Bayei breathed a sigh of relief as she finished up her creation. A coiling metal rack that pressurized Taelon energy into an almost solid state. Various buttons regulated gauges that would go up and down until the desired effect was achieved.

She didn't know what it could be used for but she knew it to be a new material and therefore would have new properties which could be applied to more inventions. She placed the coiling metal rack that didn't even have a name on the pedastal where she had first arrived. Then pressed a button and spoke out it's function, the terminal recording every word she said. In the blink of an eye the coiling metal rack disappeared. She had been afraid of that.

The timer on the wall stopped for a moment and then the numbers counted up. It stopped at the five day mark.

Bayei's eyes widened in shock "Thats two days less than what I had before." she really wanted to take a rest, that couch looked so fluffy.

Work comes first, she went back to the terminal that displayed the list of problems her inventions were meant to solve. One of the categories was labeled 'Advanced robotics'. Bayei selected it and scrolled through the list of problems. Eventually stopping after she read the words 'How to make a mechanical joint work?', Bayei knew exactly what to do.

She didn't have any idea what some of the categories were like 'Quantum Aeronautics' or 'Fusion entanglement principles' let alone solve any of the problems within them. Perhaps in a few years she would educate herself on them and develop something to give them an answer.

Walking over to one of the benches she spoke out her instructions for it to materialize the component she wanted it to make. She spent five minutes laying out the objects material composition, size and shape. Mechanical arms moved around in a sphere and a bright light show in the center until an iron mechanical gear formed.

She set the last of her five materialization benches on a side project she had recently started. This one she didn't think she would ever use, given that this bizarre place was quickly a paradise for her. Even if there is a ticking timer counting down to her death. But she had learned from past experiences that it wasn't safe to not have a weapon on hand for personal use.

While Bayei worked she couldn't help but wonder 'What does this Deity even need these inventions for? Surely he has already thought up anything that I could possibly make.'

Xarkris analyzed the creative energy before absorbing it into himself. A fine meal. The newest addition to his collection of minions seemed promising thus far. Her processes unique as any of the others who had been worthy of being drawn by him.

As he was finishing, a tiny blue humanoid with pure white spikey hair appeared before him.

Xarkris said in an elated voice "Hello Akmadouric. Have you come to admire my home? Or perhaps you have come to tell me that I've lost my right to exist?"

The great deity in his most powerless form looked up at the minor deity Xarkris, a small blue child sitting beneath a lightning storm. A red orb shining brightly at the center of a chaotic series of white bolts. Golden orbs filled with molecular circuitry could be seen throughout the minor deity's being. Bizarre symbols of digital code passed along the lightning bolts. Occasionally the minor deity would strike one of the numerous metallic panels arranged around them in a sphere, thus activating the various functions of his home.

Akmadouric looked up at the cybernetic deity without even a little fear "No. I'm here for neither of those reasons. I've come for the innovative minds that you have drawn and continue to feed off of."

The brightness of the red orb speaking device used by Xarkris fluctuated as he spoke "You know that I need to siphon off their creative energies. It is the path of ascension that I have chosen."

"You could become a great deity just fine if you chose to house your mind within something other than digital code, or at least partially. I know of plenty rising deities who are technically cyborgs."

Xarkris loomed over the tiny blue figure beneath him "I will not betray myself."

Akmadouric had expected the conversation to go exactly this way "I suppose I'll give you respect for being true to yourself but I am an explorer of dimensions. I know about the most effective paths of ascension. In all honesty, yours is proving to be slower than average."

Xarkris looked at Akmadouric with an ireful annoyance, the great deity only knowing what the minor deity felt by his usage of empathic abilities "I disagree, but wasting our greatest resources in a fruitless contest of strength against one another is something we both do not want."

The electrical storm paused for a moment, then spoke again "Will you take the innovative minds by force? Or will you trade for them?"

Akmadouric smiled "Neither, I was actually thinking more along the lines of gambling for them."

A lid half closed over it's red orb as Xarkris regarded the tiny blue person beneath him "What is your proposition?"

"A contest of combat and wit among our minions."

"An invasion force then?"

Akmadouric nodded "Yes, but the size of the invasion won't be anywhere near what you know I can field. I want a fair contest."

The red orb came closer "Why don't we make this interesting. A contest is only good if there are clearly differences between the contestants. Since all of my minions are cybernetic intelligences, you will not field any."

'This is going exactly as expected' Akmadouric thought "That's an acceptable stipulation."

Xarkris said "Now what will be your wager? What do I stand to gain from all of this?"

"You can set up your own creative energy siphoning devices throughout your home if you please."

"Allowing me to siphon off a small portion of the creative energies from all of your forces during the battle. That's not good enough."

Akmadouric said matter-of-factly "You could use this oppourtunity to show off your home."

Irritation krept into Xarkris' voice "If you do not offer me something substantial with your next words then this conversation is over and any invasion force will be met by me personally." the living lightning storm flared in intensity for a moment.

Akmadouric smiled "Well...I could expend a bit of willpower in order to craft you an aspect of the universe here."

Xarkris was silent for a moment, the lightning strikes ceased "You would consider an aspect of this universe to be of the same value as the innovative minds in my possesion? Throughout the entirety of my life I have made only one aspect for a lesser law and I could not believe that it took almost all of my willpower in it's crafting."

Xarkris resumed operating his home "Those innovative minds may be great by the standards of what they are but most deities consider them to be insignificant."

"I consider them to be significant."

A small hint of amusement crept into Xarkris' voice "Then a deal we have. Now let us go over and agree upon what minions we both shall field. But each of our respective forces cannot know what the other side has."

"Agreed."

The screen at the front of the enourmous room switched off. All of the members of Akmadouric's army within it had watched the recording of the meeting between the two deities.

Only Zack seemed to be unnerved 'That's what we are going up against!? Might as well fight a sentient sun or something.' then he mentally facepalmed himself 'How many people within Akmadouric's Army have done just that?'

He looked at the still image of the cybernetic Deity Xarkris 'At least we will only be going up against his minions.'

Akmadouric appeared suddenly and stood before them all. This time it was the great deity himself giving the mission briefing, instead of a Mid-tierman or even a white haired Akma. His presence compounding the seriousness of the mission.

The thirty foot tall blue giant said for all of them to hear "The minor deity Xarkris deserves to exist. As many of you already know, very rarely do I revoke the right of existence for anyone or anything. He is not an enemy nor a friend, although I truly wish he would join this struggle against those who threaten existence."

A ten foot tall bug like creature at the front of the crowd stood up, one of many within the room "You allowed him to set up creative energy siphoning devices. Everyone here needs to be aware that their decision making abilities will be impaired once the operation gets underway." above his head appeared a name and race.

Dshktrm Race: Tkiktch, The dreaming consumers

Akmadouric said "Couldn't be helped. It was part of the wager and one of the rules is that they cannot be destroyed during the contest."

Zack stood up, knowing that he better choose his words carefully "Can I ask about the elephant in the room please? This creative energy siphoning thing makes no sense whatsoever."

About half the room starts laughing for a good ten seconds and Zack slouchs in embarressment, the ten foot tall bug chuckles and says "Typical low-tierman."

Akmadouric simply said "Understandable confusion given your perspective. Creative energy is what all beings use to form ideas and some minds produce a lot more than others. Without any of it you couldn't even be able to form the idea of inhaling and exhaling. Now who here can tell me why Xarkris the cybernetic deity, would need additional creative energy for ascension?"

Galroop the slime answered "For all the strengths that cybernetic entities possess, their lack of creative energy is their greatest weakness. The most creative thing the average cybernetic entity can accomplish is just to mix and match the ideas of others. Which is the lowest form of creativity."

Zack thought back to what a lot of artists of his own world did "Like putting the head of an animal on a human body."

Akmadouric said "Correct. Creative individuals are rare, such as the innovative minds underneath Xarkris' care, but creativity can be exercised just like any part of a mind."

The meeting went on and more details were shared about the units this piece of the raid force would be fielding. An hour was spent going over the biological technology that the Tkiktch would be bringing. The rules stated that any equipment couldn't be aided by artificial intelligences, or cybernetic intelligences as they were correctly termed. People like rifleman Becker would have to change up their gear.

As everyone was leaving Zack muttered to no one in particular "The deity of creativity..."

A white haired Akma appeared out of his vortex "Interesting. Why did you call him that?"

"Well, creativity is his most defining aspect. Like the Greek gods who were the masters of certain concepts. Ares was the god of war. Aphrodite was the goddess of love..." then he stopped talking as he realized that the multiverse and the Greek gods were two entirely seperate things.

Akma frowned "Using that very same logic. Answer this question; What are you the human of?"

Zack asked "What do you mean?"

"The defining aspect of Xarkris is creativity. What is your defining aspect? I'll ask you again. What are you the human of?"

Zack didn't like where this was going "Sarcasm."

"And how many other sarcastic human beings are out there?"

"Possibly billions, plus one revived twelfth century Shaolin monk."

"And how many deities are there that use creative energy in order to aid their path of ascension?"

Zack said "You would know better than I."

Akma said "No, I don't, and no one does. So do away with that type of thinking immediately. Xarkris is not the god of creativity. Just as Akmadouric is not the god of consciousness."