimal]
[...Initializing Genesis Sequence 1 - Resource Extraction - Deploying Kindling in 3,2,1... Kindling Ignition Confirmed]
[...Initializing Genesis Sequence 1.1 - Fuel Extraction Examination Sequence Initiating… Progress - Sub Optimal…Deploying Stabilization Frame - Observer]
[...Initializing Genesis Sequence 1.2 - Stabilization Frame - Observer Deployed… Scanning… Scanning...Scanning...Scanning… Observer Found… Initiating Second Kindling Ignition]
[...Initializing Genesis Sequence 1.3 - Fuel Extraction Examination Sequence Initiating… Progress - Optimal… Initiating Third Kindling Ignition]
[...Initializing Genesis Sequence 1.4 - Fuel Extraction Examination Sequence Initiating… Progress - Beyond Optimal]
[...Initializing Genesis Sequence 2 - Physical Residue Activation Sequence…Gathering Resources...Generating Electrical Surge…Deploying Electrical Surge... Physical Residue Activation… Confirmed]
[...Initializing Genesis Sequence 2.1 - Physical Residue In-Depth Examination Sequence Initiated… Scanning...Scanning….Scanning… Scan Complete… Results - Sub Optimal]
[...Initializing Genesis Sequence 2.2 - Physical Residue Operation - Sub Optimal… Initiating Examination Sequence 2… Scanning...Scanning...Scanning… Scan Complete… Result - Meridian Entity Inoperable Scarring… Deploying Repair and Stabilization Frame - ]
[...Initializing Genesis Sequence 3 - Psychic Residue Gathering Sequence Initiated… Complete]
[...Initializing Genesis Sequence 4 - Will Genesis Forge Sequence Initiated… Gathering Resources… Attempting Forge Sequence 1… Genesis Confirmed]
[...Initializing Genesis Sequence 5 - DREAM Generator Initiated - Scenario - Who Am I? ]
***
Some say that before Death comes, there is a moment that feels like Time has stopped and it is in that one moment that all your memories will flash before you.
All your moments of Glory and Despair. All your Good and Evil deeds would show themselves, so you could understand how you lived your life and what brought you to that moment, before Death.
Unsure if I was in that moment or not, my life flashed in my mind.
From being born during a complicated childbirth scene to the first breath I took.
From the first cry, I unknowingly and unwillingly had to take due to the temperature difference of being outside my mother's womb to the first light that grazed my feeble baby mind.
From the loving and caring gaze of my mother and father as they cared for my feeble baby body that pissed and pooped without control to the wonder of my first two-legged, straight walk as I was meant to as a human.
From babyhood when I explored my surroundings to the first moment my first words came out.
From learning to speak to the beatings I gained if I didn't listen to my parents.
From my first day of school, full of anxiety from all the other children that were there, to the first time I quarreled with my schoolmates.
From the day I finished primary school and was finally released into the wider world only to realize that more of the same awaited me, to the day I finished high school and found out that life sucks.
From the day my parents quarreled and left each other to the day I resented them and the World for being such a shit place, to the moment I went sage mode and hid in the neverending land that was Anime, Manga, Movies, Series, Books, Novels and anything else that took my fancy.
From the day I left to the baker's down the street to buy myself some bread for breakfast to the screeching tires of a car that hit me and I probably died from.
The interesting thing is, it's only after the car that hit me and I found myself in this white nothingness that I could contemplate my whole life and not that one moment before Death like people say would happen.
Again I went through the memories from the beginning and experienced them. Every time I did this, I felt everything that my body and mind experienced in those memories. From the pains of a growing body to the injuries. From the revelations, my body and mind experienced, to the why's and how's that changed me as a person.
It was interesting to know all that. It gave me clarity. Clarity I never had in my life. Especially in the later stages of my life where depression was the main theme.
My life had a decent start. It wasn't bad, it wasn't good. Average if you consider the good family I was born into and the harsh surroundings that surrounded us. Either way, it wasn't until high school that cracks formed in the family that my life went downhill.
This hill in question wasn't a materialistic one. No, it was of spiritual quality, and my current clarity showed me that. Still, that wasn't something new to me, especially in my late twenties before the car killed me but as I watched and rewatched, a feeling came to me.
The feeling one feels in the back of one's mind. The feeling that just would not leave you in peace until you cracked it. And then it came to me.
There was a slight discrepancy in my memories that showed me what wasn't there but I could feel, deep in my mind, if I had a mind in this white space.
It was my love life. Due to my many failings and many outside circumstances I had a shitty love life.
When I was younger, my first crush went for a different dude. My second crush denied me. My third I just observed from afar. The fourth that liked me I denied due to circumstances and my naivety around love.
Apparently, not sending messages for two days was considered bad, no matter the circumstances.
After that, it was more of the same and there was always something that went wrong on either mine or their side. Even when I had enough of that and just wanted to sleep with a woman, it failed.
It was truly depressing watching it all. My shitty love life was the major reason why I never recovered from depression before dying at the healthy age of 29.
Experiencing all this over and over, amplified the depression I currently felt. Like a spiral, my emotions went down and down, until they could no longer go anywhere and took root. There they would simmer for all eternity, at least that's what I thought would happen.
Contrary to my belief, what happened was actually the opposite.
When my depression reached the bottom a thought occurred to me.
A thought I never would have dared to do in life.
A thought that if I had, a massacre would be the most obvious result. No, all that would have done was hurt blameless people and bring me more trouble than it was worth, but, but.
Now that I was dead, if this was death, I could release it all and rid myself of this and all the other baggage I carried.
There was no need to carry it onto my next life if this leads to my next life and if it does not, it does not matter.
Now that a goal was in front of me, I found that root of depression inside me and gave it a spark. A spark that ignited and like an inferno it consumed everything. The pressure from it kept building up until it was about the burst.
In a moment of inspiration that came out of nowhere, I released it.
aaaaaaAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAaaaaa
The rage ignited the despair and found an outlet that was my voice and as it echoed into nothingness in this white space.
Relief came to me and my body and I truly enjoyed it as rage vibrated on the vocal strings found in my neck.
It felt good. It felt so good that it was only after its aftermath passed that I realized I even had a vocal cord at all, or hands that were touching my neck in wonder.
Or my face as I felt their touch on it.
Opening my eyes I saw them and wonder came to me. Not that I felt them but that they were red with various line markings doting them. Looking closer I saw them going upwards towards the shoulders and my chest. Stretching and flexing I saw some going towards my back and legs.
" This is… kind of cool but what is going on? " I heard myself say. Unsure as to what was going on I looked around myself for any clues but saw only endless white.
An interesting thought came to me as I realized that I was standing on this endless white.
Taping the white floor a few times with my right legs I noticed it slowly losing its red color and regaining a healthy white pinkish color that I was familiar with.
A few moments later it was gone from my whole body.
" Hello, Mir. " A voice spoke behind me. Surprised, I turned around only to see a scene so iconic it became legendary.
It became so iconic that everybody could recognize it. A white endless space with two dark red leather sofa chairs of all the possible things that could have appeared.
Sadly the most important man didn't appear with it and what appeared was a cheap knock-off white version of him. " Morpheus… have you decided to change your race? If so I must say that your taste has... deteriorated. " I said to the cheap knock-off.
He was sitting in one of the sofa chairs with his legs crossed for more flare. With a black suit and black glasses with no handles to complete the look. Aside from the white skin and different face, it was as close to the original scene as it possibly could be.
' Ah, wasn't I naked? ' When I looked down on myself I saw the contrary. ' When did I, ah never mind? '
" Haha. " Laughing, he spoke. " Nice one, but regretfully I must inform you that NO, I am not Morpheus. Although we share a few things in common. Come, sit. " He said and pointed at the sofa chair waiting for me.
Walking to him I touched the sofa and immediately knew that I would not notice if it was real or not. As far as my mind could interpret, it was.
After testing it I sat down and watched the man in question. He had black hair, and a chiseled chin that only a man born with a lot of luck and lots of exercise can have.
Despite the black iconic no handles glasses that were stuck on his nose, when I looked at the eyes hidden behind them I knew that they were green. " So, if you're not Morpheus, then who are you? Oh, and could you tell me what is going on? I hope I am not in the Matrix, considering this scene. No matter how much I liked the movie, it's a shitty world to be inside. "
With a smile on one side, he replied. " Don't worry, you are not in that World. The reason I have constructed this scene is to smoothen the transition of everything that you went through and what you will go through. " There he stopped and took off the glasses and said what was on his mind. " As for my identity. Look at my face and try to guess. "
My right eyebrow twitched at that. Without the glasses, I immediately saw the bright green eyes that resembled my own. Looking closer I could see the resemblance that he had to my own, or my family on my mother's side. Since it was from them that I gained my looks.
From observing him as best I could I immediately remembered my uncle. He was only 5 years older so I had spent quite a lot of time with him when I was younger. He later joined the police but it was not him that I was looking at.
No, I would have noticed that immediately. The next thought was that I might have a hidden uncle or something but that was a ridiculous thought.
' Grandpa should be quite old if I go by his looks. Grandpa? Guess I kicked the bucket much sooner than he or my parents, or the few remaining friends that I had. Wonder, who came to my funeral? If there was one, of course. Anyway, I am getting sidetracked. Who knows what happened, maybe I am not yet dead? '
After eliminating everybody I knew, there was only one possibility but as I looked at him I had no choice but to curse out loud. " Fuck, is that really how I would have looked if I exercised regularly from childhood to adulthood. "
" More or less. " He confirmed for me. " There are a few more things to take into the equation but as you probably realized You are Me. "
" You? Shouldn't it be the other way? " I said. " You being me? Am I not stuck in some limbo waiting for my new life? "
" You're closer to the truth than you think but No, You are Me. " Once again he stated his truth, only this time he went on. " The last thing you remember is a screeching noise. Don't you? "
When I nodded he continued. " Good, what you should know is that at that moment in my life I died but it was not the end of me. These looks I currently am showing you, are what I acquired after. "
" And some superpowers, if the current situation I found myself in is any indication. " I threw a comment at him. He smiled and nodded and shook his head, indicating I was close to my assumption. " Not quite superpowers as you will learn soon. The reason I am here is to explain your situation and the situation I have thrown you in. But before I tell you, ask yourself this. Who are you? "
" What do you mean who am I? I…" Then it struck me at what he hinted at. " I, I am Mir but split off from the original, or something similar? "
Nodding he added. " Yes, You are me and not the other way around, because You are a clone of Myself. Specifically, a clone engineered with specific memories of The Me before I became what I am. You are an experiment that I designed for a specific purpose. What that is I will tell you later, but first take a few moments to think about this declaration. "
' Clone' A clone, he said. I didn't hear it wrong, right? '
I was speechless for a bit as that realization came, and yet it was what didn't come with that realization that hit me harder. There was no other emotion besides the initial panic and confusion, like despair or rage at my meaningless life.
Rocking my head from side to side a thought came to me. ' If I am truly a clone then, I should not be the first one ever created, and when I consider my earlier emotional outburst I can only think that the entire situation was designed for that purpose. To make me release all that pent-up emotional stuff that was hidden inside me, so I would take the declaration of my existence better. '
Arriving at that conclusion made me much better. Leveling my gaze back at the supposed original I spoke. " Ok, I will take all this as real, for now. Worst case scenario is that it's true and the best case would be that all of this is a Dream and I will forget everything once I wake up. "
"Haha. " He chuckled as he looked at me. " Ha, younger me, what can I say, you indeed hit the nail on the head with your words. " Not quite understanding what he meant, he spoke. " Ok, time for some explanations now that you have accepted your situation. The clone explanation part is done so let's start with where you currently are. " With his right hand, he pointed around us.
" The white space you currently find yourself in is a generated scenario. That one is easy to guess, right? " I nodded. " But what is hard to guess is how it was generated and who generated it in the first place. "
"Umm, you? " I wondered at him, but all he did was deny it with a shake of the head. " No, it was you? "
" Me? Now you lost me. Explain it better. " I requested from him.
" This is a Dream generated scenario. " Again he pointed around us but then added himself and me too. " The reason you're confused is that the brain that generated this Dream is not my body but yours. "
" Mine? " The original nodded and added. " Yes, you are already in a new body and your body is currently in the process of acclimatizing to your existence. But since the process is quite complicated it needs this Dream World to finish it for the best results. "
" Alright, I will take your word for it. I am in the process of waking up in a new body. " Stopping for a second I search for the right sentence to word my thoughts. " But, why does this sound so convoluted? Since you can make a clone, and since I am not your first probably, shouldn't the process be more umm… streamlined? "
" Ah, just as I expect of myself. That is a reasonable deduction. " He delivered but I could already hear the but coming. " But it's incomplete since you have no context of everything yet. The reason for that is simple. Yes, you're not the first, and you won't be the last clone I make. Yes, the way I usually make clones is very easy. I just use some of my Power, make a body for it in some way, and finally at the end separate some of my Will for it alongside the memories of what it is and its purpose for creation. But all that implies that one condition is satisfied. "
He stopped at the juicy part and just looked at me and smiled as if waiting for me to ask. I waited for him to continue but it was my curiosity that broke first. " Ok, what is this condition? "
Still smiling he pointed at himself and then at me. " The condition is that I and you, the clone, are in the same World. "
Stunned at the proclamation, it took me a while to propose a question. " I... am not on Earth anymore? Am I? "
"Haha. " Vigorously shaking his head laughed for a bit more. Then he replied. " Nope and you know what the funniest part is? " Not giving him a reply, as a foreboding thought came to me. " I know you thought of it, This is not the first time I have gone through this scenario. Yes, my dear younger version of myself. I have no idea where in Creation you are either. Isn't that interesting, after so many experiments, finally one succeeded and landed somewhere? "
" Wait, could it be that you made clones and just threw them out blindly and hoped for them to land somewhere. " Revulsion and ridicule cloaked my voice as I said my thoughts.
Chastising me as if I was a child, the original me explained. " There is no need for that voice, my younger version. I am not so blindly in love with Power that I do things without the thought put into it. Although there were a few scenarios where I did try out my luck hoping for something and it didn't work. "
"Phu, good. " For a second there I thought I went mad with Power, I mean my original.
" Ok, let's backtrack it all a bit. I am a clone of you, and currently, I am not on Earth and you have no idea where I am. I could be in Hell or something and I wouldn't know, seeing as I am stuck in a Dream Limbo or something. Any more bad news that I need to know? Like my new body being something grotesque? " I inquired from him.
" Don't worry about your new body. It should be relatively human as I have placed requirements on what body you can incarnate into." That eased my concern, a bit. " I currently don't know which it is, since we have not started the final calibration. As for the location, that will be for you to find out. If you are in Hell, though, I hope it is our version of Hell, as I paid a visit to it, and trust me you can do much worse "
Sighing in my mind I relax a bit in the sofa chair. Tension eased without ever noticing I even had in the first place. Enjoying the sofa a bit more I rubbed the right side of it in unconscious action when a thought came to me. " Say, since we are in a Dream, are there any Time restraints I am under and will I remember all this? "
"Yes and Yes. " Replied the Original in front of me sitting in the same chair as I do. " The incarnation process I had to create for you is quite complicated and its requirements for all of it to honestly work are very steep. It took me quite a few years to design the process, especially since I couldn't do it the usual way. " Making a pose as if thinking, he continued. " When I designed all this I had no idea what would await you on the other side. So I had to brainstorm quite a few scenarios. In the best case, we can take all the time in the world and not worry at all and since this place was generated, it can't be the average or the worst-case one. "
" Since I can imagine the worst-case one even without you, what is the average scenario? " I asked him.
" The average would be a low-powered version of this and you, going directly from Will generation to waking up. It is the scenario where you would incarnate with the worst start possible. All you would have had would be the memories before you died with no clue as to anything. " He explained.
"Will? What is that? " Again I inquired since the generation part gives me a weird feeling.
" I will get to that, first let us talk about what you left behind. " He denied me an explanation again. " In this case, I mean Earth. "
"Ok, go on, I am curious. " I said and nodded.
" First thing you should know is that there exists a kind of people known as the Destined Ones. Think of them similar to the MCs in stories. " He said. " It shouldn't be hard for you to realize that they are not liked, at all. Since they are the type of people that bring about changes in the World in both the good and the bad. What most people don't know, and by this I mean the people with Magic and other types of Powers, is that they are not called the Destined Ones because they have " a "destiny to fulfill or anything. No, they are called that because their mere presence causes changes to the Destinies of others. Remember in some of the stories how some young master, idiotically goes against the MC and does stupid shit and it all blows into his head. "
" Sooo, they influence others and those changes create butterfly effects which people don't like? " I asked but deep down I had a feeling where this was going.
" Basically. What most don't know is that there are ranks even between them and the greatest of them influence the World on such a scale that even through Time their influence ripples. Hence how prophecies come into being. " Stopping for a second, I knew the main part was coming now. " As of this moment where I recorded this message, which is 2063, 71 years ago one such prophecy arrived. It was of such proportions that it spooked Heaven, Hell, and the Magical Society to such a degree that for once they stopped going for each other's throats and joined together on an epic quest to deny his existence. Now, who do you think that existence was? "
" Knew it, it was me, I mean you. " Correcting myself at the last second he denied my conclusion. " No, neither was it me since it might surprise you that I too am a clone of sorts. No, our original is the one I am talking about. The number of resources they poured into his execution was so great that they offed him even through his stupid Destiny. "
" But? " I added.
" But since it was so ridiculous, they couldn't do it completely and out of that scenario, I was born. " He said as if disgusted at the very thought of the memory. " I won't be talking about that clusterfuck, just so you know. "
As he said all that suspicion came to me. " So there was indeed someone pulling the strings in my life? "
He nodded. "Yes, but that rough life made us who we are. The reason I am saying this is this. The experiment that I am doing denies me any chance of sending out a clone beyond your time frame. I am not sure why but ever since I started this experiment I have tried to send clones of myself out into Creation. Every time I did I received feedback that I knew without a doubt that it failed. I have no idea where it came from but it did. So after many trials, the result was you, the Me from before I became what I am. "
" And that would be? " With ample curiosity, I wanted to know what I, I mean he became.
" Well, there is a lot of unique stuff about me, but if I had to choose the biggest one, it would be that one where I Transcend human existence. " He stated, with a proud expression at that.
"How? " Was all that came out of my mouth. " I will tell you soon. Let me finish this topic. My current best estimate is that my clones are too heavy of an existence to travel through Creation if I consider the method by which I sent you and the others out. "
" Sounds logical, from my point of view. So what is this travel method that you used? " I hope I clearly remember this Dream just like he said. Would be such a pain to wake up and forget all this.
" I smuggled you out, of course. " With a smile he declared.
" Sss, Smuggled out? " My left eyelid twitched as I heard him. " Couldn't you have some other way, like Space-Time stuff? "
"Haha, didn't expect that didn't you but in my defense, since you have no knowledge of what I am attempting, it sounds more ridiculous to you than it truly is. " He replied but then added his reason. " When I say Creation, I don't just mean my Universe, where our Earth is situated, I mean the Multiverse and all the other places the Human Consciousness has reached. "
Shock must have reached my face when I tried to envision the scale of the endeavor my original was attempting.
"Good, proper shock gives much more meaning to everything. " He said but that smile on his face didn't vanish. " Let me say a few more things before we start on your education. The family you have in your memories is doing good. And since I have no idea of the Time flow of your current place and our home, nor the distance between us, you probably won't ever see them again. But I say all this to ease your mind since I am taking care of them. In this new life before you, find yourself a new meaning to live for. "
With that revelation, I dozed off into my thoughts. ' Never to see them ever again? Umm, I don't know what to think of that. Maybe it's best if I don't think of it right now? Yea, let's do that. Once all this is over I can properly search for emotional closure. '
" I will leave the emotional baggage for later. You said something about education. What does it entail? " I gave him my response.
Hearing me, he only nodded as if he knew how I would respond, and he probably did. " As I said moments ago when I sent you to wherever you are right now, I had no idea what kind of conditions would await you. So, aside from the method of achieving Transcendence, I have included a few gifts and the general knowledge of Creation that I have so far understood in broad terms. After that, we will begin the last calibrations of your new life. "
More education was always better, no matter the kind. " Ok, what will you teach me first? I am very curious. "
" We will start from the basics of the basics. " He replied. " In this case, the basics are the prologue of your Reality and the way it all began. At least, my version of it. "
"Let us start with a very big explosion, and I mean The Big Explosion. " He declared.