Max went to visit Antonio and his family. The makings that would turn him into Bane were still there. But his mother instilled morality into him. His father taking more of a leading rule and making sure their friends and family would be ok with the future that was laid before them.
"This Bane.... I will take that role Watcher." Antonio stood ramrod straight. After deep cultivation over the years, his body, mind, and spirit were powerful. The Cultivation Manual given to him was an open one. It allowed changes at the structuring level. Now it was finished and needed to e properly named. "The one you gave me before was good to get started but this is better."
"To become Bane is something very serious. You sure?" Max wanted to be sure. He watched for any trouble in the young contractee and found none. Nodding he made his decision. "Antonio, one of the few to figure out the identity and to defeat one of the most troublesome people in the future."
"I will be better than any versions you know of me Watcher. Afterall, I have a good teacher." Antonio grinned. This earned him a smile from Max. Between the two, a new contract formed of deep spiritual energy. "I will give my all for the future."
*Bing!* The contract exploded into golden spiritual energy. Countless versions of Bane appeared in the area. Every different interpretation from the dawning of this Dimsenion and its resets.
One by one they turned into strands the entered Antonio. Enriching his soul to new heights. He met the full criteria to become a champion. Despite his current age.
The luchador mask appeared on his face as well all the black pants and a muscle shirt. No dials to inject venom into the body. But his veins did bulge for a moment.
"Itzli..." Max said lowly. From the depths of his soul, a black light left. Something that remained inside of him for a long time was released. "Obsidian Blade, right-hand man of Tezcatlipoca."
"Are you him?" Antonio asked suprised. The energy that entered was soft and warm. It stored away inside him to be awakened another day. Out of his own designs, or if Max failed. "No you are not. Just a carrier?"
"He was 2nd of the nine Lords of the Night." Max smirked. "Just honoring agreements is all. Making sure backups are in place. Hopefully.. things do not go wrong. And you can help that Pantheon rise back up."
"Quite a task you gave me." Antonio looked down at the ground. Taking a sudden interest with the burden saddle on him. "I can do this. I can be some one important."
"Of course Antonio." Max gave him a pat on the back. "You will not be doing htis alone. You have friends and family to help you. Dreams and aspirations to secure. You will be a fine Champion."
"Yeah, I will!" Antonio cheered up quickly. The benefit of youth. "Gonna blow Gaia's Pantheon out of the water!"
"Hey now.." Max gave a wry smile. The competition was good but not like this. ".. just remember who helped you."
"Of course." Antonio looked to the sky and stared at the son a bit. "I need to go now. Talk later teach!" He sprinted off with his family members who watched everything go on. His cousins anyway. "We have more training after lunch!"
The other kids groaned a little at that. But they smiled feeling themselves become faster as Antonio passed on some spiritual energy to them. They were after all still developing.
'Scenario finished. Antonio, Bane changed completely. Energy from the contract is stable. Storing away for later.' Atlas was pleased with the outcome. 'Information regarding the incident in space has arrived. It is suggested you take a trip.'
'I do not like the sound of that.' Max thought back. Creating a mirror, he stepped through to the location needed. 'Maybe something good for once.'
.
Outskirts of the Milky Way-
.
A crystalline substance was floating in space. Slowly it moved about trying to reform itself. What looked to be feathers floated in every direction. Several tears in real space were visible. Little birds made of ice moved about.
Lyssa floated in place next to it. The red clothing of a Red Lantern suited her greatly. As well as the book she carried on a chain. On the cover was black and white wings with three orbs on it. A green, red, and a black gem that shined.
The binding had a silver and gold engraving on it. The words Virtue and Sin written in several languages. New ones added every time Max came across another species and language.
"Hello Boss." Lyssa's tone was seductive. The more she spent with Max and reading his life, the more she wanted to get close to him. As well as dig into the deepest recess of his mind. "This one triggered a few spells so.."
"Holy shit....." Max was stunned. The feathers reformed fully. They were little phoenixes. "Lala. How did she get here?" The last he saw her was back in the previous Dimension.
"Caw!" The phoenixes cried as one. Each disappearing into Lala. Speeding up her recovery process. Her white blue hair floated around making a cocoon of protection.
"Go." Max said simply. His spiritual energy wrapped around and sucked her into a pocket dimension. Max's hands started moving in patterns as he spread his Spiritual Sense into the area. Searching for any tears in real space still. "None.. here.. none here..."
*Ripple!* A white wave spread out hitting Lyssa and every "living" organism in the area. It spread from "miles" to "dept searches" then into "light years" in moments.
Max's full focus was on this. Leaving himself completely open to an attack. Lyssa stood guard immediately as she made sure to attack anything that arrived in the area.
Luckily, nothing showed up.
"Haaa. haa.. ha.." Max started breathing heavily as he continued to push his sense out. Already encompassing the entire Milky way after some time. His nose was bleeding as his regular eye ruptured. The Eye of the World developing to the next level. "Shit!"
*Splat!* Spiritual blood burst out of the other eye. Slowly energy from the surrounding entered as both eyes gained the qualities to look into Scenarios and feed him information.
"Stupid... and careless..." Max berated himself. As his vision was assaulted, things came to light about the Academy. " .. should have known! Should have known!"
Under the Academy was a seal to a place that was not very.. nice. Gotham itself was built on the site of some terrible things. Max was really starting to hate the Puritan time frame for this dimension.
Collecting himself, created a mirror to get himself and Lyssa out of there. She had to help him into it. Mostly because Max was babbling things she couldn't catch. The language he spoke in was above her current understanding.
"It will be ok. Dont worry." Lyssa said comfortingly. She really had know idea what else to do. 'What had him so shaken up?' As the mirror closed someone else watched with a sparkle in their eye.
The fifth dimension creature QWSP looked amused to say the least. Having eluded Max this long was fun for it. The pointed ears twitched a little as it took information. Scarlet red eyes searching outward. Still to early to pay a visit. Max was still developing for that he needed after all.
Not power-wise. But Spiritually. With a snap of it's fingers, QWSP turned the area back a little. Removing all traces of Lala every having arrived in this Dimension.
*Bump!* A push hit against real space a few moments later. Something had tried to breach through. But no luck.
"Oh dear. Tsk Tsk!" QWSP tsked at the distorted area. Pushing back against it he instilled a bit of energy to probe the other side. "Hmmm, what is cultivation?"
The Imp mused for a bit. He shrugged then left to return back to the fifth dimension. He would visit a friend of sorts to find out. Mxyzptlk would have an answer maybe.
.
A sit down-
.
A few days later Max was back to his old self a little. It almost time to head back to the academy and take care of things there.
"How many places have you failed?" Orm asked after studying.
"Three that I actively know of." Max said deadpanned. The memories were fresh anytime he thought on it to long now. Which would be now. "A Cultivation Dimension known as Against The Gods."
"After failing there, I went to another Cultivation Dimension called, I Shall Seal The Heavens. Which is where I perfected my Cultivation Methods. Derived my own Realms and set their thresholds. Instead of Ranks I did Tiers really. "
"But your Spiritual Sense, why do you only use it for observation mostly?" Orm sat down in a chair made of water. Always practicing magic like Max suggested.
"Because I am a Champion I suppose." Max shrugged. "I can use it to wield weapons but I rather use myself. Mostly use it for acquiring more knowledge and studying things. As well as develop a better insight in those around me."
"So... therapy?" Orm questioned.
"Yes. Whatever it takes to prevent the fall of those close to me." Max waved his hand healing them all up once more. "As for the 2nd place I failed... it was the Dimension of Tekken. I learned how to fight better there though."
"How many people did you leave behind?" Atlanna asked.
"The three places I failed ..... I left a couple million with my bloodline. The destruction of my body itself helped stabilize the Dimensional Collapse."
"Then why do you consider it a failure?" Orm nose scrunched up.
"Because I only stalled the Collapse. Someone else had to pick up the pieces. To many failures... weighs heavy on the soul." Max face twisted up as he forced the memories away. "Punishment is dealt out brutally as well."
"What happened to you?" Mercy rested her head upon her knees. "Was it really bad?"
"Yes. I was stripped of my memories and sense of self. A scrubbing of my soul as I wander through Tartarus." A shudder ran through him for a moment. Max closed his eyes. Mentally collecting himself. "Each champion and aspiring champion has to go through it if they fail to much. Not targets mind you, just the punishment of whatever Pantheon you are a part of."
"What if you start your own Pantheon?" Helena asked. She really wanted to do that herself. Not be the leader of course. But if Max started one, she was game to join it. "Who regulates that?"
"The Pantheon you are currently in or its Allies. " Max smiled at her. "I am telling you, you need to have a more open mind to do so. And stronger Aspects to represent yourself. Nothing to small like now."
"Humph!" Helena turned away upset a little. "I told you I will pick really big ones to add on if you promise to start your own Pantheon."
"I will. I gave my word. Just need more people. " Max pointed at the floor which lit up and changed a little. A few markings identifying certain people. In the center was the 14 Aspects he has. "I have to have 14 strong people to do so. At Demi Rank at the least."
"Demi Rank.. oh what are all the Realms and Ranks you have again?" Corben asked.
"Initiate Level, Student Level to Advanced Level." Max said simply. "Those Realms you are Human. After that.. you become more. But still human unless you do certain things. I do not recommend it."
"But what are the other ones you have in their about?" Orm asked.
"Ones tied to professions that help you develop." Max would bog them down with it since most couldn't practice the different professions here. " You have the Mystic next for the more magic focused. Or Nascent for the more spiritual energy focus. After that is the Apostle then the Champion State. Then the DemiGod/DemiGoddess or DemiTitan/DemiTitaness state."
"Then the state you have not reached." Mercy said abruptly. Everyone turned to her. "But you have killed in the Champion state higher Realm creatures. Hitting them with Quantity over Quality and then some."
"7 realms that matter. All others are ways to supplement." Atlanna said. She rubbed her chin as she spoke next. "You have 14 aspects. But 7 and 7 really. Even able to do just 7 in a lifetime when going to a Dimension."
"Such a complicated Manual." Corben grumbled. "Living Virtuous or living Sinful at times. Bah! Crazyness."
"Yeah..." Max shrugged. Atlanna eyed him oddly. "What?"
"You have not been married 14 times have you?"
"No. I have not."
"What happens if you do?" Atlanna wanted to figure something out if her guesses were correct anyway. "Will something happen to you are them?"
"Yes. But I cannot remember." Max shook the questioning looks off. "I also do not want to remember. It was set up when I was just starting out. So most likely something silly. Let's move on."
"Yeah yeah." Helena moved to a spot then stopped. "Wrath... is mine in your Pantheon. And it's lesser.... Vengeance."
*Flutter!* The floor lit up as a magic circle turned and made an impression of Helena. The impression had 14 symbols that represented Max. 6 empty circles twice the size of Max's appeared in the area.
"Neat." Helena outstretched her hands as her Cultivation Spun wildly. "Body, Mind then Spirit."
"Hmm need to become stronger to join up." Orm looked like he wanted to join right now, but he had his worries for his mother and little siblings. "In due time." A
"Mercy... that looks like you." Claire pointed at an impression. "Just so... soft."
"Yeah it is." Mercy nodded then pointed upward. "You are there and so are a bunch of others."
"Some are not full-formed." Nyssa frowned. She felt one that floated near Max was her. But something about it was off. A dark light inside looked off. "What is inside the core?"
"A piece of your soul when I first met each of you." Max said it casually. Like it was no big deal.