The Rise to Godhood
Chapter 12: Another World

Areela was freefalling through a tunnel of light. It was so beautiful and yet so eerie. She hadn’t considered her options when she chose to jump headfirst into the rift in space-time that the Zeto Crystal had opened.

Areela stopped abruptly, and it surprised her that the instant deceleration didn’t injure her. But where was she? As she looked around, she saw an endless featureless white plain. Despite the place being so visually unappealing, it still mesmerized her. She closed her eyes and recalled her one day of passion with Zelinko. He had used his mental powers to take her to the place of the ultimate pleasure, Dihawara Densi, also known as the Divine Dimension. Areela looked around. Being here in person felt different, as her mind could no longer fill the place with meaning.

*Swoosh, swoosh, swoosh! *

Areela felt relieved when Thorax, Kailow, and Zelinko appeared. Whatever this place was, it was good that she hadn’t arrived here on her own.

“Wow, what is this place?” Kailow exclaimed.

“This must be Dihawara Densi. I recognise it from my meditation sessions. I could never have imagined that I would ever come here.” Zelinko speculated.

“That is correct, father. This place is the Divine Dimension, the realm of The True Maker. It is a hidden dimension that intersects hundreds of versions of the Milky Way Galaxy.” Thorax stated.

“What do you mean? How can there be hundreds of versions of our galaxy?” Kailow asked. “Hundreds, thousands, millions… The exact number is irrelevant as your bodies can only exist in the galaxy you were born in.” baby Thorax replied.

“Why is that?” Kailow asked.

“Because every galaxy has its set values for the four fundamental forces of physics. The atoms in your body would go haywire in any other dimension, and you’d face instant destruction.” Thorax replied.

“So, are there infinite versions of our galaxy with different gravity, electromagnetism, strong nuclear forces, and weak nuclear forces?” Zelinko asked.

“Not infinite. Only certain settings for these forces correspond with a stable, functional universe. But enough of the science lesson. We’ll need to move. People will follow us through the portal, and it is impossible to determine their intentions.” Thorax stated.

“Where do we need to go?” Zelinko asked.

Areela decided to speak up. She was sick of others seeing her as a pawn, so this was her chance to change her destiny. “We should go to Disyerto-2. My best friend got deported there, and her partner is a scientist. They can help us.” Areela said.

“I am sorry, Areela, but I was waiting for Thorax to speak,” Zelinko said dismissively.

“Thorax is a baby, and I am his mother. I will speak for him.” Areela stated.

Zelinko turned towards Thorax and waited for the baby to reply. After a few seconds of tense silence, Thorax spoke, “Disyerto-2 is a good option. We should heed my mother’s advice.” “But how would we travel 50 lightyears on foot?” Kailow asked.

“Distances are compressed in this dimension. Fifty lightyears are only 500 kilometres in here.” Thorax revealed.

“Yet, 500 kilometres is a multi-week trek, and we didn’t bring any provisions.”

“Time works differently here, as does your need for sustenance. Disyerto-2 is that way; you’ll know when you are in the right spot to open a portal to get there. I need to direct my focus elsewhere; make sure to look after this baby for me.” Thorax said, pointed towards a direction, and slumped to the ground as True Maker’s spirit abandoned the baby.

Areela picked up the baby, pointed in the direction he had given them and enthused, “Let’s go; the only way is to move forward.” The others nodded, and the three refugees left the portal they had opened to their home planet.

***

Jasper Javonom stared in awe as the servant class freed themselves from their mental chains by touching the primordial Zeto Crystal, thus unlocking their inner potential. He hadn’t prepared for Zelinko’s coup. It had been unthinkable to him that a fellow member of the ruling caste would give the Zeto Crystal to the unwashed masses.

“Soldiers, kill them all, and bring me that Zeto Crystal!” Jasper commanded.

His lieutenant Hadib Nabilom replied, “Are you insane? We cannot murder our citizens.”

Jasper slapped Hadib with his mental forces and exclaimed. “Silence, Hadib. What would happen with you and the enforcer caste if the servant caste were to rise? They won’t spare you.”

Hadib nodded, turned to his troops and commanded, “Soldiers, disperse these civilians. Use your non-lethal psionic capabilities from training.”

The troops lined up and prepared to knock out the protesters using the abilities they had learnt from their secret training sessions. Jasper didn’t like Hadib’s approach. The enforcer caste had weak psionic capabilities as their abilities stemmed from training and not exposure to the Zeto Crystal. Yet, he didn’t want to command mass murder before Hadib had tried and failed with his approach.

The soldiers lined up and tried to disperse the protesters by sending a collective psionic shockwave. The shockwave was enough to knock out those civilians who hadn’t touched the Zeto Crystal. However, those who had, stood unmoved by the enforcers’ weak magic.

“Use your ballistic weapons. Shoot to kill.” Jasper commanded.

The enforcers pulled up their pistols and shot at the protesters. Many fell to the bullets, but a group led by Saronka Nimbinkan formed a protective telekinetic barrier, which caused the shots to hang stationary.

“Come on, ladies, let’s give these oppressors hell for what they did to our friends,” Saronka exclaimed and waved her hand in the direction of the troops. Her group followed her lead, which caused the bullets to return to the guards who had fired them, killing and maiming several in the process.

Seeing this, Jasper knew that he had lost. Ronesia had fallen, and the revolution would spread across Zetani. He would, however, not allow these servants to kill or capture him.

“Soldiers, retreat through that portal!” Jasper commanded and hurried to jump into the portal to save himself from the angry mob.