"
Aethyr."
-can be persuaded to…
Oh, that's helpful. And yes, this is not something to be
trifled with. Talk fast, OL, and talk
nice.
Oh. Telepathic. That does make-.
"No." It's head… It looks sort of like the head of a dragon, but floating there without a neck. The other point of reference (given the hands and head combination) is the Andross boss fight from Starfox 64-
For reference, the final
mission from said version. Though I imagine the specific looks as more Ridley from '
Metroid'.
"I am not Andross! I am Aethyr!"
-but that's probably not what this is.
Not doubt Jax-Ur is wondering what all that's about, but it's hardly relevant right now.
I smile politely. "Hello, Aethyr. What can I do for you?"
"Do you understand what you face, creature?"
Something primordial, I would imagine. Something that can manipulate the fabric of the Zone like its own digits.
"Not even slightly. Which is pretty unusual for me. Usually I've got at least some idea but in your case I'm drawing a blank."
"All this universe is Aethyr. I am its means to your comprehension. As the red sun was to the priests of Rao. As the burning bush was to Moses."
I suppose Aethyr was something Mr Zoat only learned about post-Insertion. Certainly, Earth-Prime!Paul never looked into it.
"So… You're the Metatron of the Phantom Zone." I nod. "Okay. That makes sense. And… Krypton was basically shoving their criminals into your brain."
"They entered the domain of the oversoul unbidden, and by so doing obliterated the distinction between its existence and their own."
Metatron, for reference, is an Abrahamic reference. To
massively simplify it, God's Scribe.
"And me as well, I suppose."
"No." The eyes regard me curiously, though for all I know the gesture is my mind's interpretation of its general attitude rather than an actual expression. "It is."
Confused me for a moment there, until I realised it was responding to OL's musing.
Oh, this is going to get confusing.
"For you."
'
Was getting caught part of your plan?'
No, wait, we're not playing
meme games. (Seriously, if he'd just said 'Painful for
you.', this whole meme might never have existed.)
"Not me. What do you mean by that? And what does it mean for-" I glance at the grey blur that is probably Jax-Ur. "-them?"
"Something about you means that you both are and are not a part of me."
Well, that's concerning. Because he's Human, lacking the kryptonian organelles? Or because of his soul-tattoos?
"Hey, my wards actually did something! I'd sort of gotten used to my preparations not working."
"Explain yourself."
Funny, I assumed you'd sort of absorb the specifics from his mind. Or is that only possible when he's thinking
directly about something.
"Okay, so you know how-" I gestures to Jax-Ur. "-kryptonian bodies respond to exotic energies strangely?"
"I know everything that they know."
Good, no need to get everyone caught up on the same page.
"I had myself altered so that I absorb and internalise magic. And I guess that something about this place is similar enough that it's still working. Which would mean that I'm you, but you're also becoming me."
"What?"
Gee, I guess it's a little confusing for Aethyr too.
"I don't know, and I'm going to suggest that it's not in either of our interests to find out. I'll be leaving shortly and I just need a few pieces of information before I go."
"I could take the spiritual force which defines you and merge it with the oversoul for all eternity!"
Please don't. That would rather cut the story short.
"I've never eaten an oversoul before, but I try to be open to new experiences."
Aethyr stares down at me.
Yeah, I suspect he's serious about that threat. After all, if he's laid bare to you, kind of, then you're laid bare to him.
"You hear my thoughts as your own. You know that I genuinely suspect that would happen. And no one here could explain it better than my mind."
"What do you want?"
What would any being shoved in here want? To leave, of course. But OL does need to know a few things.
"Was the empireth named Lyla here?"
"Yes. Can you imagine what that feels like? To have a part of your psyche torn away?"
Eh, he
has died a few times. I don't know if that affects his memory or anything that severely, but...
"Do you want us to stop? To stop using Phantom Zone technology entirely, to remove the ones who are left here?"
"I want you to cease removing them."
Ah, so he doesn't mind the discomfort as long as it allows him to be
conscious.
"Ah… Can I talk to Nam-Ek really quickly?"
Another grey blur appears, and then-. Nam-Ek changes from a blur to a man. He looks around in surprise. "What?"
Well, at least with Aethyr helping bring them along, the inmates can be freed much faster.
"There's a lot of that going around. Nam-Ek, Aethyr here is getting-"
Nam-Ek looks up and the giant purple dragon head. "Aargh!"
Focus, please. Indulge your meat-brain instincts later.
"-annoyed about us putting people in here in such a way that they become part of his mind and then removing them again. I know that you appreciated the respite, but I wanted to check whether you were alright with it becoming completely permanent or not."
"And become part of the new colony?"
Ah, that word's spread already? I guess when you can kind of sense what's going on and listen in on conversations without being noticed... Gossip travels
fast.
"Or whatever you want. I'm pretty sure that we could reverse what happened to you. Or at least create a new unmutated body. I didn't say anything because we're a bit busy and I haven't had enough time to get everything ready, but it should be possible."
"And what about..?" He points at Aethyr's face.
Worst case, some kind of encounter suit to contain any olfactory expulsions might work for the short-term.
"I will bear no more intruders. Leave, or become one with me."
Nam-Ek considers the issue for a moment. "Then I will choose to leave."
Wise choice. Truly, you are an
intelligent man.
"Oh, good show. I was worried that you might… Not choose that. Ah. Bear no more intruders?"
"I will merge with any who remain."
So leave now, or forever hold your peace.
Rats.
Uh.
Jax-Ur looks up at Aethyr. "But I warned you!"
Oh, discovering that the primal entity might not be as easy to manipulate as you thought, hmm??
"Do you think that means that I am obliged to you?"
"I-!" Jax-Ur turns back to me. "I am the greatest scientist Krypton has ever known! Take me with you!"
Sorry, Jax, but you've really kind of put a bad spin on your value as a potential colonist.
"While there's a theological argument in favour of letting you out and executing you, legally I'm not allowed to execute people on Earth and we can't try you for a crime that happened on Krypton and that you've already been sentenced for."
"The-!"
Yeah, not great for you.
"But by that token, I have no right to remove you." I shake my head. "Much as I hate wasting knowledge, I have no intention of saving you." I sigh. "Give me everyone else, and I'll get out of your scales."
"NOOOOOO!"
Ah, the cry of the defeated villain...
