Post by Zarni on Aug 26, 2004 8:49:38 GMT -5
I have been rereading my start to the story 'individuality', and k-man's comments on it; although we think in very different ways at times, his ideas were quite provocative. 
i have had a sudden bit of inspiration concerning an idea a friend of mine once had, and that i discussed with him. this has spurred my to post this, my earliest 'mature' story, in the hope that it may spur some debate which could provide further inspiration which will enable me to continue 'individuality', the start of which can be found on page 2 of 'the stories of zarni'
i present, The Exile of the Soul...
The expanse that was eternity loomed wide before his consciousness.
But something wasn’t right. Every particle in his dimension-girdling Self seemed to be crying out to him. With caution, he mentally scanned the vast infinity, sending tendrils of metaphysical energy probing throughout the universes of the Continuum. Eventually, he found an energy defect for which there was no apparent reason, and which had to be the source of the disturbance. He decided to observe the anomaly. To do this, he had to restrict himself to a single universe, and Time, and sift through much more cosmic and inter-dimensional noise and debris than he had ever been faced with in the past - if anything could be called the past by an Entity not confined by Time. The state to which he was now confined, this single face out of so many infinitely numbered separate heads, was situated in a Vacuum Dimension, one of very few of those empty and depressing universes that still existed in the Continuum. The one other unique property of this universe, was that it was, ironically enough, the only one he knew of to contain intelligent and highly evolved life. It was for this very reason that it was made vastly more complex than most other states.
The seemingly dominant race present here was advanced only by its own standards, but it was still moving along at a pace the other species in the same universe would find hard to match. They were, of course, bound by Time, as all races anywhere would have to be. Indeed, they had been making some truly remarkable jumps in their technology recently, despite their limitations. It was a pity there weren’t more races like them.
Many other dimensions had shown promising signs of the possible evolution of life whilst in their early stages, such as the Oxidious Dimensions, which made up most of the Continuum. The high potential there could be said to have been wasted on a badly positioned area, too close to the edge of the Stable Continuum to be of any use to any form of life.
The Fluidic Dimensions, also relatively hospitable to life, had always been known to be very unstable, and because of it were suitable for nothing but recreation. After all, they did have some spectacular views when observed from afar.
Out of the known 2,943 major dimensional variations, these three were the types most likely to produce life, and yet only this one Vacuum Dimension had ever succeeded in this feat.
All these electro-neutronic thought waves flicked through what could be said to have been his mind, as he contemplated all the possible causes for the disturbance at a speed impossible to follow for anyone other than another Entity. An imploding universe? Or maybe a rowdy D.C. assembly? Possible.
One thing he did know was that he didn’t like being restricted by Time. The sooner he could leave this pathetically empty expanse the better. Vacuum, indeed. Then an impulse caught him. It was as if a voice was calling him from the surrounding gloom:
You have now been cut off from the Outer Dimensions, said the essence of a voice. Insertion will proceed in 20 standard seconds.
He suddenly knew that he had to get away from that voice, that wordless impulse. He knew what it might represent. Fear. Anguish. The unyielding terror of a never ending nightmare. Distraught, he tried to escape back to the Point Of Flux that was the ‘natural state' of all Entities. From there he could drift aimlessly in and out of space-time, and to the Intermediate Areas between the states. There lay the ultimate freedom. And safety.
He couldn’t.
Something was blocking his retreat out of this universe.
A feeling equivalent to panic swept through his disembodied psyche as a rush of emotions. Frantically, he tried again, but to no avail.
He was trapped. Confined to a single universe; confined to Time.
Fear turned to anger, then hatred at whoever had done this to him. It shouldn’t even be possible, let alone allowed by anyone.
He attempted to communicate with his captor, his rage growing steadily at this sudden intrusion into his privacy.
Who are you? Why have you cut off my multi-dimensional access? he asked, soundlessly.
The reply came within a micro-second, as he knew it would.
It was necessary.
Why?
Insertion will proceed in 14 standard seconds, was the only answer he got to his queries.
This entire dialogue had taken less than six seconds, but no sounds were heard. There were only thoughts, travelling above the speed of light through the void.
What’s going on? I demand an explanation for this! he said.
You will soon desire no explanation, was the ominous reply.
He tried a different approach.
That is as may be, he said, but I desire one now.
You may have your explanation, consented the voice after a split-second pause. The Dimensional Commission has voted you to be out of their control. You are expanding your multi-universal reaches at an unacceptable rate, and you did not apply to the Commission for permission to expand at all. You have recently penetrated the Unstable Regions, and in doing so you have endangered the entire Continuum. Because of this, you are to be temporarily exiled to Xcyuwf. The Order is in place as of 8 standard seconds from now.
No! You can’t do this! I have the right to defend myself!
He had only once ever been to Xcyuwf, and the memory was still fresh in his consciousness. It was a place no peaceful Entity should ever be made to go. But the ‘Dimensional Commission’ used it to enforce its own misapplied and corrupt power. The worst part was the fact that, whilst there, you wouldn’t remember your true home or reality. Xcyuwf would be your true home. You would know nothing of your former existence.
The system was originally founded with recreational purposes in mind under the name of Schauhm - ‘Domain of Peace’ in a long forgotten language of the Mortal Ones, but with the coming into power of the Dimensional Commission had come major changes in the nature of Schauhm. These changes had been unpopular from the start, but no one had had any choice but to accept them; such was the power of the Commission. From then on it had been known as Xcyuwf, or ‘Realm of the Shamed’. Sending an Entity there was regarded as the highest form of capital punishment, worse even than the Termination which every Entity dreaded.
Now he realised that the anomaly he had detected was nothing but a clever ruse to get him to enter this dimension, for they could not have trapped him any other way. It was true that he had been ‘expanding outwards’ recently, that much he had to admit, but he had never thought it had been anything as severe as this.
If you send me there, I’ll kill my host at the beginning! he vowed, meaning it heartily.
It would do you no good, replied the voice. We would then simply insert you into another host.
But the Commission has no right to do this! he appealed, meekly, knowing that this fact didn’t count for anything, now.
I think you’ll find it does, said the voice, in a cold and oppressive tone, as an echo of an echo.
Then all eternity became black, and imploded in on itself.
i have had a sudden bit of inspiration concerning an idea a friend of mine once had, and that i discussed with him. this has spurred my to post this, my earliest 'mature' story, in the hope that it may spur some debate which could provide further inspiration which will enable me to continue 'individuality', the start of which can be found on page 2 of 'the stories of zarni'i present, The Exile of the Soul...
The expanse that was eternity loomed wide before his consciousness.
But something wasn’t right. Every particle in his dimension-girdling Self seemed to be crying out to him. With caution, he mentally scanned the vast infinity, sending tendrils of metaphysical energy probing throughout the universes of the Continuum. Eventually, he found an energy defect for which there was no apparent reason, and which had to be the source of the disturbance. He decided to observe the anomaly. To do this, he had to restrict himself to a single universe, and Time, and sift through much more cosmic and inter-dimensional noise and debris than he had ever been faced with in the past - if anything could be called the past by an Entity not confined by Time. The state to which he was now confined, this single face out of so many infinitely numbered separate heads, was situated in a Vacuum Dimension, one of very few of those empty and depressing universes that still existed in the Continuum. The one other unique property of this universe, was that it was, ironically enough, the only one he knew of to contain intelligent and highly evolved life. It was for this very reason that it was made vastly more complex than most other states.
The seemingly dominant race present here was advanced only by its own standards, but it was still moving along at a pace the other species in the same universe would find hard to match. They were, of course, bound by Time, as all races anywhere would have to be. Indeed, they had been making some truly remarkable jumps in their technology recently, despite their limitations. It was a pity there weren’t more races like them.
Many other dimensions had shown promising signs of the possible evolution of life whilst in their early stages, such as the Oxidious Dimensions, which made up most of the Continuum. The high potential there could be said to have been wasted on a badly positioned area, too close to the edge of the Stable Continuum to be of any use to any form of life.
The Fluidic Dimensions, also relatively hospitable to life, had always been known to be very unstable, and because of it were suitable for nothing but recreation. After all, they did have some spectacular views when observed from afar.
Out of the known 2,943 major dimensional variations, these three were the types most likely to produce life, and yet only this one Vacuum Dimension had ever succeeded in this feat.
All these electro-neutronic thought waves flicked through what could be said to have been his mind, as he contemplated all the possible causes for the disturbance at a speed impossible to follow for anyone other than another Entity. An imploding universe? Or maybe a rowdy D.C. assembly? Possible.
One thing he did know was that he didn’t like being restricted by Time. The sooner he could leave this pathetically empty expanse the better. Vacuum, indeed. Then an impulse caught him. It was as if a voice was calling him from the surrounding gloom:
You have now been cut off from the Outer Dimensions, said the essence of a voice. Insertion will proceed in 20 standard seconds.
He suddenly knew that he had to get away from that voice, that wordless impulse. He knew what it might represent. Fear. Anguish. The unyielding terror of a never ending nightmare. Distraught, he tried to escape back to the Point Of Flux that was the ‘natural state' of all Entities. From there he could drift aimlessly in and out of space-time, and to the Intermediate Areas between the states. There lay the ultimate freedom. And safety.
He couldn’t.
Something was blocking his retreat out of this universe.
A feeling equivalent to panic swept through his disembodied psyche as a rush of emotions. Frantically, he tried again, but to no avail.
He was trapped. Confined to a single universe; confined to Time.
Fear turned to anger, then hatred at whoever had done this to him. It shouldn’t even be possible, let alone allowed by anyone.
He attempted to communicate with his captor, his rage growing steadily at this sudden intrusion into his privacy.
Who are you? Why have you cut off my multi-dimensional access? he asked, soundlessly.
The reply came within a micro-second, as he knew it would.
It was necessary.
Why?
Insertion will proceed in 14 standard seconds, was the only answer he got to his queries.
This entire dialogue had taken less than six seconds, but no sounds were heard. There were only thoughts, travelling above the speed of light through the void.
What’s going on? I demand an explanation for this! he said.
You will soon desire no explanation, was the ominous reply.
He tried a different approach.
That is as may be, he said, but I desire one now.
You may have your explanation, consented the voice after a split-second pause. The Dimensional Commission has voted you to be out of their control. You are expanding your multi-universal reaches at an unacceptable rate, and you did not apply to the Commission for permission to expand at all. You have recently penetrated the Unstable Regions, and in doing so you have endangered the entire Continuum. Because of this, you are to be temporarily exiled to Xcyuwf. The Order is in place as of 8 standard seconds from now.
No! You can’t do this! I have the right to defend myself!
He had only once ever been to Xcyuwf, and the memory was still fresh in his consciousness. It was a place no peaceful Entity should ever be made to go. But the ‘Dimensional Commission’ used it to enforce its own misapplied and corrupt power. The worst part was the fact that, whilst there, you wouldn’t remember your true home or reality. Xcyuwf would be your true home. You would know nothing of your former existence.
The system was originally founded with recreational purposes in mind under the name of Schauhm - ‘Domain of Peace’ in a long forgotten language of the Mortal Ones, but with the coming into power of the Dimensional Commission had come major changes in the nature of Schauhm. These changes had been unpopular from the start, but no one had had any choice but to accept them; such was the power of the Commission. From then on it had been known as Xcyuwf, or ‘Realm of the Shamed’. Sending an Entity there was regarded as the highest form of capital punishment, worse even than the Termination which every Entity dreaded.
Now he realised that the anomaly he had detected was nothing but a clever ruse to get him to enter this dimension, for they could not have trapped him any other way. It was true that he had been ‘expanding outwards’ recently, that much he had to admit, but he had never thought it had been anything as severe as this.
If you send me there, I’ll kill my host at the beginning! he vowed, meaning it heartily.
It would do you no good, replied the voice. We would then simply insert you into another host.
But the Commission has no right to do this! he appealed, meekly, knowing that this fact didn’t count for anything, now.
I think you’ll find it does, said the voice, in a cold and oppressive tone, as an echo of an echo.
Then all eternity became black, and imploded in on itself.
There is no way you're 17. 
never mind, i'll try again.