“The past fades to a future not yet defined.”

Aspiring Blowout guides me through the empty halls of a grand building. It’s filled with grandiose marble, stretching skyward to a roof of multi-colored stained glass. Hallways branch off into smaller rooms, reminding me of a general layout of a school. As I walk, it becomes apparent that it isn’t just that my body is feeling light, but that there is simply less gravity. Going purely by my intuitive feelings, I would estimate it to be around three-fourths the gravity of Earth. The only reasonable conclusions are that I’m either on a planet with less mass, or the gravitational constant is off. The first is far more likely, but I can’t make assumptions. This is a place with unfamiliar rules after all.

Blowout makes one-sided small talk as we make our way to what I assume is the exit. The sound of her foreign words resounds off the distant walls.

She’s talking about how this is the new academy built for the purpose of helping people refine their abilities. But then she follows up by saying how amazing it is for accepting people regardless of their age, place of origin, and a bunch of other things. But oh, this is also apparently a revolutionary concept that she is lucky to take part in. Good for her, The Goddess of Power translates her words to me in a profoundly bored tone. You should learn the language soon, so I don’t have to keep doing this.

Don’t worry; that’s one of my top priorities.

Blowout looks back, realizing I’m not joining her in conversation, and stops talking respectfully. This building is huge, the architecture complex. It reminds me of the style of the Notre Dame, but at an even grander scale. Anything similar in my world would have easily cost billions, not to mention a ridiculous amount of labor.

There are people with abilities that can help in construction, lowering the cost and manpower needed dramatically.

That would explain it.

Blowout stops in front of a pair of double doors, waiting for me to catch up. Smiling as she opens the doors, she says something positive.

She thinks you’ll be impressed at the city since ‘you haven’t seen Corundum in sixty years’. The goddess lets a bit of anticipation into her voice.

With a gentle push, the door creaks open. A gale of wind tugs at my hair while the midday sun blinds my vision. Holding a hand above my eyes, I get my first glimpse of the outside since entering this world.

It’s completely unlike anything I’ve ever seen.

Glittering sunlight drifts off walls and edifices in a shining cityscape. Every building in sight has a unique design as if somebody refused to use a blueprint and just made whatever they felt like. Yet it all somehow works. Red brick streets run throughout, connecting monuments to statues to fountains, each piece of art seemingly perfectly placed. A crisp blue river lazily snakes through bridges scattered throughout, adding serenity to the composition. Pearly marble and stone buildings contrast lush greenery sprinkled around both chaotically and regularly. To the side is a noble wall circling the entire length of the city. In the distance stands the centerpiece: a majestic gothic styled church rising above the skyline. It all seems far too idealistic for any of it to exist, yet from one blink to next it remains.

As impressive as the feats of construction are, aesthetics isn’t my thing. I prefer function over form whenever the choice arises, and I can see no value from putting this level of detail into simple living areas. More notable, however, is my goddess’s reaction. In the same way I could ‘see’ her before, I can now visualize her jaw-dropped, frozen in thoughts.

It’s beautiful… my city… she mutters breathlessly in the same tone a mother might have after seeing how much their child has grown without her.

Blowout chirps in, asking a question, leaning in to see my expression. My translator is apparently out-of-order, so I nod, assuming she asked how I like it. It’s optimal regardless, to play the silent type, meaning I have less chances to slip up when speaking.

Turning my eyes to the lightly crowded street immediately before us, the notion that we truly are in another world starts to sink in. It’s not the people themselves, but the ridiculously creative attire they choose to wear. Of the 28 people casually strolling within my vision, none of them have the same clothing. A guy close to me is wearing a cloak completely made out of knives and has a foot-long mohawk. Another guy behind him is equipped with a tunic and chainmail. A girl to his left is wearing… nothing but has murky black fluid covering her body. Weirder yet, is somebody casually sitting down wearing a denim shirt with sweatpants. Suddenly, Blowout’s large cloak looks a lot less out of place. And my white t-shirt and green cargo shorts don’t seem all that suspicious anymore.

Realizing Blowout already took a few steps down from the academy stairs, I follow her. The scenery and crowds remain similar through the short walk. Seemingly every part of this city is bursting with life. Around every corner we turn, there is always something happening, whether it be a shopkeeper loudly advertising or a small crowd gathering to watch something out of sight. For some reason, my heart keeps beating in excitement.

It takes several minutes till we reach her apartment. It’s four stories tall with around the same width and depth, making it roughly cube. It looks to be made of polished gray bricks and has greenery surrounding it like every other bit of land in the city. Blowout says something as she guides me into the fourth floor, but the Goddess of Power remains in silent reflection. Her floor plan is an open area with the kitchen and living area by the stairs and with hallways that branch off to other rooms.

I ask how to say, ‘I’m tired. Could you show me to my room please’, and the goddess absentmindedly replies with more gibberish which I relay to Blowout. With a kind smile, she leads me to a vacant room and says more untranslated words before leaving. The room is what would be expected for a guest bedroom, with a single bed, window, and a table in the corner. The odds that anything in here is bugged is extremely low based on Blowout’s actions so far.

Letting out a long sigh, I sit on the edge of the bed.

Finally, I’m alone with the Goddess of Power and have enough time to get my answers.

I don’t bother thinking my words at her internally like I’ve been doing, instead talking quietly. Keeping my thoughts controlled so that I don’t accidentally say something I don’t intend takes a certain amount of effort. Talking out loud simply is much more intuitive.

“I have three main questions I want answered. Then, you’ll help me learn this language. Is that plan alright with you?”

That’s fine. There’s no reason in me hiding anything from you at this point.

“Alright, before we get to those, how about proper introductions? I am 22 years old and formerly worked as a special forces tactician and sniper for the United States military. I have no particular interests or hobbies aside from self-improvement. Nor do I have any notable achievements. I’ve done things that some might consider impressive, but any other person could do them easily if they actually tried. I have a normal name for my world, but I don’t like it, so I’ll decide not to use it.”

I am the Goddess of Power. I should be somewhere around four hundred years old by now, not that I bother to keep track. I am the former ruler of the Dominion of Power and its colonies. I am one of the few hundred unique gods and goddesses that exist in this world.

“You don’t know for sure how many?”

As she explains in a neutral tone, she idly twirls a strand of her lush hair. We aren’t all born at the same time. Me and my sister were born together, but there were many before us, and there are probably some still being born today. Although we aren’t technically ‘born’. We simply become aware of our own existence in the core of the world at some point. I’ve met many of the other deities, but certainly not all of them.

I idly pace the room as I take in the information. Picking up a rough pencil from the table, I twist it in my palm.

“First question, why did you go silent after you saw the city?” I have an idea, but I might as well ask.

“This city we’re in… is Corundum, the old capital of my empire.” She readjusts her posture in her throne.

“You didn’t know that while you were underground?”

It’s complicated. The last time I saw it, things weren’t going so well for me or my people. Her voice is hesitant while she chooses her words carefully. It’s a bit shocking to see my city in such a restored state.

She isn’t too keen on talking about painful events, nothing special there. I can mostly fill in the gaps from what is said. I look out the small window to observe the cityscape. “Second question, would you mind clearly explaining our relationship? It’s a very odd feeling being able to visualize and somewhat feel you when I try.”

I don’t mind—this is my fault after all. I created this method as a way to get around the issue of having my body be destroyed when traveling to another dimension. I couldn’t have anyone else to practice on, so it’s natural that it wouldn’t be perfect. Not having anyone to practice on—that sounds a bit too familiar.

“On that, are you sure that we are in another dimension and not just on an exoplanet of the same universe? It still completely breaks how we understand physics to work, but it still seems more likely than the existence of a multiverse.”

Hmm, I guess I can’t be one hundred percent sure, but I don’t think my calculations would have been correct if that had been the case.

“Either way, that reminds me. You mentioned something about infinite power earlier. That sounds pretty important.”

I’ll get to that. The mistake I made earlier was accidentally combining our minds rather than having us be like we are in our current states. There will probably be side effects of us being able to occasionally read each other’s surface thoughts, dreams, and maybe more. This is uncharted territory for both of us. As for our connection, like I said earlier, I’m in somewhat of a ‘bubble’ inside your consciousness. What that means is that everything that constitutes what and who I am is inside of that ‘bubble’ floating around inside your mind. From here I can sense everything you do, although I can’t interact directly in most ways. You probably have something similar towards me.

Privacy is non-existent? I have no reason to change my actions either way. “So essentially you can’t do anything without me?”

She puts on a restrained smile. As ironic as it is, yes. I, the Goddess of Power, am powerless to stop you in case you decide to do something stupid. I do however have control over my god energy even though I can’t fully shape it without a body.”

I pause. Why would she put so much faith in a person she doesn’t know? I could easily betray her or ruin her plans. Surely, she has some sort of contingency or is lying to me so that I lower my guard. Right? There’s no way she could simply trust a person like me. I’m a bad person. I would lie and deceive to further my goal if I had one. Somehow, I get a feeling that she’s not lying though. Maybe it’s that connection she was talking about?

Uneasiness of being trusted weighs uncomfortably in my chest.

“So, energy, what’s that about? I assume you’re not talking about the same energy as defined by the physics of where I’m from?”

They are very different although their rules of conservation are similar. Starting off, there is a fundamental difference between the energy of normal people and the god energy that we deities use, but they both function in similar ways. They both are used as the fuel for the user. Similar to how a fire will burn its wood, a puddle of water evaporating, or a battery losing charge. If one completely runs out, then the user won’t be able to use their ability or move their body. One key difference between the two is that the energy of normal people is generated from their hearts while god energy is generated from the aspect of the deity and additionally from their followers.

“So as the Goddess of Power, you gain god energy simply from the concept of power existing?”

It’s harder for some deities than others, but yes.

“Is it safe to assume that you have no followers at this point?”

I have a few surviving somehow. I’m not sure where though.

Sixty years is a huge amount of time to hold onto a fading belief. Whoever they are is probably either ridiculously devoted or helplessly desperate. Probably both.

God energy has few important advantages over normal energy. When regular people channel their energy, they do it through their object or concept. That is what’s referred to as their ability. What that is depends entirely on the person. Most people find theirs during their childhood based on an event that happens to them, something they do, or in some cases maybe something completely different. For example, a farmer might grow up to have an ability related to earth or plants, but only if they had nothing else interesting about them. Or that was the interesting thing about them; I don’t judge. Abilities are hugely dependent on the people using them as well. Two people can use similar ones in entirely different ways. Inside mental space, she gets up and stretches as if to prove that she can.

“So then Certain Future had some ability relating to information, which was how he could know I was lying, right?”

Essentially.

“Does that apply to people in this world or born in this world?”

Born. If you were asking whether or not you can use abilities, then you’re fine. Using my god energy, you have much more capability. God energy can be used for anything you can visualize rather than being limited like most people. But it is more efficient for things related to the aspect of the deity, in my case power. This is where the previously stated skills of mental speed, visualization, focus, and creativity come into play. Using my power, you can make anything you can clearly visualize. The sword I made before is an example, but we can do much, much more. She creates another sword in her palm, smiling, as if daring me to prove her right.

“Hmm, I will experiment with it once I get an opportunity to get away from others. Certain Future mentioned sensing god energy, so it’s best for me to lay low for now.” Plus, I want it too much to simply do it without considering how the gratification will affect me.

Also know that when people release energy from their bodies, they get drastically enhanced perception and reaction time, as well as some light physical enhancements. Gods get the same from simply holding it and also get physical regeneration to the point of being virtually unkillable so long as they have the energy. Unfortunately, you won’t have the benefits from using the god energy as I will physically be the one releasing it. However, this is where I discovered that some variables could theoretically be manipulated. I’m the one controlling the god energy, and you, a person outside the balance of the world, will be physically in its place. And due to the fact that god energy radiates out from the physical body when in excess, the god energy will be transferred to me but won’t be able to leave through you until we both will it, essentially meaning we can theoretically store infinite energy.

“But we still have to gain it, don’t we? How much time will it take?”

At my peak from passive gain, I was at full capacity in a day. Right now, probably three.

“Is there anything else immediately relevant that I need to know about you, abilities, or energy?”

No, not that I can think of at the moment.

“Then let’s get started on learning Western Standard. I want to be able to communicate with others in a few days. Let’s start by learning the alphabet then move on to learning sentence structure and see how fast I can pick it up.”

Sounds fine with me. Starting off, there are thirty-four characters. The first one is…