Overseer's Rise: A LitRPG Apocalypse, page 53
“What’s your point?”
“My point is that you humans and your minds are still narrowly defined.”
“And?”
“And that is the reason why your child suffers so.”
Rory’s head twisted back in the direction of Alex. Of the dark red cloud that was now writhing and twisting, the glinting stars now dying one by one. “What’s happening to them?”
“They are simply adjusting to a new way of thinking. A new way of being. Oh, it has been… I suppose you would call it aeons, but I still remember quite well what I had to go through.”
Rory grimaced. “I’m going to them.”
Viv let go of his arm. “Be careful.”
Nodding, Rory activated his Sigil of the Invigilator. The Plane Ruler didn’t seem to mind, likely because it was well aware that Rory could do nothing against it. When the Sigil activated, he concentrated on its power to transport him throughout the System Space, and soon found himself close to the nebula.
Rory blinked. It was a lot larger than he had thought. Easily as big as a stadium. The distance had been deceptive.
“Alex, can you hear me?” Rory considered reaching out, but then, what in the world was he supposed to touch? “It’s me. Dad.”
There was no answer, just as there hadn’t been with Viv, but something told him he was making progress. The nebula’s colour seemed an even darker shade of red than it had in the distance. Maybe Alex’s state of mind was affecting its hue, and the growing darkness wasn’t a great sign.
But his call had changed it. There had been a slight shift towards the scarlet end of the spectrum of the cloud’s colours. Maybe Rory was getting through to Alex.
He continued calling their name. Over and over. Within all the name-calling, he mixed in some other things too. He mentioned all the memories they had shared. Times like when only a small handful of Alex’s classmates had shown up to their birthday. When they had fed a griffin vulture on one of their trips. When they had all celebrated Viv getting a tenured position at work.
And slowly, in slight amounts, the cloud’s colour continued changing. The black became more and more red. Lighter. Alex was returning. Rory was sure of it.
“You do realize that it is a failure,” the surviving Plane Ruler said. “All your hopes and dreams, all the great and grand things you no doubt sought to accomplish with the power of a Plane Ruler, none of them are as easily reachable as you thought.”
Growling, Rory turned back to the lightning-shaped serpent. It was wriggling and sparking as usual, but he got the sense it was talking to Alex, not him.
“Have you never heard of the old adage?” it continued. “That power brings forth responsibility? That the stronger you grow, the more restricted you become through various means? Such is the case here. You cannot wield the strength of a Plane Ruler as indiscriminately as you had hoped. There are laws you must obey, rules that are forced upon you.”
“Enough!”
Rory twisted his head back. “Alex! Are you okay?”
His child didn’t answer. The cloud had turned stable again. While the stars no longer glowed within it, the gas had turned back to a dark shade of red instead of being completely black.
“That is enough,” Alex said. “I do… I do labour under new obstacles that I hadn’t foreseen. But that doesn’t matter. I do have power now. I can change things. For the better. And there is no one in the universe with the strength to stop me.”
“Is that so? And what sort of change are you going to bring?”
“I will end this ridiculous war you started. We can finally have peace in the world. We can finally—”
“Peace? What if this peace of yours goes against what those you would force it upon wants? Would you still inflict it on everyone?”
“Don’t make stupid arguments. Everyone wants peace. Just because their way of thinking has become so corrupted that they can’t recognize peace for what it is doesn’t mean it’s not good for them.”
The Plane Ruler wasn’t convinced. “Tell me. What happens when you add a new group into an already existing group?”
“What? What does that have to do…”
Rory’s face grew cold. That questions did have a lot to do with their current situation. After all, the Otherworlders were the new group to the Homeworlders’ already existing one.
“When a new group is granted the same space and time and resources as the old group, there will be conflict. Tension. Battle. You would like to argue about some sort of utopia, where everything is in abundance and there is space and time for everyone. That is not how reality works, unfortunately.”
“You’re saying this war of yours was unavoidable? That you facilitated what would have happened anyway?”
“As a Plane Ruler, we have many worlds to oversee, not just the one you came from. You should know that by now. You should also know that each of those worlds have their own context, just as yours does. Take a moment and think. What would happen if the Otherworlders had arrived peacefully to your world as it had been before the apocalypse.”
“That… that’s…”
Alex faltered. Rory swallowed, for he felt the implications of what the Plane Ruler had left unsaid as well. It was right. Things wouldn’t have gone well if the Otherworlders had simply chosen to appear.
In the previous incarnation of their world, resources might not have been extremely scarce, but they certainly weren’t free. Many were dwindling. Cases of homelessness ran amok for not insignificant chunks of the population, the lack of basic rights such as food, water, sanitation, and the like afflicted a great many people.
Imagine adding an entire planet’s worth of alien refugees into the mix. The impact that would have to their resources, the conflict that would arise as each nation tried to claim the right to host the Otherworlders, the sheer unrest it would cause if aliens were treated better than many people of the world were.
These were undeniable truths. Things one could hope to help with, to care greatly about, but could ultimately do little as individuals to fix. They required gradual, collaborative effort. And of course, there had been great strides over the course of humanity, great improvements made in those regards.
But they weren’t gone. Such issues still existed. In their current rendition, the world had certainly not been ready to entertain and host the Otherworlders.
Their arrival would have set off the same kind of unrest that the apocalypse had unleashed.
“That doesn’t justify anything,” Alex insisted. “You can’t just believe that destruction and war was how things would turn out.”
“Be that as it may,” the other Plane Ruler said. “It is all in the past. No point in dwelling on any of it. What shall you do now, Plane Ruler Alex? You must uphold your duties.”
Duties. Rory felt his mouth twisting. Clearly, there were strong limits to what Alex could accomplish that they hadn’t properly realized before. Limits that might just include forcing Alex to oversee this war. The very thing they had hoped to stop would now be their burden to carry out.
Unless…
“I will carry out my new duties as a Plane Ruler.” There was a calmness to their voice, a surety that had been missing before. “But they won’t be what you assume.”
It seemed Alex had arrived at a similar understanding as Rory.
The lightning-serpent froze and stopped flickering. “Oh?”
“The duty of a Plane Ruler is to oversee their side and ensure that the balance between the Homeworlders and the Otherworlders is continued. That is all.”
“And this balance is achieved by ensuring that both sides have the tools they need to overcome the other.”
“Correct. But this overcoming doesn’t have to be a war.”
The lightning-serpent started fidgeting again. Rory couldn’t help but smile. They had arrived at the crucial point in this whole setup. The war wasn’t necessary.
What the Plane Rulers—and by extension, the Invigilators—had to stick to was conflict.
“And how do you suppose you will carry out this new idea of yours?” the Plane Ruler asked.
Rory felt Alex’s regard turn back to him. “I think our new Invigilator will be able to help.”
Chapter 65
The idea felt… a little preposterous. An Invigilator? Rory?
He had been fighting against those things for so long, the idea of being one of them automatically sounded abhorrent. Why would Rory want to become a creature whose sole purpose was to enact the will of this whole apocalyptic system? Why would he wish to assume a role that would force him to force others to carry out a war against one another?
But a moment of thought reminded him that there was more to it than that. That Alex might have other intentions—no, they did have other intentions besides war—and that Rory could help them carry it out as an Invigilator.
If he didn’t, then a new one would be found, and that would likely prove a great obstacle to the whole goal of ending the war.
“An Invigilator?” the lightning-serpent said, little flickering bolts escaping from all over its body. “A mere mortal? Preposterous, and you know it.”
“A mere mortal is now a Plane Ruler.” That was a good point. “There will be changes and adjustments, a realignment to new duties and responsibilities, just as there was with me. We have no better candidate.”
“You are ignorant of the greater plane, new one. There are many more—”
“Perhaps. But at the moment, my concern is the world that is in the greatest upheaval. I have seen much, Qewrewvcbas. We both know that this world that I speak of is the one that requires our greatest attention. After all, two Invigilators have been lost in the line of duty.”
The lightning-serpent had no reply to that. So, Alex turned to Rory.
Strangely, the feeling was the same he’d had when the other Plane Ruler had turned its attention upon him. Alex had truly become one of them now. Their aura, their regard, their whole presence had turned to a level that could only be described as godly. It was intense.
“Dad,” Alex said. Their voice was loud and clear in his head. “Do you accept this assignment? You will become an Invigilator. You will turn into a being no longer human, someone who will be tasked with looking after everyone encompassed by the system, not just those in the palace.”
Rory swallowed. The decision was certainly not going to be easy. This was made worse by the fact that it was a choice that had only one good option.
But before Rory could answer, Viv joined him.
“This is a little crazy, Alex,” she said. “You’re going to turn your father into one of those monsters that tried to rip our family apart? To become one of the system’s grunts?”
“Mom.” Alex’s voice had a mollifying tone now. They knew not to let Viv get too angry. “We don’t have many good choices. Tell me, what’s more important here? Our happiness as a family, or the lives and hopes and dreams of everyone who’s still alive back home?”
Viv’s expression was so conflicted, Rory wanted to reach out and pull her into a big hug. She was on the verge of crying. He understood her, though. After all, one of his dear wishes had been the proper reunification of his family, where he, his wife, and his child could all be together under one roof again.
That was a forlorn dream. They had duties now. Important tasks. Things they couldn’t easily brush off just because their priority was supposed to be their loved ones.
“There has to be a better way,” Viv said. “It’s your father we’re talking about, Alex.”
“Yes. Who better to take care of the world than the man who’s done the most for it?”
“Wouldn’t the man who’s done the most for it deserve some sort of break? A reward for his services and a sendoff into a proper retirement?”
“I’m sorry, mom. There really isn’t anyone better who can carry out the responsibilities we need than dad.”
“They’re right, dear,” Rory said, keeping his tone calm and quiet. He didn’t want to the argument to spill over into outright anger, so he had grabbed Viv by her upper arm and pulled her close for a sideways hug. “We need to do this. I need to do this. The world is depending on us to succeed here.”
Viv came close at his tug, allowing herself to be enveloped in his arms. It was a little awkward what with her holding onto the others with her Thunderclaw arm. But as soon as she was in his embrace, she shook a little and started to sob softly.
Rory brushed her hair. “We’ll still see each other again. I’m sure of it. Maybe not in the same capacity as we did before, but I won’t be leaving you or Alex, no matter what.”
Bold words, but true nevertheless. Rory had no intention of ever leaving his family.
“What in the world would making your parent an Invigilator even accomplish?” the lightning-serpent asked. “What do you hope to influence to that degree?”
“A new way of resolving the war between the Homeworlders and the Otherworlders,” Alex said.
“Oh? And how do you propose to do that?”
“All we need is a separate form of conflict,” Rory said.
The lightning-serpent flickered brighter and more urgently than ever. “You cannot hope to think you can provide a substitute form of entertainment. Do you have any idea how many people are determined to watch the war? How many viewers it has from all over the universe?”
Rory didn’t have the full scope of the knowledge about just how much of a vehicle of entertainment this war was, but what he heard only left him hollow instead of the outrage he had been expecting. Truck had already revealed that there were other Observers, that the war had resulted in a strange economy of sorts over the universe.
“Entertainment,” Alex said. “It’s all just a source of entertainment for the likes of you, isn’t it?”
“Such a grand, long-scale event can be a vehicle for many different things, new one. You will learn.”
“I have learned all that I need to. That is enough for me.”
An alternate conflict. Rory’s mind was trying to come up with the different source of entertainment that would satisfy the Plane Rulers and all the other Observers, and he was pretty certain they wouldn’t settle for a soap opera.
A conflict that didn’t depend on constant war between the two main factions. Something with heart, but ideally, something that would bring the two sides together instead of forcing them apart.
Or perhaps, a different kind of conflict.
“I know what to do, Alex,” Rory said.
The large nebula’s regard fell upon him again like a waterfall crashing down. He felt as though he was in an abstract deluge.
“What’s your idea, dad?” Alex asked.
“Simple. Why don’t we give the Homeworlders and the Otherworlders the same enemy to fight?”
“What are you speaking of?” the lightning-serpent asked. “They already do so.”
“If you mean that they must both contend with the same kinds of monsters, then yes perhaps. But think of it this way. These monsters aren’t too powerful. They’re beasts and taking them down doesn’t need any cooperation between the Homeworlders and the Otherworlders. I want to change that.”
Alex’s regard seemed to sharpen. “You mean like, unleashing something like the Corebeast? A monster powerful enough that would require both sides to act together to beat?”
Rory turned to face the lightning-serpent. “If this is some kind of weird show to you and your kind, then tell me—what was the general sentiment when the Corebeast first appeared?” His mouth tightened. “If I remember right, it took a while before the Invigilator finally came to stop the monster, and that was only because they actually wanted to capture Alex.”
The lightning-serpent was still for a while. “The audience was quite enjoying the Corebeast’s actions, I will admit. They were interested to see how it would be counteracted by the Otherworlders and the Homeworlders. The Invigilator’s eventual interruption was… was not looked upon kindly.”
Rory smiled. “Just as I figured. What you all really do want is entertainment. Plain and simple. So, Plane Ruler, why don’t you let this Invigilator determine how exactly that entertainment will be carried out? If it fails, you can freely remove me. But for all you know, this will usher in a new direction for you to take this… show of yours.”
“Show. Such a crude statement. You must understand, each little world is a test case. A scenario where things can either unravel, or turn into something that can be of benefit. A framework for the rest to follow.”
“A framework?”
“Yes. Think of it as a contest that determines who truly deserves to survive.”
There was a lot Rory could say to that. Thinking only those who won some battle deserved to live and the rest ought to die was a warped way of living. It was wrong on too many levels. Strength shouldn’t be the determining factor of someone’s standing in life, much less the deciding factor on whether one ought to live in the first place.
That was the way animals lived, not how a civilized people should conduct themselves.
“I think I know of a way we can stop this and keep everyone happy,” Rory said.
Both Plane Rulers looked at him, their regard smothering him with great weight. He bore it well enough, though. After all, he was supposed to be the new Invigilator.
Rory glanced at Viv, who had finally steadied herself. Her earlier misgivings had been laid to rest. In its place, all that was left was the same steely resolve that had turned her into such a force of nature in this apocalypse.
She nodded at him. Viv understood. Ever since the apocalypse had begun, Rory had been trying and trying to fight against it, to maintain some semblance of sanity in the madness all around. And all the while, he had done so while remaining a part of that constant struggle between chaos and order, between war and peace.
