Chapter 139

Third Time Is Not As Charming

A quick shower, a hot meal, and a quick nap; three things needed to have a great day. Or at least a good rest of your day. I was back up and moving, though a bit more slowly that previously. The reason I was moving slower than normal was in no small part due to my killing and removing of a Behemoth and associated heralds for the second time in less than twenty four hours.

Once again I received 200 levels, now putting me at the ungodly level of 966 for both Prime Psionic and Prime Support, and a lowly 963 for my Spiritual Augmentationist class. This once again netted me 200 points in Free Attributes, only 120 of which could go towards my Spirit Attribute that was once now capped at 598. The remaining 80 went to Power.

Again, I had more Attributes than I knew what to do with. I could of course call it a great life; I had saved not just one but five universes. But I was close, though this time I intended to do things differently. Last time I of course had Día with me, which felt surprisingly welcoming. Even though she clearly forgot everything after it was all over, I still couldn’t help but feel a connection to her. In a way having someone that I knew directly and just from previous retellings was a good thing, at least in my opinion.

That was why this time I intended to take Día with me. Just as she was an inadvertent traveler last time, this time I made sure to be near her. This way should I get summoned again, I could take her with me.

Of course, I wasn’t very subtle about it, especially as I felt that with how quick the summonings seemed to go, I felt I needed to be right next to her, in order to have her come with me as well. Otherwise, I might just look like I was creeping on Día for no reason.

“Are you okay?” Día asked, looking over at me as I was clearly within her person bubble space.

“Of course.” I respond.

She pauses as she looks at me with a scrutinizing eye. “You sure, you have been acting oddly recently.”

“What?”

“Well, more oddly than usual. Are you sure you’re, okay? I mean you had that nap and the way you looked earlier.”

“Oh that, yeah, I’m fine.” I say.

She stares at me, and really locks gazes with me. For a second I wonder if she is trying to peer into my soul. Then just as she is about to say something, she pauses then bites her lower lip in that way that I’ve come to associate with her clearly having a question. Seeing the gesture I can’t help but smile slightly, as I’ve sadly grown to find that little fidget of hers cute.

“You sure? I mean, you would tell me if anything happened, right?” Día asks with a note of serious contemplation in her words.

“What? Me? Of course. Without a doubt.” I say, completely smoothly.

“Uh-huh.” She says, then looks at me.

Tingle.

“Wait, I say, reaching out to grab her.”

Seeing me grab her hand, she pauses for a moment. “What is…”

That is as far as she gets, before we feel the all too familiar pull of energy grabbing us and pulling the two of us through time and space to an alternate universe.

As soon as we land, Día stares down at our still grasped hands, then around at the suddenly changed area.

“What? Where are we?” Día asks.

“Oh, this, well this looks to be one of those famous time loop points I keep telling you about.” I state.

“A time loop point?” Día asks, but before she can get too much further my brother is there.

“Oh, good the Hero summoning worked.” Chet says.

I of course think nothing of this little encounter, having already had to deal with one decent version of Chet from an alternate universe. I also happen to think that this Chet might be the head honcho Celestial that I will need to Reveal in order to reset this entire event.

Of course, things don’t quite go so smoothly.

“You bastard!” Día shouts as she sees Chet, even an alternate version of Chet and goes ballistic.

Whoom!

Flames. Pyrokinetic flames burst up out of the ground and incinerate Chet almost immediately. Seeing Chet in that state I instantly begin Healing the scumbag Celestial wearing an even scummier meat suit.

Of course, while this is happening the forces and people of the opposition base that we have been summoned to instantly start to react.

Guns Cocking.

At that a dozen or so automatic weapons all cock and get pointed our way.

“Shit.” I say, letting out a long sigh. “That wasn’t the Chet that did that to you.” I say, pointing at Chet that I have now mostly healed, especially after managing to wrestle control of Día’s Pyrokinetic flames away from her.

Día for her part just looks stunned for a moment then looks around at the people who are all around us.

“What is this place?” Día asks a note of confusion in her voice.

“This is the last alternate universe I have to go to.”

Día pauses as she looks at me, “is that why you have been so squirrely recently?”

“Squirrely? I wouldn’t say that, but yeah. Last time you went on the trip with me, but of course you didn’t remember but it was still a big deal for me that you were there. So I tried to replicate that situation this time, by making sure you came along again.” I admit trying to get through as much of this as possible.

Hearing my words, a look of confusion, followed by understanding, then rage filled her as she came to a sudden realization. “Wait, so it wasn’t Déjà vu? You knew that a loop had happened, and you let me think I was going crazy?”

“I didn’t think you remembered, you seemed to have dropped it after the first time talking about it.”

“I dropped it, because I thought I was going mad, seeing things. I…” She trailed off, before continuing her thought. “I heard you scream. A blood curdling bone chilling scream of pain.”

“Oh, well that…” I say, likely remembering what moment she was talking about. “That was likely all made up. I would never do anything so uncouth as to scream in agony.”

At that Día just stared at me and realized I wasn’t locking gazes with her. Seeing me, she dashed forward and wrapped her arms around me. Then she said two words I didn’t think she would. Especially not after what I just revealed to her. “Thank you.”

“Thank you?” I asked making sure I heard her correct.

Sob.

“Yeah, thank you. You were in pain, and you wanted me to be there for you. That…well that means a lot to me.” Día said.

“Yeah, um. I don’t know if this is how these things are supposed to go?” 18th Universe version of me states.

“Oh, my gods. Tell me I am not that annoying?” I ask looking down at Día.

Día instantly understanding my question just turns up a tear covered face to me and answers truthfully. “Honestly, you are generally worse.”

“Ouch.” I say.

“Look, are we sure this is the guy who is going to save the universe?” 18th Kyle says again.

“Oh, my gods. First of all, if you could do this on your own then you wouldn’t need me. Second of all, know that I know all about this. You all are backed into a corner, waiting for everything to fall around you. You two don’t know what you must do to save the universe.” I say pointing to this universe’s version of Jess and me. Then in a loud stage whisper I reply, “news flash it involves ripping apart your immortal souls in the most excruciating way possible then sending it at the Behemoth before it devours every planet in the universe. Just a heads up, unless you know of a super way to regenerate your soul, your screwed after that and it is a one way trip to martyr’s ville for you two. So unless you would like to go through such a scenario yourself, I’d suggest you shut it and let me tell you how this is going to go down.”

I pause, and suddenly everyone is staring up at me with shock and awe.

“Good. Now that I have your attentions let’s begin with the game plan. Do you have Professor Astra, or anyone who is someway competent with portals available who can get me to the right spot?”

I pause.

“Who is Astra?” 18th Kyle asks.

It is times like this that I realize I really hate the sound of my own voice. Honestly, do I always sound so dumb, don’t answer that.

“Okay anyone decent at portals?” I ask looking around the room.

Fortunately for me, this universe’s Jess raises her hand in a meek gesture.

“Good. So create a portal as close to the behemoth as possible. I will go through, kill the behemoth, come back and reveal him, as the Celestial in charge of all of this. Then time will reset and I will go home.” I say, pointing to Chet.

Though I apparently broke some form of the rules, for as soon as I point him out and identify Chet as the Celestial, he begins to glow and then combusts in a burst of glowing golden light.

Boom!

I am left standing there, blinking at the charred silhouette of where Celestial Chet had stood just a moment before.

“Well fuck.” I say, realizing this is going off the rails already. “Well, this is okay. I can still remove the Behemoth. Then I’ll just stop back here, grab you, then head back to our own universe.” I say, trying to sound more certain about this.

“What did you just do to our leader?” One of the guards asked, coming forward with a weapon raised.

Seeing the weapon, I squeeze the crystalline matrix at the center of it and all of the other weapons in the room, just in case.

“He wasn’t your leader, not truly. He was an angelic being sent to oversee these trials to make sure the accords are upheld.” I state.

“What?” Everyone but Día asks.

The only reason Día doesn’t ask this, is because she has already asked these and many more questions over our months of travel together.

“Look, your universe is being eaten alive as we sit her. Will you open a portal so we can stop this?” I ask, taking charge and directing everyone’s focus to Jess.

Jess pauses, but then nods.

“Chet said…” She trials off as she realizes she doesn’t quite know what to think of Chet anymore. At least that is what I think she is thinking. “I would need to memorize these coordinates.” She said, as she then held out her hand and began focusing. The more she did, the more glowing green glyphs began to appear and form in the air.

Seeing the glyphs form I sealed my helmet shut and then giving one last nod to Día, I said “I’ll be back.”

Día just nodded.

This time before I left, I made sure that my comms channel was off, so no one could comment on any sounds they might assume came from me versus the creature I was mercilessly slaying.

Whoom.

I stepped through the portal and there before me was the behemoth. I’d like to say that I relished the final chance to defeat a legendary foe that could destroy a universe, but it was still painful. Still felt like acid was burning me away from the inside out and still made me feel hollow and empty once it was all over.

I didn’t mind crying out, especially as I knew the sounds were not being transmitted.

Then finally after a long time I had a sufficient wad, one that was roughly the same size as last time, after which I began destroying the monster’s mind piece by piece. Mind Rend.

I was cold tired and exhausted, and for a moment I though I had nothing to cling to, to go back to, but then I found Día.

Focusing on Día, I centered my mind and jumped to her.

Poof.

When I reappeared, I was next to Día, who was once again crying. Then upon seeing me, she grabbed me and put me in a deep bear hug.

“Did I forget to turn off my mic?” I ask.

“No.” She said. “I remembered there being something about the mic, so I made sure to turn it on. For everyone to hear and see.” She said the last part turning to Jess and Kyle, an evil glare in her eyes.

Finally after a few wobbly seconds, my balance adjusted and I felt like I could once again stand on my own again.

“What now?” Día asked, finally pulling away from me and looking at me.

“Now we head back.” I say.

“You are going to reset the loop?”

“Nope. I totally messed that up. They might have to record this for what to do next time, in a few thousand years when the cycle of the Behemoths are set to restart.” I say.

At that Día just nods, then drapes her arm over my shoulder. “Then let’s go home.”

Hearing her say that, a smile forms on my lips.

“What?”

I pause, then finally decide to answer, “something just sounds really nice when you say home.”

Hearing that Día smiles her dazzling smile and I wonder how things could have been different in a different lifetime. Still, we are on different paths, that just so happened to have crossed at this crucial time. Focusing on our home, the wandering spaceship, I see my magical resonance in the alternate universe.

Total Recall.

Poof.

We appear right on the hallway, right where we left. When we first left I was holding her wrist, not wanting to have to go through that alone. This time when we return, we are in an intimate embrace. Her arms around me, as our faces are within kissing distance of each other.

“Ahem.”

We stop to share gazes, and she is about to say something when someone speaks up from beside us. Hearing the sound we both turned with annoyed expressions on our faces as we turn to the interloper who would interrupt our moment together.

As soon as we see the individual a look of shock fills my face, as a look of confusion fills Día’s face.

“Who are you?” Día asks, a note of anger and rage filling her.

The person is just an average looking businessman with a designer suit and a vial in their fingers that they are gently shaking from side to side.

Seeing the vial, I break free of Día and go over to the being. “Finally.” I say as I hold the vial in my hand.

The moment I take the vial the being says, “our business here is complete. A pleasure doing business with you.”

Hearing that, I almost want to shout at the being, or at the very least Revelation Sight the heck out of him. Unfortunately he is gone before I can activate my powers.

Poof.

Seeing the empty space between us, Día can’t help but as. “Who was he?”

I shake my head. “A better question would be what was he.”

“A celestial?”

I nod.

“So, I take it, that is what you have been after all this time?” Día asks, a note of sadness filling her voice.

I nod. Then before anything can go wrong, I quickly uncork the vial and consume the contents.

The minute I do, I feel a bright light and a surge of energy fill me.

“Kyle!” Día shouts, but she is far away and distant as the universe spins violently around me in a bright swirl of colors.