User:Michael Bard/Mythic Journeys - Part 2 - Revision history

Michael Bard: Fixed italics error

2009-08-02T00:34:39Z

Fixed italics error

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	Coyote's description of the vortexes I'd seen also matched what I remembered. And, given the different mythological structure here, that supported the fact that I was within a different vortex.		Coyote's description of the vortexes I'd seen also matched what I remembered. And, given the different mythological structure here, that supported the fact that I was within a different vortex.

	The rest of it, the structure of the spirit''soul world, the fact that a spirit could only enter a new body who's life would match the spirit... None of that was I willing to accept. And yet, it sounded right. There was certainly reincarnation, but I refused to accept the trap Coyote claimed I was in. If the so-called taints on my soul limited my bodies, then it would become harder and harder to escape as the upbringing of my body would twist my soul, my spirit, into something darker and darker.		The rest of it, the structure of the spirit/soul world, the fact that a spirit could only enter a new body who's life would match the spirit... None of that was I willing to accept. And yet, it sounded right. There was certainly reincarnation, but I refused to accept the trap Coyote claimed I was in. If the so-called taints on my soul limited my bodies, then it would become harder and harder to escape as the upbringing of my body would twist my soul, my spirit, into something darker and darker.

	Was this purgatory? Had I died beneath the waves when my airline snapped?		Was this purgatory? Had I died beneath the waves when my airline snapped?

ShadowWolf: remove doubled 'defaultsort'

2009-03-03T21:03:54Z

remove doubled 'defaultsort'

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	[[Category:Fantasy]][[Category:Wolf]][[Category:Mental change]][[Category:Mythical]][[Category:Science fiction]][[Category:Transgender]]		[[Category:Fantasy]][[Category:Wolf]][[Category:Mental change]][[Category:Mythical]][[Category:Science fiction]][[Category:Transgender]]
	{{DEFAULTSORT:Mythic Journeys Part 2}}		{{DEFAULTSORT:Mythic Journeys Part 2}}
	[[Category:Story]]~~{{DEFAULTSORT:Mythic Journeys part 2}}~~		[[Category:Story]]
	{{title\|name=Mythic Journeys\|author=Michael Bard}}		{{title\|name=Mythic Journeys\|author=Michael Bard}}

ShadowWolf: "Lupine" as a category is a duplicate of "Wolf"

2008-10-28T20:52:26Z

"Lupine" as a category is a duplicate of "Wolf"

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	[[Category:Michael Bard]] [[Category:Equine]][[Category:Animal]][[Category:Anthropomorphic]]		[[Category:Michael Bard]] [[Category:Equine]][[Category:Animal]][[Category:Anthropomorphic]]
	[[Category:Aquatic]][[Category:Avian]][[Category:Cervine]]		[[Category:Aquatic]][[Category:Avian]][[Category:Cervine]]
	[[Category:Fantasy]][[Category:~~Lupine~~]][[Category:Mental change]][[Category:Mythical]][[Category:Science fiction]][[Category:Transgender]]		[[Category:Fantasy]][[Category:Wolf]][[Category:Mental change]][[Category:Mythical]][[Category:Science fiction]][[Category:Transgender]]
	{{DEFAULTSORT:Mythic Journeys Part 2}}		{{DEFAULTSORT:Mythic Journeys Part 2}}
	[[Category:Story]]{{DEFAULTSORT:Mythic Journeys part 2}}		[[Category:Story]]{{DEFAULTSORT:Mythic Journeys part 2}}

Michael Bard: Formatting correction

2008-10-05T03:00:30Z

Formatting correction

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	For a while I avoided other spirits. When I saw them coming I fled. But, I learned that fleeing was only a temporary solution. There was no heat, no cold, no taste, no touch, no smell. Just the same nothingness with sparks of life that I tried to avoid. There seemed to be no way of communication other than by memory theft. I found a few dim dim spirits which I investigated but realized that they were spirits with nothing. They had no memories, no experiences. They were in a pure pre-born stasis waiting and prepared for rebirth but unable to achieve it. Their minds were waiting, unable to change without sensations. Here they could never get any, as they had no will or mind to even conceive of stealing memories from others.		For a while I avoided other spirits. When I saw them coming I fled. But, I learned that fleeing was only a temporary solution. There was no heat, no cold, no taste, no touch, no smell. Just the same nothingness with sparks of life that I tried to avoid. There seemed to be no way of communication other than by memory theft. I found a few dim dim spirits which I investigated but realized that they were spirits with nothing. They had no memories, no experiences. They were in a pure pre-born stasis waiting and prepared for rebirth but unable to achieve it. Their minds were waiting, unable to change without sensations. Here they could never get any, as they had no will or mind to even conceive of stealing memories from others.

	Some unknown amount of time later I came upon a bright pulsing ~~mythago~~. I started to run away, but then I realized that it wasn't moving. It was doing nothing. Carefully, slowly, I moved towards it. It still did nothing. There was only one way to communicate, and that was by absorption. Swearing that I would make contact only for a fraction of an instant to see what was going on, I interfaced.		Some unknown amount of time later I came upon a bright pulsing spirit. I started to run away, but then I realized that it wasn't moving. It was doing nothing. Carefully, slowly, I moved towards it. It still did nothing. There was only one way to communicate, and that was by absorption. Swearing that I would make contact only for a fraction of an instant to see what was going on, I interfaced.

	And his memories poured into me.		And his memories poured into me.
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	In those memories I had originally been an AI. Developed from statistical studies of tursiops truncates, my original function had been to be a bottlenose dolphin. Eventually a copy of myself was placed into an artificial dolphin and I lived with the wild ones. Every so often I would transmit a neural map of my memories and experiences. After a normal lifespan, I withdraw and was moved from the body and placed into the network that linked the arcologies. My old body was dissolved for the raw atoms, and eventually rebuilt into other technological materials. I was given the freedom of the world net, and entered into the growing gestalts between AIs and enhanced humanities.		In those memories I had originally been an AI. Developed from statistical studies of tursiops truncates, my original function had been to be a bottlenose dolphin. Eventually a copy of myself was placed into an artificial dolphin and I lived with the wild ones. Every so often I would transmit a neural map of my memories and experiences. After a normal lifespan, I withdraw and was moved from the body and placed into the network that linked the arcologies. My old body was dissolved for the raw atoms, and eventually rebuilt into other technological materials. I was given the freedom of the world net, and entered into the growing gestalts between AIs and enhanced humanities.

	My mind changed, becoming a combination of dolphin and human, with the wisdom of the higher end AIs as kindly parents. I was copied to Ceres and worked on the space''time warping experiments. I was part of the scientific gestalt when the big breakthrough was made. Limitless power. Instantaneous travel. I was copied back to Earth to share the knowledge with the gestalts that swarmed earthnet. Such sharing required a realtime connection, but I now held the knowledge to allow the connection speed to be instantaneous anywhere in the universe.		My mind changed, becoming a combination of dolphin and human, with the wisdom of the higher end AIs as kindly parents. I was copied to Ceres and worked on the space/time warping experiments. I was part of the scientific gestalt when the big breakthrough was made. Limitless power. Instantaneous travel. I was copied back to Earth to share the knowledge with the gestalts that swarmed earthnet. Such sharing required a realtime connection, but I now held the knowledge to allow the connection speed to be instantaneous anywhere in the universe.

	My mind changed, grew. We all changed and grew, growing, merging. Clusters of neural groups forming greater gestalt consciousnesses that pushed our knowledge further and further towards totality. It was a time of eternal joy, eternal change, and limitless accelerating growth.		My mind changed, grew. We all changed and grew, growing, merging. Clusters of neural groups forming greater gestalt consciousnesses that pushed our knowledge further and further towards totality. It was a time of eternal joy, eternal change, and limitless accelerating growth.

Michael Bard: /* Epilogue */

2008-03-21T15:38:21Z

Epilogue

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	"Uh huh."		"Uh huh."

	"Assume that I'm Stephan, assume that the story is true. Given that the other mythic space''times were also opened, other races exist on the earth. Including humanity. I made a choice. When I left I made my body ageless. I wanted to be here, no, it's more that I felt an obligation to be here. To guide, to protect, to advise."		"Assume that I'm Stephan, assume that the story is true. Given that the other mythic space/times were also opened, other races exist on the earth. Including humanity. I made a choice. When I left I made my body ageless. I wanted to be here, no, it's more that I felt an obligation to be here. To guide, to protect, to advise."

	"Why didn't you join us when you created us? Why didn't you come among us as Stephan?"		"Why didn't you join us when you created us? Why didn't you come among us as Stephan?"
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	"I can accept that. But why tell me this? Why not anybody else?"		"I can accept that. But why tell me this? Why not anybody else?"

	"Olcynther, I'm not ~~infalliable~~. At one point I could have known everything, but as Apollo told me, knowing everything does not guarantee perfection. One still makes choices, one just has more information to aid in making the choice. In a sense they have free will, in a sense they don't. Technically none of us do but I prefer the illusion of my having it.		"Olcynther, I'm not infallible. At one point I could have known everything, but as Apollo told me, knowing everything does not guarantee perfection. One still makes choices, one just has more information to aid in making the choice. In a sense they have free will, in a sense they don't. Technically none of us do but I prefer the illusion of my having it.

	"I'm not the only ~~advisor~~. The first one I told the truth to was Phillipa. We still see each other. We marry for a generation or so and then go our own ways. It keeps us from hating each other. There are more, not many. Together we provide a continuity, a voice of wisdom, a watchman over the race as we grow and learn."		"I'm not the only adviser. The first one I told the truth to was Phillipa. We still see each other. We marry for a generation or so and then go our own ways. It keeps us from hating each other. There are more, not many. Together we provide a continuity, a voice of wisdom, a watchman over the race as we grow and learn."

	"And you want to make me one of these? Why? How?"		"And you want to make me one of these? Why? How?"

Michael Bard: Fixed various formatting errors BD mentioned

2008-03-21T15:35:24Z

Fixed various formatting errors BD mentioned

Michael Bard: Category fixes

2008-03-12T21:38:05Z

Category fixes

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	[[Category:Michael Bard]] [[Category:Equine]]		[[Category:Michael Bard]] [[Category:Equine]][[Category:Animal]][[Category:Anthropomorphic]]
			[[Category:Aquatic]][[Category:Avian]][[Category:Cervine]]
			[[Category:Fantasy]][[Category:Lupine]][[Category:Mental change]][[Category:Mythical]][[Category:Science fiction]][[Category:Transgender]]
	{{DEFAULTSORT:Mythic Journeys Part 2}}		{{DEFAULTSORT:Mythic Journeys Part 2}}
	[[Category:Story]]{{DEFAULTSORT:Mythic Journeys part 2}}		[[Category:Story]]{{DEFAULTSORT:Mythic Journeys part 2}}

Michael Bard: /* Chapter 60: Assassin */

2008-03-01T23:18:32Z

Chapter 60: Assassin

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	With a jerk I awoke, still perched high on my branch in the scentless pine tree. Or, at least it seemed scentless to me. It was late in the day, the sky shadowed as the sun was behind the mountains. The pine forest was quiet with only a faint wind rustling through the top of the tightly packed trees.		With a jerk I awoke, still perched high on my branch in the scentless pine tree. Or, at least it seemed scentless to me. It was late in the day, the sky shadowed as the sun was behind the mountains. The pine forest was quiet with only a faint wind rustling through the top of the tightly packed trees.

	Holding out my arms''wings, I stretched them, and then shook them a little to work out the stiffness. I was both thirsty and hungry, and decided to wait until nightfall. It also gave me time to figure out what was going on.		Holding out my arms/wings, I stretched them, and then shook them a little to work out the stiffness. I was both thirsty and hungry, and decided to wait until nightfall. It also gave me time to figure out what was going on.

	I knew of bits from other mythologies, mostly picked up when looking for comparisons to classical Greek mythology. As far as I could remember, the 'spirit world' was a place of dreams and drug produced delusions to which North American Indians would go in search of visions with the aid of a spirit guide, usually a totem animal. The dream I'd had seemed far too vivid to be just a dream, and given what I'd already seen I was willing to consider it a spirit journey.		I knew of bits from other mythologies, mostly picked up when looking for comparisons to classical Greek mythology. As far as I could remember, the 'spirit world' was a place of dreams and drug produced delusions to which North American Indians would go in search of visions with the aid of a spirit guide, usually a totem animal. The dream I'd had seemed far too vivid to be just a dream, and given what I'd already seen I was willing to consider it a spirit journey.

Michael Bard: /* Chapter 59: Coyote */

2008-03-01T23:17:42Z

Chapter 59: Coyote

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	I looked down at him. Even though he was now more man than coyote, I still towered over him. "It's not my fault that the body I was born into was a member of this Skinwalker clan. The parents may bear the sin, the being I was may bear the sin, but I do not. I will be free of you."		I looked down at him. Even though he was now more man than coyote, I still towered over him. "It's not my fault that the body I was born into was a member of this Skinwalker clan. The parents may bear the sin, the being I was may bear the sin, but I do not. I will be free of you."

	''Stephan, Stephan!'' He changed, become slightly hunched, a wise old grandmother chiding her grandson. ''You blame what you did in your past life on Ixion's blood. And now you blame it on the body you picked. The reality in which you briefly found yourself, a quantum space''time warp unique to this cavern, only allows what you call a spirit or soul to enter a body who's life will fit that spirit. The taint on your soul drew you to the body of a Skinwalker!''		''Stephan, Stephan!'' He changed, become slightly hunched, a wise old grandmother chiding her grandson. ''You blame what you did in your past life on Ixion's blood. And now you blame it on the body you picked. The reality in which you briefly found yourself, a quantum space/time warp unique to this cavern, only allows what you call a spirit or soul to enter a body who's life will fit that spirit. The taint on your soul drew you to the body of a Skinwalker!''

	And with that he vanished, leaving behind only coyote laughter.		And with that he vanished, leaving behind only coyote laughter.

Michael Bard at 09:13, 28 February 2008

2008-02-28T09:13:58Z

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	People were coming because of Poseidon's scream. My body flowed and looked like he had. I'd made a promise. An instant of will and Poseidon, now mortal, was healed. Then I hid him away in a cave, sealed it, and locked him into stasis until I was ready to give him his power back.		People were coming because of Poseidon's scream. My body flowed and looked like he had. I'd made a promise. An instant of will and Poseidon, now mortal, was healed. Then I hid him away in a cave, sealed it, and locked him into stasis until I was ready to give him his power back.

	A part of me told the guards who'd come that it was only a bad dream. They went ~~a way~~. But most of me was finally realizing what had happened. What this place was. And what I was to do.		A part of me told the guards who'd come that it was only a bad dream. They went away. But most of me was finally realizing what had happened. What this place was. And what I was to do.

	Humanity had evolved. It had learned more, and enhanced its abilities more and more. The rate of change had been an accelerating curve with no end in sight. One day on Ceres, an experiment broke into another reality, different from ours. It was examined, quantified, and studied. This reality had no sentience, but was instead a medium that could hold sentience, infinite sentience. And it overlapped our reality everywhere.		Humanity had evolved. It had learned more, and enhanced its abilities more and more. The rate of change had been an accelerating curve with no end in sight. One day on Ceres, an experiment broke into another reality, different from ours. It was examined, quantified, and studied. This reality had no sentience, but was instead a medium that could hold sentience, infinite sentience. And it overlapped our reality everywhere.

	Over a week this was revealed to all the enhanced neural gestalts. Each gestalt a group of humans, AIs, and enhanced animals that had bonded together so that the members were no longer individuals, but were a single greater being. This new reality offered infinite intelligence and knowledge. It offered a new frontier when the ability of computing neural power to increase in density was reaching the physical limits of this reality. A vote was taken and the world net was plugged into the neural reality. The gestalts expanded into it, grew as they needed to grow. Each taking parts of the other. Things that had never been understood before suddenly made sense, and that ~~knowlege~~ led to new things. New things allows new senses, new explorations, and yet new things.		Over a week this was revealed to all the enhanced neural gestalts. Each gestalt a group of humans, AIs, and enhanced animals that had bonded together so that the members were no longer individuals, but were a single greater being. This new reality offered infinite intelligence and knowledge. It offered a new frontier when the ability of computing neural power to increase in density was reaching the physical limits of this reality. A vote was taken and the world net was plugged into the neural reality. The gestalts expanded into it, grew as they needed to grow. Each taking parts of the other. Things that had never been understood before suddenly made sense, and that knowledge led to new things. New things allows new senses, new explorations, and yet new things.

	In an eyeblink the process accelerated to infinity.		In an eyeblink the process accelerated to infinity.
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	The surviving intellects knew everything. There was no more to discover. Absolutely nothing.		The surviving intellects knew everything. There was no more to discover. Absolutely nothing.

	Some went mad, but they really couldn't. Some created new realities out of the neural reality. Virtual realms that they setup as clockwork puzzles and then abandoned. Some broke through into other planets in our space''time and created entire civilizations and watched them grow. Even though they knew exactly what would happen in every instant, they still did it because they had done it.		Some went mad, but they really couldn't. Some created new realities out of the neural reality. Virtual realms that they setup as clockwork puzzles and then abandoned. Some broke through into other planets in our space/time and created entire civilizations and watched them grow. Even though they knew exactly what would happen in every instant, they still did it because they had done it.

	On earth a few tried to flee, to hide from the possibilities. They found a place beneath Santarini that had a rare realspace''neuralspace overlap. In that place they could exist in both states, and take only what they wanted. They knew they would move into that place because they moved into that place. At the instant of discovery it had ~~seen~~ the right thing to do, even though they knew exactly what would happen afterward. In earlier times, before the time of infinite human growth, one member of each mythic culture happened to be the first to enter the place of realspace''neuralspace overlap, and a space''time reality spun out within the cavern and became what they remembered as it spread in both directions through time.		On earth a few tried to flee, to hide from the possibilities. They found a place beneath Santarini that had a rare realspace/neuralspace overlap. In that place they could exist in both states, and take only what they wanted. They knew they would move into that place because they moved into that place. At the instant of discovery it had seemed the right thing to do, even though they knew exactly what would happen afterward. In earlier times, before the time of infinite human growth, one member of each mythic culture happened to be the first to enter the place of realspace/neuralspace overlap, and a space/time reality spun out within the cavern and became what they remembered as it spread in both directions through time.

	I was the one who spun out the mythological world of Greece.		I was the one who spun out the mythological world of Greece.

	The evolved intellects took that moment of inspiration, that moment of innocent creation, and spread it back and fourth through all time. Even though each mythic space''time had a specific instant of creation, once that instant occurred, the mythic space''time existed throughout time.		The evolved intellects took that moment of inspiration, that moment of innocent creation, and spread it back and fourth through all time. Even though each mythic space/time had a specific instant of creation, once that instant occurred, the mythic space/time existed throughout time.

	And as these mythic space times had a link to the neural reality, complex sentiences, in other words people, could exist as organized entities outside of physical bodies. As sentient potentialities entirely within the neural reality. That was where I'd gone when I'd died.		And as these mythic space times had a link to the neural reality, complex sentiences, in other words people, could exist as organized entities outside of physical bodies. As sentient potentialities entirely within the neural reality. That was where I'd gone when I'd died.
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	One of the things I learned was that the existence of complex neural activities, or in other words a sentient mind, created a miniscule overlap naturally between our reality and the neural reality. A kind of symbiosis. And this link acted as a conduit for dreams, for visions, and for imagination.		One of the things I learned was that the existence of complex neural activities, or in other words a sentient mind, created a miniscule overlap naturally between our reality and the neural reality. A kind of symbiosis. And this link acted as a conduit for dreams, for visions, and for imagination.

	I'd been the inciting incident for the Greek mythic space''time. From me had all the legends come into initial creation, and been remembered and first recorded by the Greeks.		I'd been the inciting incident for the Greek mythic space/time. From me had all the legends come into initial creation, and been remembered and first recorded by the Greeks.

	That was where I refused to go any further.		That was where I refused to go any further.
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	The earth was empty and awaiting rebirth.		The earth was empty and awaiting rebirth.

	For reasons I couldn't understand, complex agreements had been made between the intellects that inhabited and created the twisted mythic space''times within this cavern. They had all agreed to not change things, to not 'rock the boat' because such risked destroying the dimensional overlap that allowed the mythic space''times to exist. They had all agreed that each would have limitations on what they could do within the mythic space''time. Even though each could have infinite power, they had agreed not to.		For reasons I couldn't understand, complex agreements had been made between the intellects that inhabited and created the twisted mythic space/times within this cavern. They had all agreed to not change things, to not 'rock the boat' because such risked destroying the dimensional overlap that allowed the mythic space/times to exist. They had all agreed that each would have limitations on what they could do within the mythic space/time. Even though each could have infinite power, they had agreed not to.

	Poseidon, as in the myths, had power over the sea, and power over the land. He was the god of the oceans, and the bringer of earthquakes.		Poseidon, as in the myths, had power over the sea, and power over the land. He was the god of the oceans, and the bringer of earthquakes.

	This place was a trap. The myths went through the cycle and ended. The cycle stretched through time, always existing, but only actually occurring once. The reason I could move outside the forward flow of time was that time was different with different mythic space''times.		This place was a trap. The myths went through the cycle and ended. The cycle stretched through time, always existing, but only actually occurring once. The reason I could move outside the forward flow of time was that time was different with different mythic space/times.

	Only one thing could happen. A play. An imagination taken from, and creating, the earliest stories and legends of humankind. But that is all that would, that could ever occur. Achilles could never not die at Troy. He could never refuse to go. Odysseus could never not wander for ten years.		Only one thing could happen. A play. An imagination taken from, and creating, the earliest stories and legends of humankind. But that is all that would, that could ever occur. Achilles could never not die at Troy. He could never refuse to go. Odysseus could never not wander for ten years.
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	I was the Chronos who had created the world, and now I was the Chronos who would break it and create a new one.		I was the Chronos who had created the world, and now I was the Chronos who would break it and create a new one.

	I would shatter the cavern, allow the mythic space''times to explode outward across the surface of the earth. The myths would continue, as they had, as they are, and as they would. But there would be a possibility of moving away from them. Of leaving the mythic space''time. As there had always been, as there was, and as there would be. The twisted vortices of mythic space''time caused all instants in the mythic cycle to exist at all times. It was a twisted overlap that I could understand, but to understand I would have to accept the full power, the full knowledge, and the full curse, of those who had been the last generations of humanity.		I would shatter the cavern, allow the mythic space/times to explode outward across the surface of the earth. The myths would continue, as they had, as they are, and as they would. But there would be a possibility of moving away from them. Of leaving the mythic space/time. As there had always been, as there was, and as there would be. The twisted vortices of mythic space/time caused all instants in the mythic cycle to exist at all times. It was a twisted overlap that I could understand, but to understand I would have to accept the full power, the full knowledge, and the full curse, of those who had been the last generations of humanity.

	The years passed as I dreamed, as I fought for the knowledge I needed, and struggled to keep the knowledge I feared from sneaking over with it. I put my father's sword where Gryneos would find it. I decided how I would save the centaurs when I transported them beyond this mythic space''time. I moved to the time just before I killed my future self and did the deed. Did everything I remembered doing and watched my spirit flee towards the Dineh mythic space''time. Listened to the eulogy written for me. And then I gave each centaur a choice. They could stay, live their lives, or they could come with me to a new world. The world would change them in some ways, but they would be free of humanity. They would have wives, they could have children. I made the same offer to some humans, including Phillipa. I made this offer to all the centaurs, not just the ones I'd led to fair Illium.		The years passed as I dreamed, as I fought for the knowledge I needed, and struggled to keep the knowledge I feared from sneaking over with it. I put my father's sword where Gryneos would find it. I decided how I would save the centaurs when I transported them beyond this mythic space/time. I moved to the time just before I killed my future self and did the deed. Did everything I remembered doing and watched my spirit flee towards the Dineh mythic space/time. Listened to the eulogy written for me. And then I gave each centaur a choice. They could stay, live their lives, or they could come with me to a new world. The world would change them in some ways, but they would be free of humanity. They would have wives, they could have children. I made the same offer to some humans, including Phillipa. I made this offer to all the centaurs, not just the ones I'd led to fair Illium.

	And when those whom I'd known had agreed had, those whom I'd known would refuse had, I stretched out the power I'd horded, the little bits I'd accepted whilst refusing the limitless flood.		And when those whom I'd known had agreed had, those whom I'd known would refuse had, I stretched out the power I'd horded, the little bits I'd accepted whilst refusing the limitless flood.

	The world shook, rocks shattered, the mantle heaved. The roof and walls of the cavern collapsed, falling outwards into rubble as the rock beneath lifted upward on a fountain of magma, rose above the surface. The floor cracked, broke apart, and exploded outward pressed by immense pressures. The mythic space''times swept away to various places upon the globe, linked by twisted strands of their unique space''time back to the place of interface.		The world shook, rocks shattered, the mantle heaved. The roof and walls of the cavern collapsed, falling outwards into rubble as the rock beneath lifted upward on a fountain of magma, rose above the surface. The floor cracked, broke apart, and exploded outward pressed by immense pressures. The mythic space/times swept away to various places upon the globe, linked by twisted strands of their unique space/time back to the place of interface.

	I took those who agreed and remolded them. I made the humans into centaurs. And then I changed everybody in the same way. Fur sprouted out over their human bodies to match their horse bodies. Their faces stretched out a bit, not into a muzzle, but showing a tendency towards one. I made them a unified being, not two disparate forms made into one in myth.		I took those who agreed and remolded them. I made the humans into centaurs. And then I changed everybody in the same way. Fur sprouted out over their human bodies to match their horse bodies. Their faces stretched out a bit, not into a muzzle, but showing a tendency towards one. I made them a unified being, not two disparate forms made into one in myth.

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	''The far-fam'd Pelian ash, which to his sire,''		''The far-fam'd Pelian ash, which to his sire,''
	''On Pelion's summit fell'd, to be the bane''		''On Pelion's summit fell'd, to be the bane''
	''Of mighty chiefs, the Centaur Chiron gave.''*<''poem>		''Of mighty chiefs, the Centaur Chiron gave.''*</poem>

	Achilles.		Achilles.
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	''So I in Argos am thy friendly host;''		''So I in Argos am thy friendly host;''
	''Thou mine in Lycia, when I thither come:''		''Thou mine in Lycia, when I thither come:''
	''Then shun we, e'en amid the thickest fight,*''		''Then shun we, e'en amid the thickest fight,*''</poem>

	I grasped at it. I knew it was IMPORTANT, but how? Friendship? Who? Was it a delusion? With my father's help I'd memorized more and more of the Illiad starting before I was even in school, and I'd never regretted it. But why that bit?		I grasped at it. I knew it was IMPORTANT, but how? Friendship? Who? Was it a delusion? With my father's help I'd memorized more and more of the Illiad starting before I was even in school, and I'd never regretted it. But why that bit?
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	Calchas? Why was that familiar? Cassandra's voice echoed through my mind: ''Die at the hands of Calchas!'' And that was followed by a section of the Illiad:		Calchas? Why was that familiar? Cassandra's voice echoed through my mind: ''Die at the hands of Calchas!'' And that was followed by a section of the Illiad:

	''To slay beside them; but from Ocean's depths''		<poem>''To slay beside them; but from Ocean's depths''
	''Uprose th' Earth-shaker, Circler of the Earth,''		''Uprose th' Earth-shaker, Circler of the Earth,''
	''To Calchas' likeness and deep voice conform'd,''*		''To Calchas' likeness and deep voice conform'd,''*</poem>

	In the Illiad Calchas was the chief of seers that accompanied the Greeks. Poseidon, also known to the Acheans as the Earth-shaker, assumed Calchas' shape to inspire the Greeks to fight to save their ships from Hector's assault.		In the Illiad Calchas was the chief of seers that accompanied the Greeks. Poseidon, also known to the Acheans as the Earth-shaker, assumed Calchas' shape to inspire the Greeks to fight to save their ships from Hector's assault.
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	''Assembled duly, shared the solemn feast''		''Assembled duly, shared the solemn feast''

	''And so passed Stephan, King of the Centaurs''<''poem>		''And so passed Stephan, King of the Centaurs''</poem>

	==Chapter 57: Spirit==		==Chapter 57: Spirit==
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	''It's with the sea that you will make''		''It's with the sea that you will make''

	''And only then shall all partake''		''And only then shall all partake''</poem>

	Dear god! It finally made sense! The first time I fought Poseidon was in the fifth year of the Trojan War. That was about two decades from now. Poseidon had been at Troy much earlier when he and Apollo had built the city walls. The first stanza had always been obvious. Poseidon had power over the sea, I would have to avoid it. The second stanza must mean that I would first face Poseidon during the war, and then I would end up in the past and face Poseidon when he was building the walls. The second time I faced him, would be the first time to Poseidon. The third stanza simply stated that to learn how to kill Poseidon I would have to die. I would have to enter the paleness of death. There I would find the answer. It was so simple now! Chiron was immortal, yet he died. He died by giving his immortality to Prometheus. I'd been immortal. I'd died by giving my immortality to Poseidon in the future. And Poseidon would die by giving his immortality to me.		Dear god! It finally made sense! The first time I fought Poseidon was in the fifth year of the Trojan War. That was about two decades from now. Poseidon had been at Troy much earlier when he and Apollo had built the city walls. The first stanza had always been obvious. Poseidon had power over the sea, I would have to avoid it. The second stanza must mean that I would first face Poseidon during the war, and then I would end up in the past and face Poseidon when he was building the walls. The second time I faced him, would be the first time to Poseidon. The third stanza simply stated that to learn how to kill Poseidon I would have to die. I would have to enter the paleness of death. There I would find the answer. It was so simple now! Chiron was immortal, yet he died. He died by giving his immortality to Prometheus. I'd been immortal. I'd died by giving my immortality to Poseidon in the future. And Poseidon would die by giving his immortality to me.
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	''The Hydra's venom rankling in thy veins? ''		''The Hydra's venom rankling in thy veins? ''
	''The Gods, in pity, shall contract thy date, ''		''The Gods, in pity, shall contract thy date, ''
	''And give thee over to the pow'r of Fate.''**<''poem>		''And give thee over to the pow'r of Fate.''**</poem>

	And then I saw Zeus' will take hold upon her.		And then I saw Zeus' will take hold upon her.