Master of Time

They just become utterly speechless instead.

Even Zephyr is speechless, but it is only because of the amount of litters is being piled up on the table as well as the floor in our individual attempts to inhale as much burgers as fast as possible.

The growing number of wrappers and boxes is distracting her from her time with those little toys that she has managed to earn from all the happy meals I have brought for her.

Zephyr is just like a little kid in a candy store.

But in all honesty, if Zephyr leaves her hair longer without tying it up in a twin-tail fashion, she looks a lot like a certain homicidal general. Her hair and eyes are icy blue in color due to her power.

And it is hinted that Zephyr could actually freeze time itself with her power over ice.

Well. Zephyr certainly did freeze me before proceeding to shatter me into a million pieces. It was done without any hesitation whatsoever, telling me that it isn\'t the firs time she has done so on purpose.

I am sure that there is a psychopath personality inside her mind.

It is likely the personality who protects the rest of her other personalities in battle, considering what I know of the movie Split.

A beast of sort.

Why did I use a movie to give my analogy?

It didn\'t feel strange since Zeus has used it to explain things to me.

It is quicker and easier.

By the 31st century, originality is pretty much dead since everything that can be thought of has already been thought of, if not through humans then through thinking tanks or artificial intelligences.

Therefore, Hollywood is pretty much dead, not like it is on the rise, currently.

The Entertainment industry will rein supreme for the next few centuries or so.

I swallow whatever in my mouth and take a drink before getting up and going to the washroom to get ride of all that sugary liquids.

My stomach isn\'t a blackhole like someone certainly has.

Zeus and Zephyr seems to be completely unaffected by how much foods or drinks they consume.

They haven\'t even gone to the washroom to unload once.

"That is why I am not very impressed with all the fancy tech that you have, Max. It all seems as glamour without usefulness. Although, I do admit your spatial technology is interesting enough, but that is due to the magic side of things. I sense magical energy whenever you open one of those spatial portals, so it is not pure science."

Zeus comments as he finally slows down and enjoys his meal.

I narrow my eyes at him and discard my plan to have the nanomachines floating my body cheat. They can just dump whatever I swallow into a spatial dimension, giving me a similar impression of having a bottomless stomach.

"It is what is. I am not against using any means to get the same result. Just out of curiosity, what circle is your magic at?"

I question and take another bite out of a Big Mac.

Having downed so many of them in the last hour or so, it doesn\'t taste that good anymore. And since this is the 90s, there isn\'t much interesting choices on the menu.

I couldn\'t even get coffee here, not for a few more years.

"Circle? Circle of magic? That is an interesting way to measure magical power. I will estimate my circle if you give me more information about it, Max."

Zeus replies, surprising me.

I think I have been surprised quite a bit lately, but from what he had just said, his magical power is not measured in circles.

Zeus chuckles at my surprise.

"You seem to be living in a cave, Max, but that is alright. Everyone has to start from somewhere. There are actually a lot of different magical systems throughout the cosmos, that is the multiverse. It is just like cultivation systems. They are all created by someone, you know, and we are just borrowing those systems to grow stronger until we can create our own one day. That is the theory anyway."

Zeus explains and tilts his head towards Zephyr, who sits next to him.

"Zephyr here uses a Zen Magic System, which is one of the oldest in all of creation. I cannot use it since I was not the original wielder of my power, so I have to use a different type of Magic System. I am not going to tell what that system is because knowing what magic system I am using allows you to exploit its weaknesses.

As for why I tell you hers, it is because Zen Magic System is most common, and it is an ongoing piece of work by those at Zenith, so any exploits will be patched as soon as possible."

Zeus smiles.

He is basically telling me not to tell him what magic system I am using since doing so would grant him some advantage over me.

But since I cannot tell him, I will not be able to measure his magical power.

Oh. I see what he is doing.

Enough with this game of wits!

"I see. And how do you get to use another magic system?"

I ask while figuring out several more steps in advance in this metaphorical chess match that Zeus and I are playing.

Honestly, it is so much easier to just read what is on his mind, but I cannot do that even with the newly developed mind-reading technology, as his consciousness is separated from his body.

I need to do that soon, just to stop people like me from reading my mind.

"Either get acknowledged by the Magic System itself or being born in the reality that Magic System is dominating. I did the first, and it is quite difficult. I suppose you were born into magic, but why did you prioritize technology instead? Magic is far more powerful."

Wait. What? There is only two ways? How did I use magic from Azula then?

Maybe it is because I am an Aspect?

That does make sense since Aspect is above everything else, including magic itself.

One more point to my pride.

"Alright, I won\'t ask further about your magic system, but can you show me one of your spells, just to open my eyes?"

I request while leering at Zephyr, basically telling Zeus that if he doesn\'t, Zephyr will, and it would give me the same insight, nonetheless.

Zeus shrugs and opens his palm and blows against it gently.

The instant that he did, magical dusts materialize, billowing forwards and covering the two girls sitting together on the next table.

They both blinks and looks towards Zeus with a smile. There is magical glow within their eyes, showing that they are under the effect of magic.

And no one in the restaurant notices that eerie glow besides me and my company like it usually is with magic. Magic is invisible to those that is not aware or awaken.

"Why don\'t you make out for a little bit for us?"

Zeus requests.

And the two girls immediately did without any reservation or hesitation. They did so to the point that they nearly strip each other of their clothes to explore themselves despite that they are not interested in the same gender.

This just reinforces my wish to bring magic to the prime-reality, just to build up some natural resistance against being mind-controlled by magic.

I can accomplish the same thing with my magic with absolute impunity.

"There. Just a simple magical charm for you, Max. I can make them do a lot more things than that, and they will be more than happy to."

Zeus then continues to eat since he has given me more than enough to go on.

His magic is different to mine like he has implied moment ago.

There is no actually no manifestation of runes or anything similar.

This does mean that it is actually better than mine since the runes do give away what kind of spell it is being casted, regardless of how fast it is casted.

How did Zeus do it, though?

Selene replays the action in my mind while analyzing each movement externally and internally. With the magical sensor, I can see how his magic flows throughout his body.

I reach out my hand and open my palm, as I about to let magical energy swirl within it. I did stop myself before I did though.

It is for one reason.

I do not want to let Zeus knows all that I can do.

"Interesting. I assume that Zephyr can do the same, but with a different way."

I state as I look at the girl.

Zephyr nods in response, but she did not demonstrate her magic.

"Yes, Max. The usefulness of using a magic system is only apparent at higher stage. Since I have shown you my magic, you should show me a bit about your magic system, especially about the circle bit just for comparison."

Zeus requests.

There is no reason to, especially when it isn\'t really my magic system. It is just the first magic system that I have come across.

And from what Zeus just said, there is a lot more than one magic system.

But instead of telling him about my magic myself, I produce a Hydra ring. Two Hydra rings actually.

One for Zeus and one for Zephyr.

I also freeze time around us to prevent anyone from listening in on things that they shouldn\'t have in the first place, but even if they did, it is hard to comprehend fully.

In any case, is it right to introduce Zeus and Zephyr to Hydra?

Well. I have brought in people less capable than them, and it is also a form of trust.

Besides, I do want Zeus to acknowledge technology even if it isn\'t that useful to him, given his power.

As for Zephyr. Meh. She seems uninterested in science.

Of course, I am not trusting either of them with everything even if it is pointless to hide anything from them. Still, I have to for appearance.

I just can\'t give them everything from the start.

"Since we are comrades of sort through mutual agreement, it is only right to introduce you two to the secret organization that I have in place in this reality. They will help you with whatever you need, and in return, I hope that you can do the same."

I say and explain how to use the Hydra rings.

"This does make things easier."

Zeus comments before accessing the Hydra Network to read all there is to know about magic. He also looks at some other stuff as well as getting on the Internet to search around, mostly mythological info.

Not the actual internet since that is still in its infancy. The Internet that Atlantis and Hydra maintains.

In contrast, Zephyr takes one look and purses her lips.

"There is no YouTube."

She says and that is that.

YouTube and all other streaming services will be available in a few years, much earlier than originally, but considering a lot thing has changed, there is no need to wait for thing to naturally happen.

Zeus ignores Zephyr, so I did as well.

Time resumes once more.

After a few more drinks, I head to the restroom. It isn\'t to unload all those drinks, but I did it anyway. I actually want to test Zeus\' magic, and as I blow the magical dust onto one of the guys there, his eyes also glow eerily.

It is enough for me to confirm that I am able to use any magic system without its acknowledgement.

That is a benefit of an Aspect.

As for the guy I hypnotize, I just tell him to stay in the restroom until the effect wears out. I wouldn\'t want him wandering outside the restroom and giving Zeus ideas.

I rejoin Zeus and Zephyr afterwards to finish our meal. We are still in the center of attention due to all the foods and drinks we have ordered.

June, the counter girl, thinks it is a joke at first, but she isn\'t thinking that anymore. She gets a nice tip for taking down all that order since the electronic system at the moment isn\'t up to par with the 21st century.

"I will take you to your new home in Hollywood. It is the only place so far that have lingering spiritual energy you want. If you can help me figure out why that is, it would be great."

I tell Zeus once I am in the car again.

Zephyr is now lying across the backseat, sleeping.

"Hollywood? You are playing as a film director, are you, Max? I ask because I have recruited someone like that."

Zeus questions, mostly out of curiosity.

"No. Not a film director personally. I just happen to run a company that produces movies and games and music for the masses. Actually, any form of entrainment, really. If you don\'t have anything to do with all the time you have now, you can help me with making people happy."

I response as I reverse the car out of the parking lot. I will need to nice empty road before teleporting us all, including the car, to a garage halfway across the United States.

Zeus chuckles and shakes his head.

"No thanks. I have enough things on my hands right now. But knowing you are interested in Hollywood does allow me to give you a perfect gift. It is also what you ask for before."

Zeus responses.

A strange cross appears in his hand, glowing with magical energy.

He must have taken it out of his inventory since I didn\'t see any portal of sort.

I really need to get one of those inventories since it doesn\'t any sort of medium to use like spatial dimensions.

"Want me to explain this to you, or you prefer to find out yourself? It is more interesting if you do in my opinion. It just makes you appreciate things more."

Zeus asks with a smirk.

He just likes to keep me in the dark, doesn\'t he?

But I guess he has to since information is his only bargaining chip against me, and he knows it.

"How about half and half, Zeus? I make it worth your while."