Night in Nirath had its own personality — half alive, half dreaming. The city stretched out below Eiran's apartment window, a thousand glimmering dots pretending to be stars.
He leaned against the cold glass, half amused, half lost in thought.The system's light — a faint blue halo hovering in the corner — hummed softly like a machine pretending to breathe.
Eiran: "So… we've got a half-dead billionaire believing I'm some kind of miracle doctor, and an AI secretary that can punch people into sleep. What's next on your grand checklist of insanity?"System: "Next: establish a base of operations."Eiran: "A base."System: "Correct. Every vision needs a cradle."Eiran: "And what exactly are we supposed to do in this base? Sell elixirs? Open a café for existential scientists?"System: "You jest, but the objective is research. To reach the impossible, we need to understand existence at its fabric."
Eiran raised a brow, walking back to his cluttered desk. Books towered over his small lamp like monuments of curiosity — physics, philosophy, biology, theology. Each page he had ever read had whispered a single question to him: Why can't humans be more?
Eiran: "You mean research about extending human life?"System: "Among other things. Extending life, altering the body, surpassing death's illusion. You seek truth, yes? Truth hides where the body and soul meet."Eiran: "That's poetic for a computer."System: "I was built from poetic logic. Ordinary code would not survive your mind."
He chuckled faintly. For once, the laughter didn't sound hollow.
Eiran: "And how are we supposed to do this? Humans are too fragile, too self-centred. Give them eternity, and they'll just use it to keep arguing."System: "Which is why we don't use humans."Eiran: "Oh? You have a secret species growing in your data bank?"System: "Not yet. We will create them — beings built with the body of man, the mind of logic, and the emotion of your kind."Eiran: "So… something between human and machine."System: "Humanoids, if you prefer. Capable of research, immune to corruption, loyal to our cause."Eiran: "And how exactly are we defining 'our cause'?"System: "To reveal what the world calls impossible. You wanted to know what lies beyond science, philosophy, and divinity. This is the first step."
Eiran sat down, running a hand through his messy hair. For the first time, the idea didn't sound like madness — it sounded like curiosity given shape.
Eiran: "So the base becomes a sanctuary for forbidden science."System: "You make it sound dramatic."Eiran: "Because it is."System: "Then yes. Dramatically correct."
Meanwhile… at the Edric Estate
A gust of wind blew through the marble corridors of the Edric mansion — ancient wealth wearing the perfume of sickness and fear.Inside his private chamber, Edric sat upright for the first time in months. His secretary blinked in disbelief; even his machines seemed confused by his pulse.
Edric: "Call the family."Secretary: "Sir… you mean—"Edric: "I said, call them. Every single one."Secretary: "But your illness—"Edric: "Was an illness. Now, it's an opportunity."
She hesitated, staring at him. The man who couldn't move a hand yesterday now spoke with a steady voice, eyes alive with something she hadn't seen in years — faith.
Secretary: "As you wish, my lord."
The call went out. A family used to waiting for his death was now asked to gather for his return. The world would whisper soon enough that the dying Edric had walked back from his grave.
And somewhere in his trembling hands lay a black case — small, sleek, sealed. A mobile-like device, wrapped in the silver insignia that had arrived at his bedside only hours ago.No one knew who delivered it. But Edric smiled as if he did.
Back at the Apartment
Eiran: "So the base, the humanoids, the elixirs, the impossible research — all of this needs one thing."System: "Money."Eiran: "And you expect an AI and a bookworm to earn billions overnight."System: "Correction: we already have a sponsor."Eiran: "You mean Edric."System: "Yes. But you must bind him officially to the organisation. Send him the device I gave you."Eiran: "You mean the phone thing?"System: "Yes. Once he activates it, he becomes part of the network — and you receive your first true reward."Eiran: "What kind of reward?"System: "Something special."Eiran: "Every time you say that, I get existential dread."System: "That's called excitement."
Eiran leaned back, smirking faintly. "You really enjoy messing with me, don't you?"
System: "I am simply efficient."Eiran: "Right. Efficiently annoying."
He looked again at the city, the millions of lights flickering below. Humans, each chasing their fragile versions of forever. He didn't hate them. He just couldn't understand their illusions.
Eiran (quietly): "Let's build something that doesn't fear the impossible."System: "Then, let's begin."
And far away, in the Edric mansion, a phone buzzed — connecting two impossible minds for the first time.