James's Descent Ch. 10 - Epilogue

"So you do."

He was perhaps the fairest merchant of them all, buying and selling at an actual loss. The reverse of any others she found in that fantasy section. He thought it fair, as one often might want to tweak the odds a bit, get something they really want.

This world was strange... the one he called the Vast Expanses... an empty galaxy save for a superstructure at the core, a construct around the supermassive black hole that abused its ability to warp space to create a place with a ludicrous amount of room. A Birch World. Each section of it had more space than a planet... and the people living there had no idea they were living in it. The keepers of those sections have turned them into personal train models, shaping them according to their whims. The keepers were ludicrously ancient aliens who evolved from both the smartest and cruelest of all the creations the universe has ever seen... dolphins. Clever beings, but they were all going to hell... if they would ever die. But they would... one day a great hunter would reach them and even their incredible technological wonders would not save them.

James just... found it. No god, no nothing. How could there be a world without a god? Lucy said that the one who made this world did not ascend. Well, it was his now. Maybe he could turn it into an adventure park, a place to face challenges fit for you. Eli would be the first, then Maddie, then he'd go himself with those two acting in his stead. Madeline had to admit the merchant shtick was funny, though she went beyond the call to actually grow a mustache. The less said of the things she did here, the better. Her men still needed counseling after that one event.

"Do you plan to make this world engage in casual sex like all the others?"

"I already did. You just haven't spent enough time with fuckable things."

"True. I was a bit focused on showing my strength. I think I will move to Sig'Win after this."

The section they were in now was called Palussia, intended to evoke prehistoric times, with wandering mammoths, sabertooth tigers, and the same crocodiles as one could see much later. Nope, no dinosaurs... wrong era. But there were five legendary beasts that were much bigger and much more violent versions of these primordial beings, and those were there to make sure people didn't advance beyond a paleolithic tech level. Any settlement they might try to make with too much tech would get demolished. Until Eli came and killed four of them. Only the Legendary Bateleur Eagle was left. It would be both easier and harder than the rest. The cave bear armor would help. One could speak volumes of her adventures here, but that is another story. The challenge was tweaked and he could suit it for both ordinary people in need of a bit of hardening or soldiers wanting a challenge... or would-be gods that might try to step up.

James would send many to this world.

*

A small house on a planet, the only house on that planet in this dead-end system in the empire. On this verdant planet, terraformed to the high standards that astorians enact, there was only one piece of real estate and only four residents. The rhythmic sound of an axe separating wood sounded in the backyard, the outsider doing what he was decent at... keeping the place warm.

He'd stride inside with a couple of buckets of wood, ready to feed the stoves. There was no snow yet, but the temperature had fallen. Anna was grateful for his appearance... she could get started on breakfast.... And his coffee.

"I assume you'll be taking it inside."

"No, I will endure the mild cold and allow you to strip down to serve as a toilet in this weather." Beat. "Yes, I'm taking it inside."

She was already practically naked. Anna had the delightful pleasure of having the man unload the result of imbibing that strong coffee upon her. Her full breasts were hidden only by the apron, one needed more to create the image of a sexy mother rather than protect her from anything. Here they lived a humble life, away from everything as these four would not age. This avatar of James was different... as it was rather persistent unlike the others that he made and deleted once he was done. He'd learned how to manage more than one at a time.

"Well, there you go. Though it might be a few more minutes until you can really use it."

The fire was roaring... he used no power to do this, just skill. The man was dressed in the practical outfit suited for yard work, one that might require he add a parka later on. She would not nag him about having wood chopped already. As the man took a seat at the table, the woman would seat herself next to him, if to help pass the few minutes.

"Everything going well out there?"

"Mmm... it is. Earth is doing better, Empire's the same as it is. They're watching the other sapient species around the galaxy... gotta have a good welcome for when they figure out spaceflight."

"Still not uplifting them."

"No, they learned that lesson. Let the civilization develop on its own until it's stable enough for this. The Prime Directive and such. Though they're also trying to subtly change them so they do not turn into giant assholes. So many civilizations that came before were assholes."

"Well, I cannot wait for those times. Bet they will be interesting."

"At least that. They'll give them space, let them develop. Empire doesn't need more than it has. Things are pretty set. Maybe we can educate them then. Or not. But, it will be interesting."

"And you... how are you?"

A tough question. But he had the same answer.

"I'm okay. Same as always, but... you know... seeing things as they are, I'm pretty content. Could be worse and hard to see how they can be better."

"You'll imagine it someday... and they'll do it."

"Maybe when they figure out how to travel between galaxies. I never looked over there. Maybe we'll find some weirder species out there. Or whoever the fuck sent those demolition engines. They are getting a big complaint registered."

"I expect you will get personally involved."

Slight sizzling sounds began to come from the stove. The man would see to the others while she saw to his coffee.

"Think you can get started. I'll go change to be suitable for our fun activity."

And this was how they spent their days... keeping to themselves, maintaining the house, being self-sufficient unless something from the empire really drew them. Mostly, they watched news or movies... and plenty of porn. Casual fucking forever. All while the Outsider was still up there, watching, guiding, waiting... for his people to find their next challenge.

But he had one more ambition on the side.

*

"I am all you ever wanted

I'm a new dimension

Immortality perfected, phanto-"

James shut off the alarm. Bleh... another day. Time for coffee. He'd let Pam sleep a bit longer. Stretching, the man wandered to the kitchen of their rented apartment on this accursed planet. A very particular accursed planet. He couldn't get the exact same place as last time, though he did like that apartment. This one was more midtown, his balcony opening above a busy street, car horns audible at every hour of the day... they needed thick windows to block it out.

Earth. The original... or at least his. Not the copy he brought over last time. The real deal. He needed to pinpoint this one, but the "invasion" went without a hitch. Time to take it over. His plan was subtle... just spread some works around the internet to slowly get the belief in him growing until he could physically dethrone the god of this world, but why not have some fun on the way?

Pam did not know how to really help, so she was just muscle... and comfort. Anna thought she could do a good job in politics and god damn she did. That country never saw it coming. Nathan had his hands full murdering all the people that the WEF were sending after her. Maybe they could get together soon... somewhere private. Somewhere to engage in some kinky sex.

Kettle on, his mug was on the way, time to prepare hers in another kettle. He was particular even about using the same kettle for each. But such particularities seemed to add to that quality he produced. Dressed only in a bathrobe, the man was getting ready for his job at one of the firms here, a good cover for his life, though he didn't much care about the money... he could just MAKE it... or sometimes steal it from people who deserved it.

And... break.

He heard the sound of wood shattering, of their front door being smashed in... and then the momentary sound of gunfire before a sickening crunch put a stop to it. Turn off the stove before going to see what it was. Pam was up, the giant hammer in her hands and before her lay what used to be a special forces unit. Now it was a mash of human flesh, tenderized by one smack from that thing. The girl was naked and spattered with blood, yet she smiled.

"Guess they found us. Oh well. Time to move." The man commented dryly.

"Bleh. Can't we at least finish coffee?"

"I'll make us some later."

Hand waved, their clothes were on. The two turned into the hallway, casually abandoning the apartment as they turned toward the stairs. Five more men were waiting, but a black sword would bisect three before they could turn, two more managing only that.

"You can get the next one." James casually commented on them killing people.

Pam would indeed take the next group, as whoever was marshaling these forces had gone overkill. What did they do? Claim they were international terrorists? Probably. Those soldiers must have no idea what's really at stake. One group mashed by a hammer that could flatten cars and one more sliced in lightning-quick moves by the man. The number did not matter. They were fighting things well above humanity. The car was outside.

But a particular sight awaited them outside. Just one man... wearing a fine suit in addition to the sociopathic look in their eyes. James had a spark of recognition.

"Oh, look... it's mister 'get off my territory'."

Steven was obviously confused. He stood with intent to remove these... issues. Five teams sent and all of them brutally murdered. He could only assume it was one like him.

"Want me to take him? Come on, you had him last time."

"Okay, fine. Go get him."

If Steve could feel fear, he might experience it as these two treated him like he was a road bump. A bit of concern. No, maybe he should go hard. Sword drawn as that girl was charging him with her hammer, intercept with a slash and... oh. He did not see that coming. Her last step was both long and fast, Pam rushing forward almost ten meters in an instant to deliver the hammer blow to his chest. There was a moment of pain before he was flung away, soaring through the air before striking the cold concrete almost twenty meters away.

The hardest metal known to man began to play and... stopped. As Pam rushed forward again, her husband noticed the battle was over already. The guy was not moving. A girl would come up to him, strike at the ready before she was stopped.

"Uh, Pam... he's dead."

"What?! I hit him ONCE!"

"Well, you have just turned all his insides into a fine, wet powder."

"But you fought him for like ten minutes!"

"Yes, but I was holding back, drawing it out for drama. You just went full demolisher on him. Ya know, people are not able to withstand industrial demolition equipment."

"Hey, I didn't know! Just... bring him back, I'll go easier this time."

They both paused to acknowledge the ludicrous idea she proposed before they erupted in laughter. James was almost tempted to indulge her, but that risk was not worth it. He won't use his death defiance on this guy.

"Okay, maybe I got a little heated."

"And I love you for your passionate explosions, my little engine of destruction."

She got shy... even now, they were still so good together. Hammer packed and car located to get inside and drive. There was no one left there to chase them. James was already planning where to go next.

"Okay, as much as I relatively enjoy this country, maybe we should go to another. I can post my stuff from there as well. Bless the cloud for letting me treat computers as disposable. Oh, right."

Finger snap and all their electronics would dissolve. Nothing to track them down. But they would, this just made it harder. Their next argument was about where to go. James wanted somewhere cold... Pam wanted a much more tropical climate and would hear a great rant on not just the people in such tropical climates, but the heat, the insects, and the food.

"Well, there goes another finely curated collection of porn."

"You like astorian stuff better."

"Yes, but every once in a while these people make a decent one." High praise from him to call something decent.

But just as they got out of the city, sirens blared behind them. That was a LOT of cars.

"Oh, look, Pam. It's my favorite target, come to offer themselves."

"You know most of those people did nothing wrong, right? I mean... not all cops are bad."

"Yes, I know. I'll aim for the tires. But... before that..."

They could hear the drums in the distance.