CH.403 Space and Time
<span style="font-weight:400">With Cailie now awake and evolved, and also rested for a night because I didn’t want to rush her back to the spirit world too soon, we were ready to… well, head back to the spirit world. We still have a few superior spirits to wake up, mainly Space, Time and Nature.
<span style="font-weight:400">So together with Lady Janina, the now five of us all gathered on my bed, before our great dragon taxi service, don’t tell her I called her that, took us back to the spirit world.
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<span style="font-weight:400">“... it feels different. Is it because I evolved?” Cailie wondered, as she stretched her body in the spirit world.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Could be. It is actually the same for me. Last time I was just an Advanced Human, but now as a Spiritual Being, there is a clear difference.” I told her, as I felt the mana around me.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Too bad it doesn’t apply to me.” Alice jokinglyined. “... Maybe the magics that evolved?” She wondered, before testing out both Fire and Dark Magic.
<span style="font-weight:400">They seemed pretty effective, but I’m not sure if that is because of some spirit world connection or because the skills evolved.
<span style="font-weight:400">“... nope. It is more powerful than before, but it doesn’t feel more effective than what it was outside.” Alice deduced.
<span style="font-weight:400">“This ce is still good for practicing control.” Lua said. “You don’t run out of mana here.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“We can also do that in the Factory, so it isn’t really a big help. And our mana circuits don’t advance here.” Alice pointed out. “Brian, did you make that mana spring yet?”
<span style="font-weight:400">“In the works. Laura is Factory testing it. If the test is good, I can make it in a day.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“... I don’t mean to cut in, but shouldn’t we … get going?” Cailie asked.
<span style="font-weight:400">“I suppose so.” I agreed. “Lady Janina, do you know where the Space and Time spirits’ domains are?”
<span style="font-weight:400">“I’ve never even met the superior time spirit, so I don’t know about her.” Lady Janina admitted. “Space can be anywhere and everywhere at the same time. She is Space after all.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“... so we have no clue.” I deduced.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Of course you do. Just ask the other superiors. They still know this world better than I do.” Lady Janina said.
<span style="font-weight:400">“I’ll call Mother then.” Cailie said. “... Anemoi. Could youe here?”
<span style="font-weight:400">After she said that, the winds around us began to hasten, as if a storm was brewing. The winds quickly gathered into one spot, taking on a humanoid appearance, before the archangel looking superior spirit of wind appeared.
<span style="font-weight:400">“My daughter. You’ve returned. Wee. You look so pretty now.” Anemoi began to fawn Cailie as soon as shended. “You called me mother. I’m so happy!”
<span style="font-weight:400">“H-Hi… mom.” Cailie responded to the affection. “... we need your help. We don’t know where the Time and Space superior spirits are.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“Oh yes.” Anemoi’s voice got a bit more serious despite the fact that she was still running her hands all over Cailie’s body as if checking Cailie for any injuries. “Those two are still sleeping.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“... where are they? I think Brian has a song ready for them.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“Yeah, I do.” I confirmed.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Well, well, well. So you did your homework. Then let me ask you this. Where do you think Time and Space would be?”
<span style="font-weight:400">“... I mean, they could be anywhere and everywhere. Time isn’t really a concept with a ce, right? And Space is everywhere.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“Good guess but not quite. You are a human from a different world, so I’ll ask you this. What is the limit of Space and Time? What is the force that can bind them both?”
<span style="font-weight:400">“That would be gravity, right?”
<span style="font-weight:400">{Ding, ding, ding.} “You really are smart.” Anemoiplimented, as she made the ding sounds with Wind Magic.
<span style="font-weight:400">“But gravity is a force applied by objects with mass, so … Are they at the center of the or something? Or is there maybe a ck hole somewhere?”
<span style="font-weight:400">“Not quite. Because gravity can bind both Space and Time, the two don’t like gravity. So they made themselves a home in a ce beyond gravity. And you go there by going to where gravity cannot touch you.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“... that doesn’t check out. You can’t just get rid of gravity. It is always there.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“Almost always. You already mentioned the greatest gravitational force, didn’t you. How do you escape that force?” Anemoi asked.
<span style="font-weight:400">“A ck hole? You can''t escape it?”
<span style="font-weight:400">“Are you sure? What defines a ck hole?”
<span style="font-weight:400">“... that light can’t escape it?”
<span style="font-weight:400">“So if that is the definition, how do you escape a ck hole?”
<span style="font-weight:400">“... by going faster than the speed of light?”
<span style="font-weight:400">“Yes. I knew I liked you for a reason. Just travel faster than the speed of light and you’ll appear in the domain of Time and Space. While you do that, I’m taking my daughter to see Nature. Good luck.” Anemoi said, as she engulfed Cailie and the two of them disappeared with a strong gust of wind.
<span style="font-weight:400">“... you can’t just tell me to travel faster than the speed of light and then disappear!” I yelled to the skies.
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<span style="font-weight:400">Thinking about how I was going to achieve this impossible task, my eyes naturally turned towards the humanoid form of the strongest being I know. Only for her to deny me.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Don’t look at me. As I’ve said, I’ve never actually met superior Time.” Lady Janina said. “Likely because she never leaves the domain beyond space and time.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“... Alright. … but you have met the superior spirit of space?” I asked to confirm.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Yes. She is simple to bring out. She likes big and colorful explosions, and if you make one, she will appear to watch it.” Lady Janina said. “... that is, when she is awake. If she is resting, she won’te.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“... doesn’t really help, huh. And I’ll assume you can’t actually travel faster than the speed of light?”
<span style="font-weight:400">“I could try, but I’ve never reached the domain of the Time and Space spirits, so I likely cannot.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“... fantastic. So this is all on me.” I softlyined.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Why do you think so?” Alice asked.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Yes. We are here. And we are not giving up.” Lua added.
<span style="font-weight:400">“... thanks.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“So any ideas?” Lua asked.
<span style="font-weight:400">“One. … but it is terrible and I might die doing it.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“Oh I love the sound of that.” Alice said, sounding clearly sarcastic. “Do share.”
<span style="font-weight:400">Because she asked, I got a card out of the Collection and showed it to Alice.
<span style="font-weight:400">“I think I can use this card to make a ck hole. And if you listened to our discussion earlier, nothing can escape a ck hole, not even light. Which means that the gravitational pull of a ck hole is faster than the speed of light. … So if I use that to make a ck hole and dive right in, I should, in theory, reach a speed faster than the speed of light. Maybe.”
Spoiler
[copse]
<span style="font-weight:400">“And because the card happenes to destroy everything, I’ll die in the process, unless I somehow end up in the Time and Space domain before I die. But again, that is just my theory.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“... Absolutely not.” Alice denied. “No, no and no. Not doing that. Not even going to entertain that thought.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“Agreed. That is an absolute no go. Think of something else.” Lua added.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Yeah. Can’t you just like … teleport to there?” Alice asked.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Two problems. One, my teleportation magic is not really there yet. I’ve never done it outside of the Factory and even there I’ve only ever teleported to premarked positions.” I told her. “And while I probably can locate where the domain is, there is no way I can teleport there.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“You should at least try to locate it then.” Lua said. “Maybe somebination of cards can get you there?”
<span style="font-weight:400">“... alright. Let’s do that.” I agreed.
<hr>
<span style="font-weight:400">Finding the ce where the superior spirits of Time and Space were resting was actually surprisingly easy. I justbined Ancient Telescope and Dimension Distortion and made myself a Dimensional Telescope.
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[copse]
<span style="font-weight:400">With it, I was able to see some of the surrounding dimensions, including seeing back home, seeing a world I think is the world where summoned beasts live while they are not summoned, as well as the little pocket dimension where I think Time and Space are located.
<span style="font-weight:400">Lady Janina was actually quite surprised by the tool, as she has never been able to locate the ‘summonable monster dimension’, and thus has never been there.
<span style="font-weight:400">But now that we had the location of the Time and Space pocket dimension, it was just a matter of how to get there.
<span style="font-weight:400">The first idea was getting there using Lady Janina’s Soul Magic. I mean, if she can travel to the spirit world, she should be able to travel there. But that idea quickly failed because of a space-time barrier around the pocket dimension.
<span style="font-weight:400">The next idea I had was using the lightspeed engines of Gradius and Victory Viper, but those also failed. That is because the ships don’t technically travel faster than the speed of light, but instead travel in an alternate dimension where time works differently. So while from the POV of the ‘regr dimension’ you do travel faster than the speed of light, in reality it is more of a temporary dimension hop.
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[copse]
<span style="font-weight:400">But then I just started tobine different cards I had that had anything to do with dimensions, and in the end, by using Interdimensional Matter Transporter, Dimensional Inversion as well as the Dimensional Telescope, I made a Targeted Dimensional Transporter.
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[copse]
<span style="font-weight:400">With it, I would be able to travel to any neighboring dimension, in theory including the pocket dimension where the superior time and space spirits are.
<span style="font-weight:400">I tested it out first by having my monsters travel in it, and with the Dimensional Telescope I confirmed that they got to where they were supposed to go. So I then recovered my spell from the GY with Magical Stone Excavation so that I could use it again and teleported us four to the Space-Time pocket dimension.
Spoiler
[copse]
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<span style="font-weight:400">“I do love how youin and then just pull something like this out of nowhere.” Alice said, as we appeared in the Space-Time pocket dimension.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Well I had to try something. You denied the idea of riding Gradius into a ck hole.” I jokingly said.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Let’s not think about that any longer.” Lua said. “... but this space. Why does it look like this?” Lua wondered while she looked around.
<span style="font-weight:400">That was true. The space and time spirits domain was … strange. It looked a bit like an auditorium. It had arge stage, with seats opening to one direction. I guess you could call it a theater as well. It even had those boxes on the sides of the open area. One side read space while the other read time. I quickly levitated myself to the entrance to both of them and noticed an egg-like thing in both. On the space side, the egg was colored deep purple with a full gxy pattern on it, while the time egg was pure white with arge clock on it. Why is time white I’ll never know, but that isn’t my problem.
<span style="font-weight:400">“I guess nothing more to it than to take the stage and sing.” I said mostly to myself. “You can take seats.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“You don’t want our help?” Lua asked. “Maybe setting up the stage?”
<span style="font-weight:400">“Nah. These two have already been a pain. They don’t deserve some fancy stage y.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“I’m telling them.” Alice said.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Go ahead. I stopped caring when I heard I’d have to travel at the speed of light.”
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<span style="font-weight:400">After confirming the song in my head, I was ready to start. The song felt strange to me, as I honestly don’t recall where it is from. I just know it means a lot to me and it speaks of space and time. I think it is something Laura had me listen to, but I’m not sure. Well, either way, let’s do this.
Spoiler
<span style="font-weight:400">Here is your link. I also didn’t do much to the lyrics, part because I really don’t want to (I love this song) and part because it already speaks of space and there are some hints of time in there as well. I did add a few more time references and of course swapped astrogirl for spirit girl, but small things.
[copse]
<span style="font-weight:400">“Starlight, you shine, illuminate all time
<span style="font-weight:400">The endless void reminds me of eons gone by
<span style="font-weight:400">A spirit girl, watching gxies rise and fall
<span style="font-weight:400">While the time flows and flows
<span style="font-weight:400">''Til like aet, you came into my orbit, I know
<span style="font-weight:400">I''m not alone
<span style="font-weight:400">I''m not alone
<span style="font-weight:400">When our hearts grow bigger than the sun
<span style="font-weight:400">There''s no challenge we can''t ovee
<span style="font-weight:400">So send them over and watch our supernova explode
<span style="font-weight:400">I''m not alone, now you are here
<span style="font-weight:400">The time and space are so clear
<span style="font-weight:400">Your gravity is pulling me
<span style="font-weight:400">Oh, until our hearts collide
<span style="font-weight:400">My satellite, through darkest nights
<span style="font-weight:400">Got the cosmos at our feet
<span style="font-weight:400">Oh, but you are all I need
<span style="font-weight:400">Though we''ve just begun
<span style="font-weight:400">I know we''ll make it
<span style="font-weight:400">''Cause somehow, everything is fun now
<span style="font-weight:400">I''m not alone
<span style="font-weight:400">Sunrise and night can be so intertwined
<span style="font-weight:400">The event horizon line between darkness and light
<span style="font-weight:400">A spirit girl, watching historye and go
<span style="font-weight:400">Pondering the punchline of the joke
<span style="font-weight:400">''Til like aet, you came into my orbit, I know
<span style="font-weight:400">I''m not alone
<span style="font-weight:400">I''m not alone
<span style="font-weight:400">When our hearts grow bigger than the sun
<span style="font-weight:400">There''s no challenge we can''t ovee
<span style="font-weight:400">So send them over and watch our supernova explode
<span style="font-weight:400">I''m not alone, now you are here
<span style="font-weight:400">The constetions are so clear
<span style="font-weight:400">Infinity sounds good to me
<span style="font-weight:400">As long as you are by my side
<span style="font-weight:400">The Milky Way is not far away
<span style="font-weight:400">When love travels faster than the speed of light
<span style="font-weight:400">Let''s go, I know we''ll make it
<span style="font-weight:400">''Cause somehow the universe is fun now’
<span style="font-weight:400">I''m not alone.”
<span style="font-weight:400">By the time I ended the song, I could feel a few tears running down my face. I’m not exactly sure why, I just did. It is just something about that song. I wish I could remember why it feels so important. But I just can’t remember. Almost like I’ve never even heard it, or like I heard it in a different reality where I never was transported to this world.
<span style="font-weight:400">I quickly shook my head to get those thoughts out of my head, while I used my sleeve to wipe away the tears. I then looked up towards the boxes that read time and space so I could see the two spirits groggily walking out of there.
<hr>
<span style="font-weight:400">“That was an awesome song. Can you sing it again?” Iris, the superior spirit of space requested. She looked like a young girl, around 14 or 15. She had long purple hair tied into twintails and her eyes looked like gxies.
<span style="font-weight:400">“It wasn’t that amazing.” Lachros, the superior spirit of time, said, but she didn’t sound all that honest. Almost like she was lying to make herself look better. Lachros was a tall, yetnky woman with unkempt white hair. And her eyes both had clock faces in them that were actively running. It made looking at her a bit challenging, as your eyes want to focus on the clocks.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Come on. Admit that it was amazing!” Iris demanded.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Maybe for you. It was clearly more of your style than mine.” Lachros said.
<span style="font-weight:400">… yeah. She might be correct. Maybe I should have picked a different song, but that one just felt correct.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Well, I’m going to give him my blessing, because I like him.” Iris said.
<span style="font-weight:400">“I never said I wouldn’t.” Lachros said. “He got here and he is the first human who has. He even brought the superior dragon with him. Maybe she can entertain me better.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“If you wish to fight me, I do not mind.” Lady Janinamented.
<span style="font-weight:400">“You need to show me another big explosion!” Iris demanded. “You make the best ones.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“Why don’t you ask Brian for one? He can probably make something you’ve never seen before.” Lady Janina said.
<span style="font-weight:400">I felt Iris take a hold of my hand so I turned to look her in the eyes and I swear the gxies in her eyes were spinning faster now.
<span style="font-weight:400">“... Fine. I’ll call you to my Factory and show you an explosion.” I promised. “Butter.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“Yes!” Iris called out. “That’s a promise, right? If you don’t keep it, I’ll find you wherever you are. I’m Space, so you can’t hide from me!”
<span style="font-weight:400">“Yes. That is a promise.”
<span style="font-weight:400">I then got the blessing from both of them, along with a warning from Lachros about my boosted Time Magic, before the two of them then helped us return to the regr part of the spirit world. And with a little tracking spell, they dropped us off right where Cailie was.
<span style="font-weight:400">She had already woken up the superior spirit of Nature, Hegemone, and gotten her blessing. She had also been practicing her new spirit powers under Hegemone and Anemoi.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Alright. So any other superior spirits we need to wake up?” I asked.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Just one. The youngest true superior spirit.” Anemoi said.
<span style="font-weight:400">“True superior spirit?” I asked.
<span style="font-weight:400">“There are a few superior spirits that aren’t yet superior spirits.” Anemoi said. “They are called superior because they have a name, but they don’t have the power of a superior spirit. In fact, Hegemone used to be one of them, but now she is a full superior. While not as powerful as the six of us, not to mention Time and Space, Hegemone has reached the power of a full superior spirit.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“But there are a few that aren’t quite there.” Anemoi continued. “Astrape, the superior lightning, Despoina, the superior ice and Athena, the superior metal. They are spirits born from multiple of us, the attribute six. Astrape is a daughter I had with Thssa. Despoina is a daughter of Thssa and Nyx. And Athena is the daughter of Gaia and Ninatia. But as they are our daughters, we already woke them up ourselves. The only reason Gaia, Thssa and Eosther didn’t wake up Hegemone is because they knew you would being back and they knew you wished to have Cailie wake her up.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“But thest superior spirit wasn’t born from us six. She is a spirit born from your human magic and magical techniques rted to summoning and taming. The superior spirit of beasts.” Anemoi said. “So if you could wake her up, that would be everyone.”
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