Übermensch (3rd Edition)

Day 178, 09:22:19

I follow into bright, and falling white. Blinking, the Id EIS ocular field resolves red sunlight, filtered by swirling falling snowflakes, shining down upon a white-sparkling snow-blanketed courtyard which The Master is already striding across, its black robe slightly billowing from the motion, heading towards the center...

Endless.

(Go.)

I hurry after it.

"We will spend more time together," The Master promises me distractedly, its exhalations puffing white.

Joy. "If it please you!"

While we approach the empty center, marble-like steps slowly fade into view. They end abruptly, mid-air.

Conveyence?

The Master climbs halfway, then glances back.

I follow, halting beside it as the marble-like staircase begins a flowing ascent upwards through the swirling falling snowflakes, bringing us towards further Levels coming visible above...

"This is one of my residence quadrants," The Master states. "You will know them."

"Yes, Master Gabriel." Dutifully turning from it, I stare up at a vast second Level nearing: square like the shape of the Tower, this sprawling Level is separated, by darkly opaque partitions acting as walls, into four huge biome squares bound by the distant clear outerwalls of the Tower showing through to a bloated red sun hanging in the blue afternoon sky...

Hm. It seems reasonably sized.

When we reach the edge of this second Level, the rising marble-like stairs now smoothly transition into a flowing flat walkway bringing us alongside for a closer look at one huge square biome filled with white-lumped shapes as snowflakes keep falling everywhere. A darkly opaque partition obscures sight, then another similar square comes into view. I am memorizing every detail of it before we hit the corner of the Level and the conveyer smoothly transitions back into marble-like stairs bringing us upwards through the snow towards a vast, sprawling third Level...

Done.

Passing a certain threshold –

– rain patters upon us instead of snowflakes, endless droplets falling down in sheets. While still ascending, I look down towards a point in space where each raindrop silently explodes into white snowflakes which continue swirling downwards...

Hm. The technology is not impossible, but I wonder at its purpose in service.

... before we reach the edge of the third Level, the rising stairs transitioning back into a smooth conveyer bringing us alongside the edge past four more similarly partitioned biome squares.

Much better visibility here.

The first biome features a bright liquid pool rippling under the rain. A darkly opaque partition obscures sight, then the second biome can be seen to hold a rainy forest glade enfolding a lone cabin. A darkly opaque partition obscures sight again, then we hit the corner of the third Level and the conveyer transitions into rising marble-like stairs once more, bringing us up through the falling rain towards the fourth Level...

(Soon...)

I stare upwards towards grey, gently roiling clouds, drawing close. Passing a certain point –

– we pass into the grey. It is cold, damp and gently coiling as we reach the edge of what likely is the vast, sprawling fourth Level of this residence quadrant of the Master.