"Man, they are really going at it." Walker said as the two Manticores rolled through the forest. At first glance, he would think the male was stabbing the female with the bottom of his tail, but they all knew what was really happening.

Virgil mumbled, "Mmmmm, Yes. Do you believe that, based on the context of this moment, this counts as watching pornography?"

"Perverts!" Zeus yelled as he stood up near the tree.

"You have no right to say that." Echidna reminded him with a soft-spoken voice. Zeus sat back down without saying anything further.

Walker clicked off the monitor, "Yeah, I can't watch that anymore, it is just wrong." He walked over to the newly upgraded evolution chambers and stared for a moment, before turning and speaking to Virgil. "I still don't get why the alpha protocol didn't have some form of immortality."

Virgil nodded before saying, "Yes, I can understand how it would be difficult to see. First, you have to have an idea of how the genetic structure of such a thing would work. Not only would the original genetic line have to be quite varied for that specific evolutionary trait to appear, but you would also have to recognize it. Your world is not only vast in its genetic structures, but also quite advanced in its technology. That is rare."

"Okay, I see what you're saying."

"Indeed. Then, a creator would need to recognize it, and target it within an evolution chamber that must be rewarded from the protocol. They would then need to extract it using primordial energy, as it is the building material of the universe and has very few restrictions. Following that, it would then have to be downloaded into the protocol, for its evolutionary use, and selectably added to unique entities with restrictions. If an entity gains this evolution, and there are no restrictions applied, it could drain all of the primordial energy on a planet, while also forcing its cells to constantly either revert back in age until they eventually disappear due to conception, or the cells could stack on top of one another until the being grows to the size of a planet, or more."

"So we got lucky?"

"No, I would not call it luck. There are some instances of chance within the alpha protocol, but in this instance, it is about the history of your home planet. I told you at the start that you had great genetic variation, and that it was quite the boon. Add in your first battle's addition of Magic, and the Tree of the God's addition of soul power, and you have a quite powerful Creator with almost unlimited options. It was you who recognized the Immortal Jellyfish, and you only knew about it because of Earth's technology. It was always going to happen, but you were in the right place, at the right time, to bring it forth."

"That sounds like luck."

"Tomatoes and potatoes."

"That's not the quote. I don't want to contradict you, as you're signing my praises, but it still feels like luck. Although, Thomas Jefferson once said, I am a great believer in luck. And I find the harder I work the more I have of it. I'm guessing that's what you're trying to say here."

"Just so."

Walker looked at his time remaining and grimaced. They would have to advance the world's time if they wanted their entities to be at a level where they could compete with other creators. Walker had fifty-eight years in his temporal resources, so he had to make a decision to either advance the world now or add more entities before doing so. As much as he wanted to create and seed sapients, or sentient people, there wasn't enough time to really dive into the meat and bones of doing so, while also ensuring a sense of balance in Symphony. He was fairly certain that they needed to advance now and gain the rewards that would occur, but he wanted to ask his two assistants first.

"What do you guys think?" Walker asked them, both turning to look at him. "We'll probably have a few mini...mini-manticores to deal with if we only advance Symphony a few years. We could also just dive into the full fifty, and allow our newest Mana Trees to mature. This would also cause our current Mana Trees to reach peak adulthood and give Symphony a larger amount of pure unattuned magic."

"Hrmm." They both said, almost in sync. Virgil spoke first, "I believe you should reach for the full fifty years. You will still have-" He looked at his screen. "Eight years remaining in your resources after advancing the world, and as I stated earlier, the system has a tendency to give you more temporal resources at the end of a battle."

"I want to change that a little." Rimi said. "I think we should advance it a year just to see what happens with the mini-manticores."

"Why?" Walker asked.

"Because we need to know if they're going to destroy Symphony in those fifty years. If we find they're on a destructive path, you can find a way to isolate them, and we are okay. But if we complete the full fifty and do not know how they will act, there could be trouble."

"Smart." Virgil approved.

"Let me see if I can." Walker said, and clicked Time. He selected the edge of the planet, and then tried to unselect the mini-manticore's forest. It wouldn't let him. "That is a no-go." He told the two squirrels. Walker turned to Virgil as he pulled up his monitor and zoomed in on the golden Manticore. "Virgil, how long do you think the gestation period is for the female?"

"That is hard to guess. They are mammals if I am not mistaken, and judging by the memories from your past, I believe will have a gestational period of around three months. I am basing this on their size, as well as the belief that they will be placental in reproduction."

"Then I suggest three months." Rimi replied.

"Okay, so we'll advance Symphony by three months and figure this out. Any issues?" He said to everyone on his tiny planet. After receiving no responses from anyone, he clicked on Symphony and advanced it three months. They watched in fascination as the golden manticore's monitor continued to watch it during its travels in fast forward. The tree primigenials joined them as time sped forward, with the golden manticore's belly swelling and growing distended from her body. She was having trouble hunting after two months had passed, and following a large meal that she'd painstakingly gained through patience and cunning strategy, she settled down near a tree in the forest. Just as it looked like her body was about to explode, Walker turned off the fast-forward early. He looked at his resources and found they had spent a little over two and a half months. The golden manticore was on the ground and breathing heavily, straining against nature pushing at her body to bear her children. The black manticore was nowhere to be seen, and they hadn't viewed it in the monitor since its first creation and eventual mingling with the female. It had run off to the depths of the forest as if frightened of what would follow. Walker's overlay lit up.

 

Subsystem Assistant task complete: Train the assistant: Series 1

Subsystem assistant requirements:

Assistant is assigned to a subsystem: Yes

Assistant is autonomous: Yes

Assistant completes work continuously without calamity: 7/7 Days

Reward for completion: Gain a second subsystem assistant.

...

Subsystem Assistant Task: Train the assistant: Series 2

A subsystem assistant can be difficult to work with. If they are not allocated a creator's memories, they come as a blank slate with only the universal translater applied and a low amount of knowledge. To gain the most use out of your assistant, train them in how to use their specific subsystem and

encourage them to gain their work autonomy so you may focus on other work.

Subsystem assistant requirements:

Assistant is assigned to a subsystem: No

Assistant is autonomous: No

Assistant completes work continuously without calamity: 0/7 Days

Reward for completion: Gain a third subsystem assistant.

- - -

 

System task complete: Design a system: Series 1

System design requirements:

System is found to be balanced and consistent: Yes

System allows for growth: Yes

System is applied to world continuously without calamity: 7/7 Days

Reward for completion: Gain the ability to create a second system.

...

System task given: Design a system: Series 2

While other creators may rely on the survival of the fittest or technological expansion, the alpha protocol has provided you with the means to create your own path toward gaining strength. Build a system that encourages your entities to grow.

System requirements:

System is found to be balanced and consistent: No

System allows for growth: No

System is applied to world continuously without calamity: 0/7 Days

Reward for completion: Gain the ability to create a third system.

- - -

 

Walker looked at his overlay and found a new spot for the next subsystem assistant. Clicking on system, he found the same to be true for it as well. He knew he could pull some shenanigans and push the subsystem assistant button again, but he could see Virgil glaring at him from the corner of his eye and wisely held back. He looked at the monitor as the only woman in his part of the universe spoke near him.

"I knew a man who bred these once, albeit they were much larger and more dangerous." Echidna remarked from beside Walker. "I have no idea how he did it, but I do remember him saying something specific. He said, you would never expect what we're about to see."

"What are we about to see?" Virgil asked, but she didn't respond, just kept watching the monitor with her yellow eyes.

The golden manticore screamed, and a tearing sound rippled out of the monitor. Multiple grey and yellow mini-mini-manticores came out of her, covered in deep red blood, and fell into a pile on top of each other.

"Holy shit. There's eight of them." Walker said in shock.

"Yes, five females and three males." Virgil said with immediacy.

"They'll fuck up everything."

"Watch." Echidna reminded them.

The eight manticores rolled around on the ground and started to try to stand on their four legs. They were shaky, reminding Walker of those video's he'd seen where a baby horse first learned to walk. Most of them were around the same size except for one grey one that was bigger than the rest by half. It gained its bearings quickly and began to hiss at the other seven. Soon enough they all joined in, glaring and hissing at each other. The larger one curled its tail, dripping venom falling off its stinger, and plunged it into the eye of a yellow sibling next to it.

"Jesus!" Walker yelled as it killed its own sister no more than a few minutes after birth.

"There can be only one." Echidna whispered, as they all jumped in on the action. Some used their teeth, while others brought their tails to bear. The nails on their claws were buttery soft from what could be seen as their attempts to slice each other was a moot point, but their teeth and stingers were sharpened and deadly. They scrounged around and committed siblicide as their first act upon the world. The mother looked exhausted and just lay there watching this occur with no emotional response that could be seen. When the metaphorical dust settled, only the large male and a smaller female remained. The male looked to be in quite a large amount of pain, with pieces of it torn out by teeth, and tiny holes on its body. The female, however, was in relatively good shape, having stayed out of most of the fighting and only darting in to finish off its siblings at need. It was a battle of brains versus brawn.

"I wager on the male." Zeus said dispassionately.

"Of course." Echidna replied with a roll of her eyes. "I wager on the female."

"What exactly do you have to wager?" Walker asked with curiosity. "You both have nothing but the clothes on your back."

"Excellent point." Zeus replied, and pulled off his robe, revealing why they called him the King.

"Come on!" Walker screamed at the godly revelation. "I don't want to see that."

"You are the first to say so." Zeus responded with a haughty grin. Echidna had also removed her clothes at this point and revealed an athletic and hairless body, her body showing none of the rigors childbirth placed unfairly upon women. They placed their clothes into a pile in front of the monitor as the two baby manticores circled each other. Walker tried to look at neither and focus on the battle. The female was quick, and kept darting in and quickly injecting her small amount of venom into the mangled body of her brother. The larger manticore attempted to grab her tail with his teeth, trying to gain the upper-hand, but the golden manticore's speed was too great. At one point, the female took a risk and tried to take out one of the grey manticore's eyes, but it shifted its head at the last moment and bit the tip off of her stinger. She screamed in rage and ran directly at him in her agony-induced madness, approaching certain death as her cunning faded to the pain. The male jumped in the air over her and swung its own stinger down, intending to impale through her and into the ground, but she wasn't as crazed as it seemed. She dodged to the side, and as he landed, jumped onto his back and bit into the rear side of his neck. He died with a gargle as air breached the gap in his body. She stood up from his back and hissed at the sky, then walked toward her mother, damaged tail dragging behind her.

"He said that many manticores would be born, but only one would survive the battle. He also said there was a tendency for the females to be born with more intelligence." She finished, putting her clothes back on and throwing Zeus's robe onto the ground near Walker's computer. "Let that stay there for all to know how I defeated the mighty Zeus!" She said, walking back toward the tree and laughing. Zeus had cherry cheeks....on his face....and walked back toward the tree behind her with his head down. He had not had a lot of victories since escaping his prison.

"The mother will care for her." Rimi guessed, still watching the monitor.

"You don't think the male is going to try to impregnate his own daughter right?" Walker asked.

"I am unsure." Rimi said.

"Keep an eye on them if you can. But, I think it's time to advance things." Walker said, looking at his timer and the eternal stress it had placed on him since its inception. They had about nineteen hours remaining and he needed a mental break soon, although awakening had certainly helped bring a sense of balance.

"I agree." Virgil said simply, with a nod from Rimi.

"Here...." Walker opened up the temporal subsystem and clicked the planet "we...." He chose to advance it fourty-nine years and nine months "go..." He clicked the button.

The three primigenials turned and looked at Walker, as he grabbed his head from the flood of information striking his overlay. He closed his eyes but the Overlay was actually projected to his mind, so he couldn't escape it. As things calmed down, he scanned the notifications.

 

.....Scanning.....

 

Tasks updated!

- - -

Ecology task complete: Build a planetary functioning ecosystem: Part 3

Build a functioning planetary ecosystem that will maintain the balance of your entire world.

Planetary functioning ecosystem built: 1

Reward for completion: Landmass system upgrade

 

All ecology tasks completed. New task allocated.

- - -

 

.....Scanning....

 

Optional tasks updated!

Optional tasks assigned to creator Dante:

 

Religion task: Find one follower for the Dante religion: Part 1

Religions are the foundations for morality in the world. With the Avatar ability, a Creator can walk upon the land of their world and proselytize their grand work. Find a follower, and spread the word of Dante.

One follower gained: 0/1

Reward for completion: The Follower system

 

- - -

 

World task complete: Create atmospheric conditions that allow for natural weather: Part 2

Continuous weather applied without calamity: 7/7 Days

Reward for completion: The Weather system

...

New world task: Create a star that allows for a day and night cycle: Part 3

The alpha protocol is still assisting creators by granting sight to its entities. Create a cycle for night and day, and remove your dependence upon the protocol.

Continuous day and night cycles without calamity: 0/7 Days

Reward for completion: The Portal system

- - -

 

Evolution task complete: Evolve an entity: Part 2

New evolved entities: 2/2

Reward for completion: The Alpha ability

...

New evolution task given: Evolve an entity: Part 3

Evolution is the heart of all creation. Technology can bridge the gap, but it can never fully allow entities to grow on their own. Evolve five entities and continue to grow your entities.

New evolved entities: 0/5

Reward for completion: The Empowerment ability

 

....

 

Evolution task complete: Evolve an entity: Part 3

New evolved entities: 5/5

Reward for completion: The Empowerment ability

.....

New evolution task given: Evolve an entity: Part 4

Faster and further do your entities reach with their evolutions. You have evolved eight of your entities, and their strength is awesome to behold. Evolve ten more.

New evolved entities: 0/10

Reward for completion: The Domestication ability

 

.....

 

Evolution task complete: Evolve an entity: Part 4

New evolved entities: 10/10

Reward for completion: The Domestication ability

......

New evolution task given: Evolve an entity: Part 5

Faster and further do your entities reach with their evolutions. You have evolved eight of your entities, and their strength is awesome to behold. Evolve ten more.

New evolved entities: 22/25

Reward for completion: Landmass system upgrade

 

Reward for completing the ecology series of tasks:

Congratulations Dante! Your Landmass system has upgraded!

The Landmass system is directly tied to the act of Creation. More than entities and evolutions, the Creator's world is dependent on the environment they're attempting to cultivate. With this upgrade, the copy ability is greatly upgraded, and will now work on already placed landmasses. Copied landmasses will receive a full refund of creation instrument materials.

 

Reward for completing the second world task:

Congratulations Dante! You've gained the Weather system!

The Weather system allows the Creator to have a direct impact on their world's weather pattern, and regulate what occurs after. This system can be quite tumultuous, and any changes made to weather pattern's must be done sparingly.

 

Reward for completing the second evolution task:

Congratulations Dante! You've unlocked the Alpha ability!

Choose one of your entities and allow it to become the alpha of its entire Genus. This will increase the entity's strength, speed, and intelligence. Initial selection may cause the new alpha great pain.

Limit: Use of the alpha ability is restricted to once per genus strain. May be used on the same genus upon the death or destruction of the previous alpha.

 

Reward for completing the third evolution task:

Congratulations Dante! You've unlocked the Empowerment ability!

Choose one of your entities and grant it the ability to gain power for short periods of time. Beware this ability, as once it has run its course, it will need time to rest.

 

Reward for completing the fourth evolution task:

Congratulations Dante! You've unlocked the Domestication ability!

The Creator may select an entity and selectively delete evolutions and modifications that are not harmonious with their world.

Limit: One evolution per entity may be removed. One modification per entity may also be removed.

Upgradeable.

 

"Fuck me running." Walker said as he finished reading through the updates. He looked over everything, and it all seemed straightforward to him, although he had no idea how to create a night and day cycle. It looked like the monster system had worked as intended, with the evolutionary chain finally getting some much-needed love. One specific new task confused him though, "What is the follower system?"

The three primigenials jumped up in synchrony, then ran over to Walker from the Tree of the Gods and crowded around him. Zeus, still very much naked, grew so excited he tried to grab his arms and lift him. The god unceremoniously bounced off of the protocol shield and fell to the ground, his divine bits flapping in the air.

Echidna tsked at him on the grass with a shake of her head, and looked at Walker, saying "You received a notification about the follower system?"

"Yeah. It said if I get a follower, I can start that system up, but I have no idea what it means." Walker replied, trying not to watch the muscular form of Zeus picking himself up off the ground. He turned to face her.

She took in a deep breath, her face holding a satisfied cast to it. "It means, dear, dear, Walker, that your world is now primed for the release of our fellow primigenials. Our power starts with the soul, and ends with our followers. But there is one large part you're missing to create a religion within the alpha protocol."

"What's that?" Walker asked, still itching to look at the changes to his world.

"You need a formalized holy book. I see that you already have a writing implement on the ground near your creation instrument, that will do." As she finished speaking, she began to wave her hands in a pattern Walker had seen only once before.

"Noooo!"

 

.....Scanning.....

Optional Tasks Updated!

- - -

New Primigenial task: Write a Holy Scripture:

What do you believe in Walker? Who are you? Build a religion for all.

Volumes Completed: 0/10

Task giver: Echidna, Mother of Monsters

Reward for completion: Fertility Modification

 

"Damn it! I did not want people to see my stupid thoughts."

"What did you think scriptures were?" Echidna asked with a slanted smile.

---

 

 

The bald young woman stood up from the ruined corpse she had collapsed upon, breathing heavily as blood welled and dripped from different parts of her face and body. She pulled her Morningstar out of the wreckage and walked up to her mentor who stood only feet away.

 

...

.....Scanning.....

Candidacy Updated!

 

Champion quest complete: Defeat another candidate's champion.

Champion defeated: 1/1

Reward for completion: The Removal Ability

...

Step 3: Eliminate all life forms within your chosen vicinity.

Destruction is your cause, and returning the primordial energy to the root of all creation is your mission. Let no one encroach upon where you build your base of operations, and take over that which has failed the multiverse.

Life forms eliminated: 0/94987

Reward for completion: The builder system

 

Congratulations Nobody! You have completed step two of the Omega protocol candidacy program.

Reward given: The Removal Ability

"I have completed my task, master." The champion said with her heavy weapon resting upon her shoulder.

"Well done, Elsie." He said, putting a hand on her other shoulder. "I told you when I took you into that time stasis within the ruins, that I would make a survivor out of you. A champion. That I could only save this world with your assistance, and we are well on our way." He took his hand off of her and erased the blood with his newest ability. "We have great works ahead of us, and only so much time to complete it." He finished with an eye on his timer.

 

Time remaining until omega protocol is complete: 27 days, 13+ hours

 

"Come." He said, walking past her and out toward the remains of a large clocktower destroyed in the champion's duel. "There are many monsters still to clean up here, and we do not want to keep them waiting."

"Yes Master." Elsie said with resolve as she started to trot at the lights showing in the nearby ruins. "I will not let you down."

"I know you will not, my dear." Nobody responded with a sinister smile, one that the girl couldn't even see.