47

My eyes lock onto Madelyn's, the dark secrets of this world weighing heavily on my mind. "I don't expect you to solve all of them," I say, "just make sure our heroes continue to act as heroes. The other man in the building, the sardine, has a vile mind when it comes to women. He's hoping you'll fulfill his twisted desires by bringing in some young women." I refrain from quoting his thoughts, but let's just say he finds young women very appealing.

"I understand that those who do not follow me may not be willing to help for free," I continue, manipulating her cells with ease. Suddenly, her body appears ten years younger, causing Madelyn to panic and Maeve to gasp, Madelyn rushes to the full-length mirror. As she moves, she realizes her clothes are now far too tight and at risk of ripping.

Standing before the mirror, she is transfixed by her own reflection. A question surfaces in her mind, "Is this permanent?"

"I have given you back ten years of your life," I reply, "and yes, I can give you more. This was just a prepayment. Maeve may be able to defeat any troublesome heroes, but she needs this company's support."

Madelyn nods in understanding and I sense her thoughts. 

As if on cue, a bottle of pills materializes in front of Madelyn and hovers in mid-air before flying towards her. "One will restore five years," I instruct her, "they will help you gain favor with those who hold power."

Madelyn grins mischievously and slips the pills into her now ample cleavage. Meanwhile, Maeve watches us with a mix of curiosity and suspicion.

Turning my attention back to Maeve, I say with a hint of pride in my voice, "You, on the other hand, will never age and are effectively immortal." I know this will only further incentivize Madelyn to join our cause.

"Remember," I continue, "you are a goddess now, with all the powers that come with it. Stop thinking like a mere mortal and start acting like the powerful being you truly are. And if you need me for anything, just speak through your divinity and I will be there." Before they can respond, I withdraw from my avatar and return to my true form.

As I blink back into consciousness, I hear Lilly's voice in my mind. "Half a day has passed here," she informs me, "how long was it on the other side?" I pause for a moment before answering, feeling a slight disappointment that time did not seem to move faster on Earth than I had hoped.

"It was about the same," I reply. But then an idea strikes me. "I need a way to better understand the universes," I say aloud, voicing my thoughts to Lilly.

Lilly suggests that we focus on the portal itself while it is open. It's a good idea, one that may provide us with valuable information about this universe. "Let's try that with the next portal," I decide. Focusing my mind, I send Lilly all the information and changes I have made to this universe so far.

After some thought, Lilly responds with an intriguing observation. "I do not sense another member in our pantheon," she says.

"That may be because their connection to us is weaker than others'," I suggest. "But what if our pantheon has connections in different universes? That would certainly be an interesting experiment."

Lilly agrees and begins to run simulations of potential avatars she could construct in these other universes. "I could possess a willing follower in order to enter these worlds," she says, her voice falling silent as she strategizes.

Well, since it never took anywhere near as long as I imagined, although if I spent more time looking around it might have.

Since it took the vibrational portal plants longer to grow I could either go back to the same world or just wait for them to grow and attach to a new Universe.

Oh, maybe I should go hunt a dimension, "Ciar, how is the fight against the dark dimension guy?"

I hear a light giggle, "The 'Guy' locked up his dimension once he found out the Omega dimension feeds on him, it was actually funny to watch as he realized he was slowly losing dimensional energy."

"Oh, well that's good then."

I just realized I am bored. Why is Thor so slow, did Odin not take action? Or is Thor more mature than I picked up on, I mean it is hard to believe he was that spoilt after being alive that long, right?

I could always go annoy Bast, I owe her a visit since she was meant to come greet me.

A leafy soothing voice speaks, "My Lord, the portal was laid outside Wakanda and now Lady Bast has been seeking an audience."

Oh yeah, that's right, she could not reach me.

"Please tell her I am happy to receive her informally in my home."

The arrival portal only Gia and I can control opens, and in walks another furry, she is a black panther and very well proportioned, the whip and her side seem to twitch by themselves.

I stand up and greet her with a smile, "I smell someone fun." Felicia pops her head up and speaks before either myself or Bast can speak.

"Ohhh, hello, wanna play?" Felica easily flips over the sofa and smiles brightly as she circles Bast who does not seem put out at all, she actually seems accepting.

"I am sorry Lady Bast, this is my friend Felicia. You know who I am, so let's just sit and relax since the greeting is already ruined."

In a soft pur-like voice Bast speaks "I like your friend, Lord Paragon. Felicia is it? Yes, I love to play between naps, you are welcome to come find me."

It's kinda weird, they both purring now. I feel like I should leave them alone or something, but it's my house.

The meeting was weird, at least this showed Bast respected my position and would play by the rules.

When Bast left Felicia went with her to see the 'perfect plain' to sunbathe on.

Hm, well let's go say hello then. Each world has a connection to others, some are just weaker than others. The weakest as normally those that like to the realms of the dead.

In this case, Hel. Otherwise, Hela would just have opened a portal to Asgard when her father died.

I move myself to another room and reach out to the Realm of Hel, although Hela is sealed here, the realm itself is not sealed.

Fortunately, she should still be very weak here, although at her strongest I beat her, but only now that I have integrated the serum, before that she might have kicked my butt.

The place seems to be rocks and mist, made for a horror movie really. I slowly float forward, before me is a woman dressed in green robes, long black hair, and pale skin, and she is looking right at me.

Saying nothing I walk up and sit on a stone near her, all the time she has been quietly watching me.

"You seem to be living, and you seem to know me. Are you Asgardian?"

I cough, "Please, that name is no longer what it was. If you want to hear the truth I do not mind telling you, but no, I am not, I am All-Father of the Solar Pantheon, Lord Paragon. Greetings Lady Hela, Goddess of Death, previously known to Asgard."

She arches a brow, "Previously known?"

I nod, "He has removed all trace of you, apart from him only Lady Frigga remembers you, and as I understand it she still seeks a way to free you. Your brother and adopted brother know nothing of you, nor do the rest of Asgard."

I see the pain in her eyes, and the flicker of affection when I mention her mother.

"Then why have you come?" she asked suspiciously.

"I told him since there is access to this realm within mine, if he felt you here I would assume he had no further concerns with you. Personally, I think this is the only way he could potentially free you without losing face."