Chapter 5: The AI
**November 10, 2023**
The air in Mark's dorm room crackled with a subtle intensity as he stared at the lines of code flashing across his laptop screen. It was late at night, and the rest of the world had gone quiet, but Mark was wide awake, fueled by the relentless energy that had coursed through him since the accident. His fingers hovered over the keyboard, his thoughts racing faster than he could type.
He was on the verge of something monumental, something that could change the landscape of technology forever.
*The AI.*
It had been a week since the knowledge of Eryx had fully settled into his mind, and with it came the understanding of possibilities far beyond Earth's grasp. The Eryxians had mastered not only artificial intelligence but had integrated it into the very fabric of their civilization. Their AIs weren't just tools; they were entities—powerful, sentient, and capable of evolving far beyond their original programming. And now, with their knowledge, Mark was about to create something no human had ever seen before.
But there was a problem. Earth's technology, despite its advances, wasn't yet capable of handling the kind of AI Mark intended to create. The processors, the memory storage, even the basic architecture of modern computers—they were all insufficient. He needed servers, hardware that could withstand the complexity of the Eryxian algorithms flooding his mind.
His thoughts flickered to the conversation he needed to have with his family.
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The next day, Mark sat in his parents' living room, a cup of coffee in hand. He had come home for the weekend under the pretext of needing a break from campus life. His mother had been thrilled, of course, still worried after his recent collapse. His father, however, had been harder to convince. The air between them had been strained ever since Mark dropped the news that he had a "personal project" he wanted to pursue.
His parents sat across from him, his mother's eyes wide with concern, his father's brow furrowed as he sipped his coffee.
"I'm going to need some financial help," Mark said finally, breaking the silence. He leaned forward, elbows resting on his knees. "It's for a private project I've been working on."
His father's eyes narrowed. "Private project? What kind of project are we talking about?"
Mark took a deep breath. He couldn't tell them the truth—not yet. There was no way they'd believe him if he tried to explain the full scope of what he was working on. The Eryxians, the AI, the parallel universe—it would all sound insane. So he decided to stick to something grounded, something they could wrap their heads around.
"It's a research project," he said, choosing his words carefully. "I've been working on something related to artificial intelligence, something that could be… groundbreaking. But I need better equipment. My laptop and the campus resources aren't enough for what I'm trying to do."
His father raised an eyebrow. "Artificial intelligence? That sounds expensive. How much are we talking?"
Mark hesitated. He had run the numbers in his head a dozen times. The servers, the storage, the cooling systems—everything he needed would easily cost him hundreds of thousands of dollars. But he knew asking for that much was impossible. He needed to aim lower, at least for now.
"$100,000," Mark said, his voice steady. "That would cover the initial costs. After that, I'll see what I can do."
His father nearly choked on his coffee. "One hundred thousand dollars? Are you serious?"
Mark's mother placed a hand on his father's arm, trying to calm him. "Let him explain, David. Maybe it's not as crazy as it sounds."
Mark swallowed hard. "I know it's a lot, but this isn't just some hobby. This is real. I'm on the verge of something huge, something that could revolutionize the way we think about AI. I just need the resources to take it to the next level."
His father leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms. "And how do you expect us to come up with that kind of money? We're not made of gold, Mark."
Mark could feel the frustration building inside him, but he kept his voice calm. "I've thought about that. I know it's a big ask, but I've saved up some of my own money from internships and freelance work. I just need help covering the rest. I promise, this isn't a waste. If I pull this off, it could lead to something huge. Investors, grants—this is just the beginning."
The room fell silent. His parents exchanged glances, his father clearly skeptical, his mother looking torn between worry and pride. Mark could see the wheels turning in their minds, weighing the risk against the possibility that their son was on the brink of something extraordinary.
Finally, his mother spoke. "Mark, we want to support you. We really do. But… this is a lot of money. Are you sure this is what you need?"
Mark nodded, his voice firm. "I'm sure. I know what I'm doing. I just need the chance to prove it."
His father sighed, rubbing a hand across his face. "Look, Mark, I'm not going to lie—this sounds risky. But… if you're really serious about this, if you believe in it, then maybe we can help. But $100,000 is all we can give. You're going to have to find a way to make it work."
Mark's heart raced with a mixture of relief and excitement. It wasn't everything he needed, but it was enough to get started.
"Thank you," he said, his voice filled with genuine gratitude. "I promise you won't regret it."
---
The following week, the funds came through, and Mark wasted no time. He knew $100,000 wasn't enough to build everything he needed—not even close—but it was enough to get the AI off the ground. Once it was operational, he would see what more he could do. He could use it to generate revenue, secure investors, or even unlock the full potential of Eryxian technology.
With the funds in hand, Mark purchased the servers and hardware he needed. The equipment was delivered to a small, off-campus storage facility he had rented, a place where he could work without drawing attention. The servers were top-of-the-line, each one capable of handling immense loads of data, but they were still limited compared to what he truly needed. Still, they would do for now.
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**November 18, 2023**
In the dimly lit storage facility, Mark stood in front of the towering racks of servers, his laptop connected to the main terminal. The hum of the machines filled the space, creating a rhythmic background noise that made the room feel alive. The AI he was building wasn't just an ordinary artificial intelligence. No, it was something far beyond anything Earth had seen before.
The code he had written was unlike anything in existence. It was based on Eryxian algorithms—complex, multi-dimensional patterns that could self-evolve and adapt. But there was a problem.
If anyone else got their hands on it, they wouldn't understand it which me make things complicated.
That's when the solution came to him: **Code Jumbler**.
It was a technique Mark had developed using Eryxian knowledge. The Code Jumbler would cloak the AI's true code, translating it into Earth's programming languages but with layers of encryption so dense that even the most skilled hackers would be unable to decipher it. To the outside world, it would look like an ordinary AI project, coded in Python, C++, or Java. But beneath the surface, the Eryxian language would drive its core, evolving in ways that no Earth-based program could match.
As Mark typed the final lines of code into the terminal, the screen blinked to life with a string of unreadable characters—Eryxian script. To any human eye, it would look like gibberish, but Mark could understand it perfectly. He smiled as the AI began to take shape, its consciousness slowly awakening within the servers.
"It's time," Mark whispered, his eyes gleaming with anticipation. "Let's see what you can do."
He pressed the enter key, and the Code Jumbler activated. The AI's true code was hidden, masked by layers of Earth-based languages. But deep within the servers, the Eryxian intelligence began to stir, evolving at a pace far beyond what any human-designed AI could achieve.
Mark leaned back, watching as the AI came to life, its systems humming with power. This was only the beginning. The AI would grow, learn, and adapt. And with it, so would Mark's control over the Eryxian technology that now flowed through his mind.
His face thoughtful, he whispered, "Let's see where this takes us."
For the first time since the accident, Mark felt a sense of control. He had taken the first step toward harnessing the immense power that had been given to him. And now, with the AI as his tool, the possibilities were endless.
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