Warning of a Singularity
Foooosh!
A gust of wind blasted by Johan as a familiar figure reappeared. Johan froze mid-step. He couldn't believe who he was seeing.
It was the Prophet!
The Prophet wore the same concealing black robe he had worn the first time Johan met him.
"Come," said the Prophet, "I will show you the memories that will aid you most at this time."
Johan looked at the Prophet pondering his appearance and then said, "Last time you warned me of the destruction of Looking Glass City, however, it was something I found out about later on. It was useless information."
"Not useless," said the Prophet, "would you have been so certain of the city's destruction otherwise? The goal was not to give you information, rather, it was to influence your actions to properly avert a disaster that would rattle the multiverses."
Johan thought deeply and realized that many of the reasons he had taken extreme actions with such urgency was because the prophet had warned him. If not, things may have turned out differently. In fact, only hearing his father's warning might have made him take action more leisurely and slowly.
"Probably not," said Johan. "But you said so much more. A war, the destruction, Genghis and Athelion breaking out. Neil being damaged. None of those things have occurred yet."
"Up until now," said the Prophet ignoring Johan, "you have probably had a incomplete picture of what the god orb is. Do you know what this object is? Silverblade mentioned it to you, and you had a vision of it."
"It makes people gods, right?," said Johan.
"Yes," said the Prophet. "But did you ever think it was as simple as that? If it was, why hasn't your friend Neil stopped the calamity you foresaw? He should know what would happen since the memories he inherited from his future self were intact, yes?"
"I don't know," said Johan. "I haven't been able to contact him to ask."
"The reality is," said the Prophet, "the god orb grants the desires of the person that uses it. It has the power to change the essence of the Multiverses. To destroy all of reality with a thought, or create it. Yet, Nothing gained comes without a cost."
"So what does this have to do with me?," asked Johan.
"A time singularity is approaching," said the Prophet. "One that resulted from multiple attempts to change the past. Time travel causes issues, a type of inpredictability which is why it is taboo. Garners the attention of the wrong beings.
The future self you encountered wasn't the first iteration of yourself to travel back in time. You in yourself are a singularity catalyst, but because of how you approached it, your effect has escaped notice. Each time you travelled back, the timeline proceeded slightly differently and it was under different circumstances. Because of this, the instructions and memories you brought with you in order to avert different disasterous outcomes may be difficult to interpret."
"What does this mean?," said Johan. "I just wanted my parents back and the ability to live a happy life with Luisa."
"There are several dangers that have kept you from reaching your goals in the past," said the Prophet. "But you have relentlessly continued to try."
Fooosh!
The prophet disappeared fading away and appeared appeared on a floating island in front of Johan.
"Come," said the Prophet. "Follow."
Johan hopped from island to island following the prophet.
"I need clarity," said Johan. "I don't know what to do with the information you gave me."
The Prophet remained silent as he continued to phase from island to island.
Finally, the prophet came to a stop at an island.
The island was different from the rest. It was void of grass, and covered with red sand which surrounded a pool of blood red water.
"Come look," said the prophet.
Johan walked to the pool.
Looking down into the pool a sense of dred overcame him. The images in the pool were unclear. But he saw the god orb clearly. A shadowy figure reached for it amongst an army of creatures.
Johan saw himself covered in blood, tears flowing down his face as he was held down by creatures. Forced to watch as countless women in front of him were violated.
People around him were getting slaughtered.
... and then, a light broke out. A seal, back on earth shattered.
Earth was turned into a giant desert. Void of life. Then a woman opened a gate coming to Looking Glass City. Yet the city was in ruins.
A seal somewhere in this Universe was cracked open.
Then nothing ...
"What is this?," said Johan. "This memory isn't even clear. Its less clear than the instructions you gave me before."
It was like he was looking into a nightmare. A shattered memory ...
What was he seeing?
It made no sense.
Johan looked up and looked around to find that the prophet was no longer there with him.
"This is confusing!," muttered Johan annoyed. "The guy gives me incomplete information, and then just disappears? This is ridiculous!"
To his surprise, Johan saw a message written in the sand.
The message in the sand said,
------------------
The prophet is a bit of a dick.
I am yet to figure out why he gives such cryptic information that really doesn't make sense till it is too late. Go get the God Orb. Hide it. Athelion will break out soon and make a move for it. Forget about the rest of the tournament. The orb is in the Labrynth.
The seal on earth breaking is Lilith getting free. She will also try and attain it.
- Future Johan
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Johan nodded to himself.
"Alright," said Johan. "Now I got a direction. At least I can rely on myself."
-- @ --
Johan awoke to find himself floating naked in a liquid tube of breathable water. Half the tube was transparent glass, the other half was a mirror. The room outside was filled with other tubes with people floating in them. The walls were white and gave off a soft glow. He assumed this was a Looking Glass City hospital where he had been taken after his fight with Anna due to his injuries.
He felt great and was pleased to find that his eyebrows and hair had grown back.
"YEAH!," yelled Johan smiling happily. "MY HAIR IS BACK!"
Looking to his right, he saw Anna floating naked still unconscious. Her hair had also grown back.
Lights started flashing around Johan as a robotic voice said,
"PAITENT JOHAN FLINT HAS AWAKENED AND IS FULLY HEALED. DRAINING HEALING TUBE IN
5 ... 4 ... 3 ... 2 ... 1 ..."
The liquid around Johan began to drain. Soon Johan found himself standing on a cold marbel floor. The glass in front of him split open.
"JOHAN FLINT, PLEASE TURN RIGHT AND FOLLOW THE BLUE LIGHTS TO THE NEAREST DOOR. A NURSE WILL BE WITH YOU SHORTLY."
"Time to get that orb," said Johan. "Too bad I can't finish this tournament. Maybe if I get it fast enough, I can."
Blue lights began to emit from the floor forming a pathway.
Johan followed them towards a door that opened on the wall. To Johan's surprise, behind the door he found Athyne standing there with a pair of his clothes.
"Hey," said Athyne with a smile. "Heard you won the fight."
"Athyne!," gasped Johan surprised, "what are you doing here!?"
"Rey is a doctor remember?," said Athyne standing proud, "The top doctor in Looking Glass City. I am her assistant. I am an unofficial nurse helper knighted and trained by her. Happy to make your acquaintance. Since we are friends, I pulled strings to take care of you personally. There has been a change in your fight line up."