Megan and Mary Aftermath of Choices: M&M Saga, #4

By M. A. Gilbertson

Megan and Mary Aftermath of Choices: The fourth and final book of the M&M Saga.

            Megan and Mary from Rabbit Hole Wisconsin have been sent across the Multiverse by Lord Fate, Master of Destiny to fulfill their role as the Chosen Pair. Along Destiny's path for Megan and Mary they have become immortal, indestructible God Killing beings of the upper 3rd tier. Finally, the Time of Choosing has come. Megan and Mary must make a choice to send the Multiverse into Chaos or pursue a course of Order. If they pick Order, destiny's paths will continue forward similar to the path the Multiverse has been following for millions of years. The last time the Multiverse was plunged into Chaos the dinosaurs reign on Earth ended abruptly. The pair believe they will be able to thrive no matter which choice they make. They are not happy with the status quo, Order as delivered, but would it be better if they shook up the Cosmos and plunged it into Chaos? The focus of this book is the aftermath of choices made by the characters of this and the previous books.

• Language: English
• Publisher: MDSH Enterprises LLC
• Release date: Apr 3, 2023
• ISBN: 9798215681916

Book preview

Megan and Mary

Aftermath of Choices

Chapter One: Party at the Center of the Multiverse

When you have to make a choice and don’t make it, that in itself is a choice.

– William James

Mary and Megan had partied the night before at the Devil’s Disco. After a night of recreational drinking and playing drinking games, they woke up the next day refreshed and hangover free. Being a regenerative immortal was awesome. Mary and Megan had decided to go out for lunch. They walked out of the house and into a white room. They turned around immediately, but the door was now gone and all they saw was a white wall. As they walked around the room a pleasant voice told them, Please have a seat. Your service will be required shortly. Two comfy chairs popped into the room, and they sat down to wait. What they were waiting for was unclear, but they weren’t going anywhere else.

After what seemed like hours, they heard the voice again and were told to step through the door. A door appeared in the wall opposite them. They stood up and walked to the door. Megan grabbed the doorknob, but her hand passed through it like it was not there. Megan closed her eyes and stepped forward cautiously. She continued advancing until she was sure she should have reached the door. Megan opened her eyes, and she was standing in the living room. Megan was surprised by how weird and yet normal the room appeared. There appeared to be a nice white shag carpet. There was a fireplace at one end of the room with some comfy chairs, end tables, and a large glass coffee table nicely placed around the room. The door they entered through appeared to be a normal wood door. The wall with the door was white, except for the door in the wall, which was brown. The light from a couple of floor lamps bounced off the white wall and floor to illuminate the room. Those qualities and the general atmosphere of a quiet living room in the country made it seem like they were standing in a home. Time and space were meaningless here. This was the CenterPoint of all the universes overlapping in the Multiverse. This point is the one spot that simultaneously exists in every universe at the same point in space and time. However, the physical and natural rules were different and suspended here.

Megan looked around. All the normal features of the room were overshadowed by some huge abnormalities. The room had only a large white wall and the fireplace wall. The fire in the fireplace appeared to be a sun. Where the other walls and ceiling should have been, were replaced by the vastness of space. Galaxies could be seen in the distance wherever you looked. The floor and carpet extended about 50 feet and appeared to just end in space. The nearest object to the room appeared to Megan to be a very large black hole sucking in a galaxy. The room was immaculately clean and had a perfect order to it, while across the metaphorical yard the chaos of a black hole loomed in front of her. Then, she suddenly jumped as a clock appeared on the mantle of the fireplace chiming 11:00 and it started counting down to midnight.

After Megan vanished through the door like a ghost, Mary followed her through into the room. Mary saw Megan walking around looking in awe at the cosmos. Mary was also awestruck by the view of the universe. Mary turned her attention back to the door, she tried to stick her arm back through the door. It and the entire wall appeared solid. There was no doorknob. She pushed against the door, which did not open, she rammed the door with her shoulder, but the door stood strong.

Megan spoke first saying, I guess it is finally time to choose the fate of the entire Multiverse.

Mary stopped trying to break down the door and turned toward Megan. I guess so. What are we going to choose, Chaos or Order? Mary responded as she walked to the edge of the carpet and stared down into the depth of space. The Earth came into focus, it brought home the fact that whatever choice they made would directly impact the Earth and the rest of the cosmos. She noted the clock counting down and realized they had less than an hour to decide.

There have been times recently when I would have said I choose chaos and burn the whole thing to the ground and start over. But I still want to believe rules are important to civilized behavior, Megan said.

Rules do not equal civilized behavior. Your people have lots of rules and there are still wars, poverty, and a lot of extremely uncivilized behavior. Order does not mean everything is going to become a utopia, Mary told her.

Your people have a lot of rules too. You may not have wars between houses or poverty, but your people enslave and murder and are capable of some very cruel behavior, Megan said angrily.

I agree, both our cultures are less than perfect. So, do we fry the Multiverse and shake things up or do we keep going with Order and see if it ever gets better on its own? Mary asked.

What do you think happens if we do not make a choice? Megan questioned.

I think we both cease to exist, and the next pair gets to make the choice for us, so what do you want to do? Mary replied.

I don’t know. Why did they pick us? It was very irresponsible of Lord Fate, Megan lamented.

Speak for yourself; I was literally bioengineered to do this. We were given the choice, it is ours alone to make, Mary said.

I was not, why don’t you make the choice? Megan replied.

No, we agreed on one choice. New plan, you are going to make a choice and I will make a choice, but not say our choices out loud. We write our choice on a piece of paper then we show each other.  We will debate the choice if need to be, but we will come to a unanimous decision, Mary insisted.

Fine, we will write our choice like a ballot, and then we will look together at what each of us has chosen. If they agree, then that’s it. If they don’t, we debate it, Megan agreed.

A pad of paper and two markers appeared on the table. Mary and Megan looked at them and each took a piece of paper and a marker. They each wrote a word and set them on the table face down. They hugged and both said, Okay, whatever happens we stay best friends forever.

Before they could reveal their written choices, a portal formed in the center of the room. Diaphanie Moore stepped out of the portal and screamed, Now is the time I stop foretelling the future and take control of the Multiverse! I will plunge the Multiverse into Chaos, so I can do whatever pleases me. Project Mary, Alpha, Epsilon, Theta, Pi, in my name I command you to do as I order. Project Mary, kill Megan!

Mary’s eyes glossed over, she showed no emotion as she pulled out a 45-caliber pistol and emptied the clip into Megan. The force of the bullets impacting on her chest knocked her to the ground as she fell backwards. Megan lay on the floor dazed and confused.

Damon’s central face appeared looking down at Megan and told her, Megan, Get up. You must avoid dying and break through to Mary. Do not attack her, just block, evade and try to reach Mary. Any attack to do damage will only put Mary into a survival mode, which you will not survive.

Megan rolled out of the way to avoid getting a marble end table to the face.

Damon! Fucking do something! Megan demanded.

Megan dear, you know I cannot interfere, I can only advise, Damon informed her.

Megan jumped to her feet, dodging Mary’s kicks and punches. So, give me some useful advice about how to fix Mary, Megan screamed.

Diaphanie laughed and tossed Mary an ornate midnight blue sword. Mary, my pet, I give you the Godslayer. The ancient, enchanted weapon created to kill a God. It was forged in the fires of the Hades star cluster, made from rarest metals in the Multiverse, consecrated in Gorgon blood, and lost so many millennia ago. I found it just for you, my pet, she said as Mary deftly caught the well-balanced weapon in her right hand. Mary paused examining the blade; power surged like electricity through Mary’s body. 

Damon shouted to Megan, You want useful advice, do not let that blade cut you. I know you are supposed to be invulnerable, but that blade will cut through you like butter. Also, fun fact to think about, the blade is poisoned. He turned to Diaphanie as Megan ran from Mary who was chasing her with the Godslayer. He said, Diaphanie Moore, where did you find the Godslayer? It was so lost, not even I could find it. How did you find it?

Poor Damon, you should know by now if I want to find something or someone, I do. I found you locked away in your prison outside the universes. Damon, join me, this is what you always wanted, She answered.

Diaphanie, you are a fool. I tried to move against Master Fate, and it cost me my freedom. Fate will not let you interfere with the plan. What do you think you can achieve? Damon asked her in disbelief.

I have been planning this since I was a child. I could see the future better than any other oracle in the history of the Multiverse. I could see all the possible timelines, what will be and what could be. I was given a path to twist and change the course of the Multiverse. Trust me, Fate will not interfere, I am as much a part of this time of choosing as the chosen pair. Join me, I found you because you incited a rebellion to force the Multiverse down the path of Chaos. I also plan to force the cosmos into Chaos. Why are you not jumping on my side? she demanded.

Apparently, you do not see everything, Diaphanie. Yes, in the past, I would have jumped at the opportunity to force the choice of Chaos onto the Multiverse. I would even have done what I could to immobilize Megan so Mary could easily eliminate her. It is true long ago; I did try to incite a rebellion to force the Multiverse down the path of Chaos. For that treachery, Fate imprisoned me for a very long time, to reflect on my choices. I was very resentful for eons, and then very recently, I realized it was only my poor choices that put me in jail. Before you found me and freed me, Fate visited my cell and told me he would allow me to be freed. But if I was freed, I would need to stay hidden from my fellow Cheshires. I could join the Grand Game in disguise, but I must choose pawns that needed a second chance like me. After observing so many pawns handed a new beginning, I saw that most failed to make a positive change. However, some indeed did make changes for the better. I realized that those individuals who embraced their second chance and fixed the things that put their lives in peril found happiness. The ones that did not change ended up dead, imprisoned, or worse. I am not saying I want Order, but I am not as pro Chaos as I once was. I have come to respect the free will of the chosen pair to make their choice without external pressures. I offer you a second chance, call off Mary and give her back her free will. Let the pair make their choice and accept whatever they choose. Damon told her.

As you said, our choices determine the outcome of our lives. I will be a God in the Multiverse, and if you are not with me, you are against me, and I will make sure you are eliminated from the Multiverse. Are you sure you want to go against me? For this choosing, I have been given the authority by Fate to pick it for them, she told him.

Fate may have given you permission to meddle, but trust me, that does not mean he blesses your interference. Fate has apparently put me in as a pawn to mess with your plans. There is another who Fate has invited to this party, Damon told her, then called out, Feneress, old friend, I know you are there. Come join the party!

A large dark gray dire wolf seven feet high at the shoulder and twenty-one feet long from the tip of his nose to the end of his tail appeared in the center of the room. The wolf snarled, Damon, as I have told you before, you have no friends. I am only here to kill Mary and Megan. Once they make their final choice, I will kill them, and you best not interfere. I have enforced this rule for eons of millennia. After the final pair makes their final choice, the Multiverse must be purged of the excess Godkillers. 

"I know you think that is the job Fate appointed you to do, but it never was. Your zeal for order and your brother’s lust for chaos put you against each other at your time of Choosing. The lasting guilt you felt for killing your own brother is what drove you to make up this rule for you to enforce. You believe if the other Godkillers must be eliminated, than by killing him, you did the right and lawful thing in ending your brother Lyceneress’ life.

The wolf let out a soul wrenching forlorn howl. Do not ever say his name again! I did what needed to be done to preserve order! I did what needed to be done to rid the Multiverse of Godkillers! I did Fate’s will! Feneress screamed.

Who are you! Diaphanie bellowed at the wolf, adding, You need to leave, this is a private party!

Feneress turned to face Diaphanie just as surprised to see her as she was to see him here. The wolf cocked his head puzzled by her presence, and then he growled down at her, No, you need to leave. Only the chosen pair is allowed to be here.

Feneress, old friend, did Fate not tell you either? Apparently, the rules have been changed and demigod, Ms. Diaphanie Moore, is now in charge of this time of the choosing. Get this, you are going to enjoy this one, she is going to force the chosen pair to either make the choice of Chaos or kill each other and then she will make the choice for them. It’s kind of, well ... ironic. You, my friend, have been standing behind the curtain for every Time of Choosing while the Chosen Pair battle on this stage to make the choice, Chaos or Order. You are the self-appointed vanquisher of any member of the Chosen Pair who survives the Time of the Choosing. The rules say no one can interfere with the Chosen Pair making their choice. No one, even you, can kill the final members of the pair Fate has picked until after the choice has been made. Goddess Moore is trying to take complete control of the pair Lord Fate, Master of Destiny, has picked and make the choice herself.  Screw all the rules, save one, I think Fate’s rule about you eliminating those immortals who find a way to force the choice to go their way is still your job. Remember, old friend, when I told you if you try to harm Mary or Megan, I will kill you myself, but I left you alive because I knew you still had a role to play in destinies’ plan, and I assured you it will not involve killing Mary or Megan. Stopping Diaphanie is the reason I left you alive. Honor your responsibility to the Multiverse and eliminate the threat to the sacred rules and to the very fabric of the cosmos, that is Diaphanie Moore, Damon said.

As Damon finished his speech, Diaphanie hit Feneress in the face with a massive fireball, the kind that she thought should have incinerated him. He shook it off and snapped at her with a great maw of razor-sharp teeth surrounded by singed smoldering fur. Diaphanie instantly floated up above the wolf and produced a staff from which she sprayed him in a flood of freezing water, soon encasing him in ice. The icy prison only held Feneress for a few seconds until he broke free. Diaphanie commanded Mary to kill the meddlesome hound. Mary stopped standing idly by the edge of the carpeted floor of this celestial living room anchored in space. Mary turned and charged toward Feneress with the sword raised over her head.

Damon refocused his attention on Megan. Mary had forced her off the platform and now Megan floated in the vacuum of space several hundred yards away and gasped for air.  Damon could not stop time here. He could not pull her back to the carpeted floor or pop her into a pocket dimension. He could not interfere at all, but he could advise. He reached out with his mind, ‘Megan, why are you trying to die? You will not suffocate, stop pretending you need to breathe in the vacuum of space like a normal human would. Remember, you are Megan Lynn Knightly, Fairy Princess, RHPD Detective, Interpol agent, Chosen one, immortal and so very much more.’

Megan pleaded to him with her eyes and mouthed the words, ‘Damon, please help me!’

‘You know I cannot help, only advise you. I will remind you again you are not a small-town girl from Wisconsin; you are capable of great things you would not have imagined in your old life. This place is at the very center of the entire Multiverse. It is where the central Great Grand Nexus point intersects in every Universe. The Universes are stacked in parallel, all on top of each other. This is the center point in time and space where they all meet. The room acts as a dampener to keep the chosen pair from being sucked in and ripped apart by a great whirlpool in a sea of raging Ether.  Use your fairy senses to reach into the whirlpool. You do not need spells and incantations. Use your fairy gift of wishcraft to utilize the Ether. There is a damping field in effect to hide the Great Grand Nexus point from any who ventures here, but it will also buffer you and protect you from all the raw magic flowing across the Multiverse. Megan, you can access an unlimited supply of Ether without being destroyed in the process. Suck in Ether; envision the Ether becoming air in your lungs. Keep a small but constant flow and believe you are breathing air like normal. You must overcome the limitations that you have placed on yourself. If you truly believe anything is possible you can wish the Ether to do what you want. Stream the Ether through you, focus on what you want it to do, and believe it can be done,’ He instructed her telepathically.

She looked at him like he was crazy; panic was gnawing at the back of her mind. He nodded to her and communicated to her mind, ‘Megan, just do it, believe it and believe in yourself.’

She concentrated on feeling the giant whirlpool of magical energy ready to suck her in. It was like fumbling around a dark room for a pit. She was starting to lose the fight to panic when she found it. It was not what she thought the whirlpool would be like. It was bigger, so much bigger. It was the size of an ocean at the top of a gigantic, tremendous tornado of Ether swirling downward. The Ether was spinning around faster and faster into the very depths of the Multiverse. She tapped into the Ether at the edge of the ocean and imagined she could breathe, and she did. She felt so much better. She inhaled deeply; magical air filled her lungs. She tapped into the Ether and imagined herself flying, and she easily flew to the edge of the carpeted floor. Power surged through her whole being. How did neither she nor Mary notice this much raw magical energy under their feet? This must be what it felt like to be Mary, as much magic as you want as quickly as you need it. Damon, how is this possible, my Ether net is not large enough to hold more than a small spell or two? Now I feel like there is no limit to the amount of magic I can utilize, Megan asked him aloud.

Simply, my dear Megan, the dampers in place allow you to utilize the entire Multiverse as your Ether net.  Unless you are here, and you know where all the Ether is flowing, you would never notice it. Please try to pace yourself, you are still subject to Magical intoxication. If you were a magic wielding mortal, your Ether net would be ripped to shreds by the force of the excess Ether. Fortunately, you are an invulnerable Immortal, and your net is unbreakable. Your net is small and will not hold much Ether, but you can stream the Ether through your net and around your body. You must pull the Ether into your net and spray it out letting the force of the Ether do the work. You will be able to direct the flow like using a hose. You need to reach Mary and break through the programming Diaphanie is using to control her, Damon told her.

Feneress was holding Diaphanie’s beaten bloody body on the ground with his paw. The wolf panted and his drool dripped on her face. Diaphanie laughed feebly and told him, Stupid oaf, you think you are about to kill me, but it is you who is about to die.

I shall bite off your head and swallow it whole; it is you who will be dead. You are the stupid... Feneress stopped short as he let out a last gasp, his eyes glazed over; the life draining from his body left them empty, blood dripped from his mouth and nostrils. He fell over dead with the Godslayer embedded in his back. Mary was now standing over Diaphanie, unblinking and staring blankly down at her.

Well done, my pet, have you killed Megan as well? Diaphanie asked.

Mary went flying toward the back wall pinned spread-eagle by Megan’s magic. Megan bent over Diaphanie’s prone body, with one hand extended toward Mary keeping her magically pinned to the wall, she took the other hand and touched Diaphanie in the center of the chest saying, Time for a nap, Ms. Moore. Diaphanie instantly fell into a deep sleep. Megan walked over to Mary. Mary was silently struggling against her magical restraints.

Mary, it’s me, your best friend, Megan. Snap out of it. Please wake up, Mary, Megan implored Mary, but to no avail. Mary continued to silently struggle to get free to kill Megan. Damon, she will not snap out of it, what should I do? she asked.

Megan, you know Mary, you know your bond, you are the only one who can free Mary from this curse, Damon told her.

Megan thought for a moment, Okay, I have an idea, but Damon, when this is over and we leave, will I be able to wield this kind of magical power ever again? she asked.

Almost assuredly not, without the dampener, you will only be able to use what your net can store. With practice, you may be able to stream Ether directly from a ley line but not for large instantaneous spells like a huge destructive fireball. With some work and over time, you will be able to increase the volume of your net little by little but be careful when expanding its size. Like stretching a balloon, it will only stretch so far. After this, you should be able to locate a ley line or ley line crossing much easier. You better fix Mary before Diaphanie regains consciousness, he told her.

It is too bad about the magic. I like being able to do any spell I want. Okay, I know what to do to save Mary, Megan told him.

She turned to Mary and pressed her body against Mary whispering in her ear, Mary, I love you, I know you are in there. Then, Megan pressed her lips against Mary’s lips and kissed her passionately. After a few moments, she felt Mary kissing her back. When Mary’s tongue began to lustfully invade Megan’s mouth, she broke away. The blank stare on Mary’s face had been replaced by a smiling, happy expression.

I am glad you are back, by the way, I am still straight, I just figured a kiss of true love from someone who loves and cares about you would break the spell like in a fairy tale. Plus, I know you like to kiss girls. So, are you in control again? Can I release you? She asked Mary.

Mary said, Thanks for the kiss; you are a really, good kisser by the way. I think I will be okay. Did you pin me to the wall? I am impressed.

Megan released Mary and she easily stayed on her feet.

Diaphanie walked up behind Megan and said, Very impressive, whelp. However, I cannot have you interfering in my plans. Project Mary, Alpha, Epsilon, Theta, Pi, in my name...

Before Diaphanie could take back control of Mary, Megan rapidly put her hands to the sides of Mary’s head covering her temples and part of her ears. Megan pulled the Ether to her, focusing it through Mary’s brain. Like turning Ether into air to breathe, Megan concentrated on burning away, with surgical precision, the brain cells storing the program Diaphanie was using to trigger the mind control over Mary. A grimace of pain crossed Mary’s face. She dropped to her knees. Megan had the fairy gift of wishcraft, if she believed the magic would do what it needed to do and if she believed hard enough it would eliminate the areas of the brain programmed by the scientists who created Mary in a lab. She focused the Ether through Mary’s brain. She had faith this would work and not make a vegetable out of Mary. Mary screamed in pain looking up at Megan as blood dripped from her eyes, ears and nostrils. Megan detected microchips and integrated circuitry interlaced into Mary’s brain tissue. Megan magically teleported the cybernetic components out of Mary’s head, then disintegrated them. Megan was sure Mary was fixed.

Mary said, I think it worked; I still feel like me.

Diaphanie, realizing she would not be able to regain control of Project Mary, fled back to the wolf’s dead body to retrieve the Godslayer. When she got there, she found it was no longer imbedded in its back. She looked around for Damon, but he was also gone. She looked back at the girls and Megan was advancing on her. Diaphanie hurled a fireball at Megan, but Megan deflected it effortlessly.  Megan countered with a blast of water like from a giant firehose sending Diaphanie off the edge of the room into the vacuum of space with a raging river of water. Diaphanie reappeared on the carpet only to be sent flying by a gust of hurricane force winds. She tried again to get to Megan, but this time Megan dropped a gigantic black anvil with the word ACME written on the side. As it was falling toward the top of Diaphanie’s head, Diaphanie teleported away before the anvil could crush her. Megan backed up to Mary still recovering sitting on the floor. After several minutes without Diaphanie popping back in, Megan relaxed and asked Mary, Are you going to be, okay?

I think so, but another kiss would help out a lot for my full recovery, Mary replied.

Lustful thoughts aside, are you really going to be alright, Megan wanted to know.

"Yes, I will be fine thanks to my best friend. But we both regenerate, what if the part of my brain that held the program to control me repairs itself? Mary replied.

There is a danger of that, but I also felt electronic components incorporated in your brain tissue. I destroyed them and they were not biological, so they should not be regenerated. I do not know if any of the genetically hardwired neurons and synapses could be used to control you once it regenerated, but I think to fully control you, the electronic hardware would be required too, and that is gone, Megan told her.

How did you do it? That was some ultra-powerful super sorcerous level magic. I am so glad you are on my side. But seriously, how did you do it? Mary asked.

We are on top of the greatest concentration of Ether in the entire Multiverse. I think this is where all the Ether filling every ley line in the cosmos comes from. I can literally think it, and it will happen, Megan told her.

That cannot be true, that much Ether would fry you to a crisp. Besides, I would notice that much Ether, Mary told her in disbelief.

The room acts as a dampener to not only hide it, but also to shield us from the dangers of so much raw uncontrolled magic. It also allows me to stream the Ether without any danger to me. I will prove it; I am hungry what would you like to eat? insisted Megan.

Sure, I am hungry too! Get me a large kitchen sink pizza from Benito’s Pizza and Pasta Land, by the Rabbit Hole R-mart, Mary told her.

Out of the entire cosmos, you would pick a local Wisconsin pizza? Megan asked in disbelief.

You must agree it is the best pizza in the Multiverse. If you cannot do it, then you can get something else, Mary responded.

I can agree it is the best pizza in the small area of Wisconsin I have traveled around. My experience of tasting Pizzas from across the Multiverse is very limited, Megan told her.

Trust me, the best pizzas are made on Earth and the best pizza on Earth is Benito’s Kitchen Sink Pizza, Mary insisted.

Fine, Benito’s large Kitchen Sink Pizza it is, Megan said and not only did the pizza appear but two chairs and a wobbly table from Benito’s restaurant appeared as well as a pitcher of Spotted Cow Beer and two glasses.

Mary immediately poured herself a beer and grabbed a piece of pizza and after taking a bite, said Oh my God, this is really a large kitchen sink pizza from Rabbit Hole with a pitcher of Spotted Cow. I love you so much right now.

Megan joined her at the table getting a glass of beer and a slice of pizza. When they were finishing off the beer and pizza, a giant digital clock appeared in the center of the room, counting down from five minutes. The appearance of the clock startled them and warned Megan and Mary they only had a short time to make their choice.   Megan scrambled around the room searching for the two pieces of paper they had written their choices on before Diaphanie showed up and took control of Mary.

Megan, what are you looking for? Mary asked.

I am looking for the papers we wrote our choices on before, so we can debate the plan. Help me find them, Megan told her.

Megan do not worry about the papers. I was not sure what choice I wanted before. I was leaning one direction but after what happened, my mind has changed after I tried to kill you. I know without a doubt which choice I want to make now, Mary told her.

I was not sure about what to choose earlier either, but now I can see better what my choice should be. So, do you think we should choose to plunge the Multiverse down the path of Chaos or Order? Megan asked Mary.

Diaphanie Moore fled from the center of the Multiverse. She popped into a pocket dimension to regroup her thoughts. She was beaten, and she was pissed. Megan the naive meter maid from Bumpkin-town Wisconsin had refused to die. Somehow, Megan had managed to fend off Diaphanie’s magical attacks and immobilized Mary. Since before Mary was made in a lab to Diaphanie’s specifications, the plan was to implant electronic hardware inside Mary’s skull and wired the components into her brain to allow Diaphanie to take control of Mary when the time came. Diaphanie was promised by Fate to be the one to take command of the final choice. It was predetermined she could take total control of Mary’s mind. Mary would be her obedient pet. It was Mary’s destiny; it was what Mary was designed for. Mary was genetically engineered to be an efficient killing machine. How could Megan beat Mary? Damon had to have helped her somehow. But why would he help Megan? He once wanted Chaos more than I did. By helping me, he guaranteed Chaos would rule the next age. He did express concern that Fate would be angry and kill or imprison us. He said things that I am sure he only said to placate Fate. It did not matter if Damon helped her. She was sure Damon still hoped she would succeed in picking Chaos. He may have feared Fate too much to help but it did not matter, this was her choice, Fate gave her this time to choose. Megan was chosen to represent Order. Megan was an insecure sape with a wishy-washy personality. Mary was chosen to represent Chaos. I am Chaos. I controlled Mary. Mary was going to kill Megan as I commanded her to do. Somehow Luna must have helped Megan; it is the only theory that makes sense.

Diaphanie portalled to Luna, leaving the pocket to implode. Diaphanie appeared in front of Luna. Luna was sleeping in her bed inside Rebecca’s estate overlooking the City of Rabbit Hole. Diaphanie screamed at her, Luna, you conniving little bitch, how did you aid Megan? Fate will be angry, and I hope he deletes you from the Multiverse!

Luna woke up. She stretched and smiled, Goddess, I assume Megan survived then. That is indeed great news. Has the choice been made should I evacuate my temple-mates from the Earth?

Are you claiming, little Luna, that you had nothing to do with Megan beating me and Mary. That pathetic moron Megan is not capable of using powerful enough magic to beat me. You must have helped her; no one else would have helped her. No one else but you could have helped her, Diaphanie shouted.

Respectfully, Goddess Moore, I am a High Priestess, I serve Fate. You have gone your own way. If Megan and Mary have made the choice unhindered by you, then Fate’s test is over. I see clearly what Fate is doing. You are blind to the future and what is happening across the Multiverse because you have given up the sight to pursue your own goals, Luna told her.

What do you see clearly that I cannot see? Diaphanie asked angrily.

Fate, may I please tell her? Luna said looking up. Luna smiled and said, Thank you Lord, Luna looked at Diaphanie and told her happily, Goddess, Fate used you to test Damon. Lord Fate let you free Damon and create Mary. Then Fate gave you the illusion of controlling the choice. Everything you have done for the last thirty years was to set the stage to evaluate Damon. Lord Fate is testing him to see if he had truly repented the insurrection against Fate to force the Multiverse into Chaos after the last Chosen Pair chose Order. If Damon somehow helped Megan, it was because he realized Mary and Megan were the chosen pair, and they had to make the choice without coercion, force and undue influence. You put foreign bodies inside Mary’s brain. You programmed Mary and took away her free will. Diaphanie, you failed in your plans. Damon has grown and you have not.

Diaphanie looked at Luna with malice and said, I do not believe you, child. Do yourself a favor and never summon me in the future. I will not be kind to you if we meet again. Then, Diaphanie was gone.

Luna was happy Megan had survived. She got up and went to the kitchen for some food and celebratory ice cream.

Chapter Two: The Choice is Made

"You are free to make whatever choice you want, but you are

not free from the consequences of the choice."  - Unknown

Megan and Mary looked at the great clock counting down from 3 minutes and 22 seconds.

I guess it is time, I have had enough chaos for a lifetime, I vote order, Megan told Mary.

I completely agree, if demigod Moore wants Chaos, I want Order. The fucking bitch was forcing me to kill you and make me her obedient pet. So where is the switch? Mary asked.

No problem! Megan said imagining a giant light switch in a neutral position next to the clock. The switch was labeled Order instead of On and Chaos instead of Off at the top and bottom. They went over to the switch and stood on each side pushing the switch to Order with both hands. The clock instantly gonged twelve times and everything faded away. Then the girls appeared lying on their backs on top of the roof of the Rabbit Hole, Wisconsin City Hall looking up at the stars.

Damon left the party as soon as he was sure Megan and Mary would be victorious to make their choice on their own. He had the Godslayer locked in a vault inside a pocket dimension, which in turn was encased in a crystal on a chain around his main neck. Damon was also in a pocket dimension he had just created and was waiting patiently for Fate to show up. He did not have to wait long.

A sparse atmosphere with an ozone smell and visibly containing very small particles of sparkling, glowing glitter entered the room from everywhere. The entire room vibrated and rumbled from very low frequency sounds which could be felt more than heard.

Master Elder Fate, have you come to gloat? You got exactly what you wanted. Megan and Mary made their choice freely. I stood back like an obedient lap dog. Everything played out as destiny desired. Why in all of creation did you give Diaphanie Moore access to the Godslayer? Damon asked.

I wanted all your toys present to see if you would pass the final test. You created the Godslayer to use in your earliest insurrections. You ascended Diaphanie to an immortal demigod. You manipulated Megan and Mary down a path leading to Chaos over Order. You even invited Feneress. I wanted you to have everything you needed to make it ultimately your choice, Fate told him.

It was Mary and Megan’s choice to make, not mine. If I had made them choose Chaos, and not let them make their choice freely, you would have been very displeased, said Damon.

I gave Diaphanie the option to make the choice for the chosen pair. You had the choice to let her force the Multiverse down the path to Chaos for this time period. You were the only one who had the real choice this choosing. It was all set up for you to decide, Fate informed him.

So, as I thought, it was all a test to see if I had learned my lesson. If I had let Diaphanie make Mary kill Megan and then push the Multiverse into Chaos, I would have what I wanted so many millennia ago. But when the time came for me to choose Chaos or Mary and Megan, I chose them. There will be other pairs to choose a path in the future but only one pair of Mary and Megan. I will wait for a future opportunity. You did not win because I did not play your game, Damon told him.

I do not play games, but you are the winner of this, your game. You made a very good choice. You passed my test better than I could ever imagine. Why did you take back the Godslayer? asked Fate.

I did not want to risk Megan or Mary trying to kill me in the future. I did not save them this choosing only to have to kill them both later. You offered me everything I ever wanted but you made me think of others and the consequences of my selfishness. I am an elder of the 2nd tier, everything else is beneath me. I love Chaos, but I now also care what happens to some of those lesser than me. I am immortal, Chaos will come again, and I will wait patiently. Are you done gloating? Damon said.

Damon, you chose well, I am proud of you and very glad I did not erase you from existence when you rebelled against me. Yes, I am done gloating; you are free from your time out and probation. Rejoin the cosmos to live freely, Damon, Fate proclaimed and added. "I am disappointed Feneress has died. He was efficient at controlling the number of Godkillers in the Multiverse. He was so good at doing the job he appointed himself to do, that Mary and Megan are now the only surviving chosen ones. I may not have ordered him to exterminate them, but it was nice that he did it. What is your plan for Megan and Mary, I am not sure about you having so much influence over two Godkillers? If either of them kills another immortal, without an extenuating and valid reason, you will be held accountable.

I should not be held accountable for the actions of Mary or Megan; they do what they want. I thought you were all about free will. What about the Lords of Light and Illusion, they managed to create a Godkiller in the past which they used to kill one of their own. I never understood why they went to so much trouble to make a mortal into an immortal Godslayer. If you approved of Roggeniff being eliminated, why did Jarvis not do it on his own? You did not punish Jarvis, their elder, for that action, Damon argued.

Jarvis did as he should have. He did not try to kill his own people even if they were a bad apple. Jarvis could see the danger to the wellbeing of the Multiverse, and he took appropriate action, he did not act hastily. He found a way to kill Roggeniff, if he could not find a way to bring him back to his tribe. Jarvis acted to eliminate a threat to the Multiverse from a rogue member of his group. Jarvis made sure as the mortal they reengineered developed into an immortal Godslayer, that they gave her training and support. Jarvis will be responsible if his creation were to start killing immortal beings for no good reason. Mary and Megan do not possess the experience or the education to process the ramifications of their newfound powers and abilities. If they are to be allowed to continue to freely roam the Multiverse, then you are going to be responsible for their actions. You will watch over them and teach them how an immortal with the ability to kill a God should act. Feneress may have been motivated by the wrong reasons, but he did serve a purpose to cleanse the Multiverse of immature undeserving recipients of great power. The chosen pair is given the power to kill a God to prevent any God from trying to force them to choose a path against their wills. If you would prefer to be free of this responsibility, you do have the option of using the Godslayer to purge Megan and Mary from the Cosmos. It is your free will to choose to kill them or take responsibility for as many millenniums as it takes them to mature into responsible individuals. You have my permission to terminate Mary and Megan anytime you tire of being their keepers. Just be glad I do not task you with keeping Diaphanie in line. You may have ascended her to immortal and amped up her power, but she always will be my Goddess and Priestess of Delphi. Also, she does not possess the power to kill a God on her own. If you ever think you need to kill Diaphanie, you must think again or suffer my wrath. I will not tolerate the murder of one of my immortal devoted disciples. I am curious what Diaphanie will do; she amuses me, Fate told him and then withdrew and faded out.

Damon did not expect to be burdened with overseeing Mary and Megan. Rather he hoped Fate would extol praise on him for making the choice Fate wanted him to make. At least now that Mary and Megan were no longer the chosen pair, there were no rules as to what he could do with them. Would they even listen to him now that they could kill a Cheshire? If he had to, he could lock them in a pocket dimension for a cosmic time out. Now, Damon would need to get Clive to give the pawns Mary and Megan to him. Once Clive realized what a pain they were and given they both had the power to kill Clive, it should be easy to convince Clive it would be a good idea to give up these two pawns. If Damon could keep them in the Grand Cosmic Game of the Cheshires, then he could keep them under some control. Mary would be easy; she loved playing the game, but Megan might be a problem. First things first, he would be going to visit Clive. As soon as Damon exited the pocket dimension, it collapsed and was gone.

It was midnight in Rabbit Hole, Wisconsin, and Megan and Mary were lying on their backs on top of the roof of the Rabbit Hole City Hall looking up at the stars.

We did it! We saved the entire Multiverse! Megan shouted.

I guess it is over. So, what do we do now? said Mary a little disappointed.

We get to go back to our normal lives! We are no longer Fate’s puppets. We can do what we want now, Megan said cheerfully, then adding, So, do you think we are still immortal, indestructible, and regenerative or does that all go away when we flipped the switch.

I do not know, only one way to find out, Mary said pulling a small pistol out of her pocket, shooting Megan in the gut two times.

What the fuck Mary, stop shooting me it hurts, Megan protested.

So, are you bleeding, did it hurt like a bee sting, or do you need morphine? Mary asked.

Megan examined her belly. Her shirt was ripped were the bullets cut through the material. She was fine, Mary was right, it only hurt briefly and like a bee sting. She was not even bruised. I am fine; I guess we are still bulletproof. But why shoot me to test things, next time shoot yourself, instead of me, she told Mary.

If we were simple mortals again, I would need to be the one unharmed so I could heal you, duh, Mary told her. Mary stood up and looked around. I think we are on the roof of the Rabbit Hole City Hall, she told Megan.

Megan also stood up and looked around and agreed, You are right, so how are we going to get down; there are no doors up here. We must be over sixty feet from the ground and most of the ground around city hall is concrete or pavement.

We jump, we are indestructible Godkillers! Mary insisted.

We can die, Diaphanie tried to get you to kill me, and Feneress the wolf was going to kill us both after we flipped the switch. We can die! Megan pointed out to Mary.

You are missing the point. Feneress was a Godkiller, I am a Godkiller. You are a Godkiller. Diaphanie is a demigod, and she did not have the power to kill us. Feneress is dead, and neither of us is going to kill the other. We are safe, Mary said confidently.

The Godslayer sword could easily kill us. Anyone who can swing a sword could kill us, and it is still out there. Maybe, Diaphanie has it and is plotting to kill us at any time, Megan said worriedly.

You are forecasting again, remember to be mindful of the now. Do not worry about what may or may not happen in some random future. Diaphanie gave me the sword to kill you, so we can also assume only a Godkiller can use the Godslayer. We are the only Godkillers left. We care about each other and would never harm one another. It is all good! she assured Megan.

Maybe you are right, but you could be horribly wrong. What if Diaphanie comes back and I did not get all the crap in your brain burned away and she can access the programming wired into your head and have you kill me, Megan rambled on with concern.

I have confidence you purged the controlling hardware from my body. Let’s move forward with positive thoughts for a bright future. Follow me, and we can go home, Mary said, taking a running leap off the building, hurling herself through the air. She arched up and across the street to plummet toward the ground, landing on the roof of a parked car. The roof collapsed from the blow and the windows shattered spraying pieces of safety glass around the car on the sidewalk and street. The car’s alarm began blaring and the car’s lights blinked off and on, alternating with the loud unpleasant sounds of the alarm. Mary’s body lay bent and disfigured in the crater that was the roof of the car.

Megan looked down at Mary, but she was not moving. Mary’s neck and limbs were twisted into very unnatural positions. Oh shit! Megan yelled. She tried to figure out a way down before the police or the guards at city hall found Mary. She carefully and quickly dropped over the side of the roof, slowing her descent by grabbing any windowsills or decorative architecture sticking out on the side of the building. She dropped unharmed to the roof above the entry to city hall then jumped down the remaining twenty feet to the ground and rushed across the street. The night watch at the police station was coming out of the building across the square and guards were peering out of the glass doors of the city hall trying to see what was going on. It was dark and Megan could see the bent and broken streetlight above the smashed car. Mary must have hit the light on the way down before hitting the car. Mary was not breathing, and Megan could not find a pulse. Megan was extremely concerned, but she was pleased to find Mary’s limbs were regenerating back to a normal appearance. Megan quickly grabbed Mary’s arms, pulled her off the roof of the car and dragged her across the sidewalk into the bushes in the small park in the square. Guards from city hall were looking at the smashed car with flashlights trying to figure out what happened. A couple of police officers who did not like Megan or Mary were the next on the scene. The cops managed to silence the alarm. They were talking and trying to solve the puzzle of what could crush a car without still being on top of the car.

Mary was breathing again, and her body looked normal now. Megan gently tried to wake up Mary. Mary’s eyes open and she winced in pain telling Megan, We should not jump off buildings. It hurts really bad.

Quiet, the police are examining the car you smashed. Can you walk? Megan whispered.

I don’t think so, at least not yet. You need to do a spell to conceal us until I can move or teleport us away from here, Mary whispered back with difficulty speaking and winced again.

I cannot do that kind of magic, I am mostly human, Megan said despairingly.

You passed beyond being mostly human a while back. You are Megan, Fairy princess, and Godkiller. Just tap into the ley lines going through the city hall, like you were doing back at the switch room. There is a nexus point in the mayor’s office where two lines cross. You need to do the camoglamour spell like I did when we sneaked past the goblins and gnomes in Dualbeddium. Start by performing a glamour spell, except do it to make us look like the bushes we are hiding in, to make it appear like normal bushes without us hiding here. I know you can do this, Mary encouraged her in a hushed voice fighting to breathe properly.

Megan looked up and she could feel the faint lines of Ether intersecting on the fourth floor of city hall. She reached out like she had at the magical center of the Multiverse and tapped into the magical energy. She streamed it down to her and enveloped her and Mary, completely hiding them from the guards and police officers widening the search radius around the car. Megan kept up her concentration, keeping the camoglamour spell to conceal them. Mary was much better as the first lights of dawn spilled across the square. A flatbed truck came and took the car away and city maintenance workers were cleaning up the glass and debris. After everyone was gone, they decided it must be Sunday morning because so little traffic was coming and going around the square. Megan stopped concentrating on the concealment spell and focused on Mary who was sitting up rubbing her head.

What the fuck is wrong with you, do you think you’re Supergirl? Megan reprimanded her.

Maybe for a moment I did think I had superpowers and I could jump over tall buildings in a single bound. Don’t worry, I learned my lesson. We should not jump off even medium buildings, or try to leap across the town square, Mary said with a chuckle.

You find this amusing; you could have died. Hell, you fucking did die! I need you; I cannot go through eternity all by myself. But more than that, you are my best friend and I genuinely care about you, Megan said with a tear forming in her eye.

Ah, you are my best friend too, and I will be there for you for the rest of eternity. It really makes the saying ‘Best Friends Forever’ take on a new meaning, Mary said as Megan tearfully hugged her hard.

Ow, hug softer, Mary said wincing.

Sorry, Megan told her not letting go but much more carefully embracing her.

Mary whispered into Megan’s ear, I still do not think we can die, but that was a very painful experience. I will not do that again if I have a choice.

You were fucking dead. Your heart stopped, you were not breathing, and your body was all mangled. You were dead! Megan told her a little louder than she should have and let go of her.

Okay, so maybe we can die for a short time, but I am sure we will not stay dead for long, Mary told her quietly. Do you think we could try and go home now? I want to shower and go to bed for a couple days.

If it is Sunday, we both need to go to work tomorrow. You are working the evening shift at the R-Mart, and I am doing cop things tomorrow morning. Which home do you want to go to?" Megan asked.

Whichever is the closest? Help me up, Mary informed her.

That would be the one in the giant underground cavern beneath city hall, across the street, Megan told her helping her up and then helping her across the street. They went around to the side entrance and entered Megan’s code on the keypad to gain access to the building. They made their way slowly to the elevator. Once inside Megan input the code to the cavern. The elevator doors closed, and ANN said over the speaker above the button panel, Rebecca will be so glad you are back. Shall I send you up to the fourth floor?

Please ANN we really need to go to bed. Can you let us go to the cavern home, and we will deal with the mayor later, Mary asked?

Yes of course, have a nice nap, I will inform Rebecca you are resting in the cavern home, ANN said, and the elevator descended deep into the earth to a large well-lit cavern. They took an ATV across the cave to the house with Megan driving and Mary holding on to her. Once home, Mary went straight to her room and went to bed. Megan had breakfast and played with the saber tooth tigers. Since Lola had become pregnant, she was so maternal she would lick Megan’s shoulders and hair.

Megan crashed in her bed around noon.

Chapter Three: Immortals Guide to Life 101

"Everything in your life is a reflection of a choice you have made.

If you want a different result, make a different choice." – Author Unknown

At four in the morning on Monday, Megan and Mary awoke to find themselves sitting on a very comfy black leather couch. About twelve feet in front of them, Damon was sprawled atop a huge slab of solid gold, shaped somewhat like a giant couch. The gigantic room was dotted with several very tall opulent pillars, and the room stretched as far as Megan could see in every direction except down. It was well lit, but no light source was discernable. She could not really tell if they were in a room or outside. Megan knew immediately this was Damon’s home, but home did not really apply; it was more of a lair.

Damon’s center head, the one with the appearance of a Demon extended to a few feet in front of them. Some of the other heads lay resting on the gold slab and looked like they might be sleeping. Damon told them, "Fate has tasked me with educating and overseeing your peaceful assimilation into Immortal society. Firstly, most of the Celestial Races of 2nd tier beings will shun you. Do not take it personal, maybe if you are still alive and