Condition Evolution 4 by Kevin Sinclair (parable of the sower read online .txt) 📗

Apochros had me training, like, the entire time on everything imaginable apart from my Wisdom stat. The Apochros have a special technique for training Wisdom. A few days ago, they attempted to use it with me.” I paused and looked at Ogun. “It involves using the door we mustn’t enter.”

“And you agreed to go through!? After everything I told you?”

“Well yeah, I couldn’t remember anything you told me, could I? But in any case, it’s not what you said it was. Maybe Ialos can explain the door slightly better than me,” I said, gesturing for her to talk.

“Certainly!” She seemed pleased to be included. “From what I understand, the Fystr fear to access this door. Is this correct?”

“Yes,” Ogun answered emphatically, “it is well documented that only death awaits any who enter. My mind is already running in circles with this revelation. I wonder, could it be the upper echelons of Fystr know about this? And intentionally discouraged us from using the area?”

“Perhaps, though I am not sure why. I should make it clear, the room is your subconscious,” Ialos replied to a wide-eyed Ogun. “While it is potentially dangerous, if you enter with a calm and clear mind, you should be fine. Even better if you can enter with someone who has experience navigating the area. At least until you become proficient, then it is an invaluable part of your mind to utilize.”

“How fascinating! And what do you use the room for specifically?” Ogun asked eagerly.

“Its uses are many, but in essence it allows you to access dreams. For training Shaun’s Wisdom, the plan was to have him imagine certain scenarios. In the Subconscious Room, they come to life, similarly to a dream, but you have much more control if you are mindful. Here Shaun could deal with the scenarios in a safe environment, while being encouraged to assess all his options and use good judgment to solve the problems we set. Ultimately allowing his Wisdom to develop.”

“That is astounding. I must look into this at some point!” Ogun declared and clapped his hands together with anticipation.

“I can provide support until you have developed enough awareness to navigate on your own. For now, we should allow Shaun to finish his story. I must confess, it will be of benefit to me to hear the details of what happened, as it’s been most hectic ever since.”

“Thanks, Ialos,” I said before continuing. “Okay, guys, long story short, we discovered a door in there that no one else has. It was all golden, like the energy that just surrounded me. I told the Apochros not to open it, they did anyway. They died; I got an Omni tank.”

“What do you think was beyond the door?” Ialos asked first, looking just as intense as Ember and Ogun.

“As far as I can tell, just the universe,” I replied.

Ember chuckled. “Just the bloody universe he says! Inside his bloody head!”

I sighed. “No, I don’t think the universe is in my head, Ember. I think the doorway is a link to the essence of the universe.” I explained about the future-me voice, and everything that happened in my Mindscape. “Now I have a reservoir of something called Omni Energy, that protects me from motherfuckers invading my mind!”

“You absolute jammy bastard!” Ember cried. “Only you could be mindwiped, attacked by two super-strong Apochros in your Subconscious, and be the only one to walk away with your memories intact and a new fucking superpower that no one else can have! Now, see if you can let me into your Mindscape. I need to see your stats!” She smiled, but it was an intense smile that brooked no argument.

“Sure, Ember, have a go and I’ll see if I can let you past.” Entering my Mindscape, I sought out the specific feeling from the concentration of Omni Energy. It seemed to already know Ember was going to make the attempt to enter. I moved to settle it swiftly with a mental command and it worked. Ember appeared, standing directly in front of my Cerebral Interface, staring at it silently.

“You absolute fucking wanker, Shaun,” she sighed. I grimaced as she stared at the numbers.

Name: Shaun

Age: 31 GY

Transcendence Level: 259

Strength: 364/1000

Agility: 208/1000

Speed: 206/1000

Intelligence: 241/1000?

Constitution: 480/1000

Wisdom: 35/1000?

Mental Resilience: 282/1000

Mental Clarity: 76%

Potential: 99%

Omni Saturation: 28%

“I mean, what in the actual fuck. I don’t care what torture training they did to you. You’re damn well doing it to me. I don’t care what it takes. I’ve increased one level since I last saw you! If we can replicate this on all of our human crew, we will have such a better chance.”

“It's not a pleasant experience. I wouldn’t wish it on anyone.”

“When is training ever pleasant?” Ember said, hands on her hips.

“I suppose if the Apochros would be willing to gift us training equipment, we can leave it down to personal preference.”

“I wasn’t going to make people do it, Shaun, what do you think I am?”

“Okay, I’ll ask Ialos if she can arrange it. Otherwise, I’m sure she’d be happy to help us create more on Uprising.”

“Oh, will she now? You two seem to have become awfully close. You haven’t developed Stockholm Syndrome, have you?” she said, eyeing me.

“I might have 241 Intelligence, but I have no idea what that even means,” I said, fidgeting uncomfortably.

Her eyes never left my face. “It means you fall in love with your captors?”

“Really? That seems a bit of a weird thing to happen,” I said, trying to my best to suppress any embarrassment.

“I was just fucking with you, Shaun; it doesn’t really mean you love, just that you develop a strong bond with them. Though from your expression, I’m a little bit sus now.” She narrowed her eyes, but she had a wry smirk on her face. I should have stopped talking then.

“Look, she was with me all day every day and I didn’t know who the fuck I was. I didn’t even know my own name. They were calling me bloody Vakuna, for god’s sake! Of course