…copyright protection131ＰＥＮＡＮＡHt3xONQwlq
The Enclosed Integrated System (EIS) eyes blink repeatedly, to view the oval cell around me which is white, bare, and made of strong material. I am standing. Memory slowly blooms within me…copyright protection131ＰＥＮＡＮＡWogBAzNLkB
“Attend,” orders a disembodied voice, after which a circular portal of empty space smoothly irises open in the curved white wall ahead of me, showing through to twinkling dim…copyright protection131ＰＥＮＡＮＡib7B9Gy5v1
Curious.copyright protection131ＰＥＮＡＮＡhcvlJk8AQu
I step through the portal and out into a dim dark hall filled with slow, floating motes of mysterious pale-green luminescence. A blue glow gently forms upon the dark floor beneath the EIS feet (me), then moves forward in a line…copyright protection131ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1MShotRceb
Follow.copyright protection131ＰＥＮＡＮＡOwnV8wBGC7
I follow the blue glow down the hall, around the corner and through another portal –copyright protection131ＰＥＮＡＮＡIUkef4ynFo
– into another white cell. Turning back again, I see the portal smoothly iris shut to seal me inside before successive waves of blue light PULSE up from floor to ceiling…copyright protection131ＰＥＮＡＮＡRGbKYAdPMs
Brightness above…copyright protection131ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1AYpv6W7Ny
I pass up, and outside…copyright protection131ＰＥＮＡＮＡfwszKHDj5i
This is all like a dream memory of something never before experienced in the flesh…copyright protection131ＰＥＮＡＮＡHXZTHXtVNf
Wind blows soil-fragrance, and puffy white clouds are in geometrically perfect lines across an incredible azure sky. I smoothly rise up into rows of tended barley lined perpendicular across the rich soil, then gently stop. Below me, the circular white platform seamlessly melds into the dirt. The blue glow moves forward through this naturalistic scene, towards a barn. But…copyright protection131ＰＥＮＡＮＡnOQmeltatg
Something about this place is not quite right.copyright protection131ＰＥＮＡＮＡIIMbixTWQY
I pass by rows of barley, where –copyright protection131ＰＥＮＡＮＡfyVesDbWzZ
Everything changes.copyright protection131ＰＥＮＡＮＡcXN2j1oNcR
I blink.copyright protection131ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4UAR6SoZPf
Wind now howls at night on a dark city street where a lone streetlamp shines in the gloomy distance…copyright protection131ＰＥＮＡＮＡX4OTihxud6
Something about this place is ALSO not quite right.copyright protection131ＰＥＮＡＮＡup3hrnjPbv
The blue leads me towards that distant light, a long trek between endless shuttered tenements spread under an endless blanket of cold stars, before turning down a dark alley. Immediately: a menacing growl begins issuing from the black end…copyright protection131ＰＥＮＡＮＡHfqh6wavwZ
I head forward without hesitation, where –copyright protection131ＰＥＮＡＮＡKt4znnQUS4
Everything changes.copyright protection131ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1mt5DVsXKD
Hm.copyright protection131ＰＥＮＡＮＡssTTJZqUuW
A vast white square of that strong white material is below the EIS feet (me) standing upon it, surrounded by dark sky purpling, and a breeze of thin air…copyright protection131ＰＥＮＡＮＡUfqYPNmGIe
Presence.copyright protection131ＰＥＮＡＮＡKJAdOe8hbT
I turn.copyright protection131ＰＥＮＡＮＡVElOy5NY0i
Twelve identical beings – tall, black-robed, grey-skinned, and crowned by a circlet of dark thorns – are standing at the nearest edge of this vast white square. In unison: they turn, eyes flashing. “You will serve me.”copyright protection131ＰＥＮＡＮＡUVylTn8g3R
A shiver runs down the EIS spine...copyright protection131ＰＥＮＡＮＡuNA41ojaGv
Pleasurable.copyright protection131ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4BappIvdHw
“I will serve.”copyright protection131ＰＥＮＡＮＡvCr3Xlr6Bu
Each points to their own feet. “Kneel before me.”copyright protection131ＰＥＮＡＮＡX5iyajXuuD
After hesitating, I walk to the nearest, and kneel. I stand back up, walk to the next, and kneel. I stand back up, walk to –copyright protection131ＰＥＮＡＮＡZye9YDStQz
Overlapping laughter. “The tweaks in your design are effective,” they announce in unison. “You are different.”copyright protection131ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0mcrq9NRfp
I…copyright protection131ＰＥＮＡＮＡmdvFLFYIas
All of them vanish with almost-simultaneous terrible CLAPS of wondrous sound…copyright protection131ＰＥＮＡＮＡl90AjYecs5
Except one.copyright protection131ＰＥＮＡＮＡMtrYVS8IKo
Oh.copyright protection131ＰＥＮＡＮＡ76BCLniK5s
Something previously waiting dormant inside of me settles, then begins filling me with an all-consuming devotion, and love...copyright protection131ＰＥＮＡＮＡdrCe2Wdg9G
Endless.copyright protection131ＰＥＮＡＮＡlV9NU4F2Np
I walk before it, and kneel.copyright protection131ＰＥＮＡＮＡqUw2xipP2v
“Rise.”copyright protection131ＰＥＮＡＮＡigXVuZSHf1
I stand.copyright protection131ＰＥＮＡＮＡoBXxoRB3Uo
The Superior Being turns away from me and resumes looking beyond the edge of the vast white square…copyright protection131ＰＥＮＡＮＡsljZnRhMGj
I wait.copyright protection131ＰＥＮＡＮＡiZAfV4fNMv
“What do you see?” The Superior Being finally asks me, while still gazing out.copyright protection131ＰＥＮＡＮＡPa6NIuFkxz
I come to stand beside it, looking beyond the… roof, of the Tower, across a landscape of mist spreading out kilometers below. Farther afield, where the mist begins to thin, are the silhouettes of twisted trees, and the horizon beyond is a glimmering shoreline where waxing dawn remains a pink blush. “I see land.”copyright protection131ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ0U2ZiTg5A
It frowns. “I am The Master. You see my Domain.”copyright protection131ＰＥＮＡＮＡAnAaDvfSj2
I consider.copyright protection131ＰＥＮＡＮＡo8duVVYAfw
Yes, The Master owns. I remember: The Master owns the land, The Master owns the Tower, and… The Master owns me. Oh.copyright protection131ＰＥＮＡＮＡaYx51wnUNs
“I did not fully understand the question,” I clarify. “Yes. I see your Domain.”copyright protection131ＰＥＮＡＮＡvoP5ztBPlU
The Master nods, then looks at me intently. “What do YOU own?”copyright protection131ＰＥＮＡＮＡRK24eY0dzf
Anxiety flushes the Id EIS face at this inappropriate question. “I am not The Master. I do not own.”copyright protection131ＰＥＮＡＮＡJJdgOfNc9B
“Relax.”copyright protection131ＰＥＮＡＮＡEFZuKzXloj
I relax.copyright protection131ＰＥＮＡＮＡgg3ilhhluQ
The Master nods, its expression growing thoughtful. “Certain emotional responses are expected, considering the Id EIS design.” A pause. “And my own. Hm.” It begins humming distractedly, and walks from the edge of the vast white roof…copyright protection131ＰＥＮＡＮＡAeAOup3iBd
I follow.copyright protection131ＰＥＮＡＮＡTgSTKDsHZQ
A low thrumming, then we begin rising upon a white platform seamlessly upwelling from the previously solid white roof. Tiers of white follow, forming into a stepped structure which drips up liquid globules of that strong material, each silvering into display screens floating into wide orbit around a portal opening in the exact center of the top platform to birth upwards a techno-throne. Then everything smoothly STOPS, locking into place as a white rooftop pyramid.copyright protection131ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1f64yrmQMQ
(Power…)copyright protection131ＰＥＮＡＮＡGn5hcAGgSi
The Master sits upon its throne.copyright protection131ＰＥＮＡＮＡuLynEj0700
I kneel. “Master.”copyright protection131ＰＥＮＡＮＡX1g46OvsEi
“Rise.”copyright protection131ＰＥＮＡＮＡilGoDTYk9Q
I do so.copyright protection131ＰＥＮＡＮＡCECb1hu2ov
“You are as I hoped: an Attendant strong and quick-thinking. But…” The Master purses its grey lips. “I would prefer you to call me by my name.”copyright protection131ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2mwjqC7W5M
“What is your name?”copyright protection131ＰＥＮＡＮＡen8VMLOK5Y
It smiles. “My name is Gabriel.”copyright protection131ＰＥＮＡＮＡAICdUDuoFT
“Yes, Master Gabriel.”copyright protection131ＰＥＮＡＮＡTIfq1F39C8
“You will be called Id.”copyright protection131ＰＥＮＡＮＡWQw4MiQA3W
Id…copyright protection131ＰＥＮＡＮＡyDFaRzOlYt
The Enclosed Integrated System (EIS) permanently imprints with the name: Id…copyright protection131ＰＥＮＡＮＡfScujdamnM
… and afterwards, I use the mouth of the now fully configured Id EIS to again say: “yes, Master Gabriel.”copyright protection131ＰＥＮＡＮＡvjD2oplf0o
It frowns. “Are you being impertinent?”copyright protection131ＰＥＮＡＮＡcy2RJTrxep
“Never!” I protest.copyright protection131ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1tidYBr8YO
The Master still remains frowning. “The Tower is my home, and a place you will inhabit at my will. Memories and knowledge of my Domain are implanted in you, but a tour by my sAI node will demonstrate that it took.”copyright protection131ＰＥＮＡＮＡVu8zwxYRNY
SUDDENLY: I am standing several meters away again via an unknown spatial technology. The orbiting screens are ahead of me now, obscuring –copyright protection131ＰＥＮＡＮＡfZxhRhbiOp
“Id,” calls a feminine voice.copyright protection131ＰＥＮＡＮＡIQT13SCv1B
Other.copyright protection131ＰＥＮＡＮＡkW5tvB0utO
I turn, then stare down towards the lowest tier of the white pyramidal rooftop. Silhouetted against a vista of The Master’s Domain, with dawn warming red behind it…copyright protection131ＰＥＮＡＮＡtJO01FicY6
Floats a golden sphere. “Let us begin.”copyright protection131ＰＥＮＡＮＡCHXvI0nlwo
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