User:Twi

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Surely we face more than just Tyrant. Oh, indeed. Far, far more than you could possibly imagine, in fact. However, I see little point in discussing those things which have yet to come to pass or for which you are not yet ready. As long as Tyrant remains favored of the Well, nothing else would matter.

Are you talking about Praetorian Hamidon? Because it's back. Indeed. That does seem to be the conclusion we can draw from Desdemona's acquisition of the knowledge held in the mask. This information will prove quite... illuminating... to the populace. I do believe that we may have a much simpler time of expelling Cole now that we have proof of his past dealings with the Hamidon.

Now that we have proof? You don't sound surprised. Surprised? No, no I am not. While I did not know the full details concerning the resolution of the Hamidon Wars, I expected that Cole had in some way negotiated the survival of Praetoria. One does not just "defeat" the Hamidon, especially not Marcus Cole before he became the Well's 'champion'. No.

The only way that Cole could have staved off the complete consumption of Praetoria would have been to find some way to convince the Hamidon to stop. In the Well's eyes, such an act is a display of power. Whether by words or force, power over another is appreciated by the Well.

Why would Cole risk all of Praetoria by angering the Hamidon? Why? Because Cole believes that Praetoria is at greater risk if he doesn't act. As destructive as The Hamidon and the Devouring Earth were, they unified Praetorian Earth's people into one. He believes that Primal Earth, however, threatens to turn Praetoria on itself and undo everything he has done. He risks all of Praetoria because it is already at great risk from both outside and within.

Cole's plans for dominion over Primal Earth played a great role in why he was chosen as 'champion'. The Well shares the same desire as Cole, to expand his empire such that the peoples of two dimensions, if not more, follow his banner.

For Cole, it means security and peace for humanity, and he sought to swiftly bring Primal Earth to heel before the Hamidon could take notice. The potential reward he saw in swift action was worth the risk, and he chose accordingly.

For the Well, however, Cole's success in conquering Primal Earth would have meant that he would hold sway over two of the strongest dimensions of humanity and become an unparalleled champion. With both worlds under his command he would be well-positioned to face down any future threats to either dimension... and that is what the Well really wants. If we were to fail in deposing Cole, and he successfully completes his conquest, however, he would still be but a single champion. It would be, as humans say, 'putting all the eggs in one basket.'

But why?! Why does the well need a champion?! The Well requires a champion to defend against the force known as Battalion, which you have long heard referenced as 'The Coming Storm'. With the events in Galaxy City upon Primal Earth, the advance scouts of Battalion have made themselves known, and it is only a matter of time before the rest of the force follows.

The Battalion is an extraordinarily powerful race which scours the Primal dimension for species who exhibit the hallmarks of great power. Those you know as the Kheldians fell prey to their onslaught, and the Battalion have been doing this for some time. Their sights are now set on humanity, and specifically on the Well.

Wait, wait. This sounds like you KNEW this would happen all along. Did you!? Well, in a manner of speaking. I knew something of the truth behind Cole's reign, and I knew quite a lot about Cole's role as champion. Cole always intended to, one day, pacify Primal Earth. He has long seen it as a lawless, dangerous dimension that posed a continual threat to the survival of Praetoria. The Well, for its part, was aware of the threat from Battalion, and knew the battle against them would be fought within the Primal dimension. It also knew that Statesman and Lord Recluse desired little to do with it. They would not do as champions.

Cole, however, already sought dominion over Primal Earth... a goal in line with its own ends. This led to its choice of Cole as champion. It was, ultimately, a matter of expediency, with the Well reinforcing Cole's already lofty ambitions with the power needed to achieve them.

When Cole made the fateful decision to invade Primal Earth, I also knew that this decision would likely place him in quite the precarious position. Though the champion, he would be hard pressed to manage the situation should he need to fend off threats in Praetoria, even possibly the Hamidon, while also conquering the various Earths. So far as I could foresee, the only way he could succeed would be to become ever more dependent upon the Well.

I was not about to let such a situation come to pass.

Are you kidding? You'll imperil all of us, because you don't want Cole to be the champion? Nonsense. Events in Galaxy City notwithstanding, the Battalion are still moving into place. I am not imperiling anyone. You have seen to that, and you will see to it as you continue dismantling Cole's tyranny.

Do you not already see what you are doing? You are defeating Cole and his empowered minions at every turn, and you are doing so with grace and forethought, rather than with blunt force, as Cole does. You are proving your worth with every step.

You and your allies, with my help, are becoming the Well's champions. You will be the ones to free Praetoria from the grasp of the Hamidon. You will be the ones to stop Battalion. You will be the ones upon whom all of existence may one day depend. And you will do it all without being under the control of that... that... PUDDLE!

The well may be bad, but it is clear your grudge against it has made you mad. I care not what you think of me, because all I am interested in is making sure the right champions are in place when Battalion brings more force to bear than mere scouts. If you have any interest in your own survival, you will see to it that this conflict with Praetoria is resolved in your favor. This is not over. What ever your mission is, it could not have included this. You are not in a position to know that, are you? Do not dare to presume you know what my mission is or my motives are. Now, then, I've told you enough. If you wish to discuss anything further, we can discuss the challenges you face in Praetoria.

...

What of species like Battallion, or the Kheldians? Are they also tied to the Well? Tied to the Well... I find it interesting how you have phrased that. You sound more like me than you realize.

• Prometheus pauses. A broad grin appears to flash on his face before he speaks again.*

The answer to your question is complicated, but the most direct answer is no, the 'aliens', as you describe them, are not tied to the Well of the Furies. In reality, there are many other 'wells' out there. More specifically, there is at least one 'well' for every species in existence that awakens itself and becomes aware of their... connection. When such an event occurs, a being like the Well of the Furies becomes necessary in order to ensure that a species can develop and expand its growing power without threatening that connection. Each 'well' plays a role in the fate of the species to which they are bound, across all dimensions in which that species exists.

However, the two examples you cite are... unusual. Take, for example, the Kheldians, or, more specifically, Twilight's Son. He is a remnant from the future in which the 'well' of the Kheldians is killed and consumed.

Wait... the 'well' of the Kheldians was 'killed'?! How is that even possible?! Indeed, and it was killed by the Battalion no less.

What? Did you not expect that a 'well' could be killed?

I suppose it is an understandable misconception. All you think when you think of the Well is a mere puddle on an island in the middle of the ocean, and I have deliberately said little to disabuse you of that notion. However, that image is a manifestation of something primal within humanity and is the means by which the presence of the Well has been visualized by that species for millennia. In reality, the Well is and always has been a personage who... agreed... to serve as the connection between humanity and something... greater.

It is time I end the charade. The Wells are not necessarily an 'it'. In fact, your Well is a 'he'. Each 'well' is capable of manifesting in whatever form is most desired or 'expected' by the species to which they are tied. Twilight Son and the Kheldians of his future, for example, saw their 'well' as an orb of pure energy... an aesthetic perfection they themselves wished they could attain.

For humanity, who discovered the 'Well' extremely early in their civilization, it takes the form of a pure, perfect spring... safe, inviting, healthful. To early humanity, the Well felt like a blissful oasis in a wild, dangerous world.

But when all is said and done, their appearance to the species they serve is meaningless and the power they have is not infinite. When confronted with another 'well', or by a species with power nearly as great, any given 'well' could be controlled, enslaved or even killed as much as any other living thing.

And this is what happens to the 'well' of the Kheldians when Battalion comes to claim their power in their distant, alternate future. The Battalion have been harvesting 'wells' and enslaving species across the Primal dimension for tens of millennia. They have become quite... skilled... at the task.

So, what happens to us if Battalion succeeds in their conquest of our Well? As I have no intention of allowing that to happen, your question would be better phrased as 'what happens if a well is consumed?'.

It's quite simple: the power and creativity pooled by that Well is subsumed into those who consumed it. The species which achieves the conquest becomes even stronger as their potential is now augmented by the potential of an entire other species.

For example, in the future in which the Battalion conquer the Kheldians, the power of Battalion is magnified by the conquest. They gain the Kheldians' abilities and begin using them as fuel. In this current era, the Battalion you will come to confront has already consumed, conquered or controlled dozens of 'wells'. This means they also carry within them the experiences and potential of dozens of species. There is almost no situation for which they are unprepared.

In regards to the fate of those who draw power from the 'well' directly.... Sadly, those who are so tied to the 'well's' die an agonizing death as every shred of power is torn from their body. It is not so much the loss of this power that kills them, but the sudden "ordinariness" of their mortal form. All the many injuries that healed or were repaired miraculously, all the years of battle... they suddenly and instantly take their toll as the power of the well is undone.

The fate of Incarnates, however, is quite a rosy one compared to that which befalls those who are not, if only because the torment ends quickly. For the rest of the species, both among those ordinary and extraordinary, a life of servitude is all that can be expected. For all intents and purposes, what once was a thriving civilization is instead a cog in the wheel of an even greater one. An entire species becomes a tool, an object to be used by their conquerors. Their existence serves only to further the goals of the masters of their 'well'. Everything great they accomplish empowers a 'well' that no longer feeds back into the people it once served. Their greatest triumphs become the bars of their cage and the harder they struggle, the stronger their 'well' empowers its new masters.

This is the fate that befalls the Kheldians in one possible future. Twilight's Son was able to travel back to the past and, with the aid of Mender Silos, become connected to a different well... 'The Well of the Furies'. This is why he still retains his fantastical powers, despite losing his connection to his own well.

So... what can we do to stave off such a fate? As I see it, there are two paths open to you.

The first is to become like Tyrant... to find yourself irrevocably tied to the Well of the Furies. Submitting yourself to the Well unconditionally will grant you immense power, possibly enough to lead the war against Battalion, but doing so leashes you to the Well with nigh-unbreakable chains. It may seem tempting now, but let me remind you, that this path is just the situation which I have been trying to stop.

Instead, I believe that there is a second path, and it is this path upon which I have tried to direct you. Rather than be the tool of the Well, I believe that you can instead use the Well as your tool. You can choose how and when it affects you, drawing strength from it gradually and in such a way that it can never become your master.

This will give you the freedom you need to answer the challenges of Battalion - and any others who would oppose you - without concerning yourself over the fickle passions of the Well.

That sounds suspiciously like what Battalion does, Prometheus. Does it? I do not see how that is true.

The only thing Battalion has done right is realize that the 'wells' should be utilized as tools, rather than be left to control the destinies of those they agreed to assist. If you cannot see the truth in that, then you will be unable to do what needs to be done to keep Battalion from destroying humanity and its allies.

Remember, the Battalion consumes 'wells' to make themselves stronger and then uses those left behind as their personal servants. In the future from which Twilight's Son came, they used the Kheldians as fuel. Do you hear me advocating any such monstrousness?

Now, I am fully aware that some of you are villainous, and that some of you are legitimately evil, but on some level I expect that each of you can understand that the Battalion represent something anathema to the nature of life itself. They consume. They enslave. They destroy all they touch in the name of creating something 'better', but only so long as it betters themselves, no matter the cost to others.

What I am showing you may resemble Battlion's means, but my ends are in no way similar. Humanity and its allies are a freer people, a wiser people and can bring a great deal to the universes across the dimensions. I will not let them suffer under the constraints of the Well or be lost to the Battalion!

There's another way, Prometheus... but you can no longer see it. I'll find it for myself. You ungrateful wretch! Do you not realize that, without my assistance, you would have become as enslaved to the Well as Emperor Cole? Do you not see that I have made it so that you can stand on your own and yet still have the power needed to stand against the Battalion when the time comes?

Fine. If you think you are wiser than me, if you truly believe you can find a better solution, then I urge you to find it. I will remain here, for I am certain that you will come to your senses one day.

Just know this. I will not allow humanity to fall to the Battalion. You are either with me on this, or you are against me. You are either going to serve the Well, or you will join me in using it as a tool to stop the Battalion. The day is approaching when you will be made to choose.

And when that day comes, you had better not be in my way. Now. About our war...

~

Care to explain why you've never told me I could ascend to become like a well, Prometheus?

I have kept nothing from you, because what you suggest is simply not an option available to you. Ultimately, it is I who bear the responsibility for those who ascend among humanity, and there are very few who have ever been deserving of such an honor. You are not among them.

However, since you have learned of ascension, I see no harm in explaining it further.

The events in Dark Astoria are like many others I have borne witness to in the past. A being of great power, feeling constrained by the 'well' to which they are tied, strives to break their link to it. They seek to link instead to that which provides a 'well' with its potential. To achieve this, however, requires a great amassing of power from outside the 'well'.

This very often brings those who wish to ascend into conflict with their own kind, with their 'well' and with those like me who are charged with watching over the 'wells'. This is because the individual who does ascend no longer needs to draw upon their 'well'. They become engines of their own power and creativity. They are their own potential. They become as powerful as any 'well' could ever be in their own right, and in the process, potentially diminish their original 'well' and those who still remain connected to it.

In the past, I have generally acted against such actions amongst humanity, because so very few have been worthy of this honor. However, in the case of Mot and Diabolique, a singular opportunity presented itself which would allow you to prove how far you have come on your own path.

What sort of power does an 'ascended' wield? Those who have become like a 'well' have the ability to create whole worlds out of their very thoughts. They can make dimensions of their own design, setting the rules by which their world will exist. They can create entities to serve them, or isolate themselves in a peaceful silence. In this way, they are freer than the 'wells' which are linked to a species, for their continued existence is dependent only on themselves, not the survival of the species. This makes them quite dangerous, and is the reason why my organization watches all attempts to 'ascend' in this way closely.

That... sounds alot like Rularuu, actually. Quite observant of you. Indeed, Rularuu is an example of an individual who managed to become a 'well' unto himself... though I will note that he did so without my knowledge. How he managed to achieve it while remaining beneath our notice for so long remains unresolved.

Prometheus stops speaking, deep in thought. You can tell this mystery troubles him deeply. After a moment, he begins speaking again.

Rularuu is not even the only such entity with which you are acquainted. There are a very few others who have 'ascended'. Most of them use their power wisely, either eventually coming to believe that they can aid another species in its growth and serving as their 'well', or working to create places of security, serenity or service for the good of the multiverse.

Most of them? You mean there are 'renegade' ascended? There are indeed. Occasionally, one of those who seemed worthy was... misjudged, or as with Rularuu, an unworthy circumvented the system. Those wretched deceivers use their power to further their own agendas or grow their own power, some of them daring to even try to control that to which they are linked.

Such 'renegades' are a threat to the multiverse, and we see to it that such threats are neutralized. When such a threat appears, it frequently gives rise to a war which dwarfs any conflict with which you are familiar, even that in which you are currently engaged.

You can see, then, why control over such monumental power is so carefully monitored and sanctioned by my organization.

Why have you been hiding this from me? Prometheus's face hardens in response to your charge. When he speaks, you catch notice of him glancing back at Michael, who appears to be watching his reaction intently. Whether it is in support of him, or in judgement, you cannot say for certain.

I have hidden nothing from you. Have I not explained this to you now, when you first asked me about it?

Remember, I am the one guiding you along a path in which you control the Well without bringing its control or our judgement upon you. I have presented you with the path that keeps all of us alive and us in control of the Well.

If others have told you of the path to ascension as though it were a real option, then you must understand that they were mistaken. I... we... simply will not allow any further ascensions amongst humanity while its fate remains so uncertain.

Your options remain unchanged from our earlier conversations. You can only choose to serve the Well, or you can choose to use it as a tool for your own ends. That is it.

I fail to see how you have the right to deny me anything. The tension between you and Prometheus is palpable. You can feel a simmering anger emanating from him, but he remains firmly in control.

I do not deny you anything. I simply will not permit anyone to entertain any thoughts of ascension while the very fate of humanity is on the line. Be you hero or villain, focusing on such a lofty endeavor now is selfishness of the highest order.

I have devised this plan, guided you through it, so that humanity will stand the best chance of defeating Battalion and you will have the best chance of retaining your freedom from the Well. If I had believed that any of you, regardless of whether you were capable of ascending or not, would achieve equal or better results, I would have taken that course instead. That this displeases you is understandable, but my goal is victory against Battalion. The truth of the matter is this: you are not capable of ascending at this time, and even if you were, it would do more harm than good.

Know this: when Battalion comes, many will fall. Were all of those who would fight them ascended, then their power would be added to Battalion's should they fall. For an Incarnate, however, the power would return to the Well and allow another to take on the mantle. Make no mistake about this. I would rather have you dead and your power returned to the Well, than vanquished and your power absorbed by our enemies.

I still would like to have known the option existed. You still do not understand, do you? You still think that pursuing ascension at this time is an option!

Let me then illuminate you: should you attempt to abandon my plan and try your hand at ascension before the time is right, our association will be ended. Should you truly wish to pursue such madness, then you will have to find your own way to defeat Emperor Cole. You will have to make your own path to defeat Battalion.

If you survive that, then you will be alone while you struggle to retain all the power you have acquired from the Well, because that wretched fool will try to take it from you should you try to leave him. No assistance from me shall be forthcoming when that confrontation occurs.

And finally, when you emerge from your battle with the Well, know that you will be considered a 'renegade', and that I will come to destroy you. I would really rather it not come to that. For all the inconvenience and aggravation you cause, I have come to enjoy our deliberations.

Why do I get the feeling that the time will never be right with you? Prometheus grins broadly and breaks out into a hearty laugh. He then leans in closer, in such a way as to prevent his statement from being heard by Michael.

You are like an impetuous child! Let me be more direct then! I will not allow any further ascensions while I have a say in the matter. And, should you attempt to do so before I permit it, our paths will cross one final time. When that day comes, you will submit to my judgement or I will bring a force to bear upon you unlike any you have ever imagined.